Tired of all the "crap" RTT's. So I made my own. - TERRAPOD!
- Thread starter JJBiggs
- Start date
Jeep or Tacoma
Explorer
I have. Long thought about doing something similar. But yours is beyond my. Wildest wishes. I do have a question. About the front hinge system. I see when it is up the front lip of the top part goes behind the lower lip of the bottom. Does this mean the Bottom is fully boxed? So that water drains between the bottom lip and the box section that holds the sleeping pad? Or am I missing something? Also your machinist work is pure art! What did you use for the top and bottom panels? I am not on face book so pardon me if these questions are answered there. Thanks
JJBiggs
Supporting Sponsor | SEES
The nose is a fascia panel that is designed to be not only an aerodynamic component, but also a channel when opened to redirect the water down and away from the sleeping area.
The lower tray is sealed to prevent water intrusion and the panels are custom spec'd, thermally rated, structural composites.
C
Jeep or Tacoma
Explorer
Thanks again I it is one of the absolute best builds i have seen production or custom.
JJBiggs
Supporting Sponsor | SEES
The RTTx: Why 'another' Roof Top Tent?
Let's chat about this. The roof tent market we know of is saturated with products. Tents everywhere. There are hard shell, soft shell, hybrids, mechanized, some that sleep 2, some that sleep 4-5 and so on.
So...why do this?
Not a single tent on the market today has taken into account the very basics of vehicular mounted items.
Those are:
- Aerodynamics
- Weight
- Profile / closed height
From the very beginning of this idea - these three important design factors have been the core of this project.
Let's talk about each.
Aero - Save a very few hard shell tents out there, virtually all have very little to no built-in or designed-in aerodynamics. All are essentially bricks with flat faces with many hard corners, etc. This directly impacts the MPG's of your rig. More MPG's means more $$ in the pocket, simple as that.
RTTx Fun Aero Fact: The sloped nose of the RTTx is a composite based material that can be removed or cut to fit virtually any style LED light bar. From the small 6-8" models to the widest being approx 50-52".
Weight - This one is significant. Almost all existing roof top tents on the market today are well over 130 lbs. Many excede 150 to 200+ lbs. This is not a good thing for lifted off road vehicles. Having that kind of weight, up there, above your head, will effect how your vehicle responds to approach angles, slopes, and steep obstacles.
RTTx Fun Weight Fact: All the prototypes weighed in at approx 115-117 lbs. With our custom designed aluminum profiles, we will easily reduce that weight below 100 lbs. Resulting in the lightest roof top tent on the market.
Profile / Height: All roof top tents available today range in height from the low of 6" to 14" and more when closed. This closed profile directly correlates to aerodynamic resistance. The lower, the better. The less resistance, the better. The RTTx achieves the lowest possible height of 5.25" while still maintaining a usable interior storage. Lastly - The RTTx will still fit in a standard garage door. (7'6" to 8' depending on the vehicle, of course.)
RTTx Fun Height Fact: The RTTx paired with Nemo Equipment's 50L Cosmo insulated inflatable mattress provides maximum storage AND excellent comfort.
The low profile and Aerodynamic nose:
Interior room to spare:
Let's chat about this. The roof tent market we know of is saturated with products. Tents everywhere. There are hard shell, soft shell, hybrids, mechanized, some that sleep 2, some that sleep 4-5 and so on.
So...why do this?
Not a single tent on the market today has taken into account the very basics of vehicular mounted items.
Those are:
- Aerodynamics
- Weight
- Profile / closed height
From the very beginning of this idea - these three important design factors have been the core of this project.
Let's talk about each.
Aero - Save a very few hard shell tents out there, virtually all have very little to no built-in or designed-in aerodynamics. All are essentially bricks with flat faces with many hard corners, etc. This directly impacts the MPG's of your rig. More MPG's means more $$ in the pocket, simple as that.
RTTx Fun Aero Fact: The sloped nose of the RTTx is a composite based material that can be removed or cut to fit virtually any style LED light bar. From the small 6-8" models to the widest being approx 50-52".
Weight - This one is significant. Almost all existing roof top tents on the market today are well over 130 lbs. Many excede 150 to 200+ lbs. This is not a good thing for lifted off road vehicles. Having that kind of weight, up there, above your head, will effect how your vehicle responds to approach angles, slopes, and steep obstacles.
RTTx Fun Weight Fact: All the prototypes weighed in at approx 115-117 lbs. With our custom designed aluminum profiles, we will easily reduce that weight below 100 lbs. Resulting in the lightest roof top tent on the market.
Profile / Height: All roof top tents available today range in height from the low of 6" to 14" and more when closed. This closed profile directly correlates to aerodynamic resistance. The lower, the better. The less resistance, the better. The RTTx achieves the lowest possible height of 5.25" while still maintaining a usable interior storage. Lastly - The RTTx will still fit in a standard garage door. (7'6" to 8' depending on the vehicle, of course.)
RTTx Fun Height Fact: The RTTx paired with Nemo Equipment's 50L Cosmo insulated inflatable mattress provides maximum storage AND excellent comfort.
The low profile and Aerodynamic nose:
Interior room to spare:
JJBiggs
Supporting Sponsor | SEES
Great suggestion! I like it.
Please see the previous posts - nearly all bedding can be stored in the tent. I do so on a regular basis. And yes...even a full size pillow can be stored. I keep my 40˚ bag, a thick extra blanket, the mattress and rainfly up there with a ton of room to spare. There has been plenty of discussion regarding this and is considered a non-issue.
Ironically - the low profile design began with a way to reduce the drag on an off road trailer I owned. The profile went from over 14" on a Freestyle Recreation RTT to this one at 5.25". The difference was quite noticeable - most importantly at the gas pump.
The tests to date have proven the aero efficiency to be valid. My record MPG's on my 4Runner (loaded with the tent & full gear) is 17.4mpg (highway).
Now...all that said, if the tent doesn't work for you...that's a-ok and the point of why Terrapod exists. There is no "perfect" way to camp. Everyone has their preferred method. Here at Terrapod - simplicity is the name of the game.
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JJBiggs
Supporting Sponsor | SEES
A 5" mattress will not fit. And...5" is not a stock RTT mattress thickness. That is a custom solution.
However, variable foam densities are offered through the mattress manufacturer ...or... the Nemo Equipment 50L Cosmo XL insulated mattress provides the maximum in comfort, storage and stow-ability.
Food for thought. But...as I said - not everyone camps the same way. This tent has been designed to hit the marks of durability and comfort while also being a lightweight, aerodynamically efficient solution.
Cheers.
Jeep or Tacoma
Explorer
I am impressed and intrigued by your. Build. I have a few more questions. How is the frame made ? I recently saw something called 80/20. Basically extruded aluminum thank you can attach to each other to build stuff. Yours looks different from 80 20 is it also extruded aluminum ? Is the frame of the tent welded? Can you share any photos of the production process. I have a Jeep jlur soft top. Thanks
JJBiggs
Supporting Sponsor | SEES
Thank you for your interest.
Very familiar with 80/20. Cool product. Depending on the profile, it can become quite heavy when used in quantity for framing, etc. Regarding your Jeep - you will need an exoskeleton / exo-frame type of rack. Nothing can be mounted to soft top.