Thread: Roof Top Tent

RTTs are game changers. Mine takes under 3 minutes to set up. Camping has to be easy or you won't want to do it. Mine is the lightweight hike tent of RTTs. You can see mine here:
Lucas Refrigerator (gets warm in there)
My mate (Shonky on here, search his username for recent tent posts) has a different (traditional canvas style) RTT, takes around 10 min to properly set up with fly, guys awning etc. He agrees it is still the camping game changer. They make last minute trips easy, late night side of track stop overs convenient. And never worry about rocks or lumps under your bed again!

Both of us leave the tents on all the time, mine doesn't fit much bedding in, Shonky's fits heaps in without crushing. Mine weighs around 17kg which is good if i ever bother removing it. You won't regret an RTT unless you aren't good with ladders or get drunk when camping.

If you camp and move every day or so the rooftop tent is the best way to go. I fitted one to our camp ute 12 months ago and have never regretted it, it's off the ground, bed set up in it all you have to do is unfold it and climb in. We bought a cheaper one from Uptop Tents and have so far a good run from it. Have used it on a Big Desert long weekend, a 4 week trip through the centre and several weekends away. Very happy not to be setting up a tent every night.

RTT's are great,, we bought ours to go over to Tassie a couple of years ago, cost us about $1500 for everything we needed, tent, awning and two rooms (one under each) and an extra section of ladder due to the extra hieght of the D1.
12 days, and basically a different spot every night, 5-10 minutes to set up, tent/side awning. Never wanted to set up the the room under the entrance part, or the room for the awning, so I'm not sure how much longer this would take.
Had a top nights sleep every night. The only issue I have with the tent is the moisture under the mattress, but this could be fixed with a decent mattress, or maybe some holes in the floor to allow airflow I guess.

Comps slow, I'll try and add some pics

i have a RRT, used it once on the defender and now it sits on the camper trailer. it holds all the bedding plus lights, books etc.

i am still working on making mine a quick change over from trailer to car......

i have mine opening out to the drivers side with a super wing awning which spread out along passenger and rear of car, three sides covered

I have a Beduin RTT. It's German, made of canvas and is excellent. Always dry, double skinned so no damp issues and it has the downstairs room permenantly attached so no crappy zips to have to deal with in the wind or extra bag to store in the car.

I can get 2 decent sleeping bags and two proper pillows in mine when folded without too much issue.

I also has the foxwing on the opposite side to cover both sides an back. This works great.

All up, to do a proper job with the guys, foxwing and pegging down the rtt room I probably need 10mins to setup. If I'm in a rush with no wind and just want to climb in, 2 mins.

Picture is not that great but all I have on my phone at the moment. Tent has the sides 'up' in the photo.

J

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I have one (Gordigear) on my Defender and am happy with it. Takes only a few minutes to set up (extra 5 if you put the annex up). Have used it for multi day stops (see my Goulburn River report in NSW Trip Reports).

As I'm a short arse, I carry one of those collapsible aluminium trestles ($60 or thereabouts from Bunnings) and that makes it a lot easier to reach and tuck in all of the bits. Once packed, the trestle is then strapped on top. I too am working on converting it to a trailer tent.

It is no quicker to set up though, than my centre pole Southern Cross.

Originally Posted by numpty

It is no quicker to set up though, than my centre pole Southern Cross.

gotta agree i have two centre poles tents, four pegs and one pole is all you need 90% of the time........

ditch the sleeping bags if you have a RTT.......sheets and doona

The actual time setting up the tent is not my issue. I have a Black Wolf tent which sets up pretty quickly. My problem is the lack of space in the Disco. SWMBO plus myself use self inflating mattresses, this combined with all the bedding, (a lot of when camping in the Vic high country) plus the tent itself, and throw in the 40L Engle, there is not a lot of space left.

When packing up in the morning, having to roll up the mattresses and pack it all back in the Disco is a PITA.

So this is why I am interested in a roof top tent. Having said all this, if I am base camping I would still use the tent, so as I can have the vehicle ready to go anytime.

Dave.

PS. Kelvin off topic here, but you would have been thrilled with your Cats on the weekend