roof top tent

Not sure if this is the correct area for this... but i am debating getting a roof top tent for my trip with jeep jamboree usa on the rubicon, does anyone have an experience with these? specifically i am concerned about increasing my center of gravity... but i really like the idea of getting to camp flipping it open and going to sleep rather than setting up a tent... call me lazy...

my jeep has about 4-6 inches of lift or so and i run 35's i made it across last year on 32s and 4 inches of lift with few problems(other than i had to improvise my sliders..)

specifically i am looking at the howling moon 1.6 M tent or the ARB they look very comfy and i can put either of them on the back of my pickup for camping later as well

Thanks

Nick

RTT's are awesome. Also check out the Autohome line of tents. We rocked a "Maggiolina" tent on my blazer on 38's. It'll put 90-150lbs up high, no matter which brand you choose, which is not good for your center of gravity, but it's really not a big deal in my experience. It's really the only con, other than a bit more wind resistance.

They are VERY, VERY comfortable. If you like the folding tent style, be sure to give "Camping lab" tents a look. Fernando is the dude you'd deal with and having bought several things from him (awning/screen net), i'd definitely do business with him again. The tents are imported from China, but made to his specs, and are a good bang for the buck. Actually Camping lab awnings and ARB awnings are pretty much the same product, made in the same factory for two separate companies. Might be true of their tents, as well, but I'm not positive about that.

Another thing is that they're very durable. Our maggiolina was bought for $2100.00, used for 7 years, then sold for $1400.00.

It just recently re-sold after about 5 years to the 3rd owner for $1200.00

They are a hefty investment, for sure, but there is an active resale market for them.

Come to think of it, check out expeditionportal.com, in their for sale section. I know I've seen like 3-4 different tents sell in the last few months over there. No reason not to buy a gently used rig, if it's in good shape. Might be able to buy "more tent" for your money.

Not too familiar with the brand, but I have heard of it:

Techni-top tent - $1000.00
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/79843-Fs-Tenchi-Top-RTT

(NO affiliation, of course, just an example of a what's out there)

SanDiegoOverland said:

Not too familiar with the brand, but I have heard of it:

Techni-top tent - $1000.00
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/79843-Fs-Tenchi-Top-RTT

(NO affiliation, of course, just an example of a what's out there)

Click to expand...

I have the same model RTT on my Scrambler. IMHO, its ok. Though the folding up can be a little finiky and on a lifted Jeep (Mine's SOA on 35s) it can kinda suck.
There is a new player to RTTs that a LOT of folks have been kinda raving about. CVT is the name IIRC. Check on Expo for the group buy that happened and see for yourself. Honestly, for a used RTT in really good shape it would have to be under $1000 by a bit. Otherwise you may as well spend the few extra hundred and get a new one.

i believe stumpXJ has one. hopefully he chimes in.

I have one that I had mounted on my Jeep, then I moved it to a trailer.

For the most part I love it. Had a lot of fun with it when it was on the Jeep but moving it to the trailer was the best move I ever made.


It was kind of a PITA on the jeep. For one thing, if you pack a lot of junk like I do you lose some serious roof rack room. I ended up taking a garvin wilderness rack and unbolting the two side pieces then bolting the front and back half back together to make a tiny rack that sit in front of the tent. Worked great for chairs and such.

Because I carry a wife, two kids and a 120lb dog along with an ARB fridge in the back of my Jeep, my space is super limited. Even the dog is squished. So if room is a concern, you lose a lot with tent on the roof.


A couple years ago I bought a trailer and put the tent on that. Best decision I ever made. There is no limit really to the room I have now. If I'm camping in the same spot for more than I night I can just leave it all set up (one of my biggest complaints having the tent on my roof)


Set up on the trailer. Best of both worlds really.

I have a Tepui tents Gran Sabana model and I absolutely love it.
we got it right before winterfest and a Mr. Buddy heater with the long hose attachment for a fullsize propane tank.

we were warm and comfy through a bit of snow some hail and some pretty serious winds
(i believe there was a tornado a few counties over).

we mounted it over the truck bed of the (borrowed) tow rig. That's how we've used it every time. After using it a few times I love it but I don't think I'll like it on my roof very much. I really want to put it on a small offroad trailer.

I have one (see picture in July ROTM) that picture is on the Rubicon and have made the trip with it on top a couple of times, never really noticed it. It's pretty sweet.