Defender 110 Broome to Darwin... Oztent RV5 or Roof Top Tent?

[Samblers]

As the title says, we are planning to spend a month exploring Broome to Darwin in our Defender 110, and thinking about how best to equip our mobile selves...

I don't want to tow anything, so we are stuck with what we can fit on the car. We have an older Oztent RV5... which is fine for taking down to Marg River for a few days, but the thought of lugging it on and off the roof rack (2.8m Hannibal) often, as we move from spot to spot, doesn't thrill me. Its heavy, and not nearly so quick to setup once all the extra fruit has to go on.

So i'm curious about recommendations for a rooftop tent, primarily for this trip? Clearly the trip duration doesn't justify a 3-4K spend (ShippShap or similar), however, it doesn't want to be too cheap and nasty either. Good re-sale value could be a consideration.

Any suggestions?

Finally i'm mindful that the trip is up north/ tropics, and the features of a RTT for this region might differ from those of Perth/ down south (our usual stomping grounds) .... something about canvas vs nylon...?

Thanks in advance all, Sam

[trout1105]

A roof top tent does have its advantages in that area because it is cooler to sleep in than a tent/swag as it is above ground which is also a definite advantage in croc country.
They are still a PITA to set up and stow away though and the added wind resistance will also add to your fuel bill as well.
The most annoying thing I usually encounter in that area are the mozzies and bugs at dawn and dusk so having some sort of tent at least gives you somewhere to go to get away from the little blighters.

Have you thought of just getting a cheap little pop up tent to use for the trip as these are much lighter and less bulky than the RV5, They are easy to set up and the money you will save on fuel by not having a rooftop tent fitted will easily cover the $200/$300 purchase cost of one of these tents.

Do you have an awning fitted to your 110?
Having an awning it this area is pretty much a MUST as shade is at a premium and in many areas you can simply chuck your swag under the awning and your camp is set up for the night[thumbsupbig]

Enjoy your trip you will find that the Kimberly is an amazing place[thumbsupbig][bigrolf]

[Phil B]

Don’t get me wrong, RTT’s are great but unless you go upmarket (read expensive):
They are heavy
They are difficult to set up by yourself especially when wet
No matter what anybody says you have to climb onto the roof/ rack to set them up and take them down
Set up is not quick
You don’t have space for much else on the rack
The extra drag is noticeable
I would be surprised if you can’t set up your RV5 quicker
Just my opinion but I would stick with what you have

[Xtreme]

We've toured the Kinderley area twice and never even used a tent - just put a heavy duty 8' x 8' canvas tarp on the ground and rolled out our bedrolls (not swags).
But if you want to be enclosed then I agree with Phil B above, just take the RV5 but forget about "all the fruit"
Remember the KISS principle.

[donh54]

We used swags and the awning for overnights, and set up a tent for the longer stays.

[W&KO]

Swags and awning with RV5 as back up if it rains

[Samblers]

Wow, thats a pretty strong endorsement of the tent/ awning option, thanks for being so decisive guys. Yes the RV5 has its advantages...

- enclosure for the evenings (somewhere to just be)
- we own it already
- we do all fit in it at least
- 22kg not 50kg on the roof, and much lower drag
- can leave it in place when staying multiple nights in a locale

The RTT idea perhaps harks back to the good old days of the 70's kombi with a pop-top - the best/ easiest camping set up bar none... only two people back then though!

So... maybe I consider spending a little money on a decent awning instead (which? hannibal looks good) and a couple of swags... and perhaps a more comfortable camping bed for the adults in the tent.

Really appreciate the above input

[Phil B]

270 deg awnings are really great, quick to set up and give really good coverage.
I’ve got the Darche 270, expensive but great value for money
Watch the cheaper ones, they don’t last
Snowies have got some great videos on their web site

[Tote]

We've had a couple of centre pole tents ever since the kids were old enough to kick out into their own tent. They take up less room than a Oztent and can be had pretty cheaply. One is an Oztrail and the other is a Dune from Anaconda. Both have side pole kits so have a free centre space.

Might be a slightly better option but doesn't have the advantage of you already owning it. [biggrin] We've looked at rooftop tents and the major disadvantage for us is if you are staying somewhere for a few days you have to set it up every night regardless where you can just leave your normal tent pitched and come home to the campsite after a day's exploring. The King's ones look alright for the money if you want a reasonably priced rooftop unit.
+1 for the Foxwing style awnings as well. We've had one for many years and its really good in inclement weather. Not as quick to set up as one of the pull out ones though, everything is a compromise......

Regards,
Tote

[scarry]

We use both.

The expensive RTT's are very quick up and down, up probably 30 seconds, down,maybe 2 minutes, weatherproof,mossy proof, croc proof, nice and cool.On the D4,the extra fuel use was negligible.Bedding already to go.But dont drink to much before heading off for the night.
They are a nuisance if vehicle is to be used during the day, but for one night or two night stays, they are great.
We have a foxing awning that fits on the roof as well.

One note though for those in a D4,the EAS will often lower during the night as it tries to re level.Not a massive issue, but after a couple of days, the car would be way down at times.

For longer stays, can't beat the Rv5,ours is RV3.
Saves packing everything up if intending to go somewhere during the day, and returning back to the same campsite.

[Samblers]

More great intel, thanks all :BigThumb:

It looks like we've been offered a couple of single swags from a kind person who no longer uses them, so that pretty much solves that, meaning that i'll likely direct funds to an awning as per your suggestions.

Interestingly enough, we went to some tent shops yesterday to check out some swags (this was prior to being offered some) and were able to see a couple of RTT's also. My conclusion - a RTT is basically a swag, but 4-6 x more expensive, and 3 x heavier.

Thanks for all your help