Roof Top Tent Research

[Pritchnakoff]

Another roof top tent thread, I know, but after searching and finding pages upon pages of the same verbiage of 2 or 3 main RTTs I figured I'd spend a couple hours online and see what was out there and compile a detailed sheet so I could see side by side all the reputable brands and cross compare.

As I am getting ready to get my trailer build completed for the summer this is of importance to me. I will start off with laying some ground work:

1. 
   [1]This is not an end all definitive list
   [2]My criteria is that I have a family of 4 so I only picked RTT sizes of 3PPL or higher
   [3] Open/Closed Sizing are most relative to US measurements
   [4] Pricing is based on website list price; may not be accurate at time of later review

Anyway, I hope someone besides me finds this useful and by all means feel free to add to it!

:keyboard:

 

[Duhockey]

Another roof top tent thread, I know, but after searching and finding pages upon pages of the same verbiage of 2 or 3 main RTTs I figured I'd spend a couple hours online and see what was out there and compile a detailed sheet so I could see side by side all the reputable brands and cross compare.

As I am getting ready to get my trailer build completed for the summer this is of importance to me. I will start off with laying some ground work:

1. 
   [1]This is not an end all definitive list
   [2]My criteria is that I have a family of 4 so I only picked RTT sizes of 3PPL or higher
   [3] Open/Closed Sizing are most relative to US measurements
   [4] Pricing is based on website list price; may not be accurate at time of later review

Anyway, I hope someone besides me finds this useful and by all means feel free to add to it!

:keyboard:

Awesome! I have actually been looking into these. and thinking about how much it would cost to make one...

this is great info! Rep given!

 

[Rockdawg84]

great info. Did you make a decision on which one your going to get?

 

[Pritchnakoff]

Awesome! I have actually been looking into these. and thinking about how much it would cost to make one...

this is great info! Rep given!

Thanks Duhockey, hopefully it will be of some use and interested to follow your build if you are thinking of making your own?!

 

[Pritchnakoff]

great info. Did you make a decision on which one your going to get?

RD, it's been a tough decision and still haven't come to final choice. If I go purely by the stats, I think the Easy Awn is hands down the best tent, but $2.5K is pretty steep, then the Camping Lab & Hannibal seem to be neck and neck, with the Hannibal winning out for the 3" mattress - slightly lower cost and included annex room - but still at $2K, third choice is looking like the price range I can swallow and coming down to:

ARB
Great all around quality, reliable and tested name, decent price

CVI
One grade lower tent material, but one grade higher rain fly material, slightly larger and $100 bones cheaper than ARB. Located in Oregon so I could potentially save on shipping - plus they rent their tents for $50 a weekend night so I might test one out (good sales tactic)

TJM
Middle ground for tent material and higher grade rain fly material and superior grade cover and $300 less than ARB (also another well tested Aussie brand), but with no US importer, I am sure, shipping is going to be costly???

:shrug:
I have basically recapped the grid into my personal preference based on the data, but it's hard not to be able to "check them out" when you are making a decision of this caliber for the pocket book. It's not like a set of coil-overs or a bumper where you pretty much know what you are getting, there could be design flaws or ease of use issues that are unknown or make one better than the other?

I'll keep some updates as I get closer to pulling the trigger.

 

[the great him]

ive been eying the CVT stuff for a couple of reasons... first they are local, and i like to support local business as much as possible and stay away from corporate if i can. i like the fact that if i ever had an issue with the tent i could just drive back to bend(only 2hrs away) and im sure they would make it right(never heard one bad thing about them or their products). also its on the more affordable end of the list, i know you often get what you pay for, but heres how i look at it. its not going to be used every day, i dont need one thats built to lived in for months at a time, so if it gets used for a couple of weeks over the period of the year then its done its job. the ARB one would be my second choice, yes its a corporate co, but its also a well known co and they dont make crap, if its got the ARB name on it, i know i can trust it(even though i have broke one of their lockers, but they are standing behind it and taking care of it!), they are also close on the price. if it was just a price issue it would be a really hard call, but sense CVT is a locally owned and operated co, i think id give them my business.

as for all of the other brands/models, im not saying they are bad or junk(cause i dont know anything about any of them), i would just hate to have something go wrong with any of them and then have to ship it back the the manufacture in say south africa... big PITA if you ask me. and thats gonna cost a lot too, i imagine at least $150+ and so thats like $300 at least... sure it might cost me $100 in gas to drive to bend, but i get a good road trip with some amazing views and country side along the way, and im always up for a trip to central oregon anyways! everyone who has had a RTT has never really complained about it, at least when i have asked people about them and put out inquiries about RTTs, so to say is one better than the other? idk

 

[leo]

I think the Hannibal looks great, can't go wrong with a hard shell design IMO... but not having a U.S. dealer would be a PITA whether due to shipping upon purchase or any needed servicing.

 

[SigSense]

CVT has a hardshell RTT similar to the Maggiolina also: CVT Cascadia Vehicle Roof Top Tents | Cascadia Vehicle Roof Top Tents

 

[whodat]

I'm eventually going to get a RTT. Thanks for sharing this info. I haven't done enough research, but from all the pics I saw of RTTs on a roof rack, the racks are all flat with no sides going up. Is that a necessity for the RTTs? I'm guessing it is so it could fold over to the side of the vehicle with no obstructions?

 

[the great him]

I'm eventually going to get a RTT. Thanks for sharing this info. I haven't done enough research, but from all the pics I saw of RTTs on a roof rack, the racks are all flat with no sides going up. Is that a necessity for the RTTs? I'm guessing it is so it could fold over to the side of the vehicle with no obstructions?

yes you would need a flat rack or you would need to elevate the RTT to the height of the upper bars, and then you would only have support at the edges and not under the whole RTT, so yes a flat rack is in order for one of these...

 

[Titanpat57]

After checking out CVT...and the great customer reviews they have, I'd say that would be sound decision.

I've had 2 RTT, a re branded model (which was fine for the 30+ nights I spent in it) and the ARB Simpson II, with about the same time. Both are dry, have no rips, and operate as expected.

I do like the enclosed ladder on the ARB, and keep the porta potti in the annex for Her Highness..she never really liked climbing "outside" to go back inside to use the toilet....so that was an easy sell.

Good luck in your choice.

Pat

 

[oljedi11950]

roof top tents

Saw some Tepui on the 120 site look good ? Might look at them , my 2 for the day !

 

[BlackLotus]

I just purchesed the ARB Simpson 3 tent and am blown away with the quality and thought that went into the design. I was curious if anyone with a 5th Gen T4R has purchased the ARB tent and have put it off the back. The tent is capable, I just dont know if it'll work on a 4R.

Any advice welcome !

ps. So glad to find this group.