Help me understand

[ezzpete]

I've been watching RTTs and pop up campers get very popular. I almost bought a 4WC, but ended up building a van. A few things (aside from the long wait) changed my mind. The type of camping I do involves a lot of moving around. I also like to stop a lot and fix lunch or just lay down. The thought of raising and lowering the pop up multiple times daily was not a selling point.

As for the RTTs. I really don't get the attraction. Once you put up the tent, you are stuck in that location, which pretty much puts the kibosh or any kind of vehicle related exploring. Also, what happens when it rains? You fold up all that material soaking wet. When you get to the next camp, you deal with a soaking wet mess. Plus, getting out during the night in a bleary eyed state to answer natures call could get you broken bones (miles from help) due to falling while climbing out and down.

How do these make sense? I haven't tried one, so maybe there is something so great about sleeping on your roof, that makes all the negatives worth living with. I just can't see it. Seems like if you are into tents, why not just get one you set up on the ground?

 

[Airmapper]

There are several things I do not like about my RTT, but all things considered, I prefer it to my other options.

With a 4WC or camper van, you tie up an entire vehicle to more or less one function at all times. With an RTT it's a modular piece of equipment you can remove when not desired, allowing you to use the vehicle you have.

If not for my RTT I would not go tent camping at all, just not going to happen. The last time I went ground tent camping it was a miserable experience and I awoke to water in the floor, only to have to attempt to fold that mess up while it continued to rain. This series of unhappy events plays out in one form or another every time I use a ground tent, I don't sleep well, and have a miserable time. Packing up the wet mess was inside my vehicle at that point took up most of my space. Set up time was a mess of dealing with large pieces of fabric and poles, then you have to air up a mattress, all in all it takes up a lot of space to haul a tent, tarp, and mattress plus support equipment. All this is then stored INSIDE your already constrained storage space of an SUV.

The RTT is self contained, and is very comfortable. I can typically set up and take down inside 30 minutes, but more like 15 or less if my only task is working on the tent.

I don't like air mattresses and with the RTT it's a sleeping experience very similar to the bed in a real camper. I'm warmer in there as well without the cold air mattress under me.

I also like being off the ground and away from critters, and while the popular joke is getting above the bears, the reality is it's more about the bugs and snakes and small mammals that like warm places at night. A few camping trips ago I had a skunk tooling around my campsite, on the ground that might have been a worrisome prospect if he wanted in and I didn't want to upset him. Up in the tent I could shine my flashlight down, see he wasn't bothering anything, and rest easy knowing he wasn't likely to try to come in the tent with me.

As for wet stowing, I haven't had that issue yet. I can't see it being a huge issue, shake as much water off as you can and fold it up, dry when able, it deploys quite fast so it's less effort than spreading out a ground tent to dry.

I agree on being confined to your campsite once set up, but the key there is don't set up until you are ready to stay put, simple as that.

Yes there are drawbacks, there are a few things I hate about it and knew this going in. It is a pain to install and uninstall. It is difficult to work with sometimes as it's elevated off the ground. It's extra weight above the COG. All in all though it's not so bad, the few drawbacks are acceptable compared to the many benefits.

 

[southpier]

I think it's like a lot of things: if you have options, you don't feel trapped. may not be the best solution in every situation, but there may be times when it outshines all others.

 

[Theoretician]

Hot climates, its better sleep up off the hot baked ground.

Same with cold and wet climates. If the ground isn't dumping a lot of heat into you then it tends to be drawing a lot of heat out of you.

Getting off the ground has a lot of benefits - chief among them for me is that it gets the wife out because she feels more secure. Building up a 4x4 van or a 4WC would cost five times as much as a good rack and RTT for a truck.

 

[SnoViking]

Getting off the ground has a lot of benefits - chief among them for me is that it gets the wife out because she feels more secure.

THIS!

My wife has been ground-tent camping since she was in diapers (as were our two girls) but it's the "idea" of being safer that's a big selling point for her (and the girls).

Plus, a roof top tent is much easier to setup with the "help" of two young kids........

