Thankyou a no bull opinion because 5gs is alot of money, you have laid out all the flaws and goods about this product,,thankyou,,your setup is awsome my friend along with the beast of a cruiser luv it,,im glad i found you because you dont talk BS,,,a big thumbs up for me,,cheers
You are very kind Robert, thanks for sharing your thoughts and feedback. I love my setup, best I have had to date. Yes, 5G’s is a huge amount of money so you want to make sure it’s right for you. Lots of new content coming with fresh videos every week. Thanks again mate, cheers😎👍
Thanks for the comments and feedback Archie. I am glad you could see and feel the honesty here, I have no vested interests and nothing to hide. I appreciate you following along 👍😎
I have the 2.4M Bunduawn on a tear-drop camper. I have an aluminium plank behind it to give support. When you changed the mild steel bolts, it looks as though you have made a stronger bracket for the bolts on the backing plate out of thick aluminium channel. Is that so. Also, I have the same problem with the folding stay as you have. I've removed it and straightened it many times. There is also a way to tie the ropes off without the poles if interested. Got the idea from another camper with one, and the installers showed him.
Yes, I have reinforced the backing plate and I also filled the alloy extrusion that makes the body of the awning up with that hard plastic cutting board material. That allowed me to cranks down the mounting bolts very tight without crushing the extruded alloy. My folding stay at the front of the awning recently punched through the awning itself. I have yet to work out how to repair that one as the canvas joins here at multiple angles. Bundutop AU distributor has not responded to date. Cheers👍😎
@Jafffa Adventures Hi. Where you have filled with plastic cutting board, I inserted metal bushes cut from small diameter tubing. It was flexing there but now fixed. Bring the ropes where possible back along the arm that when erected extends out 90 degrees from the side of your van or car. At the prop rod a little way out from the pivot, loop around it, then tie off lower down on your car. You then have a right angle bracket made from the side of your car/van, the arm from the hinge out to prop rod, and the string down to where it's fixed lower on the car. The other can be done and other places modified to do the same. Now the awning is rock solid to the car, no poles required. Can send photos if you like. Mine is gen 2 with smaller bag ends.
Thanks for following along David. Australia has been my home for over 25 years so it’s easy to see how/why I have picked up the lingo but not shaken the accent😂. It’s bloody hard being me mate😂😂😉👍
Cheers Gavin, I’m glad you found some value here. I also have a video with the tent “fails” in the library. It’s still going strong however, and I continue to rate it highly. I type this at the start of a 2 month adventure with the tent once again👍😎
Hi Terry. Just bumped into your channel looking for 200 mods and ideas. Love your blog, simple and honest and love what you've done to your 200. Re the bundutop. I had one. awesome RTT. Simply made with hardware store stuff and when u bent something it's easy to fix. Weathered a few serious storms in it and didnt let me down once. The awning was another story. Great area of shade, easy to open and close but if not solidly pegged down a strong storm will break its arms. Happened to me twice now. Please tie the strings to the bar work of your car and close the awning in foul weather. When the wind gets under the awning there's no where for it to go and it will lift the the whole awning over the rtt breaking the arms. Currently going to buy my second bundutop but will look at another 270 awning. Safe travels👍
Awesome feedback and thanks for your kind words Ahmed, I really appreciate it. Just out of curiosity, what awning do you think you are going to go with and why is the Bunduawn not on your shortlist? Cheers 😎😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures as I've said I've broken the bunduawn twice now in stormy weather. I dont think its the best. I most problably go for easiawn, alucab or some other make.
Great Review. My question is bedding inside the RTT , do you need or consider how to place pillows or doonas to clear the arms when you put the tent down etc?
Thanks for the kind words. I have two large sleeping bags and 5 large down filled pillows up top. I place the pillows in a cross shaped pattern but to be honest I doubt it makes a difference. The arms just squish the pillows down marginally. Cheers👍😎
If Bundutec addressed the issues it would make more people accept the price a bit more. Possibly even offer a paint match for your vehicle. Like your truck build. New Sub. here.
Thank you mate, I appreciate your feedback. I agree with you and I have heard that some of the issues have indeed been dealt with. I have another Bundutop video (a Bundutop fails video), and things like the turn buckles I mention in that vid have been addressed. So they are making progress which is obviously a good thing. I trust you will enjoy the library of content and future releases. Enjoy your stay. Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Fantastic mate! With swags and camper trailers (i've had both) setup and pack up becomes a chore so you find yourself not going camping as often. With this thing i will want to go all the time!
You’ve hit the nail in the head mate. I can have a beer in my hand sitting in my camping chair literally 2 minutes after arriving at camp. Sometimes we don’t even put the tent up until a few minutes before bed, it’s that easy👍😎
No never had a problem with the power. There are two circular ports beside the up and down switch that you can jumper and bypass the relays and limit switches. This gets 12v directly to the motor in an emergency. You can also manually wind the, down in a pinch but I have never had to do either. Thanks for watching Ash😎👍
So glad I found your video as it is the absolute best at describing the Good, Bad and Ugly of this tent. You have helped me tremendously in my research to determine if this is the route I will take although I plan to trailer mount mine above my ATV it will work the same. Thanks
Really great feedback mate, thanks for sharing. You will not be disappointed, they really are the best tent at what they do. Enjoy tour build mate, cheers😎👍
Hi mate, great review! Regarding the mild steel bolt at the arm hinge that you changed out, I believe they deliberately use a bolt that can break and use that as the weak point for harsh weather, replacing that is an easy job. Now that you've put a high tensile bolt in you've eliminated the weak point, so in harsh weather, the weakest point might be the bracket that holds the bolt or the canvas or something else. Easier to replace a bolt when you're in the middle of nowhere. Cheers
Thanks for the kind words and yep, I thought of that too. My plan (and we’ll see how that goes), is to take the awning down before those mega storms hit! Cheers!
This happened to my Bunduawn. I replaced the bolts with same. The wind blew mine vertical. The bolt runs through blocks inside the arms. There was some damage to them, but with stronger bolts, there would have been horrific damage.
Hey Terry, a last question about the Bundutop RTT, is there a reason why you don't have the tent hardwired to your 200? Is it purely so it makes it easy to remove the tent should you need to lift it off or and is it so that there is no drain on the batteries when not being used? All the best, Andrew
Thank you for your time and honesty reviewing all your videos. I just bought a bundutop tent and I would like to know how you install your Solar panels. Do you have any video of the installation?
Thanks for watching and for your kind words Alfredo, I sincerely appreciate it. I do not have an install video of the solar panels currently but I will in the coming weeks. I have three 115w panels on the roof and one failed on my last big trip. I will be replacing it and will detail how I mount it and run the wiring in that video. If you are subscribed with notifications turned on you will not miss it. Cheers😎👍
Great, thank you. Oh and by the way, I'm the only one who own a bundutop tent in Newfoundland Canada, now I am not alone anymore, even though you live thousands of kilometers away, feel if you are here. Muchas Gracias amigo.
Very cool mate. I watch a channel called Fitzee’s Fabrication and he is from Newfoundland as well. Very talented man. I hope to make it back to the Great White North again when this zombie apocalypse is over and Newfoundland is on my bucket list to visit as I be never been there before. Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures I will contact Fitzee's fabrication, if someday you and family heading to Newfoundland, you will have a place to stay. Just let me know. Thank you again.
I put the Bundutop on the ground upside down, put the rack on the tent upside down, drilled 6 holes through the rhino cross bars (two front, two middle, two rear) and then affixed the tent to the rack with 6 bolts and large headed washers. I then flipped the combined unit over and lifted it onto the 4WD and then bolted the rack to the car. Has never moved since👍😎
Good insight to the bundutop tent, am leaning towards purchasing one! What width is this one in your video? The standard 1350mm or the king 1600mm Is there enough space inside? Do you wish you purchased the bigger one?
Thanks Sebastian, I’m glad you found some value in the video. My tent is the standard 1350mm, and it suits Jill and I fine. When I purchased this tent I set the king on the roof rack at the dealers to see what it would look like. It was way to wide for my Landcruiser. As we do a lot of remote area travel in tight tracks, coupled with the fact we have plenty of room inside, no I would not buy the king if I had my time over. The tent is performing very well with only a couple minor issues. There is an entire video on the subject matter in the library if you are interested. Easy to find using the search function. Go well mate👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures thanks for the prompt reply! Possible for you to copy and paste the link for me, for the video you are referring too, can’t seem to spot it Cheers
Hi Terry, First off trust you are having a restful Easter break. Not sure if this comment will get to you on an old video. See how we go. I am seriously looking at this electric tent for my 200 series as will use offsite for work. Now I may have mentioned that I am missing a leg which is cool and I can get up and down ladders. That ladder you bought from eBay, how strong is it. I see you’re a big lad, no disrespect as I am just as big in weight is why I ask. Secondly did you fit that yourself or through Tough Touring in Vic as I think you have their brackets on the awning and finally, I see your 200 has 4 roof rails (Rhino). Mine has the 3 (Yakima) is this 4th rail another modification? Trusting this message gets through. Thanks in advance. Mike
Hi Mike, yep all messages get through no matter how old the video. The eBay ladder is quite strong. I’m 100kg and it supports me no problem, no hint of bending. It’s still going strong after all these years. I fit the tent and awning myself. The tent sits on a Rhino platform rack with no modifications, and the awning is attached to the tent with tough touring brackets. I bought the brackets from TT of course. I found the best way to mount the tent was to flip it on its lid in the closed position, then mount the rack to the underside of the tent which is of course facing up. I then took the combined unit and flipped it back over and lifted it onto the roof of the truck. It was then a simple matter of bolting the rack to the roof. I trust this is of some help mate. Cheers
Hi Terry, can you please share some insight into your fuel consumption. Does the frontal area of your rtt have a big impact on fuel used? Good review! tx.
Thanks Quinton, I appreciate the kind words mate. I did not own the car very long before I put the RTT on it so comparisons are a little difficult. Having said this, I would estimate the consumption increased to between 0.5l/100 and 1l/100km. The EGT’s increased by about 25C as well. Cheers mate 😎👍
Hi Bud Great video and review thank you for that, quick question tho. Did you notice the extra wieght of the tent up there say when in corners or on odd angles getting into places? worried about how nad it would effect the center of gravity.
Hi Stuart, thanks for watching and good question. The tent weighs around 60kg and is spread out almost perfectly evenly across the roof surface. I do not feel any stability issues in the least. In saying that I do have upgraded suspension and air bags in the rear. Compared to my prior setup with my oztent and jerry cans on the roof, this beats it stability wise hands down! Keep the shiny side up mate👍😎
Great review They really need a quieter motor ? Those catches for closing the tent could be so much better and there are great ones on the market. These work loose over time with vibrations.
Thanks mate, agree the motor is very loud. I believe the newer tents have update catches, they are certainly larger than the ones on my tent. Here's a video on some of the issues with the tent if you are interested. Cheers ruclips.net/video/eKWqjnLWi2M/видео.html
I'm considering the super king on my truck bed rack, modifying the floor for truck bed access. As a retired army aviator, the saying was: keep t hff e greasy side down, lol
That's cool mate. I have never heard of "keeping the greasy side down" but I love it!!! Thanks for watching and sharing, I trust you have subscribed and stay on the journey with Jafffa Adventures. Cheers
Considering one of these so thanks for your honest review. Much appreciated. I am a bit curious as to why you would want a dark coloured tent (and car for that matter) in our hot conditions. The temperature differential between a dark and light coloured car is huge (just put your hand on the bonnet of a white and a dark car in similar sunlight). This has a huge effect on how much current your fridge draws when camping. Caravan manufacturers seem to be following the same dark colour trends which is even more crazy as the residual heat takes ages to dissipate at night. Would be interested in your experience.
I had a white 80 series for 25 years and now my graphite (1G3) 200 so have some real world experience on the subject with both a light and dark car. While I agree black certainly absorbs and consequently radiates heat more than white, I have found the difference in car and impact on my fridge negligible. Let me explain. The glass allows the light into the car and the interiors are both dark colour and absorb and radiate the heat similarly. The dark car might get a little hotter, but when your comparing 50C with 60C they are both bloody hot and no fridge will keep up in those extremes over the long term! When driving white or black my fridge runs the same because I am running AC or the windows are down and air is circulating. When pulled up camping I have a car open anyway so again there is little difference. I have painted the sides of the tent 1G3, the same as the car. I wanted to blend the tent into the car as much as possible because it’s a giant brick looking thing that would stick out like dogs balls if it was white on a dark car. Terrible look. Only the sides are painted, the major reflective surface being the roof is natural aluminium. I can nap up there during the day no problem what so ever. Regarding houses, I have no real world experience only opinion, and opinions are like backsides, everyone has one! Thanks for the great question, cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Yep that makes sense. I guess a tent cools down much more quickly than a car too. You have me pretty much sold on that tent and I love the fact that it is pre wired for solar. Keep up the great videos. Thx mate.
I got the 2.6 Justin. When it’s in use I don’t usually have it fully extended, the top skinniest section remains collapsed. It’s a bit sturdier, and if I do need the extra 30cm or so, the section is ready and available. Have a great weekend mate😎👍
Terrific review, thanks! Qs: can the handy awning over the ladder be purchased without the “add a room” walls. It seems handy on its own… Do you know how many mm the 360 weather skirt protrudes from the side of the tent? And how high the bottom edge of the 360 weather skirt is from the base when the tent is up? Thanks 🙏
Cheers mate, thanks for the kind words. I don’t know if you can get the small awning without the add-a-room but if you can I would. I use it all the time. With respect to the dimensions, the weather skirt protrudes 300mm from the side of the tent and the bottom edge of the same skirt is 600mm from the base of the tent. I trust this is useful. Cheers👍😎
I guess as long as you have room between the seat and back of the cab I think they would work awesome. There’s never enough storage areas in a single cab Ute! Have a great weekend Ian😎👍
I’d really like them to do a trailer mounted one with a deeper base. It would be great to be able to put a queen mattress in two halves in one with about 50mm around the edge and slats underneath to let some circulation under the mattress.
@@JafffaAdventures True but I think they still only take a 100mm foam style mattress. On a trailer you don’t care as much about the thickness of a rtt so as mentioned it would be great to have the option of a deeper base for a full blown mattress.
Thanks for posting this. You mentioned the $5k price tag. There are a number of non-automatic hard shells on the market that are up around the same price, so if the quality is there as you say then maybe the $ are reasonable. You look quite tall; can I ask what is the internal height when the tent is deployed? I have looked at some models of the James Baroud and when I sit up I struggle for clearance - the wedge shaped units are the only ones I can consider. By the way..nicely set up LC200 Cheers...,,
My pleasure mate, and thanks for the kind words re the Bruiser. I’ll be doing a rig rundown in the not too distant future if you are interested. I don’t know the internal deployed height of the Bundutop, but I will measure it for you tomorrow and post it up. I can say that I can easily sit upright in the tent with a good 4 to 6 inches between my head and the roof. I’m 6’2” so that should give you an idea. I was not a fan of the wedge shaped tents simply because the internal volume is so much smaller (the volume of a wedge vs that of a rectangle). In really crappy weather my wife and I can sit at either end of the tent and play cards for example, I’m not sure you could do that in the wedge style. Having said that, if your setup precludes you getting a rectangle tent and wedge is the only thing that will work, it makes your decision easier😎👍
Thanks for the quick reply and info. I just looked at the Bundatec website and it looks like the deployed height is 130cm or thereabouts which confirms your guesstimate of how much height above when you sit up. I am a fraction taller so this unit maybe worth a look for me. Agree with the extra internal volume versus the wedge shaped designs. Sorry, another q...Is there a manual option for the deployment and pack down?
