RTT why so much $$$$

[Corey]

I think the guys who are travelling via foot, bike, motobike, car, small truck who use a ground tent for simplicity are no less prepared for the weather than a RTT user. I'll bet they use the money they WOULD have spend on a spendy RTT, and spend it in gas/food being OUT ON THE ROAD. money better spent? oh yeah.


play nice.
Brian

I will have to disagree with your statement in the simplicity part of owning a ground tent.
I have camped for years with tents both backpacking and family tents, and two tent trailers.

Tents require setup, staking them down so they will not get blown away, put in the mattress pads, cots, ect, and the tent trailers took awhile to set up too.

I can pull into a spot and have my Maggiolina cranked up in under a minute and climb into a warm bed with bedding already in it, just pull the covers back and get in.
And this is all done while someone is still taking their tent out of the bag and spreading it out on the ground after looking for ground that is rock/root free.
This is much more simplistic than what I have owned in the past, and has made camping much easier for me now.

But this is only my opinion and observation on the matter.
Others will differ

 

[BlueHZT60]

This particular Maggiolina has been all over and is one of the oldest in the NW. It has been rebuilt 3 times by me (Ice dam broke roof - filled inside with rot/mold; Ice dam#2 - inside frozed solid, #3 was a tree). It is 10-12 years old now and still going strong. The cost is expensive, but the value I get for my uses and the length of time in service make this a very inexpensive item.

I've thought many times about how to make a better one and haven't come close yet. The best inexpensive thing would be to pick up a giant rocket box and sew some sort of tent onto the clam opening - a one person coffin, but inexpensive, easy to set up, etc. Bob

 

[kellymoe]

Ive had a few RTT'S and several ground tents. I always ended up selling the RTT's, too much weight on the roof for the trails I did. I also didn't like the exposed feeling in a thunderstorm.

I now have speed and simplicity in a ground tent. It takes less time to put up than my RTT's and at a fraction of the price. It's a Airzone tent. It's poles are inflatable and extremely strong. It sets up in about 2 minutes. Sleeps four with some equipment. I couldn't be happier.

I use this tent only when I am with my family, otherwise I sleep in the back of my truck on solo trips which 80% of my trips are.

 

[Corey]

The Airzone is nice indeed.
I have scoured their website looking at all of the info in the past.

If I were to take along a tent for guests or family, that is one of the tents I would get for an extra tent.

I think it depends on the model of roof top tent too though.
Mine is really fast to set up, and the Columbus model is even faster than mine.

 

[Mayne]

I like the thinking here in the ability to fab up something... I too have a desire to do a one off of my own, because what I feel I need in a RTT is not being offered in the states at this time. Oz has a pot load, but no way or desire at the moment to get that product here. That being said, it is what happens when retro fitting a much older, yet popular trailer platform in this community.
I believe I have the ability to do the framework for what I want, but not the Sewing, as stated in another thread. I also don't mind sacrificing 350lbs to get what I want, as I've got the capacity, and @ 500lbs with water I'm not tipping the scales by more than 60%. The remainder of my gear doesn't come close to that.


Mayne

 

[BKCowGod]

Mayne - there's a great upholstery shop on Stevens Creek that has offered to do some custom work for me in the past. They were the ones that restored the seat in the Beast...

ABC Auto Upholstery, at Stevens Creek and Kiely... good people.

 

[milo12]

How does the Airzone hold up in wind? It looks floppy in the videos.

 

[Mayne]

Mayne - there's a great upholstery shop on Stevens Creek that has offered to do some custom work for me in the past. They were the ones that restored the seat in the Beast...

ABC Auto Upholstery, at Stevens Creek and Kiely... good people.

I'll look them up, but most I talk to are not equipped for that large a job.

Mayne

 

[JJonesee]

I read most of the replies here. I am extremely cheap, but I don’t mind paying for quality and or something that I need to rely on. When I first found prices on RTT's I felt the exact same way.

Maybe one person mentioned buying used.

If your upset with the cost, why not just source a used RTT?

All that said I picked up an older Mombasa tent, for $300. It was 5 min from my house.

Now - quality wise - its not the best - but it functions. Looking at the construction and materials I can see where the cost comes from. I couldn’t build what I bought for the money I paid. The other RTT's out there are of much higher quality, and I feel the price is justified. When and if my Mombasa tent fails, I will look into fabricating a new shell, but odds are I will just replace it with a quality tent.

Good luck with your build and post lots of pics!

 

[Corey]

All that said I picked up an older Mombasa tent, for $300. It was 5 min from my house.

