[texas dogman]

The idea of a roof top tent is new to me. l I have spent most of the evening reading differnt threads on roof top tents, but I'd like to ask you guys who know much more about them, which one would be the best investment for the money. I went to numerous web sites,and none of them actually listed any prices, but from several of the threads I found, looks like you can own one between $800 - $1000.

I'll probably mount one on a trail trailer (yet to be built) rather than roof top of my 40, but would like to have it where it could also mount on fiber glass topper of my F350 and use it I haul the ATV's for a weekend of trail riding.

Thanks for you comments.

[coonass]

Originally Posted by texas dogman

The idea of a roof top tent is new to me. l I have spent most of the evening reading differnt threads on roof top tents, but I'd like to ask you guys who know much more about them, which one would be the best investment for the money. I went to numerous web sites,and none of them actually listed any prices, but from several of the threads I found, looks like you can own one between $800 - $1000.

I'll probably mount one on a trail trailer (yet to be built) rather than roof top of my 40, but would like to have it where it could also mount on fiber glass topper of my F350 and use it I haul the ATV's for a weekend of trail riding.

Thanks for you comments.

For that price range here is a great option:http://car-top-tent.com/products.asp




This is how I have mine set up.

[texas dogman]

I can't open your pic. Just a white box with red x in it.

[D'Animal]

I think that Tex and AATLASS has one for sale in the For Sale Section.

Skillet has the first generation and the second generation tents. I have the second generation tent. It is on my 60 now but will be going on my SPEN trailer very soon.

[Mike S]

What do you want to use the tent for? Climate, altitude, long or short trips? Car top or trailer? Whet type of vehicle (make and model)? Will you leave it permanently mounted, or not? How many people do you need to sleep in the tent? Budget?

Mike S

[J-man]

Originally Posted by texas dogman

The idea of a roof top tent is new to me. l I have spent most of the evening reading differnt threads on roof top tents, but I'd like to ask you guys who know much more about them, which one would be the best investment for the money. I went to numerous web sites,and none of them actually listed any prices, but from several of the threads I found, looks like you can own one between $800 - $1000.

I'll probably mount one on a trail trailer (yet to be built) rather than roof top of my 40, but would like to have it where it could also mount on fiber glass topper of my F350 and use it I haul the ATV's for a weekend of trail riding.

Thanks for you comments.

ive had my Eezi Awn roof tent for over 10 years. I brought it on the plane with me from south africa while my wife and i were visiting her family. Ive camped in it in baja for weeks on end, been camping in the sierras (tahoe) in the snow (woke up with 6" of snow on the tent), back in the deserts in wind storms, and pretty much everything else in between.

The best part about it is its durabality and being off the ground, and when the weather goes to shitola, usually everyone around in ground tents packs up and leaves while we in the roof tents just climb in and enjoy nature at its best.

In dec 2005, my buddy and i were camped in baja about half way down on the pacific side during a big swell, and the wind blew so hard off shore that ground tents with peoples stuff in it were literally being blown away. about 15 of the 20 people that were camped left and we just climbed in the eezi awn, waited a day for the wind to die down, and were treated to some of the best surf we have ever had and it was just us and a couple others. Thats when we knew we would never camp again without a roof tent.

AFter that trip, he bought one for his wife and himself and has never looked back.

Go for it - u wont be disappointed.

[LandCruiserPhil]

Overland Journal just tested 5 different RTT and the Technitop was the standout in the group. I'm very happy with my Mare RTT. It was not in the test group but a fine tent.

[TXLX470]

What kind of front bumper is that? Looks nice

[LandCruiserPhil]

Originally Posted by TXLX470

What kind of front bumper is that? Looks nice

Thanks it a TJM T-17 with lights
Better poser shot

[Farmer_Fred]

hi,
i'm wondering whether rooftop tents can be a hassle if you stay in one place for more than one night, as you will have to pack it up each time if you want to use your cruiser. Anyone using the tents that fit on the back over the tailgate? I like the idea of the trailer top tent!
regards,
fred

[cpg]

I have a columbus and it will pack in less than 4 minutes easy. 1 of the best things about it.