And for me; I still love the RTT because I think it's cool and fun. Maybe it's all those cool instagram pictures or maybe me thinking of South African safaris....... Camping to me isn't about beating Mother Nature but making it easier to get out and enjoy nature. I can pull into camp, and be setup, with a fire roaring and a beer cracked in about 10 minutes (and 5 of those minutes are wrestling with the d@mn RTT cover..... that d@amn cover is the only thing I HATE about my RTT..... )


That being said; I am considering building a trailer with the roof top tent on top. This would bypass the predicament of being stuck at camp, once we make camp.... But then it put's us into towing territory.....

 

[workingonit71]

positives about using RTTs are even more compelling reasons for an enclosed trailer

• I haven't "overlanded" yet, for lack of a proper vehicle, nor have, or ever will, travel the Rubicon or such terrain, but wish to explore some milder forest service-type backroads (or just camp down by the creek, on some ranch properties I know of). Once I get the vehicle, then off I go. But, I built a squareback trailer to take to those locales, because of the same reasoning you guys give for the RTT.
• I hate ground tents! or pretty much any tent type, going back to the days of Scouting (as a Boy). Leaky, smelly canvas tents, with no floor (I did have a snake crawl over my feet in one -I haven't slept on the ground since then-), not to mention the heat and cold (and groundwater). Maybe I've been spoiled by the comforts of home, and am not the same person as I was 50+ years ago, but I didn't wish to re-live my Scouting tent experiences, so I built a trailer. Maybe, if I already had a capable 4WD on hand, I might've considered getting a RTT, to use on top of the vehicle, or on a trailer built to carry it, but I never liked tenting, of any sort.
• Ostensibly, I started to build a trailer for my wife, who, at the time, was involved in Cryptozoological expeditions, and would always return with all her clothing and the inside of her tent wet and muddy, and usually was sick from exposure. Looking over her photos, I saw that she and her group would usually set their tents up on marshy land (because the ground was softer!); no wonder, all the mud. So, I wanted her off the ground, I said, to justify my building a trailer.
• I remembered teardrop trailers, and saw them mentioned here on Expo, where I also learned of a teardrop site, TnTTT.com. After lurking on both sites for a long time, I commenced to build, for her, and long-term thinking ahead, for me (after retirement).
• I used a spindly, broken motorcycle trailer as a base, but enlarging and strengthening it all along, to eventually be fit for limited off-road camping.
• I never considered doing a "pop-up" trailer, mainly because of all the rotted canvas tenting they all seemed to have (a girlfriend's family had one, and a neighbor, too, back in the early '70s), so I built a simple, strong, squareback "hardtop tent".
• She dropped out of that camping group, so the finished trailer was now all mine, with A/C, heat, and on-board generator, that I installed for her. Actually, for me. Since retiring, I keep on improving it, anticipating getting a more capable vehicle (we can't seem to divest ourselves of any of our fleet of cars/trucks/trailers, to make room for a 4WD, yet. But the trailer will be ready, when that day comes. I use it occasionally, for camping in civilized areas, already.
• This story will probably not dissuade hard-core explorers from tenting, whether on the ground or on the roof, but, for some of us on the other side of hard-core, having a trailer with all we need in the "wild", is something to consider. Consider whether or not, a trailer might be a better choice for you and your family, for an easy-to-set-up alternative to a RTT. RTTs would probably be a bad idea for me anyway, as I have bad knees, and ladders are not my friends, anymore.

 

[Lucky j]

I've been watching RTTs and pop up campers get very popular. I almost bought a 4WC, but ended up building a van. A few things (aside from the long wait) changed my mind. The type of camping I do involves a lot of moving around. I also like to stop a lot and fix lunch or just lay down. The thought of raising and lowering the pop up multiple times daily was not a selling point.

As for the RTTs. I really don't get the attraction. Once you put up the tent, you are stuck in that location, which pretty much puts the kibosh or any kind of vehicle related exploring. Also, what happens when it rains? You fold up all that material soaking wet. When you get to the next camp, you deal with a soaking wet mess. Plus, getting out during the night in a bleary eyed state to answer natures call could get you broken bones (miles from help) due to falling while climbing out and down.

How do these make sense? I haven't tried one, so maybe there is something so great about sleeping on your roof, that makes all the negatives worth living with. I just can't see it. Seems like if you are into tents, why not just get one you set up on the ground?

I think you like your van for what you made it, possibility of movement, and quick nap in rest area, etc. I do not like that type of camping. Yep, I like to move everyday, but like to stop in quiet spot.

