RTT why so much $$$$

[goodtimes]

Originally Posted by BIGdaddy

I think the guys who are travelling via foot, bike, motobike, car, small truck who use a ground tent for simplicity are no less prepared for the weather than a RTT user.

I don't think it is a matter of being better prepared....it is more a matter of convenience and comfort. A RTT allows me to roll into a camp site, not have to worry about water flow through the site (setting up a ground tent in a sheet flow area isn't the best way to stay dry), not have to clear sticks/rocks out, not have to pound stakes into uber-hard ground, not nearly as much of a struggle in the wind (even worse if you are solo--you know rain flys are a pain when the wind picks up), I have a 3" thick mattress, etc. But all that does not mean I am *better* prepared ... it just means that I approach being prepared from a different angle than someone with a ground tent. Not better, just different.

And for the record, I use both a ground tent and a RTT, depending on the situation. When I can afford the weight and size of the RTT, it is worth every penny I spent on it, and I did not skip a single trip because of the cost (it was not a matter of "do I buy a RTT, OR, do I go on a trip"...)

[Corey]

Originally Posted by BIGdaddy

I think the guys who are travelling via foot, bike, motobike, car, small truck who use a ground tent for simplicity are no less prepared for the weather than a RTT user. I'll bet they use the money they WOULD have spend on a spendy RTT, and spend it in gas/food being OUT ON THE ROAD. money better spent? oh yeah.


play nice.
Brian

I will have to disagree with your statement in the simplicity part of owning a ground tent.
I have camped for years with tents both backpacking and family tents, and two tent trailers.

Tents require setup, staking them down so they will not get blown away, put in the mattress pads, cots, ect, and the tent trailers took awhile to set up too.

I can pull into a spot and have my Maggiolina cranked up in under a minute and climb into a warm bed with bedding already in it, just pull the covers back and get in.
And this is all done while someone is still taking their tent out of the bag and spreading it out on the ground after looking for ground that is rock/root free.
This is much more simplistic than what I have owned in the past, and has made camping much easier for me now.

But this is only my opinion and observation on the matter.
Others will differ

[BlueHZT60]

This particular Maggiolina has been all over and is one of the oldest in the NW. It has been rebuilt 3 times by me (Ice dam broke roof - filled inside with rot/mold; Ice dam#2 - inside frozed solid, #3 was a tree). It is 10-12 years old now and still going strong. The cost is expensive, but the value I get for my uses and the length of time in service make this a very inexpensive item.

I've thought many times about how to make a better one and haven't come close yet. The best inexpensive thing would be to pick up a giant rocket box and sew some sort of tent onto the clam opening - a one person coffin, but inexpensive, easy to set up, etc. Bob

[kellymoe]

Ive had a few RTT'S and several ground tents. I always ended up selling the RTT's, too much weight on the roof for the trails I did. I also didn't like the exposed feeling in a thunderstorm.

I now have speed and simplicity in a ground tent. It takes less time to put up than my RTT's and at a fraction of the price. It's a Airzone tent. It's poles are inflatable and extremely strong. It sets up in about 2 minutes. Sleeps four with some equipment. I couldn't be happier.

I use this tent only when I am with my family, otherwise I sleep in the back of my truck on solo trips which 80% of my trips are.

[Corey]

The Airzone is nice indeed.
I have scoured their website looking at all of the info in the past.

If I were to take along a tent for guests or family, that is one of the tents I would get for an extra tent.

I think it depends on the model of roof top tent too though.
Mine is really fast to set up, and the Columbus model is even faster than mine.

[Mayne]

I like the thinking here in the ability to fab up something... I too have a desire to do a one off of my own, because what I feel I need in a RTT is not being offered in the states at this time. Oz has a pot load, but no way or desire at the moment to get that product here. That being said, it is what happens when retro fitting a much older, yet popular trailer platform in this community.
I believe I have the ability to do the framework for what I want, but not the Sewing, as stated in another thread. I also don't mind sacrificing 350lbs to get what I want, as I've got the capacity, and @ 500lbs with water I'm not tipping the scales by more than 60%. The remainder of my gear doesn't come close to that.


Mayne

[BKCowGod]

Mayne - there's a great upholstery shop on Stevens Creek that has offered to do some custom work for me in the past. They were the ones that restored the seat in the Beast...

ABC Auto Upholstery, at Stevens Creek and Kiely... good people.

[milo12]

How does the Airzone hold up in wind? It looks floppy in the videos.

[Mayne]

Originally Posted by BKCowGod

Mayne - there's a great upholstery shop on Stevens Creek that has offered to do some custom work for me in the past. They were the ones that restored the seat in the Beast...

ABC Auto Upholstery, at Stevens Creek and Kiely... good people.

I'll look them up, but most I talk to are not equipped for that large a job.

Mayne

[JJonesee]

I read most of the replies here. I am extremely cheap, but I don’t mind paying for quality and or something that I need to rely on. When I first found prices on RTT's I felt the exact same way.

Maybe one person mentioned buying used.

If your upset with the cost, why not just source a used RTT?

All that said I picked up an older Mombasa tent, for $300. It was 5 min from my house.

Now - quality wise - its not the best - but it functions. Looking at the construction and materials I can see where the cost comes from. I couldn’t build what I bought for the money I paid. The other RTT's out there are of much higher quality, and I feel the price is justified. When and if my Mombasa tent fails, I will look into fabricating a new shell, but odds are I will just replace it with a quality tent.

Good luck with your build and post lots of pics!