So I am seriously considering a roof top tent these days. The days of sleeping on the ground dont really appeal to me any longer. I was wondering about your opinions on the subject. Pros and cons. Also I was wondering if anyone here would be willing to "rent" or "loan" me theres for a trip I have planned in August to Detroit Lake. Whay do ya think? 

We have a 4 person Overland tent that we bought from AutohomeUS. They are really good guys and the tent works very well. We planned to have our whole family sleep up there but the girls have been pretty comfortable in the cab of the truck. We sold our vanagon Westfalia and part of the deal was that if we sold the Westie we would buy a rooftop tent. I almost backed out at the last minute. My logic was that there is very little difference between a nice ground tent and a rooftop other than about $2000. My wife talked me into it. I have to admit that it is very nice to have a good matress and to be able to keep all of our sleeping gear up there and ready to go. There is also something comforting about being 6 feet up in the air.

It will make your rig top heavy. If I had it to do over again I would probably opt for the two person Magiolina which is a hard top crank up. This would make putting it up and down much quicker. The Overland folds and unfolds very quickly but then you need to put the cover on it. This takes a few extra minutes but is never as hard as I think it is going to be.

Bottom line is that I would do it again given the same situation. If funds were really tight I would rather do more traveling and use a ground tent, but if the situation presents itself the rooftop is nice way to go and getting to use it helps motivate us to get out and go.

hope this helps,

Craig

ps - Ours is busy in August but if you want to check it out in person sometime let me know.

I am avery biased.  I used to sell AutohomeUS tents.  I hope I never have to go back to sleeping on the ground.Back a rooftop tent, you'll never regret it.  My Columbus tent hinges on front and has two gas struts that help it pop up in a couple seconds.  i can crawl in it from either side or the back.  I just used it while taking a fly fishing class in Cle Elum this weekend.  I am an old fart with lots of aches and pains.  they come with the mileage :-).  On Saturday night I climbed into the tent at 9:30 p.m. and woke up at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.  that's the most sleep I've gotten in months.

When, not if, you get your rooftop tent.  I would recommend that you add a 1" memoryfoam pad to the existing high density foam  mattress that came with the tent.   It will make tons of difference.  one of the guys here on another thread recently recommended sticking a couple of your old closed cell sleeping pads under the mattress to cut cold spots out while winter camping.  If you do both my and his recommendations, you can use your tent year round.  Try that sleeping on the ground.

One last thing; my wife hated to go camping until I got this rooftop tent.  Now she actually enjoys it! 

Guys thanks for your input. I really want to try one out before shelling out the dough for one. The idea seams solid enough. A few people I have met here seem to love theirs. But then again I have to ask myself am I just to lazy to get up early enough to put away a dome type tent? The staying worm thats not mush of an issue, I have a tent heater. Decisions.

 One thing to keep in mind when looking for rooftop tents is the region they are designed for. I started my research and was finding reviews from warm arid places. We came really close to buying a tent from a maker in one those regions. I then stumbled onto reviews from England and around there and found that some of the big name tents had reviews mentioning leaks. I started to find reviews from areas that had weather similar to ours and that is what led us to the Overland and Autohomeus. I am not saying they are the only one, just that in researching yours be aware that a tent that does great in the desert may not be so great in a rain forest setting and vice versa. 

We have slept in our Overland in really strong rain and not had any issues with getting wet.

Hope this helps,

the other Craig

I have noticed when sleeping in places where it is very cold, that condensation forms on the inside of the RTT and will also form below the mattress. Not a big deal but it can be slightly annoying. Same thing with ground tents. My friend from Canada suggested a candle, (lantern type) be lit and hung in the tent to combat this, I purchased one at REI but have yet to use it so it remains a question.

Anyone else have this issue?

Don't forget an awning while your at it...

 I like that awning and more importantly my wife would really like that awning. What kind of price are those?

By the way, I am able to post from safari now which makes me very happy.

the other Craig

Perhaps I’m a bit of a heretic, but I think there are pros and cons to both types of tents. Since my truck is a daily driver, I often find it easier to use a ground tent when it’s just me for a short weekend outing. For longer trips or when the Mrs. is along, the roof tent is perfect. (Of course,if the garage door opening was a couple inches higer, I might use it more...)  Things to ponder:

• Other than the novelty/fun of a roof ten, they are a bit of a waste in an organized campground and a downright pain if you are staying in one spot for several nights in a row [because you have to pack it up every morning before heading out to play]. I can easily set-up a ground tent in about the same amount of time as my roof tent without the expense, weight or, COG penalty. The advantage of the roof tent is truly realized, however, in primitive camp sites where a level pad for the tent is lacking or it requires considerable time to clear rocks and stuff to save your tent floor. With the roof tent, you just level out the truck with a rock or two under a tire and you’re gtg. If you frequent primitive areas and break camp daily, a roof tent reigns supreme.

