The Galaxy Pro by TopOak is a compact hardshell roof top tent with a lot packed into it. It has an aluminum shell, roof bars, integrated power access, heat exhaust, interior lighting, and enough space inside to sleep without feeling pinned to the walls.
I tested the Galaxy Pro with TopOak’s Air & Foam Camping Mattress and a 270-degree awning. The tent itself impressed me more than the overall installation. Once installed and set up, the Galaxy Pro was comfortable, functional, and easy to love. Getting it there took work.
The mattress was one of the best sleeping pads I’ve used. Combined power access made sense for the camp. Crossbars add a variety of useful uses. However, the rainfly became a repeated annoyance. It was difficult to handle, noisy in the wind, and annoying when closing, especially with the sunshade on.
In summary: The TopOak Galaxy Pro ($1,800-1,968) is a hard-shell RTT for buyers who want comfort and useful features without paying the prices of high-end rooftop tents. Installation takes extra hands, and the fly needs to be refined, but the tent delivers where it counts.
TopOak Galaxy Pro review
Dimensions are open
83″ x 56″ x 53″
Size is off
83″ x 56″ x 8″
Steps to sleep
79″ x 52″
Static weight capacity
Not listed
Benefits
- Comfortable sleeping setup
- Roof bars are installed
- Access to integrated power
- The inside is inside
Evil
- The fly is wrong and noisy
- Installing and demolishing takes passion
Features and Accessories
The Galaxy Pro is a sturdy roof tent with an aluminum alloy shell, honeycomb aluminum bottom, integrated roof rails, internal lighting, heat sink, Anderson power port, and solar-compatible top channels. It comes with a 3-inch mattress and a kick-out interior that provides more usable space than the basic wedge-style RTT.
Installed roof racks add flexibility to the property without requiring a quick purchase. Top-side stations also give users the option to set up a tent for solar or long-term camping, depending on the vehicle and electrical system.
Inside the tent, the Galaxy Pro includes lighting, storage, power access, and a heater. The Anderson port is designed to make power management clean inside the tent, especially for users who use cam electronics, lights, or charging gear.
TopOak’s Air & Foam Camping Mattress ($198) is an optional accessory that fits the Galaxy Pro’s foot and was added to this test, along with the included mattress.
A 270-degree awning ($599) is another optional accessory that increases the covered space around the vehicle. TopOak lists at 64 pounds, with 172 square feet of coverage, integrated LED lighting, adjustable aluminum poles, and stainless steel pins. Available in driver side and passenger side versions.
The Galaxy Pro’s full setup, including a tent, mattress, and 270-degree awning, is intended to serve as a complete car-based camping system. The tradeoff is added weight, added complexity, and more to manage during installation and teardown.
First Impressions and Install
This installation was not quick. It took three people several hours to mount the Galaxy Pro, install a new mattress, and attach the 270-degree sunshade. Some of them come with any heavy duty roof top tent and large awning, but this is no ordinary one man garage installation.
The Galaxy Pro weighs 165 pounds before adding the hood, mounting hardware, and accessories. A 270-degree awning adds another 64 pounds. That much weight requires planning, extra hands, and a car setup with the right rack and loading capacity.
Once installed, the tent looked and felt sturdy. The cross bars, shell, step, and sun visor made the overall setup feel complete, but no one should expect it to get into the car quickly without help. I installed some RTTs on my own. This one would be a beast on its own.
Testing
Once installed, the Galaxy Pro was easy to like. It opened without too much trouble, and the interior felt like an open RTT hard shell. The extruded shape gives it a more usable space than a basic wedge-style tent, and I had plenty of room to sleep comfortably.
The mattress topper was a wonderful thing. I slept well and didn’t wake up with the usual pain of thin foam in most rooftop tents. The Air & Foam Camping Mattress has improved setup further, especially for side sleeping. It’s worth the time to puff up and wind down if you value a real, solid night’s sleep.
Power access also made sense during testing. The charging equipment inside the tent was simple, and the setup kept small electronics better organized. It’s not a fancy feature, but I really appreciated it for camping use.
The awning worked well when used. It added a lot of shade and made the car feel like a full camping setup. I loved having such a covered area, especially for cooking and organizing. That said, the wind will not be your friend. It’s a big canvas, so you can imagine how that plays out.
The fly was a problem. The basics were awkward, and the setup didn’t feel as finished as another tent. The fly also made a noise in the air. Some fabric noise is accompanied by tents on the roof, but this was enough to bother me. I actually swapped the long and short bases in an attempt to drop the wind noise (pictured above) to little effect.
Closure was another problem with the rain fly. The outer cinch pulls on the body of the tent, which is actually better than most RTTs I’ve tested, but it doesn’t pull the fly perfectly. I had to go around the car and catch the fly with my hand before closing the shell.
With the sun visor installed, the work became difficult because there was not much space to work. I might end up getting rid of the rainflies completely, even if it means taking a knife to the dang thing.
Comparison with 1.0 and Rival
TopOak Galaxy 1.0
The Galaxy Pro builds on the Galaxy 1.0. Our previous review of the Galaxy 1.0 found the tent to be comfortable, easy to use, quiet on the roof, and solid for the price. The Galaxy Pro retains the low-cost appeal but adds more comfort, roof racks, power access, and a heater.
And it adds more to manage. Galaxy 1.0 felt simple. The Galaxy Pro feels more powerful, but the rain fly and other added accessories make the setup a bit awkward.
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 RTT’s hardshell category, and both offer quick deployment, a low closed profile, and enough interior room to sleep comfortably.
The Falcon is very easy to live with. It’s lightweight, quick to open and close, and highly durable for 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 smaller profile. You can feel the difference when you ride the tent, drive it, and camp.
The Galaxy Pro wins for the price and features included. It delivers roof bars, power access, comfortable sleeping setups, lighting, and useful camping extras at a very low cost.
Ultimately, the Falcon is a very sophisticated tent. The Galaxy Pro is a better deal. Both have their place.
When the Galaxy Pro Falls Short
Are you sick of hearing about this hanging fly, yet? Well, here’s something more. It’s not easy to use, it’s noisy in the air, and it’s annoying during shutdown. The bases may be easier to handle, and the fly does not come into contact with the body of the tent when using the inner cinch.
Like, I’m not kidding, I’m actually thinking about cutting that thing off. Sure, it provides more protection for things, but that little added protection isn’t worth the headache of setting up, tearing down, and woosh woosh.
The awning makes that mistake more obvious. It adds useful camp coverage, but also limits the space available for pulling the fly by hand. Packing camp should be quick with practice, but the fly adds another step. With an attached sun visor, you have to wiggle your fingers or a long, small tool to tuck that fly in the shell into the small space allotted between the frame and the sun visor.
Size and weight also matter. The Galaxy Pro is wider and heavier than the Falcon 3 EVO, and the full sunshade setup is bigger. This is not a tent that I would like to put up and take down often.
Overall Thoughts on the Galaxy Pro
TopOak Galaxy Pro is a great RTT. Comfortable, roomy, and well-equipped, it’s priced lower than most hard-shell models. The mattress is comfortable, the power setting is helpful, the cross bars are great, and the interior is functional.
For buyers looking for a comfortable hardshell RTT with useful features included, the TopOak Galaxy Pro is easy to recommend. You’ll need to be patient with installation and the rainfly, but the tent itself makes a strong case for the price.