As someone that loves adventures, off roading, vehicle based camping etc. I don't set up my vehicles for anyone but myself and with that being said I slept inside my jeep for years and getting a rooftop tent was a game changer we go 2 or 3 times a month and also do multiple long trips a year like 3500 mile 7 day loops 😊
Well here in Africa there are scopions, deadly snakes(distant medical facilities) lions, leopards, hyenas elephants. In short a rooftop is a must to avoid all the unnecessary drama and potential loss of life from wildlife.
Most people who use a RTT arent camping in the same spot evrry night... The whole point is to be able to go anywherre, to a new spot every night, and everythign is with you and setup in minutes
@@robbarber7253 okay so if I can setup my tent in 2 minutes, or my RTT in two minutes, what's the difference? I could leave all my gear at my base camp then just pull in after exploring, and pop up my RTT lol Only difference is if your setting up a elaborate bed system or tables in your tent, then sure that you can leave all in your tent when your gone
@@Gendreau113 The difference is you don't have to park on a level surface, it's not physically attached to your truck so your not limited to truck camp spots (ex: boating, hiking, ATVing etc), you don't have to pay 5 times the price, ground tents accomodate large pets, you don't have to climb up and down to go pee at night, the list goes on RTTs are just another gimmicky piece of "overlanding" gear
@@robbarber7253 I get your point sure, but imo there just built for different types of people, if you don't like them no one's fo cing you to buy one? So why are you so upset about it
@@Gendreau113 Not sure how you concluded that in upset or being forced to buy one I was literally responding that there's ground based tents that setup in 2 mins
You entirely missed the point. It's about the force multiplier (leverage) of load on the REAR suspension, in particular, due to the significant increase in drag at the highest point of the vehicle. How much of an increase in wear of the rear suspension components is it? That's quite specific to each rig and likely no one has done sufficient testing so it's all theoretical, but sound reasoning and a minor point compared to his other points. For me, the #1 reason against having a rooftop tent is that it would put our van into the next height tier on the ferry and cost us more money every couple months when traveling back and forth between Germany and Finland. Bottom line, to each their own. :)
@@ronson-natsarim- lol. This is dumb AF. Force multiplier? It’s like 4” thick when folded down. Drag, sure…but like some crazy “force multiplier”, lol. You’re putting 150lbs of 4” slab on your roof. It’s like carrying a couple people in the back seat. The springs aren’t going to start sagging. Lol.
@@rickybobby6605 Disregard the choice of words (force multiplier) if it bothers you. I was simply clarifying the point the author was making regarding the significant increase in drag and, therefore, load on the rear suspension. What measurable difference it would make I have no idea and neither does the author seem to indicate he does. It wasn't a primary point of concern, merely ancillary, so the original commenter in this thread (the one I was replying to) made more of an issue out of it than the maker of the video did.
As someone who’s been tent camping for a decade, none of these cons even apply to me. I’m just tired of cleaning mud off of tents and dealing with water getting in the tent. Not to mention carrying bulky cots and extra bedding.
3 reasons you’re wrong: 1. Packing up- only an issue depending on the type of RTT you buy. Soft shell- horrible- wet, take forever to put away. Hardshell Wedge- away in 2 mins, set up in 1 min. And it’s often not the RTT that is the pain to put away, it’s all the other crap that people attach to their vehicles and has to be put away to move the vehicle- all of this stuff can be put up not attached to the rig so you can leave it at your site. 2. Wheeling with weight up high- it’s not a problem except for the most extreme rock crawling where you would really want a specialized vehicle. And you can counter-act it by how you pack- especially your water and fuel, and other ways- example I put a 35 lb tranny and oil pan skid on my JTR. 3. MPGs- I took a bigger MPG hit on my Gladiator going to a stubby front bumper and 35s than with the RTT. I can’t really see any MPG hit- at most maybe half a mpg. Shocked me. But my working hypothesis is that the flat front of the JTR makes the air go up above the RTT so that the RTT sits in the aerodynamic bubble created by the shape of the vehicle. I also own a Gazelle tent when I want more room or really am base camping for a few days. And it’s a great tent. But there is still more set up, it’s not as well insulated (actually not at all and is not great in colder temps), and you don’t wake up 6 ft above the ground, which is just such a nice thing. Honestly I’m surprised you didn’t mention the up and down of a RTT. That’s the biggest pain in the butt to me- if I forgot something once I get up there it’s like 🤬 to have to put on shoes and get down to get it. Or nighhtime bathroom runs etc. But to me, the ability to be prepacked and be able to get outta dodge on a Fri after work quickly and easily without a lot of packing and then roll into a place 10 at night and be in bed within 5 mins means I go on more trips- and there is nothing better than more trips. Obviously this just my perspective and works for me- and you’re nit “wrong” bc it is always whatever works for each of us, but def wanted to give other perspective. For me, Im never going back to the ground on the regular.
3 reasons you're wrong. 1- You have a rooftop tent that's why you're batting for the RTT community. 2- Your fuel economy is up and centre of gravity is UP as well but you won't admit that because you have a RTT. 3- Roof rack companies and RTT companies will tell you in fine print what your on road and off road load capacity is and most roof top tents exceed that. To me that's fraud. They don't care about your vehicle or your safety just sales. So you be happy and comfortable with your RTT, each to their own.
That Gazelle tent you own saved you enough money to where you could buy a nice blow up mattress, portable battery, heater, anything else that you come up with as being a negative over the super overpriced RTT. "Let me compare it to something that is 1/5th the price".