Safety Alert
Ran across this one year old thread this morning.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/camping-gear-recovery/185032-mobassa-sucks-if-you-over-200lbs.html

Make sure you have the upgraded ladder.
The new one is more like the AutoHome ladders.
This guy's ladder broke on him and left his wife and three beagles stranded until he got a ladder out of his shop.

You will want to contact Mel at www.car-top-tent.com/

 

[Mike S]

A long, interesting thread...

I am in this business - the RTT business - so I'll pipe in with a few comments...

I would never discourage anyone from doing their own thing, even building something that is mounted on the roof of a vehicle and travels down the road at 70 MPH, holds and protects him and possibly his family, and that should last for years of use.

As a distributor, I buy tents which I pay for in advance by wire transfer in currency that fluctuates in cost, have the products transported in ocean containers from the manufacturer, pay insurance and for a customs bond, pay customs, and a bunch of 'charges' added by the freight forwarder, transport the tents to a warehouse and carefully unload and store them for sale. I pay prepare estimates and shipping documents and dispatch shipments. I maintain a website and print literature, mail out catalogs at $3 each for mailing costs, attend shows and occasionally donate a tent to a worthy cause. This is before the sale.

I answer a lot of questions - sitting at the phone eight hours a day - from people who may, or may not, buy a tent from us. Fair enough - I do not stint on distributing information to people who ask. I take credit cards and pay to have them processed, and pay for crating and shipping - which is passed on the the customer. I also absorb costs associated with shipping damage, or the occasional customer who just changes his mind. I pay bank charges and bookkeeping costs. I pay taxes.

After the sale, I believe in serving those customers who buy from me by offering a warranty, and carryinga stock of spare parts - whether they are ever needed is not important - I must have them available. They also cost money.

In all this we try to have fun and make a moderate profit so that we will be here next time the customer needs us. Of course you can build one cheaper than you can buy it. But you will not have the same product, service, warranty, spare parts, or assistance.

Just a thought.

 

[Corey]

Mike, I am glad for one you are in the business, and I am glad you take phone calls as I have often called you for information before I bought my AirLand and afterwards.

Your business and service is top notch.

 

[spressomon]

Mike, I am glad for one you are in the business, and I am glad you take phone calls as I have often called you for information before I bought my AirLand and afterwards.

Your business and service is top notch.

I'll be the second one to vouch for Mike's superior customer support before, during and after the sale. Kudos Mike. Oh yeah...I'll be calling you about that spare part I need :bowdown:

 

[Mayne]

I am in this business - the RTT business - so I'll pipe in with a few comments...

I would never discourage anyone from doing their own thing, even building something that is mounted on the roof of a vehicle and travels down the road at 70 MPH, holds and protects him and possibly his family, and that should last for years of use.

As a distributor, I buy tents which I pay for in advance by wire transfer in currency that fluctuates in cost, have the products transported in ocean containers from the manufacturer, pay insurance and for a customs bond, pay customs, and a bunch of 'charges' added by the freight forwarder, transport the tents to a warehouse and carefully unload and store them for sale. I pay prepare estimates and shipping documents and dispatch shipments. I maintain a website and print literature, mail out catalogs at $3 each for mailing costs, attend shows and occasionally donate a tent to a worthy cause. This is before the sale.

I answer a lot of questions - sitting at the phone eight hours a day - from people who may, or may not, buy a tent from us. Fair enough - I do not stint on distributing information to people who ask. I take credit cards and pay to have them processed, and pay for crating and shipping - which is passed on the the customer. I also absorb costs associated with shipping damage, or the occasional customer who just changes his mind. I pay bank charges and bookkeeping costs. I pay taxes.

After the sale, I believe in serving those customers who buy from me by offering a warranty, and carryinga stock of spare parts - whether they are ever needed is not important - I must have them available. They also cost money.

In all this we try to have fun and make a moderate profit so that we will be here next time the customer needs us. Of course you can build one cheaper than you can buy it. But you will not have the same product, service, warranty, spare parts, or assistance.

Just a thought.

I, having exchange correspondance with you, thank you for your time and willingness pass on information about products and service that are no doubt top notch, and fairly priced. My issue is that the products that do exist don't fit my particular needs/wants.
I would love an out of the box solution for my problem, but none have appeared with in reason on this continent. Albiet, the old mid 60's Apache fold outs would work splendidly (modified to the hilt), yet taking the premium of driveway space afforded for only one trailer. I need a be all solution, and I'm aware that I'm asking for more than alot. I will probably upgrade my ground tent, as I keep running in to the same wall (define insanity), and wait until I can buy a second trailer, as time and space permit.

Mayne

 

[JIMBO]

:archaeolo

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19001

$300 BUCKS

:REOutIceFishing: :REOutIceFishing: JIMBO