LX570 Tent question
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Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
Yep, everything is possible.
From your question, it sounds like you are just getting started in this overland/off-road world, which is great and also welcome to the forum.
Here my old set for an idea.
That all said, I would recommend you Not getting a roof top tent. RTTs defiantly have their place, and are great for 2, sometimes 3 people. But when you try to stuff a family of 4 in one, the tent becomes so large and heavy that setup and tear down is just as slow as a ground tent.
For cost, you will need a good solid aluminum rack from companies like Front Runner or Eezi-awn to name just a couple. Thay will be around $1200 and add 80 lbs. Then a tent that is at least 72” wide to handle 4 people (two adults and two kids) will be $2200+ and add a minimum of 210 lbs more. With brackets and bedding you're looking at 330 lbs minimum and at least $3500 (no bedding). It will also add 15” of height for the tent and around 3-4” for the rack with brackets to hold the RTT. So thing a foot and a half.
But again, the real issue is getting the extending annex, along with the rediculous amount of fabric a 72” wide or large RTT stowed, and the fact that it’s a 200 series, so it already super high up. I’m 6’6” with a 82” wingspan. Standing on BudBuilt sliders with a kick out and the rear tire, I could barely reach around tent to zip on the cover. Al while in the sun (because you can’t hide your RTT in the shady as easily as you can a ground tent).
Soft RTTs also don’t really hold that much bedding, it is definitely not what people think, you still have to make your bedding really well every morning and take some of the pillows and heavier blankets out to get the thing packed away. I feel that the whole “I can set and break down thing so fast” with soft RTTs is a big lie. It’s not, it’s just as slow and tiresome as a really good ground tent setup.
Sorry to through that all out there. I spend almost all my time outside and camping, so I’ve got decades of time with these things. It’s left me a little opinionated on efficiency of make camp.
RTTs are great for the two people, pushing hard and exploring. It like anything, when too many items get added to things, it looses what it originally was, and fails to provide what it was originally intended to do.
If you do want to go that route, I would highly recommend CVT (standard, don’t do ruggedized versions as they significantly take away from how much bedding you can keep in there) and Eezi-Awn (but those are $4k tents). Stay away from Tepui. Tepui lies and says their tents are 12” tall instead of 15”. No they are 15”, they just don’t include the height of the ladder. They also don’t give additional rain cover material to go over the laser, which makes packing away a Tepui absolutely frustrating because the rain cover has to also fight to zip over the huge bulge of the ladder.
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I have 5 + K9. Run two in the Alu-Cab on the truck, and three in the CVT on the trailer. Although, I'm going to try out an Oztent RV4 this season to see how I like it. I need to reclaim the rack for gear.
I have had a few RTT's from Hannibal, EZ-Awn and most recently Tepui. I absolutely love sleeping in them and being elevated, brings back childhood tree house memories. If you are the type to base camp somewhere for multiple days and not move the vehicle they are great. For the majority of my outings there is some wheeling involved which means packing up camp every morning, generally being the guy holding up the show for everyone wanting to hit the trail, and then redeploying camp each night. I have switch to a heavy Springbar Canvas ground tent and it's great... but I miss my RTT's despite the pain in the ass.
All you need for the tent is a solid roof rack (Not the factory rack rails) and there are a ton of great options out there depending on your preference. Really anything that offers a flat stable surface can be made to work.
iKamper has caught my eye as a potential option that fits the bill for sleeping 4 (2 Adults, 2 Small Kids) and offers significantly reduced deployment time... haven't seen one in person to judge build quality or really heard any first hand feedback at all but it's an interesting design approach.
All you need for the tent is a solid roof rack (Not the factory rack rails) and there are a ton of great options out there depending on your preference. Really anything that offers a flat stable surface can be made to work.
iKamper has caught my eye as a potential option that fits the bill for sleeping 4 (2 Adults, 2 Small Kids) and offers significantly reduced deployment time... haven't seen one in person to judge build quality or really heard any first hand feedback at all but it's an interesting design approach.
Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
It’s only got a 1” mattress and very... very thin fiberglass shell. I talked with a guy who had it for a couple months at the last expo east. He hated it, and I saw it for sale on expedition portal a month later.
- Thread starter
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Thanks for all the feedback guys. I guess the starting point is a roof rack. What are the recommendations of something I can get to Canada the could facilitate at least a 2 person setup down the road but still be able to have skis and what ever else attached to it as well?
The problem with most racks is their size; most RTT's have a footprint that doesn't leave much (if any) room for rack storage. I ended up making my own 96" which gave me 20" behind the tent (shown somewhere in build thread).
While expensive, the Alu-Cab tent has rails to support storage on top.
Good to know! That's a shame, it seems like a cool design, but that menas nothing if the execution falls flat.
Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
Oh I know right, I was researching that tent and thinking, “man... this is it, this is finally a way to have a fast 4 person RTT” then after seeing it in person and that guy showing me the finer details, I was just sad again.
If anything, I just wish I could actually fit enough stuff in a RTT that has a mattress and anti-condensation mat to stay warm in the 30°F that I always seem to be sleeping in.
Maybe one day. But if I ever buy another RTT, it will be a hard shell aluminum because it will be just the wife and I. But by the time it’s just the wife and me, I plan on having a Bruder like trailer, or my own version of an Earthroamer.
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I have a CVT mount shasta tent. Its a 2+ person tent, hard shell and very long as its non folding (6 feet length). What kind of crossbar do I need to mount it on the stock rails? Or do I absolutely need a roof rack?
I had a larger Rainier on my 100-series LX with stock cross bars.
An aftermarket rack is not an absolute requirement. What I would do however is add more stock crossbars to the stock rack. 3 would be good, 4 might be great. The stock crossbars, at least with 2, can be a bit flexy with the tent moving around a bit more on say the freeway. Flexy shouldn't be confused with weak however as there's likely durability advantages with flex. The main bars that run the length of the vehicle are burly castings and extrusions possibly also stronger than some aftermarket racks.
You can probably find extra OEM bars on these forums or Ebay rather easily. LC and 100-series bars are also compatible but may require cutting a bit of width which is safe and easy to do with basic tools.
I'm not sure if you have an LC or LX, but the stock LX rack is shorter than the LC rack length wise. I really enjoy the LC rack fitment to my LX as it offers more span and stability for larger things, plus an additional 3rd middle support.
An aftermarket rack is not an absolute requirement. What I would do however is add more stock crossbars to the stock rack. 3 would be good, 4 might be great. The stock crossbars, at least with 2, can be a bit flexy with the tent moving around a bit more on say the freeway. Flexy shouldn't be confused with weak however as there's likely durability advantages with flex. The main bars that run the length of the vehicle are burly castings and extrusions possibly also stronger than some aftermarket racks.
You can probably find extra OEM bars on these forums or Ebay rather easily. LC and 100-series bars are also compatible but may require cutting a bit of width which is safe and easy to do with basic tools.
I'm not sure if you have an LC or LX, but the stock LX rack is shorter than the LC rack length wise. I really enjoy the LC rack fitment to my LX as it offers more span and stability for larger things, plus an additional 3rd middle support.
For the life of me, I cannot figure out why anyone would ever have a RTT. I mean, they are very expensive and heavy. I imagine they decrease gas mileage and increase noise. They take longer to set up than a ground tent. Your truck has to be level. They are difficult to take on and off, and where do you store the thing? I would still need ground tents for rafting/backpacking/ext. You can’t fit your truck into a garage, or get under branches off-roading or put cargo items or sports equipment on your roof. You have to sleep at your car instead of by the river or out of weather or some other nice place. Your very exposed to the elements on a roof of a car. Your dog and/or kids can’t access it. Mostly my grip with them is that I tend to get pretty drunk when camping and I don’t want to climb on and off my roof at night and I also have to pee to much to be up there. And, in my opinion, they look extremely stupid.
