Hard Shell Roof Top Tent vs Camping Trailer question

[Ali M]

This question may have been asked before but thought after 2018 Overland Expo, it is probably worth revisiting the pros/cons.

Been looking at these hard shell roof top tents made by SkyCamp and James Baroud and they are very similar in size, weight and ergonomic design. I am looking for Mudders to share thier wisdom/opinion here to help the newbie in me who is looking to utilize my LC to take the kids out camping more often.

- The #1 criteria is the tent has to be easy to set up and close in minutes
- Big enough for 4 people (2 adults and two kids)
- Easy to de-attach from the vehicle for non-camping driving days
- Doesn't add more insult to the already horrible LC gas mileage
- Low cost of ownership
- Works with backcountry driving conditions/trails

I am also considering a trailer option because you can put all your camping gear in one place and is like towing your mini-home with you around but I am also concerned about its ability to ride on rough terrain, cost, weight and fuel economy

I saw this video review of camper trailers in 2018 overland expo and really like the Hiker Trailer models shown for their affordable prices starting @ $4-6K

As you can see, so many options to choose from and would love to hear your opinion on both fronts (roof tent and camper trailer).

the big question is Camping trailer or Hard Shell roof top tent?

Thanks!

 

[TeCKis300]

You've got a tough set of requirements there. I don't think one solution will meet all your needs really. The fact that you need to support 4 people puts you into a clamshell style RTT, as the hardshells only sleep 2.

I previously had a the large clamshell CVT RTT on my LX470. With the skirt, they're not really that easy to setup and take down. Not to mention it's a bear to install/uninstall it to the SUV because it's huge, bulky, and need to get it way up on the roof. I sold mine after a few trips. Mounting anything this large on the roof is going to let you know it in handling and lost aero.

For 4, if you can store a teardrop and manage the costs, it would be my preferred way. It'll also let you carry more provisions. The best thing about a trailer is that you can set it up, and go on an excursion without tearing down. If you get a reasonable cost one and you're done with it in some years, it would be rather easy to sell without too much loss.

 

[Ali M]

You've got a tough set of requirements there. I don't think one solution will meet all your needs really. The fact that you need to support 4 people puts you into a clamshell style RTT, as the hardshells only sleep 2.

I previously had a the large clamshell CVT RTT on my LX470. With the skirt, they're not really that easy to setup and take down. Not to mention it's a bear to install/uninstall it to the SUV because it's huge, bulky, and need to get it way up on the roof. I sold mine after a few trips. Mounting anything this large on the roof is going to let you know it in handling and lost aero.

For 4, if you can store a teardrop and manage the costs, it would be my preferred way. It'll also let you carry more provisions. The best thing about a trailer is that you can set it up, and go on an excursion without tearing down. If you get a reasonable cost one and you're done with it in some years, it would be rather easy to sell without too much loss.

Thanks for the insight. I was afraid you were going to say the trailer makes more sense

 

[TeCKis300]

For 4, with those requirements, I just can't really see it any other way. Other than traditional ground tents.

If your family can manage to travel light (which my family can't manage, especially with all the gear for two youngins), you can do a hardshell up top for 2, and 2 in the vehicle. Perhaps with something like this - https://www.amazon.com/Napier-Sportz-Cove-61500-Minivan/dp/B01NAXR49N

Heck, I might just give this a try for father daughter camping when it's just 2 people for a weekend.

http://www.theadventureportal.com/napier-sportz-cove-vehicle-tent/#prettyPhoto

 

[Ali M]

For 4, with those requirements, I just can't really see it any other way. Other than traditional ground tents.

If your family can manage to travel light (which my family can't manage, especially with all the gear for two youngins), you can do a hardshell up top for 2, and 2 in the vehicle. Perhaps with something like this - https://www.amazon.com/Napier-Sportz-Cove-61500-Minivan/dp/B01NAXR49N

Heck, I might just give this a try for father daughter camping when it's just 2 people for a weekend.

Napier Sportz Cove Vehicle Tent -

That’s clever. Let me if it passes your sanity check.

