Your take on the RTT vs. Ground tent debate

[OllieChristopher]

I would never ever consider a roof top tent. For myself it's a waste of money, weight, and hassle to set up/tear down. I imagine the clamshell ones are easier. They are also heavier.

I can deploy my Kelty including footprint, rain fly and sleeping bag/pad in under 5 minutes. Even in a downpour I'll be in relative comfort. The whole setup is under 15 lbs. Kind of heavy but good for a park and camp.

In the morning I fire up my Jet Boil and start packing up tent. By the time the water is boiling (3 or 4 minutes depending on elevation) my tent and sleeping gear is packed and stowed. Make my instant coffee, oatmeal and morning snack. Eat and enjoy my coffee while cleaning camp.

I can have my coffee/breakfast and camp torn down and be traveling in under 30 minutes. If I skip breakfast all of 15 minutes to be rolling out of camp. Most of the time I'll relax and take my time. then it's about an hour or so because I'm kicking back.

No matter what vehicle I'm on or when I used to hike. It's all about going as simple and light as possible. My biggest oversized luxury is the Jet Boil. It is bulky for a stove but It's something I take with me even when motorcycle camping or backpacking.

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[1BadDad]

Id love to have a RTT but I have a sky one touch and the gobi rack is UGLY AF for this roof. I wish i knew if i could do the rhino rack backbone system with the sky one touch with a QD setup. I would totally do that and just know im not going to open the top when i have the rack on. ( pull the fuse if i have to ) just looks so much better. The trailers are insanely cool but super pricey. Just dont know what to do.

 

[entropy]

I agree with what @Zandcwhite.

To me personally it is about sleeping comfort. I can make any setup comfortable, and I would argue the ground tent gives me more room to make things comfy. Not to mention I don't need to climb stairs in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.

So then it boils down to practicality. The ground tent wins hands down. Tents were designed to protect us from the elements, not critters. A good ground tent will protect you better from the elements than a RTT at a fraction of the price. It is a gazillion times lighter than the RTT, I don't need some expensive roof rack system, and I am not carrying over 150lbs on top of my roof. Also I don't need to worry about getting the tent on top of the jeep and storing it somewhere, or driving with it around town like a goofball.

Ground tents have been popular for decades for a reason. They are convenient, affordable, and easy to set up anywhere.

So what did I do personally? yeah I did go the "off-road" teardrop trailer route. But I found an "Affordable" one. Having gone camping a hundreds of times, being an avid hiker, backcountry skier, mountain biker, etc.... Having a good nights sleep means I will be able to complete that steep long hike, or be able to skin up a mountain and get back down safely through the deep heavy powder. But I didn't buy the most offroad worthy trailer money can buy. I bought something that has proper articulation and ground clearance to pull through any easy or moderate trail. When I go wheeling, I wanna do the fun stuff, and the reality is that most trails are day trails. I can set up camp and then go wheeling my light Jeep without trailer or heavy ass RTT. I dont want to pull a trailer on a difficult trail anyway. And most "overlanding" stuff the trailer can take it.

If I go on a multi-day difficult offroad trail I'd take a ground tent and very light gear. I wouldn't want to pull a trailer through the Rubicon or carry a RTT anyway.

 

[OllieChristopher]

The trailers are insanely cool but super pricey. Just dont know what to do.

Zach, The trailers or any type of RV are a lot of work. Unless you build your own, you will find the upkeep and frequent repairs of production trailers get old. Take even an off road specific one on the trails and you will be hating life when it breaks or malfunctions.

Think simple and light. Make a list of absolute necessary stuff you need with just a few luxuries. A 2 door jeep has an impressive almost 12 cubic feet and 365 liters of cargo space with the seats up and a massive 31.7 and almost 900 liters when they are folded down. How much space do you really need?

I have lived off my motorcycle regularly with less than 100 liters of space for full off grid travel in comfort.

 

[Morris4x4]

One of my biggest issues is the raised COG. I can’t justify having the extra weight on the roof for the type of wheeling I do.

gravity shmavity. Kidding I agree it feels absolutely off. You basically have to relearn your vehicles max out points with one on. Yes I know it not a jeep but our jeep is hiding back there lol.

-Julia

 

[Zandcwhite]

Zach, The trailers or any type of RV are a lot of work. Unless you build your own, you will find the upkeep and frequent repairs of production trailers get old. Take even an off road specific one on the trails and you will be hating life when it breaks or malfunctions.

Think simple and light. Make a list of absolute necessary stuff you need with just a few luxuries. A 2 door jeep has an impressive almost 12 cubic feet and 365 liters of cargo space with the seats up and a massive 31.7 and almost 900 liters when they are folded down. How much space do you really need?

