Roots66,
I see a lot of people mention price, but compared to options like a Kodiak Canvas or Oztent, rooftop tents aren't that far off. I can find Tepui Ayer 2 Ultralite and Smittybilt Overlander tents for ~$800. Compared to ~$500 for a Kodiak or ~$700+ for an Oztent, I'm looking at somewhere between a $100-300 difference between a ground tent and a rooftop tent. Don't get me wrong, $300 is still $300, but if I'm dropping $500, I don't think I'm going to let my decision be swayed solely by a few hundred dollars.
The Kodiak intrigues me though. It appears their tents could actually fit in my roof basket, where the Oztent and Gazelle tents would not. How long do you think it takes you to set up your Kodiak? Thanks!
Correct. A high priced ground tent can be close to, or the same as, a low priced RTT. And yes, for me price was a factor, but not THE factor. My decision to go with a ground tent was due to:
1) Room - I just could not fit a queen & twin air mattress in a RTT, let alone have room to also walk around, be able to easily change clothes, sit and eat, or even stand upright.
2) Accessibility - The ground tent has 2 full size doors and no ladder required, which makes it easy for people and stuff (said mattresses, table, storage, clothes, etc.) to go in/out of. Plus, we are both in our 50's and ladders just aren't that fun anymore. Especially at 0-dark-30 when you have to go pee. FYI - you can keep a toilet bucket in a ground tent at night and never have to venture out when nature calls.
3) Setup - As easy as it is to set up a RTT, it's still part of the vehicle. Thus, any time you want to venture out and explore (which is why we go), you have to close everything up and take it with you.
4) Storage - My truck is not just a dedicated rig, it's my daily driver. I use it for going to work, shopping, taking the family places, towing and hauling lumber/feed/rocks/plants/dirt/cargo/equipment, etc. Thus, I cannot just leave a RTT on my truck all the time. Storage location is not really a problem as I can probably rig up something in the barn. However, I can take my ground tent and easily store it in the garage with the rest of the equipment where it will stay dry and safe from pests.
As for set up, from the time I take it out of the my truck bed toolbox (what I transport it in) to ready to use is maybe 2 minutes alone. 90 seconds with 2 people. Here is a video of the setup.