No apologies necessary mate, if I can help out I’ll certainly do my best. There are two options for raising and lowering the tent if the electrics play up (and mine never have). Beside the up down switch you can see two blanked off circular plates. You can take these off and “jump start” the tent. In essence this sends power directly to the winch motor bypassing the relays and limit switches. You have to be careful when doing this as the winch will not stop when in the fully erect position, but it can get you out of trouble. Alternatively, you can lift the top clamshell up manually, but that would take two very tall people or a thunderstorm in my case😂👍
Been away in both shapes and though it liked the extra height in the iKamper Mini (wedge), you are constrained to using half the tent in the real world. The Bundutec (rectangle) is lower, but has more overall room to move about. For me, it was that the Bundutec was easier to setup, could move car if needed, kids could sleep and move about and offered light/views/access from multiple sides. I think if you were less mobile, the wedge is the better choice. Hard to compare as offer different pros/cons.
Hi Cory, not difficult at all. I have shovel mounts and a shoe holder platform mount on one side. It’s just an alloy frame and both sides are easy to get to. Thanks for watching 😎👍
What about room inside the tent... Is it a bit cramped for 2 people or is there plenty of room? Can u store your ladder inside along with your bedding as well? Oh... almost forgot to ask - Is there any manual way to raise the tent just in case u had a failure with the motor &/or Cables?
Hi Rob, thanks for your questions. There is plenty of room for two people, does not feel cramped at all. My wife and I were “trapped” inside the tent one camp for a full day because of some really crappy weather. We played cards etc and at the end of it all, did not want to kill one and other😂. The ladder can absolutely be stored top side, The reason I do not is that my car is quite high and it’s difficult to reach up into the tent without a ladder. It’s kinda like the chicken and egg scenario. Lastly, yes you can raise it manually. I answered that question in destabilise in the reply to user 4bnewb located just above yours. Check it out there. Cheees
Hi Terry, good day from sunny South Africa, a friend is about to have the same setup installed on an older Prado, is your tent the standard size, the width is a big concern for these guys, great video mate, cheers Chris
Hi Terry! Seeing that you are now in WA and have travelled well, I'd like to ask about your Bunduawn. With all the different awnings you've seen around the traps, and discussed with many, I'm sure, would you go with another awning? Is there a better fit of another brand for the 200 series? The bunbutec rep where i am really downplayed the quality of them, in fact, warning me not to get one, and get an ostrich wing. I really didn't like the ostrich as i didn't think there was enough cover at the back to cook or hang out under rear door. Your updated thoughts would really help me. Cheers if you can answer. Safe travels 👌👍😎
I can definitely provide some feedback on how it’s going. I love the coverage of the awning, it’s up there with the best. I also like the fact that the arms that deploy when you unfold it create a “peak” so you rarely get water pooling. The quality is ok, but I think there are stronger and better built units out there (not sure about the ostrich wing). Just recently, one of those arms that deploys and creates the peak I mentioned earlier, has punched through the canvass. Now I have to prop that corner up with a stick. I asked the Bundutec people how they would suggest a repair, they said the entire canvass would need to come off. I’m not sure it’s worth the effort. If I were looking at the Bunduawn I would pay particular attention to how those uprights are reinforced at the canvas. Maybe they have improved this. If not, I’d shop around a bit more. I’ll do a video on this later, but that could be some time away yet. I’m having too much fun playing on the CSR👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures CSR! Brilliant mate, so jealous, haha. Your series, as all yours are, is such great content. It's helpful, humorous informative and easy going so much that we all feel we are right there with you. We are all just grateful for the time recording and editing you do. BTW, the music you've come across recently is doing absolute wonders in that you are now engaging in another one of our senses, and we love it. As far as the awning goes I've found seeing them open first hand is a surefire way to determine your personal needs. The rep I saw didn't even have a bunduawn to show, hence my asking. Thanks for taking the time with detail in answering my question. Cheers heaps 👍
@@JafffaAdventures my car's been at VEOP for 15 months now. Hopefully get it back soon, then on with the awn I end up with, tho, still trying my best to save bucks: only to spend them, haha. I'll let you know for sure, Cheers Edit: Saw the bundutop standard RTT first hand, jumped inside and checked it out. Loved it. Out of all the vids I've seen on it you were the most convincing. Thanks again for your thorough and detailed pros n cons.
G,day Terry,loved your review on the Bundutop tent,I am just in the process of installing one on my trailer but I have a question in regards to the telescopic ladder brackets you changed from the original Bundutop setup,did you make or purchase the actual ladder brackets you attached to it?I have purchased the anti rattle ones on ebay that you installed to the tent itself but what about the ladder ones?
Hi Bazil, thanks for your kind words and following along, I sincerely appreciate it. I fabricated the ladder brackets. I bought a piece of stainless steel flat bar from Bunnings (about 40mm wide), cut it into two lengths (about 80-100mm each), bent them at a 20-30 degree angle in the centre, then drilled one hole at one end for the Luce pegs to fit in, and two holes at the other end where bolts affix them to the ladder. They are pretty simple. If you have an email address you don’t mind sharing I can send you a photo or two. Cheers👍😎
Sorry if this has been asked already. I did read through a heap of comments first. Did you install the RTT yourself or have it professionally installed? Also, what roof rack are you using? Cheers!
I installed it myself Chris. I flipped the tent upside down, bolted the roof rack onto the underside of the tent while it was on the ground, then flipped the entire assembly upright and installed it onto the 4WD in one piece, just needing to bolt down the roof rack to the vehicle. It’s a Rhino roof rack. Cheers👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures thanks for the reply. I watched a bunch more of your videos after reaching out to discover you had the rhino rack. I like how you went about installing the tent on the rack and then the roof. Hadn’t thought of that. Cheers.
Hey mate, how is the Bundatop travelling on the rhino platform? I have a guy in Vic who says he refuses to install on it as he doesnt want to be liable for any accidents. He offers his own roofrack. He also says that with the bunduawn open (along with the bundatop RTT installled) the rear door either hits the back of the rhino platform rack or hits something else, either way, you cant open the back door with out it hitting something. What is your experience? I was talking to the Bundutec rep here in Melbourne.
You are the second person that has told me this story. Bundutop works perfectly on the Rhino rack, sits square, does not interfere with the rear door or spoiler, never had a drama, love the setup. I obviously don’t know their motives, but maybe they are not a Rhino dealer and are trying to sell their own product. Whatever the reason, my experience differs from what you have been told. Cheers👍😎
I am interested in a few bits of it mate - I have the new one on my 200 and need to upgrade the awning mounting and the ladder system. awning brackets - did tough touring do them as a custom item or do they have them as a standard (I assume made to order) item? Did you fit it yourself? How are they different from the standard bunduawn brackets that they have on offer? What did you use to close/fill up the old rivet holes? Also - what size is your ladder, 3.2? Look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks for the questions Dean, I'll do my best to answer them for you. The awning brackets made by Tough Touring were a stock item back when I bought them. I sourced them through the same Bundutec dealer I got my awning from, but you can get them directly from Tough Touring as well. I fit them myself. My Tough Touring brackets came with rivets to hold them in. I tossed those in the bin and used cap head stainless steel bolts and nylock nuts instead. The brackets that came standard with my bunduawn were very agricultural looking, and did no match the look of my setup. They were basically 25mm steel box section welded into a T shape. The head of the "T" bolts to the awning, the leg of the "T" bolts to your tent or rack. I assume you mean the old rivet holes where the latches were fitted before I moved them to the front and back of the tent? Some of the holes were covered by the awning bracket itself. For those I just filled with a dab of silicone and put the bracket in place. For the remainder, I simply ran a cap head stainless steel bolt and nylock nut in the hole to fill it. Lastly, the ladder I use is 2.6m long with a distance of 2.2m from the ground to the luse latches it attaches to. Yours would obviously be dependent on the height of your rig but that should give you a guide. Any more questions mate, feel free to fire them through. Cheers
Great video, thanks for the in-depth review. Could you please tell me what size (width) rtt this and how comfortable you find it with 2 people sleeping in it. Thanks
Thanks for watching and commenting Rodney, I sincerely appreciate it. The tent is 1350mm wide. This is plenty of room for my wife and I and we never have any punching matches😂. Our longest trip on the road with it so far has been 6 weeks and room in the tent has never been an issue. Having said that, space requirements can be very different couple to couple. Cheers😎👍
Love the honest review, and the tent is amazing. I’m in the states and sadly many of the RTTs we get are rebranded Chinese tents by XYZ company. We would love to have some of the amazing tents, trailers, and overland gear from Australia, but when we do get them, they are 2-4x the price. Cheers!
Great feedback mate, thanks for sharing. There is some really great kit out there so I’m not sure why you guys are getting shafted like that, very odd. Have a great day👍😎
Unfortunately the wages in our countries are 2-4 x and leasing a workshop etc maybe more, it’s unfortunate buy I just try hard to save the extra dollars go without for a bit longer and keep my money rotating in our economy as best I can.
Thanks for the review Terry, I think you have convinced me that this is the RTT for me. Am I correct in thinking that you can access the tent from any of the window/doors? Could I theoretically have ladder latches on all 3 sides. I'm assuming you have to you have to leave atleast one window open when you pack it down. Im going to fit it to a trayback alloy canopy and would maybe prefer to access from the rear so as to have access to both sides of the canopy or atleast have the option if I feel the need. Have you used the during a decent QLD rainy night, the waterproofness (is that a word?) was up to standard?
Glad you found the review useful, I’m not trying to sell brand A over brand B, just sharing my experience. I have no affiliation with any on the gear I review. You can definitely access the tent from all 4 sides if you wanted to, even from the front if you could negotiate over the bonnet🤔🤓. When packing down I leave the inner zips on the windows down an inch or two. That allows air to escape and facilitates pack down I have used the tent in many rip snorter Queensland storms and never had a drop of water inside. It is impressively waterproof. Thanks for watching mate. Cheers😎👍
5grand cost wow but agree best roof top tent I hve seen. I like hving ht not clam shell high low style+ hve enough wt to kneel or sit up in is key, & hving width to use as storage too.
Yes they are dear James, cannot argue with you there. Having said that, I would fork out 5K all over again having experienced how really great this tent actually is. Thanks for watching and commenting mate, I sincerely appreciate it 😎👍
Great review and I'm really enjoying your channel content. How has the bundutop been in heavy or longer periods of rain? I'm interested in performance of the fold out awning around the roof and any issues with leaking around the walls - seams and zippers in particular. Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the kind words mate, I sincerely appreciate it. The tent is amazingly water tight. We have been in some seriously heavy rain, both storms and driving sideways rain (check out the most recent Fraser Island video series as an example). We have never got any water in the tent. The zippers are designed well to prevent this (screen zipper is adjacent to and not in line with the outside flap zipper and the outside flap zipper is hidden behind a protective overlap of canvas as two examples). The small awning around the perimeter of the tent works very well, in a straight downpour you get zero water on the sides of the tent. In driving rain where water can hit the side of the tent, you just zip up the outside flap in line with the perimeter awning and again, no rain gets in. In summary, I can’t fault the tent from a rain perspective, and I have certainly torture tested it. Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures thanks for the response. It certainly sounds like the tent meets wet weather expectations. Great Fraser Island content - we had similar weather (not quite as much rain) over there last year. We still had a fantastic trip.
I hear ya mate. For me, I’m getting lazy in my old age, but no so lazy as to go down the caravan route. The only pine box you’ll find me in is the one when I’m lowered into the ground😂👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures I don't know what to say LOL, Im planning to buy a van in a few years! But with that said I want to be a grey nomad with a sick Offroad lifestyle lol no fear. Cheers Steve
If they made it using gas rams to lift the roof would be better, that way there is less hardware inside of the tent, and the price would be cheaper. What if the winch fails? Is there a manual override? I do like the way the built in awning comes open by its self.
Thanks for the comments Rob, appreciate you taking the time to put your thoughts down. Re the winch, there are two removable panels located beside and up and down button. These are the jumper spots and allow you to bypass all the fuses and limit switches and dump 12 volts directly to the winch. Failing that, the winch can also be operated manually as well. Yes, I agree the awning uprights are a good idea and unique. I have never had water pooling on the awning because of the pitch they create when upright. Cheers
Thank you for your comments and kind words. Believe it or not, they never come close to my head. They make a great rack to hang my glasses when I’m sleeping however 😂👍
Thanks Rod, I appreciate the kind words. It visually looks like a course-ish mesh but I think that’s because it’s so heavy and thick, not because the holes are actually large. I’ve camped in some seriously midgee infested areas and never had them in the tent. This video is an example. Travel Australia by 4WD | Queensland Coast to the Outback EP3 | Byfield NP to Stanage Bay Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Thanks heaps for the reply. Being an ex-Queenslander I know what they are like. While we are not ready to get something up top yet, I've certainly been looking, though a good ladder would be great as I really don't fancy climbing up there all the time. I think if I was to shift my solar onto the roof of the tent, it would give us a nice area at the front to leave our shoes etc. (I have a larger vehicle than most) unfortunately it's not wide enough for the wide version of the tent, though I may be able to remount my 270 awning. I think it will be the next best thing to actually cutting the roof out to make a pop up version but I would loose storage space inside. Thanks again!
@@JafffaAdventures Thanks once again Terry! I'm revisiting both of your videos on the RTT (Guess what I got yesterday for Christmas? 😁) Now to order one & we are also keen on the Bundusuite for longer stays (not the add a room) but I'm keen to have both end walls zip open with velcro to hold them when rolled up & maybe a floor. I've taken your idea with the shoe rack & am designing that side Gullwing as a platform when up & have a ladder with proper steps (not sure how I'll make that work yet?) It'll be great, not more tent, walls & ground sheet, no swag & stretcher and of course much faster set up/pack up time. You are correct about this video, it actually brought me to your channel that I continue to enjoy ever since! P.S. I've already pre wired for the tent with extra electrical to remote operate it (I've just gotta come up with an idea for the latches now 🤣🤣) CHEERS!!
Great review, I’ve enjoyed you channel since buying my own 200 Series. I have a couple of questions re the bundutop. How long is the mattress? Interested in the internal dimensions of the tent when open, I’m 195cm tall. Also, I noticed you mounted in on a rhinorack pioneer platform. Why that choice rather than rails? Any issues/custom stuff mounting it on the platform? Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the kind words, I’m glad you are getting some value out of the channel mate. I don’t know the exact measurements of the internals mate, maybe check the website. I’m 6’2” in the old measurement and there is heaps of room between my feet and the wall and my head and the wall. I can also sit up very easily in the tent. I went with the platform because I had one on the vehicle already. The floor of the tent is braced so I would imagine it would work on rails, but a platform would provide even more rigidity. Cheers😎👍
Thanks Terry, sounds like I might fit! I was thinking more about the weight reduction using rails v platform. I reckon the shell must be solid if you can mount the awning to it! Also enjoyed your Cape York vids, heading there in mine next year.
The shell is indeed solid mate, I really is high quality gear, no cheap crap. I agree, anything you can do to reduce weight without compromising reliability is a win in my book mate. Enjoy your Cape trip next year, it’s an epic place that’s for sure. I have two more Cape episodes to edit and release before it’s all done. They will be published over the next few weeks so stay tuned. Thanks again mate😎👍
Question: how would you rate the insulation under the mattress? I’ve struggled in the past with the cold coming through from underneath the bed but also what about the top too. Is the roof insulation good enough to heat the whole tent and mattress up a lot?
Good questions mate. Under the mattress is the aluminium floor, so there is no insulation whatsoever. Having said that, the mattress is 4 inches thick so you really don’t get any cold coming through the bottom at all (and I’ve camped in sub zero temperatures in it). I put a piece of marine carpet under the mattress when I first installed the tent, but that was more to wick any moisture from the mattress (which I have never had anyway). If you do feel the cold, the 12v electric blanket I talked about in the video will knock that on the head quick smart. In summary, no insulation but no problem at all. The roof insulation is excellent. I can nap up there at mid day under the summer sun and you don’t get any radiant heat coming through the roof at all. 10/10 rating from me. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the feedback Paul I have tried to be as honest as I could, I have no vested interest either way. Bundutec did reach out to me via messenger and said I was a little “harsh” on my review of the Add a room but I call it as I see it from my own personal experience. I wish more manufacturers appreciated honesty and used the feedback as a basis for improvement, not hide from it. I’m sure their business would only improve because of it. I am confident you will not be disappointed with the tent, it’s a great product. Keep the shiny side up mate.😎👍
Hi Paul. They are not too bad mate, they will not blow you out of the bed, but they do keep the air moving when it’s hot and still. They are similar to large Computer cooling fans. For large volumes of air movement I would take something extra.
