Is a roof tent safe to use on a normal estate car roof?

My Toyota Corolla Estate has a suggested roof rack weight limit of 75kg. My daughter's Octavia Estate also has a 75kg limit. If a roof-top tent box weighs 67kg - add roof rails and I'm on a limit. If I sleep in the roof tent, I will add another 90kg - so completely over the limit. Have I missed something, or are all roof-tent users a lot lighter than me or have cars that can take 200kg on the roof?

Asked on 22 October 2025 by stephen cragg

Answered by David Ross
Typically the roof load figure provided by manufacturers refers to the dynamic load, namely the maximum weight that can be carried on the roof while the vehicle is in motion. This is restricted to ensure that the vehicle remains safe when turning, accelerating or braking, as an excessive load could cause the vehicle to become unstable. The maximum static roof load is normally several times this amount, as it is dependent on the strength of the roof itself - which must be sufficient to support the entire weight of the vehicle in the event of a rollover - and the roof bars themselves, so as long as you choose roof rails and a tent box that are designed specifically for your vehicle you should have no issues.
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