so I am ready to pull the trigger on an RTT. what do you guys have, and why do you love it. I'm looking in to 23zero, CVT and TEPUI.
Which RTT to buy???
- Thread starter Erick05GX
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Don't have an RTT, but I like Tepui. I've worked with them for their annual TepuiFest for years, and Evan and crew always take care of their customers. They're in Santa Cruz, so fairly local too. Check out the YouTube video in Death Valley in a raging sand storm!!!
That's like $3K after tax/shipping. I am trying to keep it under $2k our the door.
Traveler III
I went with the 23Zero Bundaberg... perfect size... not too small, not too large... only one on the market that size...
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I have a autohome airtop and we love it. 2 min to set up and about 3 or 4 min to put away. I have a buddy who has 2 tepui tents on his Tacoma for his family and he raves about them. He got his at their annual sale in Santa Cruz with huge discounts. You might want to see when they do that if you live anywhere near there. I think it’s usually Memorial Day weekend but I’m not sure.
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I've had a Tepui Kukenam and then upgraded to a ruggedized Kukenam XL. I highly recommend a ruggedized Tepui.
I know,It's pricey.I started out looking at smaller,less expensive options and comparing specs and I like what Tepui has to offer.
As far as size goes,I'd rather have the extra space and not need it,than to not have it and wish I did.
If I go smaller and don't find it adequate,I would take a loss when selling it and replacing it with a different one.It's less expensive in the long run for me to go this route to start with{lol}
It's also going on my Power Wagon,so the physical size and weight isn't as critical as it would be on a smaller/lighter vehicle
We've had our Smittybilt for over two years. I have no complaints. I don't leave anything alone, so I modified the cover straps a bit and swapped their stock extension ladder for a Tepui telescoping ladder, but the tent itself has been a quality item, especially at the bottom-rung price point. I was originally looking at the Tepui Kukenam Sky. It was ~$1,200 at the time. The design is identical to what I ended up getting, but for the same money, I was able to get the RTT and an 8' awning from Smittybilt. Just something to keep in mind.
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OP:
If you have a local REI, keep an eye on their 20% sales. I picked up a new Tepui Kukenam ruggedized for $1,560 and it was shipped to my local store free. Otherwise, cost with shipping would have been just under $2,200.00.
My experience with Tepui customer service has been very good. Passionate people selling a good product. They answer their phones and are responsive.
If you have a local REI, keep an eye on their 20% sales. I picked up a new Tepui Kukenam ruggedized for $1,560 and it was shipped to my local store free. Otherwise, cost with shipping would have been just under $2,200.00.
My experience with Tepui customer service has been very good. Passionate people selling a good product. They answer their phones and are responsive.
Influencer II
What size tent are you looking for? HITents has a great quality tent at a competitive price. They are just as nice(if not nicer) than the CVT Summit Series or Tepui Ruggedized but for a lower price. I have been very happy with the build quality and customer service from the guys at HIT with all the tents and awnings I have seen.
They also just got in a new 6ft long tent as well as their "Scout Series" tents that offer a thinner material and come in at an even lower price point.
Member III
I have the Kukenam ruggidized XL. I love it. This has plenty of room for me and my 3 boys.
Influencer II
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Just bought a Mojave 1400 from Overland Pros and the quality/features for the price is fantastic. The owner of Overland Pros is an active member here and can answer questions too. I am VERY impressed by the tent.
I have a Eezi awn Xklusiv 2200, amazing tent, great size and very warm. Camped out in yellowstone a couple of weeks ago at about 30 degrees through the night with snow. We had 20 degree rated sleeping bags and slept just fine, even left a window open and the back flap as well. I think the only place that sells them in the US is equipt outfitters. Check them out not only for the tent they have some cool stuff on their site and a lot of it is eezi awn which is pretty special in the USA. The tent is definitely pricey with their most economical model coming in at a little over $3500 but they are cool to take a look out nonetheless. Otherwise I would go with Tepui. Definitely the tent I see the most while I am traveling and have never heard bad things about them. Whatever you go with a RTT will definitely bring some spark to your overloading experience, pretty cool being up there. Good luck with your search!
I ordered a Tepui Autana XL Ruggedized last night.
