Why do people like roof top tents so much?

[Hank the Tank]

I was just thinking about this the other day. I foresee a point in the next few years where those who jumped head-first into going outside in wake of COVID restrictions will come to the realization that they didn't need all the gear they just bought. There will be a lot of sweet semi-used gear for a fraction of the cost, the only limiting factor is having to wait. This is especially true for RTT up here in the PNW. You could use it year-round, but if you don't have a covered space to air it out in, you're just asking for mold to grow. A ground tent can be easily hung anywhere indoors to dry out after use. They make sense for the right people and the right geographic area. However, I'd venture to guess that a lot of people in the last year bought them because of the internet hype. I wanted one for awhile, but living where I do it doesn't make sense. Plus, If you go to National Parks, or camp outside of those parks on FS land, you'd have to pack it up every morning before heading out to the trailhead(s). I find the best way into camping is by beating up Walmart gear until you know what needs to be upgraded.

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[Deleted member 1634]

I was just thinking about this the other day. I foresee a point in the next few years where those who jumped head-first into going outside in wake of COVID restrictions will come to the realization that they didn't need all the gear they just bought. There will be a lot of sweet semi-used gear for a fraction of the cost, the only limiting factor is having to wait. This is especially true for RTT up here in the PNW. You could use it year-round, but if you don't have a covered space to air it out in, you're just asking for mold to grow. A ground tent can be easily hung anywhere indoors to dry out after use. They make sense for the right people and the right geographic area. However, I'd venture to guess that a lot of people in the last year bought them because of the internet hype. I wanted one for awhile, but living where I do it doesn't make sense. Plus, If you go to National Parks, or camp outside of those parks on FS land, you'd have to pack it up every morning before heading out to the trailhead(s). I find the best way into camping is by beating up Walmart gear until you know what needs to be upgraded.

This could for sure be said about almost all outdoor gear over the last year. So many people jumped headlong into outdoor activities because they thought they'd like it and/or it was the only way to safely get out and about. The amount of campers, and skis, and bikes, and kayaks, and backpacks, and tents, and everything else outdoorsy have been missing from shelves and lots for a long time now. I fully expect all a good majority of those people to try and sell all that stuff off within the next year or two once they can get back to indoor activities and being social. Which is perfectly fine with me. Maybe we'll finally be able to enjoy our favorite outdoor spots again without them being overrun or destroyed by so many darn people.

 

[dtech]

man you really really said it well.

 

[Jrel209]

This could for sure be said about almost all outdoor gear over the last year. So many people jumped headlong into outdoor activities because they thought they'd like it and/or it was the only way to safely get out and about. The amount of campers, and skis, and bikes, and kayaks, and backpacks, and tents, and everything else outdoorsy have been missing from shelves and lots for a long time now. I fully expect all a good majority of those people to try and sell all that stuff off within the next year or two once they can get back to indoor activities and being social. Which is perfectly fine with me. Maybe we'll finally be able to enjoy our favorite outdoor spots again without them being overrun or destroyed by so many darn people.

I'm actually hoping a lot of people are getting ready to sell their mountain bikes lol. Honestly, after a nasty crash in 2019 requiring surgery, i sold my bike/gear out of anger, big mistake. I definitely want to get back into it, and i'm hoping i could buy a SC bronson for half the cost later this year when people start quitting lol.

 

[Msfitoy]

I'll add my two cents in Green:


Pros:

• Quick to set up (just pop it open)
• Stays clean due to not being on the ground. This is especially useful in rain/damp weather. The moisture on the tent is clean, and drys clean, unlike a ground tent. If you take your shoes off prior to getting in the tent, it really never gets dirty in or out.
• Can setup anywhere. No need for a flat space. I think this is main draw for the Overlanding crowd.
• Cool ADV factor. Draws like minded people.
• Relative safety factor in the wild. Allows time to survey intruders from high perch, remote start, turn on lights and prepare your blaster of choice.

Cons:

• Added weight (Depends on brand, Frontrunner is under 100 lbs)
• Added wind resistance (Depends on brand height and position above or below roof line)
• Have to climb a ladder to get into the tent (cumbersome when drinking or carrying an animal/child into the tent)
• Can only sleep on top of your truck (i.e. can't set up your tent anywhere you want that your truck might not be able to navigate to)
• Cost (Depends of brand, my Frontrunner is relatively affordable)
• Once you setup, you can't use your vehicle to drive anywhere without folding up the tent. If you fold up the tent, and drive away temporarily, someone can take your camping spot without a tent to 'claim the spot. This is the biggest negative to me, and why we only use our RTT for single night camping, usually on road trips, or before/after backpacking trips.
• Storage space when off the vehicle can be a concern. Also hard to get on/off vehicle without help, unless you have a hoist system.
• Need to level truck before using.
• Post rain pack up will be a PIA.

