Looking for RTT opinions

[richamor]

You'd think with all the "reviews" and"recommendations" on the net that this would be simple enough right? Not even close I wanna hear from you folks that have used these in real world conditions.

SO.....the wife and I are setting out next Spring on out adventure. I'm 65 and she is 62. Both retired and in reasonably good condition. No major health issues and we're both pretty active. The plan is to leave SC for Key West in late March/early April. Spend a few days there enjoying the sun and fun. We rode the HD down there in '96 and loved it. After a few days there we plan to head north to Alaska. Not a lot of dillydallying since I want to be there and back in the US no later than late October. We plan to camp 90% of the trip with hotel stays every couple of weeks. The vehicle is a 2015 Chevy Silverado 1500 WT 4WD. It's in the shop at the moment for a total transmission rebuild/upgrade. The RTT will sit on top of the LEAR camper shell.

But enough about that. About tents...We're not big people. We're both about 5'5'' and combined maybe 300lbs. Requirements are as follows:

1.) It must be a true 4 season tent. From hot humid Florida to Alaska this will be home. We want to be warm, cool, and dry. I don't want to feel like the tent will blow away in a breeze but it has to breath. Condensation will not be tolerated;-)

2.) We like the awning over ladder design. Along with an annex this would allow for more comfort and help to keep the tent clean and dry. It could help with heating if needed by placing a small heater in the annex.

3.) Excellent after sale customer support from a strong reputable company. If I have a problem I want to be able to call someone and get some help. This is big for me.

5.) All framework covered. ie no exposed framework inside the tent.

6.) Skylights are nice but not necessary. Especially if they can't be blocked effectively.

7.) Of course it has to fit on top of my truck and weight is a concern. If I could keep the tent weight down to 150lbs I'd be happier. The annex could be stored in the truck if need be.

8.) Internal wiring would be nice. A light and some USB outlets would be cool but no an absolute.

9.) At minimum a 2 year warranty on fabric and frame failures since this trip is just the beginning. We plan to spend as much of our lives as possible touring this country.

That's a starting point list. Brands we've considered are as follows in no particular order:

CVT - We like the tent design and price. We don't like the exposed framework.

Tepui - We like the design and the ruggedized has pretty much everything we want. Not much in the way of windows tho.

23Zero - Exposed framework and lack of lighting. The LST is nice though and could be sweet in summer.

Treeline - this one pretty much ticks off all the boxes. But that price!!! But it does come with a pee bottle so there's that. LOL!!

Feldon - Like the Treeline we like this one. Information about after sale support is sparce. And again....my wallet!!!!!!

Gordigear - Like the tent. Seems well made but not much info and again the customer support.

Overland Pros - I like the Anza 1400 Extreme. But no awning......

IKamper - Like the Xcover but need to look at it more. A late addition

That's it folks. I'd like to keep the price down but I don't think this is something to buy based on price alone. Buy once cry once.

I am keenly interested in what yall have to say. I know Tepui's site says everything is backordered but the person I spoke with yesterday said they should be restocked in the next few weeks.

 

[richamor]

thanks for the reply wolf. We looked at the first 2 you mentioned. But the Vagabond Nomad is 12 months out. The 4Wheel Camper is nice but that price is just to much. We have, and use, a 25ft travel trailer and really not looking to pull anything this time. I figure the annex on the tent will give us leg room. A 270 awning will also be added.

We are planning/hoping to leave enough room in the truck camper to sleep/shelter there if the weather turns bad enough we don't want to be in the tent. And as for time.....you're spot on there. We may put the Alaske part off until the following spring and spend this year out west in the US. Gotta see the worlds biggest ball of string!!!

