Vehicle-based camping has moved well beyond a basic tent, chilly bin and folding chair. Today’s overlanding setups can provide comfortable sleeping space, shelter from changing conditions, practical water storage and an organised outdoor living area that travels with the vehicle.
Apollo NZ, in partnership with ADA OVERLAND Outdoor Products, offers a growing range of rooftop tents, vehicle awnings, annex rooms and camping accessories for weekend trips, touring and extended overlanding adventures. The catalogue covers multiple tent styles, awning configurations and campsite accessories that can be combined into a complete vehicle-based camping system.
A rooftop tent can turn a suitable vehicle into a mobile camping base. Instead of finding a level area for a ground tent at every stop, the sleeping platform remains mounted above the vehicle and can be opened when required.
The ADA OVERLAND range includes several rooftop-tent styles:
Soft-shell tents can provide a practical balance between sleeping space and packed size. Hard-shell options generally create a more streamlined closed form and can offer a faster, more structured setup.
The best choice will depend on the vehicle, roof-load requirements, the number of people travelling and how frequently the tent will be opened and packed away.
A rooftop tent provides a sleeping area, but an awning creates the outdoor living space.
Vehicle awnings can provide shade beside the vehicle for cooking, sitting, storing equipment or preparing for the day. They can also help define the campsite, particularly when travelling through areas where there may be limited natural shelter.
The available awning range includes:
A conventional side awning is suitable for creating a straightforward sheltered area beside the vehicle. A 180-degree or 270-degree configuration can provide broader coverage around the side and rear, which may be useful when the vehicle’s tailgate or rear storage area forms part of the campsite.
An annex can turn the area beneath or beside a rooftop tent into an enclosed room.
Depending on the model and configuration, an annex may be used as:
ADA OVERLAND’s expansion range includes awning walls, enclosed annex rooms, inner tents, tent flies and model-specific tent extensions.
For travellers who regularly stay at one campsite for several nights, an annex can make the overall setup feel considerably more organised. It allows sleeping equipment to remain above the vehicle while bags, footwear and other gear are kept in a separate sheltered area.
A compact shower or privacy tent can be one of the most useful additions to an overlanding setup.
These freestanding or vehicle-mounted enclosures may be used for changing, showering or creating a private toilet area. When packed, they occupy relatively little storage space compared with a full annex room.
They are particularly useful for remote camping where established facilities are limited or unavailable.
Not every camping setup needs to be based around a rooftop tent.
The range also includes car-rear tents and freestanding ground-tent options. A car-rear tent connects the campsite to the back of the vehicle, allowing the tailgate and rear storage area to become part of the sheltered space.
This can be useful where travellers want easy access to:
Inflatable and fibre-frame options are included within the wider catalogue, providing alternatives for different setup preferences.
Good lighting improves both comfort and practicality after sunset.
The ADA OVERLAND outdoor living range includes portable LED lights suitable for campsite tables, awnings, tents and general outdoor use. A portable light can be moved between the cooking area, tent entrance and seating space rather than being permanently attached to one location.
When planning campsite lighting, it can help to combine:
This creates better coverage without relying on a single bright light.
Reliable water storage is important when travelling beyond developed campgrounds.
The catalogue includes vehicle-mounted aluminium water tanks in several capacities. These can provide a dedicated supply for washing, cleaning and other campsite uses, subject to the tank configuration and intended water application.
Before selecting a tank, consider:
Vehicle weight should always be considered when adding a rooftop tent, awning, water tank, storage system and camping equipment to the same vehicle.
A functional overlanding system is often built from smaller pieces of equipment as well as the major tent and awning components.
The outdoor living range also includes:
These products support the wider campsite setup and can help keep frequently used equipment organised and easy to access.
There is no single overlanding setup that will suit every vehicle or traveller.
A compact weekend setup might include:
A more complete touring setup could include:
The right combination depends on the vehicle, travel style, number of occupants and how long the campsite normally remains in one place.
