Naturnest Polaris Roof Top Tent Review: Affordable Quality That Delivers

When I first picked up the a Naturnest Roof Tent in the summer of 2024, it was a backup plan. My Hummer H2 RV conversion was down for repairs, and my girlfriend and I had some big trips lined up. So, I needed something solid for her Jeep Wrangler, and this tent seemed like the right choice.

The reviews were good, it looked well-built, and the price was way more reasonable than some of those high-dollar tents everyone raves about. I’m not a cheapskate, but I also don’t like throwing money away if I don’t have to. And I couldn’t justify paying four or five grand for something that’s supposed to be better when this one looked like it did the same thing for a fraction of the price. After spending more than 30 nights in it, I can confidently say I’d be embarrassed to admit I paid that much for a tent when this one exists.

Here’s one of the cool things about this tent: it comes with built-in power options. USB ports, 12V sockets, and an LED light strip that’s actually bright enough to be useful. It all runs through an Anderson plug at the bottom of the tent.

Now, I’ve dealt with Anderson plugs enough to know I’m not their biggest fan. So, I cut the plug off and soldered the wires straight to my power and ground lines, running those from the battery with an inline fuse. 

If you don’t want to cut wires, no problem, use the anderson plug and just hook it up to your factory fuse box or a standalone fuse box. But here’s the deal: I wanted this setup to handle a 12V heated blanket, because we learned the hard way that light blankets and below-zero temps don’t mix. We made it through the night, but it was miserable. The tent held up fine, but I’ll never camp in the cold again without proper gear.

Once I had the power sorted, everything worked like it was supposed to. The LED lights are perfect for setting up at night, and the power outlets are solid for charging phones or cameras. It’s simple, and it works.

Since I installed the Naturnest Polaris, I’ve taken it all over the place. Big Bend National Park, Monahans Sandhills, the Organ Mountains, the Bisti Badlands, the Superstition Mountains, Telluride’s backcountry, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and many more. The tent has been rock solid everywhere.

It’s been through heavy rain, high winds, and freezing cold, and it’s never let me down. The thing’s made of high-quality aluminum and waterproof fabric, so it can take a beating and keep you dry. The shell is solid enough to handle serious winds without feeling like it’s going to fly off the roof.

And the setup is ridiculously fast. You can have the thing open and ready to go in under a minute, which is pretty much a dream after a long day on the trail. You don’t have to fight with poles or worry about flimsy fabric getting caught up in everything.

Inside, it’s spacious enough for two adults and even a kid if you’re feeling ambitious. The mattress is thicker than I expected, and with a condensation pad underneath, you don’t wake up to everything feeling damp.

The tent has storage pockets all over the place, which is a nice touch. Two waterproof shoe bags hang on the outside, and there are ten more pockets inside for stuff like flashlights, phones, and whatever else you need to stash.