Roof Top Tent Choices

[Loaferoatan]

Howdy.
Looking at Roof Top Tents for my 100 and two brands have my attention. Quick Pitch and IKamper. I like the streamlined look and size of the IKamper, but I like that the Quick Pitch is in an aluminum case, can be used as a roof rack as well, and has a pretty good awning option. Anyone have any experience with either? Any other brands worth considering?
Thanks

 

[Exiled]

I went through this decision process last year and settled on a Terrapod RTTx. Thrilled with the decision, it's strong, light, super high quality and Made in the USA. Had to wait a while for it (#covid....so tired), but it was well worth it. Recently did a 6 day trip (TX, NM, CO + UT) with it and came back even happier with the decision!

 

[cruiserpilot]

I've had mine for 6-8 yrs. Thousands of miles of harsh gravel roads. They all arent for everyone, but with bedding
options improving comfort is rising. No effect on mileage on hwy trip. Not an issue off road - I didn't say you won't
notice it's there but not a factor aside from low overhanging trees etc. These are time tested, one of the very first
roof tents made and still of the highest quality. Pic is with optional winter cover, deflects wind and keeps snow off.
New models have some positive improvements regarding window sizes and bug screen quality.

AUTOHOME® Rooftop Tents

HAND BUILT IN ITALY SINCE 1958, THE FIRST ROOFTOP TENTS IN THE WORLD, DESIGNED, PATENTED. An original Italian invention the Autohome roof tent has been the companion of adventurers, explorers and travelers around the world for more than 65 years.

www.autohomeus.com

 

[Hojack]

I wanted a quick setup and loved the hard shell tents. I went with CVT because they are located here in Oregon and had a Black Friday deal in 2019. I scored my Mt. Baker RTT for $1200 bucks and couldn’t be happier. It made an awesome cruiser into the ultimate adventure cruiser.

Plus my wife digs it

 

[coleAK]

I have an iKamper. Really like it, sturdy, warm, waterproof, and an essential here in AK it is dark inside. I have the skycamp mini on yakama round bars on my 200. Usually I’m of the school bigger is better but with RTT’s I like the smallest I can get away with. The mini is a 2 person tent but me and both my Teens can sleep in it just fine. We use it on our fall hunting trip up the Dalton to the Brooks range here in AK. This year we had 4 days of rain, up to 50 mph winds and temps in the 30’s. The tent did great.

 

[NyNomad]

...

 

[NyNomad]

it took me over 8months to decide on my RTT. My best advise is to get a pad and pencil, write down ALL of your camping desires, opening and closing time, inside storage, head room, AIR FLOW(air circulation), roof rack foot print closed, how much space needed when open, closed height.... several more things to consider... then start looking at the different style tents. There's pretty much 4 basic layouts. then start narrowing down your desires, tent features and what your are willing to comprise giving up for other features.

Me, I would LOVE to get a James Baroud Evasion... BUT I ultimately decided on a hard shell wedge style RoofNest Falcon. Why:
-Aluminum is strong and will take more of a beating
-Aluminum will handle high heat and high UV index so no cracking plastic or resin
-Low profile for added aerodynamics and easier to get under obstacles and garages
-Narrow, 50in wide tent fit my 50in wide roof rack with zero overhang
-Side channels to mount accessories like awnings
-Wedge style is compact so i don't have to favor one side by parking more strategically because the tent unfolds over the passenger or driver side
-Flat top means I can store extra gear up top if needed and also comes with roof rack load bars for canoes, kayaks, bikes, recovery ramps, and other accessories you can put on roof rack load bars
-Nearly 60inches of head room so I can almost stand up to put cloths/pants on and easier kneel straight up with out hunching over to pee in a bottle
-Only 2 rain fly poles


Features I gave up...
-AIR FLOW/ Circulation (James Baroud I think Offers the Most Air Flow compared to the competition)
-Window / Entry design (in association with Airflow)
-Interior square footage
-No poles (James Baroud)
-Being able to store more bedding inside (i swapped out mattresses, i can leave a small sleeping bag or a not thick blanket inside, and 2 pillows inside, still closes kinda tight)
- Nearly 360deg views
- Weight.. the Wedge is about 150lbs
- Interior storage pockets
-Integrated Awning system that works with the tent (James Baroud)


Oh, almost forgot one BIG advantage to my set up that was a driving force on deciding on the RoofNest Falcon, Say I pull into camp and its pouring rain out, or i wake up to leave camp and it's pouring rain out. I can be Sleep ready and Bug out ready in about 1m15sec. No need to open up doors while rain is soaking the interior of my vehicle while i'm running around climbing up tucking in tent walls in ensuring everything is secure before completely securing the RTT. Even worse with a soft cover RTT with velcro or a zipper. If you have to climb on the roof in the rain that adds more risk.