I camp 30-45 nights a year in Colorado/Utah/Alaska/ext and I sleep outside without a tent 75% of the time. My wife and I slept outside without a tent 18 nights in a row last year. Otherwise I sleep in my trunk (I have drawers to make a sleep spot) or I set up a tent that cost a couple hundred dollars and takes 3 minutes to set up. I prefer to spend the money on camping or truck accessories that are universally useful.
I camp 30-45 nights a year in Colorado/Utah/Alaska/ext and I sleep outside without a tent 75% of the time. My wife and I slept outside without a tent 18 nights in a row last year. Otherwise I sleep in my trunk (I have drawers to make a sleep spot) or I set up a tent that cost a couple hundred dollars and takes 3 minutes to set up. I prefer to spend the money on camping or truck accessories that are universally useful.
I have to agree with @Taco2Cruiser. Don't try to load up the roof too much. There are a lot of opinions on this topic, but I would listen to the guys who are out there doing this all the time or have already been through the rigors of figuring out the correct balance. I'm currently in the process of moving from ground tent to RTT, but only because I finally found a setup that makes sense.
Ideal RTT setup
No roof rack - Use Rhino-Rack Backbone, factory rails, or other lightweight rail system to save weight, improve aero, and lower CG.
Hard shell/Clam Shell - Mush easier to put up/down and more durable, however these tend to reduce overall space. iKamper could be an argument here.
Lightweight - Factory load ratings don't change because you have a different mounting system. Try to stay in spec for safety.
While it's not available yet, I've ordered a terrapod RTTx because I think it's one of the first RTTs to meet these requirements. Super light, compact, and mounted directly to a RR backbone you have a total package height of only 7". That's pretty amazing to me. Not to mention the total dry weight of this setup is only about 150 lbs. (Tent and rails).
In your case, you might want to look at the gazelle ground tents if you want to sleep 3-4 people and still want rapid deployment.
Honorable Mentions: Also look at Go Fast Campers, and Alu-cab
Ideal RTT setup
No roof rack - Use Rhino-Rack Backbone, factory rails, or other lightweight rail system to save weight, improve aero, and lower CG.
Hard shell/Clam Shell - Mush easier to put up/down and more durable, however these tend to reduce overall space. iKamper could be an argument here.
Lightweight - Factory load ratings don't change because you have a different mounting system. Try to stay in spec for safety.
While it's not available yet, I've ordered a terrapod RTTx because I think it's one of the first RTTs to meet these requirements. Super light, compact, and mounted directly to a RR backbone you have a total package height of only 7". That's pretty amazing to me. Not to mention the total dry weight of this setup is only about 150 lbs. (Tent and rails).
In your case, you might want to look at the gazelle ground tents if you want to sleep 3-4 people and still want rapid deployment.
Honorable Mentions: Also look at Go Fast Campers, and Alu-cab
Thanks, We are thinking of getting the LX and transferring the tent from our GX to the new vehicle (LX 570). Just wondering if the shorter length is an issue. I can definitely get after market reinforced crossbars too
I had a RTT on my old truck and it was OK. I still had the back bed area for storage. LC's do not have a ton of storage space unless you remove the third and second row. You will loose all that area on the roof. (4 people) As others have said it really will make it top heavy as well. My buddy has one and he likes it but he's a single guy so he packs light and his RTT is also small. Also he only installs it when he's going to use it. He has a pulley system in his garage that he drives under and takes it off for storage.
I have the ARB awning and tent. Will sleep 4 no problem. We abuse the extra space with a queen sized cot with air mattress and memory foam topper, real sheets, feather tick, real pillows. Two chairs and a table. We fit 6 people in there one time on sleeping pads and sleeping bags and it wasn't bad. It holds up very good in bad weather except you really need to stake it down proper in winds over 40mph. Takes about 10min to set it all up once you get used to it. About 15min to pack it. You have to fold the tent perfect or it will never fit back in the bag. It also makes a great place to hang out with a small group in bad weather or if it's skeeter season. The awning is fantastic on its own. It is more versatile than a RTT and the cost is less as well.
