Why so many negative YouTube videos about RTTs?

[billiebob]

You wanted to see a tent-cot repurposed as an RTT? Here's my Cabela's double tent cot mounted on top of my lil' home-made trailer (same principle applies if you wanted to mount it on top of a vehicle; you would just need to purchase a ladder and figure a way to secure it).

It takes just a couple minutes to set up and take down once you get the hang of it. You cannot keep your sleeping bag/bedding/air mattress inside when folded up. Not a lot of headroom; mainly just good for sleeping in (I sleep well in it with a 3" air mattress). Removable fly (pictures shown with fly attached unless otherwise stated). Have been in some serious wind and rainstorms with no issues or leaks. There is a bar running down the center of the floor, so pick a side to sleep on (probably my only gripe with it). I really like being off the ground though. To get into the tent, first step on the flip down step (you can see it beside the ammo can on the trailer's cooler tray). Then step on the cooler, and then into the tent. I also stand on the cooler when tossing the rainfly over the top after it is folded open.

The outer legs were removed from the tent-cot since they'd just be hanging in the wind. And I had a custom cover made for it for travel (had to anyways with the legs now permanently in the down position). This thing has crisscrossed the country a couple of times and been up into northern Canada more than once. Total weight is about 45 lbs.

This snipped picture from Cabela's website is a couple years old - I don't know what they sell for now. Picture shows tent-cot with outer legs attached, but without rainfly attached. Sadly, young lady not included.
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Fully set-up. There are eight bolts on each side (16 total) securing the tent-cot's legs to the trailer's lid. It isn't going anywhere. Did anyone notice the drop-down tailgate on the TJ?

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In case you were wondering if I could still access the inside of the trailer with the tent-cot attached... Yes, I can. I think the trailer lid is actually easier to lift with the tent-cot opened like this vs. when in the stored/folded-up position.

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Custom one-piece vinyl cover for the tent-cot. Has five zippers (two on each side, and one at the rear). Sometimes the zippers are a little difficult to get started.
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This last picture is just me showing off my Willys, but it shows the flip down step in the upright position by the ammo can on the trailer's cooler tray. Most RTTs start in weight at over 100lbs (probably closer to 120lbs for the lighter ones, and up from there). This thing is about 45lbs (every little bit helps when the trailer's towed by the Willys). Would be even lighter if the legs and frame were aluminum (and would probably be more expensive), but this thing is made of fairly bombproof steel. I've been very happy with it. Fit and finish were excellent. You can tell they put some thought into the fabric portion too. There are pockets inside the tent, etc.
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This is the best RTT option ever. I know eventually I'll have one.

 

[plh]

What amazes me is the number of posters trying to sell their production spots.
They actually think its an investment lol.
The market is maturing.

Do you mean production spots for the aluminum toppers with integrated wedge tents? More likely that peoples lives change over the year or 2 waiting for their build to get complete.

 

[Wrathchild]

Had a tepui for several years. It was great most of the time. We then had a particularly wet trip in BC, dog got sick all over the inside cab of the truck while we were sleeping and I said not again.

Enter the OVRLND and could not be happier.

 

[NudeLobster]

The biggest issue is cost, and because of that everyone cheaps out and buys a folding soft shell. After going through 4x RTT's, I can vehemently say either cough up $4k for a high end imported hard-shell clamshell tent off the bat or don't buy one at all.

The only valid reason for a soft over a hard RTT is the space available in the folding softies for a family, but without ever having kids yet, I'd argue it's time for a trailer or ground tents at that point anyways.

We simply wouldnt have room for everything we carry if our bedding, pillows, clothes, and mattress were all stored up in the tent ready to go. The high end fabrics of a proper tent is so much unbelievably better than any of that cheap nylon ******** they use on American (read: Chinese) tents.

 

[pith helmet]

I like the idea of a RTT but have spent a few decades camping out of ground tents and vehicles and can imagine the downsides of them too well. That said, if my wife liked the idea we would have an Ursa Minor on our Jeep, basically the same except for the interior access.

 

[Joe917]

Tents suck.
They are cold and have major condensation issues, their best point is they are light.
If I have to carry it multiple miles into the back country, then a tent is the way to go.
If I have a vehicle why put up with the discomfort?
I would not even consider a pop up.

 

[rnArmy]

If I could park, and be inside a pop-up hard-top RTT in 30 seconds and crawl inside my sleeping bag... oh heck yes. I just need the proper vehicle to mount one.

Till then... I'll have to run with what I've got. Would be much cheaper than a small teardrop camper.

