Let’s be honest; Roof Top Tent- Yay or Nay?

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Craig M

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I'm probably going to sell my RTT.. I've listed it once or twice, but not for long and ended up pulling it. Here are my thoughts..

For reference, I have had two, both CVT's - First a mount Shasta, but only for one trip and it was meant to be a loaner. That was replaced by a Mt Rainier. Both were the extended versions (with the ladder covered vs exposed) with annexes.

I really, really like (them) and while I don;t regret my purchases, I will probably be moving away from them for a couple of reasons. These reasons are very specific to my wife and I, and just a couple of different variables and I wouldn't even consider selling.

The main 'problem' in my case is that we like, and participate in, several very different types of camping. Our general preference is our hammocks, but of course they are dependant on places to hang them. The good thing is they take up very little additional space, so we can take them along, even if we don't end up using them, and it's very little extra gear. So, when we can't use the hammocks, we have two other secondary options, the RTT and a ground tent.

We still rotate the ground tent in because the RTT on our vehicle is very impractical for us. We like base camping, at least a couple nights in a spot, and tearing down and setting up every day is a lot of wasted effort when we're just coming back to the same spot. Not to mention the whole 'saving the spot' thing. But that's ok, I knew that going in, and always intended on my RTT being on my trailer. We did use the Shasta on our rig once, and I didn't like it there for the reasons mentioned. On the trailer it's perfect! It does exactly what I want it to. Stays warmer than most ground tents, I like being off the ground, comfortable, relatively quick up and down, etc.

But sometimes we don't want to take our trailer. So in those cases, assuming no trees, we are back in a ground tent.

At the end of the day, because we're constantly tailoring our plans to the specific trip, the trailer and RTT only end up getting used for 2-3 trips a year. Meanwhile, they take up a lot of space in my very modest 2 car garage. Space that I am always using, so I always have to move stuff around. Ugh..

Based on those few things, I plan to ditch the trailer and tent later this year. I'd like to pick up the OzTent, that seems to check all of the boxes for us, for those times when we don't use the hammocks. Quick up and down, standing height, can use cots, integral awning, add-ons to make it bigger when needed.. Yeah, I want one bad. BUT..... I have been itching to build a van.. Probably just 2wd cargo E350 or something, but with teh option of moving on to a 4x4 conversion later on. If we do that the plan would be to dump the trailer and RTT, hold off on the OzTent, and stick to the hammocks and van for everything else. If we're camping without offroading (about 50% of the time) we will just take the van. If we are going somehwere we want to play, I can flat tow the Jeep. That is unless / until I do a 4x4 swap, then just the van and I'll probably sell the Jeep.

Kind of a rambling post but the point could be inferred; it really all depends on what type of camping you do primarily, what qualities are important to you when camping, storage space, and money.

I will say that I was VERY disappointed about the bedding situation in the RTT.. When I bought I was expecting to be able to keep our bedding and pillows in the tent when closed, but that won't happen with our gear. Too much and too lofty. I mean, we could cut down to one pillow and a good down bag, and they woul dprobably compress enough to fit, but my wife really likes a lot of pillows and bedding when we're laying flat. And I gotta keep momma happy. That in itself prevents me from ever doind single nights in teh RTT (or avoiding it like the plague). Setting up and taking the tent down is no problem, but then add on moving the bedding in and settin gthat up, then folding it all back up and taking it back out in the morning is a beat down. Of course, there are some RTT's that do not have the same issue, I just know that has been my single most significant disappointment.
 

4gunner

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I've done both...... I have multiple rigs and an m101 trailer now and the perfect set up for me is having it on the trailer so I can leave the Basecamp set up and go adventuring. ...that being said the tent can be put away in 7 min so it's sheer laziness to use this excuse but hey sometimes im lazy so I got the trailer. Benefits are huge to me with the rtt.... I am a side sleeper so the mattress in the rtt adds alot more quality sleep over my hiking air mattress..... I don't have to search for even ground..... and it's great to set up in the rain and snow compared to a ground tent (my ground tent anyways). only ground tent I'm considering as an investment for if I just don't wanna haul the rtt is the oztents for ease of set up durability and comfort.