[J-man]

Originally Posted by Farmer_Fred

hi,
i'm wondering whether rooftop tents can be a hassle if you stay in one place for more than one night, as you will have to pack it up each time if you want to use your cruiser. Anyone using the tents that fit on the back over the tailgate? I like the idea of the trailer top tent!
regards,
fred

i would say there are 2 downfalls to roof tents.
1. You do have to collapse the tent anytime you want to drive somewhere.
2. Getting the tent on/off your roof everytime you want to camp. - they're heavy for 1 person, unless you can rig up a pully system in your garage for storage and lowering it onto your vehicle.
2.5. Rack system - you have to have a solid rack/mounting system to your vehicle if your going offroad anywhere - starndard bars dont cut it.

That said, for my eezi awn, it takes about 4 minutes to collapse everything, fold it up, and put the cover on, and thats with the standard thin mattress it came with, a novaform topper, 2 sleeping bags, 2 pillows.

The best solution is to have it on a small trailer so that the trailer can be permanantly set up at camp allowing you to use your vehicle for whatever you want.

[lowenbrau]

I have nothing to compare my Technitop with but I've slept in it about 25 nights this year. It stands up to wind pretty well but can not be set up by one person in a gale. The fly simply turns into a sail. Its good in the rain. The portion of the plastic base that folds out is subject to condensation and eventually a wet mattress ( cumulative after many days) in cooler conditions. It sets up fast and takes a bit longer to pack but it gets better with practice. It feels much bigger than other tents because of how the walls go out rather than in.

[lx450landcruiser]

I love my ezzi awn

[LandCruiserPhil]

Originally Posted by J-man

i would say there are 2 downfalls to roof tents.
1. You do have to collapse the tent anytime you want to drive somewhere.
2. Getting the tent on/off your roof everytime you want to camp. - they're heavy for 1 person, unless you can rig up a pully system in your garage for storage and lowering it onto your vehicle.
2.5. Rack system - you have to have a solid rack/mounting system to your vehicle if your going offroad anywhere - starndard bars dont cut it.

That said, for my eezi awn, it takes about 4 minutes to collapse everything, fold it up, and put the cover on, and thats with the standard thin mattress it came with, a novaform topper, 2 sleeping bags, 2 pillows.

The best solution is to have it on a small trailer so that the trailer can be permanantly set up at camp allowing you to use your vehicle for whatever you want.

Not true in all cases

2. EZ to remove and install just add $125 to your cost
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...&highlight=rtt
2.5 I use the factory roof rack with no issues. I have had 450lbs in the tent plus the tents weight and with no issues.

[Farmer_Fred]

thanks for the info! Great photos too. Good work on the winch mechanism- that has got to save some serious lumbering about!
Anyone know anything of Prime Tech tents? says they are from USA..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAR-TOP-TENT-C...QQcmdZViewItem

[lowenbrau]

Originally Posted by Farmer_Fred

thanks for the info! Great photos too. Good work on the winch mechanism- that has got to save some serious lumbering about!
Anyone know anything of Prime Tech tents? says they are from USA..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAR-TOP-TENT-C...QQcmdZViewItem

Its this...

http://www.car-top-tent.com/products.asp

Made in China.

[1967 TLC]

Quote from J-man
"That said, for my eezi awn, it takes about 4 minutes to collapse everything, fold it up, and put the cover on, and thats with the standard thin mattress it came with, a novaform topper, 2 sleeping bags, 2 pillows. "


Wow, that is fast! I just installed my eezi awn tent and took it for a spin in Big Bear last weekend.

My question is: How do you close it with both the standard mattress and the novaform topper & all your gear? I left two sleeping bags laid out flat side by side and two small pillows carefully placed and it was hard to close and put the cover on. It does not help that the tent is almost seven feet in the air. I do use a small step ladder! It could be that because it is new, it is still a bit stiff.

On a side note: Almost everyone at the campground must have stopped by to comment on the tent! They were all amazed that I would be sleeping on top of my car.

[Darwood]

In my Technitop I can't leave anything in it or I have to close it like an over loaded suit case and it bulges after that. I've come to the conclusion that the manufactures stretch the truth and you actually can't leave bedding inside them.

I think the Autohome tents are the only ones this isn't true of.

[1967 TLC]

Originally Posted by Darwood

In my Technitop I can't leave anything in it or I have to close it like an over loaded suit case and it bulges after that. I've come to the conclusion that the manufactures stretch the truth and you actually can't leave bedding inside them.

I think the Autohome tents are the only ones this isn't true of.

Maybe some of you with more RTT experience can clue us in on how to proficiently pack a fully loaded roof tent.