I'll probably not have a long window to use RTT method as I age and comfort gains higher priority. I have a Gazelle T3X pop up for flexibility work around the drawbacks of RTT depending on circumstances. Will probably sell my RTT in favor of building my own square drop trailer in the near future.

 

[t4thfavor]

I'll add my two cents in Green:


Pros:

• Quick to set up (just pop it open)
• Stays clean due to not being on the ground. This is especially useful in rain/damp weather. The moisture on the tent is clean, and drys clean, unlike a ground tent. If you take your shoes off prior to getting in the tent, it really never gets dirty in or out.
• Can setup anywhere. No need for a flat space. I think this is main draw for the Overlanding crowd.
• Cool ADV factor. Draws like minded people.
• Relative safety factor in the wild. Allows time to survey intruders from high perch, remote start, turn on lights and prepare your blaster of choice.

Cons:

• Added weight (Depends on brand, Frontrunner is under 100 lbs)
• Added wind resistance (Depends on brand height and position above or below roof line)
• Have to climb a ladder to get into the tent (cumbersome when drinking or carrying an animal/child into the tent)
• Can only sleep on top of your truck (i.e. can't set up your tent anywhere you want that your truck might not be able to navigate to)
• Cost (Depends of brand, my Frontrunner is relatively affordable)
• Once you setup, you can't use your vehicle to drive anywhere without folding up the tent. If you fold up the tent, and drive away temporarily, someone can take your camping spot without a tent to 'claim the spot. This is the biggest negative to me, and why we only use our RTT for single night camping, usually on road trips, or before/after backpacking trips.
• Storage space when off the vehicle can be a concern. Also hard to get on/off vehicle without help, unless you have a hoist system.
• Need to level truck before using.
• Post rain pack up will be a PIA.

I'll probably not have a long window to use RTT method as I age and comfort gains higher priority. I have a Gazelle T3X pop up for flexibility work around the drawbacks of RTT depending on circumstances. Will probably sell my RTT in favor of building my own square drop trailer in the near future.

While I probably wouldn't want one on the truck, I'd definitely take on perched on top of a utility trailer (Like the flat bed kind with a rollbar style rack for the tent). 4 wheeler in the trailer, tent on top, and I'd be ready to go anywhere.

Seems to eliminate all of the cons except for the ladder and cost

 

[TBR17]

Is there something I'm not understanding here? I do a TON of camping, all over the place, but I just can't wrap my head around spending a few grand for a rack and tent system when I can just bust out my trusty $200 REI tent and set that up in a few minutes.

It seems the pros are:

• Quick to set up (just pop it open)

Cons:

• Added weight
• Added wind resistance
• Have to climb a ladder to get into the tent (cumbersome when drinking or carrying an animal/child into the tent)
• Can only sleep on top of your truck (i.e. can't set up your tent anywhere you want that your truck might not be able to navigate to)
• Cost

I assume there are other pros that I'm not considering, but on the surface it just seems like a huge waste of money for something that adds minimal benefits while conversely introducing lots of detriments.

Guess it's better than Anton Jackson's setup.

 

[GrinchsDog]

I'm in the market for one myself. For sure not buying new and as mentioned lots of used gear out there for the dealing. I've camped in a tent my entire life and still enjoy it. I'm proud to be a car camper/weekend warrior! I want my truck to look good and be comfortable sleeping. I also like showers and shitting on a toilet. I've done enough hiking and camping to know what it's like to go without those luxuries.
The cost can be steep with the rack and RTT combined. I get that. The weight doesn't bother me that much. I like it because it gives me the false sense that I'm saving space. I have the whole bed to load up firewood, ice-chest, water, games, chairs, inflatable kayaks, etc...
My girlfriend and I are not cramming into a hiking tent any more, we want to be able to move around. So we have a larger tent, we have a blowup mattress, (she doesn't like sleeping bags) so we have bedding to pack. For some reason, she believes that the mattresses in RTT will be enough (any feedback on that?) so we eliminate packing up the tent itself, air mattress, and pump. She's also from Arizona so has long seated fears of things crawling and slithering around on the ground, so being tall helps with that.
The bottom line for me is convenience and will be a symbol to those driving by me that I'm still cool. But mainly GF likes it, so I'm in.