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ndamico

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So I think the title of this thread is a bit silly. Are we talking about tents or our religion of choice? I think tents, rigs, spouses, where we live all boil down to one thing- personal preference. A RTT is not a catch all end all camping option. I started with an oz tent, then bought a RTT with the plans to sell the oz tent. I ended up keeping it as both ground or roof camping depend on scenario.

To make it simple- if you move camp every night a RTT is hard to beat. If you prefer to setup camp and then drive away or camp for multiple days I would use a ground tent as it's not fun to fold it up just to unfold in the same spot later.

If you solo camp then sleep in the rig :)

That's my simple method of picking which tent we take, be it ground or RTT.

As for the wobblers here they are in no particular order:

If I'm camping in snow the RTT is much warmer.
If it's windy the RTT is hard to beat as it's more taught and makes no noise (at least our Anza) compared to oztent or our ground tent- while I sleep at night.
If the terrain is muddy, Rocky, or otherwise very uneven I'll take the RTT.
My wife prefers the ground tent as she doesn't like going down the ladder to pee at night.

I would say the RTT buys you more flexibility and ability to unpack faster and pack up faster. I have little kids so that's a big one for me. I videod myself in Mojave last week setting up our RTTs and wraptor awning in 7 minutes.which is ready to crawl in and go to sleep. That's way faster than I can setup a ground tent, unpack bags, cots, pads.

I still usually revert to the first item when picking a tent for a trip. Multiple days same spot vs no.

In short, have both if you can.

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JdEcho

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I have a CVT 3 plus person rtt that I bought 3 years ago. I mounted on LR Discovery and roadtripped out west with my 2 boys. I needed the Disco to get up into the mountains of Colorado, desert in Moab, dispersed camping outside of Grand Canyon etc and my boys wanted to sleep "safely" off the ground as at the time they were 12 and 14. We absolutely loved our set up. Times however have changed. A divorce forced the sale of the Disco (was not my dd, just a project the boys and I worked on), a drastic change in income as my ex made gobs of money. I continued to use the rtt on a full size Chevy 4wd pick up my father lent me for the past 3 years visiting state parks etc but it was not a viable off roader. I know find myself with different priorities and realize I don't need the capabilities of the Disco and now drive a 2015 Jeep Patriot 4X4. My rtt is simply to big and heavy for the little Jeep. I just purchased a 5X7 ft utility trailer and am mounting the rtt to it with the ladder racks I had on the Chevy. This will allow us to get to where we want to go and set up basecamp and use the Jeep to explore if wanted, not mention carry more gear like bikes, canoe or kayaks, including a ground tent for overnight hikes,rides or paddling from basecamp. The rtt is warm, super comfortable and is the preferred choice of my kids and now my girlfriend's younger children as well. I have no regrets buying my rtt, I've just had to adapt to how I use it. I will never quit using my ground tents or hammocks but it sure is nice to have options for different levels of "adventures".

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maintainzero

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I switched from a ground tent to an RTT. I was inspired to get one after watching the first season of Mountain State Overland. I like being off the ground, my son loves it. Sleeping on top of daddy's truck is pretty cool to a 6 year old! There are some cons though. You sacrifice a rooftop basket, it gets smacked by branches on tight trails, makes you more top heavy, sways on windy nights, and you need to carry you four legged friends up a ladder into the tent. Overall, I'm happy with the RTT. Quick setup and takedown, doesn't get all muddy on the bottom, and my son loves it. You can be an overlander to buy one. Don't get one because of all the hype. Buy one because it fits your style of adventure. I'll break out a ground tent every now and then. It's nice to have an arsenal of options!

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Knitron

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RTT was our decision because it's the closet thing they can get to a tree house... Honestly the RTT has best the best move for us, super quick pack up and unpack. Sleeping gear just stays in there. No rolling up bags and clearing out pillows. My 13yr daughter can do it all herself, she wouldn't keep all the poles straight on our ground tent. On a trailer it makes an awesome base camp. It the RTT we've ended up camping in places you'd never be able to put a ground tent. Plus its easy to keep clean since it never sits on the ground.

Ours is a 23Zero Byron. It's been rock solid, no problems and very high quality. It's held up in 70+mph winds (not recommend though) it's considered 4+ man tent. Plenty roomy for our family since my wife and I sleep in the trailer. I have slept in the tent, my only complaint is I wish it had at least a 6" memory foam mattress instead of a 4" foam mattress, lol.

