Scott Brady
Founder
BMAN,
Bringing it to the Climb and Crawl? That will be a great place for people to check it out
Bringing it to the Climb and Crawl? That will be a great place for people to check it out
Roof Top Tents
- Thread starter flyingwil
- Start date
BajaXplorer
Adventurer
BMan
I am in 85213 and would like to see it if you are having a "show and tell."
Scott,
What's a climb and crawl?
BX
I am in 85213 and would like to see it if you are having a "show and tell."
Scott,
What's a climb and crawl?
BX
Scott Brady
Founder
BajaXplorer said:
BX,
Here is some info on the trip: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=692
BMAN
Adventurer
expeditionswest said:BMAN,
Bringing it to the Climb and Crawl? That will be a great place for people to check it out
That's the idea. I will also have it out at the TTORA AZRocks event in March. I mounted it over the bed of the Taco (prerunner) so that I'll be able to use it as a base for the whole weekend and still do some crawling over that weekend. I may have to come up with a mount system for the 40 for climb and crawl, assuming the 60 isn't done by then. Hopefully it will be though!
BMAN
Adventurer
BajaXplorer said:
BX-
Any time! You gonna be around this weekend?
Wil, I just noticed you are running a Dcab. Mine is set up to be mounted Just over the Dcab bed. you'll deffinately want to check it out before you make a decision. This tent is longer than the bed and needs a little thought when mounting. LMK and we'll get together for a show and tell.
BajaXplorer
Adventurer
BMan & Wil
Been entertaining company and missed these posts until now. Yes, I am around this weekend did you and Wil hook up yet? If not, maybe the three of us could tomorrow afternoon (Sunday). I can be reached ay 480.610.1417.
BTW, my plan is for mounting on my M101 trailer with optional mounting on my roof rack at times.
BX
Been entertaining company and missed these posts until now. Yes, I am around this weekend did you and Wil hook up yet? If not, maybe the three of us could tomorrow afternoon (Sunday). I can be reached ay 480.610.1417.
BTW, my plan is for mounting on my M101 trailer with optional mounting on my roof rack at times.
BX
BMAN
Adventurer
BajaXplorer said:
Damn now I feel bad. I was here all weekend working on the 60 series and didn't bother to come in to check the net until now (Sunday night). Either one of you guys can give me a call at 602-763-0529 and we can hook up for some show and tell. I usually get home around 6 so evenings aren't great but they're not out of the question. This Saturday afternoon should be alright after about 3pm. Or even Sunday. I'm not much of a football watcher but I'll prolly be kickin around here watching the game anyway. Interuptions will not be frowned upon.
Let me know!
BajaXplorer
Adventurer
BMan
I will be working the Parker 425 race this weekend for BITD, but should be home a little after noon on Sunday. Maybe we can get Wil and I over to see your tent setup that afternoon.
BX
I will be working the Parker 425 race this weekend for BITD, but should be home a little after noon on Sunday. Maybe we can get Wil and I over to see your tent setup that afternoon.
BX
Mike S
Sponsor - AutoHomeUSA
Interesting reading...
I have just registered to participate on this website. Some of you know me from the IH8MUD site. My partner and I own AutoHomeUSA, North American importers of AutoHome roof top tents - www.autohomeus.com Keeping this in mind, I have a couple of comments to add to this thread...
1. Selecting a tent depends only partially on the type of vehicle you drive. HOW and WHERE you plan on using the tent is equally important. Hard shell and all-fabric tents each have their place - strengths and weaknesses. We have sold hundreds of roof top tents, and advised people on selection and fitting to their vehicles. We do our best not to sell tents that are unsuitable for their intended purpose, or that would be unsafe on the intended vehicle. We have provided tents for use on many types of vehicles - from VWs and Audis to G Wagons, Pinzses, and Hummers. We have provided tents to people from Alaska and Hawaii to Guatemala, Costa Rica and even Trinidad.
2. It is also important to consider the source of the tent. As mentioned at the beginning of this thread, many tents have very spotty distribution, availablity and after sales support. We have decided to make rooftop tents the core of our business, with presales, availability and delivery, warranty and spare parts support for the North American market. We have West and East Coast warehouses, and keep over 100 tents in stock for immediate delivery. The best tent in the world is no good if you can't get it on your truck.
3. Roof top tents are often a sort of cottage industry. Be sure that you buy from a manufacturer who will be there when you need them. We reviewed many manufacturers and products before choosing to work with AutoHome (Zifer) of Italy. They have been in business since 1958, and roof top tents are their only business. There are other manufacturers - notably in South Africa and Australia - who have also been in business for a while.
3. We find that there are some key factors in the selection of a tent.
- Durability / quality - will the tent perform as promised? Materials, design and construction are very important. Will it last 20 or more years? Can you get service and/or parts if needed?
