Roof Tent?

Has anyone seen or have a tent that is ontop of their XJ. I realize adding weight to the top only adds to roll over but just currious. I kind of like the idea for camping a lot. What do you guys think?

http://www.racktents.com/

http://www.balum.com/ZRooftent.htm

http://www.autohomeus.com/gallery/jeep.php

http://www.loftyshelters.com/MainENG.htm

http://www.rooftent.co.uk/

http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/eeziawn/

http://www.bimo.com/skydome1.htm

Hope you don't have to go to the bathroom at night!

53guy said:

Hope you don't have to go to the bathroom at night!

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ahhhh hahaha that would suck, forgetting your on the roof and stumbling bleary eyed out into the night and into the ground......... ouch

mavrick said:

Has anyone seen or have a tent that is ontop of their XJ. I realize adding weight to the top only adds to roll over but just currious. I kind of like the idea for camping a lot. What do you guys think?

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I have an Eezi-Awn 1400 on order, mine will be mounted atop a 1/4ton trailer that i can drop and go....no worry about center of gravity.

You'll lose 2-3mpg on top of the vehicle. You cannot use the factory crossbars, so that leaves a good rack, triple Thule or Yakima bars, or similar. The tents themselves are over 120lbs.

These tents can be very expensive, espescially when you add in canopy's and lower shelters. Personally here on the east coast i'd hate to have one mounted on top when i contact a big tree branch.

how much weight do u think the roof will hold until it gives in

I used one for many years right through the Outback on top of my XJ. I know I slept better knowing that a snake or crocs weren't about to tip me out of bed!

I saw a lot of them being used in Africa a few weeks ago. I can tell you when I was camping in the middle of the Serengeti in only a nylon tent on the ground with lions roaring during the night, ( no fenches between them and us ) I was jealous of them. Worse still were that the native guides themselves slept in a caged enclosure.

Yeah I hate being worried about croc and lions. OK seriously on the east coast we mostly wheel from a camp we will stay at for a weekend. A rooftop tent would such to pack up every morning and unpack everynight at the smae site. I think it has its merits though. I like the idea of mounting it on a trailer. In this case why not just get a pop up?

For an expedition type vehicle Australia/Africa I think it is a great idea.

Once mounted a RoofTop tent is usually a two minute setup.

Regarding a popup...i'd hate to try pulling one of those through a tight trail to reach a remote camp.

Here's a company that makes camping/expedition trailers. Granted these are expensive, but alot of the guys who have built and modified say a M416 have alot of time and about the same money into their trailers...and are still not happy. Often the modifications to a trailer are done in such a way to just get it done...not necessarily the way they would have preferred it.

http://www.adventuretrailers.com/

http://www.adventuretrailers.com/Horizon/Pop_Ups/Slide46_Popup.html


http://www.adventuretrailers.com/Horizon/Pop_Ups/Slide48_Popup.html

John B said:

Once mounted a RoofTop tent is usually a two minute setup.

Regarding a popup...i'd hate to try pulling one of those through a tight trail to reach a remote camp.

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Nice trailers. But realistically how many people really tow a trailer off road. Not many. Maybe on a dirt track to get to a campsite. Most of the wheeling places have camper hookups etc. A 2 minute setup sure what about putting all your crap in it. Sleeping bag, clothes etc. Then you have to put that stuff somewhere in the Jeep.

hadfield4wd said:

Nice trailers. But realistically how many people really tow a trailer off road. Not many. Maybe on a dirt track to get to a campsite. Most of the wheeling places have camper hookups etc. A 2 minute setup sure what about putting all your crap in it. Sleeping bag, clothes etc. Then you have to put that stuff somewhere in the Jeep.

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In hardcore rockcrawling areas...very few probably.

In those looking to visit the wilderness and take more luxuy items with them...more and more. I find myself less interested in rockcrawling and more into the expedition aspect of offroading, and i'm not alone here. The aftermarket is seeing this also. You wont catch me camped next to someone running a generator on their RV so they can enjoy the AC...and never step outside to view their surroundings.

The rooftop tents are designed to install your bedding at home and remove when you return. No need to keep in the vehicle.

Everyone has their priority's and interests when it comes to enjoying our XJ's and seeing the outdoors, and it's all good. eace:

John B said:

In hardcore rockcrawling areas...very few probably.

In those looking to visit the wilderness and take more luxuy items with them...more and more. I find myself less interested in rockcrawling and more into the expedition aspect of offroading, and i'm not alone here. The aftermarket is seeing this also. You wont catch me camped next to someone running a generator on their RV so they can enjoy the AC...and never step outside to view their surroundings.

The rooftop tents are designed to install your bedding at home and remove when you return. No need to keep in the vehicle.