Now I have to decide what rack system I want to mount it on.I'd really like to get a custom one made,but they're quite expensive.I'll probably go with a Thule Xsportster for the time being
Now I have to decide what rack system I want to mount it on.I'd really like to get a custom one made,but they're quite expensive.I'll probably go with a Thule Xsportster for the time being
I've had their Kukenam Sky tent for 3 years and can attest to the wind resistance, we got caught in a windstorm in Utah once and had zero problems. My brother couldn't sleep cause he thought the tent was going to blow off the roof but the tent itself held up fine.
Tepui is local to me so I went with them. I initially wanted a hard shell tent but wasn't sold on the concept of sleeping on the roof and couldn't justify the cost at the time. In hindsight I'm glad I went with a folding tent, they're more spacious inside and take up less room on the roof if you need to carry more gear. I think for the price the quality of the Tepui is on point, not astounding but no slouch either. Their customer service is top notch. My brother was on their kickstarter for their new white lightening tent, production was delayed and they happily lent him a ruggedized kukenam for a Death Valley trip we had planned. Tent ended up being brand new and the even mounted it to his rack for him.
To the OP, where in California are you? If you're anywhere nearby I'd highly recommend giving them a call and stopping by, they've got a warehouse and usually have a rental adventure trailer with a tent setup that you can check out. I've never seen the CVT tents in person but from what I've heard they're on par with Tepui in terms of quality, not sure about their customer service. I had to look up the other brand you mentioned, I can't help there but it bothers me that they don't list a mailing address or a phone number with a local area code.
Someone mentioned REI too, I second that if the sale is right.. local service that way too. I also reccomend getting the anti-condensation mat while you're at it, I've never had the slightest problem with moisture, mold or mildew in my tent with it. Hope that helps.
Not to hijack the post, and I'm sure its been said before....but after watching the video of the sandstorm. How much does a RTT actually move during the night? I'd hate to pull the trigger and buy one and then constantly be shifting and rocking all night.
The t
What people could find annoying is the flippity flap of the tent in the wind, there is more to make noise on a fold out style rtt than your standard ground tent. It doesn't bother me but I can see how it could bother others. I suppose there's always earplugs. Not sure how the hardshell popup rtt fair regarding the noise.
On a side note, we stayed dust free in the rtt. Our friends in a ground tent had a significant amount of sand inside their tent in the morning.
In my experience the tent platform itself is rock solid, it's only going to move if your vehicle is moving. I suppose on smaller rigs that could be an issue but it hasn't been on a Tacoma with factory suspension or lifted 4Runners or a gx470. The fold-out section that overhangs (part with the ladder attached) can get a little movement in it but it's fixed with a guy-line to the wheel or rock slider.
What people could find annoying is the flippity flap of the tent in the wind, there is more to make noise on a fold out style rtt than your standard ground tent. It doesn't bother me but I can see how it could bother others. I suppose there's always earplugs. Not sure how the hardshell popup rtt fair regarding the noise.
On a side note, we stayed dust free in the rtt. Our friends in a ground tent had a significant amount of sand inside their tent in the morning.
appreciate the response. Ive watched plenty of videos and such but, haven't really heard if theyve moved around a lot. I think you just sold me. I am looking at a CVT Mt. Shasta.
It's not the movement you have to worry about when the wind kicks up, it's the noise. I have a Tepui Kukenam Sky and my wife and I got caught in a wind storm in Kansas that had gusts so strong it kept us both up all night. At around 3AM I thought it was possible a tornado was going to develop, but I think a lot of that sense has to do with the whipping and sounds of the canvas when you're inside during a storm. I have no way whatsoever of gauging the gust speeds where we were. When the gusts would hit I really, legitimately thought the tent was going to be badly damaged, but we had the entire tent buttoned up including all flaps with the T ties through their eyelets and the following morning there literally was not a stitch out of place. No damage whatsoever. Even more impressive was that our double boot bag did not blow open. I thought surely our boots would be soaked since there was rain at one point, but both lids of the boot bags were closed when I got out of the tent in the morning. I now have complete confidence that in all but the most heinous of circumstances the tent will be fine. And to be clear, the movement of the tent on the vehicle even with the wind was so slight that I never even noticed it. Again, it was just the noise that bothered me.
