Thread: Why use roof-top tents?

Our days are spent driving, walking, swimming and generally checking out the out doors. Our days are pretty full without adding the time to setup camp.

The Roof Top Rent is very quick to setup. I have timed it at a comfortable 2 minutes 50 second without hurrying, just waliking around, unzipping and flipping it open.

On our next trip, our night meals will be pre cook casseroles in vacuum bags. They'll get chucked in a pot of water with some heat beads underneith then it'll be off for a bush walk for an hour and return to dinner. Flip open the tent and it's bed time.

In the morning we throw the sheet over the matress, jump out and it takes it about 5 minutes to flip it close and zip it up and away we go.

Happy Days.

RTT have their pros and cons, as Loanrangie said above when in Africa it keeps you safe from big Cats, trouble is big cats can climb very well and a bit of canvas is not going to stop them from enjoying having you for dinner, LOL.
Other Cons are weight up high, increases centre of gravity, increases wind drag and fuel consumption, hard to impossible to get under fallen trees, low slung branches can tear your RTT to shreds, also you have to purchase and install a roof rack.
At 67 I can't imagine trying to pee off the top step or climbing down in the middle of the night (up to 3 times), s'pose I could take a bottle to bed.
Cons of course are no trailer/rego/maintenance, but my trailer (hard floor) only takes a minute or 2 to get setup for bed, or 15 mins. or so to have annex, kitchen, chairs, table, shower tent and porta potti, which is still needed (by me at least) if you have a RTT. So to each his own, it doesn't really matter as long as you enjoy camping, Regards frank.

Originally Posted by Tank

RTT have their pros and cons, as Loanrangie said above when in Africa it keeps you safe from big Cats, trouble is big cats can climb very well and a bit of canvas is not going to stop them from enjoying having you for dinner, LOL.
Other Cons are weight up high, increases centre of gravity, increases wind drag and fuel consumption, hard to impossible to get under fallen trees, low slung branches can tear your RTT to shreds, also you have to purchase and install a roof rack.
At 67 I can't imagine trying to pee off the top step or climbing down in the middle of the night (up to 3 times), s'pose I could take a bottle to bed.
Cons of course are no trailer/rego/maintenance, but my trailer (hard floor) only takes a minute or 2 to get setup for bed, or 15 mins. or so to have annex, kitchen, chairs, table, shower tent and porta potti, which is still needed (by me at least) if you have a RTT. So to each his own, it doesn't really matter as long as you enjoy camping, Regards frank.

True big cats can climb but i'd rather make them work for their dinner, i have woken up in a tent with elephants working thru camp and my mate had an Egyptian cobra staring him in the face - i could do without that .

Thats it, what ever gets you out into the outdoors is a plus.

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

But since its been resuscitated I've got no issues with the concept of a roof top tent, but my biggest issue would be the fact I need to get up at least once during the night for a pee - a lot more than that if I've had a few drinks, so just not practical in my case.

Also, it's not going to be pretty if I miss the first step getting down....

It's not so much missing the step, it's the bloody sudden stop at the bottom and waking up from unconsciousness in the morning with your willy in your hand and trying to explain what really happened, LOL, Regards Frank.

[QUOTE=Tank;2141446]waking up from unconsciousness in the morning with your willy in your hand and trying to explain what really happened QUOTE]


we have all been there....... haven't we?

Well..., not yet, but do tell us what it's like, LOL, Regards Frank.

bit too much of a taste for a certain amber fluid in my younger years I think.....if you can't remember it, it didn't happen