I'm like you, I do not like to climb to set-up my RTT and being stuck until I close it down, so I use it on my trailer. The tent is lower, easy to set-up and pack up, and I like to have the feeling of beeing out side, cause unless it rains like crazy, all the windows are open with the net closed, so air is moving almost freely. I dought you have that much opening with the van. Weith my GF, we are looking at a small Tear drop for ease of camp set-up, and this is the part I am the most worried about. As for wet close up, never had real issues with mine, since the rain fly is doing a pretty good job, water does not go trough like you think it would do.

As for nightly calls of nature, wonderfull things exist, they are called head lamp and some of us install under board led light strip. So not worst than a cabin in the back wood.

How do you dry upmyou van after 3 days of pourring rain, humidity will get in as you get in and out with your wet clothes too.

So it is really personal choice.

 

[downhill]

I've been watching RTTs and pop up campers get very popular. I almost bought a 4WC, but ended up building a van. A few things (aside from the long wait) changed my mind. The type of camping I do involves a lot of moving around. I also like to stop a lot and fix lunch or just lay down. The thought of raising and lowering the pop up multiple times daily was not a selling point.

As for the RTTs. I really don't get the attraction. Once you put up the tent, you are stuck in that location, which pretty much puts the kibosh or any kind of vehicle related exploring. Also, what happens when it rains? You fold up all that material soaking wet. When you get to the next camp, you deal with a soaking wet mess. Plus, getting out during the night in a bleary eyed state to answer natures call could get you broken bones (miles from help) due to falling while climbing out and down.

How do these make sense? I haven't tried one, so maybe there is something so great about sleeping on your roof, that makes all the negatives worth living with. I just can't see it. Seems like if you are into tents, why not just get one you set up on the ground?

I think RRTs make some sense if you are an occasional camper, mostly dry conditions, with lots of critters at ground level. For me, any kind of tent, even a pop-up camper is a no-go for extended travel. The objections you mentioned are relevant to me too. Add to those,... setting up your living quarters in a pouring rain, in the dark, at the end of a long exhausting day on the road.....or waking up to the reverse prospect. For long term travelers, an issue that often goes un-discussed is what will happen when you get really sick? You WILL get sick eventually, and it could leave you extremely weak for days. The worst instance for me was violent food poisoning, far from help, in 15 degree weather. I was alone except for my two dogs. Luckily I had a hard side to shelter in. In an RTT I might not have survived the ordeal.

 

[SGNellett]

• I haven't "overlanded" yet, for lack of a proper vehicle, nor have, or ever will, travel the Rubicon or such terrain, but wish to explore some milder forest service-type backroads (or just camp down by the creek, on some ranch properties I know of). Once I get the vehicle, then off I go. But, I built a squareback trailer to take to those locales, because of the same reasoning you guys give for the RTT.
• I hate ground tents! or pretty much any tent type, going back to the days of Scouting (as a Boy). Leaky, smelly canvas tents, with no floor (I did have a snake crawl over my feet in one -I haven't slept on the ground since then-), not to mention the heat and cold (and groundwater). Maybe I've been spoiled by the comforts of home, and am not the same person as I was 50+ years ago, but I didn't wish to re-live my Scouting tent experiences, so I built a trailer. Maybe, if I already had a capable 4WD on hand, I might've considered getting a RTT, to use on top of the vehicle, or on a trailer built to carry it, but I never liked tenting, of any sort.
• Ostensibly, I started to build a trailer for my wife, who, at the time, was involved in Cryptozoological expeditions, and would always return with all her clothing and the inside of her tent wet and muddy, and usually was sick from exposure. Looking over her photos, I saw that she and her group would usually set their tents up on marshy land (because the ground was softer!); no wonder, all the mud. So, I wanted her off the ground, I said, to justify my building a trailer.
• I remembered teardrop trailers, and saw them mentioned here on Expo, where I also learned of a teardrop site, TnTTT.com. After lurking on both sites for a long time, I commenced to build, for her, and long-term thinking ahead, for me (after retirement).
• I used a spindly, broken motorcycle trailer as a base, but enlarging and strengthening it all along, to eventually be fit for limited off-road camping.
• I never considered doing a "pop-up" trailer, mainly because of all the rotted canvas tenting they all seemed to have (a girlfriend's family had one, and a neighbor, too, back in the early '70s), so I built a simple, strong, squareback "hardtop tent".
• She dropped out of that camping group, so the finished trailer was now all mine, with A/C, heat, and on-board generator, that I installed for her. Actually, for me. Since retiring, I keep on improving it, anticipating getting a more capable vehicle (we can't seem to divest ourselves of any of our fleet of cars/trucks/trailers, to make room for a 4WD, yet. But the trailer will be ready, when that day comes. I use it occasionally, for camping in civilized areas, already.
• This story will probably not dissuade hard-core explorers from tenting, whether on the ground or on the roof, but, for some of us on the other side of hard-core, having a trailer with all we need in the "wild", is something to consider. Consider whether or not, a trailer might be a better choice for you and your family, for an easy-to-set-up alternative to a RTT. RTTs would probably be a bad idea for me anyway, as I have bad knees, and ladders are not my friends, anymore.

