An Oztent to complement my Kamper, maybe even replace the RTT

[Romer]

I have the Kimberley Kamper which sleeps two comfortably. You could sleep 3-4 putting two on the floor, but that gets tight with a lot of people in a tight space.

For more rugged expedition camping I have an ARB Simpson RTT

Since my daughter has a steady BF of two years, thinking of getting an Oztent to line up under the canopy so I can have a lot of space in in the Kamper rather than having 3 of us in there


If I go with the RTT, I would need another tent if more than two go.

With the Oztent, I could easily sleep two with Cots or three with sleeping bags or I could get the walls and front panel and sleep 4 cots easily with lots of room.

So I am thinking of replacing the ARB Simpson with an Oztent altogether. I know someone who has said he would buy my RTT

I could keep all 3, and use the RTT and Oztent together as well, but that's a lot of money in tents when I only camp a handful of times each year


I like having cool stuff with options and this is a pretty neat setup that can go up much faster than just about any tent. I can get a regular tent for much less $$

The full room to setup on the Kimberley takes about 30 minutes and there isn't any floor unless I add them. Then tear down takes about the same plus having to fold up the panels back into the bag.

I went to the Kimberley and RTT because it was just me. Now there is 3 and when the other daughter comes more. Wife only camps in the Hilton


I am looking at the Oztent because it would fit right up to my awning and sets up in 30 seconds and tears down in 30 seconds. Much faster than my RTT, but you then have to setup the bedding as well. You should also add 4 stakes after it is setup which adds a few seconds

Another reason I like the Oztent is I don't like sleeping on the ground and I could easily fit cots in here. There is the Jet tent and the Black wolf turbo which are quick setup dome tents that some are less $$, but after pouring over reviews the last month, I like the Oztent more and it would fit perfectly under my awning of the KK



You can see the setup and tear down in the link

http://youtu.be/-7PwQr7TYXc

You can use the Oztent by itself for the quick setup

(Below pics are from nulliifiers review on expo)




or add the side walls and front panel which adds 5-10 minutes to the setup




You can even further expand on it and connect a 2nd Oztent of any size to the setup and have a large multi room setup. I do like the options

Besides, there are trips I would not take the Kamper and that leaves me in camp once the RTT is setup


Don't get me wrong, I like the ARB RTT and may still keep it, just thinking if I get this that would be too many tents and too much money tied up in camping equipment. If I camped more that would be a different matter. This year I have only gotten away twice


I would just start off with the basic tent


Anyone gone from an RTT to an Oztent and have opinions on this?

 

[/dev/ram]

Curious to see how you connect the Oz to the Kamper. Subscribed!

 

[jeffryscott]

I've had RTT, OzTent, Kodiak, Springbar, Turbotent and a pop-up trailer (to appease my wife). My favorite is the RTT, for myself. Wife and kids hated it for the 2 a.m. pee. I bought a Kodiak, set it up, loved the room but I found a good deal on an Oztent with side panels and sold the Kodiak. Love the setup of the basic Oztent, but it didn't have nearly the room of the Kodiak and setting up the panels was a pain and defeated the quick setup time of the rest of it. Stowage on the roof was also a pain. Sold the Oz and found a Springbar on craigslist. Absolutely loved the Springbar, perfect for one person or maybe two (older 6' x 8' model) but not big enough for the family. Currently have a Turbotent and it is nice, but want another Springbar or Kodiak as, for me, they seem to be the best overall for speed of setup/takedown, room and price.

While the RTT was my favorite for sleeping and convenience, a nice big tent like the Kodiak or Springbar is really nice to have as a place to hang out in in case of bad weather, and setup and break down is really easy. The Turbotent is really easy, but mine is made of nylon and I really appreciate the canvas after the canvas tents. When you add the fly onto the Turbotent it adds a fair amount of time (maybe five minutes, not much, but when it takes a minute to set up the main tent it seems like a long time).

For me at least, the Oztent idea was awesome, but the other options in practicality were a bit better.

 

[Romer]

Not really connect. The RV4 is the same width as the end of the canopy next to the door of the Kamper. I would just set it up right there filling that gap with the entrance slightly under the overhang were this pole is in the middle or around the front depending on what works best

 

[Romer]

I've had RTT, OzTent, Kodiak, Springbar, Turbotent and a pop-up trailer (to appease my wife). My favorite is the RTT, for myself. Wife and kids hated it for the 2 a.m. pee. I bought a Kodiak, set it up, loved the room but I found a good deal on an Oztent with side panels and sold the Kodiak. Love the setup of the basic Oztent, but it didn't have nearly the room of the Kodiak and setting up the panels was a pain and defeated the quick setup time of the rest of it. Stowage on the roof was also a pain. Sold the Oz and found a Springbar on craigslist. Absolutely loved the Springbar, perfect for one person or maybe two (older 6' x 8' model) but not big enough for the family. Currently have a Turbotent and it is nice, but want another Springbar or Kodiak as, for me, they seem to be the best overall for speed of setup/takedown, room and price.