@@JafffaAdventures One last question....do you get alot of wind noise from the square shape up on the roof? I am inches away from pulling the trigger on a set up just like yours
Hi Paul, fire any questions you have my way mate, happy to help out in any way that I can. Regarding wind noise, I guess that is a reasonably subjective question but I will try and answer it this way. The Landcruiser 200 is very well insulated from noise. At 100km/hr on the highway, I cannot hear ANY wind noise coming from the roof top tent. When the windows are down or the sun roof is open, yes you can hear the wind but it is not too loud or annoying in my opinion. It certainly does not stop me from running with the windows down when the weather permits. One final observation is that the wind noise is actually louder with the bare roof rack than it is with the tent sitting on it. I'm not sure why, perhaps the way the wind circulates around in each instance differently, but it's definitely noticeably quieter with the tent installed. I trust this helps mate, any more questions don't hesitate to shoot them my way. It's a big investment so I can understand you want to get it right. Cheers mate.
2 awnings are Fabulous!! how much are they?....270* Awning is AMAZING 'shade'!!!..wonder how this tent do in snowy wintertime..Cold...freezing Conditions of Canada?...
Thanks for watching and your support. The 270 degree awning is around $1,300 Australian dollars which is about the going rate down under for most 270 degree awnings. I have had the tent down to about -5 Celsius and it was fine. I know Canada gets a lot colder than that however. Cheers👍😎
Good question mate. There are two blanking plugs beside the up/down switch. If you remove the plugs you can jumper the motor sending 12v directly to the winch. If the winch itself is burnt out (which would be one in a million because it is seriously over engineered), you can manually rotate the winch barrel and lower it. Cheers😎👍
My husband and I got rid of our Ikamper and just purchased this! I am sooo excited to put it on our LC but I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind telling me how you attached yours to your platform? We have the front runner and we called them to ask them what they recommend, they didn’t have a definitive answer because they said they have never seen one on their product😱 did you just drill it straight onto the crossbars?
Thanks for watching and reaching out, I sincerely appreciate it. Interesting, I looked at the ikamper when I was in the market for a RTT and it was on my shortlist. In answering your question, yes I drilled through the cross bars and base of the tent in six locations, one in each corner and two on the sides about mid way between the front and back. I actually took my rack off, flipped the tent upside down, and then set the rack on the tent while it was upside down. This made drilling the holes and ensuring the tent was square on the rack super easy. I then bolted the rack to the tent while it was on the ground, then lifted the assembled unit onto the Cruiser and bolted the rack back down on the car. Enjoy you’re tent, you will love it😎👍
Jafffa Adventures holy moly, I wouldn’t have thought of that! Thank you so much for your reply! My husband and I took about 5 months of researching all the rtts, and came across your video here back in June, and knew we had to have this. We had just purchased our first rtt (Ikamper) and figured we would keep it for a couple of years then upgrade to your setup. We spent 10 nights in the Ikamper in a temp range from 93°-17°F. It was less than ideal, so many more negatives about that thing than people are letting on. (At least for our lifestyle) Sold it immediately & decided to skip out on the 2 year wait 😂 thank you so much for such a detailed review!
My pleasure guys, really appreciate your kind words. Any other questions along the way feel free to reach out, I’ll do my best to help in any way I can. Enjoy your journey mate👍😎
Nice review but a lot of what you said I disagree very strongly with. First is your view on products from South Africa being great. In our experience most stuff made in South Africa is poorly thought out and even more poorly made. Quality control is almost non-existent with the same problems that were meant to be addressed after them being pointed out, not being addressed and often being made worse. They are not waterproofed properly at all from the factory, especially the awnings. They require seam sealing tape, not the silly seam sealing paint they put on which is utterly useless. You will find the awning will become marked simply by opening and shutting it. This will start wearing on the canvas and eventually wear through with holes. You can already see the damage starting to form on the canvas section that is covering your bonnet/hood. You can see the scores where you were talking about the front lifter arm on the backplate. Look at the canvas, see the lighter marks? That's the material being damaged. In our group after I got the first Bunduawn, 4 others were sold in Ireland after seeing mine. They ALL have the same problem. My tent did not have any sealant at all and as soon as it rained, water came into the tent and it soaked our pillows which ended up mouldy as we had not realised it had gotten wet before closing it away for 2 weeks. The add on room is horrendous, absolute waste of time and money. Having said all of that, Ignoring the faults I've already mentioned, we loved our tent. It was so amazing to use and fairly comfortable. I liked the ladder and we stored it in the tent in its bag along with the bedding in place. I hate the telescopic ladder you bought. Loads of our friends with Alucab Gen 3 tents, which have a pathetic ladder that's suitable for a toy car only, have the telescopic one. After a while sand gets into them and they start to become difficult to close, and because of the angle of the steps, its not comfortable in socks/bare feet. The old Bundutop ladder had round rungs, and the newer ladder has rungs which are angled so that when the ladder is in place, they are flat to climb up, much better. Sadly they still insist on that stupid "drip tray" arrangement which is disgraceful. I told them about it already and my concerns were dismissed. Several times I've had the ladder come out just from turning over in bed at night and then it fell to the ground scraping my vehicle in the process. Another time it came out when I was actually climbing the ladder. It came down very hard as my weight was on it and fortunately, to avoid injury, it managed to hook itself on the roof rack rail around the roof, but it dented that in the process causing a small leak in the vehicle. Using the original, or revised Bundutec ladder, along with the Luce arrangement you have installed would be the best solution/ Strong lightweight ladder which is securely fastened to the vehicle. We sold our tent and are building a custom camper unit. However if we wanted another roof tent I still feel I would buy the Bundutop and just make a few small modifications to it to solve some of the issues. Thanks for taking the time to make such a great video.
Hi. I have seen many of your videos and am surprised at your comments. I'm south African and agree with Terry that many quality offroad and overland products are made here. Re the bundutop rtt. It's made with simple material which you can fix anywhere in the Bush. I can attest to that due to me forgetting to unlatch all the latches and pressing ther open button thus bending some of the steel rods and arms. I never experienced any leaks and the tent was solid in serious storms. I also dumped the supplied ladder which was the latest model for a telescopic one as the supplied one jammed with sand in between the slides. I agree again with Terry regarding the few improvements that are needed to improve the tent. The awning is another issue which you can read about in another of my comments
Hi Terry, Great review , so thank you for putting the time in to make it 🙏 I am in the middle of reviewing RTT options, I have a 2021 Defender 90 so roof footprint isn’t the biggest. Looking at the Tuff-Trek Overland MK2 vs Bundutop and my options seem to be, smaller footprint but taller Bundutop vs larger footprint but lower height and aerodynamic Overland. I am thinking to go with Bundutop as there will be less overhang on the rack (which will be Frontrunner) one question, do you notice much by way of wind noise? Steve (London) 🙏
Thanks for your kind words Steve, they mean a lot to me and I sincerely appreciate it. I do not hear much wind noise at all even with the windows down. I can hear more from the snorkel than the RTT for example. I’m not sure why that is because let’s be honest, the tent is as aerodynamic as a brick. When the windows are up, nothing at all, and I mean nothing. Having said that, the 200 series is pretty good in terms of acoustic insulation. What I really love about the depth of the tent is that you get a 100mm thick mattress that is prefect for me, and you can still store all your bedding up there (I have 5 full sized pillows, two thick sleeping bags, and an electric blanket for example!). I trust this answers your question mate, happy shopping😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Thanks Terry, really appreciate the reply and I think that concludes my research 🧐 🙂 Id say of all the reviews yours has been the best 👍🤓💪
Nice one mate, thank you. I don’t monitise my channel so all of the content I release is for the love of the craft and for sharing, not for any financial gain. Maybe that makes a difference🤓🤔. Go well mate, have an amazing 2022😎👍
Hi Thinking of installing a 270 XT MAX Awning from ‘The Bush Company’. It is similar (but better design) to your bundutec 270 Awning. I notice your 270 Awning is mounted directly onto the bundutop RTT. How well do you think this mounting arrangement holds, given static weight and dynamic loading (from wind forces when erected)? Is the mounting arrangement strong enough? Cameron
Good question Cameron. The mounting arrangement is super strong and I have not had any problems with it. I had the awning in a massive storm where it bent one of the pivot pins in the hinge assembly and they are big, a 15mm diameter shank. The awning mounting assembly never moved and did not distort the sides of the lower tent clam shell. In addition, I have have driven literally thousands of kilometres of vicious corrugations. Still going strong. Cheers 😎👍
Great review. Ive subscribed. Seriously looking at one of these to perhaps fit on top of a trailer. Whats its width and length mate? Is it longer from rear of car to front than the width? Thanks very much.
Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing, I sincerely appreciate it. The dimensions of the tent are 2100mm long x 1350mm wide x 300mm high. It overhangs my roof rack by about 25mm each side on the width, and is about 25mm shorter than the rack on the length. Thanks again for watching. Cheers😎👍
Apoligies if this has already been asked in previous comments but wondering how easy is it to remove from the vehicle or do you leave it on? I'd like the flexbility of removing when not on trips but not sure how easy (or not) that process might be. I understand they weigh around 74kg so I'd probably need a hoist of some kind.
Good question. I leave mine in place most of the time but when I do take it off I leave it bolted to the rack and just undo the rack from the car and remove it all as one piece. Ideally a lift of some kind is best, but I can get mine off with 4 people, one on each corner. They need to be tall though, at least 6’ helps😂😎
Hello from the States! Thanks for the review! Would you mind telling me how do you run the electric blanket? I would think it would run your battery dead.
Hi mate, trust you are keeping safe in these crazy times. I have a 120amp hour lithium battery under bonnet that has an internal BMS that cuts the current of at 80% discharge. That’s 96 amp/hrs of useable juice. The electric blanket pulls 4 amps so that’s 24hours of continuous use, more than enough😎👍
I recently discovered your channel and enjoyed your frank, honest opinions. My partner and I love your review of the Bundutec Bundutop Roof Top Tent and Bunduawn Awing. We're currently sourcing a new Toyota Landcruiser Sahara 200 series with the view of installing ARB BP51 shocks and ARB Base Rack roof rack. The installation of your tent is on a Rhino roof rack? When the tent is packed away, what is the height from the ground to the top of the tent metal roof? We have a carport that 2400mm high and need to know if the 200 with suspension upgrade and rooftop tent would fit? Thank you.
Thanks for your question and for your kind words Terrance, I sincerely appreciate it. You are correct, I have a Rhino rack, BP51’s with a 2” lift, and 285/70/R17 tyres. With this setup I am 2320mm from the ground to the top of the tent roof when packed away. I trust this helps you in determining the height of your setup. Thanks again Terrance, cheers😎👍
Love your videos, well done. I am currently looking at the Bundutop and the Bush Company Alpha. With the inside height of the Alpha, my wife and I can get changed inside it thus not having to setup a change room, but the Bundutop seems to be just over a metre in interior height, which probably means for us approaching 70, we would need to set up a change room. Would love to hear your comments on this.
Thank you for your kind words and following the channel, I sincerely appreciate it. You are correct, the Bundutop is just over a meter in height on the inside. I have never had a problem changing in the tent, you can certainly sit up fully without coming near the ceiling. Having said this, my wife and I are a spry 55, so add another 15 years onto us and it could be a different story. My best advice would be to try and find one to check it out in person. Very sorry I could not be of more help. Cheers 👍
Howdy there! I’ve been in the market for a RTT for over a year. The wife simply didn’t want to spend 5k on a RTT and whenever I brought it up and how fast and easy the Bundutop would be she looks at me and says TRAILER! Now don’t get me wrong, I’d love an Offroad capable trailer. But my Jeep JKUR is heavy as it is and I’d probably end up blowing my stock motor. I’ve decided to some how hide my RTT purchase and ask for forgiveness. I have a FrontRunner roof rack with available space dimensions of L - 91.5” and W - 54.5”. I can fit the standard size Bundutop in this space no problem. I’ve read the reviews of this video looking for comments of how the small awnings that go all the way around the Bundutop fair in harsh weather conditions. Are they noisy or have they ripped in the wind? I currently have the buduawn mounted to my FrontRunner roof rack via batwing mounts and I love it except for the upright rod bending just like how you explained. But while camping in Calico winds picked up suddenly and ripped the canvas from two of the longer arms. Very upsetting, and now I have to drill out rivets and do some reinforcement stitching. So this has somewhat deterred me away from the Bundutop and I couldn’t help but look at other RTTs. I only have one other RTT I would consider due to the James Baroud RTTs being to big. Autohome AirLand Plus Small XL $3,400 USD Exterior: 51″ x 91″ x 12″ Mattress: 48″ x 80″ x 3.2″ Height: 36″ (Mattress to ceiling-tallest) Weight: 134 lbs. This RTT would almost completely fill my roof rack space. And a guy in my Jeep club swears by his Autohome RTT and how it hold up in the wind. I’d love to hear your thoughts on my dilemma and if you’ve had any issues with that 360 awning on the Bundutop in strong winds. Thanks! Oh and fantastic detailed review btw. Keep em’ coming!
Thanks for the question, and I did get a chuckle about you making the purchase and then asking for forgiveness later. You are a braver man than I am!! One last attempt on wifey before you go rogue. explain to her not only how quick the Bundutop is, but how much of a PAIN IN THE BACKSIDE lugging around a trailer would be, coupled with how difficult they can be to set up. I cannot comment at all on the Autohome RTT, so I will leave that topic aside. Regarding my Bunduawn, it has never given me any grief even in high winds. I was in a storm once (it was pegged down) and was holding the arms down and getting picked up off the ground by the wind. I would not recommend doing that, but it survived!! The tent itself is rock solid in the wind. The canvas is taut when full deployed and the little awning around the edge is very stable. The only thing I did was put some shrink wrap on each of the zipper clasps so they do not jingle in the wind. The fans inside the tent drown out any other noise. Bottom line, my tent is still going strong and I would definitely buy another if I had my time over. I trust this is helpful mate. Thanks for watching. Cheers!
@Jaffa Adventures Have you had any trouble with rain pooling on the roof? My roof sheet sits under the outer shell leaving about a 1.5mm lip making the roof a dam, and after rain I get a waterfall when I move the ute.
Hi Darren, great question mate. The short answer is yes, mine is exactly the same as yours. I park my car under cover so the only time it gets me is if It rains when I’m out. As my 4WD has a forward rake, it either drips on the drives or passengers window depending on the angle the vehicle is on. Cheeers😎👍
It’s the standard model mate. I had them set the king size on my rack when I was as the store and it overhung the sides of the vehicle far too much. To be honest, I’m glad it did because this size is more than adequate. Cheers👍😎
Mate, I bought it in the package called the “add a room”. I’m not sure if they sell it separately or not, but a simple phone call would get you an answer I suspect. Thanks for watching😎👍
It’s the double Aaron. I set the king size on the roof rack when I was originally investigating these tents and it was way to big for my Landcruiser 200 Series. It hung over the sides of the Cruiser far too much. Cheers
Love your brilliant authentic & informative vid. Thanks for making difference to us campers! Sorry if you have already been asked this question but I am scarred with RTT leaking when camped beach side with sideways/almost horizontal rain/wind. Have you used this RTT in this type of conditions & if yes how did it go?
Thanks for the very kind words Gavin, I sincerely appreciate it. Yes I have been in those exact conditions that you speak of and I have also been through tropical thunderstorms that have driving horizontal rain as well. The tent performs brilliantly in both conditions. You can even leave the canvas flaps down an inch or two because the little built in awning keeps the rain out as well. It’s a very clever design. Thanks for watching mate, keep the shiny side up 😎👍
Thanks again for your feedback and information! I was also wondering if I get the awning that you have, does it “dovetail” nicely along the rooftop tent so that no water when raining comes in between the gap of where the roof top tent finishes and the awning starts along the side of the car? Also did you find that the natural pitch that the awning has allows for water to naturally run off without pulling up and stretching the canvas with heavy or persistent rain?
