Making the transition from rtt to ground tent

[dmwhiteman]

I'm thinking about making the jump from a roof top tent to a ground tent and was hoping to get some info. I'd like to get all my gear lined up before I make any purchases.

I recently purchased a foxwing awning with 3 sides and would like to get a tent that can attach and detach from it pretty simply. Does the oztent do this? Thinking an rv3. The convenience of being able to unzip from camp and roll up the foxwing makes a ground tent appealing.

Also, what do all of you ground tent dwellers use for beds? I am trying to avoid sleeping directly on the ground (why I went rtt in the first place) and I don't want to rely on an air mattress​. What kind of cots are out there that are light weight, durable, and can fit 2 people? I am trying to keep setup and teardown to a minimum. The rtt made that easy since the bed folds up when the tent folds up.

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[radebaugh03]

Howdy,
I use both and RTT and an OZ 3 depending on time of year and conditions etc. Everyone has their opinion of course on which ground tent is the best but I will just say that my experience with the OZ has been great. Yes they are heavy, yes they need some space to transport. But the OZ system with the awning, the accessory side walls and front panel can make for a very nice camp setup. I have purchased all my OZ stuff at Family Tent camping and they have been very helpful.
I don't know if the OZ will attach to another awning or not. But when used just by itself works nice enough.
I do recommend getting the 'fly' for the OZ. It really helps keep it cooler in the heat and warmer in the the cold-- and certainly reduces condensation issues.
I have tested and used self inflating mats, blow up air mattresses and cots in the OZ. My favorite is a cot that sits low. I do wish the OZ was a bit deeper in length. Having a cot on each side of entry make more sense than from side to side. But, the depth is limited to only about 6 feet. A few more inches would keep that sleep bags from resting on the inner surface of the fabric. Not a big deal, but just a small wish. There are several brands of low profile cots that work fine in the 25-40 dollar range.
Basically for what it is worth, I use the OZ system in the early and late season when I may want more room and heater (hunting season etc). But then in the summer I use the RTT--- just , well just because we like em! Ha. But there are often times when both go along if conditions warrant.
Not sure I have added anything new in this rambling but at least can testify that OZ is a darn good tent and offers lots of advantages. Make sure you have the length for transporting an 80 inch long 50 pound bag however.
Good luck.
J.R.

 

[gunsandgearnetwork]

Kodiak Canvas tent and a cot.

 

[e60ral]

i haven't seen a 2-person cot yet that doesn't have an uncomfortable hump in the middle

 

[WeLikeCamping]

Thermarest pads.

 

[bunger]

I use 2 individual cots rather than a double.
More placement options, pack smaller and no uncomfortable ridge in the middle.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

XL cots with Thermarest DreamTime pads, best sleep ever!

 

[High Country Nomad]

I ditched the RTT this year to sleep under my awning on a Roll A Cote I bought from a rafting store. It's water proof I think? Light and easy to set up. I also keep awning walls in my 4Runner in case the weather gets bad.

 

[dmwhiteman]

@radebaugh03 I am pretty set on the oz tent if we go this route. Thanks for the awesome positive review! You really locked me in. The only debate now would be if it can be attached to the foxwing.

I like the idea of 2 separate cots. That way I don't need to setup both if it's just me. Putting a sleeping pad on top isn't a bad idea either. I just don't want to have to rely on a blow up mattresses that will inevitably get a hole in it.

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[dmwhiteman]

I ditched the RTT this year to sleep under my awning on a Roll A Cote I bought from a rafting store. It's water proof I think? Light and easy to set up. I also keep awning walls in my 4Runner in case the weather gets bad.

View attachment 399956

Love this! Some of the best times I've had is when I set up my hammock right under the stars and let the wind blow past. Of course that's when I'm by myself.

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[fjmario]

I have the ARB awning + room combo with bunk bed cots inside.
I love the set up, but it takes a while and the cots are heavy...

How come your ditching the RTT? Ive been thinking about getting one but would like to hear your cons about it

 

[SnoViking]

I've hunted and hunted for a double cot and came up empty. Cabelas used to make a wide XL version but it's been discontinued for a while now. We use the Slumberjack tough cots and have been pretty happy with these. I think theyre about 30" wide. Slumberjack makes a wider version but its not much wider (40" I think). The cots aren't the lightest thing but theyre comfy. We use two cots on either side of the tent and the two kids sleep on the floor in between. We jump back and forth between our RTT and the ground tent depending where we camp. I've been actually starting to consider going back to our ground tent (REI Kingdom 4) full time only because our Tepui Autana is starting to get a bit tight with four of us (we're all skinny sting beans though). The REI Kingdom 4 is nice but I would also consider the OZ tent just for ease of setup (plus I should have bought the Kingdom 6 or 8.....) One of the reasons I went to a RTT was for ease of setup. My two girls are 7 and 9 and for a while they weren't the most "helpful" when it came to setting up camp.

We use a big Thule skybox roof box to hold all our camping gear up top. I can fit the tent, cots, sleeping bags, chairs, and canopy up in the box with helps keep the interior nice and tidy.

I see you're on the east coast; Def get a tent large enough that you can spend an afternoon in when it's raining. We pretty much conceded to the guarantee of rain when we camp. Spending a few hours stuffed up in a RTT with your whole family is certainly a test of patience.....

 

[krax]

@radebaugh03 I am pretty set on the oz tent if we go this route. Thanks for the awesome positive review! You really locked me in. The only debate now would be if it can be attached to the foxwing.

Pretty sure you can attach the awning of the OzTent to the Foxwing without any extra parts.

 

[dmwhiteman]

I have the ARB awning + room combo with bunk bed cots inside.
I love the set up, but it takes a while and the cots are heavy...

How come your ditching the RTT? Ive been thinking about getting one but would like to hear your cons about it

We love the rtt. It's going to be a really tough decision when it comes down to it. The only cons I have is that if you want to go exploring you pretty much have to tear down your entire camp. Even though folding up the tent is easy, everything else still needs to be packed away. Also, and this is for us specifically, our mattress is starting to flatten after 5 years of heavy use. Since that will need replaced anyway, maybe it's time for a change.

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[dmwhiteman]

I see you're on the east coast; Def get a tent large enough that you can spend an afternoon in when it's raining. We pretty much conceded to the guarantee of rain when we camp. Spending a few hours stuffed up in a RTT with your whole family is certainly a test of patience.....

I thought maybe it was just my luck that we always got caught in the rain. We also have the Tepui Autana and the attached vestibule has hosted a number of rainy day card games.

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