Naturbummler Flitzer I L roof top tent – 12 ½ roof tents in direct comparison

A hard-shell roof tent with a floating top shell: Naturbummler’s Flitzer I L promises a spacious feel and scores points for its 360° view and 60 kg system weight, which is very reasonable for a hard-shell roof tent. All this sounds convincing already, but how did the € 2,490 Naturbummler fare on our road trip?

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.

At 28 cm tall, the Naturbummler Flitzer I L is the thickest hard-shell roof tent in our comparison test. Most of its competitors measure less than 20 cm when closed, except for the other Naturbummler model, the Alu Kraftkiste, which measures 23 cm. So, what’s hidden under the lid, and what are the advantages of the taller design? Unlike triangular hard-shell tents, the Naturbummler Flitzer IL relies on a fully-extendable top shell. In a nutshell, the roof lifts completely, ensuring the same interior height across the entire floor area. Super practical: even when the tent is closed, there’s enough space under the arched roof to store the ladder and all your bedding. Moreover, no other hard-shell tent in this test offers this much internal space – awesome! The Naturbummler roof tent comes in two colours, anthracite or white. If you need more space, the Flitzer is also available in a larger XL size, which has a mattress width of 1.40 m rather than 1.20 m. However, the extra room sets you back an additional 10 kg and € 300.

Naturbummler roof tent: pre-assembly and installation

Naturbummler deliver the Flitzer roof tent fully assembled, so it doesn’t require any further preparation work. Moreover, the Flitzer I L only weighs 60 kg, meaning that it can be easily lifted onto the roof by 2 strong people. Unlike all other roof tents in this test, the Naturbummler requires 3 roof bars, with 4 screws and 2 rubberised U-bolts on each bar. Needless to say, this makes it slightly more time consuming to install, but then the screws can be tightened up by hand first, only to be done up properly with a tool – we still recommend using a ratchet to speed things up!

Naturbummler roof tent: assembly and disassembly

The Naturbummler takes around one minute to both set up and take down. Undo the plastic buckles on the sides (two at the front and two at the back), and then the big metal buckle in the middle. Give the tent a gentle nudge on both sides and let the four gas struts do the rest. Now pull the rain cover over the edges at the bottom and attach the ladder – job done! If you’re exhausted and just want to sleep, you could simply haul yourself on board and spend the night like this. If you have a bit of energy left, you can set up the awnings too. Use the 4 longer poles to stretch the big awning out as a wide rain cover, and use the 4 short poles to attach the smaller awnings as “doors” over the entrance. This makes the Naturbummler roof tent even cosier, and keeps you dry when climbing up the ladder. This can be secured on either side of the car, using the dedicated ladder attachments. If you don’t need the awnings, you can simply roll them up and attach them to the tent roof.

Taking down the Naturbummler Flitzer is pretty quick too: starting on the side with the metal buckle, pull the fabric loop to collapse the tent, tuck in the fabric and close the buckle. Now repeat the same procedure on the other side. You should tuck in the fabric carefully around the entire perimeter of the Naturbummler tent before securing the side buckles. This is a little tricky at first, as the roof tends to shift when you pull it down, but with a little practice you can do it on your own.

The Naturbummler roof tent in action

Already during set-up, the Naturbummler makes an excellent impression. With an internal height of 92 cm, there are significantly taller roof tents in this test but you can still sit and change comfortably. The fact that there’s no sloping roof making your life harder makes the Flitzer feel very spacious, which is helped by the 4 corner windows and the two entrance hatches. The windows and entrances can all be fully opened and offer a breath-taking panoramic view. To prevent mosquitos and midges from entering, all openings of the Naturbummler roof tent are fitted with a close-meshed net. The inside of the tent is made of cosy flannel and the roof liner feels comfortable too. The two awnings that can be stretched over the entrance underline the cosy, homely feeling. The flannel panelling also has a practical function: it doubles as an insulation material, preventing the inside from cooling down as quickly and also keeping heat out for longer. For winter campers, there’s a Velcro fastener on the inside which allows you to attach an optional thermal inner tent. If you need privacy at night, you can completely darken the inside of the Naturbummler roof tent. There are two pockets on the inside where you can stow away all your important items, as well as a removable luggage net in the ceiling and 4 hooks for lights or other objects you want to hang. The thick, 8 cm high-density visco-elastic foam mattress is comfortable, but the floor of the tent is uneven due to the rails that are attached to the underfloor. If this is an issue for you, you should pad the sleeping area with additional sleeping mats.

At 28 cm, the Naturbummler roof tent might be the tallest hard-shell tent in this test, but it also fits a lot inside, allowing you to store the ladder, the bedding and pillows while travelling – ideal if you want to change location frequently, or if the boot is already full. Another nice detail: the fabric can be completely removed with a zip for repairs or replacement. In contrast to other hard-shell and aluminium roof tents we tested, however, there’s no way to hang up headlamps or other equipment on the outside. Even the shoe bag has to go on the ladder – there are no rails or loops to attach accessories.

It’s super easy to set up and take down, provides a great feeling of space with its high-quality interior and swallows up your bedding while travelling. I’m delighted with the Naturbummler! – Manne

Who should take a closer look at the Naturbummler Flitzer roof tent?

Given the low system weight, the Naturbummler is also suitable for smaller vehicles. However, with a length of 2.18 metres, you should make sure that the boot can still be opened easily. The streamlined, aerodynamic shape should also keep additional fuel consumption to a minimum.
At 60 kg, Natubummler’s 2 people hard-shell tent is relatively easy to install. It’s comfortable, wonderfully bright and can also be blacked out completely if needed. All in all, a great all-round package – even for hard-shell beginners – that delivers a great camping experience. The permissible dynamic roof load should be 75 kg.

Our conclusions about the Naturbummler Flitzer

Airbnb goodbye! The Flitzer I L impresses with an excellent feeling of space and cosy living room vibes – you nearly forget that you’re in a tent! It’s easy for 2 people to set up and take down. There’s room for both the ladder and all your bedding inside the closed tent when travelling, but you will have to put up with the slightly higher pitch as a result. Overall, the € 2,490 Naturbummler is a little floating oasis of well-being, and a pleasant host.

Tops

• All-round panoramic views
• Comfortable weight for a hard shell tent
• Even internal height

Flops

• Looks a bit cheap in white, but could this be down to the colour?
• Mesh underlay would have been good

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 (Click here) | Thule Outset (Click here) | Naturbummler Flitzer I L

Words: Susanne Feddersen, Julian Schwede Photos: Mike Hunger, Robin Schmitt