Is the roof tent trend over?

[plh]

To me it all comes down to pricing. Prices have gone up so much the past few years that it has made it unaffordable for many. Many new Clamshell RTT’s are well north of $4k anymore. That’s just insane for what it is if you really think about it.
Used prices right now are about half of new but are the same as a new price in 2019. Prices have literally doubled on most things Overland in the past 3 years. Just stupid that some are still paying these new prices to me.

Shipping prices from China has gone up a ton plus the normal inflation...

 

[epyonxero]

Shipping prices from China has gone up a ton plus the normal inflation...

Inflation is still there but container shipping costs have gone back to where they were in 2019.

 

[MOAK]

The novelty wears off pretty quickly for most after they realize the cons far outweigh the pros.

The first time a RTT sleeps in a decent wind, it will be for sale shortly thereafter!

Pros:
-It gets you off the ground
-Makes you look overlander-ish (if thats your jam)

Cons:
-Its a giant sail in the wind
-messes up vehicles COG
-messes up MPG
-adds wind noise
-ungodly expensive for what it actually is
-requires decent solid. usually aftermarket mounting solution

Yeah, theyre silly... i had one about 20 years ago when Eezi-Awn was first coming to the US, and after using it a couple times in the wind, it was sold and never went back

Oddly, i am seeing them more and more in San Diego around town on weird vehicles that dont even remotely have the rack to support them. I find it humorous

Ours did great in 50 mph plus, wind gusts in the Staircase last spring. No rips, no tears, slept like a log. Did great the year before on Kelly’s Point in heavy winds. So windy each time I hooked up the trailer in case the wind became so heavy it would topple us. You must have had an el-cheapo.

 

[plh]

Inflation is still there but container shipping costs have gone back to where they were in 2019.

I'm sure they are making up costs from shipments arriving earlier. From mid 2021 until late 2022 containers were above $10K (sometimes well above). Agree that now they have dropped a bunch, generally $1.5K to $4k depending on ports.

 

[Winterhawk]

Back to the original question. No it's not over, but too many bought thinking it was the best ever. Now marketplace, CL, etc has lots for sale and they stay for sale a loooong time. Also, so many driving around with them daily taking up space and payload. They're great for the few that explore alot, but an expensive bulky toy for most.

 

[John E Davies]

I just bought a new Maggiolina - I sold my Oliver travel trailer (for more than I paid seven years ago) and now I have the ability to just stop at any side spot in the back country for a night or three, if the weather is decent. I am past dealing with inclement conditions. My dealer told me there is an upcoming 18% price increase across the board for Autohome products, that really hurried my decision to buy. I figure two or three years of light on road use and I can get my money back easily when I sell it. I do not intend to drive any tough trails, I am past that too. ;( I reinstalled the running boards a year ago.

The truck gets better mpgs with the tent in place than with the bare round bars, and I have a utility trailer for carrying bigger loads, so payload in the truck is a non-issue.

John Davies
Spokane WA
2013 Land Cruiser
2023 Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon Medium

 

[calicamper]

I predict camping equipment glut and value crash (already started) will get worse next spring. If any of you are on regional Camping FB threads you’ll see the drama that 14million RV owners vs 2 million campsites is having. Thats not even including the car / tent camping people. And before you all start off on National Forest and 4x4 BS. There are more 4x4 SUVs and Trucks than RVs.. Your not special or secretly unique 😆😆. The only difference is now you have crowds all over the forest with no designated camping sites 😆. Talk about a ******** fest when these people can’t even figure out how to properly use a designated camp ground with clearly marked parking spots 😆

I know many old camping families that have quit camping and bought land, cabin, vacation home or just have international trips now given they don’t have time to waste fighting for a patch of dirt only to have all night raves 50ft away 😆.

 

[XJLI]

Idk, I’m able to find an area all to myself, perfectly legal, in the most densely populated area not the country.

Maybe everyone out west needs to stop going to the same four campgrounds.

 

[Lemsteraak]

No, roof tents aren't over, they need to adjust to the mainstream. The trouble is that the specialty tents we all developed aren't well suited for the mainstream.

I had my rooftent stolen, yes, I live in Portland, I don't blame Portland, my own laziness, it was a wakeup call. I left the tent on my car because it was just too cumbersome to take off and put back on. Truth is, I aged out, my old tent was too much a hassle to take off and designed to be on the vehicle full time. Fine when I used it all the time but not now.

