What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

When I was talking to an REI employee, he recommended going between fall and early spring. For our trip, the hottest it got was around 94° and lowest around low 40s during the first night. Would definitely avoid summer unless you know what you're getting into.

I have the Overland Vehicle Systems (OVS) Nomadic 180° Awning on the driver side and the OVS Car side shower room on the passenger. This was the first trip I took it on so I just used the brackets that came with them but will be switching to the front runner awning brackets since it moves the awning and shower room closer to the rack and lower in height (my highway mpg suffered when the speed limit was above 70mph). I do not plan on keeping it on full time like my rtt. I like to keep my truck as stock as possible for daily driving and outfit as needed for a trip.

The iKamper did pretty good, super fast set up and take down compared to my friends with a ground tent. I kept my sleeping bag and pillow inside so all I really had to do was open it, climb in and sleep. It was the second trip it was used and my first time sleeping in it (sister and mother used it on a 3 day camping trip). Our second night we camped at a site that overlooked the border and was in between mountains so you can imagine how windy it was. The tent was very loud and the truck would shake once in a while and I would feel it. I should have re-positioned the truck since the fiberglass cover wasn't facing the wind all the way. It probably would have reduced the wind noise significantly. Although, I would say that my rtt was quieter than a ground tent since it looked like they were gonna get blown away at anytime and I could hear their tent shaking in the wind all night. The only pro they had over the RTT was that they were laying on the ground so they were laying on solid ground.

RTTs vs ground tents.. it comes down to what you need and your budget. The trips I plan on doing are primarily hiking/wheeling/exploring during the day and I rarely stay at one camp site so the set up and take down speed is important to me (I know, typical overlander ). I hate sleeping in during trips cause I like to maximize time for exploring. I know the gazelle tents are comparable to the set up and take down so you're not really missing much. I prioritized the camping gear instead of getting a lift and bigger tires since it was what I needed more. Definitely do your research since these are not cheap. I got the iKamper since I thought they were the best and that I was gonna get a lot of use out of the RTT anyways so I might as well go with a high quality tent. In the 2 months I've had it, its been used 6 times (with another 4 day trip to Arkansas around the corner) so I think getting my money's worth.

As for pictures, here are some of the landscape. I'm just dabbling in photography and editing so my pictures aren't the best.

 

Those are very good pics!
...looks like rattlesnake country

 

installed a roof rack by Caliraised.

 

.... If Hot Wheels made a Tacoma.

Job well done!

 

@Larry - Awesome pics!!!

 

Nothing spectacular but did the door.jambs... looks good ut I wonder about the longevity.... time will tell...

 

Great advice, and great pics! Appreciate it!!

 

Diode dynamics SAE pro fog lights. Looks exactly like Baja designs.

 

Yup. They're not hard to move or anything, it just has to be intentional. I have a hitch skid on the back of my truck that I leave a shackle on. The way it sits pretty much horizontal, every little bump used to be a clank. I picked up some extra shackles in the supreme suspensions recovery group buy recently which came with isolator kits (I think a lot of shackles come with them now) and I actually used them this time instead of losing them somewhere. No more clickity-clanking.

 

Is your whole front windshield tinted? Didn't know that was legal, I was only allowed to do the top 1/4

 

Its not legal

 

Tacomabeast also sells some that are similarly priced.

 

link and/or who installed for you?

 

ANY LINK ON THE LETTERING ON THE FRONT? ALSO THE BLACK ENDS ON BUMPER?

 

https://austinextreme.com/

 

Thank you

 

The only reason I don't bring my own firewood places is if there are any EAB/other species I'm worried about transferring from place to place.

 

Good practice

 

Picture of it installed on my truck...