Canada roof top tents! check it out!

[romey]

hi fellow 4x4'ers, just thought i'd post this here too. i picked up this tent near the end of the summer after noticing another post on another forum. first thing i noticed was the price for what you got! so did some researching and managed to get a hold of guys out west who have purchased the tent/awnings from Andy. all had nothing but great things to say

http://rooftoptent.webs.com/

just a little bit on the seller. he's an avid 4x4 outdoorsy guy who loves overlanding trips (that's his defender on the pics). he has direct contact with the manufacturing in china. he's selling these RTT's at a very VERY reasonable rate, prolly the best i've seen in years. it comes with awning/room, and annex room under the tent. i was skeptical at first but heard nothing but good honest feedback from the guys out west (he's in langley, BC). myself and another cruiser guy i know (just so happens we have the same rig) both took the plunge and wired Andy the money. he shipped our boxes at the same time and they arrived in just a few days.

here's some pics documenting assembly..

so far so good, pretty straight forward assembly. but i've yet to sleep in it! might do a quick overnighter somewhere north not too far..

here's a quick description of assembly...(same as on the other thread)

comes shipped in 3 boxes. the tent, awning, and annex room.

open main box and find instructions and orient yourself to which way the tent folds..

undo straps holding tent closed

open tent, simply unfold, inside you'll find more parts for it (hardware, etc.)

quick view on the inside, got real excited here, sooo cozy in there!
(bungees across are there to keep sides in when folding tent closed, simply unhook them after set up.)

main cover, bowes for the windows, hardware, instructions, etc..

instructions pretty straight forward too. notice all SS hardware. comes with two wrenches.

all you really have to do is mount the aluminum rails onto the bottom of the tent, and decide which way you want to open it (left/right side of the vehicle, awning will go on the opposite side)

telescoping ladder. this is a huge improvement from the other models (some requiring extensions). this ladder is quite stout AND lightweight! it just accordions down and easily adjusts to the height you need to level the tent. mount ladder to tent. (the problem with other ladders is they're too short and don't make up for vehicle lifts).

]

so i chose to have the tent fold over onto the left side of the vehicle, which means my awning will go on the right side (this awning has it's own room). figured we'd chill under the awning, and it'd be nice to be closer to the drivers side (right hand drive).

if you have the tent fold over to the rear of the vehicle, you'll be able to use the same aluminum base mounts that goes onto your thule load bars as an attachment point for the awning. otherwise, you'll have to use the end of the load bar (by drilling holes to mount L bracket for awning).

but if you go over the back, you will limit use of the back door of your rig, depending on how it opens. mine is a clamshell type of doors, so the top hatch would butt up against the extended floor of the tent..so i went sideways.

the stainless steel hardware simply slides through the aluminum base/rail, 2 on either side of the thule load bar. i just measured 30" appart from each bar to spread the weight evenly. you'll need an extra pair of hands to hoist the RTT over the load bars (very light with 2 guys lifting). make sure they are snug and square. tighten brackets.

then you gotta orient the top cover so that the one end that doesn't come off (side that drapes over one end) and feed the zipper base which mates with the cover..around 3 sides of the tent..

this end is fixed to the main cover, slide that through the remaining side of the tent...

mate the top cover with the corresponding zipper ends and zip her shut to test fit.

to set up tent, unzip the 3 sides (all one zipper) and fold over cover towards the hinge side.

hop up on the side of the truck to get at the ladder, pull it to extend, use it as leverage, and carefully open the tent and drop the ladder feet on the even ground. adjust ladder accordingly and voila!

ran out of time to zip in the annex/change room, next time!

 

[romey]

some awning pics..

back of the awning. closed up it's all sealed from the elements, zipper facing down

same strong vinyl cover as the main cover for the tent..

SS hardware.

this side pole is for attaching the room onto, and adds rigidity to the awning. it rolls out and poles fold down on both corners. lots of metal, but it's all aluminum and quite light to pick up.

anyway, hope to get it all done soon before i change my mind about sneakin out a cold campin trip! lol. will definitely post more pics, fun stuff.