I think I speak for many of us when I say "Pics or it didn't happen!" :jump:

 

[Chili]

Help me understand..

There are a million threads and articles around with the pros and cons of RTT camping. For those that don't like it, don't feel the pros outweigh the cons, or still just don't 'understand' it after reading and understanding the pros and cons, why continue to try and 'understand'? Some people enjoy different things than you, believe it or not, and what doesn't work for you may work for them. It's ok, don't worry, there is nothing to be afraid of. How about just 'Hiking your own hike' and not worrying about what others enjoy?

 

[ezzpete]

No problem Chili, not trying to make anyone do things my way.

I was just wondering if there was something I missed about these tents. I know it's a matter of what works best, or looks best, in some cases. They do look cool,just not for my style of camping I suppose. I have an ARB awning and that's more than enough work to put up and down. I just got back from 6 days out in the desert which involved a pretty nasty sand storm. I had the awning out and had to leave it there because there is no way 1 person can handle it in those conditions. It was a pretty hairy night hoping the wind wouldn't rip the awning away from the van.

I would have hated to be in a flappy tent on top of what I was already dealing with.

Just as an aside about tents. I have met a few people who live in tents full time. One thing they all seem to agree on is that a cheapo WalMart tent is just as good as an expensive tent from REI. They say either way, sand will get in the zippers and wind will eventually kill the tent. I have never used a modern tent, so I'll have to take their word for it. At least with an RTT not as much sand will get in the zippers.

 

[workingonit71]

pics of what? things I saw, or things I built?

I think I speak for many of us when I say "Pics or it didn't happen!" :jump:

• Disbeliever! I don't think I need to show you pics of teardrops from the 40-50's, that inspired me, nor the present day trailers here and on the other forum, that continue to. Nor do I need to show pics of deteriorated canvas tents and pop-ups (if you haven't seen any, then you haven't lived thru the days of "canvas-only" tents, before rip-stop came along). Or do you want to see the inside of a muddy tent? I'm sure others can share photos of theirs...I have none, or ever will, again. I do have pics of my TTT (hundreds of them), showing the crappy frame I started with, and the more-capable-every-day squareback trailer it became. It happened!
• every trailer has to start somewhere
• morphing to fit new needs

 

[PirateMcGee]

No problem Chili, not trying to make anyone do things my way.

I was just wondering if there was something I missed about these tents. I know it's a matter of what works best, or looks best, in some cases. They do look cool,just not for my style of camping I suppose. I have an ARB awning and that's more than enough work to put up and down. I just got back from 6 days out in the desert which involved a pretty nasty sand storm. I had the awning out and had to leave it there because there is no way 1 person can handle it in those conditions. It was a pretty hairy night hoping the wind wouldn't rip the awning away from the van.

I would have hated to be in a flappy tent on top of what I was already dealing with.

Just as an aside about tents. I have met a few people who live in tents full time. One thing they all seem to agree on is that a cheapo WalMart tent is just as good as an expensive tent from REI. They say either way, sand will get in the zippers and wind will eventually kill the tent. I have never used a modern tent, so I'll have to take their word for it. At least with an RTT not as much sand will get in the zippers.

They are full of it...the difference between a coleman wally world special and a high quality tent from a dedicated outdoor company is huge.

 

[SGNellett]

They are full of it...the difference between a coleman wally world special and a high quality tent from a dedicated outdoor company is huge.

Maybe for the first week or so, but the differences will become pretty apparent over time as parts break/tear or are ripped off by the weather...

 

[ezzpete]

If they lied to me, I lied to you.