The 8 Best Roof Top Tents for the Ram 1500 in 2026.
Your Ram's bed is its biggest overlanding advantage — a bed rack turns it into basecamp while the cab stays clear. Here are the eight tents we'd actually buy.
Bed-rack ready
Mount the tent over the bed on an adjustable bed rack — your cab roof stays clear and the bed underneath stays usable.
Up in under a minute
Hardshells pop up in seconds. No poles, no fighting a ground tent in the dark after a long day on the trail.
Authorized dealer
Full manufacturer warranty, free shipping, and real fit support before you buy — not a grey-market gamble.
There's a specific kind of bad night every truck camper knows. The ground you didn't notice at dusk turns out to slope. Something pools under the tent at 2 a.m. You're up before sunrise, cold, packing a wet mess off the dirt — while your Ram sits right there, capable of carrying a far better setup.
A rooftop tent fixes the thing that actually makes truck camping miserable: the ground. You sleep on a built-in mattress, up off the wet and the rocks, set up in minutes instead of half an hour. And because the Ram 1500 has a full-size bed and the payload to match, it can carry a bigger, comfier tent than almost anything else on the trail.
Most Ram owners tell us the same thing after their first trip up top — they wish they'd put the bed to work a couple of seasons sooner.
"Isn't it expensive?"
Sticker shock is real — a good tent runs four figures. But price it against what it replaces. Two weekends a month of campsite-plus-motel hedging adds up fast, and a ground tent you replace every few seasons isn't free either. A rooftop tent is a one-time buy that holds its value, moves to your next rig, and turns every trailhead pull-off into a place to sleep.
Soft shell or hard shell?
This is the decision that trips up first-time buyers. Neither is "better" — they trade space for speed. The honest version:
| Soft shell | Hard shell | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 5–10 min | Under 60 sec |
| Price range | $999–$3,025 | $2,000–$5,200 |
| Sleeps | 2–5 (bigger floor) | 2–4 (compact) |
| On the highway | Taller, more drag | Low-profile, better MPG |
| Best for | Big families, max space | Frequent, fast overnights |
On a Ram, the bed rack is the whole setup
Choosing the tent is the easy part. On a Ram 1500 the tent rides on a bed rack over the bed — not the roof — so your cab stays clear and you keep using the bed underneath. Two things decide the rack: your bed length (5'7" or 6'4") and whether you have the RamBox cargo system, which narrows the usable bed width. Adjustable racks handle both. These are the options that fit.
Prinsu
Prinsu Universal Bed Bars
Universal fit · MOLLE optional
The simplest way to mount a tent: universal bed bars that clamp to the bed rails, with optional MOLLE panels for gear.
Overland Vehicle Systems
OVS Discovery Bed Rack
Adjustable · Fits 5'7" & 6'4" beds
An adjustable full bed rack that sizes to your Ram's bed and carries a loaded rooftop tent while leaving the bed usable below.
The 8 best roof top tents for your Ram 1500
Eight tents from OVS, Roofnest, iKamper, Tuff Stuff, and Roam — from a $999 soft shell to a premium hard shell — every one mounts on a Ram 1500 bed rack. Listed low to high.
Overland Vehicle Systems
OVS TMBK 3-Person
Soft Shell · Sleeps 3
One of the lightest tents out there at ~100 lbs, and it fits nearly any bed rack. The easiest way into truck camping.
Overland Vehicle Systems
OVS Nomadic 3 Extended
Soft Shell + Annex · Sleeps 3
Marine-grade canvas, a 3" memory-foam mattress, and an optional annex room. Durable, comfortable, and easy on the wallet.
Roofnest
Roofnest Meadowlark
Soft Shell · Sleeps 2
A light, compact soft shell that opens in minutes and sits low over the bed — easy on fuel and easy to live with.
Overland Vehicle Systems
OVS HD Nomadic 4 Extended
Soft Shell + Annex · Sleeps 4
A four-person footprint at a soft-shell price — exactly the kind of tent a full-size Ram bed can carry without thinking twice.
iKamper
iKamper BDV Duo
Hard Shell · Sleeps 2
Low-profile wedge design that's quick to open and quiet on the highway, with crossbars up top for solar or recovery boards.
