Roof top tent vs ground tent

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

I've never used a roof top tent, so I can't comment, except to say they seem to have a lot of upside (comfort, convenience, ease of set-up/tear down). Regarding ground tents, I like that I can pitch them anywhere, so I'm not limited to where my rig is parked. In addition, depending on who's with me, I can go big or small. I also need my roof rack space for storage, and I'd have to adjust my packing if that space was occupied by a RTT.

Ideally, I think an Oztent would be awesome- I mostly camp w/ my family, and the size, speed and modular nature are very appealing. That said, I have 2 solid 3-season tents (Eureka and Kelty), both in great shape, so it'll likely be a while before I can justify buying another tent of any kind...

 

[AZ_Overland]

With me being a cheap person I ground camp. I do have instant tents though and coat my tents with 303. But spending 3k for a RTT for my family of 4 just isn't something that is in my budget. I can by 20 tents for the price of one RTT and that is a huge factor for me.

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[vegasjeepguy]

I've slept on the ground, I've slept under tarps, I've slept in ground tents on sleeping mats, I've slept on cots and now I sleep in a RTT. If you can afford a RTT I highly recommend it. It is by far the most comfortable sleep I've ever had camping. That's not to say you can't be comfortable in a ground tent, but it seems to be easier in a RTT.

Set up and take down for a RTT is a breeze and you are off the ground keeping it out of the dirt and mud. Folding a RTT is a heck of a lot easier than stuffing a ground tent into its bag. Bedding for the tent stays in the tent. We use comforters and full sized pillows and the tent as a 2" pad. And we are always sleeping on a flat surface with no rocks or roots under us. My RTT is trailer mounted so it's only 4 feet of the ground, but that's high enough to keep us high and dry and pretty secure from anything on the ground. Plus, with it trailer mounted, I can disconnect the vehicle and head out without disturbing my camp.

I loved to back pack and carry everything I needed on my back, but if I'm tailgate camping, which overlanding is, I'll take my RTT everywhere I go. BUT, I will always consider bringing a ground tent for gear, changing room, etc. depending on what we are doing.

 

[Valmore]

I just got a rack so I can get my roof tent

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[1Louder]

If you can afford it an RTT is the way to go. OZ Tent 2nd. They are great if you need to stay on the ground. 3rd and pretty much only good for 1-2 people a straight awning on your truck with the enclosed room added ( of course if you want to go anywhere with your vehicle tear down is required. If I am on the ground I use a cot. Comfortable ones do exist but you have to spend a little bit more. Most trips I use my trailer but for those that I don't I have borrowed an OZTent. I will be getting the room for my awning very soon so I don't have to rely on borrowing the OZ Tent. 4th Coleman Instant Tent was not a horrible option. Affordable but you also have to carry the extra gear like cots. Everyone has different levels of required comfort. When the weather sucks I like being off the ground in my RTT with a heater in the Annex section if need be.

 

[RaggedViking]

Coming from the Auto Rack world - I can give you 100 reasons why you shouldn't use a roof top tent, but they are sooooo convenient and comfortable - especially when they've got those sweet little side rooms that cover the ladder and add extra living space, etc.

Nonetheless, I stick to the ground when I've got the family and hang from the trees in a hammock when I go solo.

 

[Steve]

Merged with existing thread.

 

[pl626]

RTTs are more or less fixed on your vehicle, unless you have it on a trailer, you end up raising you vehicles center of gravity, plus you lose rack space. OzTents are so easy to pack/unpack, plus the standing height and the canopy add to the advantages of an OzTent. You don't need a cot, but it does help.
Now hammocks...I think I need to look into this...


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[ravenplague]

Funny thing about roof top tents is that you are more likely to hurt yourself climbing down the ladder than ever having an encounter with any animal! Australian fact. Also, they are crazy expensive.
Truth is that they have a big cool factor and I think that is why people have them on their rigs year round.

 

[Jaydub514]

I'm dreaming of a James Baroud, but realistically I'm looking at a Ozark Trail easy setup ground tent that some of the guys are going on about from Walmart. Hard to beat for $100!

