Sure-Fire Ways to Improve Your Roof Top Tent

[Dusty Grin]

very clever! They just flop over and you can reach in from inside the tent. Nice.

 

[brentbba]

I like what you've done with the 2" straps. My cover balloons up all the time when driving and have been looking for a solution. I've got ratchet straps long enough, but have been concerned about the hardware rubbing too much against the cover.

 

[Dennx]

Back on Post #250 I had asked:



The I had went on to say that I had an idea I was going to test out


I am happy to report that my idea worked out great and I am not going to make any changes to it at all!!
Here are some teaser pic's:
View attachment 230482
Hanging down with shoes in
View attachment 230483
Folded flat for transportation

I am going to post up a full write up on my blog and this form later tonight once I have all the pictures taken to describe the 4 easy steps!
Here is a LINK in the mean time

A great idea. Looks good too, but this won't work when my annex is attached.

 

[JamesDowning]

The extra straps worked well but I felt they were all too narrow and tended to oscillate in the wind, marring the cover. I ordered up some 2" wide UV resistant straps and made up some new retainer plates to replace the tiny ones that came with the RTT.

Do the 2" wide not vibrate? My 1" wide straps did until I started putting a twist in them when strapping the cover down - now they don't.

 

[teotwaki]

Do the 2" wide not vibrate? My 1" wide straps did until I started putting a twist in them when strapping the cover down - now they don't.

I took my little backup camera and set it on the 4Runner's roof to watch how the straps performed while I was driving. I did not see a particular point at which they vibrated. The new strap material is much thicker than any of the previous straps.

 

[stingray1300]

Upon the advice from this thread, I tried contacting the folks at Dry Mesh for an anti-condensation pad for my RTT. Well, seems they are out of business (bummer). The poor fellow who answered the phone said he gets calls all the time, and he's tried to tell Dry Mesh (near his home) to change the website. All to no avail.
.
Just an FYI - and PLEASE don't call Dry Mesh!
.
So where else can we get this stuff outside of the UK? (The Hyperdry is just way too expensive.)

 

[el taco loco]

These guys have anti-condensation mats as well as some other useful RTT items on their site:

www.compactcampingconcepts.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cactusjk]

They have some great RTT accessories!

These guys have anti-condensation mats as well as some other useful RTT items on their site:

www.compactcampingconcepts.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stingray1300]

Hey thanks for the link!
.
But the anti-condensation mat they carry is from Tepui. I have a Tepui Gran Sabana tent, but was more impressed by the Dry Mesh mat. I wasn't so impressed with Tepui's when I saw it.
.
Just an FYI, Compact Camping is getting a $25 premium over what Tepui charges for the same mat. I did order one of their mesh storage pouches though
.
Thanks!

 

[compactcamping]

But the anti-condensation mat they carry is from Tepui. I have a Tepui Gran Sabana tent, but was more impressed by the Dry Mesh mat. I wasn't so impressed with Tepui's when I saw it.

Just an FYI, Compact Camping is getting a $25 premium over what Tepui charges for the same mat. I did order one of their mesh storage pouches though.

Yes I'm a Tepui dealer, so naturally I carry their AC Mats. I would like to clear up a bit of miss-information. We do not charge a $25 premium, if you look closely, there isn't a shipping charge on them. With shipping same pricing as Tepui.

Thanks for you business on the Storage Pouch.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

I replaced the crappy Velcro closure straps on my CVT tent with some buckles.



Cost me about $11 and 20 minutes worth of time. Works much better, a lot simpler, and very solid.

 

[Expedition.Report]

What kind of clip is that? I like that mod!!!!


Sent from handheld smoke signal device

 

[cwadej]

some simple searching provided these...from this thread.

I see these pictures, and this item being marketed as an "anti condensation mat".

To me, that's laughable. There is no way that item allows any airflow greater than without it.

If I plce that mat on a board, 100% of the surface will contact the board, so we're clearly not going to get any airflow there. The solid walls basically forms many small tubes, so no airflow on the sides. Now we have the top surface, where the matress will set.

The only thing this mat will do is allow a small space for condesation to pool under the matress instead of soaking into the mattress.

Now look at the truly "woven" design of the product sold by Autohome. It's mesh construction allows air flow in any direction.


Take the above mat and put it on the kitchen counter, or any smooth surface. Pour water in it. The cell will fill with the water.

Now get a cheap air filter, (same mesh constrcution style as the autohome mat) and try it. No cells to fill with water.

just how i see it. Maybe the autohome is worth more because it does more?

 

[Guri]

I see these pictures, and this item being marketed as an "anti condensation mat".

To me, that's laughable. There is no way that item allows any airflow greater than without it.

If I plce that mat on a board, 100% of the surface will contact the board, so we're clearly not going to get any airflow there. The solid walls basically forms many small tubes, so no airflow on the sides. Now we have the top surface, where the matress will set.

The only thing this mat will do is allow a small space for condesation to pool under the matress instead of soaking into the mattress.

Now look at the truly "woven" design of the product sold by Autohome. It's mesh construction allows air flow in any direction


Take the above mat and put it on the kitchen counter, or any smooth surface. Pour water in it. The cell will fill with the water.

Now get a cheap air filter, (same mesh constrcution style as the autohome mat) and try it. No cells to fill with water.

just how i see it. Maybe the autohome is worth more because it does more?

I took the picture of that material. I got that as a sample of the product. I test that and I can tell by experience that REDUCE the condensation but it NOT eliminate the water condensation. One of the positive point of that is that the moisture is not any more in contact direct with the mattress. BUT when you fold the tent, the moisture, by gravity, make the mattress wet any way.
I use a plastic tarp between the mattress and the condensation mat to make a barrier on the moisture, but I like to dry as much I can before to close the tent.

 

[stingray1300]

Yes I'm a Tepui dealer, so naturally I carry their AC Mats. I would like to clear up a bit of miss-information. We do not charge a $25 premium, if you look closely, there isn't a shipping charge on them. With shipping same pricing as Tepui.

Thanks for you business on the Storage Pouch.

I apologize for my misunderstanding. Free S&H must always be a factor in the price/value. But the S&H I paid from Tepui was $10 (net savings $15).
.
Nothing is cheap, and certainly not free!

BTW, I got the mesh pouch today (BOY that was fast!). Nicely made - thank you! :wavey: