Roof Top Tents - A fad?

I love how my thread has been relegated to the desert known as the "off topic - outdoors" section, meanwhile the "RTT BS thread" is still in the off roading section. Some of the mods must have gotten triggered.


I've considered buying a roof top tent for a while. They're a pretty steep investment.. usually a thousand dollars.. plus you need to buy a bed rack or some other platform to mount it; and they don't really do you any favors on the trail as they are large, bulky, and tend to take up a LOT of bed space which affects your visibility, or even roof space for guys with SUVs.

That being said, it looks like they're quite comfortable, and they get you up off of the ground and away from the critters.
But in the back of my mind I keep thinking:

Is this worth it?

Why wouldn't I just use a regular tent and a comfortable sleeping bag?
Wouldn't a simpleton tent take up a lot less room, weigh less, and you wouldn't need your rig to be engineered around a giant square that you use a few times a year, if even?

What are your thoughts? Purchase justification is one thing.. but in practicality, what are your arguments? I welcome a friendly discussion!

 

Im about to buy 1. I justify it by thinking about its bulky price vs hotel costs. Im getting mine through a group buy for approx 700. Thats paid for after 7 nights i woulda stayed in a hotel. And the ease of setting up .
As for visibility i hardly use my rear view as it is from my stereo making it impossible to see out of

 

I dont follow. My other justification is 2 days of overtime and my shits paid for

 

Not a fad, just an option. Consider everything about your camping style and frequency and how that would change with a change in gear. It's a niche industry ripe for undercutting, hence the group buy mentioned above, which if it is from the same thread I've read sounds like a pretty decent deal.

Personally I like my ground tent or hammock. I think RTT's are just an "upgrade" that works for some people. RTT's keep critters out, but a bear that wants in is getting in no problem. I also consider the mo' problems issue. If my dog puts a hole in or breaks a pole of my tent, that sucks. If a nasty wind, something stuck in a pinch point, or just my dumbass self breaks a part of my $700-$3000 roof tent, that really sucks.

 

I am in a similar boat; I accepted that I am going to get one though. For me, with a wife, baby daughter, and 2 dogs, its WAY more convenient for me to enjoy camping with the whole family, sleeping in one of these than torture them by camping how I grew up (on the ground, tent or no tent pending weather). Its more about the full experience of being outdoors and teaching my daughter she doesn't need an ipad or computer or electronics to enjoy herself. Theres a whole world passing people by and this is my attempt to teach her at an early age to enjoy what she has around her. My wife and I enjoy camping and offroading. We sleep in a 3 man tent, have a 10x10 cover for a "kitchen" type set up and enjoy it. The RTT (accept mounted on a trailer that I am going to build) will enable us to have a little more space to live, place for the dogs to sleep (under the zipped in awning) and more fun all around I think. Everyone is going to have different opinions and reason for doing such, you just gotta find out for yourself what its worth to you.

 

I think their ease of use, quick packing/unpacking/heavy duty material justifies it for me. I rather not deal with carrying a tent or having to set one up. Or losing parts for it. The RTT is just convenient. Now at 1k-3k I wouldnt be in, but since I'll be getting it through a GB. Yeah super worth it.

 

Find my RTT thread I posted about this and got some really awesome replys and videos.

 

I bought mine because....

1. can be set up anywhere. tents sights need to be flat not rocky and nice for a tent. I camp in the desert a lot and "hard" sights full of rocks were hard to find a good tent spot. I have skipped sights in the past because of ground tent not really working but great for rtt.
2. I can keep my bedding inside the tent. I used to have to pack everything in the truck and this saved me space.
3. rain/weather. if you have ever tried to set up a tent in the pouring rain and wind it sucks. tent flapping everywhere everything gets wet. then once set up you still need to take bedding out of the truck and in the tent which opens up to the possibility of it getting wet.
4. i still think they are easier than a ground tent especially a big one. takes time to fold up. Just dont expect the rtt set up and take down to be seconds. plan on minutes to ten minutes go slow take your time and it will be ok.

I love mine.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rtts.508968/#post-15983739
I found it for ya

 

Ground,bed of the truck or inside for a bad weather night or I take the tent trailer as base camp for hunting and fishing trips,I don't see the up side to them personally but to each there own!!!

 

in the age of instagram that we now live in, everything and anything has become a fad for someone somewhere

 

Reason #1 and 2 @Trucko Love mine and the wife enjoys camping much more.

 

The more you do your own research the better. Look at the re-sale value on the "big companies" tents. Guys are fetching bucks because of the testing and quality control that goes into them. And it's totally a fad bro..and personal preference wins all day

 

"Show us your Remulak bed upgrades!"

 

maybe go camping first and then figure out your best set up for you and your type of terrain. i used to sleep on the ground by my back tire on a cot with a tarp for years or if the wife came a tent and air mattress. TN is a lot different i bet then my part of the world.

Oh and winter camping with snow on the ground lots easier being up high

 

Like pretty much everyone else said, the convenience was the big selling point for me. Unzip it, flip it over, extend the ladder, and you're ready to go. Packing up is just as easy and since its off the ground you don't have to worry as much about dirt or moisture.

Better construction, has a platform, a mattress, etc. They last longer. Resale value is better. I think these are the arguments you didn't want to hear, though.

It boils down to the time I save being worth more than the few hundred bucks I'd save by buying a ground tent.

It also helps that I paid $699 for an RTT that retails for $1500. I could sell it for a profit pretty quick even though it's used. I was willing to pay around $1200, though, and just happened to come across an awesome deal.

 

a "good" ground tent is not cheap either not RTT prices but still not cheap

 

I'd call it a bit of a fad. I have taken to wanting a trailer I can put a roof tent on. Best of both worlds.