RTT vs Ground Tent to outfit your Expedition Trailer

[rat patrol]

Man am I glad to see this thread.
I just purchased a M416 with the intent of towing it behind our Landy SIII 88 for additional gear room. Having spent time with Uncle Sam's misguided childeren, I'm accustomed to the ground or mud-hole my better is NOT. Shes been backpacking and did OK but has redefined her roughing it concept.

Shes already expressed a dislike for climbing a ladder but is keen on keeping off the rough and away from bugs, snakes, spider, etc.

We've already begun discussion on a cabin style tent that will handle cots and three dogs which seems to be the best compromise.

 

[Zubicon]

Man am I glad to see this thread.
. Having spent time with Uncle Sam's misguided childeren,

Funny, I haven't heard that phrase in better than a decade.....thanks for the service

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

I have decided on an RTT...and I think the CVT is what I am going to go with, that or the Camping Lab. I need to be able to squeeze in 2 adults and 2 small kids... and LOVE the idea of the quick deployment. I actually considered a pair of the 2 person tent cots as I have seen them mounted to a trailer as well...but the RTT is the way to go for me.

So many nice tents out there, and RTT's now...this is a very good time to be "getting out there".

 

[DonBeasley]

Did you see Atxrider's post today about Camping Lab. Seems everything is on back order per Fernando.

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Did you see Atxrider's post today about Camping Lab. Seems everything is on back order per Fernando.

CVT ******!!!

 

[Borrego60]

RTT all the way.

 

[Zubicon]

After talking to my sister about old times growing up in the Laural Mountains of PA it finally dawned on me why I'm against a RTT. BEARS! We grew up in a place where bear encounters were common place, found them in your trash, on your back porch, twice in my sisters swiimming pool and once a 500 pounder decied to go through our living room window and have its way with our belongings. That said we NEVER, EVER slept and cooked in the same location when camping, you flatout just didn't do it. Now I live on the western rockies where the bear population isn't a populated nor as large but I do wheel in bear country 4 or 5 times a year so an RTT is most definitely out of my trailer build equation. Even for those that think they could handle a bear encounter in a camping environment with whatever friearm they own has obviously never seen a bear get hit by gun shot. They're run another 30 to 60 ards, maul you before they even realize that they are dead. Just last year while scouting out a potential camp site just on the fringe of Leadville Colorado we encountered fresh bear tracks of probably a 400 pounder

 

[loup407]

We were at the same Overland Expo as Roger H; and came to the same conclusion. We'd been using a large ground tent, and went to the Expo to check out Adventure Trailers. It was quite gusty that weekend, and spent a bunch of time in the Ezee - Awn on top of Paul May's Chaser. We left resolved to get a trailer with a RTT on it. It took a while to find what we wanted, wound up with a gently used Horizon with a large Ezee-Awn. We were in the Swell last May when it was crazy windy. I half expected the trailer to tip over, but the tent was great. We saw a number of people with ground tents that were struggling. So far, the Horizon and the RTT have been all we hoped for. Yes, the ladder is an annoyance. But this is offset by my wife's enjoyment of NOT sleeping on the ground. Like many things, there's no one answer for anything. I like being able to stop, and have camp set up in a few minutes. However, now we have started to look longingly at Sportmobiles.

 

[JPK]

Loup407,

Thought about a teardrop?

 

[Titanpat57]

How many people have been attacked or mauled sleeping in a RTT that you've heard about?

How many people have been attacked or mauled in a ground tent that you've heard about?



I'm sure there's no exact numbers...but I don't ever remember hearing of anyone attacked in a RTT (but it doesn't mean it hasn't). I do remember reading about a bear going in a ground tent and hauling the occupant(s) out and eating or munching on them. I sleep 7' off the ground, in total confidence.

 

[STREGA]

Loup407,

Thought about a teardrop?

X2. A teardrop will tow nice behind his FJ!

 

[Pikeman]

All this talk of bears mauling makes me not to want to camp at all. I have seen what they can do to a car when they want to get in. NO tent ground or RTT or Teardrop will be better than another in that situation, only smart responsible campsite maintanance can help keep the Bears away in the first place.

 

[grimbo]

Glad we don't have bears to worry a bout down under, we do have the salties to worry about but you just don't camp on a river bank up north and you are fine.

We looked into a RTT but for us with two young sons there just didn't seem to be a workable way to use one. Plus we didn't like the fact you had to pack up to go for a drive etc. Also cost was a big factor. We have a touring style canvas tent for on the move trips,8 pegs and you are done



If we are staying for a few nights then we have a large dome tent or for an extended two week period in the one place a large family canvas tent. All of these work very well and we are still under the price of a RTT

 

[loup407]

JPK,
We did look at teardrops. A lot. For a while it was kind of a coin-toss. Last summer we camped near a couple that had an almost identical FJC and a brand new A/T teardrop. We looked at that teardrop a lot, although we decided we like what we have.
Re:bears; some of you may recall that a number of campgrounds in WY were closed to tent camping this summer after a couple of incidents. I don't worry too much about black bears; but grizzlies are a whole different thing. We decided sleeping in a tent suspended a foot or so above our fridge wasn't a good idea in grizzly country, so re-routed a planned trip to the Gros Ventre area to Utah.

 

[Tkdx00]

Forgive this wannabe like y'all question but, what are the drawbacks to using a ground tent on a rooftop/trailer top platform besides securing it?

I'm doing my research into trailers and saw this thread. This stuff ain't cheap and comprimises are a reality. I would think a foldout platform could be fashioned in some manor. Or am I just thinking to logically?