I think the point of the video is that roof top tents are not as glamorous as they seem. Like you pointed out. A RTT with a fast set up time is critical but there’s a lot of ones that are slower and more annoying, not to mention even the crappiest roof too tents run you more than $1000 and to get a really nice one you have to shell out a lot more. There are some people I’m sure it works out for I think people should be informed about the pros and cons before they blindly purchase anything
@@stavio12 1. Nah. Did you not see where I said I have both and use both? 2. I’m not making stuff up. I just got back from a trip today- 15.5 mpgs on the roads there and back. You know what I got before the RTT- 16 mpgs. Did I say no hit? No, I said not much, maybe about .5 mpgs. I also explained that it could be due to the unique shape of Jeeps. And of course a lot has to do with the fact that not all RTTs are the same. A soft shell that is a 10 inch brick up there will be a lot different than a 5 in clamshell that I have. Btw, fuel economy is down, not up. Of course center of gravity is up- I didn’t say it is not. What I did say is that (a) it can be counter-balanced by how you build and pack and (b) it’s not as big a deal for what most overlanders do (and even more so as I wheel mine a fair bit on blues and easier blacks) and really becomes an issue if you are doing hard wheeling. I know this from experience of hitting trails on the same rig with and without, not just speculating. 3. Wow who has some anger issues? I have never seen a RTT company that has the load capacity for vehs. If they do tho, good for them for providing that info. And if you are mad that your veh doesn’t make the list of vehs that can’t handle the weight- buy another veh. Cause yeah, you shouldn’t put one on a veh that can’t handle it. My Gladiator has an Alucab canopy with a 750 lb static load capacity and 350 lb dynamic, so I am fine. The problem with making an argument “against RTTs” is that there are many varieties made out of different materials which drastically affects all of the things about them- set up take down time, wind resistance, weight, room etc. This guy’s complaints apply mostly to soft shell RTTs, hence my comment to point out why he’s wrong applying his gripes about them to all styles. As I said at the end, my comment was for information purposes, we all use what works for us. But since you didn’t lay attention to many of the words I wrote, I guess you missed that too.
It's always interesting to hear people's views, depending on what works for them. I have a RTT (a Bundutop), which gives us extra packing space for long trips inside the vehicle canopy, as our bedding stays in the tent. It's extremely comfortable and very quick to erect and close down, so moving around daily is not an issue. Our overlanding trips don't involve tackling extreme trails, so the bit of extra weight on the roof isn't an issue. I live in South Africa and can go anywhere on the continent with confidence.
People aren't even smart enough to know what overlanding is. Been overlanding since the early 1960's, never owned a truck or a 4x4 even. Younger people lack understanding because they lost their minds. The more information is available, the dumber they become. Logic left the room when Merrikuns stopped reading. Their downright dumbness is self-inflicted.
It takes me 15 min to set up and take down my RTT. Have had no change in fuel mileage. Also bought a hard shell which does make it a little heavy but I haven't noticed it. To each their own.
Im over 50. For any guys over 50 we know what that means at nightime. I do not fancy navigating a ladder, in the middle of the night, half asleep. My other reason is the first reason he gave.
That's why you get a small offroad trailer and put an RTT on that. Keep the weight low, inline with your vehicle and can drop at the trailhead and come back to a set up camp.
@@robbarber7253Pretty much anywhere u can drive a 4x4 u can drive a trailer. Even off-road, you’d be amazed by what a single axle trailer with chunky tires can roll over.
Everything you said makes sense. With my wife we bought one in 2019 and the reasons I’d recommend it are: she barely enjoyed camping, now she really likes it (it makes her feel she’s not sleeping surrounded by spiders. I’ll never tell her the truth.). We road trip more than we off-road and We don’t often stay at the same spot more than two nights. Being able to get to a state park in the middle of the night and be ready to sleep five minutes after we stopped the motor works well for our trip style. But it’s a steep price. It absolutely is a non essential luxury item. And it has its shortcomings.
This is a touchy subject. For some reason, people do not understand that certain equipment and setups work better for others versus themselves. I am not an RTT guy, as I prefer my camper shell, but that does not mean the RTT is any worse than my setup. I think its silly how much ego is now involved with overlanding, and I think it has to do with how expensive everything has gotten. Nobody wants to feel like their thousand dollar investment was unnecessary. One key perk of sleeping in an RTT or camper shell is the protection from bears and/or tweakers. Sometimes the RTT is used as a fashion piece, but so are shackles, maxtraxx, etc..
Sounds more like personal preferences. I didnt hear any issues. None of them would ruin my day. Rule 1- no soft shell RTT's. Thats it. Have a great day, and dont be afraid of some work...
Lo que pasa es que el hace offroad y su prioridad es el desempeño del vehículo, mientras que los que usan rooftop tent es por qué su prioridad es hacer camping, eso creo 😅😅😅
My pop up RTT is great 15 seconds to set up and 30 seconds to break down , RTT are great on long trips in a pinch you can sleep anywhere you can park your vehicle. My makes no noise when I drive and 100 pounds has made no difference whatsoever, but I also have upgraded suspension. Not to mention sometimes on trips along the coast it’s nice to just pullover pop open the RTT and enjoy the ocean . Can’t just pull over and put down a tent on the side of the road .
Valid points but they mostly come down to personal preference. 1. I for one, find it equally as annoying having to pack up my tarps and wet muddy tents off the ground every single time we move sites or go wheeling somewhere. Not to mention you're SOL if you get stuck out on a trail away from camp. 2. If you have a low profile sturdy rack, it really doesn't change your center of gravity anymore than if you're carrying a high lift jack, spare fuel containers, and a full sized sparetire. 3. If your suspension starts sagging for a 150lb tent (which is the average currently for most hard shell tents), you have super beat old suspension to start with. Most humans weigh more than the tents do and they're a whole lot less stationary than a tent would be.
Do what you want… period! I love my rooftop tent, not a big deal putting up and down. Heck once I left my walker in one of the pockets quickly opened it up and back down in minutes. I get why some of you hate them but lots of us love it. We have a travel trailer too and sometimes we use that . So enjoy what you like . Not all of us do rock crawling but easy trail driving . 100 lbs affecting center of gravity… geez
I don’t want to climb down a spindly ladder in the middle of the night to pee. The whole concept makes no sense unless you need protection from critters.
Yeah. I don’t get it. You’ve been active all day. You are tired. You gotta pee, maybe even a couple of time. So bleary eyed at 3am you’re climbing down a little ladder…? And then back up… no thanks.
These are valid points. I was considering getting a rooftop tent, but I believe I can still convert my truck bed into what I originally would have had the rooftop tent taking place of.
I got a ground tent and roof top tent .. can still set up camp and leave everything there …got a rtt so the wife could come and not bitch about critters all around the tent 😂😂….what ever works for people just got out and enjoy ..
As a casual tent camper who doesn’t like a 3-5 minute set up a RTT is perfect. My bed rack and RTT come off pretty quick and then I just throw them in storage after a trip. The one I have only weights 70lbs so my mpg barely takes a hit. As for the rock crawling I don’t do that so I’m not sure how much it affects that.
