6 Person Family Roof Top Tent

[JustJKing]

So I have been looking around a little bit and I can't seem to find a solid answer.

I am starting to look for a roof top tent but I have a family of 6. My kids are small still 4-7, so its not like I am looking to cram 6 full size adults into this thing.

The largest roof top tents I have found so far is the CVT Mt McKinley. Seems to have some of the largest footprints out there, also I like that the ladders drop down into the annex. But are there any other options out there?

Also can someone tell me how the annex works for different height vehicles? and is there a minimum height to make the annex usable? I am debating whether to put the tent on top of my jeep or on top of my trailer. Which ever I chose, the 6 bikes will have to go on the other, when we take them.

 

[calicamper]

I have the Life Time Tent trailer the original one which is 4x6 with two queen sized beds on each side of the 4x6 floor. For 4 of us we have plenty of space but pushing to 6 it would be tight. We have a grand parent that tags along occasionally putting us at 5 which case we were putting my youngest in the packnplay across the front of the trailer on the main floor between the two queen beds. Today he's too big! Couple of options I've thought through. Check out Jumping Jack trailers it might be a good compromise you get more sleeping area and given the price for these really nice well done Roof top tents a Jumping Jack trailer is a possible option.

Cot bunk beds pushed to the outer side of the queen bed or across the front of the trailer, thus leaving a sleeping spot for a grand parent and each kid has their own defined sleeping spot reduction in elbow room fights etc. I haven't done this yet but pretty sure I'm going Cot bunk bed system it has far to many pluses to not go that route.

The roof top tent approach I would mount it on a trailer given with that approach you only set up once and can use the truck to go on mini adventures without having to pack it up and set it up again. Lets face it the less set up time and pack up time required with young kids running around the more camping you'll probably do! Not to mention you won't need to remove the tent from the truck during the off season etc.

Keep in mind as the kids get older once they hit about 8-10yrs old you'll want them in their own tent ;-) And they'll probably want to be in their own tent. So keep that in mind vs your investment in the more costly larger set up. Couple of friends with older kids who have really nice hard sided trailers found their kids would rather be in a tent with cots than crashing in the trailer with Mom and Dad. Except for when its really cold out etc.

My rough camping program will be the Life Time Tent trailer rig till the kids hit the point they are not into sharing that space with Mom and Dad. Then my dream would be midsized 4dr pickup with a flatbed FWC. The idea being mom and dad have a escape pod with a heater! And when the kids tag along we can stuff them in the old Life Time trailer. As for gear? The life time trailer and the Jumping Jack trailers give you lots of flexability regarding gear hauling ability be it an ATV, or boats or just lots of crap etc. I roof top our bikes on the Subaru Outback and put gear in heavy target roof top storage bags lashed to the trailer. This approach lets me yank the gear off the trailer pretty fast just unstrap the bags and pull them off set the trailer up and put the kids incharge of hauling stuff into the trailer / tent etc.

When we go big we take the Sequoia example I rack our 14ft sailboat on the top cross bars tall side mode of the trailer, I have two 1/4 ply sheets I lay over the tent which on the floor of the trailer then I pack stuff like our 9ft Avon, tables, ice chests all that stuff etc, bikes go up on the roof of the truck.

 

[Box Rocket]

So I have been looking around a little bit and I can't seem to find a solid answer.

I am starting to look for a roof top tent but I have a family of 6. My kids are small still 4-7, so its not like I am looking to cram 6 full size adults into this thing.

The largest roof top tents I have found so far is the CVT Mt McKinley. Seems to have some of the largest footprints out there, also I like that the ladders drop down into the annex. But are there any other options out there?

Also can someone tell me how the annex works for different height vehicles? and is there a minimum height to make the annex usable? I am debating whether to put the tent on top of my jeep or on top of my trailer. Which ever I chose, the 6 bikes will have to go on the other, when we take them.

I would suggest taking a close look at the Tepui Gran Sabana. It has some of the features you like such as the ladder that drops down into the annex. The Gran Sabana has a closed footprint of 4x6' and an open sleeping area of 6x8' which is ample room for 4 people. The annex is massive and would easily sleep an additional 2-3 people with room left over for gear. I have been using the slightly smaller Tepui Autana for my family of 6 in a similar way. My wife and I would sleep in the upper portion and our 4 kids slept in the annex. As our kids are getting older the annex was getting a little tight for them but they would fit very well in the Gran Sabana. If you slept 3 above and 3 in the annex of the Gran Sabana it would be very comfortable. There is also expected to be a Ruggedized version of the Gran Sabana sometime in February.
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The problem with many of the larger double ladder tents is that the span between the hinges is so large that it's hard to keep the center of the tent supported well enough and it is not uncommon for them to bow and sag slightly in the center between the hinges. So I would spend some time looking at your options and how they are addressing that. The Tepui Gran Sabana is one that is a large tent but not so big that it suffers from those issues.

