Roof top tent or badass ground tent

ErnieMcCracken

ErnieMcCracken

New member
So I'm really wanting a RTT but saw shiftpods recently and contemplating getting one.
1. its lighter/loadable by one person. plus you can set up camp and not have to haul it with you on the trails. Or if youre overlanding its not going to cause much of a top heavy effect.
2. It would ease into camping for my GF because you can put a blowup mattress in there
3. they're essentially the same price $1200

What do yall think?


 
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That's cool. I don't think it has enough insulation to really stay cool in the sun, and it doesn't look like it has enough ventilation if it gets hot or to keep it from getting stuffy at night. It sounds like it's designed for Burning Man, where the desert dust will dessicate all the moisture out of your body, so it might not work as well in a climate with normal humidity. But maybe they've tested it and it's OK?

A ground tent is probably more versatile than a RTT since you don't need to park on level ground.

There are probably cheaper ground tents that are just as big and sturdy, but I don't know of any good examples, and I can't think of any that are insulated. There are some really big sturdy tents for hunting, but they probably require at least two people to set up.

I was recently looking for a camping tent that can hold up to wind really well, and it's hard to find any info about what would be good except for mountaineering tents which are overkill for most people. I ended up with a Nemo Losi LS 3p, and it hasn't been windy since I bought it! It has some design flaws though.
 
Check out Oz Tent. I think they have a few good options and the quality looks pretty good too. Their tent is on the top of my list for a ground based tent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
One advantage of a RTT is that they take up little more than just the footprint of your vehicle, while those ground tents look like they need a huge flat spot to pitch on, in addition to a spot to park your vehicle.

Depending on where you live or travel, finding a flat spot for a ground tent that big can be a problem, and it is much easier to level a vehicle/RTT using rocks/logs/dirt piles/etc. than it is to try and level or clear brush for a 100 square foot tent spot.

RTTs also have the advantage of getting you up and away from creepy crawlies and wildlife.
 
RunnerAK said:
One advantage of a RTT is that they take up little more than just the footprint of your vehicle, while those ground tents look like they need a huge flat spot to pitch on, in addition to a spot to park your vehicle.

Depending on where you live or travel, finding a flat spot for a ground tent that big can be a problem, and it is much easier to level a vehicle/RTT using rocks/logs/dirt piles/etc. than it is to try and level or clear brush for a 100 square foot tent spot.

RTTs also have the advantage of getting you up and away from creepy crawlies and wildlife.
Click to expand...

This is actually a misconception about RTTs. They will NOT protect you from wildlife (last time I checked, a bear can climb a tree, so they could easily scale your vehicle to get to you). Don't go the RTT route on this misconception alone as it is actually a misunderstood risk.

One of the things to consider about the RTT option versus the ground tent is mobility. Once you have the RTT deployed, it takes time to get it back down, meaning your vehicle can't be used for emergencies very easily.

As was already mentioned, setting up camp and wandering on is also not possible with an RTT. All things considered, I'd go for the ground option if these two areas matter to you.
 
el_kab0ng said:
This is actually a misconception about RTTs. They will NOT protect you from wildlife (last time I checked, a bear can climb a tree, so they could easily scale your vehicle to get to you). Don't go the RTT route on this misconception alone as it is actually a misunderstood risk.

One of the things to consider about the RTT option versus the ground tent is mobility. Once you have the RTT deployed, it takes time to get it back down, meaning your vehicle can't be used for emergencies very easily.

As was already mentioned, setting up camp and wandering on is also not possible with an RTT. All things considered, I'd go for the ground option if these two areas matter to you.
Click to expand...

No, it wont protect you from bears, I was referring to wildlife of the rodent/creepy crawly variety that like to invade ground tents and snuggle up to their warm human occupants.

Vehicle mobility after setup is a definite advantage with a ground tent, but our RTT only takes ~5 minutes to set up or take down so it isn't too big of a deal.

Another downside to RTTs is that if you live in a wet area, they can be a pain to dry out properly. You'll need an extra tall garage or covered area (or a few days of dry weather) to dry them out after each trip so they don't get mildew. Ground tents can just be hung out or set up around the house to dry.
 
I think the pros and cons mentioned already are right on and you just have to evaluate which style of tent suits your needs the best. All things considered, this pod tent is really cool but it looks to be more gimmicky than quality and if longevity is a concern, your money is probably spent elsewhere. Personally, I would go for a trailer setup and/or a foxwing awning. If the trail is too much for the trailer, leave it at home and sleep in the back of the truck or pull out the good old fashioned dome tent, even if that means ditching the GF...
 
