Hey there, Brian - welcome to the madness. Good on ya for coaching youth. That's an important part of many kid's experience.
Here's a whole slew of info based on my experience of being just where you are now in considering RTT options, though years ago. Pick-n-choose what might apply.
I'm way Northeast on the coast of Maine for now, though have hauled my trailer and hard shell RTT all over North America for years; from the forests and lake shores of New England and the mountains of east Tennessee, to the bayous and swamps deep in Cajun country of southern Louisiana, to both high and low deserts of the borderlands along the Mexican border.
I've slept in mine over 650 nights in a wide variety of climates and situations, from sub-freezing to blistering desert heat, and would not trade it for the world.
It has simply been the most comfortable, convenient, easiest to deploy and stow back away, and durable sleeping quarters I've
ever had for adventuring, bar none.
Here's a few points to consider:
I think the more you dig you'll find that many of the hardshell RTTs out there right now are quite similar, and many are actually branded differently though built in the same several (few?) factories in China.
There are a few solid wedge RTT mfgs now in the US, though if you want a full pop-up hardshell (they provide a ton more head and foot room - which can make a major difference if extended stay, base camping, or traveling with another), you can pretty much take your pick based on pricing, size, and features. Many are almost indentical, really.
Maggiolina were the originators of the hardshell popup RTT decades ago in Italy; often sold under AutoHome now if I recall correctly, though since then there have been a ton of imitators, many of which are very serviceable and long-lasting. You really can't go wrong with a solid hard shell of decent quality and good fabric.
I think everyone else and their mother is getting into selling RTTs right now, from ARB and FrontRunner and everyone else.
Bundutec has a really super RTT, and though heavier, and expensive, is the only one I know of that has an auto-deploy 360 awning below the upper half-shell.
You just have to see what's out there, is available in your price range, area, and time-frame, and check them out in person when you can.
** That's actually more crucial than anything, really; crawl around, in, over and underneath as many as you can in person, whether at an Expo or rally or a friend's, and see for yourself what feels right for your situation.
Check the lift struts and sewn seams, zippers and screens, see what awnings over openings you want, what kind of latches they use, etc.
Most, not all, of them use rather inexpensive 3" foam padding for a mattress with a simple fitted sheet cover. That's all I have in mine, and with a doubled over comforter from home on top, but under my sleeping gear, has been plenty comfortable and warm, even in freezing temps.
After a ton of research into various styles of RTTs (soft-shell, hard-shell, wedge, DIY, etc) and vendors, I settled on a used hard shell that had been a prototype of sorts. I've had it for four years. I'm typically an extended-stay long-term traveler - when I go out I'm usually gone for months.
Don't think you have to buy new. I bought mine for around half-price or less, used, from a fellow who used it for a long trip with his son, then sold it to me. There is a lot of terrific used gear out there right now.
You also don't really need--depending on your level of self-sufficiency and experience--to worry too much about all-weather capabilities. A lot of it is the same as if you were in a ground tent. In my experience, it's more about your choice of sleeping gear.
I've found with mine I'm comfortable in all types of weather just by modifying my ventilation and amount of sleeping gear. Though if I was going to do a long run of sub-freezing camping in the northern forests of Canada, for example, running through Labrador and northern Quebec, I might consider an insulating blanket for the interior walls. I sure have not needed it yet, though, in all the time I've used it, and I've used it a lot.
Here's mine, in a variety of environments:
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Good luck in your search for just the right RTT for you. Don't hesitate to reach out if I can be of any help in future. I'm often off-line and away or wicked busy with other projects, but will check in as I can.
~ Road
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Roaddude - Traveling Photographer/Writer/Artist On the Road In North America. Gear, reviews, people, places, and culture.
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