*THE RTT Owners Thread (With BS)*

@HickOnACrick, what sort of winch/hoist are you using?

 

Got it at Harbor Freight...about 1200 lb capacity if my memory serves. It's a Pittsburgh brand.

 

You scored

 

couldn't find anything on roof tent types. not a brand specific question, but what are the differences (pros/cons) of these types of tents?

$1,388 Smittybilt GEN2 Overlander Tent XL - 2683

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smittybilt-gen2-overlander-tent-xl-2683/_/R-DSBP-2683

$995 Smittybilt Overlander Roof Top Tent - 2783

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/smittybilt-overlander-roof-top-tent-2783/_/R-DSBP-2783

More interested in why you purchased one over the other? I like the idea of the annex keeping you dry as you go up/down the tent. which is why I am thinking of buying one that is like the Smittybilt XL. Also, does one that large fit within the width of a Short Bed Tacoma?

 

weight mainly?

i dont like the small annex cover deal. i like being able to sit on that part and let my feet hang. those annex things catch wind too so you may need to stake the tent down.

 

i guess you got the one like the second link? it is also on the less expensive side, so i could either get a nicer brand name, or put that savings into something else, a better cooler/fridge perhaps?

I'm leaning to the larger size mainly bc/ the ladder would be in the annex. I just picture us getting rained on one night and wanting to stay dry/shake off wet shoes before climbing up

 

yea i have a tepui kukeman 3, similar to the second link. the canvas covers aren't water proof so it would only help if it was raining sideways. the included rain fly works pretty well to let shoes dry out. i dont have a boot bag, but put my muddy shoes in the tent with my so i know they wont get too wet.

i got it cuz it was on sale. its great and i love using it over a regular ground tent. i plan on selling it sometime and going either clamshell and campershell or full gfc. roof top tents change the whole camping experience

 

I’ve had both types. I had the first one first and I didn’t like the annex overhang at all. In theory it’s nice but it’s more of a pain to setup. There’s this big U bar that I had to wrestle in place every time. Plus it needed to be staked out. Now I just flip open my tent and put in the rain fly poles and I’m ready to party.

 

Yeah. we have a few ground tents. I did a lot of hiking in/shortly after college. I some very light tents i snagged from backcountry.com while on sale. can setup in the rain and never get inside wet, really nice. and i also got a roll out mattress type of thing a while back which helps keeps us off the ground, so to speak. but looking for a RTT to do more sight seeing, and also get off the ground.

are there any differences in mattresses? don't some have a memory foam? say the CVT ones?

what is a gfc?

 

I didn't even think of that. good call. that changes my take on which one to get. That also puts my budget to maybe get a nicer brand, like the CVT, Thule, Tepui ones.

 

it sounds like most mattresses from the companies aren't too great. im still using mine, but am interested in upgrading at some point. there are some mentions in this thread about the expads i think, they seem to be good.

a gfc is a go fast camper, essentially a camper shell and roof top tent integrated in one so you can stand in the bed and climb into the tent without going outside. more of a luxury than anything. gfc is a basic style. you can look at the alucabs and vagabonds for more built ones. four wheel campers makes something similar.

 

I like those. The website has me sold! I could us getting one of those if we lived out west. A lot more accessible/remote areas where you could be on a trail for many days at a time, than in the Southeast. Mainly going to do some camping, GA Traverse weekends. i would love to do some riding in CO, UT, CA areas. It is beautiful out there.

i'll have to look at those a bit more. seems it's like an air mattress concept.

How are you liking your Tepui tent? If the gfc wasn't a concept, would you buy another one?

 

i really like my tent. only complaint is putting the cover on when im done. this includes tucking the flap material in and zipping it up. only time i had an issue closing it was some crazy snow storm in September at a high alpine lake in colorado.

i got it because the price was good and i was buying local so i didnt have to deal with shipping and having it delivered to my house on a narrow hill.

would i get it again? i was actually talking to my gf about selling it and getting one of the mia tents from this thread, https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...kers-of-waterport.676655/page-3#post-25225026 . i have a waterport and love it and really like the style of the hard shell clamshell tents. if i didnt just buy an expensive camera for my gf, id pull the trigger on the mia. if you can swing it, i would go with that one

 

^^^ This is hilarious!! and damn. It's ~$1,000 less on Costco too..... i really like this tent.. also it looks like they have free shipping... Do you know long has Costco had it for that price? If wife gets a new job, this one fits the budget! Has a few interviews lined up, so if it stays that price for a few weeks longer while that process plays out, yes!

If not, it's back to the CVT, Thule, Tepui ones, with Smittybilt one as an alternate idea.

 

its around the same price normally, but isn't in stock that frequently. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/mia-overlander-costco.699840/

 

I'm on my second CVT in the "Shasta" size, 56" wide, no annex or awning. I like the simplicity, and while putting it away can seem like a pain, it really doesn't take that long and you kind of get a system. I've been on several week+ long trips where I set it up and took it down daily and can't say it ever really bothered me.

The CVT and Tepui seem pretty much identical, and they were probably the first 2 bigger sellers in the US before a bunch of other companies popped up. I'm not sure any sellers have what I would consider an awesome mattress. The 56" width is perfect for an ExPed Megamat Duo, though, and that's what I use and would highly recommend. I got the shoe bags with the latest tent, and it will let you keep your smelly, muddy shoes dry and out of the tent. The rain fly extends enough to keep you out of the rain when sitting on the edge removing/putting on your shoes.

The only real drawback I see is if you want to stay in the same spot for multiple days, you can't really leave your camp set up while you go exploring in your vehicle.

 

Well hello. Anyone running a RTT on a 3rd gen access can roof rack? Found something on a 2nd gen but looking for more recent and consistent usage.
Thanks TW!

 

Update/Review on the Stoic double cloud camp bed air mattress.
The wife & I spent the last two nights on the mattress in the basement to test it out prior to taking camping. I placed the mattress on a thin rug on the concrete floor.
The first night I started with a little too much air in the mattress, then I let out a little too much halfway thru the night. Not the best night, but not bad.
Second night I started with neutral air pressure & it worked great all night. Neutral, meaning I overinflated it, then opened the outlet valve until no air came out, then closed the valve. Wife & I agree it is the best camping mattress setup we have tried. It is Not as comfy as our bed at home.
Build quality seems good. It does not come with a pump & I think it needs one. I used my old rechargeable pump which works good for airing up (less than a minute), but lacked power for removing air from mattress. I will need to get another one soon.

Killer price on mattress on steep & cheap. We definitely recommend.

https://www.steepandcheap.com/stoic-double-cloud-camp-bed?s=a

 

setup the RTT in Alabama Hills for the first time. Pretty place, but crowded!

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More photos, story:
It's True What They Say About Alabama Hills - Owens Valley #1




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Well, I put my tent back on for our first trip this weekend!