Car-top-tent pros/cons?

[DaktariEd]

I have a Maggiollina on my Horizon trailer.
Opening the box with the tent open is no problem.
Two 100# air struts (lifts? whatever you call them) work wonders!
I just avoid leaving things sitting in the "doorway" so they don't slide out. Most things inside move very little.

:sombrero:

I'll see if I can find some photos...

 

[PhulesAU]

6'6" 330# and all I did was rollover ( I Swear):smileeek:

 

[Rezarf <><]

I have seen a lot of CTT that can be used on a trailer lid and still be accessed with the tent opened on top. You will want the hinge for the trailer lid to be under the hinge side of the tent.

FWIW, this is one of the best reasons for a good tailgate and slide out doors in my humble opinion.

Rezarf <><

 

[Bongo Boy]

The whole tent-vehicle integration thing is totally new to me, so forgive my ignorance...

What's the basic idea behind have the sleeping quarters up high in the first place? I assumed, the first time I saw this (about 3 weeks ago) that this was something unique to African plains or something, and an effort to protect the occupants from...something (uh...cats that were unable to jump 5 ft, I guess ).

Anyway, I'd like to know why the tents are being place up so high. The obvious drawback is first, getting into and out of the tent. The not-so-obvious drawback is that 40-70 mph wind gusts wouldn't be too subtle with that much frontal area exposed that high above cg.

No one has had a problem with this?

I don't get how you'd survive a night in any mountain camp site sticking this high up off the ground, or in any site by the Great Lakes, out on the high plains desert, or basically anywhere that wasn't deep in the woods. Whazzup?

My FIRST choice would be to sleep under the car...in a tent that was 14" high situated under my transfer case. My LAST choice would be...put the tent up there on top of the car. Man, I'm not getting it!

 

[gjackson]

Bongo,

Actually the tents work pretty well in wind. Can be very loud, but they are all pretty strong and can take 'high' wind. I'm not talking tornados and hurricanes here, which I wouldn't want to be camping in anyway!

For me comfort and ease of use are the most attractive things about RTTs. You can keep your bedding inside and it takes (literally) 2 minutes to set up. You also have a flat, dry platform to sleep on no matter the ground. And cats (even big ones) usually don't bother cars (or tents on top of them) but they have been known to bother people in ground tents and people under cars!

The downside is that RTTs are expensive. But having used many in many places, I would go with anything else (except maybe a Unicat).

cheers

 

[RunninRubicon]

Why not car top tents

Having spent the majority of my life camping here and there, I have to comment on the use of car-top-tents.(pardon the brand name here). The most remarkable aspect about having a tent off the ground are two fold as I see it.
1.) I don't miss sleeping on a dry mattress, free from rocks wearing a hole in the floor of my tent. The aspect of drying out after a rain or snow is much improved as well.
2.) No more visits by the local wildlife. No skunks, no racoons, and especially no snakes. Still they visit my campsite, but they are not prone to visit me up high.
3...one to grow on) I can put my tent up in a parking lot, a guys driveway, a rocky knoll. Most anywhere my Jeep can put my trailer, and that's most anywhere I dare to go.

 

[Bongo Boy]

Okay this makes sense. I don't suppose there's any reason to believe wind is any worse, really, only 5 ft higher off the ground. Plus, come to think of it, I must look an awful lot like a delicious corn dog to most large meat-eaters, all rolled-up under the car like that.

I just now realized a car-top or trailer-top tent would allow me to do the one thing I'd desperately like to do with a tent: level it. I'm too old to be waking up each morning, my body wadded into a ball in the low corner of the tent.

 

[Rezarf <><]

My FIRST choice would be to sleep under the car...in a tent that was 14" high situated under my transfer case. My LAST choice would be...put the tent up there on top of the car. Man, I'm not getting it!

Seriously, I too live in this great state and I see several advantages that you might not have considered yet.

First off, under my fj40... which I can sit Indian style under the bed area, would have to be one sweet spot of campground to convience me to sleep under my rig. A tent 14" high would be more like a bivy sack... you know how nice is it if you get held up by a good snow storm to be able to play cards with a friend and lounge around.

Inclimate weather also usually means water in the form of snow, rain,hail, or even run off in the high country... all of which get my gear muddy as poop.

That said, I can stop at any spot I like, and in less than two minutes be high, dry, level, and on a queen sized mattress with all the trimmings like pillows and comforters and... my wife! I don't think she would go for diving under the rig in bad weather... or ever!

Honestly, they are a cool item, but not necessary. I still go for my 4 season when I think it could get really rough out, or I stay home... man I am getting old.

Rezarf <><