TopOak’s Galaxy Pro is a lower-priced hardshell rooftop tent with a lot packed into it. It has an aluminum shell, roof bars, integrated power access, a heater vent, interior lighting, and enough room inside to sleep without feeling pinned against the walls.
I tested the Galaxy Pro with TopOak’s Air & Foam Camping Mattress and 270-degree awning. The tent itself impressed me more than the full install did. Once it was mounted and set up, the Galaxy Pro was comfortable, practical, and easy to like. Getting it there took work.
The mattress was one of the better rooftop tent sleep setups I’ve used. The integrated power access made sense in camp. The crossbars added useful versatility. The rainfly, however, became the recurring irritation. It was awkward to manage, noisy in the wind, and annoying during closure, especially with the awning mounted.
In short: The TopOak Galaxy Pro ($1,800-1,968) is a good hardshell RTT for buyers who want comfort and useful features without paying top-tier rooftop tent prices. The install takes extra hands, and the rainfly needs refinement, but the tent delivers where it counts.
TopOak Galaxy Pro Review
Dimensions open
83″ x 56″ x 53″
Dimensions closed
83″ x 56″ x 8″
Sleeping footprint
79″ x 52″
Static weight capacity
Not listed
Pros
- Comfortable sleep setup
- Included roof bars
- Integrated power access
- Roomy interior
Cons
- Rainfly is awkward and noisy
- Install and teardown takes some gusto
Features and Accessories
The Galaxy Pro is a hardshell rooftop tent with an aluminum alloy shell, honeycomb aluminum floor, integrated roof bars, interior lighting, a heater vent, an Anderson power port, and solar-friendly top-side channels. It also comes with a 3-inch mattress and a kicked-out interior shape that provides more usable space than a basic wedge-style RTT.
The included roof bars add cargo flexibility without requiring an immediate add-on purchase. The top-side channels also give users the option to build out the tent for solar or longer camp setups, depending on the vehicle and electrical system.
Inside the tent, the Galaxy Pro includes lighting, storage, power access, and a heater vent. The Anderson port is designed to make power management cleaner inside the tent, especially for users running camp electronics, lights, or charging gear.
TopOak’s Air & Foam Camping Mattress ($198) is an optional accessory that fits the Galaxy Pro footprint and was added to this test, along with the included mattress.
The 270-degree awning ($599) is another optional accessory that expands covered space around the vehicle. TopOak lists it at 64 pounds, with 172 square feet of coverage, integrated LED lighting, adjustable aluminum poles, and stainless steel pegs. It’s available in driver-side and passenger-side versions.
The full Galaxy Pro setup, including the tent, mattress, and 270-degree awning, is meant to function as a more complete vehicle-based camp system. The tradeoff is added weight, added complexity, and more to manage during install and teardown.
First Impressions and Install
This install was not quick. It took three people several hours to mount the Galaxy Pro, get the new mattress in, and attach the 270-degree awning. Some of that comes with any heavy rooftop tent and large awning, but this isn’t a casual one-person garage install.
The Galaxy Pro weighs 165 pounds before adding the awning, mounting hardware, and accessories. The 270-degree awning adds another 64 pounds. That much weight requires planning, extra hands, and a vehicle setup with the right rack and load capacity.
Once installed, the tent looked solid and felt stable. The crossbars, shell, ladder, and awning gave the full setup a finished feel, but nobody should expect it to go onto a vehicle quickly without help. I’ve installed other RTTs solo. This one would be a beast alone.
Testing
Once installed, the Galaxy Pro was easy to like. It opened without much trouble, and the interior felt roomy for a hardshell RTT. The kicked-out shape gives it more usable space than a basic wedge-style tent, and I had enough room to sleep comfortably.
The included mattress was a major positive. I slept well and didn’t wake up with the usual soreness from the thin foam in many rooftop tents. The Air & Foam Camping Mattress improved the setup further, especially for side sleeping. It’s worth the time to inflate and deflate if you value a real, solid night’s sleep.