While the RTT was my favorite for sleeping and convenience, a nice big tent like the Kodiak or Springbar is really nice to have as a place to hang out in in case of bad weather, and setup and break down is really easy. The Turbotent is really easy, but mine is made of nylon and I really appreciate the canvas after the canvas tents. When you add the fly onto the Turbotent it adds a fair amount of time (maybe five minutes, not much, but when it takes a minute to set up the main tent it seems like a long time).

For me at least, the Oztent idea was awesome, but the other options in practicality were a bit better.

Thanks for the comments Jeffry. I saw your comments in another thread and almost went with either the Jet tent or the turbo tent. The side panel comment is very similar to my Kimberley Kamper. I can be set up for basic sleeping in 3 minutes. It takes 15 minutes to get the canopy on and much more to add the walls. I like the different options relative to my Kamper and that's what I came back to with the Oztent after reading other reviews. I'm not buying the sidewalls at this time as I am not sure I will need them and Ill see if I can pick those up used or on sale later.

I don't really need a lot of room as my wife doesn't come and my kids are adults. A place for a cot and a bag is all I need. I wanted one large enough for two COTs for my kids or one daughter and a boyfriend, if they traveled with me, otherwise I would have pulled the trigger on a used RV2. There are other tents that would work, but I have to admit I like the coolness of the Oztent and woody (Ihh8mud) had a smaller one at cruise moab this year and I wanted to get a larger ones since May.

I did measure and will be able to fit the Oztent in my landcruiser with the seat down or on my roof rack. It typically is just me in my truck on these trips. If the kids come, they bring their own offroad vehicles

I haven't decided to sell the RTT as of yet, just thinking that's too much stuff.

I envision the Oztent for two scenarios

1) others come with me and I put up the basic oztent for the others. It seems like it would fit better with my Kimberley, or

2) I am expedition camping with the club on trails where I don't bring the Kimberley and I use the Oztent for me. This is typically just me and using the RTT.

I do like the expandability and options, including connecting multiple Oztents that may be good in the future when the family grows and we want a center screened in area to hang out

Thanks again for the feedback

 

[Honu]

did you ever look at the Serengeti tents ?
http://www.equipt1.com/companies/serengeti-tents/

longer setup but bomb proof seems like and long history of nothing breaking ?
self standing seems more stable than the oztent ?

my only fear with the oztent was the breaking of the joint part cant figure if its common or not ? but seems common enough kinda made me nervous

I am still on the prowl for a smaller faster setup tent for when we do a over nighter and boiled down to oztent serengeti and the kodiak

I did own a kodiak and loved it but kinda ruling it out this time as I want a true stand alone tent
(my needs are not the same as yours though since its 4 of us and a dog)

but the long term quality and canvas its oztent or serengeti

 

[jeffryscott]

Your reply got me thinking, and if it was just me, or a couple of adults, the Oz might be really convenient and the downsides I had experienced with a family may not be as bad. Hmm.

 

[Romer]

did you ever look at the Serengeti tents ?
http://www.equipt1.com/companies/serengeti-tents/

longer setup but bomb proof seems like and long history of nothing breaking ?
self standing seems more stable than the oztent ?

my only fear with the oztent was the breaking of the joint part cant figure if its common or not ? but seems common enough kinda made me nervous

I am still on the prowl for a smaller faster setup tent for when we do a over nighter and boiled down to oztent serengeti and the kodiak

I did own a kodiak and loved it but kinda ruling it out this time as I want a true stand alone tent
(my needs are not the same as yours though since its 4 of us and a dog)

but the long term quality and canvas its oztent or serengeti

It's not which tent. I am real anal about research and have been reviewing different setups since last May. I have decided on the Oztent. I have looked at the others and had an overland and eziawn before My review of the Oztents showed it (joint failure) was more prevelant with the RV2's, but there were a lot of positive reviews without the problem

Your reply got me thinking, and if it was just me, or a couple of adults, the Oz might be really convenient and the downsides I had experienced with a family may not be as bad. Hmm.

When I had a young family, I had one of those offroad pop-ups. Needed a place for the kids to color or do homework and sit at a nice kitchen table and space. When they got older, I didn't need it anymore and typically one daughter would go with me so the Kamper or the RTT worked better. Plus American pop-ups fall apart pretty easy. The Australian and South African products I have owned have really impressed me. The build stuff to go out for weeks to months. With a young family, the RTT nor the Oztent would work based on what we use to do. Looking at going to Ouray with my daughter over labor day and she will bring her own Landcruiser to carry her stuff

 

[Honu]

good to hear about the certain model then

 

[Gear]

Hi Guys,

I currently have an RV 5 with the raised side panels + front wall. I also have a Eezi Awn 2200 on my AT Chaser. I had a Springbar Traveler 5 at one time. Here is a quick break down of the pros and cons.

RV 5 Pros -

Quick initial setup
Stand up height for changing is a bonus
Can always bring a portable bathroom inside for a needed pit stop.
I usually only set up one side panel to use as a wind block. Makes for a pleasant front porch in high winds.
This was a major selling point for me as I had really no way to get out of the wind with the trailer and Eezi Awn.
With a cot and an end table it is like camping at the Hilton.

