Roof Top Tents

[gravedgr]

We are considering a RTT for the new truck. I'm not totally sold on the idea - 1) we have a BIG normal tent, and 2) Cindy wants to consider popup campers - but there are some group buys going or starting soon for 20% off, so I'm trying to learn fast. A RTT would let us start doing some non-campground camping, which we've talked about for a while.

For you guys that have them, what should we look for / avoid? One person said they were all made in China and were essentially the same minus branding. :-/

 

[justinh]

We are considering a RTT for the new truck. I'm not totally sold on the idea - 1) we have a BIG normal tent, and 2) Cindy wants to consider popup campers - but there are some group buys going or starting soon for 20% off, so I'm trying to learn fast. A RTT would let us start doing some non-campground camping, which we've talked about for a while.

For you guys that have them, what should we look for / avoid? One person said they were all made in China and were essentially the same minus branding. :-/

I'm picking up a TJM yulara model (hopefully) next week while I'm in California. I've got to drive a moving truck back so I figured I'd bring back some cool gear.

 

[gravedgr]

Are you saving a lot picking it up? It looks exactly like a CVT Mt. Shasta, but the CVT will be on sale for $500 less (+shipping) and includes the annex (can't tell if the Yulara does).

If you're getting a great deal, could you bring two back. :wings:

 

[codename607]

Hey Doug,

First off, not all RTTs are made in China, some are also made in South Africa. The easiest way to tell the difference is in the price. South Africa RTTs normally cost more than the Chinese version because they are made with a higher quality. Not saying that there is anything wrong with the ones made in China but I've compared the non-branded China made tent that I use to own to a Eezi-Awn(South African Made) and you could see the higher quality in material.

With that being said, I would recommend finding the style of RTT you like. Such as a Maggiolina or CVT. These are both great RTTs but they are very different styles. Then find something that is in your price range.

You really cant go wrong with any of these setups.

-Terrill

 

[gravedgr]

Hey Doug,

First off, not all RTTs are made in China, some are also made in South Africa. The easiest way to tell the difference is in the price. South Africa RTTs normally cost more than the Chinese version because they are made with a higher quality. Not saying that there is anything wrong with the ones made in China but I've compared the non-branded China made tent that I use to own to a Eezi-Awn(South African Made) and you could see the higher quality in material.

With that being said, I would recommend finding the style of RTT you like. Such as a Maggiolina or CVT. These are both great RTTs but they are very different styles. Then find something that is in your price range.

You really cant go wrong with any of these setups.

-Terrill

Thank you for your advice and clarification!

 

[E.J.]

We love our CVT Mt Rainier, snagged it during last years group buy. It spent last summer on the Subaru while I built a trailer for it to live on. Definitely prefer it on the trailer.

 

[Bigjerm]

Side topic, how are you going to mount yours? I always thought it would be cool to have it mounted off a bed rail system on a truck. That way you still retained bed space for carrying things and you didn't have a RTT on the top giving you some MPG drops

 

[Howski]

Aside from the 20% discount, why are you interested in one? Seems you've got the tent situation covered now and would possibly get a trailer in the future. People rave over the convenience of the RTT but you'll have to take it down any time you want to move your vehicle or leave 'base camp'. In the southeast I've found the 'base camp' situation is most prevalent as we aren't blessed with the wide open lands of the western U.S., kind of making a RTT an inconvenience. Mounting it over the bed is a much better mounting option, IMO, than on the roof of the vehicle itself where it can get hung up in branches more easily.

 

[gravedgr]

Side topic, how are you going to mount yours? I always thought it would be cool to have it mounted off a bed rail system on a truck. That way you still retained bed space for carrying things and you didn't have a RTT on the top giving you some MPG drops

I'm looking at bed racks like all-pro's pack rack (although something not as high) that would put the top of the RTT roughly equal with the roof of the cab.

Aside from the 20% discount, why are you interested in one? Seems you've got the tent situation covered now and would possibly get a trailer in the future. People rave over the convenience of the RTT but you'll have to take it down any time you want to move your vehicle or leave 'base camp'. In the southeast I've found the 'base camp' situation is most prevalent as we aren't blessed with the wide open lands of the western U.S., kind of making a RTT an inconvenience. Mounting it over the bed is a much better mounting option, IMO, than on the roof of the vehicle itself where it can get hung up in branches more easily.

Right now, deploying our camp is a 30 min process for the tent (tent, fly, stakes, mattresses). Its also fairly big (I think its rated as a 10-man tent). Both tend to discourage us from going anywhere but campgrounds with prepared camp pads. There are many times while driving FS roads we say, "Wow, wouldn't that be a great camping spot?" while realizing its not very feasible with our current setup. Having the truck will give us more carrying capacity, so taking the stuff we need for more primitive camping will be easier with the Taco than with the Xterra (which while very capable offroad, has limited storage even with a roof rack).

Now I'm not really sure about the pop-up. Cindy has mentioned it a few times, but there are a lot MORE logistical problems starting with we have no place to store it - so we'd have to rent or pay some storage location. So, while we do have camping capabilities now, a RTT would give us more and different options. At 20-30% off, we could use it for a year and sell it with a small loss if we decided it wasn't for us.

Besides, now that I'm trading my car payment for a truck payment, I could almost afford a new RTT every month. :wings:

 

[Bigjerm]

If you can post up what you find on the bed rail systems. As of now my camp set up is unload whatever I am driving and set and tent up on the trailer with air mattress and all. It Would be awesome to have something over the bed for a late night arrival to a park

Sent from S3

 

[JackW]

My Maggiolina is great - sets up in around 1-1/2 minutes so you can pull in and be ready to sleep in almost no time. Take down is around 3 minutes(takes extra time to lower the hard shell almost all the way and tuck the sides of the tent in) but its a great setup for stealth camping in any place you can find to park your vehicle in a reasonably level spot. With all the bedding inside the roof tent there's more room inside the D-90 for food, clothes and cooking gear.

 

[32vsnake]

If you can post up what you find on the bed rail systems. As of now my camp set up is unload whatever I am driving and set and tent up on the trailer with air mattress and all. It Would be awesome to have something over the bed for a late night arrival to a park

Sent from S3

I'm in the process of building a bed side mounted rack for my new CVT Mt rainier that should be arriving in the next day or so. I wanted it to sit a little lower but it needed to clear our dogs crate and I put in a slide for our table

 

[gravedgr]

If you can post up what you find on the bed rail systems. As of now my camp set up is unload whatever I am driving and set and tent up on the trailer with air mattress and all. It Would be awesome to have something over the bed for a late night arrival to a park

Sent from S3

Currently, we're looking at the All Pro pack rack

and Pelfreybilt bed rack (image doesn't work)

 

[gravedgr]

I'm in the process of building a bed side mounted rack for my new CVT Mt rainier that should be arriving in the next day or so. I wanted it to sit a little lower but it needed to clear our dogs crate and I put in a slide for our table

Nice looking rack! The ones we really like are the low profile ones that tuck the tent right in behind the cab, but they are all custom made and I'm not a welder. :/

 

[HHIRunner]

There's a guy on TacomaWorld who makes low racks that can hold a tent just above the bed. I believe his username is SingleCabGuy

Edit: the thread is titled Derpwerx Fabrication and here's a pic