Pop Tops

I've had 3 vans with pop tops over the years - but they were all the hard-sided old fashioned Autosleeper ones, not the canvas sided ones. They were heavy to push up but I could manage it by standing on the furniture.

I decided not to have a pop top installed on my van for a few reasons:
1. They increase the height slightly and make 2.1 metre height barriers a bit hit or miss, literally! Since this is the most common height of barriers that I have seen, I prefer to know I can safely get under them. My Autosleeper Trooper was a 1.9m van but the poptop took it over 2.3m.
2. If it's windy or cold I tended not to bother raising the pop top, for obvious reasons. So I wasn't using it on at least 25% of trips.
3. Being of short stature I don't need an extra 4 feet above my head.
4. In a small van you don't really stand up and walk about - you get in and sit or lay down. you can reach most things from where you are sat.
5. I have tried putting up pop tops on a number of vans, so different manufacturers and ways of doing it. It is extremely difficult unless you are very strong and have long arms. I couldn't do it on any I tried and there are many posts on facebook from female campervan owners who ask for advice as they can't operate them.
6. I have heard tales of them blowing off even when supposedly fastened down properly.
7. I have also heard lots of tales of the canvas leaking and needing to be resealed.
8. Some, particularly the ones on Romahome R20s and their predessors, are notoriously difficult to get all the canvas tucked away properly when closing.
9. I fear it must compromise the structure of the van.
9. Last but not least - It's an extra £3 - 4K cost to install a poptop.

I have had a large rooflight put in instead; this gives me a bit more headroom so I can almost stand up straight or watch the stars at night whilst lying in bed, plus it lets a lot of light in. In summer I can open it and stand up straight if I want to.

Maybe if I was taller and stronger I might think differently.
 
Last edited:
Caz said:
I've had 3 vans with pop tops over the years - but they were all the hard-sided old fashioned Autosleeper ones, not the canvas sided ones. They were heavy to push up but I could manage it by standing on the furniture.

I decided not to have a pop top installed on my van for a few reasons:
1. They increase the height slightly and make 2.1 metre height barriers a bit hit or miss, literally! Since this is the most common height of barriers that I have seen, I prefer to know I can safely get under them. My Autosleeper Trooper was a 1.9m van but the poptop took it over 2.3m.
2. If it's windy or cold I tended not to bother raising the pop top, for obvious reasons. So I wasn't using it on at least 25% of trips.
3. Being of short stature I don't need an extra 4 feet above my head.
4. In a small van you don't really stand up and walk about - you get in and sit or lay down. you can reach most things from where you are sat.
5. I have tried putting up pop tops on a number of vans, so different manufacturers and ways of doing it. It is extremely difficult unless you are very strong and have long arms. I couldn't do it on any I tried and there are many posts on facebook from female campervan owners who ask for advice as they can't operate them.
6. I have heard tales of them blowing off even when supposedly fastened down properly.
7. I have also heard lots of tales of the canvas leaking and needing to be resealed.
8. Some, particularly the ones on Romahome R20s and their predessors, are notoriously difficult to get all the canvas tucked away properly when closing.
9. I fear it must compromise the structure of the van.
9. Last but not least - It's an extra £3 - 4K cost to install a poptop.

I have had a large rooflight put in instead; this gives me a bit more headroom so I can almost stand up straight or watch the stars at night whilst lying in bed, plus it lets a lot of light in. In summer I can open it and stand up straight if I want to.

Maybe if I was taller and stronger I might think differently.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that . All good info .
Think the answer is , obviously , to get hands on
 
Caz said:
I've had 3 vans with pop tops over the years - but they were all the hard-sided old fashioned Autosleeper ones, not the canvas sided ones. They were heavy to push up but I could manage it by standing on the furniture.

I decided not to have a pop top installed on my van for a few reasons:
1. They increase the height slightly and make 2.1 metre height barriers a bit hit or miss, literally! Since this is the most common height of barriers that I have seen, I prefer to know I can safely get under them. My Autosleeper Trooper was a 1.9m van but the poptop took it over 2.3m.
2. If it's windy or cold I tended not to bother raising the pop top, for obvious reasons. So I wasn't using it on at least 25% of trips.
3. Being of short stature I don't need an extra 4 feet above my head.
4. In a small van you don't really stand up and walk about - you get in and sit or lay down. you can reach most things from where you are sat.
5. I have tried putting up pop tops on a number of vans, so different manufacturers and ways of doing it. It is extremely difficult unless you are very strong and have long arms. I couldn't do it on any I tried and there are many posts on facebook from female campervan owners who ask for advice as they can't operate them.
6. I have heard tales of them blowing off even when supposedly fastened down properly.
7. I have also heard lots of tales of the canvas leaking and needing to be resealed.
8. Some, particularly the ones on Romahome R20s and their predessors, are notoriously difficult to get all the canvas tucked away properly when closing.
9. I fear it must compromise the structure of the van.
9. Last but not least - It's an extra £3 - 4K cost to install a poptop.

I have had a large rooflight put in instead; this gives me a bit more headroom so I can almost stand up straight or watch the stars at night whilst lying in bed, plus it lets a lot of light in. In summer I can open it and stand up straight if I want to.

Maybe if I was taller and stronger I might think differently.
Click to expand...

Going to make a wee comment on point 4 ....
"4. In a small van you don't really stand up and walk about - you get in and sit or lay down. you can reach most things from where you are sat."

My VW T5 Conversion I left the original metal roof in place. I found I used to get a hip pain on a Monday after being away at the weekend and I put that down to having to crawl around making up the bed. I went to doctor and he diagnosed Sciatica. After I changed my camper to a high roof VW LT with a regular bed I never had the pains again :)

On point 9, if the people installing it know what they are doing and fit the reinforcing surround, it is no problem.

A little tip on point 8 for anyone who has this problem .... if a long bungee strap is used and put around the outside of the canvas, when the top is lowered, the bungee helps pull in the material to the middle and makes the closing process a lot easier. Some Poptops actually have little loops inside to attach a bungee when closing and does the same thing from the inside.

And on the height thing (point 1), there are some pop tops that are designed to not add anything significant to the height and are very low profile.
 
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