 

[duggy]

Do they sell the awnings by itself?

 

[80t0ylc]

I love the idea of all that room, but the one thing that puzzles me about RTTs that expand off the side, is what supports them from below? I only see a ladder underneath and that can't be supporting several sleeping adults. The cantilever idea doesn't fly either, because the leverage involved would flex the suspension so the whole thing would lean to that side. Just curious - other than that, this setup looks roomy for a family.

 

[duggy]

Yes, the ladder does support the other side of the tent just fine. It's a non issue and does not flex at all since the ladder is on the ground.

 

[e9999]

I love the idea of all that room, but the one thing that puzzles me about RTTs that expand off the side, is what supports them from below? I only see a ladder underneath and that can't be supporting several sleeping adults. The cantilever idea doesn't fly either, because the leverage involved would flex the suspension so the whole thing would lean to that side. Just curious - other than that, this setup looks roomy for a family.

they all work the same way AFAIK, the half that folds out is indeed supported only/mostly by the ladder. There may be a bit of contact and pressure between the 2 halves edges but that is probably not a good thing for the hinges. So, yes, altogether that is a bit of an iffy design principle. When I had mine, I extended the mounting rails to one side to help support the fold out half. I also used some stands under the corners at one point. But realistically this was all overkill. Normally, with a good ladder you should be OK. Of course, it helps to keep the heavier upper bodies mostly on the roof half and also not to engage in overly vigorous physical activities up there... . Inherent design flaw: can't easily pull up the ladder when you want privacy...

 

[romey]

the desing has been tried and tested over the years, not sure who started it first. yep, tepui, hannibal, titan, arb, mombasa, eezi awn, camping lab, gordigear..and a few more have an almost identical blue prints the main difference is the materials used, some use 200g or 250g fabric, these have 300g fabric. i know of someone who compared it to another more popular brand and there was a clear difference in how they were made, better hardware, thicker fabric on the above tent, thicker and higher density sleeping foam, etc... (i wont mention the other, but it cost 1800 just for the RTT)

here's a similar tent nice assembly vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWHrD7sBTU8

(note, he's had to use a ladder extension on this model) i've seen Andys tent on a high roof l400 (4x4 minivan), ladder still long enough.

i'll be sure to add more pics and hopefully even a vid when i get the time...IF i can at least spend one night in it! or maybe even just an afternoon nap in the bushes somewhere.

it is a solid design and the stout ladder is all you need. just think, your shoulders and most of your weight is over the truck/roof rack anyway. but even then, the hinge in the middle and all the aluminum framing underneath are all strong enough. i've yet to hear about these breaking.

 

[romey]

lol, you can get privacy with the annex room closed AND the front door flap closed, hehe. in fact, this has 3 private rooms you can use (with all the sides attached and windows closed).

i believe awnings/rooms can be sold separately, you'll have to contact Andy though to verify. i know the set is an awesome deal together though!

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

those ladders are handy to have around.....but watch your thumbs when closing it. ask how I know.....

 

[80t0ylc]

the desing has been tried and tested over the years, not sure who started it first. yep, tepui, hannibal, titan, arb, mombasa, eezi awn, camping lab, gordigear..and a few more have an almost identical blue prints the main difference is the materials used, some use 200g or 250g fabric, these have 300g fabric. i know of someone who compared it to another more popular brand and there was a clear difference in how they were made, better hardware, thicker fabric on the above tent, thicker and higher density sleeping foam, etc... (i wont mention the other, but it cost 1800 just for the RTT)

here's a similar tent nice assembly vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWHrD7sBTU8

(note, he's had to use a ladder extension on this model) i've seen Andys tent on a high roof l400 (4x4 minivan), ladder still long enough.

i'll be sure to add more pics and hopefully even a vid when i get the time...IF i can at least spend one night in it! or maybe even just an afternoon nap in the bushes somewhere.

it is a solid design and the stout ladder is all you need. just think, your shoulders and most of your weight is over the truck/roof rack anyway. but even then, the hinge in the middle and all the aluminum framing underneath are all strong enough. i've yet to hear about these breaking.