 

[Ali M]

For 4, with those requirements, I just can't really see it any other way. Other than traditional ground tents.

If your family can manage to travel light (which my family can't manage, especially with all the gear for two youngins), you can do a hardshell up top for 2, and 2 in the vehicle. Perhaps with something like this - https://www.amazon.com/Napier-Sportz-Cove-61500-Minivan/dp/B01NAXR49N

Heck, I might just give this a try for father daughter camping when it's just 2 people for a weekend.

Napier Sportz Cove Vehicle Tent -

That’s clever. Let me know if it passes your sanity check.

 

[TonyP]

Take glamping to the next level

Hitch Hotel | The Expandable Wheel-less Trailer

 

[mcgaskins]

This question may have been asked before but thought after 2018 Overland Expo, it is probably worth revisiting the pros/cons.

Been looking at these hard shell roof top tents made by SkyCamp and James Baroud and they are very similar in size, weight and ergonomic design. I am looking for Mudders to share thier wisdom/opinion here to help the newbie in me who is looking to utilize my LC to take the kids out camping more often.

- The #1 criteria is the tent has to be easy to set up and close in minutes
- Big enough for 4 people (2 adults and two kids)
- Easy to de-attach from the vehicle for non-camping driving days
- Doesn't add more insult to the already horrible LC gas mileage
- Low cost of ownership
- Works with backcountry driving conditions/trails

I am also considering a trailer option because you can put all your camping gear in one place and is like towing your mini-home with you around but I am also concerned about its ability to ride on rough terrain, cost, weight and fuel economy

I saw this video review of camper trailers in 2018 overland expo and really like the Hiker Trailer models shown for their affordable prices starting @ $4-6K

As you can see, so many options to choose from and would love to hear your opinion on both fronts (roof tent and camper trailer).

the big question is Camping trailer or Hard Shell roof top tent?

Thanks!

I hope you have a lot of flexibility in your list because you simply can’t satisfy all those conditions. I’m not saying it’s difficult, it’s just not possible. There is no easy to deploy, remove, and use hard shell RTT that will sleep 4 people, and it sure as heck wouldn’t be cheap if it existed. A trailer or RTT will absolutely negatively affect gas mileage, and even a slick trailer setup will take more than a couple of minutes to set up. No offense intended, but your list isn’t realistic at all and you’re setting yourself up for disappointment with those criteria. I think a nice large and easy to set up ground tent makes 1,000% more sense and does meet your criteria and costs a LOT less than a RTT or trailer. Check out the Oztents and similar designs - still not cheap but you will get much closer to what you’re aiming for.

 

[silverfstop]

As others have said, getting 4 pax up top isn't easy.

My 2¢:

• Throw out concerns about MPG. It's going to suck no matter what. Wind noise (from the roof) and dramatically changing your COG are bigger concerns, IMHO.
• Trailers (in many states) restrict your cruising speed on highways and can be a real pain in the ass around town. Yes, you can leave them somewhere, but then you have to worry about theft, and you are of course required to go get it before leaving town (thus restricting your ability to explore, unfettered).

An idea: Use a regular ground tent and 1-2 roof boxes (Thule, etc) for storage. They're somewhat aerodynamic, well priced and have decent resale. This would yield the fewest restrictions in terms of the trailer issues I mentioned, and you'd end up with a much larger tent. Yes, less storage than a trailer... but life is about compromises, I suppose.

 

[fireball]

Where are you located?

How old are your family members?

What kind of camping and trips do you go on?

If you share that information I think you'll get a lot better responses. The answer to what setup is best depends wholly upon the type of travel you like to do. Our trailer with pop up camper works absolutely awesome for my family and the type of trips we take. But for others it would be terrible...

 

[tbisaacs]

@Ali M we camp with an "instant cabin" - setup is very similar to the OZ Tent. You throw it on the ground, unfold the corners and done in 30 seconds. It sleeps 4 people + dog. For the kinds of trips we do, RTT has more downsides than benefits.

