Canada roof top tents! check it out!
- Thread starter romey
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- Thread starter
- #82
well, just thought i'd update on more pics of the awning room. been quite busy with fam and new baby.
so one of the bags comes with the walls and floor of the awning room..
pull out awning as usual and slide in rubber slip thingy through the channel at the base of the awning
then pull out side poles and extend and feed through holes on the other end. (had to open up the holes a tad with a drill)
velcro the sides to the side/horizontal poles and the front/vertical poles
then i just tested out the windows/zippers
back door opens up/lines up with sliding door of our minivan
nice view from inside the van
space b/w back of awning and vehicle
then unfold floor and line up zipper ends and just zip around
had to extend the vertical poles a little to use up/get strech out of the extra material on the ground. this set up is perfect for lifted rigs!
and voila
packs into it's own carrying bag.
so one of the bags comes with the walls and floor of the awning room..
pull out awning as usual and slide in rubber slip thingy through the channel at the base of the awning
then pull out side poles and extend and feed through holes on the other end. (had to open up the holes a tad with a drill)
velcro the sides to the side/horizontal poles and the front/vertical poles
then i just tested out the windows/zippers
back door opens up/lines up with sliding door of our minivan
nice view from inside the van
space b/w back of awning and vehicle
then unfold floor and line up zipper ends and just zip around
had to extend the vertical poles a little to use up/get strech out of the extra material on the ground. this set up is perfect for lifted rigs!
and voila
packs into it's own carrying bag.
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Is there any contact info for Andy? Nothing I can see on that web page.
I'm interested to see if he can supply just a ladder, as the extra rung on the one you have would make a big difference on mine. Sucks hunting around for a block of firewood to stuff under it.
Did find this at Walmart though....
http://www.walmart.com/ip/CORE-Xten...8b7fcc3e98aa&bucket_id=000&findingMethod=p13n
I'm interested to see if he can supply just a ladder, as the extra rung on the one you have would make a big difference on mine. Sucks hunting around for a block of firewood to stuff under it.
Did find this at Walmart though....
http://www.walmart.com/ip/CORE-Xten...8b7fcc3e98aa&bucket_id=000&findingMethod=p13n
Awl_TEQ
Supporting Vendor
A guy in the RMLCA (Peter) used one of those and altered it (shortened) for his RTT. Works well by all accounts.
...Also wanting contact info for Andy. I wanting one of those bad boys!
Also, does anyone have any ideas about how to extend an exo-roll frame (what the tent will be bolted to) to accommodate two kayaks on each side of the tent? Im thinking maybe they will have to be strapped down on their sides.
What can we come up with?
Also, does anyone have any ideas about how to extend an exo-roll frame (what the tent will be bolted to) to accommodate two kayaks on each side of the tent? Im thinking maybe they will have to be strapped down on their sides.
What can we come up with?
- Thread starter
- #88
anyway, quick follow up/report after a fun winter camp with the kid..just trying to get more use out of the RTT! 
.
but first off, the rtt cover survived that ice storm we had during the holidays. probably one of the worst ice storms I've seen here in 25 years. the cover was caked!
Anyway, junior and I went for an overnighter end of January (was also curious to see how the inside looked). It was dry and clean.
but when I was closing it up, I noticed a frozen spot on the bottom surface of the mattress in the middle where the tent folds. I'm not sure if it was from condensation from our backs or from some moisture getting in on the blizzard drive we had and it freezing (around 10 to 15 below Celsius). not much and I knew it'd dry up easily.
The zippers were fine and set up and take down was just as easy. But what I would do next time if I knew it was going to snow, is drape a tarp over the roof to make take down easier by keeping snow/ice away. it was a little tricky to try and brush snow off and there was a combination of ice and snow stuck to the material. with a tarp, you can gently slide it off and try and get all the snow off before folding it up.
But regardless, I would suggest you air your tent on a regular basis out on a sunny day to dry off some condensation inside.
this time I took the mattress out as some snow had gotten in. easy job anyway to set up and close up.
I would also suggest you take the mattress out NOT through the main entrance but the other end/window. kinda tricky as it's a huge piece that you have to fold/half roll to get out and with the overhang, It was like a circus act trying to stay on the ladder while pulling the mattress (that wants to unfold itself!) out. lol.
Still enjoying the RTT every time and I'm super quick with set up and take down now!
cheers.
.but first off, the rtt cover survived that ice storm we had during the holidays. probably one of the worst ice storms I've seen here in 25 years. the cover was caked!
