ARCHIVE Tired of all the "same", big honking RTT's. So I made a new one. - Terrapod!

[JJBiggs]

Ladies & Gentlemen, I present the last prototype RTTx 003 in photos...

Details to note:

- This unit is considered a finish-level prototype.
- Please note - Some aspects of the tent will be different on the production versions.
- Colors and fabrics are subject to change.

 

[mjosoba]

That is a thing of beauty! Well done.

 

[JJBiggs]

RTTx 003 has left the building.

 

[Rudster]

Been following the thread and that is a thing of beauty..nice work!!!

 

[BMThiker]

I know that cracker.

 

[JJBiggs]

The RTTx: Why 'another' Roof Top Tent?

Let's chat about this. The roof tent market we know of is saturated with products. Tents everywhere. There are hard shell, soft shell, hybrids, mechanized, some that sleep 2, some that sleep 4-5 and so on.

So...why do this?

Not a single tent on the market today has taken into account the very basics of vehicular mounted items.

Those are:
- Aerodynamics
- Weight
- Profile / closed height


From the very beginning of this idea - these three important design factors have been the core of this project.

Let's talk about each.


Aero - Save a very few hard shell tents out there, virtually all have very little to no built-in or designed-in aerodynamics. All are essentially bricks with flat faces with many hard corners, etc. This directly impacts the MPG's of your rig. More MPG's means more $$ in the pocket, simple as that.


RTTx Fun Aero Fact: The sloped nose of the RTTx is a composite based material that can be removed or cut to fit virtually any style LED light bar. From the small 6-8" models to the widest being approx 50-52".

Weight - This one is significant. Almost all existing roof top tents on the market today are well over 130 lbs. Many excede 150 to 200+ lbs. This is not a good thing for lifted off road vehicles. Having that kind of weight, up there, above your head, will effect how your vehicle responds to approach angles, slopes, and steep obstacles.

RTTx Fun Weight Fact: All the prototypes weighed in at approx 115-117 lbs. With our custom designed aluminum profiles, we will easily reduce that weight below 100 lbs. Resulting in the lightest roof top tent on the market.

Profile / Height: All roof top tents available today range in height from the low of 6" to 14" and more when closed. This closed profile directly correlates to aerodynamic resistance. The lower, the better. The less resistance, the better. The RTTx achieves the lowest possible height of 5.25" while still maintaining a usable interior storage. Lastly - The RTTx will still fit in a standard garage door. (7'6" to 8' depending on the vehicle, of course.)

RTTx Fun Height Fact: The RTTx paired with Nemo Equipment's 50L Cosmo insulated inflatable mattress provides maximum storage AND excellent comfort.


The low profile and Aerodynamic nose:

Interior room to spare:

 

[4Beast]

That is a good looking tent, for sure, and it has been cool seeing the project! Ultimately retail price will be a big factor for most people.

The stuff like the weight and aero makes very little difference to me and likely a lot of Land Cruiser drivers because these rigs are quite heavy and inefficient to begin with. I get the same MPG with or without my big "soft" RTT, in fact I often get better in the summer with it than in the winter without it due to the difference in gas blend, and the weight is negligible on a 7,000#+ truck, even that high on the COG.

Not that I don't appreciate your efforts or attempt to differentiate your model from the competition, if it is very durable and reasonably priced you should have plenty of takers, possibly me!

 

[JJBiggs]

The stuff like the weight and aero makes very little difference to me and likely a lot of Land Cruiser drivers because these rigs are quite heavy and inefficient to begin with. I get the same MPG with or without my big "soft" RTT, in fact I often get better in the summer with it than in the winter without it due to the difference in gas blend, and the weight is negligible on a 7,000#+ truck, even that high on the COG.

That's totally fair. I get where you are coming from regarding Land Cruisers. LC's are known to be crappy on fuel mileage, save the diesels. But then again - that's not what you buy one for. Modern rigs - such as my 2016 4Runner Trail, loaded with the tent on top, still pulls 17.2-18 mpg. ...and frankly - I'm thrilled.

