*THE RTT Owners Thread (With BS)*

Is your ARB mattress 56" wide like the CVTs

Amazon lists the queen as 58" x 78". Is that fairly accurate?

 

I can't remember my exact mattress dimensions in the tent but I got a cali-king mattress topper and cut off part of it off to fit onto the end to make up the missing difference in length (which I think was 96 inches). This way the entire tent mattress is covered with a topper.

 

Ah, I see. Thanks.

 

Yeah, the Mt Shasta mattress size is 96"x56". I am guessing yours is similar if not the same. Thanks for the info. I'm gonna have to pick up one of these 2" pads I think.

 

Seems that one of the biggest complaints with any rtt is trying to close the thing with a bunch of extra material stuffed inside. Seems like it may be worthwhile for the mfgs to consider developing a center hinge that works like channel locks.

 

I think the main issue with that idea is going to be the inelasticity of the canvas material itself.

 

That approach wont help if you can't zip up the outer cover.

 

Good point. Im sure at some level, adding these enhancements becomes cost prohibitive. But as for having extra material to cover the gap, you could have an expandable section closed by zipper, like some suitcases (since that is essentially what the rtt is being turned in to).

 

Wow. Tuff crowd.
Maybe an rv would be better for some? Although it would be pretty cool to see some clever engineer come up with a solution.

 

I have never had an issue with space to stuff my bedding into my tent, but I rarely do anymore. If you use down sleeping bags or a comforter, having them in there and compressed for long periods of time breaks down the loft of the down and you start to loose warmth. Even on synthetic bags it can happen although not as bad. I only but the bags in there for short trips and try to make a habit of hanging them up when we aren't out so they have a longer lifespan.

That being said I can fit 4 pillows and 3 sleeping bags in my Eezi Awn 1600 no problem.

 

I see what you're getting at, and it IS a good idea but you'll reduce the rigidity of the soft-shell RTT system. The hardshell tents are basically that "zipper" idea, but they are built to be rigid when fully expanded.

 

Its really easy with a second person... Put the cover on and have them sit or stand (if you have diamond plate) on the tent and itll squish it down more...

 

My solution... still needs some tweaking...

 

I just sit on the edge of mine until I can strap it down. That Teton sleeping bag stays fluffy

 

That's actually a really smart solution. I might do this to my Tepui.

 

Just stay away from a brand called ProGrip... piece of shit buckles.

 

Thanks for the heads up!

 

Eezi-Awn and Tepui Ruggedized tents are a bit like comparing apples to pears. They are both roof top tents, just like apples and pears are both fruit and similar but pretty different. But apples and pears are both tasty and satisfying, and both tents perform similarly. The main differences are in the materials. The Eezi-Awn will use a wood floor and a canvas material for the canopy rather than the ripstop poly/cotton used on Tepui tents. The wood is durable but can be heavy and can deteriorate over time (although that would take a while and some extreme conditions) where the aluminum base on the Tepui is slightly lighter (actually pretty close in weight when looking at a Ruggedized floor) and it also won't be susceptible to moisture etc like the wood will. The waterproofing methods are different as well. EA uses a process similar to waxing the canvas to waterproof the material. It's effective and the canvas is probably the most durable on the market. The EA canvas again is on the heavy side and the tents can be very dark inside. One downside for those that camp in cold/wet conditions, the EA canvas with the waxed finish is made in a way that when it becomes damp and if it's below freezing, the canvas can freeze and become stiff making it difficult to close the tent. Make no question about it the EA is a very nice tent and that is reflected in the price.

The Tepui Ruggedized tents are also one of the most durable tents on the market with some extra benefits like the Anti-condensation mats, durable fabric that is still breathable and won't feel like a cave inside. I have always felt that the Ruggedized tents are on a similar level to the EA tents in most aspects, but at a fraction of the cost. Again, kinda like apples and pears. Or for you car guys, kinda the difference between buying a BMW 335i vs an M3. Very similar in many ways with a few small things the make the M3 special. The EA is like the M3. It becomes up to the customer to decide I the small differences are worth the definite extra cost.

 

Tepui Ruggedized with a weather hood. I use mine in the winter wit the weather hood and it does great, but the weather hood is very nice.

 

I spent last week at FJ Summit in CO as a Tepui vendor. There was a vendor there with a CVT Summit series as well. I thought it was great because potential buyers were able to do some comparison side by side. I was able to get a closer look at the Summit series too. It's a nice tent. Still some differences that are noteworthy. I won't comment further since it will come across as biased since I sell Tepui, and I have no intention of badmouthing the CVT. But for what it's worth, as a regular tent user I still prefer the Ruggedized. If you know anyone that was at FJ Summit and looked at tents, it might be worth asking them what they thought between the two.