Shoe Storage & RTT?

[Mike S]

All the newer AutoHome hard shell RTTs have an elasticized cargo net that covers the forward half of the ceiling. I sit in the doorway, remove my shoes and stuff them into the net. Once inside, the rest of my clothes get folded and put in the net. In the AM, I just reverse the order and sit in the doorway to put on my shoes. It's a good arrangement.

 

[sbly]

We bought two slide-over door towel hangers ("S" shape) that we simple place on the top rung of the ladder. This has the shoes hanging off the inside portion of the ladder and they are under the floor of the ARB tent, within arms reach and out of the rain.

sbly

 

[Eventhough]

I hang my shoes from the entrance extension on my Mombasa Overland RTT. The aluminum pole that holds the extension open works nicely for a shoe hanger. There are times I won't let my muddy boots get anywhere near inside a tent - even if they are on a shelf or suspended somehow.

 

[shredwagon]

Thanks a lot for the input, I will need something that will handle the wet more than anything. We do not do much winter camping right now but I would like to head out once or twice a winter for a weekend in the back country. QUOTE]

I do a bit of split-boarding in the winter and usually camp in a Bibler tent. I spent about 15 days last winter in a newly aquired Eezi-Awn 1400 while road-tripping, following snow. Temps Ranging from -10 > -25 deg C.

If you're used to winter camping in a ground tent, man o' man, RTT's are from heaven. (have no winter hood either). The thick canvas walls spank Gore-tex, especially in storms. I only use the gore-tex tent for multi-day now.

Just have an extendable windshield brush to wipe the snow off before closing her up. Oh, and a descent down bag (-20 min). Being off the ground (air space = R-value) is the key. Just knock you're feet off the end and throw your shoes in a bag inside.

The cool places you find while poaching camp spots.....priceless.

 

[compactcamping]

Making a shoe hammock has been on my list for a while. Went through my fabric scrap pile today and found some polyester mesh so a made a few. Made one for hanging under the door. Being in Oregon I wanted my shoe well protected from the rain.

Made an extra one for hanging from the bows in the tent as a gear loft.

 

[shredwagon]

Sweet set-up for summer, but not going to work in winter. The best thing to do is go down to MEC and get some down booties..... or use a plastic bag for boots.

 

[XJBANKER]

I built a rack last year for mine from some shelving, and brackets for those over the door shoe hangers.

Do you always have a video camera over your bed? Guess this is a site for adventure. Just joking.

 

[Corey]

Do you always have a video camera over your bed? Guess this is a site for adventure. Just joking.

It was just to illustrate props on the shelving.
Better than bare shelving

 

[Token]

I'll tend to take the boots off in the evenings around the campsite and stash 'em in the truck and put on a pair of sandals.. I'll keep a plastic box in the corner of the tent to set 'em in to keep any grit that might be on 'em somewhat contained..

Easier to slip sandals on in the middle of the night when it's time to water the bushes..

 

[Wheelingnoob]

Some good ideas, thanks.

I will not be putting any shoes in the tent on a rack or net, it would be like wearing them to bed. We would have sand or mud all over the tent in no time doing that.

Again the area we live in is usually very wet if its not raining the ground is still wet for days and in some places weeks later. Mud on shoes is something we deal with every time we go camping. Weather can change in the middle of the night and turn your once dry camp area into a wet muddy area. Making a return to the tent after a bathroom break a chore and if I had a net inside for the shoes well they would stay out side and get wet.

Flipflops around camp in the middle of summer is a good idea but that's about 1 maybe 2 month out of year we can do that. The rest of the time its to wet or cold for them.

Its sounding like our best bet is a waterproof stuff bag or changing before bed into flipflops or bath shoes.

I like the idea and pictures of the net under the tent but only in the summer in the fall with the rain it would be wet shoes in the morning.

Thanks for all the ideas and what has worked for you. Even if your idea will not work for us its great to post them up so other people in not quite as wet regions get ideas.

I'm still questioning weather or not a RTT will be the ideal thing with the amount of rain we camp in. Worried about mold and a soggy tent after a few days, although in saying that after a few days of rain my ground tent is thoroughly soaked as well.

 

[Lemsteraak]

As long as you are just dealing with water and not too much wind, a tarp will really help. I have a parawing that I deploy off and sometimes over my tent and it helps a lot. You can cook, hang out and sit around the table and then climb the ladder to go to bed. A tarp is really important in wet weather as there is no way you want to hang out in a RTT all day. You also need a place to dry out wet gear. A parawing design is really nice, it can handle higher winds without flapping around so much.

Rich

 

[Wheelingnoob]

As long as you are just dealing with water and not too much wind, a tarp will really help. I have a parawing that I deploy off and sometimes over my tent and it helps a lot. You can cook, hang out and sit around the table and then climb the ladder to go to bed. A tarp is really important in wet weather as there is no way you want to hang out in a RTT all day. You also need a place to dry out wet gear. A parawing design is really nice, it can handle higher winds without flapping around so much.

Rich

Thanks, I plan on mounting a 2.5M awning to the roof rack. I have lots of time dealing with tarps, have not used a parawing though. I like the idea of the awning and the fast easy deployment of it. We usually do not encounter much wind unless in a Vally or on a lake when a storm blows in. We always stake our tarps and awnings.