Quality of RTT's Fabric

[39Ronin]

My question is to the various owners of roof top tents (RTT). I have never seen a RTT up close enough to touch, so I am wondering about the quality of the materials being used. I realize it differs from company to company but I really like high end camping tents made Mountain Hardwear ect.. How do the materials stack up against something like this:

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/en-CA/Product.aspx?top=1692&prod=3417&cat=1819&viewAll=False

I also know that RTT can afford to be heavier but are the materials comprable or better?

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I can't speak for all the other RTT's, but my Maggiolina, it's like apples and oranges. The matterial on the Mag is in a completely different league. Tissue paper vs. construction paper. The Mag is like almost but not quite a denim weight material. As for the "Quality", it's hard to compare, how could you compare quality of tissue paper vs. construction paper?

 

[Aggie]

On my mombasa RTT, I can say that the material is a canvas material and NOTHING gets in or out of it. As far as "Quality" is concerned, IMO the fabric the tent is made of is great.

 

[Corey]

I too own a Maggiolina AirLand roof top tent.
The canvas is nice and heavy, and it is waterproof.

I think most tents which includes most brands are made to withstand harsh weather.

Here is some info the material used for my model.

Our Fabric
The fabric used in Maggiolina tents is
the finest engineered tenting available

Maggiolina Grey Fabric

* Breathability allows the respiration of moisture that would otherwise condense inside the tent, causing discomfort and the potential for mildew.
* Waterproof—no treatment is necessary, the fabric easily sheds water and the tent may be packed for travel—even in rainy or snowy conditions.
* Fade resistance is assured because the color is built-in before the fabric is woven.
* Wear, crease and abrasion resistance is assured, the fabric will not shrink or expand in extremes of temperature.
* The fabric will function perfectly in extremes—from 22 below zero (-30° C) to 160° (70° C).
* The high quality finish offers a smooth touch with maximum sound and light blockin capabilities

http://www.autohome.it/file_gb/magg_technical.html
The advantages of Dralon:
Breathable: Dralon does not retain heat or humidity that form condensation, making it particularly resistant to mildew.
Waterproof: Waterproofing treatment is unecessary because the fibres shed, not retain water, allowing you to fold the tents even when wet.
Stability: Dralon fibres are pre-dyed before the fabric is woven, making it fade resistant, even under burning desert sun.
Strength: Strong weft fibres help create a tear and crease resistant fabric, that will not shrink or expand even in extreme temperature fluctuations.
Temperature: The fabric is guaranteed for use in extremes of temperature, ranging from -30° C upto 70° C.
Maintenance: Construction of Dralons’ special/unique fabrics ensures a long maintenance free life.
The high quality of Dralon: Fabrics ensure the tents are more soundproof and less transparent agaist light than traditional materials, yet still feel soft to the touch.
Easy to maintain: No need of particular treatments.

 

[Mike S]

Thanks for posting that, Corey.

The fabric specification on a RTT depends a great deal on the design.

Traditional African and Australian RTTs are manufactured with cotton canvas, which does work well in the climates that these tents are designed for. Lately there has been a trend towards cotton/acrylic fabrics that have some advantages - being more water proof and breathable generally.

The tent that the original poster linked to is made of ripstop nylon and nylon tafeta. These have the advantage of light weight and are highly water resistant. The lightweight aspect is the main benefit in a back packing type tent... the RTT does not require extreme lightweight fabrics, so they may employ other fabrics that have other superior characteristics - breathability, wear resistance, high and low temperature functional capability, and color fastness.

 

[39Ronin]

Great info guys! Living in a temperate rainforest I definately need a waterproof, breathable tent that also is resistant to mold. To give you an idea I left my childs stroller on my covered front porch, within 2 days it was already speckled with mold.

 

[Martyn]

The terms Waterproof and Breathable should be looked at closely.

Waterproof fabrics by definition does not allow any water droplets or vapors to cross the fabric barrier. Think rubberized jackets.

Breathable fabrics allow vapors through the barrier but stop or resist water droplets.

The balance is to get a fabric that has waterproof qualities but allows vapor exchange.

Material thickness:
A high degree of abrasion occurs within a closed RTT on top of a vehicle. The fabric folds onto itself and the vibration caused by the vehicle moving sets up rubbing between fabric surfaces. Any dirt on the fabric give a sandpaper type effect.

Thin fabrics wear out within a few years. Thicker fabrics, 360 gram + like Carthartt work pants, provide long lasting tents.

 

[texas taco]

Thin fabrics wear out within a few years. Thicker fabrics, 360 gram + like Carthartt work pants, provide long lasting tents. X2 Martyn You said that on an earlier thread, and that is why i went with the EEZI AWN. Sure enough you were right. I love my tent. It is on a whole different level than my Mountain Hardware tent.