Overlanding with a Ground Tent is UNDERRATED. (Here's Why)
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- Опубликовано: 17 дек 2022
- Why do we use a ground tent for overlanding? It's a question we get asked ALL the time, and so we thought we'd make a video sharing our thoughts on using a ground tent for camping on our overland trips.
Check out this video, and let us know if you agree or disagree with our reasoning!
If you're curious about any of the items we mentioned in this video, we've curated a list of links where you can find them:
Alps Mountaineering Meramac Tent (updated version): amzn.to/3hzMSU8
REI Insulated Air Bed: www.rei.com/product/136261/re...
Alps Outdoorz -10 Sleeping Bag: amzn.to/3Fyx4ZT
SOL Emergency Blankets (for lining tent): amzn.to/3YvqOL2
Solar Inflatable Lantern: amzn.to/3BIVAGo
Tempur-Pedic Travel Pillow: amzn.to/3hy9Ef0
Please note that the above are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking one of these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. By using one of these links, it helps to support our channel, and we SUPER appreciate it.
What do YOU think? Is ground tent camping under-rated ... or is it absolutely, unbearably terrible and we are just WAY wrong? Either way, let us know what you think here!
What about grizzly bears?
@@jeffk464 haven't been eaten by one yet
@@WheretoNextOverland thats good
One big advantage of a ground tent is that you can just leave it and drive off to your hike or adventure. With a rooftop tent, you have to get back into travel mode anytime you want to go somewhere, negating any setup time savings.
Yes! Very true
Tip: Mark the middle of your tent poles. Then you can pick up in the middle and hold up high, most will automatically snap together and then you'll only have to assist putting middle together. Also use that mark for when collapsing then you can pull apart 2 poles (both sides) at once.
That's a solid tip right there! Thanks for sharing
Tent campers unite!!!!!
I’ll have to look into the emergency blankets. I throw a big moving blanket down on mine. Takes up space but comfortable.
Ground tents just make sense to me. WAY smaller and lighter when packed. Larger when set up. We have an LX also, it doesn’t fit in the garage with anything on the rack. My son likes our night rides- a spotlight and some popcorn we see most of our wildlife that way. It’s nice to just drive into a set up camp afterwards. Ground tents are just fine
Agree about ground tents! Simplicity and lightness are often overlooked. Of course, I would expect to agree with someone wise enough to own an LX!
Great info. Thank you!! As someone just getting started it can be intimidating looking at all the things and figuring out which way to go. It definitely makes sense to start out, at least, with a ground tent to make sure I love overlanding as much as I think I will.
I agree. I see no efficacy in a rooftop doghouse. Tents are practical, set up fast, and provide lots of comfort in terms of your choices for space and standing height. There is little downside and most certainly not in complexity and setup. You can be comfortable in a cheap dome of good size with only a polytarp as a very effective rainfly. Even a $60 C-list dome has better wind forgiveness than most roofers.
Personally, I camp using several modes. My truck with a self built custom bunk under the canopy, or out of my Jeep with a tent, or out of either one with "truck tent" having a long awning that can connect off the back of the vehicle roof. The truck tent is by far the most preferred because the tent has full standing headroom and a generous 7x8ft footprint. The 7 foot awning provides a lot of outside dry space as well.
The moving blanket ploy is brilliant. Been doing that for years. Get them very cheap at Harbor Fright.
Either way, it's simple, cheap, and very effective - and, does not need to live on board my truck.
LOVE the emergency blanket tent floor @WheretoNextOverland! I've camped for decades and the tent floor has always bugged me being dirty...even though no shoes in the tent, but always a dog. Just a great idea!
Yeah, I gotta give it up to Christine for that bit of genius. I can't stand the tent floor being dirty either
IMO, there's a stigma that camping needs to be defined by one singular definition. Heck, our friends in the military told us that camping is stupid and we shouldn't be camping since we do a lot of field exercises where we get to sleep in a hole and a tarp. 🤣We love ground tents. Before our kid, we ground tent a lot, but our turning point was when we made cross-country trips where we camped in multiple locations, weather, and different terrains. RTT is just cleaner and faster to set up, including adding and leaving your bedding, and those setup times on a long drive and numerous days on the road add up. But, on the other hand. We miss parking in our garage, pissing just a few steps away, and traveling light.
