Two Little Monkeys: RTT or Big ***** Ground Tent?
Guys -
I can't believe how much valuable information are contained in these threads and have just read this one with interest.
Couple items, both on and off-topic (sorry for the partial tangent): this is kind of a cop-out but we have camped successfully with our then 16 month old and subsequently a 1.5 and 3.5 year old, and we really didn't do all that much in terms of getting extra gear for them.
I say cop-out because the kids more or less co-sleep with us at home, so we're pretty acclimated with regard to having them squirm around next to us.
So, we simply threw the 16 month old between the two of us, and a couple years later subesquently threw the two of them in between us again.
The baby slept in the same bag as mom, and our older daughter got her own bag which she absolutely loved so that problem has been "solved". This summer, we have a 2.5 and 4.5 year old, and they both have their own bags which they are so enthusiastic about that they often insist on sleeping in them at home.
My question, which is referred to a couple times here, is on the RTT vs. ground tent with the kids.
We have a 6 person Kelty that is simply one big room (which we got a hell of a deal on at Sierra Trading Post) and we have two inflatable "twin" mattresses that we put against one corner creating a king sized sleeping area and which leaves an "L" shaped corridor around it, helpful for gear storage and leaving plenty of space to get dressed/organized prior to unzipping the door (a big plus in crappy weather, or if bugs are particularly rampant).
Quick tent notes: I love the size of the Kelty, and it is well-made and endured ten days of nonstop rain in Acadia National Park. Easy to set up. I do wish the fly itself was larger so it was easier to get into and out of wet boots, jackets, etc before getting inside. It only has one door and I thought that would make me nuts but there is so much room in the tent it is not an issue as it turns out. It is only a 3 season tent as there are permanent mesh vents, so if you do colder stuff or true alpine camping you would be better off with a 4 season tent (you'd get cold in a hurry).
Now, the gearhead in me loves the idea (and the high quality) of the RTT's that I often read about on the boards, and I do like the idea of parking the truck and being ready to camp, kids up off the ground, in a heartbeat.
That said, I do wonder about the practicality of having the tent on the truck and having to collapse it every time we want to move (or just move the truck). We have tended to say in the same place for multiple days and done a lot of day trips, and it has been nice to have the tent set up on day one and populated with all the "base camp" gear over those stays while we roam about.
Am I right in thinking that we are likely better off staying with the ground tent?
As ever, very interested in your experience and opinions.