The other half isn't the most keen on camping at all yet...so we'll see haha!

 

[87comanche]

i'm solo guy myself mostly use a hammock and xl rainfly tied off to my roof rack and tree . an rtt would be nice have but then i would lose the ability to transport my kayak . i also carry a ultralite ground tent in case i'm ever in an area that doesn't have trees . and in severe weather i'll sleep in the camper shell .

 

[Lassen]

RTTs seem interesting. I'm a tent guy now but if I were on a trip where I'm moving each day, an RTT could be beneficial. However I usually set up a base camp and then move out from that currently. I'd have to agree with some of the comments, a RTT on a trailer could be the best overall option for me as, one, allows for base camp; two, keeps CG down on vehicle and; 3, I have concerns with this much weight on my roof. My rack is attached to the thinner steel flat top. My concern is weight of tent and my fat butt on top of that! I've seen pics of similar mountings on top of roof and areas where it has dented the roof. Not good. Now if I had gutters on my car, I'd have no concerns at all!

 

[w_m_photo]

The way I look at it... This all boils down for me to this...
RTT - no RTT...
Happy Wife - Not happy Wife....

 

[ColoradoPacific]

I've seen an RTT set up that you could actually drive away from. Had jacking legs so you could set it up, lift if off, then go exploring with the tent free-standing. Can't imagine how heavy it must've been, but it's a cool concept!

 

[E.J.]

Hey guys. Do those of you with RTT typically leave them attached all year-round or do you take them on and off as needed? If you remove them, how do you go about lifting the tent on and off?

 

[hallry]

Hey guys. Do those of you with RTT typically leave them attached all year-round or do you take them on and off as needed? If you remove them, how do you go about lifting the tent on and off?

I leave mine on year round. Since I have no way of storing off of my jeep. I don't mind it. Plus I camp gear round so it didn't make sense to remove it. It weighs about 100lbs. Tepui installed it with a fork lift.

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[jdunk]

Hey guys. Do those of you with RTT typically leave them attached all year-round or do you take them on and off as needed? If you remove them, how do you go about lifting the tent on and off?

I have to take mine off in the rainy seasons. If water creeps up through the zipper, I'll get mold. Not something I want in my tent.

It's a pain, but it's better than damaging the tent.

If I had a shelter I could park the Jeep, and open the tent up to air it out regularly, I would leave it on. Unfortunately, the only place I have that's consistently dry is my garage. Jeep + RTT = no garage for me.

 

[Scott]

Funny thing about roof top tents is that you are more likely to hurt yourself climbing down the ladder than ever having an encounter with any animal! Australian fact. Also, they are crazy expensive.
Truth is that they have a big cool factor and I think that is why people have them on their rigs year round.

Honestly, I've done the ground tent and now have a rtt. I'll never go back to a ground tent. Ground tents take twice as log to set up, then you need to blow up an air mattress and roll out sleeping bags. With my rtt all my bedding stays in the tent, and the mattress is built in. Total time from park to setup is about 6 minutes, where as with my ground tent it would take me at least 30 minutes to be ready to sleep. I leave my rtt on because it's huge and weighs 186 lbs. I certainly don't want to take it off and on more than I have to.

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[Scott]

I also keep mine on year round but if I get snow I make sure to keep the cover clear and I open the tent asap to air it out. No signs of water intrusion yet

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[vegasjeepguy]

Hey guys. Do those of you with RTT typically leave them attached all year-round or do you take them on and off as needed? If you remove them, how do you go about lifting the tent on and off?

As much as I love my RTT, withou a trailer I am not sure I would've gotten one. The idea of installing a roof rack and mounting a RTT on top of a Jeep TJ creates too many issues with high CG, fuel economy, installation/removal and storage of RTT, etc. However, overlanding in a TJ would be difficult without a trailer due to the limited cargo space, so a trailer was one of my highest priorities. And with a trailer there was no way I wasn't getting a RTT. I guess the bottom line is that a trailer solves all my challenges when it comes to having a RTT.