Poor Man's Overland

[4FL]

Camping in the heat is hard to overcome. The one I purchased has a canvas outer layer that endured hours of rain with no problem. If hot, I can zip the canvas down and be covered by what amounts to a mosquito net. I'm usually in altitude where heat isn't an issue but a mosquito net and skivys is about as cool as I can imagine.

I was hoping you were about to introduce me to some magical technique or item that would solve this problem!

What I would like is to be able to take some long road trips and just get a good rest in the 4r to save on hotel costs. I can do it fine, but my wife is really not into the "roughing it" thing, at least some fresh air and coolness.

Hotel costs really take up a lot of a travel budget, all for nothing more than some quick shut eye and possibly a shower, but wow, that is some valuable stuff when needing it!

I am planning for my great Alaskan road trip for next year, so maybe it will be a bit cooler once hitting the Yellowstone/Glacier NP area and further.

 

[Danimal]

Sleeping on the ground sucks. And before you say it was my tent, Its a $2000 hilleberg, and it doesn't make it suck any less. When you get a good rain, regardless of what whiz bang tent you have, if it's on the ground, you're getting wet. Cold, wet and pissed.

Since roof top camping I've never gotten wet, even with heavy rains from 8pm to 9am. Not one drop inside.

The benefit to roof top tents is tremendous.

Easy set up
Stay dry
Safety from snakes, lions, tigers, and bears oh my!(even if only perceived, the sleep is more fulfilling..)
Smaller footprint
Comfort, no rocks, unlevel ground.

I'm also highly allergic to poison ivy. Unfortunately it is quite common in my area, and now I don't have to worry about finding a space large enough for a ground tent, free of poison. Roof top tents are great.

I suppose it's personal preference. I've slept in ground tents far cheaper than yours my whole life without major water issues or real problems with critters. Including in storms in just about every area of the country. I did have a raccoon try and climb my buddies tent in the middle of the night recently, but there were raccoon foot prints on the roof of my 4Runner, too. At the risk of being rude; did you buy a Hilleberg to camp in Tennessee? That, to me, sounds like overcomplication of things... I've never spent less than $150 on a tent (last one was $450) and I thought I was a glamper!

Again, I've tried RTTs, and didn't think the positives outweighed the tremendous negatives. With that said; I have slept inside of my vehicles numerous times if I either wasn't in the mood to deal with rain or when there was no cleared area in sight on heavily wooded or brushy land. I do also like the simplicity of sleeping in the vehicle. Set up and takedown of a RTT is easier.

Dan

 

[4FL]

Raccoons are some smart animals, very clever. When I was a kid, I was camping at a Boy Scout thing and watched a raccoon nudge my tent zipper up, come inside, and take my box of flavored popcorn and leave. Been a fan of those creatures ever since.

 

[Porqupine82]

I suppose it's personal preference. I've slept in ground tents far cheaper than yours my whole life without major water issues or real problems with critters. Including in storms in just about every area of the country. I did have a raccoon try and climb my buddies tent in the middle of the night recently, but there were raccoon foot prints on the roof of my 4Runner, too. At the risk of being rude; did you buy a Hilleberg to camp in Tennessee? That, to me, sounds like overcomplication of things... I've never spent less than $150 on a tent (last one was $450) and I thought I was a glamper!

Again, I've tried RTTs, and didn't think the positives outweighed the tremendous negatives. With that said; I have slept inside of my vehicles numerous times if I either wasn't in the mood to deal with rain or when there was no cleared area in sight on heavily wooded or brushy land. I do also like the simplicity of sleeping in the vehicle. Set up and takedown of a RTT is easier.

Dan

No I actually bought the tent for the nearly year of my life I spent thru hiking the Appalachian trail from Georgia to Maine, twice.