Roof top tents.

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Discussion

MarshPhantom

Original Poster:

9,658 posts

144 months

Sunday 21st July 2013
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Not seen these before but a German chap turned up at our campsite with one of these on the roof of his Jeep Chrerokee yesterday. It took minutes to put up, it all folds out of a box on the roof and looked pretty smart. They're not cheap (£1700) but it seems like a good idea.


boyse7en

7,115 posts

172 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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What's the advantage to this over a normal ground-dwelling tent?

I can see the advantage if you are on safari in keeping animals out, but over years of camping I'm yet to be worried by the wildlife in the UK.

MarshPhantom

Original Poster:

9,658 posts

144 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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I like the idea of tents, but I can't be bothered putting them up and taking them down again. This was extremely simple to erect, stored on the roof so it doesn't take up room inside vehicle plus I'd imagine sleeping at high level would be good fun.

Elise18S

3,934 posts

276 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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For that money you can get a great inflatable tent... Up in minutes while you crack open a tin...?

RosscoPCole

3,419 posts

181 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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Great if it is just for one night or not planning on using your car once you have pitched up. Otherwise I can see it being annoying to take down and re-pitch whenever you need to use your car.

Defender123 Dave

3 posts

135 months

Wednesday 14th August 2013
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They are good for saving space in the car and you can leave all your bedding in the tent even when it is collapsed… Not going to lie though, thinks it’s how impressive they look on a site that people like most!

Bill

54,249 posts

262 months

Wednesday 14th August 2013
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boyse7en said:
What's the advantage to this over a normal ground-dwelling tent?
A flat base and half decent mattress and they go up and down in a couple of minutes, but they're a bit ott for the UK and you can't leave it up to dry while you drive off to do other stuff.

Zelda Pinwheel

500 posts

205 months

Thursday 15th August 2013
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boyse7en said:
What's the advantage to this over a normal ground-dwelling tent?

I can see the advantage if you are on safari in keeping animals out, but over years of camping I'm yet to be worried by the wildlife in the UK.
Sand
Mud
Water
Ants
Spiders
Rodents

You don't get that lot in your bed with a rooftent. AND we keep all our bedding in it so it stays dry and clean.

We've just returned from 4.5 months touring around Europe with our Land Rover and roof tent, and after several years of using it in all sorts of conditions, we wouldn't go back to a ground tent for anything. If you've a bike rack as well, slap a couple of bikes on the back and use them to go out once you've set up camp.

It's all horses for courses, naturally, but FWIW the cheap ones are Chinese knockoffs. The best ones to buy are the good brand names - Myway, Eezi-Awn, Howling Moon. Pricey, but you won't be replacing it each year!


Bill

54,249 posts

262 months

Thursday 15th August 2013
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Is that a 130? What's your set up like inside?

ETA Landy-prawn here please: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...wink

Zelda Pinwheel

500 posts

205 months

Friday 16th August 2013
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OK: you did ask!

It is a 130, yes - rebuilt end of last year prior to our trip. We were planning to ship to the USA for 6 months but 11th hour engine failure prevented that so we went to Europe instead.

She still has all four seats in front cab, and a 35litre Engel fridge with TwoZone between the rear seats. We took out the 60/40 bench and put two front seats in the rear so it's very comfortable for four now.

Rear tub was gutted, and remodelled by a friend who builds horseboxes. We have a side locker on each side to carry various sizes of the George Utz storage boxes. Both side lockers have false floors allowing us to use the space around the wheelarch for additional storage.

We've a false floor in the centre of the rear tub, the back 3/4s of which carries a spare wheel and other mechanical spares, the final 1/4 is for things like levelling wedges, hosepipe etc - stuff we might need more often but not very often.

There's an 80 litre water tank with a 10 litre hot water heater and shower takeoff, and a 14 litre LPG tank with a manifold to the water heater, gas cooker and a takeoff for the cadac bbq.

It's a Myway rooftent, and we have both their regular awning and their verandah as well for days when we're staying put for a while and the weather's either scorching or pissing down...

Mechanically, it's all quite standard - 300tdi but with a massive Allard intercooler (which was a godsend in the really hot parts of Sardinia and Corsica), lots of X-Eng kit (unlockable rear anti-roll bar, pedal lock, X-trousers)


IMG_0881 by katy_nicolson, on Flickr


IMG_0880 by
katy_nicolson, on Flickr

Older pic from Eastnor last summer:

IMG_9448 by katy_nicolson, on Flickr

We'll be exhibiting at the Adventure Overland show at Stratford Racecourse 27/28 September, if anyone's coming do swing by and say hello!!





MarshPhantom

Original Poster:

9,658 posts

144 months

Saturday 17th August 2013
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Very cool.


anonymous-user

61 months

Sunday 25th August 2013
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We've got a roof tent a top the 90. Like the Landy itself the tent is rarely essential, but when it's merits do come to the fore it's priceless.
Nothing like squelching round a rainy campsite only to climb a ladder in to a firm, dry, solid bed.
It's also reassuring to know your night won't be disturbed by some pissed up caravanner tripping over your guy lines and collapsing through your bell end.
Great for wild camping too as it can be dropped in under a minute.
It's like a treehouse on wheels.