I think you misunderstood my post above. I don't doubt that the tent is strong enough, and I know the design has been tested and proven with multiple manufacturers. It just looks tippy and with only the ladder to keep it from leaning when you get weight far out on the extension - there's a lot of function depending on that ladder. And as e9999 mentioned above, you can't pull up the ladder. Also, after watching the video, I've seen ground tents (just as big or bigger) set up in half the time and effort. Not to mention, you are not moving that vehicle until the tent and all the attached rooms are taken down. I'm not criticizing - just making an observation. I've got a RTT myself, but it's just a 2 person. I realize a bigger tent is needed for a family, but I'm having difficulty seeing the advantage a large RTT has over a large ground tent when you have to spread out that much. Especially if you need the rig to go somewhere before leaving camp.

 

[e9999]

I think you misunderstood my post above. I don't doubt that the tent is strong enough, and I know the design has been tested and proven with multiple manufacturers. It just looks tippy and with only the ladder to keep it from leaning when you get weight far out on the extension - there's a lot of function depending on that ladder. And as e9999 mentioned above, you can't pull up the ladder. Also, after watching the video, I've seen ground tents (just as big or bigger) set up in half the time and effort. Not to mention, you are not moving that vehicle until the tent and all the attached rooms are taken down. I'm not criticizing - just making an observation. I've got a RTT myself, but it's just a 2 person. I realize a bigger tent is needed for a family, but I'm having difficulty seeing the advantage a large RTT has over a large ground tent when you have to spread out that much. Especially if you need the rig to go somewhere before leaving camp.

yes, having to pack it up and not having a base camp left behind when you want to go wheeling part of the day is a pain, esp if you have a with you. And it's true that some ground tents are pretty fast to set up. And it's nice to be able to walk around and stand inside a big one. There is some advantage to not being on the ground, though, for ex if you are in Mud or on uneven rocky ground. Why some like the idea of a RTT on a trailer. But that in turn brings up the issue of having to drag the trailer with you everywhere. I guess there just is no perfect solution.

 

[romey]

okay, just sounded like you were doubting the design as in it "can't be supporting several adults", "cantilever idea doesn't fly".. which is why i responded as such.

but no worries. i see your points. you gotta stay put with it all layed out and you should plan on stayin put until you're ready to move on. but with regards to set up, you gott compare apples to apples...the tent alone will set up in minutes, but you have a large awning and another sleeping area and a change room/shower room you can stand in in addition to it (a ground tent is just that). and sleeping above ground has it's pluses as already mentioned.

i've tented it for years and years, this'll be a first and we're gonna see how it goes. at the end of the day, i think this is one of the best bang for your buck, quality roof top tents i've seen, with a design that's been proven around the globe.

 

[e9999]

thanks for the many pics. Nice to see. Looks OK. Design similar to all the other recent chinese ones apparently. And price seems reasonable too (I'm assuming the Canuck $ is still about the same as our US Monopoly money...)

 

[80t0ylc]

okay, just sounded like you were doubting the design as in it "can't be supporting several adults", "cantilever idea doesn't fly".. which is why i responded as such.

but no worries. i see your points. you gotta stay put with it all layed out and you should plan on stayin put until you're ready to move on. but with regards to set up, you gott compare apples to apples...the tent alone will set up in minutes, but you have a large awning and another sleeping area and a change room/shower room you can stand in in addition to it (a ground tent is just that). and sleeping above ground has it's pluses as already mentioned.

i've tented it for years and years, this'll be a first and we're gonna see how it goes. at the end of the day, i think this is one of the best bang for your buck, quality roof top tents i've seen, with a design that's been proven around the globe.

