What is the deal with fixed top camping rigs?

Funny that I stumbled upon this thread; sold my RTT a few days ago to go back to a ground tent that deploys even faster.

 

Myself, I just don't camp as much as I used to. So for me, that Napier Truck Tent below would be perfect, as I wouldn't be on the ground and can store it away easily! Even better in case I'm stranded somewhere, I've got somewhere to sleep!

To each there own.

 

I’m buying a camper shell and found it to be more useful and cost effective when traveling. Keeps all the gear dry, sheltered from the elements, it’s already set up no more hotels, saves money and time. I also have a 7lb tent and all my gear can fit in my hiking pack which I can still use and hike into a better camping spot.

 

I'm going to stick to my teardrop.

• No ladder
• No setup (other than driving onto a chunk or two of 2x6")
• The bed is ready. There's no unstuffing/stuffing sleeping bags. In fact, there are no sleeping bags. It's a queen-sized bed.
• You can unhitch without having to take the damn tent down and go explore.
• It's dead quiet (nothing like tent camping when there's a cold front with a twenty-mile an hour wind)
• Insulated
• Turn the LEDs on to read
• Charge your phone
• Turn on the 12V electric blanket
• Too hot? Turn the fan on
• And cook your breakfast without having to crawl down a ladder

Just saying.

SB

 

Sounds like a really comfortable unit to camp in there, Sagebrush.

You could even get away with some Walmart camping if you are just passing through on a road trip.

 

Teardrops are cool.

But what do you guys do with your muddy shoes when it is pouring down rain?

I have looked into them, but I fear I would drag too much dirt into the bedding and not being able to stand up on the inside to change in and out of clothes.

Have been looking at a small 5X10 Enclosed with a tip out bed. First and fore most to haul a dirt bike. Can put muddy shoes inside by the door, and being able to sit on the edge of the bed with my legs feet hanging over to eat at a table when the weather is foul sounds good too.

 

I stick them in a plastic grocery bag and set them inside on a shelf.

SB

 

I had a 2008 Trailmanor 2619, hardside foldup, that was a pretty slick rig. 19' to tow, 26' opened up, 2680lb dry. Thing had eleven total windows including big fore and aft windows, that was a very nice feature for visibility and ventilation. Optional 40g fresh tank, 85W factory solar on the roof, 2" factory lift blocks available for the torsion axle (did well through gullies without it, short rear porch).

Room for dual batts and dual LP tanks on the tongue, slept four comfortably. 6g recirculating toilet was a pain, no black tank, no outside storage when folded. Small fridge/freezer but there's always tradeoffs when camping/overlanding however people want to use the terms.

Setup and teardown was a 30 minute job by myself, 15 minutes with two. First time I opened it up other than the driveway was by myself at night in New Mexico in a howling crosswind, went pretty smoothly. Didn't have to unhook it from the 4Runner to get the front slide open, that was damn nice, didn't have to bother with getting the tongue jack down or the stabilizer jacks. It wasn't moving anywhere hooked up to the 4Runner.

Just had to get the generator out of the trailer once opened up, fire it up, have a few colds, cook a meal, get the furnace going.

I had to upgrade the rear springs on the 4Runner, added airbags also to handle the tongue weight, same as with the Tundra helper springs, same as stock Tacoma needs rear leafs enhanced to handle tongue weight. No WDH, no good offroad, have to trade it out for a straight hitch once you try getting through gullies.

 

Those are pretty sweet, have looked at those too. But the negatives out weigh the pros.

Biggest issue for me is to being able to haul a couple dirt bikes. So it is either a trailer camper with the bikes in the bed, or camper on the truck with a moto trailer (payload goes away real quick with that method) or a toyhauler of some sorts. Most of moto buds do a toyhauler, either bought or built from a 6X10-12/7X12-14 enclosed trailer.

As I get older the less and less I want to spend setting up camp. Just want to roll in and be ready. It is a battle though, do I want to stay small and nimble which things get really tight when packing. Or get a fullsize truck and bigger trailer with some elbow room.

 

That trailer sounds like it would totally fit the needs of a guy with outdoor adventures in mind like you.
Having owned a 22' Weekend Warrior toy hauler for my baja bug/atv's, and later switched to a 8.5 x 16.5 cargo, I can say this with experience.
Get barn doors, and avoid the ramp if you have the choice.

Sure the ramp serves a purpose to load your toys into the back. Shy of that it's more of a hassle to deal with in close quarters behind the trailer, and in the rain/snow/wind.

With the barn doors, you can swing them wide open and tie them back on nice days, or just open one to load if it's storming out and not make a huge mess inside.
I load my toys including my baja bug with 8' aluminum ramps that easily slide under the car when everything is loaded up. You can also attach fold down work surfaces to the inside of the doors, so that when you are outside on a nice day you have a place to set things on. Or you add helmet hooks. Endless options.

The other thing is to Line-X the interior to avoid gas/oil from soaking into the floor and giving off fumes. With Line-X, just spray down some Simple Green, brush it in, and wipe up or rinse out.