If your sleeping in areas where there is a serious concern for critters or non friendly wildlife RTT is the way to go.
I have the ARB awning and tent. Will sleep 4 no problem. We abuse the extra space with a queen sized cot with air mattress and memory foam topper, real sheets, feather tick, real pillows. Two chairs and a table. We fit 6 people in there one time on sleeping pads and sleeping bags and it wasn't bad. It holds up very good in bad weather except you really need to stake it down proper in winds over 40mph. Takes about 10min to set it all up once you get used to it. About 15min to pack it. You have to fold the tent perfect or it will never fit back in the bag. It also makes a great place to hang out with a small group in bad weather or if it's skeeter season. The awning is fantastic on its own. It is more versatile than a RTT and the cost is less as well.
If your sleeping in areas where there is a serious concern for critters or non friendly wildlife RTT is the way to go.
The LX rack may very well be shorter than ideal. That may come down to how large the Shasta is too.
I don't particularly like aftermarket cross bars on the stock rails as I think most of them wind up increasing the platform height?
I disagree with most of what you said. I have had rtt’s for over 4 years and have never felt comfortable sleeping on the ground (maybe I haven’t purchased the right equipment?).
I will say to combat some of your remarks:
- They’re expensive, unjustly expensive if you ask me. The only reason they cost so much is because their popularity as grown over the last 5 years creating a demand. That’s why so many companies are now making them.
- They do decrease gas mileage and some may increase noise, but if you’re using your stock/aftermarket rack to carry anything you’ll see a decrease in mpg’s and possible wind noise (I’ve never experienced wind noise from either of the two rtt’s I’ve owned). Also the 200 is not a gas friendly vehicle as it is anyhow.
- I can set my rtt up in much less than three minutes. But that’s just the wedge design, not all rtt’s are that quick. Unlatch the two latches and push up and it’s done. Ohh and attach the ladder to the side.
- Not the most fun thing to take on and off my rack, that’s why I’ve left this one on since I bought it and don’t plan to ever remove it unless I am selling it or some other unforeseeable event. Storing it is actually pretty simple (if you have a garage). I just purchased a bicycle hoist and installed it in my ceiling, a few pulleys and some line. Lifts straight up and off the rack (after unbolting it) and done, it can live above my LX for as long as I want. I used this on my previous rtt a lot as I would remove my camper off my Tacoma so I had a functional bed.
- My garage door is 8’ which correct me if I’m wrong is pretty standard, I can back my LX in in high and still clear the door by more than 6”. I know not everyone necessarily has garages and I know some garage doors are less than 8’.
- My LX isn’t babied, I drive it through whatever trail I come across, tree branches sticking into trails rarely stop me. I’ve never once worried about low hanging trees dragging along the sides or over the roof of the rtt. It gets scratched (but so is the vehicle it’s sitting on) and I slightly dented the roof in one spot but still sealed.
-You can be limited to where you setup camp but you learn to find the best remote spots where you can take vehicles.
- My rtt (roofnest falcon) and other models can be equipped with additional load bars on top where you can store kayaks, traction boards, gas cans, bikes, etc...
- I’ve slept through snow, rain, thunder & lightning (the ladder probably not my brightest idea) in an rtt felt comfortable and never had an issue with it wanting to close or collapse.
- We bring our family, two dogs and a cat (yup we bring our cat with us) everywhere we go with us, the cat sleeps in the tent with us, the dogs used to in our old tent but that one had more interior space. I use to just carry the dogs one at a time up the ladder and they spent the whole night up there. However young kids would probably need to be carried as well.
- The drunk part can suck, I’ve woken up many a night having to pee and yes climbing down the ladder is the last thing you want to do.
I love my rtt, they’re definitely not universally the same across the board though. I know which ones I’d buy and which ones I wouldn’t. Have you ever tried one?
