What is the deal with fixed top camping rigs?

That horse has x's for eyes. Poor artistic representation.

 

Totally agree- used to be a seasonal backcountry ranger there on the Hoodsport and Elwah side of the park in the early 80’s. It will be raining on the Hoh, I bet. Hiking that coast trail this summer for sure. Such a gem!

 

Personally I love the AT Habitat and plan on getting one. Fridge stove all your gear locked in the bed and you can enter through the floor it's awesome. As for Price who the hell cares if you got to talk about price move on.

 

Just take the bed rack off the truck with 6 nuts to loosen and it's back to hauling tall furniture again. 10 minute conversion back to normal.

 

Yeah those AT Habitats are badass! I went with an RTT and love it! I figure in 3 yrs it’ll be just the lady and I and no kids I might upgrade to one of those. Have you seen the one that Alu-cab has? It’s pretty badass too! Here’s a link if u haven’t seen it!

https://ok4wd.com/brands/alucab/alu-cab-khaya-prime-camper

 

I must know what this is. Looks like a perfect cot pad.

 

Klymit makes them. They blow up. Pretty handy. I use them backpacking. Here’s a link for ya.

https://www.klymit.com/sleeping-pad...MI5-Lp09n32AIVg7fACh1yeQFoEAAYASACEgIeovD_BwE

 

RTTs are fucking awesome ways to have a more comfortable setup on trucks that you can wheel hard at the same time.

I think everyone that hates on them either secretly wants one or just hasn’t experienced it. If I’m driving my truck to go camping, why not make use of the payload capability and have an RTT that’s 100% more comfortable than the ground?

Being off the ground it’s less susceptible to moisture, it’s more comfortable in the cold and inclimate weather, and takes minutes to setup or put away, even in the dark. Everything stays cleaner since you’re not in the dirt and the mud.

I’ll agree, some of the setups I see are pretty obnoxious, and it’s clear the person just bought it to be cool. You can tell if a setup has some thought to it or if it’s just been bolted to the top of the truck.

 

Had a tent uprooted by hogs on Catalina Island, a dome tent tumbling with the tumbleweeds for hundreds of yards from camp after a downdraft from a thunderstorm hit us, and a dammed ground squirrel chew a hole through the center of the floor in another. Now we’re waiting for an eagle or something to perch on our RTT roof, wouldn’t that be cool?

 

I absolutely fucking love your truck all the way down to the steelies, nice job dude!

 

Why have an RTT?... chicks dig em brooo #bilsteinshocks...

In all seriousness, I did have one and ended up selling it because I realized I’m perfectly happy with my tent or sleeping in the bed, if not more so on cold mornings where I don’t want to have to spend a bunch of time packing things up. They are pretty sweet but I only used mine for about a week or so on a trip through Utah and ended up getting rid of it.

 

Thanks dude. Just started a build thread for whatever that’s worth... haha

 

https://www.klymit.com/static-v-luxe-camping-sleeping-pad.html

Klymit has a large number of these in all different sizes. I have the one I linked (non-insulated, soda can packaging, 30" wide @ $99). It's fantastic.

 

Haha not knocking you dude it's why I bought one haha it helps a ton and is way easier to set up. Plus it has saved me many times on business trips where I just drove and used the tent. They Are expensive but totally worth it!

 

Right? 10 nights paying a $10 park fee (or less) and not spending 100+ on a hotel and they pay for themselves.

 

Yep. We fish a ton. Always a state park near where we fish. Easier to go more remote places when she can sleep on a pad, wake up, be closed up in less than 5 and on the water in 30 minutes.

 

I use the CBI Overland Bars, and the tent top sits about level with the peak of the shark-fin antenna (the ladder causes it to be about 2-3 inches taller than the fin at its highest point). I could get it about 2" lower if I removed the aluminum rails from the tent itself and bolted it directly to the bars (I'm keeping the rails, though, because they make attaching an awning easier).



-Craig

 

Lol, I got drunk and passed out at our site on Catalina, and when I woke up, the foxes and crows had savaged all our dry goods. All that was left of our bread, tortillas, and backpacking meals were the empty wrappers spread across the beach. Luckily we brought rods/reels and were able to catch fish and feed ourselves...

-Craig

 

I can offer the perspective of a very recent convert. I used to laugh at RTTs because who the fuck spends $2k on a tent?! But three things happened to me that made me reconsider:

1. Had a black bear fuck with my tent up in the Rockies. I was fine and he eventually left but it was pretty fucking terrifying. My girlfriend at the time refused to go camping for almost a year after that, would've felt much safer up high in my RTT.

2. Went camping near coyote canyon (azna borrego) last year and our site ended up getting flooded in the middle of the night. Everyone on the ground was fucked and had a very cold, wet, muddy sleepless night. The only people that brought an RTT slept like babies and woke up laughing at the rest of us.

3. If you're a single guy or have a significant other that isn't necessarily "outdoorsy" you'll find that having a comfortable and "safe" setup allows even the most vapid city slicker sorority girls to enjoy the outdoors! A lot of my more comfort oriented camping gear isn't for me but for friends and dates I bring along. If i was going solo I'd forget the comfy outdoor portable toilet seat I'll just squat, fuck a shower I'll just smell, padded matress?? Go fuck yourself I'll sleep in my open truck bed.

But wanting to share the experience with friends and especially dates I've found they enjoy camping so much more when they can take a shower, have a toilet they can sit on, are WARM, feel safe up high in an RTT with a view, and I recently just built outdoor lighting on poles that go up 30ft so I can place poles on either side of the campsite and LET THERE BE LIGHT! I normally HATE light at my campsite because it ruins your night vision but for people just getting used to the outdoors it makes them feel safe and keeps away wild animals for the most part.

Hell this weekend I didn't even sleep in my RTT I let friends stay up there and I just slept in my hammock (I fucking love hammocks now BTW)

 

The only time I wouldn’t sleep in a RTT, or outside the main cab of my truck in any tent by choice would be during a lightning storm.

But really, who does spend $2k on a tent?! There are great RTT models that cost less than $1000. My Smittybilt cost less than $800, it’s bulky, but works out very well in all types of weather.

As with all tents, be careful what you light up in your RTT- since it’s way up there, your shadows may be the big screen outdoor education theatre for the entire camp!