Hi Gavin, again good questions mate. The large awning actually tucks under the small awning around the perimeter of the tent. For that reason it’s a great water preventative. You have to be conscious of this when mounting your large awning however because if you mount it too far outboard you would not have this stacked effect. The large awning has two upright arms that create a pitch from the car towards the outside edge. Water does not pool as it’s a decent grade (probably 5 to 10 degrees or so). Cheers😎👍
Thanks again mate. Sorry to keep stalking you with questions but I just want to also confirm; did you need to “season” the side walls that are canvas of this rooftop tent (to ensure it’s all waterproof)?
Hi Gavin, no problem re the questions, I’ll do the best I can to answer. I did not season the canvas prior to use. It’s first seasoning was my first encounter with sideways rain! It did not leak the first time so maybe I got lucky or maybe they season it at the factory. Cheers 😎👍
Hi Jamie, good question. I flipped the RTT upside down and then drilled through the Rhino rack and the floor of the tent in 6 places (two front, two middle, two back). I then lifted the tent and rack combo onto the roof of the 200 and bolted the rack down to the Cruiser roof mounting points. If I want to remove it, I take the whole assembly off, rack stays mounted on the tent. This is much easier than unbolting the tent from the rack. Cheers😎👍
Excellent reply, thank you! I am awaiting my Base Rack and have the same Bundutop as you. Tough Touring have developed a 'Cradle' to hold the Bundutop onto the rack, it looks nice, was just seeing other options for those that need to remove the tent between trips. Many thanks!
Cool, the cradle was certainly not an option when I installed my tent so it’s great to see manufacturers providing options for us users. Thanks for sharing, this could be very helpful to others reading along. Cheers 😎👍
Thanks for the question, appreciate you taking the time to reach out. Re the winch, there are two removable panels located beside and up and down button. These are the jumper spots and allow you to bypass all the fuses and limit switches and dump 12 volts directly to the winch. Failing that, the winch can also be operated manually as well. Cheers
Hi Casey, the big one is called the bunduawn. The second one on the drivers side is a part of the add a room package. I’m not sure if you can buy it on it’s own but it’s worth asking the question. Thanks for watching mate!
Thanks for the kind words Christopher, I really appreciate it. I bought the standard size which is 2100mm x 1350mm. I had the supplier set a king size on the roof rack when I was researching the tent, and it hung over the sides way too much. The king size is 1600mm wide, too big for my application. I trust this helps. Cheers 😎👍
I was sold on the King until I saw it. You wouldn’t think 250mm was that much difference, believe me, it is. Unless you have a patrol or something similar, it overhangs on most vehicles.
On top of what you listed as "the bad" on this RTT which I agree with you 100%, for me is its packed height. At 30cm, it's quite tall. By the way, is the sound raising and lowering it that loud, or is it just amplified by your camera? Coz if it's that loud, that for me is another "Bad". I would be very embarrassed setting it up if I arrive at camp late at night. I won't be very popular in the camp site.
Agree with both points mate. Packed height is high, but on the plus you can fill ALL you’re sleeping gear up there so setting up is literally 17 seconds. I’ll take that plus over the 30 cm height. Re winch noise, yep that is as loud as it is for real. We don’t camp around people 90% of the time (remote is our go to), and we are also pulled up by 3pm so not an issue for us. But agree, if you’re late to arrive and around others it would definitely be an issue. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts, I sincerely appreciate it 😎👍
Thanks for the kind words Adel, I do appreciate it. The short answer is yes you can mount anything on the outer part of the tent. Bundutec advise a max weight of 25kg as the top clamshell of the tent weighs in at 20kg on it's own. My solar panels are the flexible variety and weigh about 1kg each so in my application its just fine. Go well mate, cheers.
Hello from USA...man, that tent has a huge profile. After installing all of that tell us about the difference in ride quality if there is. It's a pretty amazing set up you have overall with that beautiful LC and basically a place you can call home all right on top of your rig.
Hi Nigel, hello from Australia! One thing great about this inter-web, is it brings people with similar interests like us closer together. The ride quality did not suffer at all. I’ll qualify that by saying before the tent, I had a roof rack with an Oztent RV5 and all my gear in boxes up there. That setup weighted more than the 70kg which I have up there now. I also have aftermarket suspension (installed well before the RTT) which craps all over the stock suspension. You hit the nail on the head mate, it’s a home on top of my rig. Even simple examples, if I go over to a mates and have a few too many beers, I can simply climb up top and sleep there, no muss no fuss. Thanks for you kind words mate.
Hi Terry, Is it possible to attach a Bunduawn directly to the side of the Bundutop? Or does it have to be attached to roof rack via L bracket? Great vid mate. Thoroughly enjoyed it. 😀
Thanks for your kind words mate, I sincerely appreciate it. My Bunduawn is connected directly to the side of the Bundutop tent. If you watch the video again you will see I have done this with the Tough Touring L brackets. Bundutec supply a t bracket with the awning when you purchase it but it was a little agricultural looking for my liking. It connects to the roof rack. I tossed mine in the bin and replaced it with the Tough Touring L brackets and secured the awning to the side of the tent. Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures hi Terry, Awesome ok that’s great to know. I’ll check out there website today. I know products like the Bush Company allow awnings to be directly bolted to side of the tent but wasn’t quite sure about the Bundutop so you’ve answered it for thanks! I’m going to call Bundutec today and order one - you’ve sold me on it even though your not a salesman, it looks to be the premium product out there and for me it’s all about speed of setup after getting to camp and I like the fact that unlike most other RTT’s, it’s design is not wedge like.
Good stuff mate, if I had my time over I would buy one again. I’m not sure if you have seen it, but there is a video in my library detailing the Bundutop tent fails that I have had. Nothing critical but all stuff that’s good to know. Enjoy the journey mate, it’s a good as the destination 👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures thanks mate. I looked at your library and thought I’m going to be very content this week watching as many as I can! Keep up the good work as these videos are very helpful 👍
Hi Garry, no there is not, in fact it’s marginally quieter. My Rhino rack used to have wind noise, presumably as air passed in and around the cross braces. Now that the tent is there, that has stopped. I happily run down the road at 100km with the windows down carrying on a conversation. Thanks for watching, I appreciate your time. Cheers 😎👍
Hi there, Im looking at buying the awning from Bundutec and your video was very informative as there arent many Bundutec reviews around, especially long term use reviews, so thanks heaps for that. At 9.15 min. into the video the roof of the tent {above the bent prop} looks like it may be wearing through? Its a lot of money and im trying to get a better idea about long term use and reliability for our upcoming long term travels around Australia.Also can you please advise if the awning is the 2.45m model or the larger 2.95m? Loved the video and your awesome setup!! Cheers Pete
Hi Pete. Firstly thanks for your kind words mate, I really appreciate it. I do like the setup, that is my honest assessment and rest assured I have no affiliation with Bundutec and I paid full retail for the tent and awning out of my own hard earned cash. And yes, I agree it's a crap load of money so you want longevity out of it. The light patches you see around the 9:15 mark are scratches actually on the top of the awning. It is covered with a silver reflective coating (which is excellent for keep the temp cool down below) and at that particular location the silver has been scratched off. So, it looks light from the bottom but no it's not worn through (the canvass is VERY heavy). I can't remember where the scratches came from exactly, but I do recall it being my fault and kicking myself for doing it at the time. The silver coating is not scratched anywhere else nor do I expect to either. I have the 2.45m version. The 2.95 version is way too long for an application like my 200 Series wagon, it would stick far forward of the windscreen and back past the rear pillar. It's probably more suitable for a trailer or perhaps a 79 Series dual cab or something like that. I am lead to believe the new version of the awning has two improvements. Firstly, the metal uprights that hold the pitch in the roof are now spring loaded. This will probably help with them self collapsing (which is the problem I had with my rear one as per the video). The second improvement is a tapered bag. My awning bag is the same size front to back and at the front it can flap a bit when driving down the road. The tapered version is meant to take some of this slack out. I'm not sure if the new versions are here in Oz yet, but if you do pull the trigger I would ask them specifically about those two points. Feel free to fire any more questions my way, I'll help in any way I can. Cheers mate and thanks again.
@@JafffaAdventures thanks heaps mate..I will be talking with them in the near future and will definitely be doing as you suggest..The extra coverage will keep the cab cool too compared to a normal 270 ..Thanks again guys and safe travels !!
Your spot on mate, the cab is noticeably cooler when we are pulled up. The fridge does not have to work near as hard to keep those beers cold! Thanks for your comments mate, I read and respond to them all. Cheers
@@petegoulding3539 don't get the awning Pete, see my comments below about them. No offence to Jaffa, he has just bought it and is still in the honeymoon period. I have had 2 Bunduawns, they had to replace my first because of that wear, it gets REALLY bad and that scratched aluminised coating, is just how it starts, it gets scratched every time you close the awning. Its the swing arms as it shuts, the canvas gets squashed hard against the arms above and below the middle swingarm in near the pivot point. It will be on his front 3 swingarms too if he looks. The marks will get worse and worse until eventually you can feel the material is weaker and then it will start holing. A few of my friends bought them soon after I bought mine, before I realised what was happening, and its happened to all of theirs too. I have nothing against Bundutec, but wish I had known what I do now prior to getting ours and recommending it to our group members without having enough use of it to give a fair review.
Another no nonsense review, saying it like it should be. Can I ask before settling on this RTT what other ones did you consider and why does the Bundutec RTT win. The other RTT at the top of the price range is the James Baroud which many also rate highly. I'm currently swagging it but looking to move to the RTT, if I can get the misus up there.
Thanks Andrew, I appreciate your feedback. I ruled out all RTT’s that fold in half for 2 reasons. Firstly, they only have a 50mm mattress, far too thin for my fat backside. Bundutop is 100mm, ahhh luxury! Secondly, I have seen first hand the time it takes to pack up, especially in the cold. Pulling bedding and pillows out etc, pain in the backside. Far too long and inconvenient for me. That left all the clam shell tents next. I ruled them out because I wanted full height front to back. That left the full pop up ones like the Bundutop. I ruled out the Kings type junk straight away. Buy quality and buy it once. I wanted automatic, again for speed. I also wanted all my bedding to remain upstairs. We have two massive sleeping bags and 5 pillows that live up there. That ruled pretty much everyone else out at the time. That may have changed now as there could be more options on the market then when I was in the market. I trust this is of some help mate, just reach out if you have any more questions 😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures One other question Terry, you said that the Extra Room was not worth the effort, so just wondering where you put your portable toilet, since that was one of Jill's requirements? Particularly if you need a late night visit.
@@crispyinasia61 we have a separate shower tent that we use for the chemical toilet if we are camped up at one site for a number of days. If we are staying for a short period like overnight, we just use a portable toilet frame, a shovel, and a box of matches. Cheers!
@@JafffaAdventures one other question Terry, do you ever have any issues with condensation on the inside when sleeping with yourself and Jill? Its something that does my head in with my tent swag where in the early mornings I have to be careful not to move about too much to stop the drops falling on my forehead.
Hi Andrew, the short answer is never, and we have camped many many times in cold weather where condensation would be an issue. The reason I think we do not have a problem is that we leave the very tops of the windows open to allow air in, and the fans are running (even in winter), so we have excellent air circulation in the tent. Thanks for the question mate😎👍
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
You crack me up. The Canadian shines, but there's plenty of Skippy coming through as well. love your work. Cheers.
Thanks Bob, I’m a hybrid that’s for sure😎👍
Great review. We have it on our camper trailer for our daughter. She LOVES it and has the best views.
Cheers mate, and thanks for sharing👍😎
Thankyou a no bull opinion because 5gs is alot of money, you have laid out all the flaws and goods about this product,,thankyou,,your setup is awsome my friend along with the beast of a cruiser luv it,,im glad i found you because you dont talk BS,,,a big thumbs up for me,,cheers
You are very kind Robert, thanks for sharing your thoughts and feedback. I love my setup, best I have had to date. Yes, 5G’s is a huge amount of money so you want to make sure it’s right for you. Lots of new content coming with fresh videos every week. Thanks again mate, cheers😎👍
Awesome, detailed and honest review. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the comments and feedback Archie. I am glad you could see and feel the honesty here, I have no vested interests and nothing to hide. I appreciate you following along 👍😎
Totally, one of the best reviews of the RTT in the real world.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Carl, I sincerely appreciate it. Cheers 👍😎
I have the 2.4M Bunduawn on a tear-drop camper. I have an aluminium plank behind it to give support. When you changed the mild steel bolts, it looks as though you have made a stronger bracket for the bolts on the backing plate out of thick aluminium channel. Is that so. Also, I have the same problem with the folding stay as you have. I've removed it and straightened it many times. There is also a way to tie the ropes off without the poles if interested. Got the idea from another camper with one, and the installers showed him.
Yes, I have reinforced the backing plate and I also filled the alloy extrusion that makes the body of the awning up with that hard plastic cutting board material. That allowed me to cranks down the mounting bolts very tight without crushing the extruded alloy. My folding stay at the front of the awning recently punched through the awning itself. I have yet to work out how to repair that one as the canvas joins here at multiple angles. Bundutop AU distributor has not responded to date. Cheers👍😎
@Jafffa Adventures Hi. Where you have filled with plastic cutting board, I inserted metal bushes cut from small diameter tubing. It was flexing there but now fixed. Bring the ropes where possible back along the arm that when erected extends out 90 degrees from the side of your van or car. At the prop rod a little way out from the pivot, loop around it, then tie off lower down on your car. You then have a right angle bracket made from the side of your car/van, the arm from the hinge out to prop rod, and the string down to where it's fixed lower on the car. The other can be done and other places modified to do the same. Now the awning is rock solid to the car, no poles required. Can send photos if you like. Mine is gen 2 with smaller bag ends.
Awesome Trevor, cheers👍😎
Love the combo of your accent and the frequent Aussie "bloody this bloody that" 🤣
Great vid, thanks for the effort and thought behind it.
Thanks for following along David. Australia has been my home for over 25 years so it’s easy to see how/why I have picked up the lingo but not shaken the accent😂. It’s bloody hard being me mate😂😂😉👍
Brilliantly practical review, thanks!
Cheers Gavin, I’m glad you found some value here. I also have a video with the tent “fails” in the library. It’s still going strong however, and I continue to rate it highly. I type this at the start of a 2 month adventure with the tent once again👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures was going to ask if you’d still recommend it 👍👏😉
@gavinsmith28 sure would mate👍😎
Brilliant Review , very practical , commonsense info . 10/10. pw
Thanks Peter; I appreciate your feedback very much. I’ll try and maintain the same standard in future gear reviews. Cheers 👍😎
Hi Terry. Just bumped into your channel looking for 200 mods and ideas. Love your blog, simple and honest and love what you've done to your 200.
Re the bundutop. I had one. awesome RTT. Simply made with hardware store stuff and when u bent something it's easy to fix. Weathered a few serious storms in it and didnt let me down once. The awning was another story. Great area of shade, easy to open and close but if not solidly pegged down a strong storm will break its arms. Happened to me twice now. Please tie the strings to the bar work of your car and close the awning in foul weather. When the wind gets under the awning there's no where for it to go and it will lift the the whole awning over the rtt breaking the arms. Currently going to buy my second bundutop but will look at another 270 awning. Safe travels👍
Awesome feedback and thanks for your kind words Ahmed, I really appreciate it. Just out of curiosity, what awning do you think you are going to go with and why is the Bunduawn not on your shortlist? Cheers 😎😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures as I've said I've broken the bunduawn twice now in stormy weather. I dont think its the best. I most problably go for easiawn, alucab or some other make.
I’m 4 years late to the party, but love the video 👍👍
Time to save up some penny’s I guess…
Thanks Jason. I still have mine and I’m loving it😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures… good to hear Terry
Cheers👍
what a beautiful rooftop tent combination. and thank you for the enlightening review.