I just bought RTT, if you really want to save yourself some $ buy a slightly used one for 1/3 of retail price, then you don’t need to justify why you bought it😂
200 pounds for a pick up Truck is like bringing your mom in a trip. 200 pounds is nothing, it would do nothing to the suspension. A truck camper weight 1500 pounds and stays on the truck for 6 months and nothing happens. You don't use a rooftop tent because you can't afford one.
Rooftop tent means you camp where the vehicle goes. Some of the best camp sites require a hike beyond the parking lot. Better off getting a really nice tent at fraction of a rooftop tent and using the saved money for sleeping bag, air pad, cooking equipment, fuel, food, etc.
Having now had an RTT on my 3rd gen for a season, my highway fuel economy has dropped from 11 litres per 100km/h to "drum roll"... 11.5 litres per 100 km. The offroad fuel economy has remained static around 15/16 L/100km (I shouldn't have to mention that, but some people aren't smart enough to understand the fact that wind resistance isn't a factor at offroad speeds).
This is why I prefer my awning, it's a 270° awning, it doesn't add much more weight than the roof rack already did, I get nice coverage I can take with my any where, doesn't effect my wheeling much if any and. I do lose a little height clearance and at the end of the day it is extra weight on the roof, but I prefer a tent on the ground and an awning on my truck, plus if I go wheeling, find a cool spot to stop an eat, pull out the awning, set up the grill cook some burgers and kick back, and its also super useful for going target shooting in less desirable weather for your guns
I want to build my tj with a trailer with a tent up top so like you said I can drop it off at camp and still go off-roading with out putting it all away, but I also want to build a gladiator with a half sized bed rack and tent that sits flush so I can go on long overlanding trips where you do pack up in the morning and go adventuring to a new spot the next day and just have a quick way to sleep comfy and cook meals and chill for a little while
There is also another reason for not having a roof top tent, you could accidentally fall out of the damned thing, and folks having to go the hospital or worse just isn't worth it, nope.
Here in NT Australia, there are crocodiles roaming around at night and could start nibbling at your tent during the night if it's on the ground, not to mention snakes, poisonous centipedes, buffalo, camels etc. ...
Three (3) reasons a person would use a rooftop tent: 1. Being a Basecamp for a backcountry traveler (backpacker) or other semi-sedintary/semi-mobile disbursed camp situation (Forest Service, archaeology/ecology surveys) 2. Being in a campground with other localized transportation modalities (ie. A bicycle) 3. Camping with more than one vehicle and in a very small party Otherwise, Most people that want a tent might be better in their vehicle. But, your comment is good, non-conventional info for suspension/alignment mechanics, at least as some things to think about.
Most folk I see who do actual offloading like mudding, rock crawling, hill climbing, don't roof tent or truck bed camper. They pull a camper trailer or pack tents. Truck bed campers and roof top folks are log road Explorers that keep truck shiny.
I can see some practical advantages to a RTT such as not needing to worry about rocky terrain or watershed during rain, but I am unsure if those advantages outweigh the cost of the tent, increased cost in fuel and decreased driving dynamics of a vehicle year round (because I personally am not moving those big akward heavy things once they are set, my 40ish lb Thule basket is annoying enough) Where i spend my time, its not hard to find a place for a normal tent (unless you want to stay in a state park, slowly losing the battle for nice soft mossy ground to the gravel the RVers demand.)
Overland trailer is the move! Easy enough for pretty much anyone to build themselves with some relatively simple power tools and off-the-shelf parts. Trailers give of use of a rooftop tent with the flexibility of one you can take in/out of your trunk. I put a little wagon handle and a chunky jokey wheel on to drag it into “tent only” areas with no trouble from park rangers. The whole setup weighs no more than 500 lbs fully loaded with water and Jerry cans. Can keep everything stored in it and hook up for weekend warrior activities.
The real reason is that a roof-top tent is thousands of dollars, and the $10 tent I got at the thrift store does the same exact thing and fits in a duffel bag. Sometimes trends don't make sense, but people will do it anyway until the trend dies.
My biggest reason to not have an RTT… my vic would be up tall to park in the garage. Since it would have to be outside I either need to remove it or risk having it stolen. Reason 2, my dog. Climbing in and out with him would be a pain in the ass on an unimaginable scale. He’s 70lbs. I’ll stick to my backpacking tents
I love my RTT. Perfect for my style of camping. Up in the mountains It is perfect. Park anywhere no caring if there are rocks, roots, water or mud under. Enjoy your adventures and keep on creating content for all of us to enjoy, give our opinions and learn from each other.
1 & 2: in Australia we have ‘Jack off canopies’. So basically high lift your entire canopy onto legs and drive away. Easy, simple and you’re good to go for harder wheeling
Who goes back to the same camp every night. It's overlanding. Backtracking means you're doing it wrong. 100lbs up on top isn't moving your center up enough to matter. If you're gonna use your daily for this stuff, removing the tent is just part of unloading the gear. 3 reasons this guy made excuses to sleep on the ground. 😂
He said ‘be able to’. I get what he means, bc often you want to be able to do both with a setup, more camping and ride style or pack up everyday and move on over-landing style. I would agree that a ground tent or using the vehicle itself to sleep in is more versatile for this, although you’d probably want a fast pitch tent, not a complicated palace tent. The center of gravity part I would agree is mostly negligible unless you are putting like 500lbs up there, but you lose the storage up there if you are sleeping inside the vehicle or just need more room for stuff. Some people have a little pulley in their garages to take down the tent, but without something like this I could see how it could get annoying to mount it and dismount and would likely require at least an extra set of hands, so if you are solo, it would suck.
RTTs are for people that actually camp in the middle of nowhere. Ground tents are for people that go to campsites and don’t have to worry about bears, snakes, and mountain lions. Real off-roader’s aren’t sleeping at ground level with that bs
Sometimes when you go overlanding you don't camp in the same spot, you need to drive to find a new camping spot so you life is bored because you are always in the new spot
exactly, that is a solution that all these negative nellies never mention. You really don't need anything more than a storage box on a heavy suspension. Built mine for roughly 1,500 bucks, 20 years ago, way before they became popular.
If you're making any meaningful decisions either way off of a RUclips short, let alone one this one sided, can I offer you some ocean front property in North Dakota? You seem like a smart guy who would see the value in that.