I love mine and have no intentions of selling it.

RV 5 Cons -

There is a bar that runs across the floor right where your back would be if you sleep with your feet at the door and your head at the back of the tent. I use a cot which takes care of this problem. If you sleep the other way the inside person has to step over someone to get out of the tent.

The tent is waterproof, but sold without the optional rain fly. More stuff and more money. Without the rain fly(I do not have one) the tent acts like a single wall tent. At times heavy condensation can occur as well as excessive heat in the day time. You would not want to take a nap in this tent if it is exposed to full sun.

The storage bag is very light sensitive. A couple of trips on your roof rack and the straps will tear off. It will also start to fade quickly. I would highly recommend wrapping the whole bag with a 6'x8' tarp while in transit. You can then use the tarp as a ground sheet for either the tent or the front porch.

Storing wet tent - wrestling a wet and dirty tent back into its bag can make you very messy. This is when I am wishing I had my roof top tent.

Obviously you need a large flat area to pitch it. This can be a problem
------

If you stake the RV 5 down properly you will not run into the problems with the plastic joints breaking. If you are lazy and skip this advise the tent will tumble and roll in the wind causing the above problems.


Eezi Awn 2200 Pros -

Quick setup for its size. Probably 2 minutes.
I'm able to leave my bedding inside the tent at all times.
On top of the trailer so the tent stays relatively clean and out of the dirt.
Cool birdhouse view.
I can level my trailer with the air bags so I can park on uneven surfaces.

Eezi Awn 2200 Cons -

Heavy, brick like shape hurts fuel economy.
The cover can be tricky to get on especially if the tent was mounted on a vehicle.
No standing room for changing or using a porta potty.
Have to climb a ladder.
The rain fly is very noisy in the wind.

Springbar Traveler 5 Pros -

Great ventilation, large doors and windows
Cool colors keep the inside temperatures at bay.
Rock solid in the wind
Sturdy cotton canvas feel.

Springbar Traveler 5 Cons -

12 stakes that you must anchor to the ground. This is really what lead me to selling this tent. I like to camp on hard surfaces like sandstone not in the sand/mud.

This is going to sound bad, but I just did not like the light green/teal color.

Huge foot print - hard to find a big enough spot to setup. Campground sites can be tricky.

Tent and accessories come in several bags. Hope you don't forget the poles!

----------


Just my two cents on these fine tents. Their is no perfect solution. Unless of course you just sleep in the back of the Jeep. J/K


Justin

 

[Harald Hansen]

We have an RV4 which we have used the last two summers, maybe 50 nights in all. We're five in the family, so we've split up between the Maggiolina Adventurer RTT and the Oztent. Last summer we had the RTT on a trailer. We've hauled it through mainland Europe and Iceland.

We're very happy with our tent regarding quality and usability. And we've found that it gives us more flexibility regarding how we set up camp. With the RTT on a trailer the RV4's awning lined up perfectly to make one single big room. We have the "deluxe peaked side walls", by the way. If there's a lack of flat ground the car or trailer with the RTT can be set up independently from the Oztent. Or you can do as we did with car, trailer and Oztent, where we made a sort of courtyard between the three.

The side walls are very useful. We also often use only one for a wind break if the weather is nice.

The Oztent is very quick to setup, and if the weather is bad, I often pop out of the car and set it up, and then put the kids inside while we make the rest of the camp.

I could definitely consider going camping with just an Oztent, provided everyone would fit inside.

 

[huskyfargo]

My quick $.02, I went from a cheap cabin tent to a RTT w/ covered entry and changing room, back to a cheap tent, then an Oz RV5, back to the RTT, and now I'm settled on a Turbo Tent. It's by far my favorite. I travel with my best friend and 3 labs. There's plenty of room for all of us and our gear, and it's super easy to set up/take down.

 

[Romer]

appreciate every ones input. I did already order the oztent since they were on sale through today, $100 off. I will have to see if it meets my needs and then move on from there.

huskyfargo - can you tell me why you went from the Oztent to the RTT and then to another ground tent after already using an RTT?

 

[Romer]

Dang, during the sale they gave me a few more bucks off for getting the side panels, front panel and fly as well.

Hello, my name is Ken and I buy too much expedition gear

 

[huskyfargo]

huskyfargo - can you tell me why you went from the Oztent to the RTT and then to another ground tent after already using an RTT?[/QUOTE]

I didn't find it to be an easy enough trade-off. It was just as easy to deploy the RTT and add the changing room as it was to set up the OZ and set up cots, etc... The OZ was heavy and awkward, and it was too difficult to try to find a secure place to store it if I'm staying in a hotel or parking somewhere downtown. I found it to be much more of a pain than I was expecting. The Turbo tent is perfect for me. It's much smaller packed up, but larger deployed. It's lighter, and easier to store in a Yakima SkyBox on top.