Roof top tents yay or nay?

I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains and have never seen an RTT. Is this a West Coast or North East thing? Around here when you go camping you either take a tent or simply lean back against a tree. I can see advantages and disadvantages to having one but like all things in life, to each their own.

 

Those Taxa Crickets are sick!... but the $$$$ doesn't make sense for my use.

 

We bought ours in 2015 and so far have put about 20K miles on it. Does great off-road too! For trips too rugged for the Cricket, we take the RTT.

 

Lol no idea what that thing is. If the dudes got money more power to him haha.

 

BTW, my RTT is a no name Chinese one I got from Alibaba. You get negative instagram points for that. (For real).

 

Many of the folding ones all look like the same basic frame maker- just different canvas materials on top.

 

Exactly.
I'd say in terms of quality my tent is probably at 6/10. 7/10 at best. I would like a better canvas but I might just treat the canvas for now.
I don't wanna spend too much money on an RTT it's been working great so far but its not a 4k James Baroud that's for sure.

 

Your money. Do what you want.

That being said, I’ve found the most comfortable way to camp is either using a hammock, a foam pad in the bed of the truck or a ground tent when I’m with the family. It’s easy, fast, convenient, cheap and is more open up to nature IMO. I’ve spent enough years of my life in smelly canvas tents to never want to do that on my free time.

I’m not saying everyone buys RTT’s for the ‘gram, but you should ask yourself if you would still want one if you were never allowed to share it on social media.

 

Cant you trade Instagram likes for cash??

 

Hammock aka bear piñata. Is what I think when I’m in my bear piñata during bikepacking (bike version of overlanding, definitely on the gram)

 

Man you ain’t lying. I only hammock camp in perfect weather, but god bless, it’s the best nights sleep EVER.

 

If you are backpacking then for sure go light and minimal. If you drove into your camping spot your not roughing it, you might as well be comfortable.
Unless you're on a vision quest or something like that and you need to sit in the dirt to find yourself.

if you check instagram #tacoma gets 2.3 mill posts while #rtt gets 108K. I don't have instagram but I checked. Looks like more guys driving Tacomas are into instagram.

 

If I get mauled by a bear, I want my gravestone to have a picture of a bear using me as a tetherball.
Someone please quote this for posterity and for my lawyers.

 

No! Lol. But they have an exchange program for “public friends” which is every 1k likes, they commission a “public friend” who will hang out with you in public.


Unfortunately none of those actual Instagram people are on TW anymore. We’re all just regular Instagram people.

 

It should go without saying that the higher the cg the more likely a complete roll over will occur. My avatar is a GoPro clip from the apex of a near roll over on that Naches Trail. Truck was loaded with a half height full bed rack with swing out, spare, and full scepter can. Topped with a 140lbs roof top tent. Cab had a Thule kayak rack with ARB awning and bed was full of camping gear, food, and firewood.
I have no doubt that an inch or two more and it would have gone over. I can also guarantee that it would not have been so precarious without the tent on top.

 

I think its more of a bear tamale... corn husk outside you remove to get to the good part inside.

 

My wife does say I’m pretty on the inside

 

Don't forget to properly instaoverland you must put your rtt on your teardrop camper trailer! (also sarcasm/joking but in seriousness why do people do that?)

 

I can see that. Tacoma people actually go out and do stuff. All judgements aside. Doesn’t matter if it’s freshwater snorkeling chess championships or paragliding or glamping or dune kayaking or what. Tacoma people do things.