I am looking at getting one for my FJ62 and wanted to know who all has bought one and how do you like it?
http://www.car-top-tent.com/products.asp
Jason
http://www.car-top-tent.com/products.asp
Jason
Who has a car-top-tent?
- Thread starter BigSur
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i would love to have one.
you should check out the "outfitting" section. there is extensive reviews, discussions, and pictures of these.
you should check out the "outfitting" section. there is extensive reviews, discussions, and pictures of these.
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- www.anzaborrego.net
I have always wanted a Maggiolina or a Colombus tent.
http://www.autohomeus.com/products/index.php
Bob
http://www.autohomeus.com/products/index.php
Bob
I've had my roof top tent for 11 years and will always have one.
Mine is the Columbus style.
Just got back from the Alaska Cruiser Trek. Three of us had roof tops. Our camps went up the quickest and we slept the best.
devo
Mine is the Columbus style.
Just got back from the Alaska Cruiser Trek. Three of us had roof tops. Our camps went up the quickest and we slept the best.
devo
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devo said:
Nice.
Any pics?
Bob
After seeing some of the clam-shell tents in use, I'd say it's a tossup. Definitely there's a bonus to being able to crank the shell up in a minute vs about a 2 minute unzip/unfold process for the wooden floor flipout style. Take down is much quicker and you can keep your sleeping stuff stowed with it.
I'm happy with my choice. Hannibal has great construction materials and a well thought-out design. Something about the HD canvas and thick plastic mesh feels like money well-spent. I'd want to see that car-top-tent one in person before purchasing, for the construction quality and materials.
I'm happy with my choice. Hannibal has great construction materials and a well thought-out design. Something about the HD canvas and thick plastic mesh feels like money well-spent. I'd want to see that car-top-tent one in person before purchasing, for the construction quality and materials.
There are some good discussions about the various brands and styles at http://expeditionportal.com/forum/
It is like the Outfitters forum here but with more.
It is like the Outfitters forum here but with more.
I actually own a "car-top-tent" brand RTT. I have only spent a few nights in it after owning it a year. I purchased mine used for a highly discounted price but after the first night I would have gladly payed full price for it.
The CTT model is a chinese knock off of other high quality more expensive brands. The basic design is very simple. The model I own was built approx 3 years ago and they have gone trough a few design changes since then, all of them for the better.
The good:
The cost of this tent is low, especially when compared to other tents of the same size.
This tent is HUGE with a capital HUGE. at nearly 6.5'x4' stowed and 6.5'x8' open it's among the largest tents available.
Strength, I have been amazed at the strength of the "unsupported" side of the tent. At 250 lbs I have slept out on that side on more than one ocassion and never felt insecure about it holding my weight.
Quality, for a tent of CHINESE origin he quality is surprisingly good. Although, make no mistake, when compared to other imported tents, the CTT is surely the lowest grade of what's available.
Ventilation in this tent is amazing with 2 huge netted windows and a large netted door for ingress and egress. With these all open and netted it's almost as iff you were on a matress right out on the roof.
The bad:
The size... while a deffinate benefit when sleeping my wife myself and our 2 rugrats (6 and 2) the stowed size of this tent takes up alot of realestate over the bed of my Tacoma. I plan to make mounting provisions on the roof of the 60 and Sequoia at future dates but the long term plan is to have it mounted above my expedition trailer.
In my version of the tent the Denier cloth seems somewhat thin, very similar to what you would expect to see in a smaller 2 man ground tent. It is not made of a heavy canvas like the Hannibals and such and therefore, in my own opinion, isn't a good choice for alot of cold weather camping. Also the material lets in alot of light in the mornings. Being an early riser when camping, I am not nearly as bothered by this as some others might be.
Quality, again, being of Chinese manufacture the materials used are not the highest quality available and some of the hardware seems a little questionable as to whether it will last long term. I know that some changes have been made in later versions, but without one on hand to campare to I don't know that any points of concern have been addressed.
All in all I support the choice of a Car-Top-Tent for someone just entering into the RTT market who is willing to take a chance with a lesser known manufaturer. And with the prices being 30% to 40% cheaper than their counterparts I feel the quality is acceptable based on the alternatives.
If you have any other Q's about the CTT brand of tent please ask. I'd be more than happy to help in any way I can.
The CTT model is a chinese knock off of other high quality more expensive brands. The basic design is very simple. The model I own was built approx 3 years ago and they have gone trough a few design changes since then, all of them for the better.
The good:
The cost of this tent is low, especially when compared to other tents of the same size.
This tent is HUGE with a capital HUGE. at nearly 6.5'x4' stowed and 6.5'x8' open it's among the largest tents available.
Strength, I have been amazed at the strength of the "unsupported" side of the tent. At 250 lbs I have slept out on that side on more than one ocassion and never felt insecure about it holding my weight.
Quality, for a tent of CHINESE origin he quality is surprisingly good. Although, make no mistake, when compared to other imported tents, the CTT is surely the lowest grade of what's available.
