Pop tops are those accessories that are very popular among campers and RV enthusiasts. Pop tops offer you instant headroom and an entry point for natural light. Moreover, the prevailing majority of pop tops offer commodious beds for users to sleep on.
So, let’s dive in to world of camper pop ups!
Reasons to Install a Pop Top
If you own a campervan, you’re probably not satisfied with the extent of the space your van has to offer.
With a pop top roof installed, the bounded space in your campervan is expanded, which offers you more headroom than you used to have, something that trailer campers would certainly appreciate.
Simply put, a pop top roof makes your campervan more spacious and practical.
A pop top roof is something that you should seriously consider if you live or travel in a low to medium-high roof campervan because if introduces more living and sleeping space, while maximizing the comfort of a smaller living space.
Pop tops also offer their users sizeable storage space to store belongings and traveling accessories by simply raising them up.
Types of Pop Top Roofs
When it comes to pop tops, there are three eminent manufacturers on the market, namely SCA, Austops, and Reimo.
To help you make a sound decision with regard to which brand you should go with, we’re going ot break down what each of these companies have to offer.
SCA Pop Tops
SCA is a brand that’s known for its sleeper roofs, high quality roofs for vans, and pop up roofs. This is a brand that has built its reputation on remarkable quality and advanced engineering.
The majority of common base vehicles are compatible with SCA roofs, from Fiat and Ford to VW and Mercedes.
If you’re someone who owns a VW T5/T6, consider a SCA roof.
SCA roofs have three main groups: SCA start roofs, SCA comfort roofs, and SCA high roofs. The first two categories are designed for both short and long wheelbase vehicles, the latter, however, is designed only for vehicles with a short wheelbase.
It’s important to keep in mind that SCA pop-tops tend to be quite costly, but they offer plenty of value for the price you pay.
One of the greatest benefits that SCA pop tops offer is that they can be lifted up at an angle, be it from the front or the rear, thanks to their flat construction.
Another notable benefit that SCA units offer is that they don’t add that much height to your vehicle when closed, which is ideal for when you’re driving in areas that have height limitations such as multi-level car parks.
Pros
- Offers great headroom thanks to the higher lift at the roof’s rear
- SCA pop tops are equipped with solid-looking mechanisms
- Provide a panoramic canvas with zippable windows
- SCA pop tops don’t add much weight to the vehicle when closed
Cons
- SCA pop top roofs are the most expensive of the three types
- Tend to be less spruce than Austops when closed
Austops
Austops.co.uk
Austops is another pop-top roof manufacturer in the UK. The company is recognized for its high-quality yet highly affordable products.
Just like SCA roofs, Austop roofs don’t add much height to the overall height of the vehicle when closed, making it a perfect choice for driving in parking lots.
Austops roofs cover brands such as Renault, Nissan, VW, Ford and Vauxhall.
In terms of value, Austop roofs provide plenty, especially when you take into consideration how affordable their products are compared to SCA pop-top roofs.
Their T5 and T6 pop tops are two of the most popular models on the market and they’re fully TUV-tested in the TUV Rheinland testing establishment in Cologne, guaranteeing customers a safe roof fitting process.
It’s important to note that the TUV test is the only test that’s designed primarily to test the effects of fitting a pop-up roof onto a vehicle.
This shows the importance of not going with unknown roof manufacturers because their products can alter your vehicle in a way that can make it unsafe. In order to know whether a product is TUV-tested or not: Check for the TUV kitemark.
It’s also worth noting that Austops is a company that has earned the ISO9001 certification which belongs to the ISO 9000 family.
This specific family of ISO certifications is concerned with a lot of quality management aspects.
To put it simply, Austop pop-top roofs are built based on high quality standards, which guarantees that their products meet customer’s requirements.
Pros
- Austop roofs offer the most value for your money on the market
- The units provided by Austops are TUV-tested and ISO-certified
- Austop roofs tend to shut in a more neat fashion that SCA roofs
- These roofs add only a few inches to the vehicle’s height when shut
Cons
- Austop roofs fall short in terms of quality compared to SCA roofs
- The closing mechanism on Austops is in the form of mere straps
Reimo Pop Tops
Vanguard-conversions.co.uk
Reimo is a German Manufacturer that offers a substantial range of variants for multivans, panel vans, campervans, and ordinary vans. Not only is Reimo recognized for putting out high-quality pop-top roofs, but they’re also well-known for its lineup of roofs.
Reimo pop tops are available for an extensive array of vehicles, from VW, Nissan, Opel, Ford, Mercedes and Toyota.
Reimo pop-tops offer sustantial added spaces that can transform your campervan into a mobile home.
Not only do Reimo roofs add to your sleeping space, but they also make staying in the van a lot more comfortable while standing upright.
Reimo products are very similar ro SCA’s in terms of range and pricing. However, SCA seems to have an advantage over Reimo because of its recently-introduced high pop-tops.
These roofs have higher hinges in the rear, which allows the user to lay their head on either end.
But when it comes to which brand just looks better and has a more neat fit, Reimo wins.
Pros
- Reimo pop-tops are available for a wide range of vehicles
- Their lineup is more aesthetically pleasing than others
- Reimo pop-tops offer substantial added height
Cons
- The canvases are hard to remove compared with SCA canvases
- Remo pop-tops are priced fairly high like SCA roofs
Pop-Top Roof Pricing
Pop top roofs are significantly more expensive than their high-top counterparts. While most high tops cost about $3380, quality pop-top roofs can cost you anywhere from around $5600-$7800.
It’s important to keep in mind, however, that SCA pop tops are equipped with roof beds, while the same thing is an optional extra for Reimo products.
It;s also worth noting that you should be prepared to pay additional charges to reform the seem that’s in between your vehicle’s roof and the carpet lining if your campervan happens to be lined with carpet.
When it comes to color, expect all pop top roofs to come in white. If you’d like a different colored option, you can expect to pay an additional $780 for added color.
Pop Top Roof Installation
Installing a pop top roof onto your van isn’t that hard, but we wouldn’t advise you to do it on your own if you don’t have any previous experience installing pop top roofs.
Of course, you can always resort to hiring a professional, which is typically preferable on such a major project.
DIY Installation Guide
- Prepare the Van – Before you begin the installation process, you want to be aware of all the information and fixings that have to do with the pop top. You also want to move all of the wires and covers on one side, while your repair tools should be on the other
- Mark the Van Out – Next, you want to start marking out the vehicle carefully. After cross checking the van’s dimensions, proceed by fitting the strengthening frames, supplied with the pop top roof
- Install the Roof – After you’re done positioning the strengthening frames, you want to lift the roof into position, adjust for an ideal fit, and then fasten it
- Test the Roof – Before you fast your pop top, you want to make sure that it’s functioning properly. You can do that simply by testing its opening and closing functions
- Fasten the Roof – Now that you’ve made sure that your roof is doing what its supposed to do, it’s time to fasten its perimeter for a secure fit
Which Pop Top is Best for My Vehicle?
When it comes to SCA pop tops, you’re going to find an ideal product for your vehicle since they offer pop top roofs for both short and long wheelbase vehicles.
If you’re someone who cares about how neat their roof should look, Reimo pop tops are a perfect alternative since SCA roofs don’t look that pretty when closed.
Running on a tight budget? We’d recommend checking out an Austops pop top.
Final Thoughts
Pop top roofs are costly investment, which is why it’s imperative for you to take all prerequisite considerations and know exactly what you’re looking for in a pop top roof before deciding to buy one.
Hopefully, this article has provided you the insight you need to base that decision.