RTT game changers?

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romey

romey

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just when you thought you've seen everything.. (sorry if it's a repost).. yup, another rtf thread, but i've never seen these guys before.

there's this:



combines all the good things about a hard clam shell style and traditional fold out style..

and then there's this:



woah.. (minus the cheesy soundtrack, lol.)

guessing "asian" design and made. i'm digging the first one!

but like everything, boils down to build quality.
 
IMHO there is plenty of space yet available for better designed and constructed RTTs and camp gear. If we leave it up to the Italians (yeah I've got Italian blood in me so settle down :D) we'll be using the same 50-year old designs 50-years from now :D.

Bring on innovation!
 
I know the second one is built in China, not 100% sure about the first one.
But it looks spacious inside.

I know the Autohome Maggiolina AirLander I have is based on a design from 1958 or so, but it has never let me down, it just works flawlessly each time I use it.
 
^ All things ladders and Autohome are a joke. Let's see ... the place Autohome recommends to store the ladder, is in the RTT. But wait: The ladder is needed to get to the ... ladder stored in the RTT. 50+ years of design work and this is the best they can do? Right.

A little self deploying awning would be nice when its sprinkling/raining. Oh wait, its not supposed to rain when using it for camping.

A place for dirty footwear to store on the outside of the RTT. Oh yeah, shoes/boots aren't supposed to get dirty when camping.

Bug screens that velcro into place ... from the inside? WTF is that all about?! Fabric so stiff it rattles in anything more than a slight breeze? Chain drive system without anti-derail mechanism (about a $2 fix) on the sprockets? Yes it happened to my then Maggiolina and it was a RPITA to fix.

I'll agree on the quality of fiberglass though... they did get that right.

So these are just a few of the reasons I think there is plenty of space for innovation and real solutions for real campers.
 
Two Words: Vapor Barrier.
If anyone would incorporate a vapor barrier, I would surely have been in the market for an RTT. Until then, I'll keep my Arctic Oven.
 
I must be lucky then, but not tall.
I am about 5'8" tall, and I just step up on my sliders, and I can pull out the ladder easily.
Same thing when I go to put it away.

Never had a problem with rain coming it when entering or exiting the tent, but I have not had it in a monsoon like condition.
The shoes, I keep them in a bag in the tent with me, I would never trust them outside stored in a hanging bag, or in between the tent and the roof.
About thirty two years ago my X wife and I woke up in our tent trailer one morning, and when we went to put on our shoes, the laces were gone.
Yep, mice came in the tent trailer at night when we were asleep, and kiped our shoe laces.
Maybe they were going mountain climbing, not sure, but ever since then when I would use a ground tent or the roof top tent, the shoes stay with me.

I suppose you could keep the ladder in the rig, there is room in my FJ for it since I deleted my rear seats long ago, but I like it where it is inside of the tent.

That remote control tent above to me takes all the fun out of setting up the tent, and one more thing that could go wrong, and it looks like it adds a lot of weight with these thick support poles.
 
AlaskanWheeler said:
Two Words: Vapor Barrier.
If anyone would incorporate a vapor barrier, I would surely have been in the market for an RTT. Until then, I'll keep my Arctic Oven.
Click to expand...


inquiring minds need to know...
 
Alaska Tent and Tarp builds the Arctic Oven tents, and everyone of them is built around a product called Vapex. If you've ever camped in interior Alaska, the amount of condensate that develops at night is significant. You'll literally wake up in a dripping wet tent, and it's not that your tent is not ventilated or anything. The air typically in the evenings gets very humid and cold. And with that cold air plus warm bodies in a confined space, it only makes the issue worse. The arctic oven is amazing for those that camp and do not use a wood stove to keep dry.
 
I can't imagine the top one withstanding proper winds.
 
I'll stick with my 50 year old design. Hard shells limit the overall floor size and take the whole roof rack. I enjoy the extra ground coverage of my RTT folding over the side.
 
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The vehicle habitat that AT sells now is gonna be interesting to see once it pops up on all sorts of projects. Similar to the Tacoma Habitat, but basically just the top part, so you can stick it on any roof and get a huge RTT or if you are really dedicated to that setup, cut the roof out inside and have standing room and still very large sleeping quarters. Too bad its $$$$$
 
Fj81 said:
The vehicle habitat that AT sells now is gonna be interesting to see once it pops up on all sorts of projects. Similar to the Tacoma Habitat, but basically just the top part, so you can stick it on any roof and get a huge RTT or if you are really dedicated to that setup, cut the roof out inside and have standing room and still very large sleeping quarters. Too bad its $$$$$
Click to expand...

Accessing and getting out of a RTT/poptop with a roof cut in a PIA. I looked at and thought hard about cutting my roof when I went poptop and decided not to after seeing what roof cut guys go through. It does make it a little more user friendly if your sleeping platform can be pushed up to the roof when not needed. Otherwise you are moving sleeping panels all the time. The biggest advantage for roof cuts is bad weather.
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
Slightly off topic - does anyone know where to get the flexible metal rods like used used for the rain fly?
Click to expand...

I can get the ones from Tepui and have some in stock.
 
i think the good materials/fabrics have been around for some time. it just boils down to build cost and who'd buy the tents. vapour barrier is definitely awesome for up in the arctic but that's a niche need, imho. our generic regular RTT's get the job done with ventilation and adequate material (and maybe some drying time after a wet camp). but wouldnt it be nice to have a beefy shell/fly made of gortex?! (or any of the cool tech we see in jackets these days? too pricey off course) or here's an idea, hook up a small stove in the annex section below the tent and have all that nice warm air rise up into the sleeping area and drying things up?! (properly vented off course) hmm...maybe swap the surrounding material with flame retardant canvas or something (too heavy tho).

anyway, lots of good enough products out there now, just depends on everyone's budgets/needs. just cool to see new ideas pop up from time to time. :)
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
Accessing and getting out of a RTT/poptop with a roof cut in a PIA. I looked at and thought hard about cutting my roof when I went poptop and decided not to after seeing what roof cut guys go through. It does make it a little more user friendly if your sleeping platform can be pushed up to the roof when not needed. Otherwise you are moving sleeping panels all the time. The biggest advantage for roof cuts is bad weather.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I hear you about that. Unless its a full standup roof with a flip up bed I bet its a pain, like the ecamper or ursa minor. I like the campteq you got on yours. Too bad they stopped making those.
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
Slightly off topic - does anyone know where to get the flexible metal rods like used used for the rain fly?
Click to expand...
I'm assuming any sturdy enough flexible tent pole could be used. If so, then as replacement parts for a tent that uses the size and flexibility you want. You can always trim a longer one to be shorter.
 
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