1st Gen Taco - RTT to Side or Back?

[FinSport]

This is my second post so skip to the question if you want...
I didn't know overlanding was a word until a year ago, but apparently I've been into it for years when it was known as car camping.

In this year, I've looked through a lot of your builds for ideas on how to improve my setup and have been amazed at your use of space, organization, and creativity in the same way I was amazed at TTORA 12+ years ago.

Today I took the plunge into the slippery world of overlanding by buying a used ARB RTT and a Thule Xsporter rack setup. I've found that as I age the bivy and a thermarest aren't nearly as supportive as they (I?) once were so I'm excited to try it out this weekend.

Here's the question...
I have an extended cab 95.5 Tacoma and the track on the bottom of the tent is currently setup to open front/rear instead of side/side. Side to side would give me an awning but require me to have open space on the side of the truck. Opening to the back would allow me to tent in narrow spaces but I think the ladder will get in the way of my tailgate kitchen and I'd have to move the Thule up to stand underneath.

Which way are you guys orienting yours? I live in Washington where its green, wet and treed. Let me know your thoughts.

F

 

[enzo]

I had that exact setup on all my Tacomas but had my tent opening side to side. I considered having the tent open towards the back but wanted an awning so that wouldn't work. There were only a few times that I didn't have enough room to open the tent on one side and the awning on the other.

 

[oliverlove]

I am running the same truck setup you are. The first big trip I ran the tent off the back. It was narrow, easy to find a spot for the truck. Biggest issues I ran into.

-Pain to get your gear out of the bed with the RTT opened
-Difficult to get the truck level, side to side
-Totally lost the tailgate as a work area


(Don't worry, its BIO soap!!!)
This past trip, 7 states in 2 months, we mounted the tent to open off the side. It was great. It allowed my wife to use her seat as a 'pile'/storage area when the tent was open. It gave me the cooking area back again, and we could access our gear in the bed.


Not once did we have an issue finding a spot that was large enough to allow the tent to open off the side. For some reason it was also easier to level the truck to get a flat sleeping surface.

I vote off the side!

 

[Clutch]

If it is too narrow to deploy the tent off to the side, you probably wouldn't be able open the truck's doors either...