 

[Hojack]

Does anybody spray and waterproofing on their tent fabric? and if so then what product?

 

[ricyoung]

@NyNomad has great advice - "to get a pad and pencil, write down ALL of your camping desires,"

A lot of my friends have RTT - and we all have slightly different tents because we all go camping differently. I love my rooftop tent - I have had both a hard shell and a soft shell and I use my CVT 2x a month - for the last year.

Hard Shell and Soft Shell are MUCH different - more than a lot of people talk about.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Some of my thoughts on RTTs:

- Ground tent vs. RTT: a full-circle evolution of lessons learned. – Overland Tested - https://overlandtested.com/gear/ground-tent-vs-rtt
- James Baroud Tent Review - Problems – Overland Tested - https://overlandtested.com/gear/james-baroud-tent-problems
- Free Spirit Recreation (FSR) M60 Adventure Series Tent Review – Overland Tested - https://overlandtested.com/gear/fsr-m60-tent

I've also had an AluCab Gen3, and while it was of excellent quality all around, I found the narrow width to be impossibly tight for two adults.

Best bang for the buck are the Free Spirit Recreation tents. Especially if you can find an M60 (60" wide), like the one I (regretfully) sold. For hard shells I would only consider the Autohome fibreglass tents.

No personal experience with it, but the Terrapod mentioned above does seem to be very, very slick. Not without its compromises, but if it fits your needs, it'll likely be an excellent option.

 

[Otter]

I've had my Alucab Gen 3 for over two years. It's great solo. Even with my wife and I, it's still great. Add in our 5 year old, and we're good when we can convince him to sleep with his head at the bottom. We just finished up two weeks in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons, and we were happy. We figure another year with all 3 of us in the Alucab, then we'll have to come up with another solution. I'm not going to give up the Alucab though.

 

[JohnnyOshow22]

Like @NyNomad I too took many many months to decide which tent to go with and almost ended up with a falcon too but instead went with the CVT MT Hood double channel 56" wide version. It's essentially the same tent as the falcon with a few main differences that made it worthwhile to me over the falcon, GFC (which is literally across the street from where I work), or any of the other ultra slim clamshells out there. It's still very slim at 8" thick, but being 8" allows you to actually leave stuff up there, mattress, pillows, sleeping bags, and ladder all store up there. It also has better latches than the Falcon. I know some of the 6" tents out there are really difficult to leave anything inside.

I don't want to ramble too much but here is a thread with more depth into the MT Hood

CVT Mt Hood RTT

Going to post this up since I haven't seen anyone talk about the double channel here on mud or really any other place online. Here is the Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 56" double channel roof top tent on my 97 LX450. https://cascadiatents.com/mt-hood.html I wouldn't call this a review...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[I<3CRUISERS]

Waited patiently for months for the GFC V2. I can't compare as I never had others but it's nothing like sleeping on the ground. Was sold on the fact they are using automation instead of outsourcing to China. Can't leave much inside before closing. Maybe a stray thong
Build quality is good and would make the same choice again.

 

[TGM Overland]

I just stumbled across this. That photo of the Quick Pitch Tent is one I took on one of my first trips with that tent. It was one of four in the country at the time.

 

[87warrior]

Does anybody spray and waterproofing on their tent fabric? and if so then what product?

I know this question was posted a couple of years ago, but I do spray my softshell ARB Simpson canvas with Nikwax spray waterproofing. I bought the tent used 7 years ago and the original owner did not have the rainfly. Instead he treated the canvas and gave me the remaining spray bottle of Nikwax spray. Even though I replaced the rainfly I still spray the canvas every spring with Nikwax. The tent is now around 15 years old and does not leak.

Amazon product ASIN B0019GLADA