Roof top tents

Discuss your favorite music, TV shows & movies, cars and sports here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Erratic101
Posts: 2885
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:40 am
Name: Justyn

Roof top tents

Post by Erratic101 » Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:45 am

Any one have input on these? I’ve been looking at picking one up, as I’m wanting more comfort than the platform I built in my Discovery. Really leaning towards the hard shell as they’re a bit more low profile and the disco already has a high center of gravity. Unfortunately, the hard shells are A LOT more expensive. Especially the one that I’m thinking of getting.

The Roofnest Falcon pro
Image
Image
Image
Image


The $4k price tag is a bit hard to swallow, but it has all the features I want and many that I could see a use for in the future.

User avatar
Ryeguy
Posts: 5519
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:03 pm
Name: Chris
Location: Rye

Re: Roof top tents

Post by Ryeguy » Tue Jan 25, 2022 3:39 am

Lots of discussion about roof top tents on the Tacoma forum I frequent.

Aside from the price ($4k buys you a hell of a nice regular tent, with enough left over for plenty of extra gear), other issues include:
- you need to level the vehicle before setting up the tent (guys buy ramps, jacks, and blocks to help with this).
- once you set up the tent, your vehicle is now fixed in place. No way to leave your campsite and drive to a trailhead.
- they add weight and wind resistance to your vehicle. You will lose MPG. They are also bulky to remove and store.

IMO, the negatives above outweigh the positive of sleeping on an elevated platform. If I am going to camp with my truck at the campsite (as opposed to parking at the trail head and hiking my gear in), I’ll just bring a cot to elevate my old butt off the ground.

I think they make a lot of sense for folks who “camp” in parking lots, but don’t want to drive a camper (such as participating in a multi day sporting event). They do look cool though.
Last edited by Ryeguy on Tue Jan 25, 2022 6:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
dnslater
Posts: 6804
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:52 pm
Name: Nick
Location: Indiana, USA

Re: Roof top tents

Post by dnslater » Tue Jan 25, 2022 3:59 am

I always wondered what the benefit of these roof camper have, over something like a small tow behind teardrop. The teardrop probably gives you better mileage. There are some really cool little two person teardrop designs out there, some that you can even off road with. Cost a little more, but probably far more practical as it doesn't immobilize your truck.

Like Chris said, $500 can buy you a really nice tent, and then you have $3500 left for really nice camping kit. Teton makes some nice tent/cot combinations that still get you off the ground, and set up easily. Google "tent cot" and there are a lot of other companies that make similar.
Image

User avatar
BacoNoir
Posts: 6391
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 6:33 pm
Name: Roger
Location: Colorado

Re: Roof top tents

Post by BacoNoir » Tue Jan 25, 2022 5:24 am

We’ve seen them at state park campgrounds when we are in the RV and I’ve wondered the same. Yes, probably faster set-up and take down than a traditional tent, but once you know your tent, probably not much faster. The one I saw that made the most sense to me was one someone mounted to the top of a small utility trailer that they stored extra gear in (chairs, outdoor rug, grill, etc) and had added an outdoor kitchen to. He was able to leave his camp set up and take off in the Jeep each day.
www.simplynoble.net
Time Magazine Person of the Year - 2006

Image

User avatar
Erratic101
Posts: 2885
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:40 am
Name: Justyn

Re: Roof top tents

Post by Erratic101 » Tue Jan 25, 2022 11:35 am

I thought about a trailer, but with some of the trails I head up I just couldn’t see anything making it. A lot of hairpin turns and some rough roads. Mainly would be used to camp at trail heads. I do have my nice backpacking tent that’s a light weight great option, and a few regular tents. I just don’t ever sleep well up in the mountains for some reason. Even in my disco on an even surface, I sleep like crap.

I may look more into the cot tents. Would be much cheaper.

The hard shell tents don’t weight too much, about 130-175lbs and are decently aerodynamic. Most reviews say there’s no change. My suv already get about 12mpg on a good day... can’t get much worse thanks fellas, things to think about I guess.

User avatar
BacoNoir
Posts: 6391
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 6:33 pm
Name: Roger
Location: Colorado

Re: Roof top tents

Post by BacoNoir » Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:39 pm

Bummer. I’ve always slept so much better at elevation whether it was backpacking, car camping or at the mtn house, but I’m odd man out on that amongst my friends.
www.simplynoble.net
Time Magazine Person of the Year - 2006

Image

User avatar
toxicavenger
President Tranny
Posts: 48083
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:25 am
Name: HeadDIK
Location: Colorado Springs

Re: Roof top tents

Post by toxicavenger » Tue Jan 25, 2022 6:23 pm

all I know is some of the local guys in my hood has had a bunch of them stolen. even though they had locks on them. they are a hot item to steal i guess.