Ventilation in this tent is amazing with 2 huge netted windows and a large netted door for ingress and egress. With these all open and netted it's almost as iff you were on a matress right out on the roof.
The bad:
The size... while a deffinate benefit when sleeping my wife myself and our 2 rugrats (6 and 2) the stowed size of this tent takes up alot of realestate over the bed of my Tacoma. I plan to make mounting provisions on the roof of the 60 and Sequoia at future dates but the long term plan is to have it mounted above my expedition trailer.
In my version of the tent the Denier cloth seems somewhat thin, very similar to what you would expect to see in a smaller 2 man ground tent. It is not made of a heavy canvas like the Hannibals and such and therefore, in my own opinion, isn't a good choice for alot of cold weather camping. Also the material lets in alot of light in the mornings. Being an early riser when camping, I am not nearly as bothered by this as some others might be.
Quality, again, being of Chinese manufacture the materials used are not the highest quality available and some of the hardware seems a little questionable as to whether it will last long term. I know that some changes have been made in later versions, but without one on hand to campare to I don't know that any points of concern have been addressed.
All in all I support the choice of a Car-Top-Tent for someone just entering into the RTT market who is willing to take a chance with a lesser known manufaturer. And with the prices being 30% to 40% cheaper than their counterparts I feel the quality is acceptable based on the alternatives.
If you have any other Q's about the CTT brand of tent please ask. I'd be more than happy to help in any way I can.
BMAN - That is a great review of your tent. It seems from your post that you move the tent from cruiser to truck. If so, are there any problems or issues that need to be worked through to make it work on both rigs. I'm thinking that a tent that works on both trucks is the route to pursue. Thanks
Mike S., a mud member, advertises the Autohome tents in his signature...
SLOwag said:
Any of these tents can be made to switch from one place to another. Being relatively unfamiliar with the other manufaturers products (no personal experience) I would assume that their mounting systems would be somewhat similar.
I have only mounted mine on a makeshift rack above the bed of my Tacoma. My intentions are to build a rack for the 60 that will incorporate provisions for me to mount the tent with seperate crossbars that would normally not be in place on the rack. I also intend to set up the top of the expedition trailer and the rack on the Sequoia to accept the same crossbars, making the tent and crossbars modular for use on all of my vehicles depending on the trip at hand.
eshelbyk said:After seeing some of the clam-shell tents in use, I'd say it's a tossup. Definitely there's a bonus to being able to crank the shell up in a minute vs about a 2 minute unzip/unfold process for the wooden floor flipout style. Take down is much quicker and you can keep your sleeping stuff stowed with it.
I'm happy with my choice. Hannibal has great construction materials and a well thought-out design. Something about the HD canvas and thick plastic mesh feels like money well-spent. I'd want to see that car-top-tent one in person before purchasing, for the construction quality and materials.
I'd have to say that your set up looks ok. But there are plenty of situations that that large tent way up in the air would present real problems.
The clam shell and the crank ups do much better in high wind situations, driving rain and snow situations and when in wooded areas with low hanging limbs.
devo
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eshelbyk- sick photo! saved that one in my cruiser folder
one questions
does the ladder extend for a truck that is lifted more?
one questions
does the ladder extend for a truck that is lifted more?
yooper
SILVER Star
who sells the Hannibal in the us?
I believe that Nathan at Pangea sells them. Let me check!
found it!
http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/hannibal/index.html
found it!
http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/hannibal/index.html
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eshelbyk said:After seeing some of the clam-shell tents in use, I'd say it's a tossup. Definitely there's a bonus to being able to crank the shell up in a minute vs about a 2 minute unzip/unfold process for the wooden floor flipout style. Take down is much quicker and you can keep your sleeping stuff stowed with it.
I'm happy with my choice. Hannibal has great construction materials and a well thought-out design. Something about the HD canvas and thick plastic mesh feels like money well-spent. I'd want to see that car-top-tent one in person before purchasing, for the construction quality and materials.
where did you get the canopy/awning thing???how much $green$??
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devo said:
Are you talking about drag when driving or stationary? I'm not going to pretend it isn't an aerodynamic package, but look at what under-powered brick it is attached to. I notice a difference in power and a 1mpg or so dip in mileage, but I am also loaded down with gear and canine weight when the tent is on. I am not sure what "real problems" you refer to, but that top has screped through miles of fire-hardened branches on a tight forest road with black scrapes to show for it. No doubt fiberglas is a better material for that. I have explored a great deal and the tent has not presented an issue for me. All the shots you see of South Americans running them indicate they work for them as well?
As to windy/rainy/snowy camping. I haven't done snow, but I have done a windy rain storm on top of an exposed pass. The tent was comfortably stable and the overhangs kept things dry inside when getting in and out during the rain.
tclndcrz- yes the ladder extends at the base. A more popular way if you have a bullbar is to ditch the bottom half and attach it to the bullbar in use.
BlueBoxFJ60- the awning is also hannibal. I got it from a mud member, forget the price, but new they were maybe around $800? You can buy zip-down sides for it too. That pangea link has prices and sizes. Mine is 7'
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