...... There is some advantage to not being on the ground, though, for ex if you are in Mud or on uneven rocky ground. Why some like the idea of a RTT on a trailer. But that in turn brings up the issue of having to drag the trailer with you everywhere. I guess there just is no perfect solution.

Cool. Yes, I appreciate being off the ground and the quick setup of the RTT. I think for sleeping at least, you'll like the RTT. My "Overland" 80 series is still a work in progress for being fully equipped. I still need a fridge and I think an awning or changing room that can be set up on either side (for flexibility) and I'll be closer to what I need for my purposes. Good luck with your setup!

 

[romey]

thanks Tom! you and me both! i need a fridge too and armour!
cheers!

btw, just got back from a cold november camping trip with my 4 year old, will post more pics shortly! junior loved it! he was unphased by the fact that it was below zero, lol.

 

[romey]

so, finally got the chance to spend at least one night in the RTT. took my son to an open all year campground this weekend and did a little cold weather camping!

got to our spot, not much campers around which was nice and started settin it up for the first time.

undo 2 main cover straps, unzip cover

undo tent straps

climb on top through the back and undo ladder strap and pull it out

pull down on ladder and unfold tent and you're almost done!

peg down 2 anchor points at the end of the overhang

open window awnings using metal bows (x8). i had 1 pair left for inside the front entrance, but that can roll up out of the way

metal bow attachments for the window awning..
also, velcro down centre strip that goes over the main hinge. there's also a corresponding flap on the inside of the tent.

it's best to slide one end into the tent frame first, then bend and hook into the hole of the awning.

cover can stay there, or you can roll it up. i really should have tried using the annex room, but my son was buggin me to kick a ball around and it was getting dark soon (and i remembered that the cover has to come off first, simply slide it out, then one side of the annex room would slide into place, and the remaining 3 sides would zip around the perimeter of the overhanging section)

easily well under 15 minutes with just one person, under 10 for sure with a few more practice runs.

all 4 windows/screens can be opened

close up on the fabric and how the water can just bead and roll off it, pretty good fabric i'd say

not too many neighbours around

i think the high of the day was 9 or 10 degrees (C), lows of below freezing. i brought a feather down duvet along with 2 -9 degree sleeping bags and 2 0 degree sleeping bags. we were quite warm and cozy in there and had fun reading stories before bed.

there are 2 vents at the top of the tent, on either side to let air in and condensation out. i cracked open a couple more windows just to get more air in. it was a very nice sleep. high density mattress was fine on its own and did not need extra padding (although you could add some thermarests underneath it, personal preferrence really).

the inside of the tent was moist in the morning. so before take down, i just wiped all the sides with a towel and opened the windows to dry it up before folding it close again.

overall, im sold, impressed, and quite happy with this roof top tent!

 

[Jordan345]

romey

nice job on the rooftop tent.. i'll be purchasing the same one from langley before spring.. i need a couple other goodies first.. what roof rack do you have on your 80 series? i don't remember from when we were up at bob c end of october. is it just on the factory rails or have you got something else? my 100 series has the original rails going front to back and i have 3 yakima load bars.. this would suffice but honestly the factory rails flex near the mounts to the roof. in addition, adding yakima bars bring it up so much higher and i'd like it as flush to the roof as possible. i love the awning that has the entire zip in vestibule, but i've go the foxwing which is the bomb. the down side is even though you can add sections and vertical paneling, you can't really enclose the paneling. its friggen expensive for additional panels to.. i may have to go without the vestibule and just get the rtt.

as for condensation, is there a way to further reduce condensation? i know these are mold resistant and like any tent, need to be aired out before packing away for a long time. you'd hate to have the musty nut smell in the tent every time you opened. it.

i dig the purchase and would love to see it in person. i first need to get the dents pulled from all alongside my truck from last summer. gotta start fresh next year and have the help of sliders to prevent body damage.

J.