Well, I see a whole lot of RTT on the trails. And not just on Jeeps. So some people must think you are wrong. And since it is a pretty large group selling them. And they are in business to make money. If they were not selling/being used we would see a deluge on the used market. Ebay currently has 42 for sale used. And 3000 new. And you forgot the most salient point. Jeep is a lifestyle brand. Most are mall crawling and go offroad one week a year on vacation. For them, the novelty is part of the adventure. People serious about camping and adventure carry much different tents. Because the tent is a place to sleep. And unless sleeping, you should be doing something outside of a tent. My tent(not the poles mind you)will fit into a pocket of a photog/safari vest. And the poles fit alongside my pack. It is a 2 person 3 season weighing under 5 pounds. And it cost near a RTT. But is trail rated by actual guys who do as I did the Appalachian Trail. The reason i got one. My girls friend has one one her Gladiator. She spent the night in a couple of times now. And it has more room than my hiking tent.
I had one in Northern Australia on my Defender. We would fish a lot, it was great, no snakes, not worry about crocodiles. But the high weight was an issue. I did wonder if I could bold one to a rear wheel carrier and flip it off the back on little stilts, so your still off the ground. I loved just keeping all my bedding in it and the pack up speed.
But good thing has roof tent! In summer, it protect you from summer heat while you drive or having a traffic jam! The cooling effect in your car will be steady! Second having nice few on top of your car! Specially if you park on a parking lot in the city and there will be an event on the street afterwards! Like parade! There are lot of people around you standing in crowed trying to see the parade! But you are laying or sitting on the corner of your roof tent having Alcohol free beer and chips and see the parade with your family having best few! Also in nature, some places they do have wet air! In only living in the tent on floor everything has wet feeling! But on the top of the roof tent there is less wet air and if it has a little wind breeze❗️you feel better! Also having best few！ And last at least! You are more protected from wild life on the roof!
3 reasons why you won't use 1 doesn't mean it's right for everyone. Only issue with leaving stuff at camp means only have base camp capability not trail camping or pitch up anywhere wild camp. I'm with you on the RTT issues that's why I went with a military trailer with RTT on there setup so can have a base camp or even go take it on trails and not worry about it breaking.
Imagine not being trapped to a paid camp ground..Imagine going high up in the hills with your rtt away from everyone and not having to worry about where you're going to pitch your tent...rrt are better
And why would you put a soft shell tent on top your vehicle anyway? Mine is a hard top and it takes less than 5 minutes to take down. If off roading is your thing 1. You bought the wrong RTT 2. Sleep on the ground
Been “Overlanding” for 30+ years (we called it car camping) and out of all the great products out there for camping, the RTT is the biggest waste of money. Why have a RTT? What makes it better than a regular tent? I had a Wildernest on my 98 Toyota Hilux and it was awesome, because when you opened it, you had access to the bed of your truck. You now had a 9’ tall tent. I loved it, but it was heavy, and even though it only took 2 minutes to setup and 3 to take down, it got really annoying on multi-day trips where you moved everyday. I now have a 4Runner with bed in back, and not as much room, but easier to move.
If you don’t have a roof top tent no one will know your a overlander.
😂 true ……I’ve got my rig set up specifically so people don’t know 😎✌️
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
How can you tip your rig over if you don't have 845.276 pounds of extra crap hanging on it?
As someone that loves adventures, off roading, vehicle based camping etc. I don't set up my vehicles for anyone but myself and with that being said I slept inside my jeep for years and getting a rooftop tent was a game changer we go 2 or 3 times a month and also do multiple long trips a year like 3500 mile 7 day loops 😊
AKA a ricer of the woods
Be happy. Get what you like. Simple
Well here in Africa there are scopions, deadly snakes(distant medical facilities) lions, leopards, hyenas elephants. In short a rooftop is a must to avoid all the unnecessary drama and potential loss of life from wildlife.
Precisely, if you camp out in the bush moreso in Southern Africa expect dangers from wildlife.
Most ‘overlanders’ aren’t even out of cel range.
Pretty much the same reasons why you need one in Florida 😂
I’ve done weeks in Africa in ground canvas tents
Cool, aside from Africa it’s a hassle, a nonsense and not cost effective.
Most people who use a RTT arent camping in the same spot evrry night... The whole point is to be able to go anywherre, to a new spot every night, and everythign is with you and setup in minutes
you can get ground based tents that setup in like 2 minutes
@@robbarber7253 okay so if I can setup my tent in 2 minutes, or my RTT in two minutes, what's the difference?
I could leave all my gear at my base camp then just pull in after exploring, and pop up my RTT lol
Only difference is if your setting up a elaborate bed system or tables in your tent, then sure that you can leave all in your tent when your gone
@@Gendreau113 The difference is you don't have to park on a level surface, it's not physically attached to your truck so your not limited to truck camp spots (ex: boating, hiking, ATVing etc), you don't have to pay 5 times the price, ground tents accomodate large pets, you don't have to climb up and down to go pee at night, the list goes on RTTs are just another gimmicky piece of "overlanding" gear
@@robbarber7253 I get your point sure, but imo there just built for different types of people, if you don't like them no one's fo cing you to buy one? So why are you so upset about it
@@Gendreau113 Not sure how you concluded that in upset or being forced to buy one I was literally responding that there's ground based tents that setup in 2 mins
Suspension? Really? For a 100lb tent? Bruh I weigh 310 😂
Exactly he said the suspension is going to start sagging over 100 pounds 😂 that’s less than what most people weigh
You entirely missed the point. It's about the force multiplier (leverage) of load on the REAR suspension, in particular, due to the significant increase in drag at the highest point of the vehicle. How much of an increase in wear of the rear suspension components is it? That's quite specific to each rig and likely no one has done sufficient testing so it's all theoretical, but sound reasoning and a minor point compared to his other points.
For me, the #1 reason against having a rooftop tent is that it would put our van into the next height tier on the ferry and cost us more money every couple months when traveling back and forth between Germany and Finland.
Bottom line, to each their own. :)
@@ronson-natsarim- lol. This is dumb AF. Force multiplier? It’s like 4” thick when folded down. Drag, sure…but like some crazy “force multiplier”, lol. You’re putting 150lbs of 4” slab on your roof. It’s like carrying a couple people in the back seat. The springs aren’t going to start sagging. Lol.
