Roof Top Tent (RTT) Questions

[Randun]

SUPERLITE ROOF TENT – Go Fast Campers

gofastcampers.com

These things are light and VERY inexpensive. And from a well know company

Thank you so much for your time and your help!

I have seen those and have heard great things about them.

Have you heard any negatives regarding these types of RTTs?

 

[Randun]

Wow 80lbs, that is freakin lightweight!

Agreed. They are really light compared to some of the other ones that I have been looking at.

 

[rgallant]

@Randun there have been some quality control issues with their previous offerings, I would do some online research to set your mind at ease

 

[RoarinRow]

Agreed. They are really light compared to some of the other ones that I have been looking at.

I was searching YouTube and this RTT was in the top 10 for RTT picks for 2021. I haven't seen any pictures of the inside of it or how it even attaches to the roof rails/rack.

 

[Randun]

Weight does matter as a well has how many are sleeping in the tent, I have a Tepui Ayer 2 man and it is all of 95 lbs some the bigger tents getup 130-150 as mentioned. There is also the issue of size a hard shell will use your entire roof for the most part.

Here is an image of the 3 options:

A James Bourd knock off, my Tepui and Triangle opening on the White defender. Cost goes up pretty fast the Tepui was 1200.00 CDN the one on the Defender was about 4500 and the JB knock off about 2100 Cdn. Roof rack or load bars are an additional cost.

The clamshells are also higher when closed up

Setup and take down on the hard shells about 5 to 7 minutes , 15 for me but I am fussy about getting everything tucked nice.

Best thing as noted park and sleep anywhere, this is an unused dead end logging road, we ran out of day light and called a day for safety. The 2 people in ground tents took 30 minutes to setup, trying clear rock and find a spot that would stay non-muddy in rain.

Thank you so much for getting back to me, for your opinions, and for this beautiful picture!! What an amazing group you travel with.

For the most part I will have two people in the tent, on an occasion I will have a child too. So I guess 3 people max in the tent.

Thank you for your opinions on the hard shell type tents too. They do take up the whole roof line don't they? However, I just really like the ease of set up on them. I have really been looking at Tuff Stuff Overland's RTTs. Have you heard of them? These are the two that I have been looking at from them:

Alpha II Hardshell Rooftop Tent, ABS, 2 Person, Black

The Tuff Stuff Alpha II is the new hybrid side opening rooftop tent that's sure to change the roof top tent game. The ALPHA II can be set up in under a minute..

tuffstuff4x4.com

and

Alpha Hardshell Rooftop Tent, ABS, 2-3 Person, Black

The Tuff Stuff Alpha is the hybrid side opening rooftop tent that's sure to change the roof top tent game. The ALPHA can be set up in under 2 minute and...

tuffstuff4x4.com

Also, thank you so much for your opinon on being able to drive and sleep anywhere. That is one of the main factors that is pushing me towards getting one.

 

[Randun]

@Randun there have been some quality control issues with their previous offerings, I would do some online research to set your mind at ease

Thank you so much for your opinion.

I have been doing a lot of research on RTTs online. Maybe a little too much. ;)

Which brand have you heard that has had some quality control issues?

 

[Randun]

I was searching YouTube and this RTT was in the top 10 for RTT picks for 2021. I haven't seen any pictures of the inside of it or how it even attaches to the roof rails/rack.

Thank you so much for your post. I really appreciate it.

Have you heard and pros or cons regarding RTTs?

 

[rgallant]

@Randun Not really they are all over the place, the simplest is pick a brand and model you like then research it. It worked well for me.

 

[RoarinRow]

Thank you so much for your post. I really appreciate it.

Have you heard and pros or cons regarding RTTs?

There are plenty here and at YouTube. It all depends on the make and model the people have purchased and for what platform they are using it on. Most cons are price, setup especially for soft RTTs, etc.

 

[The_blu_gecko]

I purchased a Mt Rainier from CVT. It is a bit heavy at 175lbs but it is a California king size and sleeps 3 of us and our 2 dogs fine. One is a wiener dog and the other is a shepherd lab cross. We haven’t had it long but it seems to be strong enough. Just make sure your racks support the weight also.
My pros:
Off the ground.
Easy to set up and take down.(takes me about 10 min both ways and I have a soft one).
Very comfortable bed. (I like it better than my purple mattress, this will also depend on brand you get).
Lots of ventilation.
Very durable.
Has a nice annex with flooring (depends on brand and model)
Can fold your bedding up in it.
Bonus is all the storage space you have under the tent in the bed of your truck because you don’t have to store a tent or bedding.

Cons:
Price.
Setting up and taking down if you need to run into town or leave camp to travel somewhere l.e. A hike away from camp.
Taking it off when not in use if on your primary vehicle.
Have to purchase racks. (These usually don’t come with the tent and can run $500 and up.
Instructions can be basic and explain just the setup and not all the options you got with the tent.

