Maggiolina
- Thread starter datrupr
- Start date
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
To start, I got mine in Canada, probably won't help you. Why not www.autohomeus.com.
I've only slept in it a couple of nights so far, but here are my impressions:
-The mattress is very, very firm. If you like European car seating, you'll probably like the mattress. If you like Buick seats, you probably won't. I found it to be quite comfortable, but I do want to put 1" of a softer pad on top just to take the edge off.
-Overall the quality is quite good. The fiberglass work is very good as are most other construction details. Some of the sewing is a bit sloppy. Not sloppy like they don't know what they're doing, but sloppy like they were rushed. Mostly when back-stitching they miss the mark. The headliner is nicely done.
-I used it on a very warm weekend, and it was nice and cool, not stuffy at all like a ground tent can get. You definitely feel like it's cooler up in the air, plus, more likely to leave the doors open but screens closed when you leave camp than on a ground tent. Just feel strangers or animals are less likely to go in.
-The headroom is lowish. You can't stand up, and barely kneel. You gotta put your pants on laying down. It's more roomy than a 2 person tent, but not as good as a family size tent, or how I imagine the other style of RTT's are. However, it's roomier than you might think based on the dimensions, since it if completely square inside, vertical walls. However, I'm short, 5'7", and I wouldn't want to be much taller in this thing. I was surprised by that. Lying down, head close-ish to the lifting arms, I can touch the lifting arms at the other end with my toes.
-The mesh they use is much bigger than I would have liked, and I am not a fan of the way it seals at the bottom of the doors. Hasn't been an issue yet, but I imagine it might. (blackflies) The mesh is very coarse. It's much much more durable than typical tent mesh, but I think small insects can get through. We'll see.
I've only slept in it a couple of nights so far, but here are my impressions:
-The mattress is very, very firm. If you like European car seating, you'll probably like the mattress. If you like Buick seats, you probably won't. I found it to be quite comfortable, but I do want to put 1" of a softer pad on top just to take the edge off.
-Overall the quality is quite good. The fiberglass work is very good as are most other construction details. Some of the sewing is a bit sloppy. Not sloppy like they don't know what they're doing, but sloppy like they were rushed. Mostly when back-stitching they miss the mark. The headliner is nicely done.
-I used it on a very warm weekend, and it was nice and cool, not stuffy at all like a ground tent can get. You definitely feel like it's cooler up in the air, plus, more likely to leave the doors open but screens closed when you leave camp than on a ground tent. Just feel strangers or animals are less likely to go in.
-The headroom is lowish. You can't stand up, and barely kneel. You gotta put your pants on laying down. It's more roomy than a 2 person tent, but not as good as a family size tent, or how I imagine the other style of RTT's are. However, it's roomier than you might think based on the dimensions, since it if completely square inside, vertical walls. However, I'm short, 5'7", and I wouldn't want to be much taller in this thing. I was surprised by that. Lying down, head close-ish to the lifting arms, I can touch the lifting arms at the other end with my toes.
-The mesh they use is much bigger than I would have liked, and I am not a fan of the way it seals at the bottom of the doors. Hasn't been an issue yet, but I imagine it might. (blackflies) The mesh is very coarse. It's much much more durable than typical tent mesh, but I think small insects can get through. We'll see.
jsmoriss
Explorer
Hey Rob,
I bought the OverZone, and wondered about the Maggiolina. Thanks for your observations. In case you were wondering:
- I find the mattress rather soft in the OverZone (especially for certain 'activities'), and will add a stiffer pad underneath.
- The stitching quality is probably about the same.
- The mosquito net is probably the same. You have to tuck the mosquito net under the mattress (head and foot) to close it properly. There were no instructions, so it took a few nights before I figured that one out.
- I'm about 6' and my feet and head _just_ touch both nets. It's not a problem, but I wouldn't like to be taller.
- The headroom is decent. You can kneel in the center, but you have to lay down to put on / take off the pants.
- The side-windows with the drawstrings are ok for cold temps, but they doesn't seal well enough for rain. You'd have to go outside and push against the velcro to shed rain properly. So something to think about _before_ it rains.
js.
The Swiss
Expedition Leader
My Maggiolina Adventure is roughly about 10 years old; I own it for about 7. Love it, love it love it. Holds up very nicely. They are not the cheapest but IMHO worth every penny. The mosquito appears to be pretty coarse and does not really seal on the bottom, I however never had a mosquito problem inside my Maggiolina in the 7 years I own it.
Only draw-back, I think with any RTT though: In my experience, you will loose 1-2 mpg.
Mike at autohome us is a great guy to work with, very knowledgeable and helpful. He will fix you up.
Feel free to PM if you have questions:
Only draw-back, I think with any RTT though: In my experience, you will loose 1-2 mpg.
Mike at autohome us is a great guy to work with, very knowledgeable and helpful. He will fix you up.
Feel free to PM if you have questions:
The Swiss
Expedition Leader
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Heh, I only lose 1.5mpg towing my Magg on top of a massive trailer.