@@rickybobby6605 Disregard the choice of words (force multiplier) if it bothers you. I was simply clarifying the point the author was making regarding the significant increase in drag and, therefore, load on the rear suspension. What measurable difference it would make I have no idea and neither does the author seem to indicate he does. It wasn't a primary point of concern, merely ancillary, so the original commenter in this thread (the one I was replying to) made more of an issue out of it than the maker of the video did.
😂😂😂😂my thoughts exactly
3 reasons are price, price, and price. Nothing else matters.
Fr
Yeah I saw what some companies want for a 4 seasons rooftop tent. Over 5K! I said "For what!" And it'll be a small one for 2 people.
They are dirt cheap. 10 grand for the best of the best. Go look at 5th wheels..... 150k gone in seconds lmao
Three reasons your stupid?
As someone who’s been tent camping for a decade, none of these cons even apply to me. I’m just tired of cleaning mud off of tents and dealing with water getting in the tent. Not to mention carrying bulky cots and extra bedding.
literally me i just want it for convinece
I don’t like the idea of leaving all my expensive camping gear to be stolen while I am out on adventures.
Don't go to Alice Springs
Don’t go to Mount Isa either, or any place where Aboriginals in numbers are roaming the area. All your stuff will get stolen.
I’d rather trust a bear than people.
No one is stealing your stuff bro
@@cliffbooth7075 yeah would be a shame if someone stole your kids and land then treated you like an animal
3 reasons you’re wrong:
1. Packing up- only an issue depending on the type of RTT you buy. Soft shell- horrible- wet, take forever to put away. Hardshell Wedge- away in 2 mins, set up in 1 min. And it’s often not the RTT that is the pain to put away, it’s all the other crap that people attach to their vehicles and has to be put away to move the vehicle- all of this stuff can be put up not attached to the rig so you can leave it at your site.
2. Wheeling with weight up high- it’s not a problem except for the most extreme rock crawling where you would really want a specialized vehicle. And you can counter-act it by how you pack- especially your water and fuel, and other ways- example I put a 35 lb tranny and oil pan skid on my JTR.
3. MPGs- I took a bigger MPG hit on my Gladiator going to a stubby front bumper and 35s than with the RTT. I can’t really see any MPG hit- at most maybe half a mpg. Shocked me. But my working hypothesis is that the flat front of the JTR makes the air go up above the RTT so that the RTT sits in the aerodynamic bubble created by the shape of the vehicle.
I also own a Gazelle tent when I want more room or really am base camping for a few days. And it’s a great tent. But there is still more set up, it’s not as well insulated (actually not at all and is not great in colder temps), and you don’t wake up 6 ft above the ground, which is just such a nice thing.
Honestly I’m surprised you didn’t mention the up and down of a RTT. That’s the biggest pain in the butt to me- if I forgot something once I get up there it’s like 🤬 to have to put on shoes and get down to get it. Or nighhtime bathroom runs etc. But to me, the ability to be prepacked and be able to get outta dodge on a Fri after work quickly and easily without a lot of packing and then roll into a place 10 at night and be in bed within 5 mins means I go on more trips- and there is nothing better than more trips.
Obviously this just my perspective and works for me- and you’re nit “wrong” bc it is always whatever works for each of us, but def wanted to give other perspective. For me, Im never going back to the ground on the regular.
3 reasons you're wrong.
1- You have a rooftop tent that's why you're batting for the RTT community.
2- Your fuel economy is up and centre of gravity is UP as well but you won't admit that because you have a RTT.
3- Roof rack companies and RTT companies will tell you in fine print what your on road and off road load capacity is and most roof top tents exceed that. To me that's fraud. They don't care about your vehicle or your safety just sales.
So you be happy and comfortable with your RTT, each to their own.
That Gazelle tent you own saved you enough money to where you could buy a nice blow up mattress, portable battery, heater, anything else that you come up with as being a negative over the super overpriced RTT. "Let me compare it to something that is 1/5th the price".
🧢
I think the point of the video is that roof top tents are not as glamorous as they seem. Like you pointed out. A RTT with a fast set up time is critical but there’s a lot of ones that are slower and more annoying, not to mention even the crappiest roof too tents run you more than $1000 and to get a really nice one you have to shell out a lot more. There are some people I’m sure it works out for I think people should be informed about the pros and cons before they blindly purchase anything
@@stavio12
1. Nah. Did you not see where I said I have both and use both?
2. I’m not making stuff up. I just got back from a trip today- 15.5 mpgs on the roads there and back. You know what I got before the RTT- 16 mpgs. Did I say no hit? No, I said not much, maybe about .5 mpgs. I also explained that it could be due to the unique shape of Jeeps. And of course a lot has to do with the fact that not all RTTs are the same. A soft shell that is a 10 inch brick up there will be a lot different than a 5 in clamshell that I have. Btw, fuel economy is down, not up. Of course center of gravity is up- I didn’t say it is not. What I did say is that (a) it can be counter-balanced by how you build and pack and (b) it’s not as big a deal for what most overlanders do (and even more so as I wheel mine a fair bit on blues and easier blacks) and really becomes an issue if you are doing hard wheeling. I know this from experience of hitting trails on the same rig with and without, not just speculating.
3. Wow who has some anger issues? I have never seen a RTT company that has the load capacity for vehs. If they do tho, good for them for providing that info. And if you are mad that your veh doesn’t make the list of vehs that can’t handle the weight- buy another veh. Cause yeah, you shouldn’t put one on a veh that can’t handle it. My Gladiator has an Alucab canopy with a 750 lb static load capacity and 350 lb dynamic, so I am fine.
The problem with making an argument “against RTTs” is that there are many varieties made out of different materials which drastically affects all of the things about them- set up take down time, wind resistance, weight, room etc. This guy’s complaints apply mostly to soft shell RTTs, hence my comment to point out why he’s wrong applying his gripes about them to all styles. As I said at the end, my comment was for information purposes, we all use what works for us. But since you didn’t lay attention to many of the words I wrote, I guess you missed that too.