My pleasure Eric. Thanks for watching and commenting mate, I sincerely appreciate it 👍😎
Great Review. My question is bedding inside the RTT , do you need or consider how to place pillows or doonas to clear the arms when you put the tent down etc?
Thanks for the kind words. I have two large sleeping bags and 5 large down filled pillows up top. I place the pillows in a cross shaped pattern but to be honest I doubt it makes a difference. The arms just squish the pillows down marginally. Cheers👍😎
Thank you for your reply, safe travels :)
My pleasure Alan, thank you👍😎
If Bundutec addressed the issues it would make more people accept the price a bit more.
Possibly even offer a paint match for your vehicle.
Like your truck build.
New Sub. here.
Thank you mate, I appreciate your feedback. I agree with you and I have heard that some of the issues have indeed been dealt with. I have another Bundutop video (a Bundutop fails video), and things like the turn buckles I mention in that vid have been addressed. So they are making progress which is obviously a good thing. I trust you will enjoy the library of content and future releases. Enjoy your stay. Cheers😎👍
69k views and only 970 likes 🤷♂️ great honest review Terry, I might follow suit 🍻
Cheers. I’m not in it for the fame and fortune, just sharing my thoughts for anyone that is interested 😎👍
Love it. Those South Africans have some awesome ideas. Thanks for sharing. I'm looking into getting one as well now.
My pleasure mate. It’s been a year since I cut that video and I love my tent even more today than I did then. Have fun with your search. Cheers😎👍
Bloody good video truely good knowledge of the tent.
Cheers mate, I appreciate that (as I type this from inside that very tent😉). 👍😎
Great video mate. I just ordered one of these and can't wait to get it! I'm getting the solar panels fitted on the roof. This tent is a game changer!
It sure is mate, you will love it. Mine has never let me down and I’ve used it more times than I can count. Enjoy👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures Fantastic mate! With swags and camper trailers (i've had both) setup and pack up becomes a chore so you find yourself not going camping as often. With this thing i will want to go all the time!
You’ve hit the nail in the head mate. I can have a beer in my hand sitting in my camping chair literally 2 minutes after arriving at camp. Sometimes we don’t even put the tent up until a few minutes before bed, it’s that easy👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures that’s it mate!! Can also easily pack it up if it’s gonna rain and keep the canvas dry!!
Brilliant! Thanks for your effort Champion!
No worries Steve, glad you found some value here. Cheers👍😎
Have you ever had a problem with the power might not work to set up and pack up ? Look good and im guessing not cheap either
No never had a problem with the power. There are two circular ports beside the up and down switch that you can jumper and bypass the relays and limit switches. This gets 12v directly to the motor in an emergency. You can also manually wind the, down in a pinch but I have never had to do either. Thanks for watching Ash😎👍
So glad I found your video as it is the absolute best at describing the Good, Bad and Ugly of this tent. You have helped me tremendously in my research to determine if this is the route I will take although I plan to trailer mount mine above my ATV it will work the same. Thanks
Really great feedback mate, thanks for sharing. You will not be disappointed, they really are the best tent at what they do. Enjoy tour build mate, cheers😎👍
Hi mate, great review! Regarding the mild steel bolt at the arm hinge that you changed out, I believe they deliberately use a bolt that can break and use that as the weak point for harsh weather, replacing that is an easy job. Now that you've put a high tensile bolt in you've eliminated the weak point, so in harsh weather, the weakest point might be the bracket that holds the bolt or the canvas or something else. Easier to replace a bolt when you're in the middle of nowhere. Cheers
Thanks for the kind words and yep, I thought of that too. My plan (and we’ll see how that goes), is to take the awning down before those mega storms hit! Cheers!
This happened to my Bunduawn. I replaced the bolts with same. The wind blew mine vertical. The bolt runs through blocks inside the arms. There was some damage to them, but with stronger bolts, there would have been horrific damage.
Thanks for sharing Trevor👍😎
Could you pls share brand & model of that winch that erects the tent?
Can’t find a model number but it is manufactured by Adendorff Machinery Mart. Cheers👍😎
Wow ! Just loved it .Thanks for the precautionary advice- - Super Presentation thanks Terry King
My pleasure John. I have a follow up video in my library that you might find beneficial as well. Regardless, thanks for watching 😎👍
Please Terry can you share that link , would love to have a look
Thanks john
I can’t post links in RUclips comments John. Just jump into the library you will find it, it’s called Bundutop roof top tent fails. Cheers
Hey Terry, a last question about the Bundutop RTT, is there a reason why you don't have the tent hardwired to your 200? Is it purely so it makes it easy to remove the tent should you need to lift it off or and is it so that there is no drain on the batteries when not being used? All the best, Andrew
All good Andrew. Yes, no drain on the battery and ease of tent removal are the reasons. Cheers😎👍
Thank you for your time and honesty reviewing all your videos.
I just bought a bundutop tent and I would like to know how you install your Solar panels. Do you have any video of the installation?
Thanks for watching and for your kind words Alfredo, I sincerely appreciate it. I do not have an install video of the solar panels currently but I will in the coming weeks. I have three 115w panels on the roof and one failed on my last big trip. I will be replacing it and will detail how I mount it and run the wiring in that video. If you are subscribed with notifications turned on you will not miss it. Cheers😎👍
Great, thank you. Oh and by the way, I'm the only one who own a bundutop tent in Newfoundland Canada, now I am not alone anymore, even though you live thousands of kilometers away, feel if you are here.
Muchas Gracias amigo.
Very cool mate. I watch a channel called Fitzee’s Fabrication and he is from Newfoundland as well. Very talented man. I hope to make it back to the Great White North again when this zombie apocalypse is over and Newfoundland is on my bucket list to visit as I be never been there before. Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures I will contact Fitzee's fabrication, if someday you and family heading to Newfoundland, you will have a place to stay. Just let me know.
Thank you again.
Legend, cheers👍😎🇨🇦🇦🇺
Jaffa how did you bolt your rooftop tent down onto Rhino rack please ???
I put the Bundutop on the ground upside down, put the rack on the tent upside down, drilled 6 holes through the rhino cross bars (two front, two middle, two rear) and then affixed the tent to the rack with 6 bolts and large headed washers. I then flipped the combined unit over and lifted it onto the 4WD and then bolted the rack to the car. Has never moved since👍😎
Great fantastic now I know what to get
Thanks very much Cheers
No worries Barry, I’m replying to your post laying in my RTT now. Still going strong after all these years👍😎
That's great mate love it
Thanks David, I appreciate your kind words😎👍
Really liked your review! Very thorough and informative. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I really do appreciate it! Cheers!
Good insight to the bundutop tent, am leaning towards purchasing one!
What width is this one in your video? The standard 1350mm or the king 1600mm
Is there enough space inside? Do you wish you purchased the bigger one?
Thanks Sebastian, I’m glad you found some value in the video. My tent is the standard 1350mm, and it suits Jill and I fine. When I purchased this tent I set the king on the roof rack at the dealers to see what it would look like. It was way to wide for my Landcruiser. As we do a lot of remote area travel in tight tracks, coupled with the fact we have plenty of room inside, no I would not buy the king if I had my time over. The tent is performing very well with only a couple minor issues. There is an entire video on the subject matter in the library if you are interested. Easy to find using the search function. Go well mate👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures thanks for the prompt reply! Possible for you to copy and paste the link for me, for the video you are referring too, can’t seem to spot it
Cheers
All you need to do is search Bundutop, it comes straight up. Bundutop Roof Top Tent Fails
ruclips.net/video/eKWqjnLWi2M/видео.html
Awesome review, I definitely added this to my top 3 rooftops to consider.
Thanks sir, I appreciate the kind words. I don’t regret my purchase at all 3 and a bit years later. Cheers😎👍
Hi Terry, First off trust you are having a restful Easter break. Not sure if this comment will get to you on an old video. See how we go. I am seriously looking at this electric tent for my 200 series as will use offsite for work. Now I may have mentioned that I am missing a leg which is cool and I can get up and down ladders. That ladder you bought from eBay, how strong is it. I see you’re a big lad, no disrespect as I am just as big in weight is why I ask. Secondly did you fit that yourself or through Tough Touring in Vic as I think you have their brackets on the awning and finally, I see your 200 has 4 roof rails (Rhino). Mine has the 3 (Yakima) is this 4th rail another modification? Trusting this message gets through. Thanks in advance. Mike
Hi Mike, yep all messages get through no matter how old the video. The eBay ladder is quite strong. I’m 100kg and it supports me no problem, no hint of bending. It’s still going strong after all these years. I fit the tent and awning myself. The tent sits on a Rhino platform rack with no modifications, and the awning is attached to the tent with tough touring brackets. I bought the brackets from TT of course. I found the best way to mount the tent was to flip it on its lid in the closed position, then mount the rack to the underside of the tent which is of course facing up. I then took the combined unit and flipped it back over and lifted it onto the roof of the truck. It was then a simple matter of bolting the rack to the roof. I trust this is of some help mate. Cheers
Hi Terry, can you please share some insight into your fuel consumption. Does the frontal area of your rtt have a big impact on fuel used? Good review! tx.
Thanks Quinton, I appreciate the kind words mate. I did not own the car very long before I put the RTT on it so comparisons are a little difficult. Having said this, I would estimate the consumption increased to between 0.5l/100 and 1l/100km. The EGT’s increased by about 25C as well. Cheers mate 😎👍
Good Job, agree regarding the additional room.
Cheers and thanks for taking the time to comment, I sincerely appreciate it.😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures mate when a product is that good and the review is thorough, it deserves comments. keep up the good work
Thank you sir👍
Mate you’ve been in Australia way to long as you have picked up all the Aussie vernacular . Great video.
26 years, I think I sneaked in by now😂. Thanks for the kind words, I am pleased you found value in the video. Cheers😎👍
She's pretty loud! No sneaking off the campsite early in the morning. But rooftop tents are great, i love mine.
Yes it is, and yes you are correct, you will wake up the neighbourhood. Good thing we never really camp where other are😉. Go well mate 😎👍
Hi Bud
Great video and review thank you for that, quick question tho.
Did you notice the extra wieght of the tent up there say when in corners or on odd angles getting into places? worried about how nad it would effect the center of gravity.
Hi Stuart, thanks for watching and good question. The tent weighs around 60kg and is spread out almost perfectly evenly across the roof surface. I do not feel any stability issues in the least. In saying that I do have upgraded suspension and air bags in the rear. Compared to my prior setup with my oztent and jerry cans on the roof, this beats it stability wise hands down! Keep the shiny side up mate👍😎
Great review
They really need a quieter motor ? Those catches for closing the tent could be so much better and there are great ones on the market. These work loose over time with vibrations.
Thanks mate, agree the motor is very loud. I believe the newer tents have update catches, they are certainly larger than the ones on my tent. Here's a video on some of the issues with the tent if you are interested. Cheers
ruclips.net/video/eKWqjnLWi2M/видео.html
I'm considering the super king on my truck bed rack, modifying the floor for truck bed access.
As a retired army aviator, the saying was: keep t hff e greasy side down, lol
That's cool mate. I have never heard of "keeping the greasy side down" but I love it!!! Thanks for watching and sharing, I trust you have subscribed and stay on the journey with Jafffa Adventures. Cheers
Considering one of these so thanks for your honest review. Much appreciated. I am a bit curious as to why you would want a dark coloured tent (and car for that matter) in our hot conditions. The temperature differential between a dark and light coloured car is huge (just put your hand on the bonnet of a white and a dark car in similar sunlight). This has a huge effect on how much current your fridge draws when camping. Caravan manufacturers seem to be following the same dark colour trends which is even more crazy as the residual heat takes ages to dissipate at night. Would be interested in your experience.
I had a white 80 series for 25 years and now my graphite (1G3) 200 so have some real world experience on the subject with both a light and dark car. While I agree black certainly absorbs and consequently radiates heat more than white, I have found the difference in car and impact on my fridge negligible. Let me explain.
The glass allows the light into the car and the interiors are both dark colour and absorb and radiate the heat similarly. The dark car might get a little hotter, but when your comparing 50C with 60C they are both bloody hot and no fridge will keep up in those extremes over the long term!
When driving white or black my fridge runs the same because I am running AC or the windows are down and air is circulating.
When pulled up camping I have a car open anyway so again there is little difference.
I have painted the sides of the tent 1G3, the same as the car.
I wanted to blend the tent into the car as much as possible because it’s a giant brick looking thing that would stick out like dogs balls if it was white on a dark car. Terrible look.
Only the sides are painted, the major reflective surface being the roof is natural aluminium. I can nap up there during the day no problem what so ever.
Regarding houses, I have no real world experience only opinion, and opinions are like backsides, everyone has one! Thanks for the great question, cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Yep that makes sense. I guess a tent cools down much more quickly than a car too. You have me pretty much sold on that tent and I love the fact that it is pre wired for solar. Keep up the great videos. Thx mate.
Thanks sir, appreciate your feedback 😎👍
Hey Terry what size ladder did you buy, the 2.0m or 2.6m? Thanks
I got the 2.6 Justin. When it’s in use I don’t usually have it fully extended, the top skinniest section remains collapsed. It’s a bit sturdier, and if I do need the extra 30cm or so, the section is ready and available. Have a great weekend mate😎👍
Terrific review, thanks!
Qs: can the handy awning over the ladder be purchased without the “add a room” walls. It seems handy on its own…
Do you know how many mm the 360 weather skirt protrudes from the side of the tent? And how high the bottom edge of the 360 weather skirt is from the base when the tent is up? Thanks 🙏
Cheers mate, thanks for the kind words. I don’t know if you can get the small awning without the add-a-room but if you can I would. I use it all the time.
With respect to the dimensions, the weather skirt protrudes 300mm from the side of the tent and the bottom edge of the same skirt is 600mm from the base of the tent. I trust this is useful. Cheers👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures thanks for taking the time. Much appreciated!
My pleasure 😎👍
I’m thinking of fitting one on the back of a single cab Ute, only so I can remove it when not in use, any ideas, bad or good I’m open to suggestions 🤔
I guess as long as you have room between the seat and back of the cab I think they would work awesome. There’s never enough storage areas in a single cab Ute! Have a great weekend Ian😎👍
Bravo,bravo,bravo
Perfekt jobb.
Hälsar från Sweden
Thank you Elvir, you are very kind with your comments. Cheers😎👍
I’d really like them to do a trailer mounted one with a deeper base. It would be great to be able to put a queen mattress in two halves in one with about 50mm around the edge and slats underneath to let some circulation under the mattress.
They do make a king size I know that.😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures True but I think they still only take a 100mm foam style mattress. On a trailer you don’t care as much about the thickness of a rtt so as mentioned it would be great to have the option of a deeper base for a full blown mattress.
Sounds like you have you’re specs sorted mate.
Thanks for posting this.
You mentioned the $5k price tag. There are a number of non-automatic hard shells on the market that are up around the same price, so if the quality is there as you say then maybe the $ are reasonable. You look quite tall; can I ask what is the internal height when the tent is deployed? I have looked at some models of the James Baroud and when I sit up I struggle for clearance - the wedge shaped units are the only ones I can consider.
By the way..nicely set up LC200
Cheers...,,
My pleasure mate, and thanks for the kind words re the Bruiser. I’ll be doing a rig rundown in the not too distant future if you are interested.
I don’t know the internal deployed height of the Bundutop, but I will measure it for you tomorrow and post it up. I can say that I can easily sit upright in the tent with a good 4 to 6 inches between my head and the roof. I’m 6’2” so that should give you an idea. I was not a fan of the wedge shaped tents simply because the internal volume is so much smaller (the volume of a wedge vs that of a rectangle). In really crappy weather my wife and I can sit at either end of the tent and play cards for example, I’m not sure you could do that in the wedge style. Having said that, if your setup precludes you getting a rectangle tent and wedge is the only thing that will work, it makes your decision easier😎👍
Thanks for the quick reply and info.
I just looked at the Bundatec website and it looks like the deployed height is 130cm or thereabouts which confirms your guesstimate of how much height above when you sit up. I am a fraction taller so this unit maybe worth a look for me. Agree with the extra internal volume versus the wedge shaped designs. Sorry, another q...Is there a manual option for the deployment and pack down?