Regarding the weight - An off camber obstacle and the associated ground angle, height/weight (distance from COG) of a load has specific mathematics that correlate directly to the rig's performance aspects and can enable it to tip over with an extra 150-200#+ at the high point. Lower = better. Lower weight = better. It's all legit.

 

[OilHammer]

All your points are true, but where you would really win is having the ability to eliminate a rack. So, if your new aluminum extrusions allow direct mount of gutter clamps AND allow an awning to click in on the side=win.

 

[tincan45]

Do the side panels open completely? Wondering if it would be possible to have side entry on this tent? I really like the design, but on most rigs it seems everything is going to be open or up in the back and this could make rear entry cumbersome.

Just a thought.

 

[Bludozer]

That's totally fair. I get where you are coming from regarding Land Cruisers. LC's are known to be crappy on fuel mileage, save the diesels. But then again - that's not what you buy one for. Modern rigs - such as my 2016 4Runner Trail, loaded with the tent on top, still pulls 17.2-18 mpg. Am frankly - I'm thrilled.

Regarding the weight - An off camber obstacle and the associated ground angle, height/weight (distance from COG) of a load has specific mathematics that correlate directly to the rig's performance aspects and can enable it to tip over with an extra 150-200#+ at the high point. Lower = better. Lower weight = better. It's all legit.

Agree completely about your comments about weight, that is my biggest concern with loading any item onto the roof...minimizing on trail butt-puckering is always important. With regards to MPG, I have had reports of people going from 12mpg to 8-9 with big rtts or other large roof items. That is a 30% reduction, added costs aside, that really messes with your range as well.

 

[JJBiggs]

All your points are true, but where you would really win is having the ability to eliminate a rack. So, if your new aluminum extrusions allow direct mount of gutter clamps AND allow an awning to click in on the side=win.

The new extrusions allow for better rigidity, and lighter weight. Vehicle mounting will remain the same as the proto's.

 

[Sac Cerevisiae]

I’d love to see your second generation open towards the side with a fold out portion similar to the iKamper SkyCamp. That design to me represents the best of both soft and hard shells RTTs.

 

[JJBiggs]

I’d love to see your second generation open towards the side with a fold out portion similar to the iKamper SkyCamp. That design to me represents the best of both soft and hard shells RTTs.

Appreciate the feedback and the opinion. Let's shoot for getting the first gen out the door first.

 

[Whiskerz]

Nice. Can you swap this tent between vehicles or will they be chassis specific ? Other than mounts ?

 

[JJBiggs]

Nice. Can you swap this tent between vehicles or will they be chassis specific ? Other than mounts ?

The mounting has been pretty consistent. I can say at this point it will be universal. Nailing down various recommended mounting will be the key. All LC's with rain gutters were a slam dunk. My 4Runner was also straight forward. Others? Time will tell.

 

[Natchez]

This looks amazing. Do you have any info on possible pricing, or do we need to wait for the Kickstarter?

 

[4Beast]

Agree completely about your comments about weight, that is my biggest concern with loading any item onto the roof...minimizing on trail butt-puckering is always important. With regards to MPG, I have had reports of people going from 12mpg to 8-9 with big rtts or other large roof items. That is a 30% reduction, added costs aside, that really messes with your range as well.

I don't know, if you're getting 8MPG when you're not towing 5,000# through the mountains then something is pretty amiss with your rig. I just got over 13 MPG averaging over 70MPH on a recent 400+mile trip through the eastern PA mountains with a very un-aero RTT, a full truck, 33s and about every piece of armor you can slap on a 100. 12 is very normal with the RTT, unless I'm idling a lot or crawling through the woods at 5MPH. My $.02

 

[JJBiggs]

RTTX: Just how low of a profile is the Terrapod RTTx? You tell me.
Hint: the FZJ80 has a taller lift AND larger tires.

 

[ntsaint]

@JJBiggs I want in on the kickstarter for this tent. Outstanding work!

PM me when ready...we've spoken before RE the Terrapod trailer.