• DCRC 2024

Official Is a rooftop tent (RTT) for me?

jeeper

jeeper

I live my life 1 dumpster at a time
Location
So Jo, Ut
I have all these great hopes and dreams of doing some of this awesome camping you guys do, but then I go on a camp with the scouts, pitch a tent, sleep on the hard ground, pack up a tent, go home and set it up to clean it, etc.. and I decide a tent is not for me. But I am honestly jealous that you can go for days on end without having to have a base camp somewhere for all the cooking and sleeping. I would like to have a go at it sometime, but am SURE my wife would not make the journey with me.
This is our RTT, but we had to mount it in the bed of the truck (obviously a rack over the cab wouldn't work)
IMG_0628.jpg
 
Max Power

Max Power

Bryce
Location
Sandy
mbryson said:
Anyone have any ideas about securing the RTT to your rack? In most applications, the RTT is on the vehicle you'd be wheeling with. However, I'm thinking I'd leave it on my trailer or pickup at various trailheads unattended for hours at a time. Makes me want to make it as difficult as possible for someone to decide they want to own it.

What kind of security options are out there for the tents?
The only thing I've seen that addresses security is this from Autohome.
View attachment 68409http://www.autohomeus.com/accessories/tuffnut.php
Click to expand...

I have also thought about this. Has anyone heard of one of these getting stolen off a vehicle.
 
lewis

lewis

Fight Till You Die
Location
Hairyman
As long as you use the right hardware, it would be pretty difficult. Mine requires putting a wrench inside the tent to get the nuts off.
 
cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
lewis said:
As long as you use the right hardware, it would be pretty difficult. Mine requires putting a wrench inside the tent to get the nuts off.
Click to expand...

x2, you would have to deploy or at a minimum open the tent partially to get to the hardware for my install, something I've not heard of happening.
 
Max Power

Max Power

Bryce
Location
Sandy
I have wanted to mount a RTT on my Titan/tow vehicle for a while now. This way I can pull my rig somewhere and have a comfortable place to sleep. I also do a fair amount of camping that does not involve wheeling so this will be convenient.

I mounted the ARB Simpson III to the factory Nissan sliding racks that mount to my Titans utili-trac system.
 

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Max Power

Max Power

Bryce
Location
Sandy
I would love to go to the RME BBQ, but I am going camping with my dad and brother and they don't want to drive that far for a one nighter.
 
spencevans

spencevans

Overlander
Location
Farmington
I am taking out my first gen Mombossa for an adventure Friday to Saturday. How do these fair in the wind and rain when compared to a ground tent? I think Greg said he water-proofed the seams before he sold it to me but I am not 100% certain. Also are the little snap-on rainfly's adequate on the first gen Mombassa? It's kinda sad I have never had it in a storm, but I have had really good luck with the weather over the past 2 years. I have really enjoyed this little tent because it is so roomy, but it may be time to upgrade to a Camping Labs Serengeti 79x94 RTT. I like lots of room. :D
 
Greg

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
spencevans said:
I am taking out my first gen Mombossa for an adventure Friday to Saturday. How do these fair in the wind and rain when compared to a ground tent? I think Greg said he water-proofed the seams before he sold it to me but I am not 100% certain. Also are the little snap-on rainfly's adequate on the first gen Mombassa? It's kinda sad I have never had it in a storm, but I have had really good luck with the weather over the past 2 years. I have really enjoyed this little tent because it is so roomy, but it may be time to upgrade to a Camping Labs Serengeti 79x94 RTT. I like lots of room. :D
Click to expand...

I coated the whole tent and put a lot of attention & effort into the rain fly- http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.ph...evetion-for-a-Roof-Top-Tent&highlight=mombasa

Those Mombasa's do OK in weather, but the material isn't tight against the bars, so you get a lot of material flapping around when the wind picks up, especially the rain fly. Some times the snaps will pull out, if the winds get bad & the rain fly starts getting beaten up. I wish the rain fly attached to that tent in a better way, the snaps are quite cheezy when it starts blowing. I've had that tent in rain, snow & brutal wind.... IMO RTT's don't do well in high winds, but what tent does? Other than high dollar mountain climbing tents. With the water proofing, you should be pretty safe from moisture inside the tent. Before, rain would seep & leak in... not a lot, but enough to get sleeping bags & pillows wet.

That Mombasa is a great starter RTT.... now that you know why they're handy and you like them, upgrade and sell the Mombasa so someone else can enjoy it! :D
 
spencevans

spencevans

Overlander
Location
Farmington
Greg said:
I coated the whole tent and put a lot of attention & effort into the rain fly- http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.ph...evetion-for-a-Roof-Top-Tent&highlight=mombasa

Those Mombasa's do OK in weather, but the material isn't tight against the bars, so you get a lot of material flapping around when the wind picks up, especially the rain fly. Some times the snaps will pull out, if the winds get bad & the rain fly starts getting beaten up. I wish the rain fly attached to that tent in a better way, the snaps are quite cheezy when it starts blowing. I've had that tent in rain, snow & brutal wind.... IMO RTT's don't do well in high winds, but what tent does? Other than high dollar mountain climbing tents. With the water proofing, you should be pretty safe from moisture inside the tent. Before, rain would seep & leak in... not a lot, but enough to get sleeping bags & pillows wet.

That Mombasa is a great starter RTT.... now that you know why they're handy and you like them, upgrade and sell the Mombasa so someone else can enjoy it! :D
Click to expand...


Thanks for chiming in Greg. It's good to hear this tent can take a beating.

I have thought about selling it in the next year or so. I really like the Serengeti tent. It looks like it is high quality tent like the Eezi-awn's and the ARB Simpson III. I have really enjoyed this Mombossa, but I do have to pack around extra pads for it which is eating into my cargo space. I love the size, but I think I need one with about 6" more length like the Serengeti so I can sleep 5-6 people instead of just 4-5. I guess being 6' 7" limits my options a bit when it come to tents in general.
 
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