 

[Jupiter58]

I would consider one on a medium height rack in the bed of my f150 as long as it stayed below cab height when down. I guess that wouldn’t really be a RTT then?
I have a Jku and I would not put a rtt on it unless it was a Ursula. I can sleep inside and don’t add a bunch of weight or raise the cog. Easier access to more difficult locations. Besides, wranglers are very limited on their weight capacity and limited power anyway. Then again I don’t need freezers, sinks, and a 60” tv to camp either.

 

[Regcabguy]

Tents suck.
They are cold and have major condensation issues, their best point is they are light.
If I have to carry it multiple miles into the back country, then a tent is the way to go.
If I have a vehicle why put up with the discomfort?
I would not even consider a pop up.

They do. I've been in a popup for 21 years now. No more tents or sleeping bags.

 

[Tudor Tanase]

I sold my folding soft shell a while ago. Takes less time and effort to offload our plastic boxes of stuff (we take minimal "stuff" as holidays should not feel like moving house) and sleep in the back of the Landcruiser. Over doing acrobatics standing on wheels and hanging off roof bars to unzip, take cover off, release buckles, unfold etc. Very handy to have the boxes of "stuff" sitting outside anyway, they are rain proof and we wild camp so about zero risk of things being pinched in the middle of nowhere here in Far North Queensland.

Folding soft shell worked reasonably ok mounted on a box trailer and in dry warm weather. Still had to do a few circles around the trailer but at least no need to climb up and down to reach everything, or to fold it up when needing to move the vehicle.

If ever roof tent again (which I doubt) then only hard shell wedge style.

 

[The_Squid]

RTTs are not for everyone. Weigh the pros and cons before committing. We love ours! But we like it a lot more on the trailer than we did on the Subaru Forester.

 

[NMBruce]

A friend of mine purchased a RTT for our trip last summer, after one trip he was done with it. He purchased it use and sold it for the same price. For him is was too much work taking the cover off and putting it back on. He had it on the top of an FJ, so trying to balance and do the work was just too much of a pain. I could open or close my TuffStuff RTT in about a 1/3 of time it took him. So he went back to a ground tent, so yes RTT are not for everyone, I’ll keep mine a little longer.

 

[rgallant]

I think far too many people buy one with any thought, looks cool everyone has one so lets get one.

I purchased a small folding Tepui for my Discovery and I find it easy enough to set up and take down. It lets me stop for the night where ever I am, as long as the Disco fits, and the overhead is clear I am good.

But I did a lot of research and spoke to the folks in my local LR group and checked their tents out before buying. The A-frame aluminum are great but simply too much money and weight for 1 persons needs.

 

[Scrambler84]

Half Rack with RTT on a Gladiator Diesel, can still take it in parking garages, not really top heavy, no wind noise or gas mileage change. Just gotta figure out how to work in an awning

 

[Regcabguy]

I think it's just opinions to be honest. Also, Youtube does in a way work like google, where if you write the right keywords and get the "flashy headline", people click the video, watch it, it ranks better, and so it stays at the top. all the other videos reviewing tents or just in general reviewing an overland trip or trail whilst using a tent, aren't as flashy.

That said, I've personally owned a Guana Equipment Wanaka 55" for 3 years and counting. It's on top of my Armada with a Front Runner Slimline. I've probably taken it off 2-3 times in those 3 years, mostly because it is a bit of a hassle to take it off. I use it around 7-8 times a year when I get a good long weekend off to camp.

Are they heavy? Yes. Expensive? Yes. When it rains is closing it a bit harder? Yes, do you need to dry it our later? Yes. Can I go on most city parking lots with a low roof? No. I probably wouldn't be able to fit regardless as my rig is lifted and with a rack, but anyways, I can't with a tent.

That said, I love it. High, high quality and durability. Three years, i've treated it VERY ROUGHLY, and it's still going very strong. Comfortable as ever. Honestly, one thing is camping in a ground tent with a pad, one thing is in a tent like this. It can't be compared, I sleep like a rock, and so does my girlfriend who generally hates camping and she only comes along if it's on the RTT. Also, her friends, who had never gone camping, agreed to come on a trip on another tent we got from a friend, they loved it. The freedom of driving to campsites and setting the tent in less than 5 minutes and closing it also in 5, it's easy, fast, practical. But the sleep, oh man, I honestly get solid 8-10 hours of sleep and wake up ready to do some nice outdoors activities. Unbeatable, worth every penny.

They can flap too.