Issue w\ Roof Top tent: Floor caving?

[Bravo1782]

Hey Guys,

Just got back from my first trip of the year and I noticed my RTT wasn't as comfortable as it once was. I bought the tent a year ago at the CVT group buy (Mt. Rainer). When I got home to open the tent up and dry it out, I tried to see if there was any obvious reason for my discomfort. To my surprise (and horror) I found that the floor of the RTT looked to be caving in! It looked like this is the case on both halves of the tent. I've attached some pictures to try to show what I'm talking about. Is this normal? Has anyone else seen this? I've only had the tent a year and have only used it a half-dozen times total. There's no obvious signs of damage external and it's never been abused. I always take good care of it.

I've also contacted the guys at CVT to get their input, but I was curious if anyone here has seen this.

 

[dcg141]

Looks like whatever the inner material is for the composite broke down.

 

[Bravo1782]

Looks like whatever the inner material is for the composite broke down.

That quick though? Is that normal?

 

[rayra]

Looks like the fiberglass shell is too thin.

You could remedy that with something as simple as an interior platform of 3/8-7/16" plywood. It would add about 30-lbs and cost <$30.

 

[thethePete]

^ Although, with it being barely a year old, I'd contact CVT first and see if they have any solutions, before I start coming up with home-brew solutions. That said, I wholeheartedly agree with you about a solution. May even be able to go thinner than that, or use an anti-condensation mat to offset the distortion.

 

[Yarjammer]

Is it bulging on the opposite side or is it limited to the honeycomb collapsing? Are you or other occupants on the larger side? I haven't noticed it yet in my Tepui after a year and they are essentially the same (I'm just over 200#).

 

[Finlay]

I've got a rainier - had it for 4 years now and many nights in it. I'm 200+ lbs. and haven't seen anything like this.

I'd contact Bobby and see what he says, but what you've got there is unusual.

The mattress in ours is finally starting to wear a bit thin, and although I don't mind - and the dogs haven't complained - my wife has been using a camping sleeping pad and she says that's a big improvement for her. You might do something like that in the short term until you get this sorted.

 

[TheFutur]

I've noticed my Tepui Kukenam is doing this a bit too.

Not as much as yours I don't think but below the mattress it definitely is sagging a bit.

It doesn't affect me in anyway and I now have an anti-condensation mat as well.

 

[Bravo1782]

Hey Guys,

Got off the phone with Bobby over at CVT and he said it's perfectly normal. He said it's just a natural settling of the thin aluminum sheet on the floor. Still seems weird that it would happen that fast...

To answer some questions, my fiance and I aren't vastly different in weight, and we haven't used it that many time.

I do have any anti-condensation mat...I've had it almost the entire time I've had the tent. My mattress is still in great shape, so it's not a "wear" issue. It doesn't seem to be bulging on the other side...in fact, the other side seems totally fine.

I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on it? I don't know what else I can do at this point.

 

[1MK]

I've noticed my Tepui Kukenam is doing this a bit too.

Not as much as yours I don't think but below the mattress it definitely is sagging a bit.

It doesn't affect me in anyway and I now have an anti-condensation mat as well.

Same here.

 

[emtmark]

Fill it with a compound like bondo? Skim it out level again? Less weight get it back to flat?


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[dcg141]

That quick though? Is that normal?

I would hope not. Not sure what the inner material is made of. I would contact CVT before I did anything.

 

[Kevin108]

I call shenanigans. Saying it's "normal" just sounds like "I'm not doing anything about it for you."

 

[Bravo1782]

See I could totally see if I had the tent for a long time or used it constantly, but it seems like the people that are seeing this have had their tents a long time. I'm sure there's all sorts of neat ways to fix it, but I feel like the issue is more of a "I shouldn't have this problem in the first place." Not for a tent this new.

 

[Kevin108]

Does this model have the aluminum honeycomb or something else?