The Naturbummler Alu-Kraftkiste – 12 ½ roof top tents in direct comparison.

“Stable, robust and innovative” are the three words Naturbummler use to advertise their Kraftkiste roof tent, which is German for Powerbox. At € 2,690, the German hard-shell roof tent plays in the same price league as most of its competitors, yet despite using a triangular design, the Naturbummler isn’t as cramped as other models in its category. We’ll tell you why!

We tested 12 ½ of the most exciting roof top tents in a direct comparison and took along 20 roof tent newbies and experts, 2 small kids, 2 dogs and 1 giant teddy bear on an epic road trip – here for our buying advice, and an overview of all the roof tents we tested.

While it might not sound great in English, the Naturbummler name – which means nature traveller in German – evokes the most beautiful associations: slowing down, listening to the birds, gently unwinding… Where better to do that than in nature? Two guys from Mannheim thought so too, rolled up their sleeves and launched their first Naturbummler roof tent in record time – one year after the company was founded. Since 2021, the German manufacturer has been selling rooftop tents, SUPs and outdoor accessories like water filter bottles, camping lamps and hammocks. Although their roof tents seem to be produced in the same factory as the Vickywood Cumaru Light 127 Eco and Arcta Vento, the Mannheim-based manufacturer has a trick up its sleeve: a special lifting mechanism that provides 30 cm of additional height on the sloped end, creating a decent amount of legroom. However, at 88.4 kg, this Naturbummler roof tent is also the second heaviest model in the entire test field.

Naturbummler Alu-Kraftkiste roof top tent: preparation and installation

Like all its hard-shell competitors, the Alu-Kraftkiste requires no pre-assembly. The rails for the roof bars are already installed and there are also two additional cross bars on the upper shell, which allows you to carry a bike, SUP or roof box on top of your Naturbummler roof tent. Please check your car’s permissible dynamic roof load before you start stacking things up on top!

The name gives it away: the Alu-Kraftkiste is no featherweight, and you’ll need some serious power to get it on the roof! Tipping the scales at 88 kg, the Naturbummler required four people to lift it onto the roof on our road trip test rig. According to the manufacturer, the 8 kg discrepancy over the stated 80 kg system weight is due to a few adjustments to the standard equipment. Whatever… In any case, if you have access to one, we recommend using a forklift to get the tent up onto the car roof. Read more about roof tent forklifts in our comparison test intro.

When mounting the tent on your vehicle, you’ll be pleased with the high-quality steel bracket, which, like the qeedo and Arcta’s brackets, is rubberised and U-shaped. As a result, the tent’s holding mechanism encloses the roof bars securely, without scratching the roof. However, like most products in this roof tent comparison test, the Naturbummler requires a lot of patience to secure the nuts – we recommend using at least one ratchet to speed up the process.

Naturbummler Alu-Kraftkiste roof top tent: assembly and disassembly

Before the water has even boiled to make a coffee, your travel partner has already set up the tent and got everything ready for the night. Setting up the Alu-Kraftkiste is easy, and it took us just 1 minute and 20 seconds on our second attempt. With more practice, you’ll be even faster!

Here are the steps:

• Open the buckles
• Give the tent a little nudge – the gas struts will do the rest!
• Get the telescopic alloy ladder from inside the tent (if you’re wondering how it fits, you’ll find out later)
• Insert the tent poles on the front window – done!

Good news for owners of camper vans and other tall vehicles: with the Naturbummler roof tent, you don’t have to climb onto the roof or balance on top of the tires during setup. The hinges are easy to reach from below and the window poles don’t have to be inserted from the outside. This also works perfectly well from the inside, leaning through the window.

Disassembly is fast too:

• Remove the window poles.
• Take off the ladder and put it inside the tent
• Pull on the loop
• Close the buckles.

The buckles make a high-quality impression and are easy to close. Like with all roof tents, make sure the fabric is nicely tucked away on the inside. The Naturbummler roof tent can be folded up again in around a minute, and then you’re ready to go.

The Naturbummler Alu-Kraftkiste roof tent in action

The biggest perk of the Alu-Kraftkiste is the additional space on the slanted side, which raises to give 30 cm of extra height thanks to a special lifting mechanism. This ensures plenty of room for your feet when sleeping on your back. The additional 30 cm also ensure a much more spacious feel, which makes the Naturbummler cosier and less cramped than the other two triangular hard shell tents, despite the small 200 x 118 cm sleeping area. Alongside the three large windows at the front and side, which let plenty of light into the tent, the additional space allowed the manufacturer to add an opening and a three-stage, dimmable LED strip at the rear. The latter is great for reading, creating a cosy atmosphere and taking the fear out of the dark corner. It’s also practical if you need a quick source of light at night. As with all other roof tents in this test, you’ll have to provide the necessary power bank for the Naturbummler yourself.

The openings on all four sides are provided with mosquito nets, which promote ventilation. The Alu-Kraftkiste can be darkened if required. This makes the Naturbummler roof tent really cosy during the day, even without artificial light, as the room is bathed in a reddish light that almost gives it a cave-like feel. Even the manufacturer was unable to explain the reason for this pleasant effect when asked. Perhaps an imperceptible reddish colour of the fabric?