• Our roof tent is certainly more comfortable than the typical ground tent and pad; but, not as sweet as a wall tent and cot. Adding a bit more “cush” as Dale suggested is a great idea as it also adds insulation; however, some tents may be able to accommodate this better than others. Remember, a full length piece of 1” thick foam will take up 2 inches of the space normally used for storing bedding - in our case (EeziAwn 1400) that would eliminate the ability to close the tent with bedding inside. Also, if you go the “memory foam” route, remember that many [if not all] of the these products will harden up like a rock in cold weather. We compromised and went with ½” thick closed cell foam – it’s a noticeable improvement.

• If your tent folds off the roof to the side or back, a "lower room" can add a bit of additional privacy for showering, changing, etc. I've heard they work great for dogs, too. Ours has three walls (the vehicle forms the fourth wall) and no floor so it goes up very fast.

• Bio-Breaks and the spins are a bit of a pain with a roof tent.

• Installation and removal deserves a bit of pre-purchase thought. Most roof tent weigh a ton and you’ll either need a couple friends to help you or a hoist of some sort. If applicable, don’t forget to check garage/ceiling height relative to your vehicle and make sure to factor in any contemplated tire size or lift changes.

• Higher COG. No getting around it, a roof tent adds weight right where you don’t want it.
 

The awning is $240,  The enclosed room with windows add an additional $140.

Davis,

That is a great list you've put together of the pros and cons.  Let me add a couple more.

1. AutohomeUS (i'm no longer affiliated with them) now sells a wire "mattress" that underlies you foam mattress.  this was designed to help with the moisture problem.  Other tent manufactures probably have something similar.

2.  I always carry a set of ramps to level up the Taco before i pop open the tent.  It is amazing how quickly you learn to size up a camp site, lay the ramps near the tires, and level the vehicle.  The proximity to the tires and the specific tires used all depend on the terrain.

3.  Rooftop tents get you away from muddy, rocky, grassy, wet, buggy, what-ever ground.  The wife and kids will love you for making their sleeping room more comfortable.

4.  When I bought my Columbus tent, I also purchase a Harken lift for it.  Whenever the tent is taken off the truck, it immediately is put on the lift and raised to the ceiling in the garage.  Totally out of the way.

5. I used to market awnings and ramps for Fiamma.  They have two awning sizes that work well for our kind of use. 

F35 Pro 180 6' long, 13.2 lbs, extends 6' out from vehicle

F35 Pro 250 8'2" long, 19.8 lbs, extends 7'5" out from vehicle (This is the one I use).

They sell something called the Kit Carry-on which is a mounting system that works with either Thule or Yakima bars.  they also have several other mounting systems.

I also purchased an extendable rafter to strengthen the awning when it is windy or ranining out. 

Finally, they sell a set of poly ramps.  Once you have used ramps to level your vehicle, you'll wonder how you lived without them.

6.  I have found that rooftop tents typically are easier and quicker to store away and open up.  It takes me longer to get the lock of the latch on my Columbus than it does to open it up.  To close, all I have to do is pull down on a nylon cord, push in some of the tent siding under the fiberglass top, and relatch the clasp in the back. 

7.  Moisture can be a problem with any tent.  The only time I had significant moisture on the inside walls of my tent was one rainy late fall night when I was camping next to the Yellowstone River.  The inside top of the tent was dry because the tent has an absorbtive quilt mounted there.  I've had a lot worse problems with Early Winters and a Walrus one-persons backpacking tents.  Having said that I realize you guys on the left coast have to deal with this issue much more than I do.

8.  A rooftop tent would be low on my list of priorities.  I would want to invest in suspension, rock-sliders, quality cooking gear, etc., first, then look at the rooftop tent as a luxury once everything else has been sorted out. Same thing with a mounted awning.  If you have mounting points on your roof (e.g. roof rack, etc.) all you really need is a cople of 'biners, extendable poles, and small dia. rope from REI, along with a nylon or plastic tarp of some kind.  I usually carry this stuff anyway just in case I want/need to throw up a second awning the the other side of the truck.

Good advice in this thread.  For the few times and places I'd go camping my ground tent is just the ticket.  However, I can see the value in a RTT as a way to coax people out camping that have a 'critter' phobia. Whether being up on the roof is actually safer is debatable but if being up there increases their or your comfort & enjoyment of the experience then the expense is worth it.

Now, what I can't figure out so far are the awnings.  Are they for shade or to stay dry? 
How do people mainly use them?