Leaving in the bedding along with an additional foam topper would make the tent very lop sided when closed, not to mention trying to get the cover on it.

[J-man]

Originally Posted by 1967 TLC

Quote from J-man
"That said, for my eezi awn, it takes about 4 minutes to collapse everything, fold it up, and put the cover on, and thats with the standard thin mattress it came with, a novaform topper, 2 sleeping bags, 2 pillows. "


Wow, that is fast! I just installed my eezi awn tent and took it for a spin in Big Bear last weekend.

My question is: How do you close it with both the standard mattress and the novaform topper & all your gear? I left two sleeping bags laid out flat side by side and two small pillows carefully placed and it was hard to close and put the cover on. It does not help that the tent is almost seven feet in the air. I do use a small step ladder! It could be that because it is new, it is still a bit stiff.

On a side note: Almost everyone at the campground must have stopped by to comment on the tent! They were all amazed that I would be sleeping on top of my car.

haha, i love it. its soo funny when an entire campground either walks by and stares, or admires from afar then casually walks over to say "thats the coolest thing around" or something like that. The eezi awn is in a class of its own.

Yeah, for packing, it gets easier the more you do it, and being able to climb up on the roof rack is helpful. Here are some tips for what i do:
1. When packing up, i essentially make a burrito of everything inside. I leave the mattress down, i take the sleeping bags and lay them out length wise from side to side on the end of the tent that is stationary - not the part u fold up. I then place the pillows right at the end (near the window), then i fold the novaform mattress over that, then the tent mattress over that.
Then i proceed to clip the overhead bunngee cords inside the tent to bring the sides in, climb out making sure all windows and doors are closed, and fold up.

Here is the key: This is the part where i climb on the roof, sit on the tent to collapse it more, wrap a ratchet strap around teh tent and sinch it down so that it stays flat, then i put the cover on and sinch that tight.

Dont get me wrong, its a full load, and even more so that i have a novaform topper on top of the pad that came with the eezi awn. The key is using a strap to keep the tent folded up so that the cover goes on "eezi" so that the cover isnt the only thing keeping it together.

Hey, and i must say, that eezi awn looks really cool on your rig, like your ready for an african outback expedition. right on.

[J-man]

Originally Posted by LandCruiserPhil

Not true in all cases

2. EZ to remove and install just add $125 to your cost
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...&highlight=rtt
2.5 I use the factory roof rack with no issues. I have had 450lbs in the tent plus the tents weight and with no issues.

good to know, i was actually referring to the stock rack that came on my 98 4runner and most other stock racks that arent more than thin flimsy plastic junk, but I have to say that the 100's stock racks are pretty stout.

[LandCruiserPhil]

Originally Posted by J-man

good to know, i was actually referring to the stock rack that came on my 98 4runner and most other stock racks that arent more than thin flimsy plastic junk, but I have to say that the 100's stock racks are pretty stout.

I’m pushing the limits on the factory rack a little...stated on the rack is Max 150lbs evenly distributed

[1967 TLC]

Hey J-man,

Thanks for some great tips, but I think the killer tip you mentioned is to wrap a ratchet strap around the tent and cinch it down so that it stays flat.

I was very careful about packing everything flat, but cinching it down before the putting on the cover is the answer. And yes, I'm sure it gets easier with use! I plan on being an expert if I can help it!

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by J-man

haha, i love it. its soo funny when an entire campground either walks by and stares, or admires from afar then casually walks over to say "thats the coolest thing around" or something like that. The eezi awn is in a class of its own.

Yeah, for packing, it gets easier the more you do it, and being able to climb up on the roof rack is helpful. Here are some tips for what i do:
1. When packing up, i essentially make a burrito of everything inside. I leave the mattress down, i take the sleeping bags and lay them out length wise from side to side on the end of the tent that is stationary - not the part u fold up. I then place the pillows right at the end (near the window), then i fold the novaform mattress over that, then the tent mattress over that.
Then i proceed to clip the overhead bunngee cords inside the tent to bring the sides in, climb out making sure all windows and doors are closed, and fold up.

Here is the key: This is the part where i climb on the roof, sit on the tent to collapse it more, wrap a ratchet strap around teh tent and sinch it down so that it stays flat, then i put the cover on and sinch that tight.

