Ditching my RTT; Need ideas on Camp Set-ups - Post Pics!

Patrollife

Patrollife

Explorer
Hi All,

I've used an RTT for around 5-years now, and although the RTT provides great comfort, peace-of-mind, security, and styling, I'm ready to part with this form of camping and move back to a ground tent. Because of the trails I hit, I've found the RTT to be an obstacle on the trail (tight squeezes with trees knocking the RTT) and I miss being able to walk in and out of a ground tent at ease. I've strongly considered the OzTent but the size and weight concern me. To use the OzTent right, I would have to haul a few cots to be comfortable and I'm concerned about the weight and volume of packing the oztent in my rig. Putting it on my roof rack would result in the same damage as I've experienced with my RTT. So I'm looking for lightweight, simple and comfortable options for ground tents, hammocks, or other sleeping arrangements. I'd really like a canvas tent and have looked at the Denver Tent Company and Kodiak Canvas, but again, it's the weight that concerns me. In short, I'd love to receive your ideas, recommendations and pictures of your camping set-up. I'm looking for inspiration!

Thanks in advance!
 
High Country Nomad

High Country Nomad

Mountain Explorer
I sold my RTT last year and bought an awning room, however it's really only big enough for myself and dog. If it's the whole family we set up 2 small ground tents.
 
Patrollife

Patrollife

Explorer
High Country Nomad said:
I sold my RTT last year and bought an awning room, however it's really only big enough for myself and dog. If it's the whole family we set up 2 small ground tents.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the recommendation; however, the awning room will present issues with rain. I once tried camping in the awning room and an unexpected storm passed at night, collapsing the awning room on me.
 
REDONE

REDONE

[s]hard[/s]MEDIUM Core!
Sorry I can't help you with pics, but I recently posted a thread asking for springbar tents set up and got a few responses. Here's that thread:
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/189823-Show-me-Springbar-Tent-pron!

I also have researched the two tents you're looking at in depth! I went to Denver Tent Co, they're about 2 miles away from our Bass Pro in Denver. Here's what I can tell you about Denver Tent Co.

They really are a tent factory with real people making them right here in Denver, but they don't have much to offer. The wall tents are top quality, but the only tent that really fits with car camping (on or off-road) is their bell tent:
https://denvertent.com/product/maroon-bell-tent/

This tent requires a tennis courts worth of area to set up because of the guylines. The super nice lady (who's lunch I rudely interrupted) did show me how a previous customer cut a bunch of poles that fit under each guyline so that they could be angled down at a sharper angle, though. Also, they nickel and dime you with all the little things as you try to add any options like windows and a floor and such. Their "range tent" or "Cowboy Teepee", they didn't have on display. I did some mock-ups at home to see what kind of space it would really have and decided that even with a 12'x12' base, the angled walls made the daytime usable space lacking.

Kodiak is my fallback. I've looked at 4 in real life and I'm surprised at how poorly they hold up. Even so, I may end up with one. In two weeks I'm taking a little trip over to Salt Lake City to check out Springbar tents in person (nobody I know has one, and nobody has listed one for sale anywhere near Denver since at least Christmas).

My contention with the Springbars is that they don't make the one I like in the US anymore. The one with the features I want is made in China (the Highline 6). If I look at the three that I'm eyeballing, and decide they aren't worth the price, I will get a Kodiak 10x10 Deluxe. Since Kodiak is also based in the Salt Lake City area, and they are ridiculously cheap if you pick up locally (the 10x10 Deluxe is under $400 if you pick it up in SLC), if I have to compromise on what I want, I might as well do it at a significant discount.

There is still one thing that makes the Springbars better than the Kodiaks though, and that's that they have a rope sewn into the perimeter of the base, and the stake loops are steel hardware bent around that rope. While that is definitely superior, I don't know that it is worth 70% more money comparing similar optioned and sized Chinese canvas tents.:smilies27
 
I

InvertChaos

New member
I use backpacking gear, because that is what I had before getting into vehicle based camping, and I've got a 2 door Wrangler which makes space a premium. My current set up is a REI Half Dome 2 Plus, a Thermarest NeoAir Trekker, and a North Face One Bag 5deg sleeping bag. I love the simplicity of it. I don't have a bulky roof rack and the nimble TJ plus backpacking tent lets me camp in more secluded areas.
 