I totally agree! Everyone's use-case and priorities are different, and every solution has pros and cons. So it's important to figure out what works for YOU and go with that!
My husband and I are in our late 60's and really enjoy tent camping. There is far more room compared to a roof top and we are happy not to have to climb up and down a ladder to pee at night. An RV has a lot of amenities but would not allow us the off roading capability we wanted. I agree with Mark, mummy bags are way too confining. We bought the sleep system bags from Crash Pad which are huge but very warm and roomy. I actually had to buy larger storage bags from Amazon because I could not get the bags back into the ones they came in. They take up a lot of space in our vehicle but are well worth it. We've been using cots which are okay but I think we'll try the REI inflatable mattress since you two worked out which one to get. Thanks
Good to hear about the Crash Pads. I've had my eye on them for awhile!
Great vid. All good reasons, especially the dog. I've completely moved away from tent poles in my old age and moved over to the pop-up tent. It will cut that setup down by 3 mins!
I certainly can understand why the speed and convenience of a RTT appeal to so many people! The other thing about ground tent setup (for a traditional tent with poles) is that I feel like it SUCKS if you don't have a second person to help out.
Good on you for considering your dog in the plan ❤️
I went balls to walls when I got my first truck (23 Tacoma) got my RTT and I love it! I’ve noticed it does take up a lot of weight which I’m not a fan of given I have horrible payload and I also have a pit bike I’d like to take camping with me. Being away from the critters is nice but I think I’m gonna go the ground tent route
Great job guys! Big help!!
Thanks! Gotta give some love to tent camping every once in awhile. Haha
My wife and I are disabled but still love getting on the trails and camping, so its a quick set ground tent for us. We also haul our gear in a small trailer so we can drop it and hit the trails or drag it with us. Great video!!👍🏻👍🏻 new sub
Sounds like you have a great setup! Welcome to the channel and thanks for the sub!
I've never slept well in a ground tent, just didn't happen. Ikamper with the upgraded mattress on the other hand...shockingly comfortable (my wife's words). The fort vibe from the hardshell and the cotton canvas fabric, so good. We slept in it about 10 nights during a 5700 mile road trip, zero regrets except winter storage.
I totally get that. Nothing makes camping more unpleasant than getting terrible sleep.
Thankfully for us, with a good air mattress, we sleep great.
Totally agree. Even the air mattress was a little annoying for us. So we went to cots and have not looked back. Easier to set up and break down, way more comfortable than an air mattress in my opinion, and there's storage underneath. Plus if you want to lay down outside underneath the tree totally easy to pull the cot out of the tent and have a place to lay down. Assuming you don't have a hammock which we also have and love to sleep in.
Tents are indeed the best way to go. I'd even raise you one and say a canvas/springbar style tent is even better, you can stand straight up and they are the most durable tents on the market.
Camping in the designated areas is so much better than on top of your rig in the parking spots.
Great i site in to this approach to overlanding. I may be part of the problem but the idea that a RTT is needed for overlanding is such a bummer. I love there there are people out the Lee like you who are spreading the message to just get out with whatever you got. Great as always
I've watched a few RUclips channels that ARE part of the problem, but I definitely don't think yours is one of them!
RTT's come with a lot of cool benefits for sure, but like you said .... one of our main purposes on this channel is to shatter all the misconceptions that keep people from ever getting started.
I have a Core 6-person tent and its fantastic, plenty of room for two in case its bad weather and your not crammed inside. Also has a small screen porch which is great for enjoying the weather without the bugs. I also have a travel trailer we use but to be honest my favorite type of camping is car tent camping. Its simple easy yet luxurious all at the same time.
Couldn't agree more! In some ways, i think it's funny that the most spacious camping setup (a large ground tent) is often considered "inferior". I don't really get it ....
Great vid, thanks for sticking up for us ground dwellers. I am a hiker and backpacker first, overlander second. I'm used to carrying lightweight to ultralight gear and I treat my vehicle the same way. The lighter, the better. I love tent camping and do not see myself buying a RTT anytime soon. I don't need it. I camp solo and in the fall and winter I use my Nemo Kunai 2p. In the summer and spring I'll use the Outdoor Vitals Dominion 1p. Watching your vid I'd like to make a few suggestions. I noticed in one of your pics the footprint (tarp)hanging out from under the tent on either side. These footprints are meant to be tucked under the tent body so water doesn't pool on top and roll under the tent. Some tents aren't built as well as others and water can be soaked into the seams and into the tent. Also, because your dog's cot is above the ground and not insulated, cold air will swirl around it making it harder to sleep. If your dog doesn't feel anything then great but I figured I would toss it out there. Thanks for the vid!