 

[Mass_Mopar]

After having a "mid size" CVT and a ruggedized tepui kukenam (3+ person gigantic tent) I would strongly caution you against getting a huge tent. The ruggedized tepui's are seriously heavy which means they're challenging to use. Opening them up is pretty easy but stowing them and getting all of the fabric folded up nicely can be a struggle. I'm 6'5" and I have to bring a folding scaffold to reach high enough to put mine away. I've never had one but I would suggest investigating a hard-shell wedge style or pop up hard shell roof tent vs. the cantilever style.
I camped in my CVT several times in below freezing weather, which is not particularly enjoyable. My ladder froze open until I could free a stuck spring-loaded latch. Our Tepui we've only used in the 3 warmer seasons. Condensation from your breathing freezes in a nice layer of ice inside the tent unless you leave a window open for some ventilation or try using a heater. Packed up with frozen condensation all over the tent is a recipe for mold. I also wouldn't trust either of these tents to stand up to daily use for years on end. Either buy the most premium one you can find, or I would recommend buying a cheaper model to start with and plan on replacing it as it wears out.
The biggest challenge I've found camping in RTTs is not the heat or cold but the wind. A very windy day will have a standard RTT flapping away, keeping you awake. If it's windy or winter I opt to sleep inside the vehicle and leave the tent stowed or at home.

 

[richamor]

Thanks wolf and mopar. You both bring up things we had not considered. Needless today we’re newbs at this so all the help we can get is appreciated ?

 

[Ovrlnd Rd]

I second (and 3rd and 4th) eatSleepWolf's comments. I had a Gordigear RTT and while the quality was superb their US rep was useless when it came time to get a simple replacement item like a zipper pull under warranty. It was also a mess to set up and take down after a full day of gravel road travel so you'd track dirt into the tent every evening and then your fresh clothes would be covered in dirt by the time you closed it up in the morning (all from the travel cover not the tent). I only used the annex twice, once to see how to set it up in my driveway and then once when I was going to be camped for 4 days straight at Overland Expo West (and it takes up a LOT of space when packed). The tent takes about 20 minutes to set up and take down (full disclosure - I was doing this myself and I have MS so others can probably do it quicker). Any wind at all and you'll be up all night from the flapping. I also had to bungee down quite a bit of it in windy conditions to keep the framework in place as it'd pull out as the tent tried to take off.

I switched to a James Baroud that takes all of 30 seconds to deploy and about 2 minutes to close up. It has a built in solar fan to circulate air when it's hot and help with any condensation issues. I believe their is a winterization kit available for it but have no idea to what temps it's good for.

 

[OverlandNA]

I thought long and hard about a RTT 5 yrs ago. Setting up a soft top RTT everyday when you are road tripping will get old real fast as will the ladder. As long as you plan to sleep in the truck bed at times, that may be the best way to sleep most of the time. Get a fast set ground tent for bad weather/buggy days days to relax in and sleep in the truck.

GT401SS 4-PERSON GAZELLE T4 OVERLAND EDITION HUB TENT-SUNSET ORANGE

The Gazelle Camping Hub Tent pops up in seconds and provides ample room for up to four people.

www.gazelletents.com

I know you have a 25' TT but if you can talk yourself into towing and paying for something smaller (with heat), Aliner scouts set up fast, are light and set up quick. Recoup most or all of your investment when you return from your trip.

 

[JackW]

The Aliner suggestion of a a good one, my youngest sister had one and loved it. I'm not sure how it would stand up to long sections of rough road though. My other sister bit the bullet and bought a four wheel camper for her Toyota Tundra. She absolutely loves it and uses it frequently. Her husband who wasn't that enthused about it really enjoys it now too. The Four Wheel Camper is a great solution.

I'm currently using a Maggiolina but have a deposit down on a new Terrapod roof tent. A friend of mine is assembling the first production batch of these new lightweight wedge style hard shell roof tents using an innovative design of composite honeycomb panels and custom aluminum extrusions. Chad is a former industrial designer with Boeing and as a retired Lockheed engineer I can thoroughly appreciate the thought that he has put into this innovative new design. His tent is very light and has a very low profile.

For what you are planning it seems that a Four Wheel Camper is your best option.