 

[Mogwai]

My 2 cents falls somewhere in the middle of what's been said. It's a near impossible feat and each solution has it's pros and cons. I often travel as a family of 4 (kids are 9 and 6). We can fit snuggly entirely in the truck, with only the rescue tracks on the roof rack. I like to travel fast, this allows for 80mph highway speeds no problem and the truck retains it good manners and crappy mpg. That said... trips where we are a day or two there and them move, get tiring. I don't think an RTT is the solution though. Current setup is a ground tent (you can get ones that pitch as fast, if not faster than RTT) and the kids sleep in the truck. I have also thought long and hard about trailers so we could leave all our stuff in it which would make packing a non-issue. But then there's traveling at 55 - 65mph and the even worse gas.

For now, I'll most likely upgrade our tent to something like an Oz-Tent or Shiftpod, throw it on the roofrack and that will give us even more space in the cab. A trailer would be good for week long excursions but the reality is I only take those when it's me and a buddy or two, the wife just isn't interested in being out that length of time. And if just me and the boys we can def do without either a RTT or trailer.

 

[TXSunDevil]

I travel with 4. I end up using two ground tents. It saves on MPG and it is much easier to drive without towing a trailer. There is no way I would want the 4 of us in one tight tent on top of the cruiser. Packing gear for 4 in a cruiser is tough but I am able to be completely self contained by utilizing a Thule box and strapping items to the roof rack. We can pack all our gear for many days of boon docking. The downside is it takes a bit to set and break camp. I wish there was an easy answer as I would be right behind you making the purchase.

 

[codyaustin5]

I just went through all of this and purchased a Yakima rooftop tent from REI. Was super excited but quickly realized it was not practical for our family of 4. The size of the tent was fine. My girls are 5 and 7. What I didn’t think about was once camp was all set up we were stuck. Otherwise you had to bring sleeping bags and everything in tent out and fold tent back up. Pain to do. After our first camping trip I returned the tent back to REI. Love the concept but didn’t fit our lifestyle as I want to set up camp and then go explore.

A couple weeks ago we rented a pop up camper and that was awesome. Easy to tow and had plenty of space to spread out. Also just unhook camper, set up and a way you go on adventures.

 

[TomasAllan]

Or you can get one of these, sleeps my family of four perfectly and comfortably.

Is the "TerraPod One", relatively small, lightweight (1200 lbs or around that), super strong monocoque fiberglass construction, sleeps two full adults (I am 6'5") comfortably inside the cabin and the roof rack that allows you to add an RTT of choice which in our case is the Columbia Variant.

 

[linuxgod]

IMO RTTs are good for overlanding where you just camp for the night. Easy setup and you don't have to worry about rough ground. If you're planning to spend >1 night in a spot, then ground tents or trailers make more sense. Otherwise you need to break camp and break down your RTT to go anywhere, which seems like a hassle.

We have a travel trailer, which is great for exploring but isn't good offroad. We tend to pitch camp and then explore during the day, coming back to the trailer at night. If I wanted to do a multi-day trip like White Rim Road or The Maze I would look at ground tents since there are 5 of us, but if it was just 2 of us I'd strongly look at an RTT for that situation. If I was trying to do that regularly with 5 of us I'd look at a turtleback.

Note that if you get a trailer and are willing to put down somewhere for a few days while you explore, you can always bring a ground tent and some gear if you want to do a short overnight trail. If we do White Rim in the future that's probably what we'd do - camp in Moab in the trailer and then take 1-2 days and do White Rim with ground tents, and use the trailer as our resupply base.

 

[coleAK]

RTTs are trendy and sort of the newest thing now that more mainstream retailers/manufacturers are pushing them. However they are more of a PITA unless you really need to be elevated off the ground. I agree that any option is going to lower MPG. Before we had kids we ran 2 bike racks and 2 yakama roof boxes up top on really wide bars and a ground tent. After kids now it’s a full sized Travel trailer but we tend to go farther for longer periods and more remote.

I think your going to have to compromise on your criteria and based on the info so for (as already mentioned) traditional ground tents is your best option followed by trailer set up and the RTT is the least practical.