- Ease of use - how much you use the tent depends largely on how easy it is to use. This extends to mounting and de-mounting the tent, type of mounting system required, etc.
- Comfort is the final test. If the tent is cold, too hot, lacking a correct matteress, if it leaks, or is not properly ventilated, it will not work for you.
AutoHome tents are available in three basic models - the Maggiolina, Colombus and OverLand. The Maggiolina and Colombus are hardshell tents (fiberglass and a new, lightweight carbon fiber model), the OverLand is an advanced all-fabric tent. These basic models come in several sizes and with variations to suit market requirements. They are not the cheapest tent that you can buy, but are high quality.
If this sounds like an advertisment, it is... sort of. But these concerns are the legitimate concerns of hundreds of people who call and e-mail looking for the right equipment for their trips and expeditions.
Sorry for the long post, but after reading the entire discussion, I felt that I should present current information and post based on our experience in the business over the past six years.
Mike
I have just registered to participate on this website. Some of you know me from the IH8MUD site. My partner and I own AutoHomeUSA, North American importers of AutoHome roof top tents - www.autohomeus.com Keeping this in mind, I have a couple of comments to add to this thread...
1. Selecting a tent depends only partially on the type of vehicle you drive. HOW and WHERE you plan on using the tent is equally important. Hard shell and all-fabric tents each have their place - strengths and weaknesses. We have sold hundreds of roof top tents, and advised people on selection and fitting to their vehicles. We do our best not to sell tents that are unsuitable for their intended purpose, or that would be unsafe on the intended vehicle. We have provided tents for use on many types of vehicles - from VWs and Audis to G Wagons, Pinzses, and Hummers. We have provided tents to people from Alaska and Hawaii to Guatemala, Costa Rica and even Trinidad.
2. It is also important to consider the source of the tent. As mentioned at the beginning of this thread, many tents have very spotty distribution, availablity and after sales support. We have decided to make rooftop tents the core of our business, with presales, availability and delivery, warranty and spare parts support for the North American market. We have West and East Coast warehouses, and keep over 100 tents in stock for immediate delivery. The best tent in the world is no good if you can't get it on your truck.
3. Roof top tents are often a sort of cottage industry. Be sure that you buy from a manufacturer who will be there when you need them. We reviewed many manufacturers and products before choosing to work with AutoHome (Zifer) of Italy. They have been in business since 1958, and roof top tents are their only business. There are other manufacturers - notably in South Africa and Australia - who have also been in business for a while.
3. We find that there are some key factors in the selection of a tent.
- Durability / quality - will the tent perform as promised? Materials, design and construction are very important. Will it last 20 or more years? Can you get service and/or parts if needed?
- Ease of use - how much you use the tent depends largely on how easy it is to use. This extends to mounting and de-mounting the tent, type of mounting system required, etc.
- Comfort is the final test. If the tent is cold, too hot, lacking a correct matteress, if it leaks, or is not properly ventilated, it will not work for you.
AutoHome tents are available in three basic models - the Maggiolina, Colombus and OverLand. The Maggiolina and Colombus are hardshell tents (fiberglass and a new, lightweight carbon fiber model), the OverLand is an advanced all-fabric tent. These basic models come in several sizes and with variations to suit market requirements. They are not the cheapest tent that you can buy, but are high quality.
If this sounds like an advertisment, it is... sort of. But these concerns are the legitimate concerns of hundreds of people who call and e-mail looking for the right equipment for their trips and expeditions.
Sorry for the long post, but after reading the entire discussion, I felt that I should present current information and post based on our experience in the business over the past six years.
Mike
Scott Brady
Founder
Mike,
Welcome to the forum and thank you for the detailed post. We have several members here that own your tents.
:camping:
Welcome to the forum and thank you for the detailed post. We have several members here that own your tents.
:camping:
Scott Brady
Founder
I wrote up this review a few days ago on Mud, and wanted to share it here as well. Mike's post reminded me:
I just travelled in Baja with Robin (and his wife) from New Cruiser (great people!). It gave me the opportunity to inspect their Technitop unit and discuss with them their successes, etc.
Overall, they are very happy, and with hundreds of nights in the unit, they would know.
He did mention that the clamshell does leak some, and that the cover allows water ingress from underneath. So it might not be a better solution for wet weather. He also mentioned having problems with the fiberglass window and awning poles. Under extreme winds they have shattered.
We had heavy winds one night in Baja Sur (near San Evaristo) and all tents did well.
Robin also mentioned that in extreme wind, the sides can collapse. That is one of the unique design features of the Technitop, as it allows a little more interior room by making the side walls telescope outwards. I guess the telescoping feature can collapse under stiff winds (but does not cause damage).