It's always interesting to hear people's views, depending on what works for them. I have a RTT (a Bundutop), which gives us extra packing space for long trips inside the vehicle canopy, as our bedding stays in the tent. It's extremely comfortable and very quick to erect and close down, so moving around daily is not an issue. Our overlanding trips don't involve tackling extreme trails, so the bit of extra weight on the roof isn't an issue. I live in South Africa and can go anywhere on the continent with confidence.
The bottom line is,
DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS.
You don’t even wheel bro. 😂
Lmao right!?
😂😂😂😂😂
Overlanding, off roading, rock crawling, mudding are all different things which mean different vehicle/setups I wish more people knew the difference
People aren't even smart enough to know what overlanding is. Been overlanding since the early 1960's, never owned a truck or a 4x4 even. Younger people lack understanding because they lost their minds. The more information is available, the dumber they become. Logic left the room when Merrikuns stopped reading. Their downright dumbness is self-inflicted.
I've made the same comment before. Glad you recognize the difference.
True!!
That really sums it up. Thank you !
It takes me 15 min to set up and take down my RTT. Have had no change in fuel mileage. Also bought a hard shell which does make it a little heavy but I haven't noticed it. To each their own.
My Tacoma has a truck cap so I just sleep on the bed when I go camping 😅.
Im over 50. For any guys over 50 we know what that means at nightime. I do not fancy navigating a ladder, in the middle of the night, half asleep.
My other reason is the first reason he gave.
People over 50 tend to not do that well with getting up from the ground either. pro and con to everything :)
@@ssu7653 Lol
That's why you get a small offroad trailer and put an RTT on that. Keep the weight low, inline with your vehicle and can drop at the trailhead and come back to a set up camp.
Then you have to tow a trailer which isn't an option in some places
@@robbarber7253Pretty much anywhere u can drive a 4x4 u can drive a trailer. Even off-road, you’d be amazed by what a single axle trailer with chunky tires can roll over.
@@HatWearingDog If there are super tight hairpin turns with lots of trees and obstacles or big washouts a trailer is not an option.
@@robbarber725390% of people are not doing that.
Then you drive fast in Moab and bend your frame.
Everything you said makes sense. With my wife we bought one in 2019 and the reasons I’d recommend it are: she barely enjoyed camping, now she really likes it (it makes her feel she’s not sleeping surrounded by spiders. I’ll never tell her the truth.).
We road trip more than we off-road and We don’t often stay at the same spot more than two nights. Being able to get to a state park in the middle of the night and be ready to sleep five minutes after we stopped the motor works well for our trip style.
But it’s a steep price. It absolutely is a non essential luxury item.
And it has its shortcomings.
Love my RTT makes me look cool parked at Costco
😂
This is a touchy subject. For some reason, people do not understand that certain equipment and setups work better for others versus themselves. I am not an RTT guy, as I prefer my camper shell, but that does not mean the RTT is any worse than my setup. I think its silly how much ego is now involved with overlanding, and I think it has to do with how expensive everything has gotten. Nobody wants to feel like their thousand dollar investment was unnecessary. One key perk of sleeping in an RTT or camper shell is the protection from bears and/or tweakers. Sometimes the RTT is used as a fashion piece, but so are shackles, maxtraxx, etc..
The advantage of your setup is that it won’t get stolen when it’s parked outside a garage
My rooftop tent is quicker than any normal tent and I can leave my sleeping bag in it. Just don't buy one that was invented in the 2000's😂
Sounds more like personal preferences. I didnt hear any issues. None of them would ruin my day.
Rule 1- no soft shell RTT's. Thats it.
Have a great day, and dont be afraid of some work...
Lo que pasa es que el hace offroad y su prioridad es el desempeño del vehículo, mientras que los que usan rooftop tent es por qué su prioridad es hacer camping, eso creo 😅😅😅
@@mauriciobarrientos6988 agreed.
People pack too much stuff in general. Once you’ve wheeled light and simple you can never go back
My pop up RTT is great 15 seconds to set up and 30 seconds to break down , RTT are great on long trips in a pinch you can sleep anywhere you can park your vehicle. My makes no noise when I drive and 100 pounds has made no difference whatsoever, but I also have upgraded suspension. Not to mention sometimes on trips along the coast it’s nice to just pullover pop open the RTT and enjoy the ocean . Can’t just pull over and put down a tent on the side of the road .
Carbon Fiber RTT at 80lbs and 4” profile isn’t a bad option at $1600 though
Valid points but they mostly come down to personal preference.
1. I for one, find it equally as annoying having to pack up my tarps and wet muddy tents off the ground every single time we move sites or go wheeling somewhere. Not to mention you're SOL if you get stuck out on a trail away from camp.
2. If you have a low profile sturdy rack, it really doesn't change your center of gravity anymore than if you're carrying a high lift jack, spare fuel containers, and a full sized sparetire.
3. If your suspension starts sagging for a 150lb tent (which is the average currently for most hard shell tents), you have super beat old suspension to start with. Most humans weigh more than the tents do and they're a whole lot less stationary than a tent would be.
Do what you want… period! I love my rooftop tent, not a big deal putting up and down. Heck once I left my walker in one of the pockets quickly opened it up and back down in minutes.
I get why some of you hate them but lots of us love it.
We have a travel trailer too and sometimes we use that .
So enjoy what you like . Not all of us do rock crawling but easy trail driving .
100 lbs affecting center of gravity… geez
I don’t want to climb down a spindly ladder in the middle of the night to pee. The whole concept makes no sense unless you need protection from critters.
Yeah. I don’t get it. You’ve been active all day. You are tired. You gotta pee, maybe even a couple of time. So bleary eyed at 3am you’re climbing down a little ladder…? And then back up… no thanks.
Indeed, well said
That why my bed is in my truck cap. Gear and firewood under bed and coolers and gear in backseat
Keep a bottle n pee in it
These are valid points. I was considering getting a rooftop tent, but I believe I can still convert my truck bed into what I originally would have had the rooftop tent taking place of.
I got a ground tent and roof top tent .. can still set up camp and leave everything there …got a rtt so the wife could come and not bitch about critters all around the tent 😂😂….what ever works for people just got out and enjoy ..
Pros and cons of both. Get a trailer with a RTT and you can have the best of both worlds.
If I'm camping, I'm camping, not off roading off roading, already damaged your vehicle a lot more than a rooftop tent ever will.
There are two reasons that I'll never use a roof top tent: Hotels and Motels.
