FAQ's | Autohome®
CELEBRATING 65 YEARS OF AUTOHOME® HISTORY
Are all the Autohome roof top tents the same quality?
- With Autohome, quality is standard: production is not differentiated. The tents used by experts in the most extreme conditions, explorers, travel professionals, and adventurers are exactly the same as all the others: the highest quality tents from Autohome, with over 65 years of experience, are available to everyone. Autohome tents are of the highest quality and held to EU standards for product materials and safety.
- Our tents are made of only premium materials and are handcrafted in Italy to the highest standard. The range of Autohome roof tents is certified and guaranteed to have passed the stringent tests required by TÜV SÜD and other impartial quality and product Certification Bodies.
- Autohome roof tents have passed stringent quality tests of the materials used, carried out in the laboratories of qualified Bodies, including the German TÜV. Beware of certifications such as ISO 9001 that some sellers advertise, because they concern the company organization and are not at all a guarantee of quality, safety and security of the tent you are going to buy.
Do I need to assemble the tent, or treat the fabric prior to use?
- No. Our tents are ready to go right out of the box, no need to assemble the tent or treat the fabric prior to use, just mount and go!
What do I need to have in order to mount a roof tent to my vehicle?
- Always check with the vehicle manufacturer of your car to determine an appropriate rack system and tent weight for your specific situation, taking both static and dynamic ratings into account.
- All roof racks carry a dynamic weight rating to guide the tested limitations of the rack system when the vehicle is in motion, this is the dynamic weight, the static load weight refers to when the tent is occupied and your vehicle is not in motion. Autohome tents weigh between 92 and 158 pounds.
- We do not partner with any specific rack manufacturer but would recommend a reputable brand such as Front Runner, Gobi, Thule, Yakima, and the like. We are not able to provide your specific vehicle's load rating or rack compatibility. You can find all mounting requirements for our tents below. Most of our Authorized Dealers in the United States and Canada provide installation services and various carry rack systems, some have online tools to aid in fitting your specific vehicle's make and model with the appropriate rack system for mounting a roof top tent.
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Maggiolina Tent Instructions View PDF
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Airtop Tent Instructions View PDF
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Columbus Varriant Instructions View PDF
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Air Sky Tent Instructions View PDF
- All of our tents come with our standard mounting kit, 177/M, you may need an alternate kit depending on your crossbars, those can be found here.
- Your vehicle rack will need two 1" or larger round or rectangular flat crossbars measuring 48-56" long mounted across the vehicle roof between 30" and 56" apart with a dynamic load rating of at least the total weight of your tent model. Wide, flat rectangular crossbars work well but often require additional mounting hardware (available for up to 4" wide crossbars at an additional cost, see above). You will need to ensure that your rack and tent fit within the requirements of your vehicle's load capacity.
- More > Warranty
Are these tents suitable for extreme winter camping?
- Yes, Autohome tents are expedition quality and have the option to be fitted with a the winter hood accessory for very severe weather. These hoods can even be useful in the desert where there are high winds and extreme temperature drops at night.
Who buys these tents?
- Our tents cater to a much broader spectrum of outdoor enthusiasts. From avid mountain bikers, surfers, and skiers to canoeists, climbers, and hunters, our products support a myriad of activities. Professionals who spend their days immersed in nature, such as geologists, wildlife biologists, and photographers, also rely on our tents for their expeditions.
- Beyond recreational pursuits, our tents provide comfort and respite for individuals in various industries. Whether it's oil platform workers, relief personnel, or long-haul drivers, our products offer a cozy retreat wherever their journeys may lead them.
How long have these tents been available in the United States?
- Autohome USA has been the sole distributor of Autohome® roof tents in the United States since 2005.
How could I avoid water condensation build-up between the mattress and the tent base?
It is not possible to completely eliminate condensation, but we do a pretty good job of it, like gravity - condensation exists and very little can be done to counteract it, particularly as a sleeping person will release up to 0.5l of moisture a night. It can however be significantly reduced, one method is to use the ACS - 3D “Air Circulation System”, which allows air circulation under the mattress. However, all Autohome fabrics are characterized by high breathability and water vapor transmission ratio: the only way to counteract condensation and humidity.
What are the mattress specs?
Mattress: sponge rubber, density 25-30 kg/m³ uncrushable and with zip opening sizes can be viewed here.
Do fans remove the condensation from inside the tent?
Fans do not work properly to remove all condensation for the inside of roof tents but they can assist and may be helpful in many cases.
How can I be sure the fabric is breathable?
Other tent manufacturers claim their fabrics are breathable, often they are not. You can easily check to see if a fabric is breathable by holding a part of the fabric against your mouth, with your hand behind it, and blow hard against it. If you can feel the air passing through to your hand the fabric is breathable. But just as important as breathability is the transmission of water vapor, which – according to Autohome quality standards – should be no lower than 350 g/m²/day. Only breathability or rapid transmission speeds can prevent the tent from building up excess condensation.
High Tech DRALON® Fabric
High Tech AIRTEX® Fabric
Can I get a shell in the color to match my vehicles paint?
The Autohome factory does not customize the shell color to match the paint of your vehicle because they exclusively use Gelcoat, which requires special processing. Gelcoat is a dense paint used in the nautical industry, applied thickly to the molding during the manufacturing process. It is a strong coasting largely unaffected by UV rays, heat, salt water and strong solvents, and is able to take on the toughest conditions without extreme wear and tear. Conventionally painted shells scratch, mark and get damaged much more easily. We have had customers who have had their tents painted aftermarket and have also had customers apply aftermarket vinyl wraps with good success.
Where can I see these tents in North America?
We exhibit at many of the industry tradeshows in North America and have a growing network of dealers. There are several owners who would be happy to show you their tents and how they work. Give us a call and we will track down someone in your area that has a tent similar to one you may be interested in and are available to show it to you. Contact us at sales@autohomeus.com or call us 888-852-2359 and we will try to connect you with an Autohome owner in your region.
What are my freight options?