I think we need to come up with a different tent for the mainstream. For those of us that don't use a roof tent on a regular basis. The tent design I've been playing with lately has some advantages. Strip the tent down to its basics, get rid of the weight and size. To do that you need to first get rid of the mattress, that is at least 35 pounds, then rethink the base. If you make the base more like a folding zero gravity chair, you ditch to weight and add some interesting benefits. The main one is the base is now more like a hammock, so you don't have to find a level place to park or adjust the vehicle to be level. It just doesn't matter as much the base now cradles you. Yes, there are drawbacks, hammocks for two just don't work, same here, you need a support bar right down the middle.

Next, let's look at two places to save weight and cost that aren't really part of the tent. I can understand why roof tents with a solid base use sport bars for support. If you have a tubular support system, there isn't a need for sport bars, just a connector system to your vehicle's roof bars or towers for sport bars. Here you might be able to save another 15 pounds or so. The ladder systems I looked at are way too complex and heavy, a couple simple sliding ladders at half the weight and connect under the tent when traveling is all that is needed. They double as compression struts too.

Here is what we have lost

- 35 Lbs mattress
- 20 Lbs base
- 15 Lbs sport bars
- 15 Lbs simple ladders

Here is what we have gained

40 pound roof tent - easy to take on and off your vehicle and store away when not needed.

 

[Markal]

I hope so, because I’d like to try one and would love a bargain on a used one. I really haven’t looked on CL but now that I perused this thread I might check. Of course it wouldn’t work very well on my car (Outback, not the Wilderness).

But I have to say that I still see them A LOT in Colorado, both out in the wild in use and around town on various kinds of vehicles.

 

[TexasSixSeven]

I’ve owned 3 different RTTs. Bought all 3 used, and sold all 3 for more than I paid for them when it was time to upgrade. I’ll own another one day, but for the time being I’ve got to a wedge camper. I’m going to keep keep an eye out for a smoking deal on a clamshell style RTT for the wife’s ride. It’s nice being able to her 4Runner out to places that are too tight for my F250.

 

[ian408]

Yesterday I went to Costco to git 2 rotisserie chickens for the dog and spent a little time walking around just looking at stuff for sale that fit into that category of "You Might Like To Have But Certainly Do Not Need". Costco has a LOT of that kind of CRAP on their shelves.

One of many examples that stood out to me were the folding chaise lounge chairs now on sale for $89.95. 2 years ago they were $49.95. Just one example of many items I saw that made me think about all this inflation and interest rate hikes as it relates to items we may "Want But Certainly Do Not Need".

Sorry Costco!

I don't care how nice your folding chaise lounge is they are not worth almost $100.00 with tax to me. $50.00-$60.00 maybe but NOT $100.00! Especially when nice rarely used low mileage nice chaise lounge chairs can be had at garage sales everywhere for $20.00 or less.

Rooftop Tents can certainly be placed in this category. $1500.00-$2000.00 several years ago for a nice top of the line tent and now these same manufacturers/retailers want $3500.00-$4000.00 for the same tent.

SORRY NO SALE!

Your new rooftop tent ain't worth anywhere near that amount of money no matter how KOOL it looks on the Mall Crawler! If you want a good rooftop tent ON SALE just hit Craigslist and Marketplace. You will have a far better selection there than at any local retailer has on their floor for 1/2 price or LESS!

I would be very concerned if I were a manufacturer/importer/retailer of any item that fits into that "Like To Have But Certainly Do Not Need" category. Our whole economy in the USA is built upon the buying and selling of goods and services. In this time of rampant inflation and interest rate hikes folks will have to continue to buy what they "Need". Does that mean they will continue to buy what they "Want"?

I say NO!

Economic survival in uncertain times is far more important than buying stuff you "Want"!

I am very fortunate that I can buy most anything I want at anytime. My thoughts walking around and looking at all this CRAP with all this price inflation made ME Say Ain't No Way In Hell would I pay that amount of money for many of the items now on Costco shelves no matter how bad I Wanted it!


I can't believe I am the only one that continues to think this way when it comes to shopping and the spending of discretionary income on CRAP I Want and Sure As Hell Don't Need!

I got a kick out of this. Mostly because rotisserie chickens are seasoned with stuff dogs shouldn't eat and because you drove to Costco to buy them. The very epitome of "want, don't need"

 

[plainjaneFJC]

I’ll be in market for a nice used rtt in the next 6 months. It’ll only be on the roof for 1 week a year so no point in buying a new one.