No apologies necessary mate, if I can help out I’ll certainly do my best. There are two options for raising and lowering the tent if the electrics play up (and mine never have). Beside the up down switch you can see two blanked off circular plates. You can take these off and “jump start” the tent. In essence this sends power directly to the winch motor bypassing the relays and limit switches. You have to be careful when doing this as the winch will not stop when in the fully erect position, but it can get you out of trouble. Alternatively, you can lift the top clamshell up manually, but that would take two very tall people or a thunderstorm in my case😂👍
Been away in both shapes and though it liked the extra height in the iKamper Mini (wedge), you are constrained to using half the tent in the real world. The Bundutec (rectangle) is lower, but has more overall room to move about. For me, it was that the Bundutec was easier to setup, could move car if needed, kids could sleep and move about and offered light/views/access from multiple sides. I think if you were less mobile, the wedge is the better choice. Hard to compare as offer different pros/cons.
How difficult would it be to drill into the sides and attach accessories such as light mounts or some crossbars on top?
Hi Cory, not difficult at all. I have shovel mounts and a shoe holder platform mount on one side. It’s just an alloy frame and both sides are easy to get to. Thanks for watching 😎👍
What about room inside the tent... Is it a bit cramped for 2 people or is there plenty of room? Can u store your ladder inside along with your bedding as well? Oh... almost forgot to ask - Is there any manual way to raise the tent just in case u had a failure with the motor &/or Cables?
Hi Rob, thanks for your questions.
There is plenty of room for two people, does not feel cramped at all. My wife and I were “trapped” inside the tent one camp for a full day because of some really crappy weather. We played cards etc and at the end of it all, did not want to kill one and other😂.
The ladder can absolutely be stored top side, The reason I do not is that my car is quite high and it’s difficult to reach up into the tent without a ladder. It’s kinda like the chicken and egg scenario.
Lastly, yes you can raise it manually. I answered that question in destabilise in the reply to user 4bnewb located just above yours. Check it out there. Cheees
Hi Terry, good day from sunny South Africa, a friend is about to have the same setup installed on an older Prado, is your tent the standard size, the width is a big concern for these guys, great video mate, cheers Chris
Hi Terry! Seeing that you are now in WA and have travelled well, I'd like to ask about your Bunduawn.
With all the different awnings you've seen around the traps, and discussed with many, I'm sure, would you go with another awning? Is there a better fit of another brand for the 200 series? The bunbutec rep where i am really downplayed the quality of them, in fact, warning me not to get one, and get an ostrich wing. I really didn't like the ostrich as i didn't think there was enough cover at the back to cook or hang out under rear door. Your updated thoughts would really help me.
Cheers if you can answer.
Safe travels 👌👍😎
I can definitely provide some feedback on how it’s going. I love the coverage of the awning, it’s up there with the best. I also like the fact that the arms that deploy when you unfold it create a “peak” so you rarely get water pooling.
The quality is ok, but I think there are stronger and better built units out there (not sure about the ostrich wing).
Just recently, one of those arms that deploys and creates the peak I mentioned earlier, has punched through the canvass. Now I have to prop that corner up with a stick. I asked the Bundutec people how they would suggest a repair, they said the entire canvass would need to come off. I’m not sure it’s worth the effort. If I were looking at the Bunduawn I would pay particular attention to how those uprights are reinforced at the canvas. Maybe they have improved this. If not, I’d shop around a bit more. I’ll do a video on this later, but that could be some time away yet. I’m having too much fun playing on the CSR👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures CSR! Brilliant mate, so jealous, haha. Your series, as all yours are, is such great content. It's helpful, humorous informative and easy going so much that we all feel we are right there with you.
We are all just grateful for the time recording and editing you do. BTW, the music you've come across recently is doing absolute wonders in that you are now engaging in another one of our senses, and we love it.
As far as the awning goes I've found seeing them open first hand is a surefire way to determine your personal needs. The rep I saw didn't even have a bunduawn to show, hence my asking.
Thanks for taking the time with detail in answering my question.
Cheers heaps 👍
Good luck with your awning search mate and let me know what you ended up going with. I’ll try and keep improving the content as well😉😎
@@JafffaAdventures my car's been at VEOP for 15 months now. Hopefully get it back soon, then on with the awn I end up with, tho, still trying my best to save bucks: only to spend them, haha. I'll let you know for sure, Cheers
Edit: Saw the bundutop standard RTT first hand, jumped inside and checked it out. Loved it. Out of all the vids I've seen on it you were the most convincing. Thanks again for your thorough and detailed pros n cons.
My pleasure mate❤️
Just put of curiosity, why has your car been with Stewart and his team for so long?
G,day Terry,loved your review on the Bundutop tent,I am just in the process of installing one on my trailer but I have a question in regards to the telescopic ladder brackets you changed from the original Bundutop setup,did you make or purchase the actual ladder brackets you attached to it?I have purchased the anti rattle ones on ebay that you installed to the tent itself but what about the ladder ones?
Hi Bazil, thanks for your kind words and following along, I sincerely appreciate it. I fabricated the ladder brackets. I bought a piece of stainless steel flat bar from Bunnings (about 40mm wide), cut it into two lengths (about 80-100mm each), bent them at a 20-30 degree angle in the centre, then drilled one hole at one end for the Luce pegs to fit in, and two holes at the other end where bolts affix them to the ladder. They are pretty simple. If you have an email address you don’t mind sharing I can send you a photo or two. Cheers👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures That would much appreciated my email is bristlesmowing@bigpond.com
All done and in your inbox. Cheers
Sorry if this has been asked already. I did read through a heap of comments first. Did you install the RTT yourself or have it professionally installed? Also, what roof rack are you using? Cheers!
I installed it myself Chris. I flipped the tent upside down, bolted the roof rack onto the underside of the tent while it was on the ground, then flipped the entire assembly upright and installed it onto the 4WD in one piece, just needing to bolt down the roof rack to the vehicle. It’s a Rhino roof rack. Cheers👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures thanks for the reply. I watched a bunch more of your videos after reaching out to discover you had the rhino rack. I like how you went about installing the tent on the rack and then the roof. Hadn’t thought of that. Cheers.
No worries Chris, go well mate👍😎
Hey mate, how is the Bundatop travelling on the rhino platform? I have a guy in Vic who says he refuses to install on it as he doesnt want to be liable for any accidents. He offers his own roofrack. He also says that with the bunduawn open (along with the bundatop RTT installled) the rear door either hits the back of the rhino platform rack or hits something else, either way, you cant open the back door with out it hitting something. What is your experience? I was talking to the Bundutec rep here in Melbourne.
You are the second person that has told me this story. Bundutop works perfectly on the Rhino rack, sits square, does not interfere with the rear door or spoiler, never had a drama, love the setup. I obviously don’t know their motives, but maybe they are not a Rhino dealer and are trying to sell their own product. Whatever the reason, my experience differs from what you have been told. Cheers👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures Thanks Terry.
PS. Enjoying the bike series on the Simmo too 👍
Good stuff mate, thanks for the feedback. Have a great weekend 😎👍
I am interested in a few bits of it mate - I have the new one on my 200 and need to upgrade the awning mounting and the ladder system.
awning brackets - did tough touring do them as a custom item or do they have them as a standard (I assume made to order) item? Did you fit it yourself? How are they different from the standard bunduawn brackets that they have on offer?
What did you use to close/fill up the old rivet holes?
Also - what size is your ladder, 3.2?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks for the questions Dean, I'll do my best to answer them for you.
The awning brackets made by Tough Touring were a stock item back when I bought them. I sourced them through the same Bundutec dealer I got my awning from, but you can get them directly from Tough Touring as well.
I fit them myself.
My Tough Touring brackets came with rivets to hold them in. I tossed those in the bin and used cap head stainless steel bolts and nylock nuts instead.
The brackets that came standard with my bunduawn were very agricultural looking, and did no match the look of my setup. They were basically 25mm steel box section welded into a T shape. The head of the "T" bolts to the awning, the leg of the "T" bolts to your tent or rack.
I assume you mean the old rivet holes where the latches were fitted before I moved them to the front and back of the tent? Some of the holes were covered by the awning bracket itself. For those I just filled with a dab of silicone and put the bracket in place. For the remainder, I simply ran a cap head stainless steel bolt and nylock nut in the hole to fill it.
Lastly, the ladder I use is 2.6m long with a distance of 2.2m from the ground to the luse latches it attaches to. Yours would obviously be dependent on the height of your rig but that should give you a guide.
Any more questions mate, feel free to fire them through.
Cheers
Great video, thanks for the in-depth review. Could you please tell me what size (width) rtt this and how comfortable you find it with 2 people sleeping in it. Thanks
Thanks for watching and commenting Rodney, I sincerely appreciate it. The tent is 1350mm wide. This is plenty of room for my wife and I and we never have any punching matches😂. Our longest trip on the road with it so far has been 6 weeks and room in the tent has never been an issue. Having said that, space requirements can be very different couple to couple. Cheers😎👍
Thanks, I'm looking at the 1350 model, Just trying to get feedback on the room for 2. Good to know.
Happy to help Rodney. Cheers
Love the honest review, and the tent is amazing. I’m in the states and sadly many of the RTTs we get are rebranded Chinese tents by XYZ company. We would love to have some of the amazing tents, trailers, and overland gear from Australia, but when we do get them, they are 2-4x the price. Cheers!
Great feedback mate, thanks for sharing. There is some really great kit out there so I’m not sure why you guys are getting shafted like that, very odd. Have a great day👍😎
Unfortunately the wages in our countries are 2-4 x and leasing a workshop etc maybe more, it’s unfortunate buy I just try hard to save the extra dollars go without for a bit longer and keep my money rotating in our economy as best I can.
Sounds like a plan mate, cheers 😎👍
Thanks for the review Terry, I think you have convinced me that this is the RTT for me.
Am I correct in thinking that you can access the tent from any of the window/doors? Could I theoretically have ladder latches on all 3 sides. I'm assuming you have to you have to leave atleast one window open when you pack it down.
Im going to fit it to a trayback alloy canopy and would maybe prefer to access from the rear so as to have access to both sides of the canopy or atleast have the option if I feel the need.
Have you used the during a decent QLD rainy night, the waterproofness (is that a word?) was up to standard?
Glad you found the review useful, I’m not trying to sell brand A over brand B, just sharing my experience. I have no affiliation with any on the gear I review.
You can definitely access the tent from all 4 sides if you wanted to, even from the front if you could negotiate over the bonnet🤔🤓. When packing down I leave the inner zips on the windows down an inch or two. That allows air to escape and facilitates pack down
I have used the tent in many rip snorter Queensland storms and never had a drop of water inside. It is impressively waterproof. Thanks for watching mate. Cheers😎👍
5grand cost wow but agree best roof top tent I hve seen. I like hving ht not clam shell high low style+ hve enough wt to kneel or sit up in is key, & hving width to use as storage too.
Yes they are dear James, cannot argue with you there. Having said that, I would fork out 5K all over again having experienced how really great this tent actually is. Thanks for watching and commenting mate, I sincerely appreciate it 😎👍
Great review and I'm really enjoying your channel content. How has the bundutop been in heavy or longer periods of rain? I'm interested in performance of the fold out awning around the roof and any issues with leaking around the walls - seams and zippers in particular. Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the kind words mate, I sincerely appreciate it. The tent is amazingly water tight. We have been in some seriously heavy rain, both storms and driving sideways rain (check out the most recent Fraser Island video series as an example). We have never got any water in the tent. The zippers are designed well to prevent this (screen zipper is adjacent to and not in line with the outside flap zipper and the outside flap zipper is hidden behind a protective overlap of canvas as two examples). The small awning around the perimeter of the tent works very well, in a straight downpour you get zero water on the sides of the tent. In driving rain where water can hit the side of the tent, you just zip up the outside flap in line with the perimeter awning and again, no rain gets in. In summary, I can’t fault the tent from a rain perspective, and I have certainly torture tested it. Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures thanks for the response. It certainly sounds like the tent meets wet weather expectations. Great Fraser Island content - we had similar weather (not quite as much rain) over there last year. We still had a fantastic trip.
Good stuff mate, fantastic place to visit. The last episode is out at 3pm today if it’s of any interest. Either way, go well mate👍😎
Looks a great bit of kit mate, I'll stick with my swag for a while but I do like it. Cheers Steve
I hear ya mate. For me, I’m getting lazy in my old age, but no so lazy as to go down the caravan route. The only pine box you’ll find me in is the one when I’m lowered into the ground😂👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures I don't know what to say LOL, Im planning to buy a van in a few years! But with that said I want to be a grey nomad with a sick Offroad lifestyle lol no fear. Cheers Steve
Good on ya Steve, whatever keeps you young and enjoying this beautiful country of ours has to be the right decision 👍
If they made it using gas rams to lift the roof would be better, that way there is less hardware inside of the tent, and the price would be cheaper. What if the winch fails? Is there a manual override? I do like the way the built in awning comes open by its self.
Thanks for the comments Rob, appreciate you taking the time to put your thoughts down. Re the winch, there are two removable panels located beside and up and down button. These are the jumper spots and allow you to bypass all the fuses and limit switches and dump 12 volts directly to the winch. Failing that, the winch can also be operated manually as well.
Yes, I agree the awning uprights are a good idea and unique. I have never had water pooling on the awning because of the pitch they create when upright. Cheers
Thanks for a great review... do you find that you hit your head on those big corner brackets at all? They look seriously big.
Thank you for your comments and kind words. Believe it or not, they never come close to my head. They make a great rack to hang my glasses when I’m sleeping however 😂👍
Great review. I've not seen any questions with regard to the size of the screen mesh. Is it midgee proof? (I'd expect so you being in Qld.)
Thanks Rod, I appreciate the kind words. It visually looks like a course-ish mesh but I think that’s because it’s so heavy and thick, not because the holes are actually large. I’ve camped in some seriously midgee infested areas and never had them in the tent. This video is an example.
Travel Australia by 4WD | Queensland Coast to the Outback EP3 | Byfield NP to Stanage Bay
Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Thanks heaps for the reply. Being an ex-Queenslander I know what they are like. While we are not ready to get something up top yet, I've certainly been looking, though a good ladder would be great as I really don't fancy climbing up there all the time. I think if I was to shift my solar onto the roof of the tent, it would give us a nice area at the front to leave our shoes etc. (I have a larger vehicle than most) unfortunately it's not wide enough for the wide version of the tent, though I may be able to remount my 270 awning. I think it will be the next best thing to actually cutting the roof out to make a pop up version but I would loose storage space inside. Thanks again!
My pleasure Rod, enjoy the planning and building journey mate, it’s almost as much fun as the trips themselves😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Thanks once again Terry! I'm revisiting both of your videos on the RTT (Guess what I got yesterday for Christmas? 😁) Now to order one & we are also keen on the Bundusuite for longer stays (not the add a room) but I'm keen to have both end walls zip open with velcro to hold them when rolled up & maybe a floor. I've taken your idea with the shoe rack & am designing that side Gullwing as a platform when up & have a ladder with proper steps (not sure how I'll make that work yet?) It'll be great, not more tent, walls & ground sheet, no swag & stretcher and of course much faster set up/pack up time. You are correct about this video, it actually brought me to your channel that I continue to enjoy ever since! P.S. I've already pre wired for the tent with extra electrical to remote operate it (I've just gotta come up with an idea for the latches now 🤣🤣) CHEERS!!
