Roof top tent vs ground tent
- Thread starter stoney126
- Start date
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- camping ground tent roof tent
Enthusiast III
Advocate I
There is a big difference between a 2 door and a 4dr unlimited when it comes to the trailer or no trailer decision. You almost NEED a trailer with a 2 door anyways so I agree that for you its a priority. The tent takes most of the roof on a 2 dr. However I can fit pretty much everything a trailer can hold, inside my JKU for heavy stuff, and there is still plenty of room on the roof for my cargo basket for the lighter stuff with the tent up there. These things don't way nothing really so high CG isn't an issue, you just need to be aware of it on trails. I don't even know the RTT is up there when driving and I have a 3" Teraflex Suspension Lift and 35's to boot so it sits even higher. I will get my rig and my RTT in places trailers may struggle.
Oh and I really cant believe you used "fuel economy" and "Jeep" in the same conversation... im not going there...LOL
Enthusiast III
- 684
- First Name
- Matt
- Last Name
- Beglinger
- Member #
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2881
Advocate I
Im a cheapskate. I built that rack outta 1 1/4 light wall pipe. The complete rack base cost me about $120 , some time and some weld wire. 
Advocate I
Im a cheapskate so I built that rack with 1 1/4" pipe, some time and some weld wire.
Benefactor
For years I went back and forth over getting a RTT. I just could never justify it enough to make it happen. Height clearances, not just on the trail, but parking lots, etc. were a concern. Wind drag, higher CoG yadda, yadda are always the same no matter what. The bigger concern was mounting it if I got it. My rack is 48" center to center on the tubing. None of the RTT's I looked at would fit between them, so that meant either mounting it even higher on rails on the rack, or cutting one of the sides and putting it on a hinge. It sounds trick, but I didn't really want to butcher a nice Safety Devices rack. And I REALLY didn't want to have to buy a different rack so I could buy a RTT.
I wanted to have the option of removing it, but it wasn't practical. I didn't have anywhere to store it and wouldn't have anyone to help remove it if I did have space. A friend had the best setup. He would pull into the garage, unbolt the RTT from the rack and use a small atv winch to hoist it off. It would hang there, out of the way, until it was needed again.
If you travel with a bunch of rigs kitted with RTTs and have a small camp site, you will be figuring out which tent folds out which way. Folding out to the side of the vehicle effectively uses up 2 spaces. I always wanted zero additional footprint and would have had the tent fold out over the hood. The ladder could be shorter that way and hook onto the front bumper. You could use a case or something as a step to get onto the bumper from the ground. But, this means you'd have to figure how far forward the tent will have to be so the angle of the ladder is good enough to support the weight properly.
I'm used to carrying things on the rack at this point. Mounted dual jerry can holder. Camp kitchen. Now that I have a Skottle, I'm more inclined to start bringing the case with me. Firewood. It would be tough to loose all that space to a tent.
I wanted to have the option of removing it, but it wasn't practical. I didn't have anywhere to store it and wouldn't have anyone to help remove it if I did have space. A friend had the best setup. He would pull into the garage, unbolt the RTT from the rack and use a small atv winch to hoist it off. It would hang there, out of the way, until it was needed again.
If you travel with a bunch of rigs kitted with RTTs and have a small camp site, you will be figuring out which tent folds out which way. Folding out to the side of the vehicle effectively uses up 2 spaces. I always wanted zero additional footprint and would have had the tent fold out over the hood. The ladder could be shorter that way and hook onto the front bumper. You could use a case or something as a step to get onto the bumper from the ground. But, this means you'd have to figure how far forward the tent will have to be so the angle of the ladder is good enough to support the weight properly.
I'm used to carrying things on the rack at this point. Mounted dual jerry can holder. Camp kitchen. Now that I have a Skottle, I'm more inclined to start bringing the case with me. Firewood. It would be tough to loose all that space to a tent.
Our old set up was a RTT , we loved it at first camping above the ground feels really good , you can get great views from bed and with the right mattress it can be super comfy . After a while and a few 2 week plus trips I got sick of getting covered head to toe in dirt and dust just setting and packing it up .
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My Tepui Kukenam Ruggedized works great with my Smittybilt SRC rack. I centered it on all three so it's more sturdy. Tepui originally had it on the back two and it kept rattling. Also since installing the RTT with the rack, 35" tires and lifted 2.5" I can just clear 8'2" parking garages.
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Look at the bushnell from walmart.
I was out with friends and one had the Ozark trail ( he actually bought it on the way to the first campsite ). I was impressed enough that long weekend that I started searching around and found the Bushnell easyup tents. After using it pretty hard I am sold. We rode out a storm that when all calmed down half the campers and trailers had fled (smart, maybe not) and only maybe 1/2 a cup of water had made its way in.
3 of my buddies now have this same tent, even the one who first bought the O.T.
Advocate I
I like the Tepui's, very nice tents. We were all set to buy one until I hit a deal I could not pass on a CVT and we love it. With the lift and all yes, the rigs get tall. When we originally built my roof rack we cut it too close and I could not remove the freedom tops so I cut it apart and offset the fore and aft rails up higher and rewelded it. Sucked because we just missed the height originally by only 3/8"...lol.
Advocate I
And hence the reason I am done sleeping on the ground...too old for water games...lol
Advocate I
Nice rig
Our old set up was a RTT , we loved it at first camping above the ground feels really good , you can get great views from bed and with the right mattress it can be super comfy . After a while and a few 2 week plus trips I got sick of getting covered head to toe in dirt and dust just setting and packing it up .
Does anyone have any experience with an Oztent brand ground tent? I can't go for a RTT for reasons listed before (no where to store, no one to help load/unload...) and feel that the Oztent with cots might eliminate most the "issues" people have with ground tents.
Pathfinder II
Love my RV-4...cots make a huge difference, but it is more gear to pack. The other thing to keep in mind, most vehicles will require you pack at least the tent on a roof rack, if you're going to carry any passengers. I have a friend who's packed an RV4 in his D90, but he couldn't pack any people.
They are a lot lighter than a RTT, -40lbs, so you can load/unload by yourself.
The extra panels aren't necessary, but definitely extend covered living space. But it adds to your total cost.
I also lay a tarp below before I put the tent up, which does go up w/ 1 person in - 1.5 min. Canopy and guy lines take a bit more time...
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Do you feel the RV-4 is roomie enough for 2 cots and a path down the center?
Also, what seasons have you used yours in?
Thanks in advance for all the answers.
Pathfinder II
Definitely, space in middle is also more than enough for the dog. I've only had mine for 2 seasons, light use. Still looks new.
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I have a 4Runner. But I almost bought a JK. The main driver behind the JK was the AT Overland JK Habitat. That RTT is so badass in its simplicity of open and close. The ability to deploy or store in like 1 minute is awesome! I'll always be jealous when I see those rigs!
Not sure anything would have kept that out. But I do understand the age thing better than I used to.
Advocate I
Yeah my brain tells me im 25 and the body reminds me that I am not ! I think the biggest RTT advantage for me is the tent don't touch the earth. Lets face it, tent placement is a crap shoot and you don't always get good ground conditions and I just HATE cleaning tent bottoms with the damp grass , dirt, or mud , BUGS or beach sand stuck to it...done it too many times. The RTT is the same ground condition everytime. The next biggest advantage is that my gal feels more secure up off the ground and every cricket does not sound like a grizzly so she can sleep better which means I can sleep better...lol