T

TexomaPowerboater

Adventurer
Yeah I've been pretty happy with my 10x10 Kodiak. I have the 10x14 Kodiak screen house too. The screen house is actually lighter because there is no floor. The tent and poles come in separate bags so you don't have to carry all 60lbs in one bag. All the work is in getting stakes down and out. Takes me about 15-20minutes to setup. Might consider looking at an inflatable tent or small tent trailer or tear drop.
 
Last edited:
REDONE

REDONE

[s]hard[/s]MEDIUM Core!
jeep-N-montero said:
Tried google images, it would save everyone a lot of time....
Click to expand...
If you think he's wasting your time, why did you post instead of moving along?

I had the same issue as him I'm sure. Google images brings up manufacturer stock images and then thousands of unrelated images that have a "tag" related to the search even though the image itself isn't.
Like my thread linked above, I was looking for real people's first hand pictures, not the staged images from the seller.
 
G

gsdog2

Observer
Dumped my RTT also. I now use an Oztent RV5 for when the whole fam comes and I have 2 Oztent Bunkers for when it's just me +1. Easy, fast set up. I also splurged and bought Drifta's canvas replacement bags for the Bunkers.
 
M

MizMoosie

Observer
Check out https://www.snowtrekkertents.com/

I have a 10X13 Expedition Basecamp that weighs between 25-30lbs. I can set it up by myself in less than 30 minutes. Big enough to have 6 people over for dinner sitting in chairs like grown-ups! A woodstove serves as a cooking surface and will heat the tent to 70F+ when it is -30F outside.

When shopping canvas tents, check out the weight of the canvas material. Snowtrekker uses 6oz canvas that is extremely lightweight and very waterproof. I think Dave Ellis Tents uses the same material.

A canvas tent with a heat source will dramatically expand your camping season. I have an Ursa Minor J30 on my JKUR that I use extensively during the summer. When November rolls around, I pull out my Snowtrekker and keep on camping.

20171119_153308-M.jpg


20161124_144926-M.jpg
 
R

RustFieldGarage

New member
MizMoosie said:
Check out https://www.snowtrekkertents.com/

I have a 10X13 Expedition Basecamp that weighs between 25-30lbs. I can set it up by myself in less than 30 minutes. Big enough to have 6 people over for dinner sitting in chairs like grown-ups! A woodstove serves as a cooking surface and will heat the tent to 70F+ when it is -30F outside.

When shopping canvas tents, check out the weight of the canvas material. Snowtrekker uses 6oz canvas that is extremely lightweight and very waterproof. I think Dave Ellis Tents uses the same material.

A canvas tent with a heat source will dramatically expand your camping season. I have an Ursa Minor J30 on my JKUR that I use extensively during the summer. When November rolls around, I pull out my Snowtrekker and keep on camping.

20171119_153308-M.jpg


20161124_144926-M.jpg
Click to expand...

Hello!
Tell me please what kind of roof do you have on the Jeep JKU?
Thanks!


Az én iPad készülékemről küldve a Tapatalk segítségével
 
Boz

Boz

Observer
MizMoosie said:
Check out https://www.snowtrekkertents.com/

I have a 10X13 Expedition Basecamp that weighs between 25-30lbs. I can set it up by myself in less than 30 minutes. Big enough to have 6 people over for dinner sitting in chairs like grown-ups! A woodstove serves as a cooking surface and will heat the tent to 70F+ when it is -30F outside.

When shopping canvas tents, check out the weight of the canvas material. Snowtrekker uses 6oz canvas that is extremely lightweight and very waterproof. I think Dave Ellis Tents uses the same material.

A canvas tent with a heat source will dramatically expand your camping season. I have an Ursa Minor J30 on my JKUR that I use extensively during the summer. When November rolls around, I pull out my Snowtrekker and keep on camping.
Click to expand...



RustFieldGarage said:
Hello!
Tell me please what kind of roof do you have on the Jeep JKU?
Thanks!


Az én iPad készülékemről küldve a Tapatalk segítségével
Click to expand...


http://www.ursaminorvehicles.com/campers/jeep-camper.html
 
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