Tuff Stuff Overland
Tuff Stuff Elite
Soft Shell · Sleeps 5
One of the only true five-person tents on the market — a full-size Ram has the bed and payload to carry it. Six windows and an optional annex.
Roam Adventure Co
Roam Desperado
Hard Shell · Sleeps 2–3
A clamshell hard shell that pops up in seconds and rides low and quiet on the highway — premium build, no annual replacement.
Want to see every option — hard shells, awnings, and accessories? Browse all Ram 1500 roof top tents →
Before you buy: 5 things to confirm
- Your bed length.Ram 1500 comes in 5'7" and 6'4" beds. Bed racks are sized or adjusted to the bed — measure before you buy.
- Whether you have RamBox.The RamBox cargo system narrows the usable bed width, so it changes which rack fits. Adjustable racks handle it — tell us and we'll confirm.
- Dynamic weight rating.What your rack holds while moving — tent plus people. Every rack we list is rated for a loaded RTT.
- Soft shell vs hard shell.Soft shells sleep more for less; hard shells set up faster and drive quieter. Pick for how you'll actually camp.
- Authorized-dealer unit.Grey-market tents can ship with a voided warranty. Everything here is sold as an authorized dealer.
Ram 1500 roof top tent FAQ
What is the best roof top tent for a Ram 1500?
For most Ram owners the OVS Nomadic 3 is the best all-round pick, while the iKamper Skycamp 3.0 is the most popular hard shell. Big families can take advantage of the truck's payload with the five-person Tuff Stuff Elite, and budget builds start with the OVS TMBK at $999.
Can you put a roof top tent on a Ram 1500?
Yes — and a full-size truck is one of the best platforms for it. The tent mounts on a bed rack over the bed, so any Ram 1500 with the right bed rack can carry a rooftop tent while keeping the cab clear.
Do you need a bed rack for a roof top tent on a Ram 1500?
Yes. The tent needs a bed rack such as the adjustable OVS Discovery Bed Rack, or minimal universal bed bars. The rack carries the tent's weight and leaves the bed usable underneath.
Will a roof top tent work with a Ram 1500 RamBox?
Yes, with the right rack. The RamBox cargo system narrows the usable bed width, so an adjustable bed rack is the safest choice. Let us know you have RamBox and we'll confirm the fit before it ships.
How much does a Ram 1500 roof top tent setup cost?
Tents run from about $999 for a quality soft shell to roughly $5,200 for a premium hard shell. Add a bed rack — usually $600–$1,750 — for the complete setup. Most buyers land between $2,300 and $4,500 for a tent plus rack.
Can you still use the truck bed with a roof top tent on a Ram?
Yes. That's the advantage of a bed rack — the tent sits up top while the bed underneath stays open for gear, a fridge, or recovery equipment. Many owners add a bed slide or drawers below the rack.
Does a roof top tent hurt the Ram 1500's gas mileage?
A soft shell adds some height and drag, so you may see a small MPG dip. A low-profile hard shell has minimal impact. Removing the tent in the off-season returns your mileage to normal.
How many people can sleep in a Ram 1500 roof top tent?
Most sleep 2 to 4. Because a full-size truck can carry a larger tent, options like the five-person Tuff Stuff Elite or the four-person OVS HD Nomadic 4 let you sleep a whole family up top.
The brands we stand behind
We're an authorized dealer for the industry's top names — genuine products, full warranties, real support.
Overland Junction is an authorized dealer of Overland Vehicle Systems.Overland Junction is an authorized dealer of Roofnest.Overland Junction is an authorized dealer of iKamper.Overland Junction is an authorized dealer of Roam Adventure Co.Overland Junction is an authorized dealer of Tuff Stuff Overland.Overland Junction is an authorized dealer of Prinsu.
Find the setup that fits your Ram 1500
Pick your bed length and we'll build the exact-fit kit — bed rack, tent, and awning — ready to add to your cart.
Build my Ram setup →Published by Overland Junction, an authorized dealer of the brands featured here. Prices were current at publication — check the product page for today's price. Questions? Call or text 833-205-7703 or email support@overlandjunction.com.