Custom roof top tent?

[Blizz]

Hello,

The other day I was in a Decathlon shop and I see something that gave me an idea...

Don't know if you have Decathlon shops in the States nor if you know the quick tents they sell...

Well, they have some nice weekend-camper tents that are bend and don't need to mount. Those are the Quechua 2'', 3'', etc.

Well, what I saw was a new series of those quick tents named "Quechua Light", concretly the 2 Seconds Light one:

The nice thing about those instead of the older ones is that they're square shaped nor round and that they fold in a 8 shaped instead of a 9 like before.

That model, the 2 Seconds Light is 210x145cm when open and it's 95cm height.
I know it's a bit low compared to a roof top tent but it's only 45$...

I was thinking of making some sort of plywood "book-style" platform and sticking one of those tents in it. As it normally folds in a 8 shape I'm sure that it can be fold in half... I could use those U-shaped things used to attach cables to the wall and the tent will still be removable from the platform if I want to use it in the normal way.

Anyways I've some doubts... Can someone show some pics of the hinges used in the comercial RTT? Another thing is the weight of the half platform sticking out of the truck. Don't know if in the comercial RTT the weight is supported by the ladder or it's done with the other half.

What do you think? It's not an idea for crossing Africa but for some weekends and a week in Morocco a year...

You can have more info on those tents in http://seconds.quechua.com/

David

 

[BC Explorer]

WOW !

Now that is a cool idea, that would be great for spring and summer camping.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Cool idea. Got my hamster wheels turning....

It wouldnt be that hard to just have the platform and then open the tent ground level and throw it up onto the platform. Wouldnt take any longer to set up than most roof top tents. In windy situations, you can use the tent peg loops, and use these.

With a hook underneath to hold the non-ball end.

Hmmmmmmmmm

Edit:
For my climate I would much rather something to this effect.

 

[Blizz]

Yeah, the Air model is nice, but the 2'' Light is shorter than the 2'' Air, and this is more egg-shaped.

Well, thought of folding the tent along with the platform because I wanted to put a high density mattress inside, divided in two halfs.

How do these peg loops work? I don't catch where to use the ball side.

David

 

[TigerPaw]

Has anyone ever thought about using one of the Tent Cots? The oversize or double models would be good sizes for some of the smaller trailers.


http://www.tentcot.com/double1.htm


I'm thinking about putting one on my Bantam T3-C once it is finished.

 

[Willman]

I wonder how hard it takes to go back in it's little cover???...If it is anything like this:

[

Me too. Have you figured out how to fold it back up yet? What a PITA....

I wrestled with it on the carpet of my living room and I'm very concerned about doing the same procedure on dirt, rocks, sand, etc. I'm thinking of picking up an extra 8x8 blue tarp, just to lay out and fold this thing back up on, without tearing it up on the ground. I do really like the design and features, like the floor, towel hanger, and skylight but breaking it down is like trying to wrestle a greased pig!

The PETT shower tent, I saw of Willman's folds up easier and more compact, like a camping chair. I thought the round, flat when packed up Porta Privy would be easy to store but that's kind of a PITA too.

Hummmm.......greased pig anyone?

:REOutArchery02:

 

[adventureduo]

I had one (not that exact model) made by "big top" and sold through Harbor Freight. Ran $19.99! Couldnt beat the pice!! It was bitchen for setup. Just throw it out and call it a day.,.But putting it away was impossible!!!!!!!!! We had 3-4 people working on how to fold it back up! It ended getting stuffed in a trash can in a campground!!!!! Make sure if you buy one of these to practice practice before you take it out and open it! I think we got 3 camps out of ours before it was trashed.

 

[craig]

I wonder how hard it takes to go back in it's little cover???...If it is anything like this:

[

Hummmm.......greased pig anyone?

:REOutArchery02:

The porta-privvy is extremely easy to setup and put away. It is extremely unfair to characterize it as being a *difficult* product. I admit that until I read the directions (printed on the tag in the carrying case so you won't lose them) that I couldn't get it folded up. Once I read them, it practically folded itself up.

Craig

 

[LUISJG]

I had one (not that exact model) made by "big top" and sold through Harbor Freight. Ran $19.99! Couldnt beat the pice!! It was bitchen for setup. Just throw it out and call it a day.,.But putting it away was impossible!!!!!!!!! We had 3-4 people working on how to fold it back up! It ended getting stuffed in a trash can in a campground!!!!! Make sure if you buy one of these to practice practice before you take it out and open it! I think we got 3 camps out of ours before it was trashed.

LOL same thing hapend to me with the harbor freight one :sport_box

 

[kcowyo]

The porta-privvy is extremely easy to setup and put away. It is extremely unfair to characterize it as being a *difficult* product. I admit that until I read the directions (printed on the tag in the carrying case so you won't lose them) that I couldn't get it folded up. Once I read them, it practically folded itself up.

Extremely easy and extremely unfair are in the eye of the beholder.....
I still maintain that those directions, that looked like they were illustrated by my six year old, were useless. And it is a PITA to fold even once you know how.

It was the video that was posted in Kermit's shower thread, that solved the mystery for me.... wedge it against a door, a wall, tire, tree, something before you start folding. Then it can't get away from you. You still have to be carfeul what's on the ground around it while you fold it up, so you don't rip or tear it.

 

[craig]

I might have used overly emphatic language in my last post.

I honestly believe though that once you've practiced with it a bit more that you will find it substantially faster to put away than one of the privacy shelters that uses poles. The first time I tried to put it away it took me 30 minutes and I was frustrated, sweaty, and completely irritated. It took me a while to get over my initial negative impression of the product but with practice I've found it to be quite convenient.

Craig