Traveling light has a LOT of benefits. We really like that philosophy.
Great suggestions by the way. Good eye on the tarp! Usually we tuck it under but provably got lazy with no rain in the forecast.
Thanks for watching. Cheers!
My brother Steve uses a ground tent and likes it. I think he really likes all the room. I'm an RTT fan mostly because they are fast and easy. The big downside is if you want to leave camp and return to the same place. But we seem to always be on the move and seldom do that. I think it is just a preference thing. There's nothing wrong with a ground tent, an RTT, a biv sac or just sleeping in your car. I think I've done all of those at one time or another ha ha!
Totally agree. All sleep setups have their pros & cons ..... but I figure that, ultimately, any setup that gets someone out and spending the night in nature is a good one!
Big issues for me: 1) price 2) loss of the use of roof rack which I use constantly, 3) my golden retriever is too big and heavy to haul up and down the ladder. All those are deal-breakers for me.
Great video!
All good points. Agree 100%!
I have both setups an fj80 with a clamshell RTT and a Tacoma operates with a T4 gazelle tent. If you do get a RTT I believe clamshell is the way to go just solely based off setup/pickup time. However; I do like the standing room and not having to carry my dog up the sketchy ladder at night, when I use my gazelle. The base camp aspect is nice too.
Totally agree! If we went with a RTT, i think clamshell would be the way to go. Just can't beat the setup / tear down time. Although I think in a lot of those clamshells you can't store bedding (which is a bummer).
We're really considering a Gazelle for our next tent. REALLY like being able to stand up in a tent
Nice set up . We still tent camp . Been doing it for years . Have an air bed . Gets us off the ground but cold air does get though . Thinking about that insulated mattress. Getting older so comfort is important.
That insulated airbed we use has worked well for us, and we've slept on it down to about 25 degrees! Combined with a nice warm sleeping bag it does great
I keep going back to ground tents, especially with a family of 5. I love the weight savings, packability, modularity, room. I can get a tent, 5 sleeping pads, 5 sleeping bags, pillows, etc. for $5,000 which is just slightly more than a rooftop tent system or waaaaaaay less than a trailer. We prefer to be camped for a night or two and then stay in an Airbnb or cabin for a couple nights. It makes it easier with kids and it’s nice to have a real “basecamp”
Those are all really good pros in favor of a ground tent. We hear you on the Airbnb thing too. On long trips, we prefer to stay in a hotel / airbnb after about 3 consecutive nights of camping.
I always try to compare every piece of overland gear to the cost of an Airbnb or hotel. I could get a nice overland trailer for $20 to $50k but that’s literally years of hotel stays and the trailer limits where I can go. I’d rather be fast and light with a modular set up and sleep in comfort every few nights, plus staying in unique airbnbs, cabins, huts, etc. is also really fun.
@@woolengrappler agree with this 100%. Have had the same thought many times!
I have a Gazelle hub tent that I love. Goes up super quick and I have plenty of room.
Nice! Gazelle tents are great. Especially the ease of setup. There's a strong chance that our next ground tent will be a Gazelle.
Truth 😎
Indiana needs a comfortable place to sleep… literally 2 seconds later Indiana sleeping on probably the most uncomfortable rocks lol love you guys
Hahaha. Yep, and the dirtier the better
As a seasonal weekend camper can’t justify RTT, my Ozark tent will do for summer and inside 4runner when weather not ideal.
That's a good combination. We're working on integrating a sleeping platform to go with the drawer system we've got. I think sleeping in the truck will be a great winter camping solution.
so I used a hilleberg for years UNTIL i found myself staring at mt lion t 13k ft on imogene pass, last time i ground camped. and I actually LOL "overland"
Hahaha, yeah ... I can 100% guarantee that if Christine ever sees a Mountain Lion near our camp, we will be getting a rooftop tent the very next day. Can't blame you for that!