 

[JustJKing]

Calicamper, thanks for your suggestions. Right now I don't think those trailers you suggested would quite fit with what I am thinking about. I think you right about mounting the tent on the trailer. The ability to drop the trailer with the tent still deployed it pretty huge.

Box Rocket, I looked at the Tepui tent and while I like them a lot, they are not quite wide enough. I am 6'4", I would not comfortably fit in it unless I slept in it length wise. The CVT tent is 84" wide which gives me plenty of room to stretch out.


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[Box Rocket]

Calicamper, thanks for your suggestions. Right now I don't think those trailers you suggested would quite fit with what I am thinking about. I think you right about mounting the tent on the trailer. The ability to drop the trailer with the tent still deployed it pretty huge.

Box Rocket, I looked at the Tepui tent and while I like them a lot, they are not quite wide enough. I am 6'4", I would not comfortably fit in it unless I slept in it length wise. The CVT tent is 84" wide which gives me plenty of room to stretch out.


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The Tepui has a sleeping footpring of 72x96". It's meant to be slept in along the 96" (8feet) axis which still give you more than a foot of extra length if you're 6'4". The 72" (6feet) width is exactly that, width so unless your body is as wide as it is tall there's lots of room. This isn't meant as a debate, I'm just pointing out that you might have been thinking the opposite about the intended direction of sleeping.

 

[JustJKing]

You're right, I got my sleeping directions turned around. 96" is certainly a better length to sleep in than 72". 72" sleeping width would certainly be cozy for us. I love my children but I wouldn't sleep that well being packed in like that. The Mt McKinley tent would help but it still might be rather cosy. Gonna need to think on that.


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[Jr_Explorer]

It seems like a descent size RTT with inside ladder annex would be the solution. Two bunk cots in the annex would sleep all four kids "downstairs" and if in the future you kick the kids out into a separate tent the bunk cots would still fit that bill too.

 

[Gear]

I have an Eezi Awn 2200 family tent on my Adventure Trailer Chaser. I live a few miles away in San Elijo Hills. All PM you my phone number. Feel free to contact me. This is Eezi Awn's largest tent and would at least give you some ideas on if a roof top tent would work.

 

[surferdude78]

I'd also say check out the Eeeze-Awn or Hannibal family tents if you can afford one. They make some big honking tents!

 

[Cascadia-vehicle-tents]

You're right, I got my sleeping directions turned around. 96" is certainly a better length to sleep in than 72". 72" sleeping width would certainly be cozy for us. I love my children but I wouldn't sleep that well being packed in like that. The Mt McKinley tent would help but it still might be rather cosy. Gonna need to think on that.


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Good eveniong JustKing,

Thank you for thinking of us. The direction you are talking about is turned around. The 96" is the length and the 72" is the width. You sleep with your head and feet going with the 96" and you shoulders going the 72" way. The Mt Mckinley would be a better option for your family of 6 as it is 87" wide by 96" long (and you will all fit). The annex room itself is 111" (9'.3") wide by 8' out at the bottom. (from the vehicle)
An issue from above to address is the 2 floors bowing or popping out of the track. If the ladder is too far away from the vehicle or too close the tongue and groove will pop out. This will also happen on all smaller tents also. It is always best to make sure your ladder is at about a 33 degree pitch or the steps almost being level.
If you have any other questions please let us know.

Kind regards,

Bobby

 

[green73brc]

We have the Mt. McKinley Tent and sleep our family of 6 in it. 2 Adults 4 kids from 6-2. We have enough room to sleep shoulder to shoulder. If it helps what I did was use some painters tape and made the various manufactures tent foot print on the living room floor. Realize that the tent walls are pretty steep compared to most ground tents so you can really push it to the edges. Then I had our family lay down in various methods on various sizes of tape layouts. That helped me decide if the McKinley would fit our family or not.

 

[tabraha]

That is a great idea! Thanks for sharing.