Dometic TRT 120E Review: Rooftop Luxury That Pops Up at the Push of a Button
Dometic TRT 120E
Price: £2000
Best For: Overlanders and road-trippers who want to pitch camp in seconds
Setup: 12V electric motor, deploys in under 60 seconds
Mattress: 5cm twin-density foam
Weight: 58kg
Features: Integrated fly screens, blackout 300D polyester, USB LED strip, heavy-duty PVC cover
If your idea of camping involves more espresso shots than mosquito bites, the Dometic TRT 120E might be your new best friend. Designed with the rugged outdoors in mind but packed with tech, this rooftop tent blends real-world durability with the kind of convenience that makes you wonder why anyone loathes camping. The headline act is electric pitching, but as we found over a week in the Scottish Highlands, there's a lot more to it than the party trick.
Dometic TRT 120E Review: The Lowdown
Electric, push-button rooftop tent that deploys in under 60 seconds
12V motor raises the roof and support arms, with a manual override
Sleeps two on a 5cm twin-density foam mattress
Blackout dual-layer 300D polyester with integrated mesh windows
A hefty 58kg, so you'll need robust roof bars and a strong back
Highs
Push-button deployment is a genuine game-changer
Excellent materials and weather resistance
Premium look and feel throughout
Surprisingly boutique-comfortable mattress
Lows
Pricey; this is very much an investment
Heavy, and a two-person job to install
Only suitable for cars with sturdy roof racks
A squeeze for more than two people
Setup So Simple It Feels Like Cheating
Let's talk headliners. The "E" in TRT 120E stands for electric, and yes, it's as cool as it sounds. A 12V power supply brings the tent to life at the push of a button, deploying the roof and support arms in under 60 seconds. Remove the cover, connect the 12V plug and stand back as the tent unfolds itself. Is there any real need for it to be electric? No. Is it very cool, and will it make you the smuggest camper on site? Absolutely. Gone are the days of clambering onto your roof like a frustrated orangutan to wrestle with poles and canvas; this is camping dragged firmly into 2025.
A Fixed Footprint: The Pros and Cons
Unlike most rooftop tents, which fold out to double their packed footprint, the TRT 120E keeps the same square footage whether stowed or pitched, and that design brings trade-offs worth understanding.
On the plus side, it needs no extra space around the car to pitch, which makes squeezing into tight spots far easier, and we found it noticeably sturdier than our previous fold-out tent, which relied on its ladder to prop up the overhanging end. The downside is that it isn't as roomy as some rivals, and there's no covered area to cook or sit under when the weather turns traditionally British.
It's very much horses for courses. If you're mounting to a smaller car or camping on spacious sites, a folding style may suit you better; but if you want to get properly off-grid and pitch in a tight spot, this fixed-footprint approach is brilliant.
Materials, Fabric and Weather Resistance
The TRT 120E isn't just about tech. Its dual-layer, blackout 300D polyester fabric is both tough against the elements and excellent at keeping the sun out for lazy lie-ins. It's rated for all-season use, and the 5cm high-density foam mattress feels more boutique Airbnb than bivvy bag. The integrated mesh windows provide ample ventilation without letting the local wildlife in.
The aluminium frame keeps things rigid and weatherproof, though at 58kg this isn't the lightest rooftop option out there. You'll want to double-check your vehicle's roof load rating and perhaps hit the gym once or twice before installing. Depending on your roof rack, fitting is a bit of a process; the bars we used sat very close to the roof, so to reach the fixing bolts we had to prop the whole rack, tent and all, upright. It's not something we'd want to be taking on and off regularly, purely because of the size and weight.
The tent comes with a very heavy-duty cover that protects it when not in use, with reinforced corners and chunky buckles that feel built to last. We left our sleeping kit inside when folded and nothing got wet on the move; even our duck-down pillows stayed bone dry. Perfect for a good night's sleep.
Power Options and Manual Override
The tent runs off your car battery or a portable lithium source. Dometic offer their own PLB40 battery pack, but you can use whatever's handy; our long-standing favourite, the Jackery Explorer, barely noticed the load of the motors folding and unfolding the tent. And reassuringly, there's a manual override should you find yourself truly off-grid and out of juice.
Dometic TRT 120E Review: Verdict
The Dometic TRT 120E is a premium rooftop tent that does away with the faff and replaces it with sheer functionality. It's ideal for overlanders, road-trippers and anyone who prefers a no-compromise approach to sleeping above ground. We were particularly impressed by its weather resistance, which kept us warm and dry through some seriously wild conditions. Bottom line: if you're serious about adventure but allergic to inconvenience, the TRT 120E is your ticket to the great outdoors. Just press and sleep.