As a casual tent camper who doesn’t like a 3-5 minute set up a RTT is perfect. My bed rack and RTT come off pretty quick and then I just throw them in storage after a trip. The one I have only weights 70lbs so my mpg barely takes a hit. As for the rock crawling I don’t do that so I’m not sure how much it affects that.
MPG and Off-road at your truck's "full potential" don't go together..
You don't need that roof rack or the most aggressive mud tyres
I just bought RTT, if you really want to save yourself some $ buy a slightly used one for 1/3 of retail price, then you don’t need to justify why you bought it😂
Ebay has great prices on used ones. And we all know how😅 most were mall crawlers and never really used.
200 pounds for a pick up Truck is like bringing your mom in a trip. 200 pounds is nothing, it would do nothing to the suspension. A truck camper weight 1500 pounds and stays on the truck for 6 months and nothing happens. You don't use a rooftop tent because you can't afford one.
Rooftop tent means you camp where the vehicle goes. Some of the best camp sites require a hike beyond the parking lot. Better off getting a really nice tent at fraction of a rooftop tent and using the saved money for sleeping bag, air pad, cooking equipment, fuel, food, etc.
Having now had an RTT on my 3rd gen for a season, my highway fuel economy has dropped from 11 litres per 100km/h to "drum roll"... 11.5 litres per 100 km. The offroad fuel economy has remained static around 15/16 L/100km (I shouldn't have to mention that, but some people aren't smart enough to understand the fact that wind resistance isn't a factor at offroad speeds).
And it's more safe to sleep inside if there is someone messing with you outside
So I got a rooftoptent with a hardtop and is light.
I can get it on and of my Jeep alone without lifting tools.
So what is the problem?
This is why I prefer my awning, it's a 270° awning, it doesn't add much more weight than the roof rack already did, I get nice coverage I can take with my any where, doesn't effect my wheeling much if any and. I do lose a little height clearance and at the end of the day it is extra weight on the roof, but I prefer a tent on the ground and an awning on my truck, plus if I go wheeling, find a cool spot to stop an eat, pull out the awning, set up the grill cook some burgers and kick back, and its also super useful for going target shooting in less desirable weather for your guns
What tent is that I can see in the background
Yeah. What is that quilted goodness?
Different tents for different gents. Plain and simple.
“DIRTLIFESTYLE” has a CVT roof tent on his Range Rover! He wheels pretty hard. So I’m rolling with that 😂
Agree 100%
I want to build my tj with a trailer with a tent up top so like you said I can drop it off at camp and still go off-roading with out putting it all away, but I also want to build a gladiator with a half sized bed rack and tent that sits flush so I can go on long overlanding trips where you do pack up in the morning and go adventuring to a new spot the next day and just have a quick way to sleep comfy and cook meals and chill for a little while
There is also another reason for not having a roof top tent, you could accidentally fall out of the damned thing, and folks having to go the hospital or worse just isn't worth it, nope.
I mounted mine on a bed rack only 13" high to avoid the wind drag but I'll be moving it to a small trailer soon. best option I think.
Here in NT Australia, there are crocodiles roaming around at night and could start nibbling at your tent during the night if it's on the ground, not to mention snakes, poisonous centipedes, buffalo, camels etc. ...
Three (3) reasons a person would use a rooftop tent:
1. Being a Basecamp for a backcountry traveler (backpacker) or other semi-sedintary/semi-mobile disbursed camp situation (Forest Service, archaeology/ecology surveys)
2. Being in a campground with other localized transportation modalities (ie. A bicycle)
3. Camping with more than one vehicle and in a very small party
Otherwise, Most people that want a tent might be better in their vehicle.
But, your comment is good, non-conventional info for suspension/alignment mechanics, at least as some things to think about.
May I know what ground tent you use? Thanks!
I don't need a tent, I drive Unimog 😆
That's the unicorn of the overland community 😊
Most folk I see who do actual offloading like mudding, rock crawling, hill climbing, don't roof tent or truck bed camper. They pull a camper trailer or pack tents.
Truck bed campers and roof top folks are log road Explorers that keep truck shiny.
I can see some practical advantages to a RTT such as not needing to worry about rocky terrain or watershed during rain, but I am unsure if those advantages outweigh the cost of the tent, increased cost in fuel and decreased driving dynamics of a vehicle year round (because I personally am not moving those big akward heavy things once they are set, my 40ish lb Thule basket is annoying enough)
Where i spend my time, its not hard to find a place for a normal tent (unless you want to stay in a state park, slowly losing the battle for nice soft mossy ground to the gravel the RVers demand.)
Overland trailer is the move! Easy enough for pretty much anyone to build themselves with some relatively simple power tools and off-the-shelf parts.
Trailers give of use of a rooftop tent with the flexibility of one you can take in/out of your trunk.
I put a little wagon handle and a chunky jokey wheel on to drag it into “tent only” areas with no trouble from park rangers. The whole setup weighs no more than 500 lbs fully loaded with water and Jerry cans. Can keep everything stored in it and hook up for weekend warrior activities.
The real reason is that a roof-top tent is thousands of dollars, and the $10 tent I got at the thrift store does the same exact thing and fits in a duffel bag. Sometimes trends don't make sense, but people will do it anyway until the trend dies.
My biggest reason to not have an RTT… my vic would be up tall to park in the garage. Since it would have to be outside I either need to remove it or risk having it stolen.
Reason 2, my dog. Climbing in and out with him would be a pain in the ass on an unimaginable scale. He’s 70lbs.
I’ll stick to my backpacking tents
Telling us what alternatives exist would've been nice.
What kind of tent are you using?
I love my RTT. Perfect for my style of camping. Up in the mountains
It is perfect. Park anywhere no caring if there are rocks, roots, water or mud under.
Enjoy your adventures and keep on creating content for all of us to enjoy, give our opinions and learn from each other.
1 & 2: in Australia we have ‘Jack off canopies’. So basically high lift your entire canopy onto legs and drive away. Easy, simple and you’re good to go for harder wheeling
So many fake overlanders out there. Roof top tent but never get out. Sad sacks.
Whats that Toyota in the clip??
It's amazing what you can do with a tarp a hammock and some rope. Like endless possibilities for cheap.
