Rooftop tents, is it a safety thing?

I def got caught up in the fad with my tent. Overall, it just wasn’t practical from the time it took to set it up, can’t drive anywhere when it’s up, and then the weight added to the truck at all times, then taking the tent off when you aren’t going to use it. Net negative for me

 

I do feel buying the right one makes a big difference. I wouldn't get on that has to sit above the roof line to help with mpg. I wouldn't get one with a cover because it takes to long to set up and take down. I also got one my wife and youngest kid could sleep in it with me.

 

When I first started seeing dudes with RTTs, I was laughing. I thought why would you spend all this money, and drive around with this big and heavy tent everywhere you go. Ive camped for many years and always used a ground tent, worked great.



About 3 years ago my wife really wanted one and said she will come camping more often with me. I said alright, ill get one. I ended up getting one for ~1600$ CAN about 3 years ago, also got a steel bed rack for an additional 400$ or so. Well, after spending the night in our RTT, i will never go back to sleeping on the ground ever again. I can set it up and break it down myself easily in 5 mins max. Its super comfortable inside. Definitely feels a bit safer sleeping up top. Can set up the tent on any terrain and the ground doesnt have to be level. Ive set up my tent on rocks right on the beach so many times, wake up to some awesome views.

From my experience, there are 2 biggest downsides.
1) Set up weighs 200 pounds (tent and rack) and sticks up above the roof line a bit, thus hurting the MPGs a bit (mostly hwy driving, city not so much). Now that i have a house, i dont carry it on back of my truck all year like i used to for couple years.
2) If its raining and you gotta break it down, you cant just open it up later in your living room just like with a regular tent. Gotta find a tall garage or something to open it up and dry properly.

When i go camping, my truck doesnt leave the campsite. I dont have to break it down/set up multiple times. Even if i did, it would only take like 5 mins.

Ive used it about 20 times and absolutely love it. The tent itself still looks brand new. The soft cover is getting a bit worn because stupid me carried my kayak the wrong way for some time. I will order a new soft cover this spring. All in all, I recommend to everyone to at least try and see how they like it. Im pretty sure 99% of folks would love it

 

I personally like them they are quick to set up and tear down … nothing worse than trying to set up camp and it’s raining …

 

Pros:
- Easy setup, easy breakdown
- Flat, level mattress. MATTRESS, not a yoga mat or inflatable mattress that deflates or sags in the night. Makes a huge difference in comfort
- Feels safer from critters and humans both large and small
- Mine has a zip around annex room that goes under the overhang. Pretty solid changing/storage space and I can access my bed cap through it without ever going outside in the event of inclement weather.

Cons
- Going down and up the ladder to use the bathroom in the middle of the night
- Limited space with more than one person unless you have an annex room that zips around the bottom and leaves a space underneath to change, hangout, etc.
- Have to fold it down if you want to go anywhere. No leaving the tent set up.
- Weight/ drag on the truck. I definitely lose about a 0.5 mpg with my tent on. The back feels like it's dragging if you go around turns too fast.
- Getting it on and off the truck. Need a hoist or a second set of hands.

Overall thoughts:
I've camped for a few decades now, and would never go back to a standard ground tent given the choice. The RTT is just so much more comfortable and less hassle.

 

I think it’s more of a truck build thing .

 

This seems like a bait post, but I'll bite.

I can't speak for anyone else's reasons for buying or why they market exploded for them, but for me it was pretty simple. I love camping, but I hate setting up and tearing down a tent, and I hate sleeping on the ground. I've slept in crappy wal-mart ground tents, big fancy wall tents with a wood stove, and a bunch of stuff in between. Based off those experiences I had to do a personal assessment of what I wanted out of camping and what options provided what pros and cons to consider.

I knew that I hated the cheap tents for lots of reasons. Given my experience at the time that left me pondering on a canvas wall tent or a hard shell rooftop tent. Price between them is close enough that it wasn't a major deciding factor, so that left setup/tear down time, space, and use once set up.

