Sure-Fire Ways to Improve Your Roof Top Tent

[Lucky j]

I have never had problems with mine. Have an ARB pilbara. But always sleep with plenty of open window. Slept in very cold nights, like way below freezing.

In y mind, the matress is thick enough and in direct contact with the floor, so condensation is coming more fron the tent fabric side and infiltrate under the matress from the sides.

So perso, do not have any and do not plan for any. But maybe the fact that the floor is a styrofoam sandwich also give more insulation to the floor. But I still beleive that the condensation originate from the side and flow under the matress. So keep the top of the window open for air flow and you should be good. And if matress is not coverd with a nylon cover, make one. Comlete bag with velcro flap or zipper. Mattress will stay dry.

But you will have plenty of advice to choose from.

Hope you are able to get it.

 

[astroserg]

Hard to tell in your pic, but do the yoga mats have thousands of holes in them? If not, you really arent doing anything to prevent condensation. if they do not have holes in them, get crazy with a drill or sharp pencil and make a bunch of holes in the mats to allow air to get in there and evaporate the water.

All the condensation mats do is create a space between the mattress and the metal floor of the tent, for water to evaporate.

Well, my setup is proven by practice. It works for me. Before installing mats I had condensation on the floor. After - I do not.
And the condensation theory says that condensation occurs on a surface with big temperature difference on two sides of it. That yoga mat insulates warm mattress (warmth from your body penetrates mattress) from cold floor thus prevents condensation buildup.

 

[VicMackey]

Well, my setup is proven by practice. It works for me. Before installing mats I had condensation on the floor. After - I do not.
And the condensation theory says that condensation occurs on a surface with big temperature difference on two sides of it. That yoga mat insulates warm mattress (warmth from your body penetrates mattress) from cold floor thus prevents condensation buildup.

You taught me something. I was under the impression that the condensation formed on the walls of the tent and then rolled down to the floor. To get the accumulated water off of the floor, the mattress was raised up by the mats to allow the condensation/water to evaporate instead of being trapped under or soaking into the mattress. Makes one wonder why every anti condensation mat out there is full of holes, when it should not have those holes to allow for better "insulation".

 

[Mccaf]

Any ideas on ladder padding for when you come down in bare feet? I usually keep flip-flops at the bottom for the 2am trips to the bucket but the rungs are killing me feet!

 

[krick3tt]

Indoor/outdoor carpet riveted to the rungs.

 

[Lucky j]

@VicMackey , I think your first assomption is right.

I have and ARB, and I sleep with open windows most of the time. I have never had issues with humidity under my matress. Never ever. Always dry as a white desert bone when I close it up. And no air spacer of any kind.

The matress is providing at least 2" of foam insulation plus the floor that most of them are also line with styrofoam insulation. So I realy dought that humidity is created by condensation throught the mastress.

Just a tought.

 

[VicMackey]

Any ideas on ladder padding for when you come down in bare feet? I usually keep flip-flops at the bottom for the 2am trips to the bucket but the rungs are killing me feet!

Only thing I can think of is pipe insulation. However I would be scared of it rolling/spinning as you step on it.

 

[furbucket]

Any ideas on ladder padding for when you come down in bare feet? I usually keep flip-flops at the bottom for the 2am trips to the bucket but the rungs are killing me feet!

I don’t find that the rungs hurt my feet, but then I’m often barefoot in all different kinds of terrain. Wife is a dancer (music theatre; get your heads out of the gutter) so her feet are tough as nails...
All that said, we usually hang a cloth grocery bag off the top of the ladder and put our shoes in there. Keeps them out of the tent but easy to access while sitting on the edge at the top of the ladder.


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[Ovrlnd Rd]

We just have some water shoes with carabiners on the back and clip them to the bottom of the tent. Easy to reach and easy to slip on.

 

[Mccaf]

Copy to all suggestions. Pipe insulation zip tied could work!

IIRC there was someone on one of the 45 pages here who mentioned it.

 

[Lucky j]

Our arb latter steps are flat, so no biggy here. And shoes and clothes goes under the floor, in a net that is hung from the corners of the floor. So protected from rain, criters humidity and dirt and able to dry.

 

[Porcupine86]

I was wondering if anyone has a good locking solution for their RTT? I'm using a couple locking nuts to secure it to the factory rails of my Impreza. On the inside, there isn't enough clearance for a nylock and a security nut so I've got Locktite holding it in there all on its own.

The nuts are here: https://www.amazon.com/Lightronic-Security-Hardware-Light-Lights/dp/B073QGJZ9Q

 

[Mccaf]

I invested in these tri-groove security nuts from Albany County Fasteners. I say invested because the socket and fasteners were about $55. Since the RTT is on a trailer in a storage lot, probably a good investment. You obviously need room underneath the not to get a socket wrench on.

 

[furbucket]

I got Tufnuts (and some big fender washers). I use them on half the mounting bolts, the other half get nylocks. The Tufnuts are great and weren’t that expensive- their website quotes them in bulk but if you call and ask they will sell much smaller quantities...

https://www.tufnutworks.com/security-nuts/tufnut-security-nuts/


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[Porcupine86]

@Mccaf - I looked at using those (I think that's what Tepui sells), but I don't have room for a socket b/w the roof and the bolts.

@furbucket - The Tufnuts look interesting. Are they locking nuts, or do they need Locktite to stay on?