It all comes down to personal preference and needs.

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vegasjeepguy

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In some ways comparing a ground tent to a roof top tent is like comparing apples and oranges. I’d expect anyone trying to decide between the two is looking at spending at least $500.00 for a ground tent. With that in mind for the purpose of this discussion, a ground tent is a fairly large, multi-man (4+) tent with enough headroom to stand (or stoop). Think Oz Tent. RTT, on the other hand, is simply a place to sleep, unless it is vehicle mounted with an annex.

Using an REI Basecamp 6 tent evolved over the years. I went from sleeping on the ground to sleeping on cots. There was always enough room for two or three people to sleep, store gear and hangout comfortably. You could even cook a meal in a pinch if the weather dictated. When I got my CDN M101 trailer, I then considered a RTT after doing a little reasearch.

A17B36D5-3D0B-4DFC-B21F-998F18E1657A.jpeg

61A50DD9-90DC-46D9-88C0-A6CD7CC5F7EF.jpeg
**pictured is my old standard Tepui Kukenam RTT

I consider my RTT as my camping bedroom. It is by far the most comfortable I have ever slept in the field, but it does require a little tweaking. In addition to the 2” sleeping pad in the RTT, we add a feather bed mattress topper, flannel sheets, full sized pillows and comforters. The platform ensures you always sleep on a flat surface and you only have to make sure the trailer is level. But even with a Tepui Kukenam XL, the tent is limited by its size. The footprint can comfortably sleep three, but headroom is certainly limited. You can change in a RTT, but it can be a challenge.

A35A329E-CA91-43CB-99F7-0522DB442332.jpeg

If you are planning on using only a RTT, it’s basically the equivalent of using a backpacking tent...an extremely comfortable and relatively expensive backpacking tent. Because of the limitations of the RTT, we always bring at least a pop-up canopy. Sometimes we even bring the ground tent for extended trips. As I’ve said previously, the RTT is the bedroom and the ground tent is storage/changing room, etc,

C57B84DF-15CD-458C-BB62-034437095F2F.jpeg
 
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Chris Owens

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We just installed a rtt today. The primary reason is because we have two toddlers. We used to have a bed box in the back of our van, but we need the space in the van for traveling comfort. I have spent many nights camping in ground tents and they have always worked well. The lure of the rtt is the ultra quick setup and take down and not needing a trailer. If we ever need more of a basecamp as the kids get older I can always move to a trailer set up. As a bonus...the kids immediately loved it because its like a fort on top of the van. They like being up high. I think for a family like ours it is the right choice.
 
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AZBubs

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Sooo, Stayed at Jumbo Rocks in Joshua Tree Sunday night. It was insanely windy. When we woke up in the morning there were tents in the garbage and people slept in their vehicles or flat out left. OzTent was as solid as the surrounding rocks. IMG_2191.JPG


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MOAK

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This is a great topic for anyone considering one or the other. At 65 and 62 years of age we don't relish the thought of getting up and down a ladder in the middle of the night, nor being cooped up in really adverse weather conditions. We also are basecamp people. Set up and either go exploring in the rig or on foot. Enjoy an area for 2, 3 or more days and move on. Our first good ground tent was the REI Kingdom 6 and after getting through 3 straight days of constant downpours, (ie RMNP circa 2015) and because we do a lot of cold weather camping we decided on something that was truly a 3 season tent, and big enough to live in if the need arises because of really adverse weather conditions. We decided upon OZtent's Jettent25x. With two people, we can have it off the rack and deployed in a matter of minutes and another 15 to 20 minutes to get everything staked out. If we use the awning add another ten minutes. So fully ready to toss our gear in in about a half an hour. Tear down and pack-up is roughly the same. It is a heavy canvass tent, however with the aid of our Little Buddy heater we have stayed nice and warm in 10 to 15 degree weather. All of this equals a very positive review on a fine product. Any of the OZtent line of tents is over the top in quality, customer service, and ease of deployment. The price bothered me a bit, but the cost of this tent has long been forgotten...
 