 

Oh yeah, I was thinking barn doors for putting small shelves or racks on...just couldn't find a picture of one with a tip out bed. My moto ramp is pretty small and easily stowed. Question is what size trailer, gut says go bigger than a 5X10 like a 6X10-12, or even a 7X12 but a Tacoma won't pull it very well, or at least as well as I would like.

 

5x10 with a tip out like you posted prior would be sufficient for two people to deal with. The bikes would be outside during sleepy time anyway. Build a simple kitchenette in the front section with cupboards above rather than down low. Add a fold down bench seat to go with your tip out tent and your good to go.

 

If you carry a dog RTT's probably won't work.

Jayco A-frame with front deck for toy hauling? https://www.jayco.com/tools/archive/2015-jay-series-sport-hardwall/

I think they have decent ameneties, water tank.

 

Was thinking a 5X10 V-Nose might be enough for two bikes, what concerns me is when the tip out is closed it takes up some interior room, a bike might rub against the mattress and tear a hole in it. Guess I could just lay a folding table between the two for some protection.

Found a place that sells just the bed, I could add it to any trailer.

http://www.mirageinc.com/bed-door-46-34-x-81-fold-out-tent

Bud of mine built a 6X10, wasn't big enough and moved up to a 7X12. He is putting in a whole shower, with a propane insta-hot water system. I have a shower system now, an old ammo can...that I either toss up on the stove to heat, or let it sit in the sun, put it up on the roof of the truck and let gravity do its magic...not the most fancy thing but it works.

I dunno though...the bigger trailers might be too big...5X8-10 is still somewhat off-roady enough to get it back in to some of the tight spots I like to go. that whole trying to find the "best" compromise for what I want/need...is enough to drive a person nuts. What I have now works fine, it isn't perfect...and it is all paid for...but like a typical guy, never satisfied.




Not the best picture, but you can see my shower "system" here....ammo can on the roof, a short garden hose with shower head attachment, and a shower privy.



EDIT: found a better picture of my super sophisticated shower system.

 

Bikes get hammered with grime from the eddie that forms behind the truck, especially in the rain running up dirt/gravel roads. Kinda the problem I have now with an open trailer. I know they are "dirt" bikes...but like to start off with a clean machine. It is real hard on fork seals too, when that grime gets all over the lower fork sanctions. Was looking at going enlcosed for more protection for the bikes and gear...that and out of sight out of mind from looky-loo's.

 

My wife and I are gonna do some camping this spring at some gtgs we are going too. We are gonna get one of these and try it out. I wouldn’t want spend a week in one but they seem like a good compromise

$195 Rightline Gear Mid-Size Long Truck Bed Tent, 6 Foot

https://www.amazon.com/Rightline-Ge...1&keywords=truck+tents+for+toyota+tacoma&th=1

 

Well, all I know is I had a nice comfortable night in howling Nevada winds last night, drinking a few colds, cooked chili, heated up some corn tortillas inside the trailer on the 3-burner LP stove for the chili, pissed inside the trailer into a black tank, furnace ran strong all night, plenty of on-board water, plenty of 12v power, LP 2kW generator as needed. The trailer was shaking the wind was so strong, no canvas for me.

 

Hmmm, I'll have to ask my dad if he gets any new co-workers anytime soon that are from AZ. He has worked with lots of ex Navy guys over the yrs at a couple different dams.

Haha. Yeah I've been in Arizona for 5 yrs now. Don't know how many more summers I can take. The summer heat makes me feel like I can't get out and really do anything. I just spend my weekends inside then it's back to work again. And the "winter" here is over in the blink of an eye.

 

Don't rub it in!

Yeah, I am looking for something cheap to hold me over until I full on retire, then get a full on RV or TT. Might just be an enclosed trailer with a cot...something I can dive into when the weather is too foul for the Wildernest. Actually like what I have now...just sucks when the weather is bad.

I can't remember where he applied, but he is getting the itch to move again...believe he moves about every 5-6 years, was up in Buckeye, AZ before coming to Tucson.

Have no idea how I lasted 20 years down there...suffered through it apparently. I was ready to go 10 years into it, then I met my now wife right before she went back to college to get her degrees to become a professor. Her Ex was Air-Force...so she has lived all over the place...we are both pushing 50 now, (kinda weird to say that!) so we are here for awhile as she is sick of moving about every couple years. Not a bad place to be though!

 

So how many of you that do have these RTT's leave them on top of your truck 24/7?

I do see the appeal of these things because I hate setting up regular tents and it's not all that fun sleeping on an air mattress waking up with a sore back every morning while camping. But, a lot of times when I see them, (And I just started noticing them within the last 2-3 yrs) I can't help but think one of 2 things: either this dude camps like every fuckin weekend, so he needs this thing permanently mounted to his truck, or this dude really just likes attention and wants to look cool bro.

I have wondered how it would be to have one though. I just don't camp nearly enough to warrant keeping one of them on my truck at all times lol. More power to those of you that do, that's awesome. If I did have one, i always feel like I wouldn't want it permanently mounted on my truck though because the sun destroys shit. As expensive as these things are I sure as hell wouldn't want it getting damaged from the weather just sitting there in the elements day after day. Any of you dudes that keep them up there every day, do they get abused from constantly being exposed to the elements? I've always been legitimately curious about that.