On my Eezi-awn, the unit is very stout, and has some of the best fit and finish I have found. The ladder is also the highest quality and best designed by a wide margin.
The one think I have not been the most happy with is the cover. It does not quite seal around the roof side when closed (the side of the tent that comes down and closes against the bottom). Fortunately (and probably by design), that is the side of the tent with the best protection (rain fly, etc.). All other sides are sealed ok. The top also becomes a bit of a pain after a few weeks because the surface gets very dirty (dust, mud, etc.). I started using my on-board shower to clean it a few times a week, which improved the situation.
The tent mounting configuration of the Eezi-Awn is also the most robust I have found.
At the end of the day though, go with the tent that has the features you most desire, as they are all of great quality (Eezi-Awn, Technitop and Autohome)
But, here is my short list of my opinions on the models:
Autohome Maggolina:
Good-
Lowest profile when stored
Easiest to store closed
Bedding stored inside and ready to sleep
Best ergonomics
Not so Good-
Mounting hardware and design not sufficient for extreme overlanding (3/16 bolts IIRC and galvanized top clamps)
Shell rattles, wearing tent material when closed
Material thin and allows light to enter, door position makes it harder to enjoy the view.
Eezi-Awn:
Good-
Best overall build and quality (heaviest fabric, strongest ladder, etc.)
Dark inside when light outside
Rattle free and super strong mounting. tongue and groove when open increases support and prevents flex.
Best mattress (dual density)
Not so Good-
Cover does not seal as well as others
Mounting to vehicle takes time, with slide groove mount (glad it just stays on the truck)
Netting holes are too big for no-see-ums, will need to sew in additional screening for Alaska trip.
Technitop:
Good-
Most room inside for footprint
Most rainfly coverage
Big side windows
Not so Good-
Pole design (fiberglass)
Hard plastic shell adds weight, but does not increase durability/weather resistance. Still requires second cover to seal properly.
High wind performance (poles snap, rainfly noise, sides collapse)
I just travelled in Baja with Robin (and his wife) from New Cruiser (great people!). It gave me the opportunity to inspect their Technitop unit and discuss with them their successes, etc.
Overall, they are very happy, and with hundreds of nights in the unit, they would know.
He did mention that the clamshell does leak some, and that the cover allows water ingress from underneath. So it might not be a better solution for wet weather. He also mentioned having problems with the fiberglass window and awning poles. Under extreme winds they have shattered.
We had heavy winds one night in Baja Sur (near San Evaristo) and all tents did well.
Robin also mentioned that in extreme wind, the sides can collapse. That is one of the unique design features of the Technitop, as it allows a little more interior room by making the side walls telescope outwards. I guess the telescoping feature can collapse under stiff winds (but does not cause damage).
On my Eezi-awn, the unit is very stout, and has some of the best fit and finish I have found. The ladder is also the highest quality and best designed by a wide margin.
The one think I have not been the most happy with is the cover. It does not quite seal around the roof side when closed (the side of the tent that comes down and closes against the bottom). Fortunately (and probably by design), that is the side of the tent with the best protection (rain fly, etc.). All other sides are sealed ok. The top also becomes a bit of a pain after a few weeks because the surface gets very dirty (dust, mud, etc.). I started using my on-board shower to clean it a few times a week, which improved the situation.
The tent mounting configuration of the Eezi-Awn is also the most robust I have found.
At the end of the day though, go with the tent that has the features you most desire, as they are all of great quality (Eezi-Awn, Technitop and Autohome)
But, here is my short list of my opinions on the models:
Autohome Maggolina:
Good-
Lowest profile when stored
Easiest to store closed
Bedding stored inside and ready to sleep
Best ergonomics
Not so Good-
Mounting hardware and design not sufficient for extreme overlanding (3/16 bolts IIRC and galvanized top clamps)
Shell rattles, wearing tent material when closed
Material thin and allows light to enter, door position makes it harder to enjoy the view.
Eezi-Awn:
Good-
Best overall build and quality (heaviest fabric, strongest ladder, etc.)
Dark inside when light outside
Rattle free and super strong mounting. tongue and groove when open increases support and prevents flex.
Best mattress (dual density)
Not so Good-
Cover does not seal as well as others
Mounting to vehicle takes time, with slide groove mount (glad it just stays on the truck)
Netting holes are too big for no-see-ums, will need to sew in additional screening for Alaska trip.
Technitop:
Good-
Most room inside for footprint
Most rainfly coverage
Big side windows
Not so Good-
Pole design (fiberglass)
Hard plastic shell adds weight, but does not increase durability/weather resistance. Still requires second cover to seal properly.
