Contemplating a RTT

[JINO]

I'm not a big fan of RTTs, as it raises center of gravity, as well as reduce mpg (range matters, as I'll spend all day/night exploring when I camp).
But I'm not getting younger and health is slowly deteriorating from medical issues.
I seem to be doing less rock crawling as well, preferring the more scenic scenes with some obstacles along the way.

I'm eyeballing the iKamper 3.0 mini. Seems perfect size for the wife and I.
Also my roofrack is 68"x56". So it has to be the fold out tents, some are too long for my rack.

Anyone have this tent and would recommend it?
Should I wait and see if they make a 4.0 mini?
I'm in no rush. Though my friends have them and swear on their life that I should get one.

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[Camaroboi13]

I am of no help as I can’t seem to get past the price tag of a hundred dollar tent that goes on your roof for 2700 dollars. Post pics when you get it ??

 

[Diesel1776]

Forget iKamper and the like. Save yourself several thousands of dollars and go with something like this or this. @Casey250 even did a video on one of them recently.

There’s no reason anyone should be paying more than $1500 MAX for one of these rooftop tents. They’re virtually all the same … take the $2000+ saved and invest it in a proper exoskeleton like the MetalCloak ARS.

The big name RTT companies think they can make fools of the community by charging markups of 300%+

 

[Av8Chuck]

Have you ever owned a RTT? When I purchased our iKamper 2.0 i heard all the same reasons for not getting one.

It’s like anything with a jeep, it just depends on what you want to use it for. I upgraded the suspension and roof rack and after spending 180+ nights in it in 2023, I took it off to repaint it. I scratched the crap out of it - other than that it has been great.

I’ve only seen a couple of minis in the wild and it looks like a great size. The 2.0 is actually pretty big (king size bed big). I’ve never owned another brand of RTT so I don’t know how it compares, but ours has held together very well.

Gas mileage, I didn’t buy a Jeep for its fuel efficiency. I don’t really notice much of a difference - on or off.

I’m building a trailer for the RTT.

 

[JINO]

Forget iKamper and the like. Save yourself several thousands of dollars and go with something like this or this. @Casey250 even did a video on one of them recently.

There’s no reason anyone should be paying more than $1500 MAX for one of these rooftop tents. They’re virtually all the same … take the $2000+ saved and invest it in a proper exoskeleton like the MetalCloak ARS.

The big name RTT companies think they can make fools of the community by charging markups of 300%+

Seems to be some complaints for quality issues. Mainly the zipper and mount for the roofrack.
Maybe there's in-between options?

Have you ever owned a RTT? When I purchased our iKamper 2.0 i heard all the same reasons for not getting one.

It’s like anything with a jeep, it just depends on what you want to use it for. I upgraded the suspension and roof rack and after spending 180+ nights in it in 2023, I took it off to repaint it. I scratched the crap out of it - other than that it has been great.

I’ve only seen a couple of minis in the wild and it looks like a great size. The 2.0 is actually pretty big (king size bed big). I’ve never owned another brand of RTT so I don’t know how it compares, but ours has held together very well.

Gas mileage, I didn’t buy a Jeep for its fuel efficiency. I don’t really notice much of a difference - on or off.

I’m building a trailer for the RTT.

I've never owned a RTT. Always preffered a decent ground tent.
My buddy has the 2.0 mini, and he loves it. He had a different brand (cheaper) and he said there's no comparison in quality. It does seem very nice and no lacking of quality.
My jeep currently does 22 to 26 mpg on 37s, so I can take a few drops on mpg. I didn't buy it for the mpg either, got it for the low end torque (ecodiesel), and I guess I can always bring more diesel fuel.

 

[dpike]

I'm happy with my ikamper 2.0, it took a while to get the right sleeping pad for it but a fairly cheap self inflator works great. If you need anything more than 3" of foam and/or air to sleep on because of hip or back issues take that into consideration too.

 

[JINO]

I'm happy with my ikamper 2.0, it took a while to get the right sleeping pad for it but a fairly cheap self inflator works great. If you need anything more than 3" of foam and/or air to sleep on because of hip or back issues take that into consideration too.

