Nice ground tent vs cheap rtt?

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Montero overland

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233
Visalia, California, USA
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Sean
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Smith
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I’m having a really hard time trying to decide between a gazelle t4 overland edition or a knock off rtt from a dude in LA. I come from the ground tent side of things and I have everything I need to set up a comfortable ground setup. But the ease that you get out of the rtt seems ideal for moving almost everyday while traveling. What do you guys think? What do you think about the gazelle tents?
 

Wlfhntr

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Gibraltar, Michigan, USA
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Randy
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Krause
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I went with the Gazelle T4 and have been happy with it. I don’t really care for the rtt, just my preference. I don’t care for the weight up top if I can avoid it.
 
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BluegrassOverlander

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Madisonville, KY, USA
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Kevin
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Brown
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Been using the T4 for a while now in multiple terrains and seasons with no problems. One thing I like at times over a rtt is if I'm not looking to change camp locations but still want to hit some trails, I don't have to pack everything up to do so. On the other hand, weather at times has made me think about a rtt.
 

Shokgoblr

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Goblr
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The style/cut of the gazelle tent fly is a no go for me.
Not near enough coverage for the type of rain I am always caught in. SIngle wall tent fabrics sweat and bead- even my Hille sweats and beads.
I would look at a better ground tent like a Big Agnes, MSR or Hilleburg if your spending RTT money.
However, I appreciate the Memory foam mattress and being off the ground in flooding conditions (which the RTT just saved me from in NH) of my roof top tent.
 

Mhobbes

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60
Vermont, USA
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M
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Hobbes
I’m having a really hard time trying to decide between a gazelle t4 overland edition or a knock off rtt from a dude in LA. I come from the ground tent side of things and I have everything I need to set up a comfortable ground setup. But the ease that you get out of the rtt seems ideal for moving almost everyday while traveling. What do you guys think? What do you think about the gazelle tents?
I don't own a Gazelle, but good friend who I travel with has one and they are great. I thing the phrase "knock-off rtt" says it all, sounds like it would end up being a hassle. Gazelles are very easy to set-up and take-down, so unless you are getting a hard-sided rtt, the Gazelle is probably easier and quicker.
 
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PapaDave

Local Expert Northern ID and North East WA
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Coeur d'Alene, ID, USA
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Dave
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It all depends on what your end goal is, I really like my iKamper rooftop tent which is pricey, but I use it all the time. If you aren’t going to use something too often then I would say go with the quality one that is cheaper. In this case that would be the gazelle tent, but if you think you’ll use it all the time then the rooftop tent might be worth the price. My iKamper sets up in 30 seconds literally, and takes me about a minute and a half to break down. I have camped a lot with Gazelle owners and they do set up and tear down very quickly, BUT they still have to roll up sleeping bags, deal with the dirty tarp that was under the tent, pull out stakes things like that. Gazelles are awesome but they definitely are not very compact when closed up so you’ll need to find a spot to put it as well. The weight of a rooftop tent for me is worth the trade off as I can keep my sleeping bags and PJ’s in the tent and simply close it up. Because it is a hard shell and breaks down easily it’s not that big of a deal if I’m returning to the same spot later that day.

So there’s a lot to factor in that goes beyond just a tent but how you will use it, interact with it, live in it, store it etc. I personally have had a soft top RTT and I did not like it, I will never go back, hard shell is definitely the way to go. I find that the easier things are to do the more often I will likely do them. I’ve had so many nights out on the trail that setting up camp is not usually a joy for me so I make it as easy and fast as possible :-)D688B2FE-EDBE-40EB-9DB1-A47E3A2DD10F.jpeg
 

Mhobbes

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60
Vermont, USA
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M
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Hobbes
Thanks for the info everyone. I’m going to go with the gazelle t4 overland edition since it comes with the thicker walls and waterproof bags. Hopefully I’ll be able to get it in quickly and try it out soon!!
Great - let us know how you like it, I've been thinking of picking up a Gazelle since they introduced the overland version.
 
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