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theMightyGoose

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This is a great topic for anyone considering one or the other. At 65 and 62 years of age we don't relish the thought of getting up and down a ladder in the middle of the night, nor being cooped up in really adverse weather conditions. We also are basecamp people. Set up and either go exploring in the rig or on foot. Enjoy an area for 2, 3 or more days and move on. Our first good ground tent was the REI Kingdom 6 and after getting through 3 straight days of constant downpours, (ie RMNP circa 2015) and because we do a lot of cold weather camping we decided on something that was truly a 3 season tent, and big enough to live in if the need arises because of really adverse weather conditions. We decided upon OZtent's Jettent25x. With two people, we can have it off the rack and deployed in a matter of minutes and another 15 to 20 minutes to get everything staked out. If we use the awning add another ten minutes. So fully ready to toss our gear in in about a half an hour. Tear down and pack-up is roughly the same. It is a heavy canvass tent, however with the aid of our Little Buddy heater we have stayed nice and warm in 10 to 15 degree weather. All of this equals a very positive review on a fine product. Any of the OZtent line of tents is over the top in quality, customer service, and ease of deployment. The price bothered me a bit, but the cost of this tent has long been forgotten...
I like those too. The only reason we didn’t get one is their weight and size when folded up. But it would be worth it when you get to camp!


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Road

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Sooo, Stayed at Jumbo Rocks in Joshua Tree Sunday night. It was insanely windy. When we woke up in the morning there were tents in the garbage and people slept in their vehicles or flat out left. OzTent was as solid as the surrounding rocks. View attachment 54085
I've got the RV-5 and can vouch for the same steadfastness in high winds. Folks around me had tents collapsing and main poles break in the middle of the night. They stopped by in the morning, amazed that I slept through the night without problem. Love my OZTent. I have the front sidewalls and now the front wall, too, so it like a large tent with an enclosed patio. Hooks right to the edge of my Bundutec awning.
 

HappyOurOverlanding

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This is a great topic for anyone considering one or the other. At 65 and 62 years of age we don't relish the thought of getting up and down a ladder in the middle of the night, nor being cooped up in really adverse weather conditions. We also are basecamp people. Set up and either go exploring in the rig or on foot. Enjoy an area for 2, 3 or more days and move on. Our first good ground tent was the REI Kingdom 6 and after getting through 3 straight days of constant downpours, (ie RMNP circa 2015) and because we do a lot of cold weather camping we decided on something that was truly a 3 season tent, and big enough to live in if the need arises because of really adverse weather conditions. We decided upon OZtent's Jettent25x. With two people, we can have it off the rack and deployed in a matter of minutes and another 15 to 20 minutes to get everything staked out. If we use the awning add another ten minutes. So fully ready to toss our gear in in about a half an hour. Tear down and pack-up is roughly the same. It is a heavy canvass tent, however with the aid of our Little Buddy heater we have stayed nice and warm in 10 to 15 degree weather. All of this equals a very positive review on a fine product. Any of the OZtent line of tents is over the top in quality, customer service, and ease of deployment. The price bothered me a bit, but the cost of this tent has long been forgotten...
Nice set up. I understand the need at our age to not want to go up and down a ladder at night. But hey...I call it early morning exercise. LOL. I use a hard shell RTT which I call 'a room with a rooftop view. [emoji41]

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Lindenwood

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".... being like a boat owner.... "

I wonder if there are products that could attach to rock sliders and use as stabilizer jacks for people with RTT's on their rigs? I think there are some for hitches... but for the side to side stuff the rock sliders would be a great spot.... maybe even simply a bottle jack on each side? Hmmmmm.....
I think the "boat owner" reference was only a nod to the stereotype of people spending a chunk of money on a boat only to hardly use it and find it more of a hassle than a pleasure.

I generally don't like the idea of an RTT. As others have said, I cite mobility and a reluctance to put a RTT on a daily driver (for mileage, security, and fitting in my garage). Plus, I like sleeping with my dogs. Thus, we sleep in the vehicle; my wife and I sleep comfortably with our three dogs in either of our rigs. Of course, we now have a new baby so the organization may have to change a bit, but I have a few ideas.

I honestly hate sleeping in ground tents, but I think that is mostly due to the horror movies I grew up watching. It always feels like the worst combination of visibility and security :P . I'd bundle up under a tarp or, ideally, in a hammock, before sleeping in a ground tent again.

