Y'all dont laugh...anyone ever bought a RTT from a site called Alibaba (1 Viewer)
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Some you can buy as singles but for some you have to buy a certain amount of them
Roof Top Tent-Roof Top Tent Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.comTents
Roof Top Tent-Roof Top Tent Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.comTents
I don't have any experience using the site nor have I read any experiences with RTTs, but I'll answer anyway. 
I have looked into guitars on there and read many different experiences regarding that. I know that customs started cracking down pretty hard on things such as blatant copyright/trademark violations...for example they will rip into the box and if it says Gibson Les Paul on the head stock, then you just lost the guitar. Court ruled guitar body wasn't inherently protected, so a Les Paul style with Chibson nameplate and it could continue on it's way...most of the time...sometimes you would have to work to get them to release it still. Decided it wasn't worth the risk for me for only a 100$ or so saved and bought an Epiphone Les Paul Studio...
Back to the tent, I would guess a typical RTT design also doesn't carry any copyright protections, so as long as they don't do a knockoff branding there shouldn't be anything inherently "grey" about purchasing one. AKA customs shouldn't have a legal reason to impound...not saying they might not try and you have to jump through hoops to get it released. It would need to be a seriously good deal for me to take the chance...just looked and <$500....that would be a tempting gamble...
I have looked into guitars on there and read many different experiences regarding that. I know that customs started cracking down pretty hard on things such as blatant copyright/trademark violations...for example they will rip into the box and if it says Gibson Les Paul on the head stock, then you just lost the guitar. Court ruled guitar body wasn't inherently protected, so a Les Paul style with Chibson nameplate and it could continue on it's way...most of the time...sometimes you would have to work to get them to release it still. Decided it wasn't worth the risk for me for only a 100$ or so saved and bought an Epiphone Les Paul Studio...
Back to the tent, I would guess a typical RTT design also doesn't carry any copyright protections, so as long as they don't do a knockoff branding there shouldn't be anything inherently "grey" about purchasing one. AKA customs shouldn't have a legal reason to impound...not saying they might not try and you have to jump through hoops to get it released. It would need to be a seriously good deal for me to take the chance...just looked and <$500....that would be a tempting gamble...
I believe Alibaba is like Chinese equivalent to Amazon. I would guess customs inspects a very small percentage of things coming in.
I could dig something like this for $600-$800. I'm sure it will lack the fit-and-finish of the big names. But as often as I would use it the cost might be worth it.
New Hard Shell Roof Top Tent /camping Waterproof Tent Factory Price - Buy Camping Waterproof Tent,Hard Shell Roof Top Tent,Camping Gear Product on Alibaba.com
New Hard Shell Roof Top Tent /camping Waterproof Tent Factory Price - Buy Camping Waterproof Tent,Hard Shell Roof Top Tent,Camping Gear Product on Alibaba.com
hamishpotter
SILVER Star
I like the vendors in the forum but I'm in the same use-case, and they don't have hard shells so I am sub'd
RFB
97 FZJ80 LIFTED SC DUAL BATTERIES,37s
Met a fella in moab one in grand junction and one in texas ALL got tent your talking about fiberglass was so thi light came thru bedding made one guy sick and lift mechs on ALL did not work. they arent the same as an ARB roofnest etc.
hamishpotter
SILVER Star
RFB
97 FZJ80 LIFTED SC DUAL BATTERIES,37s
Indeed just telling as they told it.
RFB
97 FZJ80 LIFTED SC DUAL BATTERIES,37s
I looked at them originally too, who wouldnt but you get what you pay for especially on alibaba
JayDoc
boop/bop/beep
I haven't looked into the RTTs on their site but I have bought several things from them.
The best I can say is that the quality is hit and miss. I have received complete crap misrepresented on their site and I have also received one of my favorite fixed blade knives from them. More miss than hit - I would personally be very reticent to spend significant money with them.
Some one likened it to China's amazon.com - that's mostly fair with the caveat that alibaba.com and aliexpress.com act as platforms that 3rd parties can use to sell their stuff and the company does not vet or vouch for their vendors and if you get crap; well... you're out of luck.
Also China in general and these sites specifically don't spend a lot of time worrying about copyright and patent law so that name brand probably isn't.
Definitely a caveat emptor situation but please let us know your experience if you give it a go.
The best I can say is that the quality is hit and miss. I have received complete crap misrepresented on their site and I have also received one of my favorite fixed blade knives from them. More miss than hit - I would personally be very reticent to spend significant money with them.
Some one likened it to China's amazon.com - that's mostly fair with the caveat that alibaba.com and aliexpress.com act as platforms that 3rd parties can use to sell their stuff and the company does not vet or vouch for their vendors and if you get crap; well... you're out of luck.
Also China in general and these sites specifically don't spend a lot of time worrying about copyright and patent law so that name brand probably isn't.
Definitely a caveat emptor situation but please let us know your experience if you give it a go.
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I buy a few things here and there from Aliexpress. Everything I've bought through that platform has shown up on time and as described. I built my entire CNC plasma/router with parts from aliexpress including bigger stuff like linear motion rails. I would buy a tent through the site if it was a good enough deal and you factor in the lack of any follow up support or warranty.
I've been wanting to buy a set of toolboxes for my trailer and that is one of the only places that I can even get them. No USA distributors seem to carry the gull wing side boxes like all the aussie trucks have.