I actually prefer the chunky look of a traditional RTT over the Magg, but then I do have a boxy truck and trailer. I wanted the Magg because it's way faster to set up and pack, and I was concerned about the fly "flapping in the wind" as I've heard of. Some things like that.
I'm still not convinced I made the right choice. Sometimes I still think I should have gotten the OverZone with the vestibule.
I actually prefer the chunky look of a traditional RTT over the Magg, but then I do have a boxy truck and trailer. I wanted the Magg because it's way faster to set up and pack, and I was concerned about the fly "flapping in the wind" as I've heard of. Some things like that.
I'm still not convinced I made the right choice. Sometimes I still think I should have gotten the OverZone with the vestibule.
Corey
OverCamping Specialist
I dig my Airland tent.
I have a blog here on it.
http://www.yotatech.com/blogs/corey/2-roof-top-tents.html
I have also found out that if it is cold outside I sleep very warm, I am not cold.
If it is hot outside, I sleep very well too, the tent seems to adjust, hard to put in words.
Very well worth the money I paid for it.
If I had to do it all over again, I would buy the exact same model down no questions asked.
Some take a 1" featherbed to put underneath the sheets on top of the stock mattress.
This seems to make it more comfortable, and I may look into that next year.
I sleep well in it, but it is a much firmer than what I am use to.
I have a blog here on it.
http://www.yotatech.com/blogs/corey/2-roof-top-tents.html
I have also found out that if it is cold outside I sleep very warm, I am not cold.
If it is hot outside, I sleep very well too, the tent seems to adjust, hard to put in words.
Very well worth the money I paid for it.
If I had to do it all over again, I would buy the exact same model down no questions asked.
Some take a 1" featherbed to put underneath the sheets on top of the stock mattress.
This seems to make it more comfortable, and I may look into that next year.
I sleep well in it, but it is a much firmer than what I am use to.
Just got a maggiolina extreme after much debate. So far I've only spent three nights in it (1 alone and 2 not alone:ylsmoke. I find it to be super well made and built to last. It is very comfortable assuming you get your vehicle on a level spot! The interior features are nice: hanging organizer pockets, cargo net along the ceiling, 12v dome light. It has been on the top of my truck now, and I find that I only lose about 1 mpg, maybe 2 on the highway.
I thought for sure I would feel a noticeable difference in the handling of my truck, but surprisingly I did not! It is however getting a small lift at the moment so we'll see!
The drawbacks I have seen so far.......Mine is mounted on a Thule system, as such the towers are a little taller than the load bar itself and make contact with the bottom of the tent. Despite my best efforts to isolate the small movement between the tent and the bars it still happens and makes a lot of noise. As of right now I think I have it licked by glueing sections of bicycle inner tube to the tops of the towers to cushion the tent and by adding spacers above the load bars (3/8") to get a little more clearance.
Oh, and I think it looks a little wierd on a truck without a cap! So far I love it and look forward to many nights in it over many years!
. I find it to be super well made and built to last. It is very comfortable assuming you get your vehicle on a level spot! The interior features are nice: hanging organizer pockets, cargo net along the ceiling, 12v dome light. It has been on the top of my truck now, and I find that I only lose about 1 mpg, maybe 2 on the highway. I thought for sure I would feel a noticeable difference in the handling of my truck, but surprisingly I did not! It is however getting a small lift at the moment so we'll see!
The drawbacks I have seen so far.......Mine is mounted on a Thule system, as such the towers are a little taller than the load bar itself and make contact with the bottom of the tent. Despite my best efforts to isolate the small movement between the tent and the bars it still happens and makes a lot of noise. As of right now I think I have it licked by glueing sections of bicycle inner tube to the tops of the towers to cushion the tent and by adding spacers above the load bars (3/8") to get a little more clearance.
Oh, and I think it looks a little wierd on a truck without a cap! So far I love it and look forward to many nights in it over many years!
Dave Bennett
Adventurist
The mattresses in the Maggiolina's are FAR superior to the Eezi-Awn or any other RTT I've seen.
If I had to do the RTT thing over again, I would have bought the Maggiolina vice the Eezi-Awn (the travel covers on that style of tent - Camping Lab, Mombassa, Howling Moon, etc plain suck. PITA to deal with and the sun destroys them prematurely )
YMMV :ylsmoke:
If I had to do the RTT thing over again, I would have bought the Maggiolina vice the Eezi-Awn (the travel covers on that style of tent - Camping Lab, Mombassa, Howling Moon, etc plain suck. PITA to deal with and the sun destroys them prematurely )
YMMV :ylsmoke:
jsmoriss
Explorer
I was going to suggest we get together and compare... but maybe it's better to _think_ we made the wrong choice, instead of _knowing_ we made the wrong choice.
js.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I was going to suggest we get together and compare... but maybe it's better to _think_ we made the wrong choice, instead of _knowing_ we made the wrong choice.
js.
Probably true.
The reality is I don't think a vestibule would have worked out as well as I'd like to think it would. How long does it take to set up? It would also have to be *sealed* my trailer body to work, which would be a challenge.
