Best Roof Top Tent

Damn that looks pretty good. It’s hitting all the marks... thanks!

 

Done both, even have a high quality Springbar and a 4-season Northface tent.

Pros to RTT: Low impact camping! No tent footprint, can be set up in the dark in less than 5 minutes cleanly and level over uneven ground, mud, rocks, snow and cow pies. Can be put away in less than 10 minutes.

Cons: storage (I keep mine sideways on a cart with wheels I made out of two furniture dolly’s). Wind resistance- not good for MPG if mounted high, have to stow it to use car at camp (no big issue unless you get a circus RTT with extra rooms).

Keep it simple!

 

Awesome info thank you.

 

That’s a good idea with the cart. I have limited space in the garage as is so I’m gonna have to make adjustments. I have too much crap in there and will have to pare down.

 

https://www.ikamper.com/pages/skycamp

 

If you do get a RTT, get two yellow plastic trilevelers (as seen in my pic above), they make leveling simple!

Oh, and don't do this with it


Really, keep it simple!

 

I think in a dryer climate they are a great option. The mold issue is something they suffer from here in the PNW. The running joke is fellas only deploy them to take pictures for the ‘gram’, and sleep in the cab otherwise. I would talk to people local to you for a good first-hand opinion of their use in your climate and specifically ask these questions:

1-do you keep your RTT on your truck year round?
2-how often do you deploy it in your driveway to dry and air it out?
3-do you have issues with mold?

And the most important question of all:

“Would you buy another roof top tent?”. If the answer isn’t “definitely”, then you have your answer.

 

Unfortunately I don’t know a single soul who owns one, so you guys are it pretty much. You don’t get much drier than the desert Southwest which is primarily where it will be used, but I am planning plenty of forays north where rain is a distinct possibility or even certainty.

 

The good news is, when you get home (New Mexico?), you can let that tent bake in the sun for a couple weekends and likely be fine. Just don’t pack it up wet in the rain, and forget about it.

 

Here's my solution:

 

Hah! Ingenious!

 

I’m happy with my Freespirit RTT but they’re stupid expensive!
I mounted it to my garage ceiling similar to how dpippel did.

 

Set your truck, yourself, and your wallet free:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=29NKFxIOMUo

 

Hey, I think I have that bike rack. And spirit level. And that water thermos. And maybe that handsaw, and definitely those tubs or some like them. Not the GI Joe however.

 

Hahaha! Brothers from different mothers? And that's not G.I. Joe, it's Ash from Evil Dead. - "Groovy."

 

I’ve only had my Tepui RTT since March, but I’ve camped for about 30 nights in about 13 separate camping trips since. I’ve enjoyed camping with it immensely, as I have not touched my ground tent all season. My RTT has gone through camping in blizzard conditions, hail, and rain, everything is holding up really well. Here are a few of my thoughts.

-mold shouldn’t be an issue if you air and clean out your rtt after every trip. This goes without saying for any of your camping gear.

-the rain fly does collect snow and water, so I have to poke at it once a while to knock the precipitation off.

-i have the Tepui Ayer Sky 2. It’s the lightest rtt I’ve found. If I’d have to buy another rtt, I’d get the same one in a heartbeat.

 

I'm late to the party here, but why post a ground tent in a thread about the best RTT's?

Camping on the ground is awful. RTT or hammock is definitely the way to go.

 

No. I’ll meet you halfway on the Hammock, but RTTs are dumb. Fellas I know who have them only set them up for Instagram shots, or to hose them down with mold killer. Even Ronny agrees.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Bqmz0o-z8

 

Autohome hardshell if you are looking for the “best”. They are handmade in Italy and have been in business for over 50 years. Hardshell tents will be smaller but are going to be more rugged and are going to stand up to high winds and inclement weather much better than soft shell tents, which like others have said are all made in China.

Alucab is another good option. They have an aluminum shell and open like a wedge. Made in South Africa.

 

Yea a hardshell seems like the best option, but I've not seen any other than the iKamper that will work for the 5ft bed. Most of the hard shells are too long and would hang over the tailgate. I'm currently holding out for the prototype iKamper mini.

Again, sleeping on the ground is terrible. I did it for 25 years and have no desire to do it any more if I don't have to. I love sleeping in hammocks, but there aren't always trees available so a RTT is nice to have.