Roof top tents, why?

I thought same, according to the news it was alive. Its still like a one-in-a-million chance type of thing. Just thought it was fitting to this topic.

 

Wonder how many people have fallen out and busted their arse at 2 in the morning, after a snort or 2? “Just going to step out to peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee........................ooooooooof”. That was the main reason I crossed them off my list. I can’t even keep from falling over tent lines in the middle of the night when I’m half asleep and need to pee.

 

In over fifty years of camping I have utilized all but two forms of shelter. Everything from a nice warm depression in the beach sand for me, my lime and my salt shaker, to the 32-foot Southwind motorhome out in the shop that never gets used anymore, and all but two things in between. Been through cots under the stars, tents, TentCot (worse camping contraption ever invented), air mattresses, bivy bag, hammocks, log cabin "forts" when we were kids, cab over camper, Class C motorhome, Class A motorhome, one time even only in a mummy bag on the relatively dry high spot in the middle of a dirt road way back in the Sabine National Forest during a driving rain storm in 35-degree weather...under the truck (4 guys already inside), another time in the bed of the truck under a dining canopy, with the leaking center pole between us. Have camped in the back seat of the truck, and several fitful nights in various other vehicles, everything down to my Volkswagen back in the 70's. Camped sleeping in those laydown back-to-back seats in the boat. Camped in the hammock in the boat, and other terra firma terrain. Sleep pretty good in my climbing stand too, but not overnight.

Among these the hammock is my favorite, is the most comfortable. In fifty years you should be able to figure out these kind of things.

I haven't needed to camp in a snow cave yet, probably won't. Even less of a chance, I know for sure that I'm never going to need a roof top tent. For sure. You can't air condition it, and down here along the Gulf Coast in the five tropical months that is a necessity. I can grasp their utility on the beach when sand management is a priority though. Gimme' my hammock. I'm good...

 

The thought of that is hilarious, but the reality is that isn't likely at all. Ours has been great. The only down side is that we have to collapse it whenever we want to take the truck anywhere. Otherwise it is far roomier, more comfortable, and much more waterproof and sturdy vs a ground tent. Ours withstood the winds of Lake Superior in a storm where the folded out end was essentially a parachute in the wind and the guy lines didn't even come out of the ground.

 

I considered one just because my kids would think it's the coolest thing ever. Just couldn't justify the cost though. I don't buy the keep the animals away argument, just be tidy with your food and keep the campsite clean and it's a non issue.

If you really want to be off the ground, consider a tent cot. They do make a double, but mostly only works for one person. https://kamprite.com/product-category/tents/tent-cots/ Heck, even put it in the back of the truck if you want.

 

Sorry to rain on you parade Matt: The tent cot seems like a good idea. At first. Up until you actually sleep in one. I had one and used it only four nights. Worse four nights of camping of my life...EXCEPT for that night back in high school on the beach in the middle of summer's heat in the green canvas army pup tent without a bottom, that didn't breath. (It was an AWESOME stone cone though.) The tentcot is one of the camping rites of passage for many, including me. Live, spend and learn.

Closest thing to sleeping in a coffin. Can't get out of it quick to defend yourself either. It is plastic coated to keep out the moisture. Which also keeps the moisture in. I tried quite a few open window combinations and finally gave up. In the morning the inside and all of your bed linens are soaked. Regardless of how dry the climate in which you use it, we humans respirate so much that you get a nights-long breath condensate rain-out condition inside the thing just by bumping it while getting out of it. There is no way to exit it without causing the droplets on the ceiling from raining down on already damp bed linens, and you. And if you are a side sleeper you will invariably have your forearm resting against the inside sidewall of the "tent" part. Instant awake at the recognition of how wet your forearm just became. The moisture on the sides rolls down to the bottom and wets your bed linens or sleeping bag. And it is a BIG clumsy, awkward piece of kit too when packed down. It's going to eat up a ton of your truckbed space, and doesn't pack well with your other equipment. (I went all in, thinking this was going to be camping nirvana, and bought the mattress for it too. There is a GOOD REASON they had the forethought to make the mattress all vinyl. I took a beating on both when I sold them at a garage sale we had.)

Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but you should buy this from REI so you can take it back when you find out just how right I am!

Once again, consider a hammock. The only option that is:

1. Comfortable by itself.
2. Always level. No time wasted getting it only close to level, and STILL sleeping like crap.
3. Off the ground.
4. Least set-up time.
5. Comfortable. Comfortable like, "I'm so comfortable I'm sleeping in. Catch up with y'all later..."
6. Warm. I've been down to 12, cousin in TN has been down to -8. Toasty.
7. All your stuff is still in your truck, ready to roll.
8. Packable for hikes, fits in a coat pocket. Leave it behind the seat all the time in case you must bivouac unexpectedly.
9. Kids dig roof-top tents. Chicks dig hammocks.
10. Relatively speaking, inexpensive.
11. Bug-out bag necessity.
12: It is estimated that 25% or the world's population sleeps in a hammock, that over 50% of the people in the Southern Hemisphere sleep in hammocks. They may be on to something.
13. Camp anywhere you want, where others can't, even if the ground is a 40 degree incline, as long as there are two trees to tie to. My cousin did just this for two weeks in the mountains of Guatemala. He said you only got one chance to step out of it on the uphill side.
14. Cut and drop out the bottom with your 870 Tactical blazing if needed.
15. All of the above is true, unless yours says ENO on the side. I had one. My first hammock. Everybody's first. For many, their last. Ruins it for most that try hammocking. Don't buy an ENO. You guys that have them, you THINK you are comfortable. You have no concept... There. I said it.

I've tried all on the market except for a few of them. Consider one of these: Custom Hammocks (dreamhammock.com) Mine's the Sparrow. They'll make any of them any way you want: Recent Projects - Dream Hammock Each a custom work of art, right out of the buyer's mind!

 

I always liked the idea of hammock camping, and was going to go that route until I lucked into a good deal with my RTT.

WHen you hammock camped, did you do so with all the accoutrements? Underquilt/sleeping pad, bug net, rainfly? Or did you just set up the hammock and bundle up?

 

I still don't get the fascination with RTTs. They make zero sense to me...especially for the price tag on a 2 person tent.
But when I mall crawl, I won't look nearly as cool though.

 

Good to know. Never actually used a tent cot. Actually use a Hennessy Hammock Expedition Zip system myself.

 

Yes, I tried without the accoutrements, tried to po'boy it. For a while. Then got the underquilt. Great move there. You can hammock camp comfortably only between 75 and 78 degrees. Above 78 is too hot for hammock camping for me. Break out the air-conditioned tent. And under 75 you will freeze your ass off from about 1:30am on thru dawn without an underquilt. It is not possible to stay warm in a hammock, comfortably, without an underquilt. The use of an underpad under you in the hammock is a miserable experience trying to keep it under you all night to stay warm, and only puts off the inevitable purchase of an underquilt. On top of me I still use my North Face down sleeping bag upside down on me rather than a top quilt. Good enough. My cousin got the top quilt and he swears by it. He has the same NF down sleeping bag I have and he strongly recommends the top quilt. It's lighter than the bag, and packs down much smaller, like the size of a Nerf football. Rainfly yes. Bugnet is integral to the hammock. It is less expensive to NOT do it the way I did, trying to po'boy it, trying to save money. Buy once, cry once. Buy the best first and get on life. I wish I had. The oceans of time and money I spent trying to save money. Besides, you are going to ruin the hammock comfort if you don't get the right ancillary equipment. You are going to toss and turn all night, because your bottom side is cold, and will conclude that hammocking sucks. It doesn't, IF you have the right equipment. It's the best outdoor sleep you will ever have. And NOT A FUCKIN' ENO either! The Eno I had is at the bottom.

www.hammockforums.com
These, posted on this forum ad nauseum:

 

Never in a million years will I sleep in a hammock.
It’s not flat.
you can’t roll over.
Unless you’re a string bean your shoulders meet at your breast bone.
Worst possible sleeping position for lower back issues.

 

Everyone is different... Some like to sleep in the truck bed, some like to sleep in ground tent, some like to sleep in roof-top tent.