Everyone has their priority's and interests when it comes to enjoying our XJ's and seeing the outdoors, and it's all good. eace:

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I was not busting on you. I agree with your statements. For what they are designed for they are great. I see many people build rigs and spend money for things that they never end up using. However I grew up in the area you are from and don't see many opportunities for expedition type wheeling. However in central PA (Pennsyltucky) and New York up into Canada there is plenty of opportunity. Expedition wheeling does have its upsides and I have considered it as well. Enjoy.

Matt

hadfield4wd said:

I was not busting on you. I agree with your statements. For what they are designed for they are great. I see many people build rigs and spend money for things that they never end up using. However I grew up in the area you are from and don't see many opportunities for expedition type wheeling. However in central PA (Pennsyltucky) and New York up into Canada there is plenty of opportunity. Expedition wheeling does have its upsides and I have considered it as well. Enjoy.

Matt

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Wasnt busting on you either Matt, my point was that were all out there enjoying life and our interests...and thats what it's about.

Maybe were using the word "Expedition" inacurately...how about we use "Adventure".

Granted, PA does not have a whole lot of area that one can get lost in with maybe the Grand Canyon area near Wellsboro as an exception. But i dont plan to spend all my time here. I'v had "adventures" as far north as Nova Scotia's northern tip and as far west as CO and SD's Badlands. I will be seeing more! Alaska,Mexico's Baja Peninsula, Canadian Rockies, Utah,Arizona,MI's Northern Peninsula all call me in my sleep. :callme:

For me the decision to buy a rooftop and trailer is the fact that i'm getting older and i'm having trouble in the backcountry, so i need to find ways to make the time more enjoyable and comfortable. Giving up that "Adventure" is not an option... eace:

Where in Pa did you grow up?

John B said:

Where in Pa did you grow up?

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Yardley, when it was farms not yuppies. My Dad was a shop teacher at Pennsbury.

Matt

I agree with John B and others. A roof top tent is not a great option, especially on the east coast where theres always trees to lean into and low hanging branches to catch everything.
I dont think I would want to pull a trailer through the woods either.
How about something like this. Its simple, keeps you off the ground, light weight and relatively inexpensive. As someone said earlier," what about sleeing in the Jeep" The problem I have with that is that its not long enough for me to stretch out with the rear hatch closed. This option looks like it may give another 6" of length. That would be just enough for me to stretch out. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0.../102-0813739-9006516?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods

Re: Roof Tent? Maggiolina make a good one...

I've had two roof tents - a traditional folding one (made by Brownchurch in UK), which was heavy and a pain to open up and close down); and, now, a Maggiolina Adventure - made in Italy. It's not cheap, but worth the money. Here - if I have worked out how to do it - is a pic of mine




I've used this set up for travelling around North Africa and the deserts of the Middle East. Possible downsides are that a tent increases weight up high (adds to rollover risk), and there's a risk of tangling with tree branches. But the plus is that sleeping up there keeps you away from the spiders and snakes (and lions etc...); and you get early sight of any marauding bandits...

The Maggiolina clamshell arrangement takes 2 minutes to open and close, keeps you dry in the heaviest storms, you can rig an interior light, and on the road you can store bedding and clothes inside and spare wheels, tools or other stuff on the rack. Important to have strong mounting-bars (Thule or similar) fixed to the gutter: the Jeep roof bars won't handle the weight. And it's handy to have a pulley-system in the roof of your garage for when you need to lift the tent off - the s-o-b is heavy!

And all that means you have room inside the Jeep for fridge, tools, spares, extra jerrycans of fuel, etc.

br1anstorm

If I were worried about snakes, spiders and lions I'd just recline the seat and sleep in the Jeep.


Seriously.

fubar XJ said:

If I were worried about snakes, spiders and lions I'd just recline the seat and sleep in the Jeep.


Seriously.

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Though valid points, I don't think the few comments made regarding sleeping in the jeep don't apply to this conversation. Those points are more geared toward 1 person sleeping in a small tent vs. the xj.

This is a totally different arguement with roof tents. Your talking families, space, and saftey among other subjects. I would love one of these, but it is quite pricey for my use since I don't do any backwoods camping anymore, mostly formal campgrounds where a tent is fine (I have one of those jeep dealer tents that hangs off the back). There is one big difference due to where you live.... CO vs. NY.....

When I camp alone, I usually take my tent, but leave the option to sleep in the xj. I have on 3 out of 5 occassions, since I got the xj, put gear in the tent and slept in the xj. All of which were heavy rain situations. I also slept in it another time cause I had a few too many beers....it was always planned for that particular night, but in a pinch its better than driving. The front seat of my yj was a dire straights option.