 

[richamor]

Thanks for the help folks. The Aliner was briefly considered but, as JackW pointed out, it's durability on rough roads could be questionable. What you, and a few locals, have succeeded in doing is to talk us out of the soft tent. For our purpose the cons simply outweigh the pros. So back to square one.

Right now the Go Fast Platform XL seems to fit the bill. Not as big as the AT or Vagabond but not as heavy either. Customer support seems to be top notch and everyone that has any of Go Fasts tents loves them. And the almost $3000 price difference gives me more funds for upgrades like awnings and exterior shelters.

Thanks again folks!!

 

[Wallygator]

I will 5th and 6th @eatSleepWoof 's comments on this. The first choice for your situation for me would be an off road type tear drop style trailer, maybe something like the Drifter trailer . None of those are cheap but they will go a long way in the comfort department especially in the cold since you can heat them pretty effectively.

With that said I would, as Woof said, go with a hard shell tent. I have an Eezi Awn Blade and set up and take down are very quick. No issues with condensation, rain, snow, etc...just a bomber tent made to travel the world. It's also not cheap. Whatever you decide just realize there is no perfect solution.

Another option for you could be that you put a luggage carrier on the top of the truck cap and then build out a bed system for the bed of the truck. This would also go a long way in the comfort and ease of use department. Good luck and it sounds like a dream trip. Color me jealous

 

[richamor]

We're looked at trailers. What I can find that I would be comfortable pulling offroad I can't stand up in. Truck campers are a possibility. But we do like to tent camp. It's been a few years since I stepped out of a tent on a cold winter morning but I still remember it. WV mountains get chilly in January The truck topper started this off. And if the GFC Platform doesn't materialize that's what we'll go with. I still think a RTT, something like the IKamper Skycamp or the Freespirit Odyssey, would be nice for most nights. If the weather is bad or if temps are to low we can still sleep in the truck. The Gazelle pop-up is a nice idea and, along with a HF tarp or 2, I think we could do just fine.

And I have a Joolca Ensuite double /w awning on the way plus their Hottap Nomad kit. And a compost toilet bucket for Mama. So that's covered.

So that's where we're at today. I do appreciate the comments and I was somewhat concerned about the soft tents. You folks not only confirmed my suspicions but brought up a few things I hadn't considered.

 

[OverlandNA]

HF tarp or 2

Don't skimp on tarps. The HF type are heavy, bulky and a bit of a pain to fold up. I use 12'x12' & 16'x16' Kelty tarps. Between weight saved, ease of use and small storage area needed the xtra $$ is well worth it.

 

[NatersXJ6]

I wouldn’t completely discount a soft tent just yet. Consider:

A used soft shell can be a very economical way to test the waters and see if you are going to like the whole up and down a ladder thing. Plus, resale is almost even on a used Tepui or CVT or similar.

The soft tent takes a lot less space on a rack and isn’t difficult to manipulate.

If you like tent camping, the soft tent is a really nice tent compared to ground options.

The tree-fort feeling of a soft tent is hard to beat.

I hope that by the time I’m 62 I have managed to slow down and smell the roses enough that I can deal with a few minutes of tent setup and tear down when I move camp... I deal with it now, dividing labor with my kids, and it goes pretty smoothly.

Think about buying used or renting for a few trips to see if you like the RTT, then decide what type.

 

[adaml]

I've owned more tents than I would like to admit and I'm going to echo what it looks like most people are saying and tell you to stay away from an RTT if you want to check all those boxes. First off, if you want four people in the tent, it's gonna have to be a big folding tent. Second, they're really all the same (but I content CVT has the best customer service). Third, those massive tents are a massive pain in the neck when it's cold, especially when it's cold and wet OR covered in snow. The travel covers get hard and non-compliant, the tent gets soaked, the zippers become problematic ... All kinds of issues that lead to all kinds of anger.

If you really want a "four season" RTT, it's got to be a hard shell that either pop-up (Baroud or Autohome or something similar) or some sort of clamshell (CVT makes a few, Alucab comes to mind ...). The problem with those is that there's no way you're fitting four people in one.