All depends on the budget you have that you spend money on the accessories such as tent, sleeping bag, lamp, etc.

Keep this in mind, some people have health issues such as back issues, whatever it is, they can sleep wherever they can that they feel comfortable in the said tent.

I have seen some people sleep in the backseat/trunk (backseat folds down) of their cars such as Tesla, Prius, etc.

Don't worry about others. You can pick whatever you want/wherever you sleep in.

 

Yeah, back issues are hell. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I fractured L4 and L5 racing that shifterkart pictured over there in my signature and it still gives me problems. Luckily not while I am sleeping, but for many others achieving a good night's sleep with back problems is the MAJOR problem in life that they face. Scott, hammocks are not for everyone, and it is obvious that you did not have a good experience when you gave it a try. There is a method to achieve an almost flat lay, and if you don't have the right hammock that method is just putting lipstick on the pig. More people who try hammocking go back to ground because of the wrong hammock, or nobody showed them all the little secrets to making a hammock comfortable. There is more to it than tying it to trees and hopping in. Even still, with back problems you are going to have comfort issues when you don't get your RTT exactly level, and who among us has found a completely level campsite that doesn't set us up for those issues, regardless of the sleep equipment we use? Back problems only compound the problem. Hammocks eliminate the leveling problem and the rocky ground problem. And thirteen other problems listed above. They don't eliminate having the wrong hammock problem, or not having had a mentor to help you with your hammockcraft problem. (Hammocking has a BIG and active community. Every state has a convention every year, called a "Hang". In some awesome place too that our Taco's would love. Some are overlanding in nature. One weekend at one of these will resolve most everyone's hammock issues. Did me.) To each their own. There is no single one right way. You continually refine and develop your hammockcraft.

As for turning over being a problem...yeah, if you want to find a problem, turning over and side sleeping in a hammock can be turned into an insurmountable problem. (Having to sleep facing uphill on an even slightly unlevel piece of ground is an insurmountable problem for me. I can't sleep for long facing downhill. The subconscious perception of about to roll downhill wakes me constantly.) I am a side sleeper, and I turn from side to side 8-10 times a night. When sleeping in the hammock I found that I can sleep better on my back. Best of all, in the hammock I only wake to adjust my position 2-3 times a night. It supports my weight different, and I don't have the pressure points on my bony prominences as I do in my bed at home to prompt my perceived need to wake and reposition. That bed at home is a memory foam bed, so it is suppose to take care of that for me. It doesn't. At least not as good as the hammock does.

Time to set-up and break camp is a biggie for me too. Hammocks are the fastest camp set and break I've found. You know, the RTT just might beat it though!

 

You can find them used on Craigslist, etc for a fair price usually. Agree they're expensive for what they are, but if you find one used and decide you dont like it, you could always resell it. Demand for them is strong. I actually made money off my last RTT I bought used and sold slightly more used.

I find them great for west desert camping. Doesn't take you 45 mins trying to find a tent sized spot in the sagebrush that won't destroy your back. I can usually get my tent up and down faster than my buddy with the ground tent too, since the morning desert wind makes managing loose ground tent material a fun time. Not for everyone though, and that's ok.

 

As a stomach sleeper, hammocks are not even a consideration.

 

Yeah, you are so right there! But look on the bright side: you won't die like Janis or Jimi...

 

Well since this thread is alive again i just thought id weigh in. The main thing gor me is if you camp every weekend it becomes a hassle to set up (two) sleeping pads, sleeping bags and then have to pack that stuff up again. With a wedge tent u just pop the top and bed is made

 

The VW vanagon wasn't a fluke. RTT’s , wedge campers, topper lifts, whatever keeps you warm and dry. Hell, I did a month long ski trip in a Cortina GT 2-door and removed the passenger bucket seat and rear bench and slept full length on a chaise lounge matt with 2 down bags. During a 12-day stretch I skied every day and put 2000 miles on it. People will still use tents, hammocks, or roll up in a tarp on the ground and insist it’s the best thing ever, and be right, for them.

 

Now that is dedication right there. My hat is off to you. How cold did it get in there?

 

I slept in a lawn chair for three days. yall complain too much