Anyway, junior and I went for an overnighter end of January (was also curious to see how the inside looked). It was dry and clean.
but when I was closing it up, I noticed a frozen spot on the bottom surface of the mattress in the middle where the tent folds. I'm not sure if it was from condensation from our backs or from some moisture getting in on the blizzard drive we had and it freezing (around 10 to 15 below Celsius). not much and I knew it'd dry up easily.
The zippers were fine and set up and take down was just as easy. But what I would do next time if I knew it was going to snow, is drape a tarp over the roof to make take down easier by keeping snow/ice away. it was a little tricky to try and brush snow off and there was a combination of ice and snow stuck to the material. with a tarp, you can gently slide it off and try and get all the snow off before folding it up.
But regardless, I would suggest you air your tent on a regular basis out on a sunny day to dry off some condensation inside.
this time I took the mattress out as some snow had gotten in. easy job anyway to set up and close up.
I would also suggest you take the mattress out NOT through the main entrance but the other end/window. kinda tricky as it's a huge piece that you have to fold/half roll to get out and with the overhang, It was like a circus act trying to stay on the ladder while pulling the mattress (that wants to unfold itself!) out. lol.
Still enjoying the RTT every time and I'm super quick with set up and take down now!
cheers.
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Awl_TEQ
Supporting Vendor
I had the same issue with wetness under the mattress. I traced it to exhaled breath condensing on the aluminum bars and running down under the mattress. It dried quickly and the next night I opened the windows a bit to let in more air and moisture out overnight. That was summer though and I can imagine the urge to keep the windows closed in the winter. Haven't tried mine in the winter yet.
the RTT that i had, even with all the windows open and just having the screens in place, i would wake up in the morning with a good bit of condensation on the inside of the roof. I always had to open it up completely and let it dry in the morning before folding it up.
- Thread starter
- #91
yeah, the fabric are really good for 4 seasons but just need airing out after use. i usually wipe with a towel before airing out to make it dry quicker but this time, the condensation was frozen inside, lol.
great tents for the buck you pay, whether it's this or the cvt group buy or the other similar designs.
i'm actually looking forward for more snow for hopefully another trip with son and daughter next time!
great tents for the buck you pay, whether it's this or the cvt group buy or the other similar designs.
i'm actually looking forward for more snow for hopefully another trip with son and daughter next time!
- Thread starter
- #92
hey folks. just thought i'd update this with one small mod to see about making it a tad warmer. i know a guy who works at one of those indoor soccer domes and i asked what kind of insulation they used for the winter time. he gave me a small piece of this reflective bubble pad thingy (which i was initially going to use for my jungle hammock). anyway, didm' have much but i had enough to line the bottom of the sleep pad.
and here it is folded up and under the sleep pad.
what's nice is it protects this bend on the pad from condensation which i sometimes get. while driving on long rainy days i've noticed some moisture is getting in from the zipper/seams. not much and never a big issue if you open it up and air it out from time to time. we had a good week or two of rain and when i opened the tent there was just a thing line of condensation along this bend (the rest of the tent/inside was bone dry)
going on my 3rd season/3rd winter of ownership and looking forward to the next winter camping trip. will try and get more of the insulation material or something similar and i'll cut pieces to line the roof and the sides. this should reflect/retain more of the body heat. we've been fine with good sleeping bags too.
another little thing i figured would help with packing it away is tucking the side window awnings inside the tent and running the inside retainer elastic cords through the corner holes.
i also hang the inner flaps by the head and doorway over the top elastic cords, helps them dry faster and they're out of the way when folding. just little things.
lastly, there are some scratches under the base that the ladder rubs up against. so i just covered it with some duct tape, no biggy.
just gotta make sure you lift up on the ladder as you're extending it.
still loving this tent! it's been holding up to all our 4 seasons (hasn't come off the 80 since i put it up there).
i'll post some pics after the next winter camping trip!
and here it is folded up and under the sleep pad.
what's nice is it protects this bend on the pad from condensation which i sometimes get. while driving on long rainy days i've noticed some moisture is getting in from the zipper/seams. not much and never a big issue if you open it up and air it out from time to time. we had a good week or two of rain and when i opened the tent there was just a thing line of condensation along this bend (the rest of the tent/inside was bone dry)
going on my 3rd season/3rd winter of ownership and looking forward to the next winter camping trip. will try and get more of the insulation material or something similar and i'll cut pieces to line the roof and the sides. this should reflect/retain more of the body heat. we've been fine with good sleeping bags too.
another little thing i figured would help with packing it away is tucking the side window awnings inside the tent and running the inside retainer elastic cords through the corner holes.
i also hang the inner flaps by the head and doorway over the top elastic cords, helps them dry faster and they're out of the way when folding. just little things.
lastly, there are some scratches under the base that the ladder rubs up against. so i just covered it with some duct tape, no biggy.
just gotta make sure you lift up on the ladder as you're extending it.
still loving this tent! it's been holding up to all our 4 seasons (hasn't come off the 80 since i put it up there).
i'll post some pics after the next winter camping trip!