That’s awesome Rod, you will not regret the purchase mate, it really is quality kit. Enjoy the build👍😎
Great review, I’ve enjoyed you channel since buying my own 200 Series. I have a couple of questions re the bundutop. How long is the mattress? Interested in the internal dimensions of the tent when open, I’m 195cm tall. Also, I noticed you mounted in on a rhinorack pioneer platform. Why that choice rather than rails? Any issues/custom stuff mounting it on the platform? Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the kind words, I’m glad you are getting some value out of the channel mate. I don’t know the exact measurements of the internals mate, maybe check the website. I’m 6’2” in the old measurement and there is heaps of room between my feet and the wall and my head and the wall. I can also sit up very easily in the tent. I went with the platform because I had one on the vehicle already. The floor of the tent is braced so I would imagine it would work on rails, but a platform would provide even more rigidity. Cheers😎👍
Thanks Terry, sounds like I might fit! I was thinking more about the weight reduction using rails v platform. I reckon the shell must be solid if you can mount the awning to it! Also enjoyed your Cape York vids, heading there in mine next year.
The shell is indeed solid mate, I really is high quality gear, no cheap crap. I agree, anything you can do to reduce weight without compromising reliability is a win in my book mate. Enjoy your Cape trip next year, it’s an epic place that’s for sure. I have two more Cape episodes to edit and release before it’s all done. They will be published over the next few weeks so stay tuned. Thanks again mate😎👍
Question: how would you rate the insulation under the mattress? I’ve struggled in the past with the cold coming through from underneath the bed but also what about the top too. Is the roof insulation good enough to heat the whole tent and mattress up a lot?
Good questions mate.
Under the mattress is the aluminium floor, so there is no insulation whatsoever. Having said that, the mattress is 4 inches thick so you really don’t get any cold coming through the bottom at all (and I’ve camped in sub zero temperatures in it). I put a piece of marine carpet under the mattress when I first installed the tent, but that was more to wick any moisture from the mattress (which I have never had anyway). If you do feel the cold, the 12v electric blanket I talked about in the video will knock that on the head quick smart. In summary, no insulation but no problem at all.
The roof insulation is excellent. I can nap up there at mid day under the summer sun and you don’t get any radiant heat coming through the roof at all. 10/10 rating from me. Thanks for watching!
Greetings from Texas....wonderful review...have been debating between Bush Company Alpha and the Bundutop...you have sold me.
Thanks for the feedback Paul
I have tried to be as honest as I could, I have no vested interest either way. Bundutec did reach out to me via messenger and said I was a little “harsh” on my review of the Add a room but I call it as I see it from my own personal experience. I wish more manufacturers appreciated honesty and used the feedback as a basis for improvement, not hide from it. I’m sure their business would only improve because of it. I am confident you will not be disappointed with the tent, it’s a great product. Keep the shiny side up mate.😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Regarding the fans.....do they give enough air flow to keep you cool in really hot weather?
Hi Paul. They are not too bad mate, they will not blow you out of the bed, but they do keep the air moving when it’s hot and still. They are similar to large Computer cooling fans. For large volumes of air movement I would take something extra.
@@JafffaAdventures One last question....do you get alot of wind noise from the square shape up on the roof? I am inches away from pulling the trigger on a set up just like yours
Hi Paul, fire any questions you have my way mate, happy to help out in any way that I can. Regarding wind noise, I guess that is a reasonably subjective question but I will try and answer it this way. The Landcruiser 200 is very well insulated from noise. At 100km/hr on the highway, I cannot hear ANY wind noise coming from the roof top tent.
When the windows are down or the sun roof is open, yes you can hear the wind but it is not too loud or annoying in my opinion. It certainly does not stop me from running with the windows down when the weather permits.
One final observation is that the wind noise is actually louder with the bare roof rack than it is with the tent sitting on it. I'm not sure why, perhaps the way the wind circulates around in each instance differently, but it's definitely noticeably quieter with the tent installed. I trust this helps mate, any more questions don't hesitate to shoot them my way. It's a big investment so I can understand you want to get it right. Cheers mate.
2 awnings are Fabulous!! how much are they?....270* Awning is AMAZING 'shade'!!!..wonder how this tent do in snowy wintertime..Cold...freezing Conditions of Canada?...
Thanks for watching and your support. The 270 degree awning is around $1,300 Australian dollars which is about the going rate down under for most 270 degree awnings. I have had the tent down to about -5 Celsius and it was fine. I know Canada gets a lot colder than that however. Cheers👍😎
How do you open or close the tent if your elektromotor is "out of order" ??
Good question mate. There are two blanking plugs beside the up/down switch. If you remove the plugs you can jumper the motor sending 12v directly to the winch. If the winch itself is burnt out (which would be one in a million because it is seriously over engineered), you can manually rotate the winch barrel and lower it. Cheers😎👍
My husband and I got rid of our Ikamper and just purchased this! I am sooo excited to put it on our LC but I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind telling me how you attached yours to your platform? We have the front runner and we called them to ask them what they recommend, they didn’t have a definitive answer because they said they have never seen one on their product😱 did you just drill it straight onto the crossbars?
Thanks for watching and reaching out, I sincerely appreciate it. Interesting, I looked at the ikamper when I was in the market for a RTT and it was on my shortlist. In answering your question, yes I drilled through the cross bars and base of the tent in six locations, one in each corner and two on the sides about mid way between the front and back. I actually took my rack off, flipped the tent upside down, and then set the rack on the tent while it was upside down. This made drilling the holes and ensuring the tent was square on the rack super easy. I then bolted the rack to the tent while it was on the ground, then lifted the assembled unit onto the Cruiser and bolted the rack back down on the car. Enjoy you’re tent, you will love it😎👍
Jafffa Adventures holy moly, I wouldn’t have thought of that! Thank you so much for your reply! My husband and I took about 5 months of researching all the rtts, and came across your video here back in June, and knew we had to have this. We had just purchased our first rtt (Ikamper) and figured we would keep it for a couple of years then upgrade to your setup. We spent 10 nights in the Ikamper in a temp range from 93°-17°F. It was less than ideal, so many more negatives about that thing than people are letting on. (At least for our lifestyle)
Sold it immediately & decided to skip out on the 2 year wait 😂 thank you so much for such a detailed review!
My pleasure guys, really appreciate your kind words. Any other questions along the way feel free to reach out, I’ll do my best to help in any way I can. Enjoy your journey mate👍😎
Nice review but a lot of what you said I disagree very strongly with. First is your view on products from South Africa being great. In our experience most stuff made in South Africa is poorly thought out and even more poorly made. Quality control is almost non-existent with the same problems that were meant to be addressed after them being pointed out, not being addressed and often being made worse. They are not waterproofed properly at all from the factory, especially the awnings. They require seam sealing tape, not the silly seam sealing paint they put on which is utterly useless. You will find the awning will become marked simply by opening and shutting it. This will start wearing on the canvas and eventually wear through with holes. You can already see the damage starting to form on the canvas section that is covering your bonnet/hood. You can see the scores where you were talking about the front lifter arm on the backplate. Look at the canvas, see the lighter marks? That's the material being damaged. In our group after I got the first Bunduawn, 4 others were sold in Ireland after seeing mine. They ALL have the same problem. My tent did not have any sealant at all and as soon as it rained, water came into the tent and it soaked our pillows which ended up mouldy as we had not realised it had gotten wet before closing it away for 2 weeks. The add on room is horrendous, absolute waste of time and money. Having said all of that, Ignoring the faults I've already mentioned, we loved our tent. It was so amazing to use and fairly comfortable. I liked the ladder and we stored it in the tent in its bag along with the bedding in place. I hate the telescopic ladder you bought. Loads of our friends with Alucab Gen 3 tents, which have a pathetic ladder that's suitable for a toy car only, have the telescopic one. After a while sand gets into them and they start to become difficult to close, and because of the angle of the steps, its not comfortable in socks/bare feet. The old Bundutop ladder had round rungs, and the newer ladder has rungs which are angled so that when the ladder is in place, they are flat to climb up, much better. Sadly they still insist on that stupid "drip tray" arrangement which is disgraceful. I told them about it already and my concerns were dismissed. Several times I've had the ladder come out just from turning over in bed at night and then it fell to the ground scraping my vehicle in the process. Another time it came out when I was actually climbing the ladder. It came down very hard as my weight was on it and fortunately, to avoid injury, it managed to hook itself on the roof rack rail around the roof, but it dented that in the process causing a small leak in the vehicle. Using the original, or revised Bundutec ladder, along with the Luce arrangement you have installed would be the best solution/ Strong lightweight ladder which is securely fastened to the vehicle. We sold our tent and are building a custom camper unit. However if we wanted another roof tent I still feel I would buy the Bundutop and just make a few small modifications to it to solve some of the issues. Thanks for taking the time to make such a great video.
Hi. I have seen many of your videos and am surprised at your comments. I'm south African and agree with Terry that many quality offroad and overland products are made here. Re the bundutop rtt. It's made with simple material which you can fix anywhere in the Bush. I can attest to that due to me forgetting to unlatch all the latches and pressing ther open button thus bending some of the steel rods and arms. I never experienced any leaks and the tent was solid in serious storms. I also dumped the supplied ladder which was the latest model for a telescopic one as the supplied one jammed with sand in between the slides. I agree again with Terry regarding the few improvements that are needed to improve the tent. The awning is another issue which you can read about in another of my comments
Great feedback Ahmed, thanks for sharing mate!
Hi Terry, Great review , so thank you for putting the time in to make it 🙏 I am in the middle of reviewing RTT options, I have a 2021 Defender 90 so roof footprint isn’t the biggest.
Looking at the Tuff-Trek Overland MK2 vs Bundutop and my options seem to be, smaller footprint but taller Bundutop vs larger footprint but lower height and aerodynamic Overland.
I am thinking to go with Bundutop as there will be less overhang on the rack (which will be Frontrunner) one question, do you notice much by way of wind noise? Steve (London) 🙏
Thanks for your kind words Steve, they mean a lot to me and I sincerely appreciate it. I do not hear much wind noise at all even with the windows down. I can hear more from the snorkel than the RTT for example. I’m not sure why that is because let’s be honest, the tent is as aerodynamic as a brick. When the windows are up, nothing at all, and I mean nothing. Having said that, the 200 series is pretty good in terms of acoustic insulation. What I really love about the depth of the tent is that you get a 100mm thick mattress that is prefect for me, and you can still store all your bedding up there (I have 5 full sized pillows, two thick sleeping bags, and an electric blanket for example!). I trust this answers your question mate, happy shopping😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Thanks Terry, really appreciate the reply and I think that concludes my research 🧐 🙂 Id say of all the reviews yours has been the best 👍🤓💪
Nice one mate, thank you. I don’t monitise my channel so all of the content I release is for the love of the craft and for sharing, not for any financial gain. Maybe that makes a difference🤓🤔. Go well mate, have an amazing 2022😎👍
Hi
Thinking of installing a 270 XT MAX Awning from ‘The Bush Company’.
It is similar (but better design) to your bundutec 270 Awning.
I notice your 270 Awning is mounted directly onto the bundutop RTT.
How well do you think this mounting arrangement holds, given static weight and dynamic loading (from wind forces when erected)?
Is the mounting arrangement strong enough?
Cameron
Good question Cameron. The mounting arrangement is super strong and I have not had any problems with it. I had the awning in a massive storm where it bent one of the pivot pins in the hinge assembly and they are big, a 15mm diameter shank. The awning mounting assembly never moved and did not distort the sides of the lower tent clam shell. In addition, I have have driven literally thousands of kilometres of vicious corrugations. Still going strong. Cheers 😎👍
Great review. Ive subscribed. Seriously looking at one of these to perhaps fit on top of a trailer. Whats its width and length mate? Is it longer from rear of car to front than the width? Thanks very much.
Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing, I sincerely appreciate it. The dimensions of the tent are 2100mm long x 1350mm wide x 300mm high. It overhangs my roof rack by about 25mm each side on the width, and is about 25mm shorter than the rack on the length. Thanks again for watching. Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures Thats perfect. Thanks very much mate.
Apoligies if this has already been asked in previous comments but wondering how easy is it to remove from the vehicle or do you leave it on? I'd like the flexbility of removing when not on trips but not sure how easy (or not) that process might be. I understand they weigh around 74kg so I'd probably need a hoist of some kind.
Good question. I leave mine in place most of the time but when I do take it off I leave it bolted to the rack and just undo the rack from the car and remove it all as one piece. Ideally a lift of some kind is best, but I can get mine off with 4 people, one on each corner. They need to be tall though, at least 6’ helps😂😎
@@JafffaAdventures ok thanks mate. I'm 5 foot 6 so looks like a hoist or winch system is in order for us short arses. 😄.
Hello from the States! Thanks for the review! Would you mind telling me how do you run the electric blanket? I would think it would run your battery dead.
Hi mate, trust you are keeping safe in these crazy times. I have a 120amp hour lithium battery under bonnet that has an internal BMS that cuts the current of at 80% discharge. That’s 96 amp/hrs of useable juice. The electric blanket pulls 4 amps so that’s 24hours of continuous use, more than enough😎👍
Jafffa Adventures thank you. I will give it a shot. Have a great week!
Thanks mate👍
I recently discovered your channel and enjoyed your frank, honest opinions. My partner and I love your review of the Bundutec Bundutop Roof Top Tent and Bunduawn Awing. We're currently sourcing a new Toyota Landcruiser Sahara 200 series with the view of installing ARB BP51 shocks and ARB Base Rack roof rack. The installation of your tent is on a Rhino roof rack? When the tent is packed away, what is the height from the ground to the top of the tent metal roof? We have a carport that 2400mm high and need to know if the 200 with suspension upgrade and rooftop tent would fit? Thank you.
Thanks for your question and for your kind words Terrance, I sincerely appreciate it. You are correct, I have a Rhino rack, BP51’s with a 2” lift, and 285/70/R17 tyres. With this setup I am 2320mm from the ground to the top of the tent roof when packed away. I trust this helps you in determining the height of your setup. Thanks again Terrance, cheers😎👍
Love your videos, well done. I am currently looking at the Bundutop and the Bush Company Alpha. With the inside height of the Alpha, my wife and I can get changed inside it thus not having to setup a change room, but the Bundutop seems to be just over a metre in interior height, which probably means for us approaching 70, we would need to set up a change room.
Would love to hear your comments on this.
Thank you for your kind words and following the channel, I sincerely appreciate it. You are correct, the Bundutop is just over a meter in height on the inside. I have never had a problem changing in the tent, you can certainly sit up fully without coming near the ceiling. Having said this, my wife and I are a spry 55, so add another 15 years onto us and it could be a different story. My best advice would be to try and find one to check it out in person. Very sorry I could not be of more help. Cheers 👍
Howdy there! I’ve been in the market for a RTT for over a year. The wife simply didn’t want to spend 5k on a RTT and whenever I brought it up and how fast and easy the Bundutop would be she looks at me and says TRAILER! Now don’t get me wrong, I’d love an Offroad capable trailer. But my Jeep JKUR is heavy as it is and I’d probably end up blowing my stock motor. I’ve decided to some how hide my RTT purchase and ask for forgiveness. I have a FrontRunner roof rack with available space dimensions of L - 91.5” and W - 54.5”.
I can fit the standard size Bundutop in this space no problem. I’ve read the reviews of this video looking for comments of how the small awnings that go all the way around the Bundutop fair in harsh weather conditions. Are they noisy or have they ripped in the wind? I currently have the buduawn mounted to my FrontRunner roof rack via batwing mounts and I love it except for the upright rod bending just like how you explained. But while camping in Calico winds picked up suddenly and ripped the canvas from two of the longer arms. Very upsetting, and now I have to drill out rivets and do some reinforcement stitching. So this has somewhat deterred me away from the Bundutop and I couldn’t help but look at other RTTs. I only have one other RTT I would consider due to the James Baroud RTTs being to big.
Autohome AirLand Plus Small XL
$3,400 USD
Exterior: 51″ x 91″ x 12″
Mattress: 48″ x 80″ x 3.2″
Height: 36″ (Mattress to ceiling-tallest)
Weight: 134 lbs.
This RTT would almost completely fill my roof rack space. And a guy in my Jeep club swears by his Autohome RTT and how it hold up in the wind.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on my dilemma and if you’ve had any issues with that 360 awning on the Bundutop in strong winds. Thanks! Oh and fantastic detailed review btw. Keep em’ coming!