I've been wanting to buy a set of toolboxes for my trailer and that is one of the only places that I can even get them. No USA distributors seem to carry the gull wing side boxes like all the aussie trucks have.
I own an alibaba RTT. the prices are not as cheap as they advertise bc of shipping, but all in i paid around $1300 for a hard shell RTT. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
JayDoc
boop/bop/beep
That's good to hear. Could you throw up some picks?
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You got it, Jay!
Below is the tent with and without the rain shield. It's a hard shell 2.5 person tent. Right now, I am experiencing some warping on the front of the tent lid. I think this is because I stuff the tent back in there and the NM heat does the rest. I can also feel the velcro which holds the diagonal headliner starting to loosen.
When I consider that the alternative to this was either a $1200 tenui-style or a $3600+ hardshell style, I am MORE than happy with it.
The process was a little stressful to order.
1. You have to western union $1200 to one of your lady connections in China.
2. Wait for them to say they've shipped it. (really stressful if you'd made it past step one)
3. Receive a tracking number for a company you've never heard of for air freight.
4. Track incessantly until it arrives, except when it does, it's not at FedEx or something familiar. It was to a shipping depot i'd never heard of.
5. Go to the shipping depot to pick up your paperwork for clearance through customs. Shoot over to Homeland Security to pay your import tax and make sure your package is safe. (Note, you only pay tax on the product, not the shipping. if you can, ask for a discount or invoice with the lowest possible product price and the highest possible shipping price to save money here). I paid $87 tax.
6. Take your paperwork and go back to the shipping depot and take your tent. They had a $40 docking fee.
This sounds like a lot, but it was just an hour or two in an afternoon to grab it. I'm writing it all here to just document for the rest of you!
I'll chime in with some experience I have.
Sites like Aliexpress and Alibaba are basically, as someone said, the chinese version of Amazon. I tried designing a few Shopify stores around the concept of drop shipping (many of the ads that show up on your facebooks are just that). People take products of their choosing from those sites, dress up the photos/ad copy/and video, and sell them on a drop ship basis here in the states and all over the world. Some are making boatloads of money. I pulled the plug on mine because I decided I hated being tied to technology and a computer.
Point being (while I never looked into RTT) the sites are legit in the sense that the products are real and in a lot of cases just unbranded versions of the same stuff we pay a lot more for once it's branded. Find a seller with good reviews and it probably can't be beat. What turns off a lot of people who look at the sites is the poor English, s*** pictures, crappy descriptions, etc. I'm sure, as with anywhere, you can find some bad sellers but with some leg work you should be good to go.
And damn it, I'm in the market for a RTT myself, never even thought to look there. I'll def be doing that now.
-Evan
Sites like Aliexpress and Alibaba are basically, as someone said, the chinese version of Amazon. I tried designing a few Shopify stores around the concept of drop shipping (many of the ads that show up on your facebooks are just that). People take products of their choosing from those sites, dress up the photos/ad copy/and video, and sell them on a drop ship basis here in the states and all over the world. Some are making boatloads of money. I pulled the plug on mine because I decided I hated being tied to technology and a computer.
Point being (while I never looked into RTT) the sites are legit in the sense that the products are real and in a lot of cases just unbranded versions of the same stuff we pay a lot more for once it's branded. Find a seller with good reviews and it probably can't be beat. What turns off a lot of people who look at the sites is the poor English, s*** pictures, crappy descriptions, etc. I'm sure, as with anywhere, you can find some bad sellers but with some leg work you should be good to go.
And damn it, I'm in the market for a RTT myself, never even thought to look there. I'll def be doing that now.
-Evan
I'll chime in with some experience I have.
Sites like Aliexpress and Alibaba are basically, as someone said, the chinese version of Amazon. I tried designing a few Shopify stores around the concept of drop shipping (many of the ads that show up on your facebooks are just that). People take products of their choosing from those sites, dress up the photos/ad copy/and video, and sell them on a drop ship basis here in the states and all over the world. Some are making boatloads of money. I pulled the plug on mine because I decided I hated being tied to technology and a computer.
Point being (while I never looked into RTT) the sites are legit in the sense that the products are real and in a lot of cases just unbranded versions of the same stuff we pay a lot more for once it's branded. Find a seller with good reviews and it probably can't be beat. What turns off a lot of people who look at the sites is the poor English, s*** pictures, crappy descriptions, etc. I'm sure, as with anywhere, you can find some bad sellers but with some leg work you should be good to go.
And damn it, I'm in the market for a RTT myself, never even thought to look there. I'll def be doing that now.
-Evan
Sites like Aliexpress and Alibaba are basically, as someone said, the chinese version of Amazon. I tried designing a few Shopify stores around the concept of drop shipping (many of the ads that show up on your facebooks are just that). People take products of their choosing from those sites, dress up the photos/ad copy/and video, and sell them on a drop ship basis here in the states and all over the world. Some are making boatloads of money. I pulled the plug on mine because I decided I hated being tied to technology and a computer.
Point being (while I never looked into RTT) the sites are legit in the sense that the products are real and in a lot of cases just unbranded versions of the same stuff we pay a lot more for once it's branded. Find a seller with good reviews and it probably can't be beat. What turns off a lot of people who look at the sites is the poor English, s*** pictures, crappy descriptions, etc. I'm sure, as with anywhere, you can find some bad sellers but with some leg work you should be good to go.
And damn it, I'm in the market for a RTT myself, never even thought to look there. I'll def be doing that now.
-Evan