The power access also made sense during testing. Charging devices inside the tent was simple, and the setup kept small electronics better organized. It’s not a flashy feature, but it’s one I appreciated in actual camp use.
The awning worked well once deployed. It added a big shaded area and made the vehicle feel more like a full camp setup. I liked having that much covered space, especially for cooking and sorting gear. That said, wind will not be your friend. It’s a giant sail, so you can imagine how that plays out.
The rainfly was the problem. The supports were awkward, and the system didn’t feel as finished as the rest of the tent. The fly also got noisy in the wind. Some fabric noise comes with rooftop tents, but this was enough to bother me. I actually swapped the longer and shorter supports in an effort to try and knock down wind noise (pictured above) to minimal avail.
Closure was another issue with the rain fly. The external cinch pulls in the tent body, which is actually better than a lot of RTTs I’ve tested, but it doesn’t pull in the rainfly completely. I had to walk around the vehicle and tuck the rainfly by hand before closing the shell.
With the awning mounted, the job got tighter because there wasn’t much room to work. I may eventually remove the rainfly flaps altogether, even if it means taking a knife to the dang thing.
Comparison to the 1.0 and the Competitor
TopOak Galaxy 1.0
The Galaxy Pro builds on the Galaxy 1.0. Our previous Galaxy 1.0 review found that tent comfortable, easy to use, quiet on the roof, and strong for the price. The Galaxy Pro keeps the lower-price appeal but adds more comfort, roof bars, power access, and a heater vent.
It also adds more to manage. The Galaxy 1.0 felt simpler. The Galaxy Pro feels more capable, but the rainfly and added accessories make the setup less tidy.
Roofnest Falcon 3 Evo
The Roofnest Falcon 3 EVO ($3,000+) is the closest comparison I’ve personally tested. The Galaxy Pro and Falcon both sit in the hardshell RTT category, and both offer quick deployment, a low closed profile, and enough interior room for comfortable sleeping.
The Falcon is way easier to live with. It’s lighter, quicker to open and close, and more refined in repeated use. The Falcon 3 EVO is listed at 140 pounds, while TopOak lists the Galaxy Pro at 165 pounds. The Falcon also has a slimmer profile. You feel the difference when mounting the tent, driving with it, and closing it at camp.
The Galaxy Pro wins on price and included features. It brings roof bars, power access, a comfortable sleep setup, lighting, and useful camp extras at a much lower cost.
In the end, the Falcon is the more polished tent. The Galaxy Pro is the better deal. They both have their place.
Where the Galaxy Pro Falls Short
Are you sick of hearing about this dang rainfly, yet? Well, here’s a bit more. It’s awkward to use, noisy in the wind, and annoying during closure. The supports could be easier to manage, and the fly doesn’t tuck in with the tent body when the internal cinch is used.
Like, I kid you not, I really am considering cutting the thing off. Sure, it offers a bit more protection from the elements, but that little addition of protection is not worth the headache of setup, teardown, and woosh woosh woosh.
The awning makes that flaw more noticeable. It adds useful camp coverage, but it also limits the space available for manually tucking the rainfly. Packing up camp should get faster with practice, but the rainfly still adds an extra step. With the awning attached, you have to wiggle either your fingers or a long, slim tool to tuck that rainfly into the shell in the small space allotted between the frame and the awning.
The size and weight also matter. The Galaxy Pro is wider and heavier than the Falcon 3 EVO, and the full setup with the awning is substantial. This isn’t a tent I’d want to install and remove often.
Overall Thoughts on the Galaxy Pro
The TopOak Galaxy Pro is a good RTT. It’s comfortable, roomy, and well-equipped, with a lower price than many comparable hardshell models. The mattress is comfortable, the power setup is useful, the crossbars are excellent, and the interior space works well.
For buyers who want a comfortable hardshell RTT with useful included features, the TopOak Galaxy Pro is easy to recommend. You’ll need patience for the install and the rainfly, but the tent itself makes a strong case for the price.
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