But again, that might all change with kids haha.

Great thread for someone on the fence!
 
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Plisken

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While I like the idea of a RTT, I think there are enough drawbacks that I have not purchased one yet. The big thing standing in my way is convenience. My vehicle is also my daily driver and I have to take everything off (including CB and ham antennas) to fit in a garage. I have limited storage space and my overland vehicle lives outside all year as it is (three motorcycles and my wife's car fill our small garage). That means I have to heft a RTT up and down off the roof for every trip; it just isn't practical. If I had a dedicated overlander that I could park inside with the tent on, I might change my tune.

The other reason I have not gone with a RTT is space. I currently have my OEM rack with a cargo tray made by MaxTerra, it's fantastic for lightweight gear like folding tables, chairs, etc. I also have an insert to carry four fuel cans for extended trips. With a RTT, none of that is available and the fuel is the biggest loss.

Another option is doing a small off road trailer with a RTT mounted on it at about mid-chest height. This would get me a modular solution that could move from my current vehicle to another if I ever upgrade without having to buy a new rack. I like the idea of sleeping off the ground, but I've always been fine with ground tents before or sleeping in the back of the vehicle.
Nice, this is the exact spot I am in at the moment. Motorcycles in garage with wife's car and my DD overland rig in the driveway. I've been leaning towards the RTT but the truck topper choices to reliably support it are few without customization and then there is the issue with leaving a loaded rig in the driveway or wherever it gets parked. I have been sleeping on the ground or in ground tents all of my life. Everything from rolled up in a tarp, bivy bag, solo tent, family tent, etc. Our current setup is a large REI Kingdom 6 ground tent with cots for the 3 of us. It is perfectly sized for use with the cots allowing enough room to stand/change etc in the center of the tent (cots wrap around three sides) for us but plenty comfy and easy to setup. I worry a bit about being in an open area with really high winds which we get plenty of but so far, so good. I don't want the cost of a pop-up camper or the hassle of a trailer at this point. The base camp consideration is big for us too as we go places where we need to drive or be mobile but return to the same location to camp. The OzTent is looking really good as a potential upgrade at the moment. I'l be watching this thread...
 

Michael Grookett

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Have you switched from a RTT to a ground tent? Started out with a ground tent, went to a RTT, found out you didn’t like it and went back to the ground? Or, the other way around? Do you regret buying one? Are they mostly just a gimmicky thing? It’s okay, you can tell us the truth.


Sometimes after spending a lot of money on something we’re reluctant to confess to making a mistake. We’ve heard some RTT owners, in private, tell us it’s like being a boat owner; the two best days are the day they buy it and the day they sell it.

We’re currently working on a video project that will be a comprehensive guide to choosing the “correct for you” Roof Top Tent. Since quality ones aren’t cheap, our goal is to have an honest discussion on their practicality and convenience.


Throughout the next six months we’ll be talking to fellow Overlanders at events across the country about their tents, why they picked the ones they did, pros & cons, etc. We would very much like to hear from you too, our OB Forum Friends!


What brought on the idea is our inability to make up our own minds if a RTT is right for us. So, we’d like to take our viewers along on our quest to find the answer. We’re sure we’re not alone in making this decision. Our hope is our video will help others too.


In the video we could have a segment where we would read some of your responses and opinions. Yes, you can remain anonymous. If you do have helpful opinions and experiences and are willing to be a small part of the video we’d love to hear from you. We could maybe do a video chat or phone call or even better, maybe our paths may cross someplace in the next six months or so.


So, let’s talk about it………………….
New to the forum and this is my first post. 5th year of owning a RTT (Tepui Gran Savana) and I would not go back to a ground tent. Have used it in all season and Love it. First mounted on an 2007 FJ Cruiser and now on a Ram 1500.
 

trikebubble

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I have no interest in sleeping in a tent anymore. Not since I was much younger. I sold our Xterra and rooftop tent last year for something with a few more creature comforts, but last year we had a great overnight reminder as to why I won;t sleep in a tent on the ground anymore.
A little kittie came snooping around in the middle of the night. Left his dirty footprints up on the Xterra to let us know he stopped by for a visit.
 

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