Roof top tents yay or nay?

That's my rationale for the 4 person Tepui I picked up on CL. It's an opportunity for my kids to (hopefully) appreciate camping with a few easy, positive experiences to start out. If it fails, so be it. I'll put it back on CL and it's a one year rental. If they love it, well, we've got many years and many more trips ahead of us.

 

They look cool on all the expo’d rigs but:
Super expensive for a tent
Kill any fuel economy
Heavy to load/unload from roof
You truck is stuck at camp
Super expensive

 

holy shit. thanks for the idea. Use this from inside the RTT down into a milk jug.

 

Best thing out there if you like to nomad camp and drive between sites, especially if they are rocky, uneven or on a hill, muddy, snowed in or just a late at night arrival. 5 minute set up, no dirt or mud or water inside to deal with, etc. we use two wedge levelers to level the rig, too. If you keep two extra Prinsu bars permanently mounted under it, its easy to take off and store with two people (I use two furniture dollies bolted to a 3-ft boardnwith two uprights for support). My wife and I lift it off and roll it into the garage on then cart and store it on there on it’s side. Easy peasy.

Smittybilt Overlanders are on sale for $660 right now...
https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smittybilt-overlander-roof-top-tent-2783/_/R-DSBP-2783

 

I love it when people on TW criticize something because it's too *expensive*.

 

My kids love it.. they think its a tree house.

 

Did the RTT for a while. It was fun, but it also made my truck stupid top-heavy. I'm usually not terribly bothered by being leaned over on trails pretty well, but the tent seriously made me think I was gonna roll a few times. Just didn't like the way it moved around. Also couldn't get it in the parking garage at work, so I would have actually had to deal with taking it off and putting it back on, instead of leaving it on the truck all the time. Sold the setup and joined team hammock. Won't go back cause the hammock is the most comfortable camp sleep I've ever had.

 

First off, I bet the majority of

LOL, I use a gallon jug of water once its empty. Always considered a hose and funnel though lol.

 

Hammock sounds fun in the rain. You install rainfly?

 

Personally, my kids will be sleeping in a ground tent with me when that time comes. That's how I was brought into camping and I don't want my whole family on top of my truck haha!! I have years before that even happens.
But I understand everyone's view and respect your choice.

 

Hmm, interesting. I've never really even considered a hammock as an option, but you have me intrigued. I know they make hammocks with a mesh bug net that surrounds them. Is that what you use? What about your back? I know lounging in hammocks are extremely comfortable, but I would be worried it would wreak havoc on your back if you slept in one a lot. Human spines like to be straight when sleeping.

 

Your convenience is different than my convenience. My truck doesn't fit in garage under 7FT but do I care?
Nah my truck sits on my street 95% of the time. I DD my 44MPG VW.

The other day I showed up to pyramid lake at 1:00AM on soft sand while it was pouring. Glad I didn't have to set my ground tent. Got a great nights sleep.

It's all relative.

 

Yeah that’s cool. Y’all just got hemorrhagic fever. No biggie.

Actually rtt might help to not get that so there’s that

 

They are great for warm weather, but need extra pads in winter as your body compresses the bottom of the sleeping bag and you get dang cold at night underneath!

 

1 minute setup with my new tent.. I just undo 4 latches, and push a button and it does the rest.

Or this too. Ive had one of these.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m-wFWPZsSC4

 

Nah.....Slap a Prinsu with a Skottle mount on that sick rail. Like, if we can T.O.W. missile, can’t we also griddle?

 

People who rtt for bear protection...you STILL gonna get eaten. Sorry.

On my influencer channel I show my set up...in the bed of my truck, bed rack/DOM cage. Bears come to eat me, I’m taunting them. Like “oooh you want my beef jerky but you can’t have my beef jerky YOU IDIOT” me-1 bears-0

 

Especially in the 3rd gen subforum.

Probably should be rocking a 90's ranger, as 3rd gen Tacomas are expensive as hell!

 

Hey guys, who let THAT Jeep get in here!?!?

The single layer hardshells are cool, but with kids, a dog and myself inside, I dunno....

 

We know how to party bro.