I'm Florian, swapping my London desk for a road trip to Athens for this summer, 2024, with Aline and our Italian Greyhound, Sherlock.
To explore and travel with as little discomfort as possible, without breaking the bank. I don't want to spend my time doing chores and covering basic needs. We will need decent systems for cooking, hygiene and sleeping. We need two dedicated spaces to sit comfortably with our laptops and do some work.
Hotels aren't an option because they're too costly, and most don't allow dogs. Ideally, I'd like a van, but it's too expensive, and we'd need somewhere to store it.
We considered sleeping in our small VW Polo, but it's too cramped. Instead, we're going to be sleeping on top of the vehicle!
Meet the Tentbox XL: a rooftop tent that turns into a king-size bed in just 5 minutes!
It's an excellent middle ground between a van and a regular tent. It's more affordable than a van, easy to set up, and still comfy. Once we're done with it, we can keep it in the flat for more adventures later.
Well, I've slept in both now, and this one takes much less effort to set up and is far more cosy. You have a king-size bed with a proper mattress. Sleeping bags, pillows, everything stays in the tent when you fold it. There's also something about sleeping off the ground. I can't explain why, but I like it. It's easy to set up and pack. You pull the ladder, unfold the tent, add the poles for tension (you don't even have to in summer mode), and you're done. I had tents that would unfold in 2 seconds but take forever to put back. And unlike a ground tent, I don't have to clean dirt off the bottom.
It works! It's convenient and comfy. After using it a few times, I've noticed some advantages. Compared to a van, this tent provides excellent ventilation, has no height restrictions, and makes navigating narrow country lanes less stressful.
Start small by testing our system at a nearby campground. We'll figure out what works, what doesn't, and what's missing. More updates are coming.