We used a ground tent for years and never had a problem with critters 'visiting' our tent. The important thing to remember is to KEEP IT ZIPPED UP!! Go in and zip it up, go out and zip it up!! No way would I want my tent on top of my truck!!
 
ErnieMcCracken said:
So I'm really wanting a RTT but saw shiftpods recently and contemplating getting one.
1. its lighter/loadable by one person. plus you can set up camp and not have to haul it with you on the trails. Or if youre overlanding its not going to cause much of a top heavy effect.
2. It would ease into camping for my GF because you can put a blowup mattress in there
3. they're essentially the same price $1200

What do yall think?


Click to expand...

These literally just look like pop up huntng blinds
 
Has the OP considered the OzTent? Doesn't look like it'd work 100% in hot climates, but for the most part it's a versatile platform that's cheaper than the aforementioned tent.
 
I ran into the same issue with my girlfriend. She grew up not liking hiking and camping. It wasn't until I purchase a Tepui RTT and went glamping she came upon the realization that camping is fun and relaxing.

Some RTT come with a temperpedic foam mattress so you do not need to add an air mattress.

Plus I feel like there is more resell value than a ground tent. They are also a great conversation starter. You'd be surprised how many people have never seen one.

My vote RTT!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I switched to hammock camping about 7 years ago and can't imagine camping any other way.

Hennessy (I have 2 of theirs) but Warbonnet & ENO make good hammocks as well.

It's sooooo much more comfortable

1966888_264989767015904_1394564906_n_zpsh7zalq4b.jpg~original


2013-10-04%2018.33.05_zpssn8wzz3r.jpg~original
 
As much as I would love a RTT, the lady already gave me the go ahead, I just don't think I will ever pull the trigger on it. Any time you want/need to move the vehicle you gotta load the thing back up. There are many occasions where I be camping and wheeling the same day and the RTT just seems inconvenient even though they are extremely cool. I figured we will be using the regular style tent for quite a few more years.
 
n2advnture said:
I switched to hammock camping about 7 years ago and can't imagine camping any other way.

Hennessy (I have 2 of theirs) but Warbonnet & ENO make good hammocks as well.

It's sooooo much more comfortable

1966888_264989767015904_1394564906_n_zpsh7zalq4b.jpg~original


2013-10-04%2018.33.05_zpssn8wzz3r.jpg~original
Click to expand...

2nd! I'm a backpacker aswell, but still bring the same setup when I go glamping!
 
So my problem with RTT's is that they permanently take up almost your entire roof. I have a K9 full-length rack that I constantly am carrying kayaks on or have fully loaded for lengthy camping trips. If you have four passengers there really isn't a ton of interior room in 4R's so I always have a ton of gear on the roof. A RTT is super comfortable and easier setup than a ground tent but for me, I can't spare the roof space for one.

As far as ground tents, I have an REI Kingdom 6 tent and it is the tits. It's huge inside and I can stand straight up which is impressive since I am 6'3". Now my wife and I use cots so we don't really care about having a flat and smooth footprint when we set up and if this wasn't the case for you then I can imagine finding a suitable footprint that size could be an issue in some locations.

The other option I suggest is the OzTent line. I have slept in an RV5 and they are SUPER well made, incredibly easy to set up, and have good ventilation. But they are twice the price of the Kingdom 6 so I went the Kingdom route for now.
 
n2advnture said:
I switched to hammock camping about 7 years ago and can't imagine camping any other way.

Hennessy (I have 2 of theirs) but Warbonnet & ENO make good hammocks as well.

It's sooooo much more comfortable

1966888_264989767015904_1394564906_n_zpsh7zalq4b.jpg~original


2013-10-04%2018.33.05_zpssn8wzz3r.jpg~original
Click to expand...


An advantage of RTTs over hammocks - no trees are required!

 
When I go on solo trips and I'm in the wilderness, I just sleep in a bivy sack. It's small enough to fit in the center console if I wanted. When I'm staying in a campground, I have a small 1 man tent that I use. When I go camping with my wife, we use a 3 man tent. I've found that as the tents get smaller, I have better sleep. When I see people with HUGE tents in a campground, it always makes me wonder why people have such a huge tent. All you need in there is a sleeping bag. You can tell the more "serious" campers because they will have the smallest tents.

I see how it could be nice to have a RTT, but they all look so big and bulky. A good ground tent folds up very small, and is easy to store when not needed. I see some people that just leave the RTT on all the time. That just seems like a waste. Do they just leave it up there to look cool, or maybe they don't have anywhere else to put it?
 
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