I have 2 self inflating mattresses. They are amazing! I've slept on sharp rocks and can't feel them through the mattress at all.
I'm guessing these can't be left inside the ikampers.

 

[Jeepless]

I have the ikamper mini 3.0 on a pioneer platform, short version, and Maximus 3 mounts. If you don’t have a rack yet and we’re for any reason leaning towards pioneer, I’d highly suggest rhino backbone and get the longer version. My ikamper takes up almost all the rack. Maybe a few inches to spare. It would be nice to be able to put a box, maxtrax, battery for heated blankets, shower, or whatever you choose too and you won’t be able to with short version.

As far as the tent itself… I love it, BUT I think I’d do it differently if I had known. It’s not enough to make me switch because it is 90% perfect.

Pros:
it is very easy to set up and take down in the format it comes in. Takes me maybe 2 minutes to have it open with all poles in the windows and flys up. It’s also really nice that I store two full size comfortable pillows in it with a double sleeping bag and a single as well. It looks great in my opinion. And it’s extremely light. About 120lbs so I can easily remove it with the help of one person to just grab the other end. I don’t like to have it on full time. I’ll keep it on all summer because I go every other weekend. Winter hits and I pull it off and put it in for sparce trips. I will also leave it behind if I’m doing a more technical route, like the rubicon or such and just tent camp. I really like that it flips out to get the length instead of taking the whole roof like clamshells. The overhang is nice to hang a light from for entry and exit. A shoe bag. Hang wet clothes to dry. Etc. There are a lot of attachment/accessories for it too. Awnings, annex rooms, bags, and more. That’s the pros.

Cons:
It is really expensive and the accessories are extremely expensive. I think mine came out to near $4500 with nothing other than the self inflating 4” mattress. Which brings me to the second biggest downfall. The sleeping pads it comes with are terrible. I have backpacking mattress that make that thing feel like rocks. Plus with the metal underneath you can feel the coldness under you. I’ll put a picture below of it, I bring it as a dog bed. Which then leads to the next con. The self inflating mattress makes both setup and transportation more difficult. You can still store it in there but you have to really roll all the air out and cinch down as tight as you can if you want other things up there too. I still fit that and two pillow and a down sleeping bag. But it takes effort to roll it up and then close the top too. While I think it looks good, it’s big. 13” I think. Clamshells or a few others like roofnest are 6-10”. Also, I like that clamshells have the attachments for awning, shovel, or whatever on the tent so you aren’t trying to Mount stuff in the rack under the tent.

pluses and minuses. If I’m camping and don’t plan to go drive everyday, it is absolutely perfect. If we are gonna be packing up every morning it’s more of a pain in the ass. Sometimes I’ll bring the thin mattresses so I can pack quickly or I’ll have people waiting on me. It’s also really up there. You have 3.5” lift with 37-38’s right? And then a rack.. it’s a steep climb. I bring my dog and he can get up there with the stair attachments but I have to carry him down. It’s sketchy. That’s with any rtt tho, just a thing to think about. Pees in the middle of the night suck. Bring a urinal or bottle.

I watched lots of reviews and went to a few local shops to sit In a bunch of them and test them out. I recommend doing that if available. It wasn’t out at the time but the 23zero Kabari X is a cool rtt for clamshell. Super easy to set up. Comfortable. And a little extra room due to the hinge system. It has bars that go on top of it to Mount boxes and things as well if needed. Plus it’s $2500 at spirit of 1876. Just things to think about.

ADDED: invest in a little fan. During hot days, it gets extremely hot and stuffy. I got that one on Amazon for like $25 and it’s got 4 leds you can choose to have one-four in at a time. 4 speed options. Lasted for 5 days about 2 hours a day with lights and fan. And if needed I believe you can charge phone or plug a light or something into it too.

Goodluck

 

[Jeepless]

Few with it closed to see that aspect

 

[JINO]

I have the ikamper mini 3.0 on a pioneer platform, short version, and Maximus 3 mounts. If you don’t have a rack yet and we’re for any reason leaning towards pioneer, I’d highly suggest rhino backbone and get the longer version. My ikamper takes up almost all the rack. Maybe a few inches to spare. It would be nice to be able to put a box, maxtrax, battery for heated blankets, shower, or whatever you choose too and you won’t be able to with short version.