High wind performance (poles snap, rainfly noise, sides collapse)
Scott Brady
Founder
High Wind
Another question was asked regarding high wind performance, to which I responded:
"In the most extreme conditions, I would recommend the Eezi Awn.
Here is why:
1. Can be set-up with one side windward, rainfly and door at an angle against the tent. You can see this arrangement in this image. It allows the wind to hit an angled side, as opposed to a vertical side, reducing the sail effect.
2. If no rain is anticipated, you can even remove the rainfly, which is the greatest source of noise.
3. All windows can be closed tight, reducing wind pockets.
4. Window bows are spring steel, CAD plated
5. Like mountaineering tents, the Eezi-Awn has internal tension lines that can be connected, pulling the tent sides in tight against the bows.
6. The bows and brackets are massive, and made of steel and aluminum as opposed to plastic or fiberglass. All bows and tent supports are round tube, which is much stronger than flat stock.
My configuration also benefits from how I mounted the tent, which is below the cab. This allows me to point the drivers side front corner into the prevailing wind and allow the air to foil up the windshield and miss most of the tent surface.
I will also say that the Autohome Columbus might be an interesting high wind solution as well. Just face the angle to the wind. The only question would be how strong the internal support structure is. I have not seen one of these in person."
Another question was asked regarding high wind performance, to which I responded:
"In the most extreme conditions, I would recommend the Eezi Awn.
Here is why:
1. Can be set-up with one side windward, rainfly and door at an angle against the tent. You can see this arrangement in this image. It allows the wind to hit an angled side, as opposed to a vertical side, reducing the sail effect.
2. If no rain is anticipated, you can even remove the rainfly, which is the greatest source of noise.
3. All windows can be closed tight, reducing wind pockets.
4. Window bows are spring steel, CAD plated
5. Like mountaineering tents, the Eezi-Awn has internal tension lines that can be connected, pulling the tent sides in tight against the bows.
6. The bows and brackets are massive, and made of steel and aluminum as opposed to plastic or fiberglass. All bows and tent supports are round tube, which is much stronger than flat stock.
My configuration also benefits from how I mounted the tent, which is below the cab. This allows me to point the drivers side front corner into the prevailing wind and allow the air to foil up the windshield and miss most of the tent surface.
I will also say that the Autohome Columbus might be an interesting high wind solution as well. Just face the angle to the wind. The only question would be how strong the internal support structure is. I have not seen one of these in person."
gjackson
FRGS
As a person who has used a technitop for a while I thought I'd add my 2c to Scott's evaluation above.
The hard shell on the technitop does not keep water out. You do need to have the additional cover that the tent comes with. Nice thing is that the additional cover collects the dust and grime and is easy to take off, so you can stay pretty clean while erecting the tent even in very dirty environs. The only problem I've had with the second cover is that it developed a hole in one corner, and now water gets in. This was after sustained use, and was due to a rough edge on a metal support rod. I knew the rod would wear a hole in the cover, but I never got around to smoothing it off.
The technitop can be *very* noisy in extreme wind. I have never had the sides collapse, which is strange given that I usually face the truck into the wind, so the collapsable side is into the wind. That helps with the noise. I have never had the poles shatter either.
As far as mounting goes, the technitop has an internal steel frame, and to mount you have to drill through the frame and put bolts through. Works well in my experience, except that water can get under the tent and rust the bolts. Not too big a deal if you are aware of the issue.
One problem I have run into, but not on my tent is that the zippers can fail if they are not lubricated. I think this is true of all roof top tents with zippers. If they get dusty and are used continuously, they can fail pretty quickly. I use bees wax on the zippers, and that really helps.
cheers
The hard shell on the technitop does not keep water out. You do need to have the additional cover that the tent comes with. Nice thing is that the additional cover collects the dust and grime and is easy to take off, so you can stay pretty clean while erecting the tent even in very dirty environs. The only problem I've had with the second cover is that it developed a hole in one corner, and now water gets in. This was after sustained use, and was due to a rough edge on a metal support rod. I knew the rod would wear a hole in the cover, but I never got around to smoothing it off.
The technitop can be *very* noisy in extreme wind. I have never had the sides collapse, which is strange given that I usually face the truck into the wind, so the collapsable side is into the wind. That helps with the noise. I have never had the poles shatter either.
As far as mounting goes, the technitop has an internal steel frame, and to mount you have to drill through the frame and put bolts through. Works well in my experience, except that water can get under the tent and rust the bolts. Not too big a deal if you are aware of the issue.
One problem I have run into, but not on my tent is that the zippers can fail if they are not lubricated. I think this is true of all roof top tents with zippers. If they get dusty and are used continuously, they can fail pretty quickly. I use bees wax on the zippers, and that really helps.
cheers