 

[Msfitoy]

I'm in the market for one myself. For sure not buying new and as mentioned lots of used gear out there for the dealing. I've camped in a tent my entire life and still enjoy it. I'm proud to be a car camper/weekend warrior! I want my truck to look good and be comfortable sleeping. I also like showers and shitting on a toilet. I've done enough hiking and camping to know what it's like to go without those luxuries.
The cost can be steep with the rack and RTT combined. I get that. The weight doesn't bother me that much. I like it because it gives me the false sense that I'm saving space. I have the whole bed to load up firewood, ice-chest, water, games, chairs, inflatable kayaks, etc...
My girlfriend and I are not cramming into a hiking tent any more, we want to be able to move around. So we have a larger tent, we have a blowup mattress, (she doesn't like sleeping bags) so we have bedding to pack. For some reason, she believes that the mattresses in RTT will be enough (any feedback on that?) so we eliminate packing up the tent itself, air mattress, and pump. She's also from Arizona so has long seated fears of things crawling and slithering around on the ground, so being tall helps with that.
The bottom line for me is convenience and will be a symbol to those driving by me that I'm still cool. But mainly GF likes it, so I'm in.

My RTT has a 2" mattress and comfortable for me (wife's will only glamp, has zero interest) for anything above 50 degree weather...below that, I can feel the chill coming through from the bottom so you'd want to add a liner...

 

[dtech]

My wife loves to tent camp - we used to backpack together and for decades I did that with a bunch of guys. Bout 3 yrs back though purchased a 6 man Kelty tent that we put 2 cots (or an air mattress) so I can stand up to dress/undress - I'm 69 yrs old and lots of arthritis. Not afraid of floods, bears or crawling crap - most just 2 legged creatures and I now bring along a six shooter for that.
Wife and I both disliked using the vault toilets so we look for campsites where we can wander off into the woods - funny story was up camping in WA - maybe Olympic N'tl Park and wife goes behind the tent into some bushes to pee - but campsites behind us had very good visibility, I said WTF and she says it's just become a habit to drop trou and do it. I'm even more careful with that.
No rooftop in my future - I think a lot of people see them and are swayed by that as much as any real need for them. peer pressure in the campground.

 

[Msfitoy]

While I probably wouldn't want one on the truck, I'd definitely take on perched on top of a utility trailer (Like the flat bed kind with a rollbar style rack for the tent). 4 wheeler in the trailer, tent on top, and I'd be ready to go anywhere.

Seems to eliminate all of the cons except for the ladder and cost

I'm going to design and build my own...a bit larger than this version with off grid HVAC...

 

[t4thfavor]

think of a flat open trailer with "roll" bars (like a canoe rack in a truck) the tent on top, and the rest of your gear in the bed/trailer.

The trailer in the vid is nice, but I'd want it to be able to do more than be sleepable.

 

[Hank the Tank]

My wife loves to tent camp - we used to backpack together and for decades I did that with a bunch of guys. Bout 3 yrs back though purchased a 6 man Kelty tent that we put 2 cots (or an air mattress) so I can stand up to dress/undress - I'm 69 yrs old and lots of arthritis. Not afraid of floods, bears or crawling crap - most just 2 legged creatures and I now bring along a six shooter for that.
Wife and I both disliked using the vault toilets so we look for campsites where we can wander off into the woods - funny story was up camping in WA - maybe Olympic N'tl Park and wife goes behind the tent into some bushes to pee - but campsites behind us had very good visibility, I said WTF and she says it's just become a habit to drop trou and do it. I'm even more careful with that.
No rooftop in my future - I think a lot of people see them and are swayed by that as much as any real need for them. peer pressure in the campground.

Cots, and a tent tall enough to stand upright in, are the game changers. I finally destroyed the Walmart tent I used for years, and it served us well across multiple states and weather events. But getting a Nemo Wagontop 4P tent has made camping even more enjoyable. And I believe that is the whole point. Find what makes the journey/stay enjoyable.

 

[DrewKD88]

I use my RTT all of the time. I like being off the ground. Camping is great but camping in your own Tree House is even better. It's nice to be elevated away from the critters and bugs. I also like the vantage point that being high up gives you. Ground tents do the job just fine but I want to add to my experience. Plus it's just fun to use. An RTT does that for me. I move from place to place every night so this setup makes sense for my use.

I'll add to the list.

Pros:
No staking down.
Very sturdy in high winds (30+ mph)
Insulation. I have an FSR Tri-Layer fabric tent. This keeps me far warmer than any ground tent can.

Cons:
Removal. I remove the tent when I'm not camping. Becomes a hassle and not kind on the back either

 

[AzScorpion]

I'm going to design and build my own...a bit larger than this version with off grid HVAC...

Sid, I had this one saved and thought it was a cool design. Something like this seems like it would be more practical for those not using them every weekend.

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