 

[romey]

thanks Jordan. yeah, i'm quite pleased with the tent. i have thule gutter mount/standard 300 series and 58" load bars (just enough extra to bolt the awning on too). i can't remember if your 100 has gutters? if not, you'll have to use yakima or thule foot mounts of somesort, the shortest ones you can get so it's not too tall. or a full on flat top baja rack with out side rails. you can't have the rails too close to the roof as you need a few inches to screw the frame bolts in.

love the foxwing too! but i think this is plenty with it's own awning/room and the annex room, and well, it came as a set at a great price.

for condensation, all it really needs is ventilation. not an issue for spring/summer/fall and just a minor issue in the winter time. and it didn't take long for it to dry with the windows open. (and really no different than having to dry your tent if it rained the night before, still need to air it out. or if you have to just air out when you get home from a trip) with the annex room closed, i figured you can add a small space heater at the bottom and ahve the warm air rise up into the tent, just leave the screen door closed/flap open (if it was safe and say you had electricity). i woulndn't worry about it if you're heading out in nicer weather, just fold more windows down, doesn't have to be all the way, and you're set.

 

[concretejungle]

Thank you for your write-up and pictures!!

How long is that ladder fully extended? I'm asking because i purchased a RTT and the ladder is about 12-14" too short. I have to take my spare tire off and use it as a "perch" for the ladder to rest on. Kind of a pain in the butt.

Just a few notes from mine. Mine is VERY similar to yours. I have used it twice in the winter and it does condensate pretty good on the inside. I have even slept once with both side windows open to keep a cross flow and it still was pretty moist inside in the morning. No big deal as it will dry out pretty quick once the sun is up and you are out of it. Secondly, i have a zip on cover bag like yours that has the seal that slides into the base. I can tell you that is a pain in the A$$! Mine is a mother..... trying to unzip and zip up. Especially each corner where the seal just bulges out and makes the zipper frustrating.

After having mine some time now, i have come to the conclusion that i can feel it up there on the road. Especially on the highway running 70 mph it is like a parachute up there. maybe one of the other brands like the airland that is a lower profile and a hard case will be more pleasant on the roof?? i don't know since i haven't had one but that's my 2 cents.

I can say that i have never slept so well in my life on a camping trip since owning a RTT.

 

[romey]

yeah, a lot of them share the same design, what differs is the materials used and cost/profit margin .

isn't there a ladder attachment piece from where you got yours? i've noticed a few of them do. which is why i like this tent with the telescoping long ladder. i'll have to measure it next time, but i'm certain it'll get the job done. with this set up, i know i have one more ladder steps that can extend further, that's more than a foot.

you can see the extra step not extended at the top.

(stock suspension, 33" tires, and a roof rack that's about 4-5" above the roofline...)


with regards to moisture, i think that's just something all of us with RTT's will have to deal with in cold weather. moisture from your breath will just rise up and collect above. it's a catch 22 i guess with better quality fabric, although i'm certain that thinner fabric will have the same moisture buildup, they're not that permeable. it didn't take long to wipe down the sides and top with a dry towel. the dew/frost that may build on the roof,well, you can't reach it, lol (well sort of, i was kinda swinging the towel up and over the very top and dragging it away to wipe some of the dew). just need the sun and wind to dry it out...or make sure it's dried out when you're trip is done or at the next stop over.

anything on top of your roof at 70mps will cause serious drag, i'd say just slow down, lol. i was averaging low 11s Litres/100kms..on this trip i got 11.5L/100km (turbo diesel) goin at 2000-2200 rpm at about speed limit. no rush.

the clam shell type tents with fibreglass are quicker to set up, but are also heavier (unless you have the carbon from maggiolina with is almost 4 grand i think). with all my searches, i really couldn't justify the more than double the cost for something that just needs to get the job done, provide a roof over your head and be easy to use.

btw, no major issues on the zipper. maybe you can try putting some vaseline on the corners...? it might depend on how that cover is made,, maybe it's too tight a fit?

anyway, i'll be sure to add more updates/comments/pics as i get to know the tent more.