All in all I like my tent. I have it 7” off of my bed, but also have the option to put it on my cab if I want up higher. I would say, if you camp quite a bit and want to get away from crowds, then it’s worth the money. But if you camp a couple of times a yr then not worth the purchase imo.
Hope this helped.

 

[Trail_pilot]

I used to bring a rooftop tent mounted to a trailer to events I was driving my Jeep too. Nice thing was I could set up and drop it for the weekend and wheel the jeep. But I really find it awkward to get in and out of and have fallen off the ladder getting out of it in the morning. It's just not for me anymore. Good thing the company provided it and I wasn't out of pocket to find out I don't like them.

 

[Randun]

@Randun Not really they are all over the place, the simplest is pick a brand and model you like then research it. It worked well for me.

That is what I will do.

Thank you so much for your opinions.

 

[Randun]

There are plenty here and at YouTube. It all depends on the make and model the people have purchased and for what platform they are using it on. Most cons are price, setup especially for soft RTTs, etc.

All great points.

Thank you so much for your opinions. I really appreciate it.

 

[RoarinRow]

All great points.

Thank you so much for your opinions. I really appreciate it.

In fact, I was just watching this last night on YouTube.

 

[Randun]

I purchased a Mt Rainier from CVT. It is a bit heavy at 175lbs but it is a California king size and sleeps 3 of us and our 2 dogs fine. One is a wiener dog and the other is a shepherd lab cross. We haven’t had it long but it seems to be strong enough. Just make sure your racks support the weight also.
My pros:
Off the ground.
Easy to set up and take down.(takes me about 10 min both ways and I have a soft one).
Very comfortable bed. (I like it better than my purple mattress, this will also depend on brand you get).
Lots of ventilation.
Very durable.
Has a nice annex with flooring (depends on brand and model)
Can fold your bedding up in it.
Bonus is all the storage space you have under the tent in the bed of your truck because you don’t have to store a tent or bedding.

Cons:
Price.
Setting up and taking down if you need to run into town or leave camp to travel somewhere l.e. A hike away from camp.
Taking it off when not in use if on your primary vehicle.
Have to purchase racks. (These usually don’t come with the tent and can run $500 and up.
Instructions can be basic and explain just the setup and not all the options you got with the tent.

All in all I like my tent. I have it 7” off of my bed, but also have the option to put it on my cab if I want up higher. I would say, if you camp quite a bit and want to get away from crowds, then it’s worth the money. But if you camp a couple of times a yr then not worth the purchase imo.
Hope this helped.

What a great review! Thank you so much for your time and for your opinions. I really appreciate it.

You brought up some great points. Some of them I have been thinking about and some of them I have not even thought about. Thank you so much for all of your content!

Your rig and your tent set up is stunning! What a happy camping family you must have!

I am really thinking of getting one. I am someone who camps a lot and I think a RTT would be a great addition to my program.

 

[Randun]

I used to bring a rooftop tent mounted to a trailer to events I was driving my Jeep too. Nice thing was I could set up and drop it for the weekend and wheel the jeep. But I really find it awkward to get in and out of and have fallen off the ladder getting out of it in the morning. It's just not for me anymore. Good thing the company provided it and I wasn't out of pocket to find out I don't like them.

Thank you so much for your opinions!

I have thought about exactly what you are talking about regarding getting in and out of the tent. Especially in the middle of the night!

You are so lucky that your company provided you with a RTT to try out. I wish! You must work in a fun environment! Congrats on that!

 

[Randun]

In fact, I was just watching this last night on YouTube.

Great video! I just watched it.

Thank you so much!

 

[The_blu_gecko]

You’re welcome. I would say purchase it then. It will pay for itself. Just in its ability to get where a trailer or rv can’t and the ability to be up and see the land around you. Enjoy this great country. After all that’s what it’s all about. Camp on!

 

[rgallant]

I think I have to agree with @OTHOverlander-ish, I thought about an RTT for 6 months until I did a 5 day trip and decided sleeping the back of my Disco was too much gear to move around each night. Being solo, with a budget and wanting a smaller light weight tent made things a little more difficult but not terribly so.

My Tepui is perfect for me and pretty warm even with a lot of windows open, a must to keep condensation down.

I have no issues with the ladder at night but my night vision is still very good even if my bladder is not

 

[Trail_pilot]

Thank you so much for your opinions!

I have thought about exactly what you are talking about regarding getting in and out of the tent. Especially in the middle of the night!

You are so lucky that your company provided you with a RTT to try out. I wish! You must work in a fun environment! Congrats on that!

Great place for someone with this hobby. Building off road rigs every day. Too bad I had to quit. Relocating to be closer to family so we have some support for our kid since my wife about ready to get back into work.