If you had told me years ago that we would become one of Canada’s recognized sources for roof top tents, overlanding gear, aluminum truck canopies, truck racks, and adventure vehicle setups, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.
What started as a passion for the outdoors, road trips, camping, and exploring the backroads of Vancouver Island slowly evolved into something much bigger — a business built around helping Canadians get outside and explore further.
Today, through RooftopTents.ca and Kermode Overland, we help customers across Canada build adventure-ready vehicles with premium roof top tents, aluminum truck canopies, bed racks, roof racks, awnings, storage systems, recovery gear, and overland accessories.
And it all started right here on Vancouver Island.
The Beginning: Vancouver Island, Camping & Adventure
Living on Vancouver Island gives you a unique perspective on the outdoors. Within a short drive you can reach rugged coastlines, mountain logging roads, hidden lakes, old-growth forests, surf beaches, remote campsites, and endless backcountry.
Vancouver Island is one of the best places in Canada for overlanding, camping, and off-road exploration. It naturally creates a lifestyle where people want to get outside more often and travel further off the beaten path.
Back in 2018, roof top tents were still relatively uncommon in Canada. You would occasionally see them on a Tacoma or Jeep build, but they were nowhere near as mainstream as they are today.
I became interested in roof top tents because they completely changed the camping experience:
- Fast setup
- Elevated sleeping
- More comfort
- Easier mobility
- Better access to remote camping
- No wet ground or uneven terrain
At the time, it was difficult to find good roof top tents in Canada, especially on the West Coast. That led to the launch of RooftopTents.ca.
Selling Roof Top Tents Since 2018
Since 2018, we’ve focused heavily on roof top tents and helping customers understand what works best for their vehicle, camping style, and budget.
Over the years we’ve gained experience with:
- Hard shell roof top tents
- Soft shell roof top tents
- Wedge-style roof top tents
- Clamshell roof top tents
- Truck bed rack systems
- Roof rack systems
- Aluminum platform racks
- Awnings and annexes
- Winter and four-season camping setups
We’ve worked with customers across Canada building:
- Toyota Tacoma overland rigs
- Ford F-150 camping builds
- Jeep Gladiator roof top tent setups
- Ford Ranger overland trucks
- SUV roof top tent systems
- Full-size truck camping builds
Being based on Vancouver Island also means we actually use this gear ourselves. We understand rain, mud, coastal weather, logging roads, ferries, mountain conditions, and long-distance road trips.
Roof top tents are not just products to us — they’re something we’ve been immersed in for years.
How the Overlanding Industry Has Changed
The growth of roof top tents in Canada over the last several years has been incredible.
When we started, most people had never heard of roof top tents. Today, overlanding and vehicle-based camping have exploded in popularity across Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and Canada as a whole.
Hard Shell Roof Top Tents Became Extremely Popular
Hard shell roof top tents have become one of the fastest-growing segments in the market.
People love them because they offer:
- Fast setup
- Aerodynamic design
- Improved weather resistance
- Easier opening and closing
- Integrated storage
- A clean, premium appearance
This is especially popular on Vancouver Island where quick setup in changing weather conditions matters.
Retractable Tonneau Covers, Bed Racks & Roof Top Tents
One of the biggest trends we’ve seen recently is customers combining retractable tonneau covers, adjustable truck bed racks, and roof top tents.
This setup allows truck owners to:
- Keep the truck bed secure
- Maintain access to storage
- Mount a roof top tent above the bed
- Create a more versatile daily-driver and adventure setup
This has become extremely popular for Toyota Tacoma builds, Ford F-150 overland setups, Chevrolet Silverado builds, GMC Sierra trucks, and Ford Ranger overland rigs.
The versatility of combining a retractable tonneau cover with a bed rack and roof top tent has changed how many people build their trucks.
Aluminum Truck Canopies Have Exploded in Popularity
Another major shift has been the growth of aluminum truck canopies.
Customers increasingly want:
- Secure storage
- Weather protection
- Roof top tent compatibility
- Overland utility
- Work truck and camping functionality
Modern aluminum truck canopies are very different from traditional fiberglass canopies. Today’s overland-focused aluminum canopies offer full aluminum construction, gullwing side doors, modular storage, roof rack compatibility, rooftop tent mounting capability, and rugged off-road durability.
At Kermode Overland, aluminum truck canopies have become one of our fastest-growing product categories.
The Expansion Into Kermode Overland
As the industry evolved, so did we.
RooftopTents.ca began primarily focused on roof top tents, but over time we realized customers wanted complete vehicle setups — not just tents.
That led to the creation and growth of Kermode Overland.
Today, Kermode Overland offers:
- Roof top tents
- Aluminum truck canopies
- Truck bed racks
- Roof racks and platforms
- Retractable tonneau covers
- Awnings
- Camping gear
- Overland storage
- Recovery gear
- Lighting and accessories
Our goal became helping customers build complete adventure-ready vehicles.
Whether someone wants a weekend camping setup, a full overland build, a hunting or fishing rig, a work truck with camping capability, or a cross-Canada road trip vehicle, we help make it happen.
Vancouver Island Roots
Even as we’ve expanded across Canada, Vancouver Island remains a huge part of our identity.
Vancouver Island continues to influence our product selection, testing environment, camping culture, design preferences, and approach to overlanding.
There’s something unique about the outdoor culture on Vancouver Island — surfing, fishing, forestry roads, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and backcountry exploration are all part of the lifestyle here.
It creates people who value capable vehicles and reliable gear.
Many of our products are chosen because they perform well in Vancouver Island conditions, including heavy rain, coastal weather, mud, gravel roads, remote camping, and long-distance travel.
Why Experience Matters With Roof Top Tents
One thing we’ve learned since 2018 is that not all roof top tents are equal.
Fitment, rack compatibility, weight distribution, vehicle choice, aerodynamics, weather resistance, and intended use all matter.
We spend a lot of time helping customers choose:
- The right roof top tent
- The correct rack setup
- Compatible crossbars
- Proper mounting systems
- Canopy configurations
- Tonneau cover combinations
We also understand the differences between weekend campers, hardcore overlanders, family camping setups, solo adventurers, work truck builds, fishing rigs, and hunting rigs.
That experience is something we’ve built over years of specializing in roof top tents.
Looking Ahead
The overlanding and roof top tent industry continues to grow rapidly in Canada.
We expect continued growth in:
- Aluminum truck canopies
- Modular rack systems
- Lightweight hard shell roof top tents
- Retractable tonneau integrations
- Vehicle storage systems
- Electric-powered camping accessories
- Full overland vehicle builds
At the same time, the heart of it remains the same: getting outside, exploring more, and making adventure easier.
From Vancouver Island to customers across Canada, we’re proud to continue building and growing with the overlanding community.
If you’re looking for roof top tents, aluminum truck canopies, truck racks, awnings, or complete overland setups, we’d love to help you build your next adventure vehicle.