Dont get me wrong, its a full load, and even more so that i have a novaform topper on top of the pad that came with the eezi awn. The key is using a strap to keep the tent folded up so that the cover goes on "eezi" so that the cover isnt the only thing keeping it together.

Hey, and i must say, that eezi awn looks really cool on your rig, like your ready for an african outback expedition. right on.

And you do all this in "under 4 minutes"?? I'd like to watch.

The fastest tent to stow for travel is the Columbus, followed closely by the Maggiolina, then - quite a ways behind - are the various fabric tents. This by actual test.

Same for set-up. Columbus is under 15 seconds, Maggiolina about 30 to 45 seconds, followed by the various fabric tents.

Not knocking the African tents - they are basic, good quality tents.

If the man has onlt $800 to $1000 to spend, I would suggest that a good quality used tent is the best buy. Warranties and spare parts availability also matter.

[cpg]

Originally Posted by Mike S

And you do all this in "under 4 minutes"?? I'd like to watch.

The fastest tent to stow for travel is the Columbus, followed closely by the Maggiolina, then - quite a ways behind - are the various fabric tents. This by actual test.

Same for set-up. Columbus is under 15 seconds, Maggiolina about 30 to 45 seconds, followed by the various fabric tents.

Not knocking the African tents - they are basic, good quality tents.

If the man has onlt $800 to $1000 to spend, I would suggest that a good quality used tent is the best buy. Warranties and spare parts availability also matter.

I have to say one of my favorite things about the Columbus is the set up and tear down. Having sheets, blanket, mattress and pillows all set up is very nice (much nicer than a sleeping bag). If you want to pull over and take a nap it is no hassle at all. Also driving for hours in the dirt you can open and close it with out getting dirt on yourself.

[bugsnbikes]

Whats the deal with the Columbus and condensation? I see that there is an added accessory to help with condensation and the mattress pad----but is this something that should be mandatory or is only a problem in certain climates,etc?

Also what type of mattress pad material does this come with ? Mike do you have the foam density on the stock pad? thickness etc? Can these be purchased without the pad if a special thickness/density is desired.?

[J-man]

Originally Posted by Mike S

And you do all this in "under 4 minutes"?? I'd like to watch.

The fastest tent to stow for travel is the Columbus, followed closely by the Maggiolina, then - quite a ways behind - are the various fabric tents. This by actual test.

Same for set-up. Columbus is under 15 seconds, Maggiolina about 30 to 45 seconds, followed by the various fabric tents.

Not knocking the African tents - they are basic, good quality tents.

If the man has onlt $800 to $1000 to spend, I would suggest that a good quality used tent is the best buy. Warranties and spare parts availability also matter.

yeah, under 4 min. my buddy and i race to see who puts theirs away the fastest. kinda dumb, but fun.

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by bugsnbikes

Whats the deal with the Columbus and condensation? I see that there is an added accessory to help with condensation and the mattress pad----but is this something that should be mandatory or is only a problem in certain climates,etc?

The Columbus is a well ventilated tent in any climate. In certain climates and conditions of weather and use, it may be helpful to add undermattress air circulation for control of condensation. This is what the undermattress air circulation pad is for. It seems to work well in these conditions. These are also used on sailboats, when ventilation and condensation can be a real problem.

Also what type of mattress pad material does this come with ? Mike do you have the foam density on the stock pad? thickness etc? Can these be purchased without the pad if a special thickness/density is desired.?

The Columbus mattress is 3" thick closed cell, mattress grade foam. I do not have the density specification. It is fairly firm. It has a zip=off cover, and pillows are included. The mattress on the Maggiolina is 3-1/4" thick - for additional insulation under the occupants.

Either of these mattresses can be augmented with a feather bed, or a memory foam pad, which can be left in place. A feather bed and sheets with a down quilt on top is extremely comfortable, warm, and provides a better sleeping experience than a sleeping bag. It also make it very easy to keep the bedding clean and fresh.

All the bedding stays in place in the tent when closed for travel. We have a lot of customers who use them on Landcruisers - from Central America to Hwaii and Alaska.

We do not sell the tents without the mattress, but it could be easily removed and some other type of mattress substituted. The mattresses we use are high quality and quite comfortable.

Mike S

CPG has one of our medium Columbus Carbon Fiber tents - 83 lbs, tough as nails, and both he and his wife take it to Baja regularly.

[informationjunky]

Mombasa on the bay for a good price, if anyone is bidding let me know and I'll erase this.