User avatar
Axelay2003
Posts: 5916
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:03 am
Name: Gerard
Location: City of Oranges, FL

Re: Roof top tents

Post by Axelay2003 » Tue Jan 25, 2022 7:07 pm

I custom ordered a 6 seater 2018 Toyota SR5 longbed(8’ bed). I have a Softopper installed on the longbed. My boys and I “camped” in the bed during Scouting events.

Image
It's a beautiful world! Gerald.
Image

User avatar
unsub073
Posts: 4133
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2014 6:26 am
Name: chris
Location: Florida

Re: Roof top tents

Post by unsub073 » Wed Jan 26, 2022 10:38 am

Erratic101 wrote:
Tue Jan 25, 2022 11:35 am
I thought about a trailer, but with some of the trails I head up I just couldn’t see anything making it. A lot of hairpin turns and some rough roads. Mainly would be used to camp at trail heads. I do have my nice backpacking tent that’s a light weight great option, and a few regular tents. I just don’t ever sleep well up in the mountains for some reason. Even in my disco on an even surface, I sleep like crap.

I may look more into the cot tents. Would be much cheaper.

The hard shell tents don’t weight too much, about 130-175lbs and are decently aerodynamic. Most reviews say there’s no change. My suv already get about 12mpg on a good day... can’t get much worse Image thanks fellas, things to think about I guess.
I am assuming you've spent some time on the expedition site?

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/foru ... nings.138/

User avatar
Erratic101
Posts: 2885
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:40 am
Name: Justyn

Re: Roof top tents

Post by Erratic101 » Wed Jan 26, 2022 2:10 pm

unsub073 wrote:
Erratic101 wrote:
Tue Jan 25, 2022 11:35 am
I thought about a trailer, but with some of the trails I head up I just couldn’t see anything making it. A lot of hairpin turns and some rough roads. Mainly would be used to camp at trail heads. I do have my nice backpacking tent that’s a light weight great option, and a few regular tents. I just don’t ever sleep well up in the mountains for some reason. Even in my disco on an even surface, I sleep like crap.

I may look more into the cot tents. Would be much cheaper.

The hard shell tents don’t weight too much, about 130-175lbs and are decently aerodynamic. Most reviews say there’s no change. My suv already get about 12mpg on a good day... can’t get much worse Image thanks fellas, things to think about I guess.
I am assuming you've spent some time on the expedition site?

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/foru ... nings.138/
I have not checked that out yet. Thanks for the link.

User avatar
bedlam
Posts: 1540
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 11:16 pm
Name: Carl
Location: Fremantle, Western Australia (GMT +8)

Re: Roof top tents

Post by bedlam » Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:19 pm

I have an iKamper Mini hard shell. Works well, but the negatives mentioned above are all correct. I put it on to go camping with my wife but if I'm on my own I store it and use a swag on a stretcher.

http://www.wellnet.com.au/camping/Dirk% ... UX%201.jpg

User avatar
spring-diver
Posts: 2255
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:29 am
Name: Shannon

Re: Roof top tents

Post by spring-diver » Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:44 am

dnslater wrote:I always wondered what the benefit of these roof camper have, over something like a small tow behind teardrop. The teardrop probably gives you better mileage. There are some really cool little two person teardrop designs out there, some that you can even off road with. Cost a little more, but probably far more practical as it doesn't immobilize your truck.

Like Chris said, $500 can buy you a really nice tent, and then you have $3500 left for really nice camping kit. Teton makes some nice tent/cot combinations that still get you off the ground, and set up easily. Google "tent cot" and there are a lot of other companies that make similar.
Image
Tony does long format camping videos on YT.

Here’s his latest on a “tent cot”

https://youtu.be/phxtaszhOnU

Image


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Seiko: SBDB001, SBDX001, SRP777

Sinn: EZM9, T1, T1B, 836 & 857S

:cheers:

User avatar
andy tims
Posts: 2529
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2011 1:55 pm
Name: Andy Tims
Location: UK

Re: Roof top tents

Post by andy tims » Fri Feb 04, 2022 10:30 am

FWIW I think it's far better to just put a conventional tent in your car.

Then you can leave it set up & travel around.
Andy

User avatar
Erratic101
Posts: 2885
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:40 am
Name: Justyn

Re: Roof top tents

Post by Erratic101 » Fri Feb 04, 2022 9:35 pm

I pulled the trigger on the one I listed. I’m mainly up at trailheads and being able to close up my tent in 1min before I go hike is pretty awesome. We’ll see though.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 147 guests