The Alu-Kraftkiste is just as well organised on the inside as its two “siblings”, the Arcta and Vickywood. There are two side compartments for smaller items like earplugs, sleeping masks and smaller power banks, while an organiser with compartments and a transparent window for a tablet hangs from the ceiling. The Naturbummler roof tent also comes with a waterproof shoe bag, which, like the inner mesh in the tent canopy, is identical to the Arcta and Vickywood. This straps under the hard shell. Like its two direct competitors, the Alu-Kraftkiste relies on high quality materials and excellent workmanship. This also applies to the zips, which run smoothly even in the corners.

Sleeping in the Naturbummler roof tent: the mattress is lined with a pleasant fabric and proved very comfortable with our belly and back sleepers. However, those sleeping on their side had a different opinion on the matter, and that’s despite the thick 6 cm mattress, which gives a high-quality impression. However, this was a recurring problem throughout the entire group test, so it’s safe to say that most manufacturers could add one or two centimetres to their mattresses.

Space plays a crucial role in a restful night’s sleep. Due to the internal gas struts, the Naturbummler’s mattress has a couple of cut-outs, meaning that you can’t use the full width of the tent. This leaves 118 cm, which is very narrow for two people sleeping on their backs. The Alu-Kraftkiste offers roughly the same space as the pop-top roof of a VW California. However, the internal gas struts also get in the way when opening or closing the zipper. This is where the Vickywood and Arcta score points by moving the gas struts to the outside of the tent.

Good ventilation in the morning is a must with the Naturbummler roof tent. Overnight, plenty of condensation forms on the sidewalls, even with the windows open, at least during our DOWNTOWN road trip where temperatures dropped below 10º C at night. You should avoid storing anything moisture-sensitive in the side storage pockets. It’s a good thing that Naturbummler include an anti-condensation mat in the price. Thankfully, the additional 3D mesh fabric prevented water from accumulating under the mattress. One reason for the weight difference between the Naturbummler roof tent and the other two aluminium hard shell tents in the test field: the aluminium honeycomb cladding on the ceiling, which is supposed to help improve the insulation. According to the manufacturer, this will be slimmer in the next generation of the Alu-Kraftkiste, which will reduce the overall weight

With the Naturbummler roof tent, you can leave several things in the tent while travelling: piyamas, two flat sleeping bags and even the 6.4 kg aluminium telescopic ladder fit inside.

Who should take a closer look at the Naturbummler Alu-Kraftkiste roof top tent?

The Alu-Kraftkiste is suitable for 1-2 active people who want to leave stuff inside the tent while travelling, and prefer to leave the tent assembled throughout the camping season. It’s a plus point if you have a roof tent lift for easy assembly and disassembly in the garage – but more on this in our group test intro. If quick, straightforward assembly and disassembly are more important than a low system weight, you’ll get your money’s worth too. Also, for solo female travellers, the ability to bring the ladder into the tent at night is a helpful feature.

According to the manufacturer, the Naturbummler roof tent is suitable for SUVs and estate cars. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to know your car’s maximum permissible roof load. The tent weighs 94.8 kg including the ladder, and if you add the weight of the base carrier, you’re not far from 100 kg.

Our conclusions about the Naturbummler Alu-Kraftkiste

With their Alu-Kraftkiste, Naturbummler offer a robust all-round carefree package for up to two adventurers. In comparison with its direct competitors, the Arcta and Vickywood, the Naturbummler has a clear disadvantage with its higher system weight and narrower sleeping area, but scores points with its lifting mechanism and increased foot-room. Ultimately, it’s down to your personal preferences whether you choose the Naturbummler or one of its competitors.

Tops

• Extensive and well thought-out standard equipment
• Lifting function enables raised rear section despite triangular design and makes room for an extra window, your feet and a ladder
• Impressive workmanship and material quality
• Additional roof rack for SUP and similar

Flops

• Weight
• Locking nuts make it hard to assemble quickly
• Gas strut/telescopic rods are on the inside, getting in the way when opening the zipper and taking up sleeping space
• More condensation compared to other tents

For more info, visit naturbummler.de

The test field

Click here for our big comparison test – 12 ½ roof top tents in direct comparison

All roof tents in test: Front Runner Feather Lite (Click here) | Decathlon MH 900 (Click here) | Vickywood Cumaru Light 127 ECO (Click here) | Yakima SkyRise HD Tent MD (Click here) | Qeedo Freedom Air 2 (Click here) | Thule Foothill (Click here) | Gentle Tent Sky Loft (Click here) | Arcta Vento (Click here) | Thule Approach M (Click here) | Intrepid Geo 3.0 (Click here) | Naturbummler Alu-Kraftkiste | Thule Outset (Click here) | Naturbummler Flitzer I L (Zum Test)

Words: Felicia Nastal, Julian Schwede Photos: Mike Hunger, Robin Schmitt