Thanks for the question, and I did get a chuckle about you making the purchase and then asking for forgiveness later. You are a braver man than I am!! One last attempt on wifey before you go rogue. explain to her not only how quick the Bundutop is, but how much of a PAIN IN THE BACKSIDE lugging around a trailer would be, coupled with how difficult they can be to set up.
I cannot comment at all on the Autohome RTT, so I will leave that topic aside.
Regarding my Bunduawn, it has never given me any grief even in high winds. I was in a storm once (it was pegged down) and was holding the arms down and getting picked up off the ground by the wind. I would not recommend doing that, but it survived!!
The tent itself is rock solid in the wind. The canvas is taut when full deployed and the little awning around the edge is very stable. The only thing I did was put some shrink wrap on each of the zipper clasps so they do not jingle in the wind.
The fans inside the tent drown out any other noise.
Bottom line, my tent is still going strong and I would definitely buy another if I had my time over.
I trust this is helpful mate. Thanks for watching. Cheers!
Awesome video my friend
Thank you Robert, I very much appreciate you saying so and taking the time to share. Cheers😎👍
@Jaffa Adventures Have you had any trouble with rain pooling on the roof? My roof sheet sits under the outer shell leaving about a 1.5mm lip making the roof a dam, and after rain I get a waterfall when I move the ute.
Hi Darren, great question mate. The short answer is yes, mine is exactly the same as yours. I park my car under cover so the only time it gets me is if It rains when I’m out. As my 4WD has a forward rake, it either drips on the drives or passengers window depending on the angle the vehicle is on. Cheeers😎👍
Hi Mate what size/model RTT?
It’s the standard model mate. I had them set the king size on my rack when I was as the store and it overhung the sides of the vehicle far too much. To be honest, I’m glad it did because this size is more than adequate. Cheers👍😎
I can't find any information on "awning number one" anywhere. Do you have any other details about it?
Mate, I bought it in the package called the “add a room”. I’m not sure if they sell it separately or not, but a simple phone call would get you an answer I suspect. Thanks for watching😎👍
Is this the king size bundutop or double ?
It’s the double Aaron. I set the king size on the roof rack when I was originally investigating these tents and it was way to big for my Landcruiser 200 Series. It hung over the sides of the Cruiser far too much. Cheers
Love your brilliant authentic & informative vid. Thanks for making difference to us campers! Sorry if you have already been asked this question but I am scarred with RTT leaking when camped beach side with sideways/almost horizontal rain/wind. Have you used this RTT in this type of conditions & if yes how did it go?
Thanks for the very kind words Gavin, I sincerely appreciate it. Yes I have been in those exact conditions that you speak of and I have also been through tropical thunderstorms that have driving horizontal rain as well. The tent performs brilliantly in both conditions. You can even leave the canvas flaps down an inch or two because the little built in awning keeps the rain out as well. It’s a very clever design. Thanks for watching mate, keep the shiny side up 😎👍
Thanks again for your feedback and information! I was also wondering if I get the awning that you have, does it “dovetail” nicely along the rooftop tent so that no water when raining comes in between the gap of where the roof top tent finishes and the awning starts along the side of the car? Also did you find that the natural pitch that the awning has allows for water to naturally run off without pulling up and stretching the canvas with heavy or persistent rain?
Hi Gavin, again good questions mate. The large awning actually tucks under the small awning around the perimeter of the tent. For that reason it’s a great water preventative. You have to be conscious of this when mounting your large awning however because if you mount it too far outboard you would not have this stacked effect.
The large awning has two upright arms that create a pitch from the car towards the outside edge. Water does not pool as it’s a decent grade (probably 5 to 10 degrees or so).
Cheers😎👍
Thanks again mate. Sorry to keep stalking you with questions but I just want to also confirm; did you need to “season” the side walls that are canvas of this rooftop tent (to ensure it’s all waterproof)?
Hi Gavin, no problem re the questions, I’ll do the best I can to answer.
I did not season the canvas prior to use. It’s first seasoning was my first encounter with sideways rain!
It did not leak the first time so maybe I got lucky or maybe they season it at the factory. Cheers 😎👍
Is there a manual mode if electrics fail
Sure is mate. Just scroll through the comments and I have a detailed answer on how it works. Cheers😎👍
Hey mate,
How did you mount the Bundutop to the Rhino rack?
Easy to remove when required?
Cheers,
Jamie
Hi Jamie, good question. I flipped the RTT upside down and then drilled through the Rhino rack and the floor of the tent in 6 places (two front, two middle, two back). I then lifted the tent and rack combo onto the roof of the 200 and bolted the rack down to the Cruiser roof mounting points. If I want to remove it, I take the whole assembly off, rack stays mounted on the tent. This is much easier than unbolting the tent from the rack. Cheers😎👍
Excellent reply, thank you!
I am awaiting my Base Rack and have the same Bundutop as you. Tough Touring have developed a 'Cradle' to hold the Bundutop onto the rack, it looks nice, was just seeing other options for those that need to remove the tent between trips.
Many thanks!
Cool, the cradle was certainly not an option when I installed my tent so it’s great to see manufacturers providing options for us users. Thanks for sharing, this could be very helpful to others reading along. Cheers 😎👍
It’s there a override Incase the motor stop working ?
Thanks for the question, appreciate you taking the time to reach out. Re the winch, there are two removable panels located beside and up and down button. These are the jumper spots and allow you to bypass all the fuses and limit switches and dump 12 volts directly to the winch. Failing that, the winch can also be operated manually as well.
Cheers
What awning is the first awning ? It does not come with the tent and i cant find that model on the website? Thank you!
Hi Casey, the big one is called the bunduawn. The second one on the drivers side is a part of the add a room package. I’m not sure if you can buy it on it’s own but it’s worth asking the question. Thanks for watching mate!
@@JafffaAdventures Thank you! that is exactly what i was looking for!
My pleasure, go well Casey. Cheers👍😎
Great video! Just one question. What size tent did you purchase for your LC 200?
Thanks for the kind words Christopher, I really appreciate it. I bought the standard size which is 2100mm x 1350mm. I had the supplier set a king size on the roof rack when I was researching the tent, and it hung over the sides way too much. The king size is 1600mm wide, too big for my application. I trust this helps. Cheers 😎👍
Jafffa Adventures...Thanks for the info!
I was sold on the King until I saw it. You wouldn’t think 250mm was that much difference, believe me, it is. Unless you have a patrol or something similar, it overhangs on most vehicles.
Is this available in USA?
Yep sure is. I’m don’t know the distributor over there but I know you can get them. I would jump on their website as a start. Cheers😎👍
On top of what you listed as "the bad" on this RTT which I agree with you 100%, for me is its packed height. At 30cm, it's quite tall. By the way, is the sound raising and lowering it that loud, or is it just amplified by your camera? Coz if it's that loud, that for me is another "Bad". I would be very embarrassed setting it up if I arrive at camp late at night. I won't be very popular in the camp site.
Agree with both points mate. Packed height is high, but on the plus you can fill ALL you’re sleeping gear up there so setting up is literally 17 seconds. I’ll take that plus over the 30 cm height.
Re winch noise, yep that is as loud as it is for real. We don’t camp around people 90% of the time (remote is our go to), and we are also pulled up by 3pm so not an issue for us. But agree, if you’re late to arrive and around others it would definitely be an issue. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts, I sincerely appreciate it 😎👍
Hi and thanks for the video, my question is that can you mount anything on the top outer part of the tent? If so how many kilos will that be?
Thanks for the kind words Adel, I do appreciate it. The short answer is yes you can mount anything on the outer part of the tent. Bundutec advise a max weight of 25kg as the top clamshell of the tent weighs in at 20kg on it's own. My solar panels are the flexible variety and weigh about 1kg each so in my application its just fine. Go well mate, cheers.
Hello from USA...man, that tent has a huge profile. After installing all of that tell us about the difference in ride quality if there is. It's a pretty amazing set up you have overall with that beautiful LC and basically a place you can call home all right on top of your rig.
Hi Nigel, hello from Australia! One thing great about this inter-web, is it brings people with similar interests like us closer together. The ride quality did not suffer at all. I’ll qualify that by saying before the tent, I had a roof rack with an Oztent RV5 and all my gear in boxes up there. That setup weighted more than the 70kg which I have up there now. I also have aftermarket suspension (installed well before the RTT) which craps all over the stock suspension. You hit the nail on the head mate, it’s a home on top of my rig. Even simple examples, if I go over to a mates and have a few too many beers, I can simply climb up top and sleep there, no muss no fuss. Thanks for you kind words mate.
Hi Terry,
Is it possible to attach a Bunduawn directly to the side of the Bundutop? Or does it have to be attached to roof rack via L bracket?
Great vid mate. Thoroughly enjoyed it. 😀
Thanks for your kind words mate, I sincerely appreciate it. My Bunduawn is connected directly to the side of the Bundutop tent. If you watch the video again you will see I have done this with the Tough Touring L brackets. Bundutec supply a t bracket with the awning when you purchase it but it was a little agricultural looking for my liking. It connects to the roof rack. I tossed mine in the bin and replaced it with the Tough Touring L brackets and secured the awning to the side of the tent. Cheers😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures hi Terry,
Awesome ok that’s great to know. I’ll check out there website today. I know products like the Bush Company allow awnings to be directly bolted to side of the tent but wasn’t quite sure about the Bundutop so you’ve answered it for thanks!
I’m going to call Bundutec today and order one - you’ve sold me on it even though your not a salesman, it looks to be the premium product out there and for me it’s all about speed of setup after getting to camp and I like the fact that unlike most other RTT’s, it’s design is not wedge like.
Good stuff mate, if I had my time over I would buy one again.
I’m not sure if you have seen it, but there is a video in my library detailing the Bundutop tent fails that I have had. Nothing critical but all stuff that’s good to know. Enjoy the journey mate, it’s a good as the destination 👍😎
@@JafffaAdventures thanks mate. I looked at your library and thought I’m going to be very content this week watching as many as I can! Keep up the good work as these videos are very helpful 👍
Thank you mate, I trust you find something useful. Cheers 👍😎
Where did you get your stainless brackets for the awning?
I bought them from a company called Tough Touring, they are also distributors for the tent. You can find them on the net, they have a website. Cheers👍
Is there any whistling noises (or any noise) come from the setup as you are driving down the road at 100kmh?
Hi Garry, no there is not, in fact it’s marginally quieter. My Rhino rack used to have wind noise, presumably as air passed in and around the cross braces. Now that the tent is there, that has stopped. I happily run down the road at 100km with the windows down carrying on a conversation. Thanks for watching, I appreciate your time. Cheers 😎👍
what exhaust are you running?
Tiapan 3” turbo back. Mine is a pre DPF model. Exhaust note at full noise can be found in the “Top Five 4WD Modifications” video in the library 😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures awesome will watch it now
No worries at all mate👍
Hi there, Im looking at buying the awning from Bundutec and your video was very informative as there arent many Bundutec reviews around, especially long term use reviews, so thanks heaps for that. At 9.15 min. into the video the roof of the tent {above the bent prop} looks like it may be wearing through? Its a lot of money and im trying to get a better idea about long term use and reliability for our upcoming long term travels around Australia.Also can you please advise if the awning is the 2.45m model or the larger 2.95m?
Loved the video and your awesome setup!!
Cheers
Pete
Hi Pete. Firstly thanks for your kind words mate, I really appreciate it. I do like the setup, that is my honest assessment and rest assured I have no affiliation with Bundutec and I paid full retail for the tent and awning out of my own hard earned cash. And yes, I agree it's a crap load of money so you want longevity out of it.
The light patches you see around the 9:15 mark are scratches actually on the top of the awning. It is covered with a silver reflective coating (which is excellent for keep the temp cool down below) and at that particular location the silver has been scratched off. So, it looks light from the bottom but no it's not worn through (the canvass is VERY heavy). I can't remember where the scratches came from exactly, but I do recall it being my fault and kicking myself for doing it at the time. The silver coating is not scratched anywhere else nor do I expect to either.
I have the 2.45m version. The 2.95 version is way too long for an application like my 200 Series wagon, it would stick far forward of the windscreen and back past the rear pillar. It's probably more suitable for a trailer or perhaps a 79 Series dual cab or something like that.
I am lead to believe the new version of the awning has two improvements. Firstly, the metal uprights that hold the pitch in the roof are now spring loaded. This will probably help with them self collapsing (which is the problem I had with my rear one as per the video). The second improvement is a tapered bag. My awning bag is the same size front to back and at the front it can flap a bit when driving down the road. The tapered version is meant to take some of this slack out. I'm not sure if the new versions are here in Oz yet, but if you do pull the trigger I would ask them specifically about those two points. Feel free to fire any more questions my way, I'll help in any way I can. Cheers mate and thanks again.
@@JafffaAdventures thanks heaps mate..I will be talking with them in the near future and will definitely be doing as you suggest..The extra coverage will keep the cab cool too compared to a normal 270 ..Thanks again guys and safe travels !!
Your spot on mate, the cab is noticeably cooler when we are pulled up. The fridge does not have to work near as hard to keep those beers cold! Thanks for your comments mate, I read and respond to them all. Cheers
@@petegoulding3539 don't get the awning Pete, see my comments below about them. No offence to Jaffa, he has just bought it and is still in the honeymoon period. I have had 2 Bunduawns, they had to replace my first because of that wear, it gets REALLY bad and that scratched aluminised coating, is just how it starts, it gets scratched every time you close the awning. Its the swing arms as it shuts, the canvas gets squashed hard against the arms above and below the middle swingarm in near the pivot point. It will be on his front 3 swingarms too if he looks. The marks will get worse and worse until eventually you can feel the material is weaker and then it will start holing. A few of my friends bought them soon after I bought mine, before I realised what was happening, and its happened to all of theirs too. I have nothing against Bundutec, but wish I had known what I do now prior to getting ours and recommending it to our group members without having enough use of it to give a fair review.
Another no nonsense review, saying it like it should be. Can I ask before settling on this RTT what other ones did you consider and why does the Bundutec RTT win. The other RTT at the top of the price range is the James Baroud which many also rate highly. I'm currently swagging it but looking to move to the RTT, if I can get the misus up there.
Thanks Andrew, I appreciate your feedback. I ruled out all RTT’s that fold in half for 2 reasons. Firstly, they only have a 50mm mattress, far too thin for my fat backside. Bundutop is 100mm, ahhh luxury! Secondly, I have seen first hand the time it takes to pack up, especially in the cold. Pulling bedding and pillows out etc, pain in the backside. Far too long and inconvenient for me.
That left all the clam shell tents next. I ruled them out because I wanted full height front to back.
That left the full pop up ones like the Bundutop. I ruled out the Kings type junk straight away. Buy quality and buy it once. I wanted automatic, again for speed. I also wanted all my bedding to remain upstairs. We have two massive sleeping bags and 5 pillows that live up there. That ruled pretty much everyone else out at the time. That may have changed now as there could be more options on the market then when I was in the market. I trust this is of some help mate, just reach out if you have any more questions 😎👍
@@JafffaAdventures One other question Terry, you said that the Extra Room was not worth the effort, so just wondering where you put your portable toilet, since that was one of Jill's requirements? Particularly if you need a late night visit.
@@crispyinasia61 we have a separate shower tent that we use for the chemical toilet if we are camped up at one site for a number of days. If we are staying for a short period like overnight, we just use a portable toilet frame, a shovel, and a box of matches. Cheers!
@@JafffaAdventures one other question Terry, do you ever have any issues with condensation on the inside when sleeping with yourself and Jill? Its something that does my head in with my tent swag where in the early mornings I have to be careful not to move about too much to stop the drops falling on my forehead.
Hi Andrew, the short answer is never, and we have camped many many times in cold weather where condensation would be an issue. The reason I think we do not have a problem is that we leave the very tops of the windows open to allow air in, and the fans are running (even in winter), so we have excellent air circulation in the tent. Thanks for the question mate😎👍
Thanks all thinking
No worries
A canuck in Oz,,, should be a show on the beeb or ctv lol
Lol! A Hoser Down Under. The Great Southern Land meets the Great White North😎
Great thanks for sharing
You are more than welcome 😎👍