Pros for the wall tent

1. Space - enough to stand and even move around a bit
2. Durable - the heavy canvas wall tents are beefy and last if cared for
3. Options - different layouts and the option to have a wood burning stove are very nice
4. Camp Marker - the tent stays where you put it; holds your campsite if you go for a drive

Pros for the hard shell RTT

1. Portability - it stays on the bed rack so it's always with you, and the bed stays in it too
2. Durability - hardshell tents from quality companies last quite a while so long as you're not silly about it
3. Set Up/Tear Down - I've never used a tent that is as easy to deploy or pack up
4. Comfort - it's always a flat bed with a mattress, even if it's not level
5. Footprint - if my truck can fit with a little room to the side I can camp there
6. Elevation - being off the ground reduces the spider, snake, and creepy crawly encounters; plus it can rain and you won't wake up in a puddle

Cons for the wall tent

1. Set Up/Tear Down - the larger ones with the room to move or have a stove have all been a two man operation to set up, and even then it's not quick
2. Storage - beefy, durable, and heavy makes them cumbersome to store
3. Footprint - all that space inside has to be good ground that's at least kinda level
4. Elevation - it's on the ground with all the rodents and bugs; and if it rains the water can wind up under the tent and form a puddle
5. Bits and pieces - stakes, hammer, poles, cot/bed, etc. are all extra things to keep track of that might be left behind or get lost

Cons for the hard shell RTT

1. Space - it's not fun changing clothes in a RTT, and opening the skylight is a less than ideal solution
2. Utility Loss - having a rack and tent over the bed decreases the utility of the truck; especially since I don't like taking the tent on and off
3. Pack Up to Move - with the tent being tied to the vehicle, you have to tear it down to use the truck
4. Elevation - it's up off the ground so putting things into the tent or getting a dog/kid in/out of the tent is a bit more work

That's the basics of it for me. Now, in fairness, I didn't know about gazelle tents when I got my RTT. I might have gone that way, but now that I have the RTT it's been my favorite way to camp.

 

There is a ton of information on this topic and a lot of good points here to help anyone make a decision. It really comes down to your camping lifestyle. I will add a couple of points not considered in this conversation yet. I've hunted and camped for over 50 years now in the SW, so a little experience there. I also agree that RTT's are best served on a trailer rather than vehicle mounted. Yes, I know, personal preferences count, it's your money, your choice.
Short trips I use a ground tent for convenience. Anything over 2-3 days I pull my trailer with the RTT. The RTT sets up faster than most think with some practice and I do not have to break down/set up in the mud and worry about uneven ground or sharp objects and it has built in awning for quick relief from the sun or rain. I also did not buy it because of animals, though I see the reasoning behind it.
Ok the two reasons I would not use an RTT mounted on a vehicle that have not been mentioned yet. First is a medical emergency; I have been involved in emergency situations that required a quick exit, one was to an emergency room. Trying to break down your tent quickly and possibly by yourself will cost you, and you may be injured or ill. The abiltiy to leave in a hurry can be important. Second, most vehicles and caps are not rated for the weight of an RTT, plus added campers and gear. There are instances of damage to vehicles from the load of an RTT. Make sure you check with manufacturers load ratings for the top of vehicles and any truck caps.

 

Put a funnel next to your bed with a tube that reaches the ground. I have one installed permanently in my Vagabond Drifter that empties under the truck. I sleep naked, and I never have to get dressed or leave my camper in the middle of the night to pee.

It absolutely beats emptying or discarding a gatorade bottle every morning, and I’ve had women in the camper who were able to use it too, by simply pressing the funnel up against themselves.

I went from gatorade bottles to a stainless bottle to reduce waste, but it bacame nearly impossible to wash the urine smell out of the stainless bottle after awhile. The funnel fixes all of that, and if you keep a water bottle in your tent for drinking, you can just pour a little down the funnel after you pee to rinse it out immediately.

 

I thought you were just trolling, but the level of detail, conviction, and explanation would suggest you're actually serious.

 

TW Never disappoints

 

That man is a genius, move along nothing to see here lol

 

What, you don't have to get up at night to pee, or you don't have a penis?

Sure beats having to get dressed and climb down a ladder to go out in the rain or snow simply to relieve oneself. I lived in my camper for months, so I made it comfortable.

 

Fad or not, the point is to get up off the ground, when camping in places with predators and poisonous things such as rattlesnakes, scorpions, and others all over the US and around the world. It has nothing to do with getting run over in the night, it's also convenient for those who stop for the night and then keep going the next day. Short setup and tear down time, my first one was back in 2013 and I ended up living out of that Jeep, traveling and I absolutely loved the 2 minute setup time.

