RTT question for all RTT owners

[pyro4fun]

Im interested in getting a RTT and I have searched and read many posts on RTT's but I haven't really heard or seen anything about how water resistant thy are. I live in Seattle and we get plenty of rain so I am looking for something that will hold up well in wet weather.

My question's are:
How many of you have been in wet weather with your RTT?
How good is the rain fly and have you had any issues with it?

Anyone with the shower add on or the Eezi awn t top extra room please let me know how thy did or do in wet weather.

Thanks, Jesse

 

[Corey]

Not to far from you.
I have had my tent out in the rain and the material mine is made out of does not let any water in.

My model does not have an awning over the door right now (future I may get the room add on) but for the short time it needs to be open to climb up in I hardly have seen any rain get on the comforter.

The brand of tent I have is famous for shedding water and standing up to our kind of weather here.

The material mine is made out of is called dralon..
http://www.autohome.it/file_gb/magg_technical.html

 

[Titanpat57]

I coat mine in the beginning of the season and half way through with Camp Dry.

So far to date no issues, has remained water tight through a couple of fierce, strong blowing thunderstorms( one so bad I moved into the vehicle:Wow1

I have a convientional RTT, and very pleased with it to date, Chris was a great guy to work with.

http://www.cartopcamper.com/

good luck, the choices are many!

Pat

 

[Willman]

I have had my Eezi-Awn RTT in a few good rain/snow storms....

Kept me dry and only noticed some wet spots from getting in/out of the RTT.

Another member of the board....Oldsven lives outside of Seattle and has the same RTT as mine and has had good luck as well.

:snorkel:

 

[mrchips]

My Eezi-awn 1800 has had no rain issues. The rip stop canvas does very well @ repelling the rain. Must keep it clean and dry it out after getting wet to stop mold issues.

 

[kai38]

I have a Bedouin tent . It has a nylon rain fly like a backpacking tent made from ripstop nylon. I use seam sealer on the back side of the fly on the seams every other year. Most of the time its only seen small drizzle type rain until this past summer. It rained from the time we stopped for the day around 4pm & was still raining when we packed up at 7am. I stayed warm & dry inside.

 

[007]

The Overland Journal tested and compared a bunch of RTTs for all sorts of things including rain. I think it was their first issue, which can still be purchased. Certainly worth the $12 before investing in an expensive tent.
http://http://www.overlandjournal.com/overland_journal_2007.html

I read that article three times before choosing my tent and the review was spot on.

 

[WASURF63]

pyro4fun,

I live near you also. I have weathered several storms in both RTT's I've owned (Maggiolina and Columbus); from drizzle to insane windy downpours on the coast and in the mountains here in the PNW. The inside of the tents never got wet. All the top of the line traditional RTT's w/ rainflys should also keep you warm and dry here. Like many of us your purchase may be based on what your wallet can handle, how much space you have/ need, and how you intend to use your tent (ie... 2-season,4-season).
If you're planning on leaving it mounted to your rig full time in this region you may want to consider a hard top model like those that Autohome offers.

I also had a rack mounted Hannibal awning with sides and used it extensively for over 5 years. It was similar to the Eezi-awn extra room. It never leaked in foul weather, but did puddle on top after a couple hrs of steady rain. The leakage problems are more likely where your vehicle and awning room butt up against each other (nearly impossible to completely seal up a 3-sided tent).
That being said, a setup like that is very handy for staying dry while cooking and eating meals, provides privacy for various needs, and adds a couple extra spots for sleeping.

Good luck with your purchase.

WS

 

[Martyn]

Fabric is critical when choosing any tent, but it's critical for RTT's.

On the weatherproofing side there is the balance between water resistance and breathability. Water resistance decreases as breathability increases. So a good balance is needed to keep the water out, but keep the atmosphere inside the tent optimal.

Another major consideration is the fabrics resistance to abrasion. When the tent is folded away the material is folded onto itself, as the vehicle moves and vibrates the vibration moves the fabric and creates friction. Light weight fabrics start to show wear fairly quickly.

Finally UV resistance. Preventing the fabric from degrading in the sun. The most common issues are the fabric becoming brittle and or weakening and tearing.

No RTT is inexpensive, so a major part of the decision making process should be fabric selection. If you buy a less expensive RTT, but the lifespan of the material is only 5 or 6 years your cost per year vs. a tent with a fabric life of 20+ years is much higher.

 

[pyro4fun]

Thanks to all that answered, I have a few more things to take into consideration now... As most of us, yes budget is a big factor for me but if I have to wait and save I will for what will fit my needs. I plan on 3 season camping, allot more weekend trips and a couple summer getaways. Im hoping for mexico in 2011 :sombrero:

 

[OldSven]

Here is a pic from a trip we took up to Gallager up in CleElum. The Eezi-Awn did awsome. The only issue I had with water getting in was when the rain tarp was pulled to one side to far and it ran down and into the tent by the edge, just keep an eye on that and your good to go. Also had it in some snow and a really nast wind rain storm at night up in the pass and came out fine, the other guys were digging trenches around their tents to keep the water from coming in :elkgrin:

 

[HMR]

No rainfly to mess with, breathes great, sets up in under 2 minutes rain or shine... hard to beat the Maggiolina.

 

[Corey]

Also had it in some snow and a really nast wind rain storm at night up in the pass and came out fine, the other guys were digging trenches around their tents to keep the water from coming in :elkgrin:

One of the reasons I went with a roof top tent this time over a nice ground tent.

Have had water, mud, dirt, ect tracked into ground tents so many times in the past.

 

[Willman]

^^^^Your RTT just becomes priceless in that case^^^^

Eezi-Awn RTT $2,200 - Food $67.89 - Gas $47.89 = Bad weather and a happy wife......PRICELESS!!!

Ya buddy!

:sombrero:

 

[007]

Here is my ezi-awn t-top, I don't have the extra room zipped on in this pic, but you can see how it overhangs to keep you dry when climbing the ladder. The fly is not a hassle because it deploys and folds up with the tent.

You can't beat the ezi-awn t-top for bad weather camping, this is why:

1. Stand up changing room to get out of your wet muddy clothing.
2. A place to hang all that clothing to dry for the next day.
3. A place to put a chair and plenty of gear in the add a room for eating etc.
4. You can heat the lower room and not worry about sleeping next to a heater.
5. You can keep the upstairs very clean.

All tents have their disadvantages, the T-Top is heavy, bulky, and the add a room takes a while to zip on and fold back up. Note* You don't have to deploy the extra room, but its a nice option to have!