As far as the tent itself… I love it, BUT I think I’d do it differently if I had known. It’s not enough to make me switch because it is 90% perfect.

Pros:
it is very easy to set up and take down in the format it comes in. Takes me maybe 2 minutes to have it open with all poles in the windows and flys up. It’s also really nice that I store two full size comfortable pillows in it with a double sleeping bag and a single as well. It looks great in my opinion. And it’s extremely light. About 120lbs so I can easily remove it with the help of one person to just grab the other end. I don’t like to have it on full time. I’ll keep it on all summer because I go every other weekend. Winter hits and I pull it off and put it in for sparce trips. I will also leave it behind if I’m doing a more technical route, like the rubicon or such and just tent camp. I really like that it flips out to get the length instead of taking the whole roof like clamshells. The overhang is nice to hang a light from for entry and exit. A shoe bag. Hang wet clothes to dry. Etc. There are a lot of attachment/accessories for it too. Awnings, annex rooms, bags, and more. That’s the pros.

Cons:
It is really expensive and the accessories are extremely expensive. I think mine came out to near $4500 with nothing other than the self inflating 4” mattress. Which brings me to the second biggest downfall. The sleeping pads it comes with are terrible. I have backpacking mattress that make that thing feel like rocks. Plus with the metal underneath you can feel the coldness under you. I’ll put a picture below of it, I bring it as a dog bed. Which then leads to the next con. The self inflating mattress makes both setup and transportation more difficult. You can still store it in there but you have to really roll all the air out and cinch down as tight as you can if you want other things up there too. I still fit that and two pillow and a down sleeping bag. But it takes effort to roll it up and then close the top too. While I think it looks good, it’s big. 13” I think. Clamshells or a few others like roofnest are 6-10”. Also, I like that clamshells have the attachments for awning, shovel, or whatever on the tent so you aren’t trying to Mount stuff in the rack under the tent.

pluses and minuses. If I’m camping and don’t plan to go drive everyday, it is absolutely perfect. If we are gonna be packing up every morning it’s more of a pain in the ass. Sometimes I’ll bring the thin mattresses so I can pack quickly or I’ll have people waiting on me. It’s also really up there. You have 3.5” lift with 37-38’s right? And then a rack.. it’s a steep climb. I bring my dog and he can get up there with the stair attachments but I have to carry him down. It’s sketchy. That’s with any rtt tho, just a thing to think about. Pees in the middle of the night suck. Bring a urinal or bottle.

I watched lots of reviews and went to a few local shops to sit In a bunch of them and test them out. I recommend doing that if available. It wasn’t out at the time but the 23zero Kabari X is a cool rtt for clamshell. Super easy to set up. Comfortable. And a little extra room due to the hinge system. It has bars that go on top of it to Mount boxes and things as well if needed. Plus it’s $2500 at spirit of 1876. Just things to think about.

Goodluck

Well I'll be using a self inflating mattress, it's really comfortable on nearly any surface. Usually it doesn't take me long to pack the mattress back into its bag.
If I do get an awning, my Rival roofrack has a mount for it.
I don't plan on adding any accessories, other than lighting. For heat (I only camp when it's cold), I can bring up my jackery for a heated blanket.
I'll look into the 23zero.
I've seen a few RTTs, but my friends 2.0 mini is the nicest one I've seen yet.

I am dreading the roof rack breakdown if I do decide on RTT. I have to take my roofrack off, then the hard top, drill 6 holes in it, add some mounts to the roll cage, put hardtop back on, then roof rack back on, then install the RTT.

 

[Jeepless]

Well I'll be using a self inflating mattress, it's really comfortable on nearly any surface. Usually it doesn't take me long to pack the mattress back into its bag.
If I do get an awning, my Rival roofrack has a mount for it.
I don't plan on adding any accessories, other than lighting. For heat (I only camp when it's cold), I can bring up my jackery for a heated blanket.
I'll look into the 23zero.
I've seen a few RTTs, but my friends 2.0 mini is the nicest one I've seen yet.