In areas where bears, large wildlife like Moose and Elk, you're not likely to be messed with in the middle of the night when you are on top of a vehicle vs setting up camp on the ground. I've had bears go through tents before, they smell things they think are food, and will wreck your tent. Yes, for some it's a fad, for many it's just a comfort thing. I know my Rooftop Tent is far better insulated than any ground tent, and with a hard roof, there is no worries about branches falling from trees and killing me in my sleep during say a wind storm.

If you have to get up in the middle of the night to piss, man or woman, you're eating too many carbs and should probably back off. It's a sign of prediabetes. I'm type 2 diabetic and I sleep through the night a full 8 hours and never need to get up.

RTT for Life!

 

I'll take your word for it. I've never not gotten out of my bivy sack, camper shell, ground tent, RTT, etc to pee at night, regardless of weather. (Although I definitely have pissed while standing on the tailgate and RTT ladder plenty of times.)

 

I've camped for three decades, sometimes 150 nights per year, including 500+ nights in Alaska and several 30-day canoe trips. All in a ground tent, or no tent at all. A few considerations to various comments:

A good tent doesn't leak. Our Hilleburg 4 person tent (among others) for our 3 person family weights under 6 lbs, has 150 nights on it and no leaks. Expect to pay $500 to $1000 for a solid, long lasting lightweight tent. And, if you know your tent, and use it often, it can be set it up in the dark in under 5 minutes. My 9 yr daughter can set ours up in the dark.

I would estimate less than 5% of nights do I have a rock or root under me. I can usually situate the sleeping pad to make it unnoticeable.

Bears and such: Like once per decade, does a bear in north america go after a tent sleeper. I had a grizzly bear stick it's head in my tent door in Alaska and a quick scolding ended that curiosity. If bears is your reason for a RTT, I'm glad it makes you sleep more comfortably, but there is close to zero chance of an issue if you know how to properly camp in bear country. For smaller critters, in over 1500 nights camping, from remote wilderness to KOA, I've never had a rodent chew into my tent.

That said, I don't think RTT is a fad, they're here to stay and they'll improve. They're super trendy right now, probably because people love gear and it is a new innovation. I think many people like that their RTT now gives them an "RV" even if it is just a Highlander.. But after 10 years, if they haven't gotten a lot of use out of it, and the soft material starts to deteriorate, people may question their $3k tent.

I'm slightly tempted in a pop-up like topo-topper. I've slept in the back of a 1st gen for a month or more at a time, but the idea of moving the bed "upstairs" (with no exterior ladder), thereby leaving the downstairs (truck bed) for gear and space and hanging out is appealing. As a kid I enjoyed the ladder of bunkbeds, but by my 30s I lost all interest in climbing up or down a ladder to get in or out of bed.

It's good there are so many choices out there for different approaches and comfort levels -- just heaps of crap to simply enjoy the outdoors!

 

Forget the funnel. Just elastic band a tube right onto your doneywhacker and run in out the back door.

 

I think the rodents may be a geographical thing (as are ants, scorpions, etc.) Mice getting into backpacks, etc., is not uncommon in the PNW. And in Arkansas, I once set my tent up at dusk on a fire ant nest. Also have had raccoons get into my stuff two or three times, and had a girlfriend take a bad spider bite to the backside while we were sleeping on the ground in Utah.

Like you, I ground camp quite a bit, with and without tents, but that’s while backpacking. I have four tents now (good ones: Big Agnes and MSR), but some haven’t been used for years. For 4x4 trips, it doesn’t make sense to me anymore now that I have a pop-up camper.

That said, I never thought of buying a pop-up camper as a recreational accessory. I bought one and moved into it for several months to save money. It is only afterward that I really started to appreciate the luxury of it. It would have been far more difficult for me to spend three weeks in Utah, then six weeks in Baja, with just a ground tent. I often just camped off the main road somewhere, en route to somewhere else. The pop-up camper made those trips possible.

It also has dramatically increased the range of my day hiking, because I can drive to a trailhead the night before, wake up and hit the trail, then collapse into bed at the end of the day without worrying about a long drive home.