Just found you, haven’t sub yet but I’m intrigued. Loved this video!! Going to check your channel out…. Let’s love the algorithm :)
The only reason that I'm thinking of buying a roof top tent for my truck is that I live in Canada. and we have a lot of snow and cold
Yeah, can't blame you for that. For cold winter / snow camping, my preference is to sleep in the truck
I went through two tents also but then I discovered the wonders of travel trailer glamping. It's been about 7 years now and although I kept the trailer, I started van camping (van is also my tow vehicle) which is great too. Now I'm building up my 2003 4Runner for camping come spring.
I really get bored/tired/restless of things about every 7 years. Hot rods, off road, back to hot rods, boating (5 of them) and now this.
No, I'm never going back to tent camping. This old body can't take it.
Camping with an off-road trailer (a Patiot X3 specifically) is our ultimate end-game!
@@WheretoNextOverland choke choke, $50K!
There's the Black Series of off road travel trailers that are manufactured near my home. From what I understand, they rival in quality to that of an Airstream. I can't imagine what they cost because a used Airstream is way out of my budget.
@Too-old Forthischet yeah ... they're waaay expensive ... but that's why it's the "ultimate" goal! I've walked around in a few of the Black Series trailers and they are definitely REALLY well appointed .... but far too big to take to a lot of the places we like to explore
I like to drink beer while camping and usually end up peeing 2 or so times in the middle of the night. I’d imagine that would suck with a RTT….
It's bad enough having to get out of a ground tent to pee in the middle of the night, so yeah .... I imagine it would suck
I'm so happy I found your channel. Watching quarter million dollar rigs on 40s is unrealistic for me. Now back to catching up on your videos. Oh, BTW I like collecting channel stickers. Do y'all have any for sale? Link me if you do.
Glad you're diggin' the channel! We have a lot of fun with it, and we feel like we're juuuuust getting started.
We definitely hear you when it comes to ultra $$$$ builds. They're cool as hell, but we like showing people that you don't need to spend huge amounts of money to get out on some incredible adventures.
Stay tuned for stickers, we should have that (and a few other things) coming soon.
Cheers and thanks for the support!
I've had a rooftop for a little over a year. Not a fan too many limitations even the cool clam shells still carry the same limitations. I'm going back to my gazelle T4 Plus
Interesting perspective! Don't hear about too many people going from an RTT back to a ground tent, but it makes sense.
@@WheretoNextOverland I four wheel to most camp sites, but then I want to explore. If I'm on foot that's okay but if I want to go four wheel up some more hills I have to break my tent down. I prefer the base camp style and honestly I'm probably going to go with a small trailer but there's a big difference between $25,000 and $500. LoL
We've used the gazelle at least 20 times now and it's still solid.
You forgot the absolute best reason tent camping is better!
Once you have camp set up, you can get in your vehicle and take it for a ride and explore ! ! Thats what its all about!
Great point! You're 100% right!!
Gazelle t4 is just a dream, and under $400.TONS of space, no climbing, can set as a base came without having to close shop to explore, don't rock and move as the truck underneath move...the list goes on. I am not shaming truck top tents, and if that works for people that is cool. But certainly are not the better choice in most categories of use.
Great comment! All of these reasons to choose something like a Gazelle versus a RTT are 100% valid and shouldn't be glossed over for people considering between the two.
Sadly yhe REI insulated air mattress is no longer available 😢
Ahhhh bummer! I'm sure there are other good ones out there. But that REI insulated one has served us well for 3 years and counting
Try a Gazelle, sets up in 90 seconds, much faster than Top Heavy Tent, and use cots to sleep on, you keep calling your SUV a truck, not a truck
Gazelle is definitely top on our list for our next tent. Just need to make sure we have enough space in the TRUCK.
I have a Gazelle T4 Overland Edition and I will never go for an RTT. Soccer Moms and Dads use an RTT or a Silicon Valley Techie. Real camping, and exploring is in a tent. Just ask Lewis and Clark.
Really tempted by those Gazelle tents!
@@WheretoNextOverland I have been doing wilderness activities since I was a young junior ranger and Gazelle is the best tent on the market. The only exception is the Russian-made tents with a stove for winter.
That's some good feedback! Definitely leaning towards Gazelle for our next ground tent
With all the money you saved with a ground tent ⛺️, now you can use that savings to stay in hotels along the way. A real shower 🚿, a real bed, internet and maybe some TV 📺 time. And maybe some wonderful wink 😉 😜 😘 time.
Hahaha, you're not wrong! We usually end up in a hotel once every 3 days or so on longer trips for all the reasons you mentioned.