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I wonder if this guy with ship to the US?? I'm down here in Washington.
Yes he will.
These look very similar to the Treeline Outdoors RTT's except for the color and a couple of features that Treeline has. Nice looking tent either way though.
How can I get ahold of Andy? I'm heading down to Abbotsford this week and would love to check one of these tents out!!! I see his website says currently out of stock, but maybe I can put my name on a list when they arrive!!
- Thread starter
- #98
hi fellas, sorry for the late response. not quite sure where Andy is at at this moment. still enjoying the tent though!
did a ccccold winter camping trip with junior end of january where we hit close to 20 below CELSIUS! (although i cheated and tried a small plug in heater cuz we had an electrical site, it was nice to have just before going to bed/getting changed and getting up in the morning. it was at a low setting/intermittent at night. also helped with drying out the inside before pack up). not sure if my reflective insulation worked but in theory it was supposed to reflect heat back, lol.
zippers are still holding up. some rust showing on the grommets but the bows and fabric are all still in great/as new shape.
did a ccccold winter camping trip with junior end of january where we hit close to 20 below CELSIUS! (although i cheated and tried a small plug in heater cuz we had an electrical site, it was nice to have just before going to bed/getting changed and getting up in the morning. it was at a low setting/intermittent at night. also helped with drying out the inside before pack up). not sure if my reflective insulation worked but in theory it was supposed to reflect heat back, lol.
zippers are still holding up. some rust showing on the grommets but the bows and fabric are all still in great/as new shape.
- Thread starter
- #99
they all look similar!
http://www.cascadiatents.com
https://hannibalsafari.com.au/index.php?page=roof-top-tents
http://www.gordigear.com
http://tepuitents.com
http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-Series-III-Simpson-Rooftop-Tent-ARB3201-P3658.aspx
http://www.eezi-awn.co.za/eeziawn/legends_out_of_africa.html
(camping labs is outta business)
actually, treeline is the "different" one. http://treelineoutdoors.com/collections/roof-top-tents i like em!!
Thank goodness for you guys! Have been going mad over hours of research in this world of RTT.
Thank you Romey for such a lengthy and detailed review, really helps.
Here's one on a Tepui tent after long-term use I found helpful.
To me, all the tents seem to be the same, dare I say even maybe from the same manufacturer. FrontRunner also makes their own and if you buy a rack and tent combo, they'll shave off $100. Their Tent is $1000 and they boast it being the lowest profile tent (when closed) on the market. I did read somewhere thought that the matress comfort suffered as a result (could be exagerated though).
I say the above with one exception though. Eezi Awn's seems to be the only one with unique fabric/materials approach. i.e. wood base for dent/scratch resistance etc...
This supplier in the states, Equipt has some great videos explaining the details:
http://www.equipt1.com/c/roof-top-tents
This is the specific video of him going through the details of the quality.
They have also recently just released their low-cost model "the JAzz"
I'm wondering if it's just better to pony up the cash now and know that in 2-10 years this will still be solid. Any thoughts/comments?
As for awning, this awning (one notch better than Eeezi-Awn's) seems to be the most hassle free. Emailed them about shipping to N.A (I'm from Vancouver, BC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIorF9kx9GA
Thank you Romey for such a lengthy and detailed review, really helps.
Here's one on a Tepui tent after long-term use I found helpful.
To me, all the tents seem to be the same, dare I say even maybe from the same manufacturer. FrontRunner also makes their own and if you buy a rack and tent combo, they'll shave off $100. Their Tent is $1000 and they boast it being the lowest profile tent (when closed) on the market. I did read somewhere thought that the matress comfort suffered as a result (could be exagerated though).
I say the above with one exception though. Eezi Awn's seems to be the only one with unique fabric/materials approach. i.e. wood base for dent/scratch resistance etc...
This supplier in the states, Equipt has some great videos explaining the details:
http://www.equipt1.com/c/roof-top-tents
This is the specific video of him going through the details of the quality.
They have also recently just released their low-cost model "the JAzz"
I'm wondering if it's just better to pony up the cash now and know that in 2-10 years this will still be solid. Any thoughts/comments?
As for awning, this awning (one notch better than Eeezi-Awn's) seems to be the most hassle free. Emailed them about shipping to N.A (I'm from Vancouver, BC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIorF9kx9GA