I am dreading the roof rack breakdown if I do decide on RTT. I have to take my roofrack off, then the hard top, drill 6 holes in it, add some mounts to the roll cage, put hardtop back on, then roof rack back on, then install the RTT.

my buddy has the 2.0 that he found on Facebook or Craigslist or something for a killer deal and I borrowed it. I sat in about 8 of them in the store too and overall liked ikamper the most.

I always planned to get self inflating mattress and the guys made it seem simple to fit up there when closed. I guess it is besides me not think of sitting in the tent, rolling and knelling as I got on it and then it being about double the size of the ones it comes with. But… without a doubt, the most comfortable I’ve ever been camping. I’ve cowboy camped, to eggshell, to small backpacking to cots.. the self inflating is Heaven! Honestly up there with my sleep number bed. Haha.

for what’s it’s worth, I may have made packing it seem more of a hassle then it is, but I absolutely hate packing up camp, so doing it every morning when on the go is my least favorite part. Hence why I may have gotten a clamshell that closed in two seconds. Worth it tho.

also, I understand tho e dread of roof rack. I hate installing stuff the first time. Let alone a second time. I try to have as many things as possible to do all at once so I never have to remove that part again for upgrade.

last thing I’ll add is the mini fits me and the lady and 2 dogs pretty well. I’m 6’2, 210lbs, she’s 5’1 and 105 and it’sa blue healer and mini Aussie, both medium size and about 40 pounds.

We tried us two and two kids, 5 and 7 and it was too cramped. Maybe one kid but no dogs. Don’t know your situation.

 

[JINO]

my buddy has the 2.0 that he found on Facebook or Craigslist or something for a killer deal and I borrowed it. I sat in about 8 of them in the store too and overall liked ikamper the most.

I always planned to get self inflating mattress and the guys made it seem simple to fit up there when closed. I guess it is besides me not think of sitting in the tent, rolling and knelling as I got on it and then it being about double the size of the ones it comes with. But… without a doubt, the most comfortable I’ve ever been camping. I’ve cowboy camped, to eggshell, to small backpacking to cots.. the self inflating is Heaven! Honestly up there with my sleep number bed. Haha.

for what’s it’s worth, I may have made packing it seem more of a hassle then it is, but I absolutely hate packing up camp, so doing it every morning when on the go is my least favorite part. Hence why I may have gotten a clamshell that closed in two seconds. Worth it tho.

also, I understand tho e dread of roof rack. I hate installing stuff the first time. Let alone a second time. I try to have as many things as possible to do all at once so I never have to remove that part again for upgrade.

last thing I’ll add is the mini fits me and the lady and 2 dogs pretty well. I’m 6’2, 210lbs, she’s 5’1 and 105 and it’sa blue healer and mini Aussie, both medium size and about 40 pounds.

We tried us two and two kids, 5 and 7 and it was too cramped. Maybe one kid but no dogs. Don’t know your situation.

I have 2 dogs, one is 40 lbs and other is 60 lbs. Not sure I want to haul them up and down the ladder, they might sleep in the jeep.

 

[John VonJeep]

Everyone I know who has an RTT loves it.

Me? I'm a ground guy. Recently switched to a bedroll and have never slept better than I do on this system with the included 3" foam pad.

https://canvascutter.com/products/dominator-sleep-system

 

[Fonzilla85]

I'm not a big fan of RTTs, as it raises center of gravity, as well as reduce mpg (range matters, as I'll spend all day/night exploring when I camp).
But I'm not getting younger and health is slowly deteriorating from medical issues.
I seem to be doing less rock crawling as well, preferring the more scenic scenes with some obstacles along the way.

I'm eyeballing the iKamper 3.0 mini. Seems perfect size for the wife and I.
Also my roofrack is 68"x56". So it has to be the fold out tents, some are too long for my rack.

Anyone have this tent and would recommend it?
Should I wait and see if they make a 4.0 mini?
I'm in no rush. Though my friends have them and swear on their life that I should get one.

You can also just get yourself an easy set up tent, a camping cot and call it a day. Less money, easy to move around.

 

[Dusty Dude]

I am a ground guy as well. Most of my gear does double duty as backpacking gear. I see the convenience of RTT if you don’t have to break camp every day. They remind me of having to get in and out of a bunk bed. It can be an issue if you need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

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