You can put a rooftent on a small car trailer also...its the most simple solution
Lol the 70 pound tent destroying your suspension is hilarious 😂
Who goes back to the same camp every night. It's overlanding. Backtracking means you're doing it wrong. 100lbs up on top isn't moving your center up enough to matter. If you're gonna use your daily for this stuff, removing the tent is just part of unloading the gear. 3 reasons this guy made excuses to sleep on the ground. 😂
He said ‘be able to’. I get what he means, bc often you want to be able to do both with a setup, more camping and ride style or pack up everyday and move on over-landing style. I would agree that a ground tent or using the vehicle itself to sleep in is more versatile for this, although you’d probably want a fast pitch tent, not a complicated palace tent. The center of gravity part I would agree is mostly negligible unless you are putting like 500lbs up there, but you lose the storage up there if you are sleeping inside the vehicle or just need more room for stuff. Some people have a little pulley in their garages to take down the tent, but without something like this I could see how it could get annoying to mount it and dismount and would likely require at least an extra set of hands, so if you are solo, it would suck.
What brand is the tent in the background?
What's the tent name behind you ?
Does this tent help in the cold winter?
RTTs are for people that actually camp in the middle of nowhere. Ground tents are for people that go to campsites and don’t have to worry about bears, snakes, and mountain lions. Real off-roader’s aren’t sleeping at ground level with that bs
Id rather not be tethered to the truck either… my camp and truck are separate. Sometimes where i wanna set up isn’t even where my truck can go
RTTs are nice, but damn they're expensive. You can buy like 5-10 normal tents for the price of one RTT.
very good reasons. And if you are stealth camping it's smarter to sleep inside your vehichle not to attract attention
People in roof top tents are scared of the outdoors. They feel safer on top of their vehicle.
Sometimes when you go overlanding you don't camp in the same spot, you need to drive to find a new camping spot so you life is bored because you are always in the new spot
This is why I purchased a 76lb RTT bud. To each their own.
I would agree if we were talking about a 200+ pound tent but the one I have is 120 pounds. That won’t make a difference.
exactly, that is a solution that all these negative nellies never mention. You really don't need anything more than a storage box on a heavy suspension. Built mine for roughly 1,500 bucks, 20 years ago, way before they became popular.
Fantastic advice thank you. I was just about to buy one. Heading off now to buy a three man tent
If you're making any meaningful decisions either way off of a RUclips short, let alone one this one sided, can I offer you some ocean front property in North Dakota? You seem like a smart guy who would see the value in that.
1 st one"leave all my stuff in the tent while i am off roading" yep all gone when u get back
I don't like leaving all of my stuff at camp unattended tbh
Well, I see a whole lot of RTT on the trails. And not just on Jeeps. So some people must think you are wrong. And since it is a pretty large group selling them. And they are in business to make money. If they were not selling/being used we would see a deluge on the used market. Ebay currently has 42 for sale used. And 3000 new.
And you forgot the most salient point. Jeep is a lifestyle brand. Most are mall crawling and go offroad one week a year on vacation. For them, the novelty is part of the adventure. People serious about camping and adventure carry much different tents. Because the tent is a place to sleep. And unless sleeping, you should be doing something outside of a tent. My tent(not the poles mind you)will fit into a pocket of a photog/safari vest. And the poles fit alongside my pack. It is a 2 person 3 season weighing under 5 pounds. And it cost near a RTT. But is trail rated by actual guys who do as I did the Appalachian Trail.
The reason i got one. My girls friend has one one her Gladiator. She spent the night in a couple of times now. And it has more room than my hiking tent.
Whats that Toypta in the clip??
I had one in Northern Australia on my Defender. We would fish a lot, it was great, no snakes, not worry about crocodiles. But the high weight was an issue. I did wonder if I could bold one to a rear wheel carrier and flip it off the back on little stilts, so your still off the ground. I loved just keeping all my bedding in it and the pack up speed.
there's one called the swing away tent (I think that's the name)
I will never stop using a roof top tent 👍🏼
"but it looks cool..." would be the most reason to have RTT I'm afraid
I weigh more than my tent, so you’re saying I need to upgrade my suspension because of my own weight too?
But good thing has roof tent!
In summer, it protect you from summer heat while you drive or having a traffic jam! The cooling effect in your car will be steady!
Second having nice few on top of your car!
Specially if you park on a parking lot in the city and there will be an event on the street afterwards! Like parade! There are lot of people around you standing in crowed trying to see the parade! But you are laying or sitting on the corner of your roof tent having Alcohol free beer and chips and see the parade with your family having best few!
Also in nature, some places they do have wet air! In only living in the tent on floor everything has wet feeling! But on the top of the roof tent there is less wet air and if it has a little wind breeze❗️you feel better! Also having best few！
And last at least! You are more protected from wild life on the roof!
And if you have dogs, it’s a pain to get them up there
Mine weighs 130lb no chance....
3 reasons why you won't use 1 doesn't mean it's right for everyone. Only issue with leaving stuff at camp means only have base camp capability not trail camping or pitch up anywhere wild camp.
I'm with you on the RTT issues that's why I went with a military trailer with RTT on there setup so can have a base camp or even go take it on trails and not worry about it breaking.
Imagine not being trapped to a paid camp ground..Imagine going high up in the hills with your rtt away from everyone and not having to worry about where you're going to pitch your tent...rrt are better
And why would you put a soft shell tent on top your vehicle anyway? Mine is a hard top and it takes less than 5 minutes to take down. If off roading is your thing
1. You bought the wrong RTT
2. Sleep on the ground
Been “Overlanding” for 30+ years (we called it car camping) and out of all the great products out there for camping, the RTT is the biggest waste of money. Why have a RTT? What makes it better than a regular tent? I had a Wildernest on my 98 Toyota Hilux and it was awesome, because when you opened it, you had access to the bed of your truck. You now had a 9’ tall tent. I loved it, but it was heavy, and even though it only took 2 minutes to setup and 3 to take down, it got really annoying on multi-day trips where you moved everyday. I now have a 4Runner with bed in back, and not as much room, but easier to move.
What is the tent behind you?
That’s an Overlandish Base Camp tent. Best ground tent money can buy.
Ive wondered why not just put a flat deck uptop and just put a regular tent uptop when needed?
who leave their tent unattended. if you need to go somewhere you either have an ebike or mountain bike with you.
Then which tent should I buy
Finally someone being honest and not just following the fads