I have lived off my motorcycle regularly with less than 100 liters of space for full off grid travel in comfort.

We have a 4 door, space has never been an issue. It gets a little tight if our 20 yo son actually wants to go. 6’4” “kid” plus the dog in the back seat, extra tent, sleeping bag, etc. Still plenty of space for everything we need for 3-5 days. If the wife and I are running a tough, multi-day trail we pack lighter. Leave the 2 burner stove and folding table home, etc. Single screw on burner for the 1lb propane cylinders, 1 pot, etc. I’m not backpacking so no need to get ultralite. If we are camping somewhere where a base camp makes sense, the full camp kitchen goes along. I could see the trailer being useful for these trips, but useless for the tough multi-day trails. If they were as cheap as tents, I could justify the limited use case that would only get used a couple times a year. We don’t mind sleeping in the tent, especially when the weather cooperates and we can leave the rain fly off for that open air experience. That’s the other drawback of most rtts, too closed up even with the windows open.

 

[At Risk Ute]

Want a really light / small one for my two door. Plan to delete the spare carrier and put the 37” spare tire lying flat in the back ( like @sourdough ) to improve CoG.

RTT - https://gofsr.com/products/odyssey-series
Roof rack - https://maximus-3.com/2018-jeep-wrangler-jl-jlu-roof-rack/maximus-3-jl-2-door-roof-rack-system

 

[Morris4x4]

I agree to a lot of what was said. My 2 cents:

Ground tent Pros (I am backpacker as a side hobby from wheeling):
-Place holder
-Can set up anywhere (within reason)
-Light weight vs RTT obviously
-Can be packed up and stored without an issue unless you have a Walmart 14 person size
-Quicker escape than getting down from an RTT
-Can bring copious amounts of pillows and blankets for warmth

Ground tent Cons:
-Place holder as long as someone doesn't steal it. The hiking community is cool with it but I know some people get ticked out about people claiming spots and not physically being there.
-Exposure to elements (flooding, more dust but that gets all over regardless, animals etc...)
-Personally have seen more tents destroyed from elements than rtts. (windy texas and desert storms).

RTT Pros:
-Higher up from creatures (most)
-Less susceptible to rips from what I've experienced.
-Can store pillows and bags in some (not at all)
-Can bring copious amounts of pillows and blankets for warmth too
-Can be quicker set up/tear down (hardshell)


RTT Cons:
-Still just as loud with wind like a ground tent unless you get a Redtail Overland tent
-Cost
-cant place hold.
-Cant leave on a moments notice in case of emergency unless you wanna cruise with it open flying down the road or trail.
-Clearance on trails
-Weight

IMHO if money wasn't an issue, I'd go for a Redtail Overland for an RTT/or if you're a truck, a bed camper. OR for the best of both worlds like others said, the trailers are amazing and I LOVE timberleafs trailers.

** 4runner I replied with above is one of our set ups (tents off now since we built a camper). I'll post that here too**

 

[RidgebackWrangler]

I have to admit the Tepui I had was very very warm in freezing temps the wife and I could use blankets and pillows. I added an extra pad the 3in memory foam wasn't enough.

 

[Bryce]

I guess I’ve always had the mindset it’s called camping for a reason and not glamping. My grandpa would have punched me in the face for saying glamping.

We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it. We get it rough enough at home, in towns and cities. -George W Sears

With that said, I enjoy multiple forms of camping. Be it a pack on my back, my 26ft travel trailer or my Jeep or Motorcycles being a mule for my stuff. Im my yp
ounger years, I was more of a minimalist with my camping. As I get older, I bring more comfort item.

Im a ground camper in the Jeep and have no desire for a RTT, but a smal trailer could be in the future.

 

[jadewolf]

I'm ground tent all the way.

For a long time, my primary reason was simple: dog!

I spent ten years solo camping with my JK and my 50lbs border collie. No way was I hauling him up and down a ladder to get into the tent with me. And he was my alarm for if strangers approached camp, so I wasn't about to lock him in the Jeep where I couldn't hear his quiet warning woofs.

But after he passed away, I still don't see any reason for a RTT.

My REI ground tent cost me under $200 and it's sturdy as hell and works great. Small footprint, can easily find a small patch of flat ground to set it up. And it sets up super easy, under ten minutes to set it up basic. A few more if I need to include the rainfly. Sits low to the ground and it's easier to angle and guy out to compensate for wind. Weighs only 5 lbs. It stores easily on my gear shelf in the garage. I can use it for backpacking and other sorts of camping. Multi purpose! Even my previous $20 walmart tent worked fine for me, too, when camping back East. I only upgraded because conditions are a bit harsher here in the desert.

Critters really aren't a concern for ground tents. Leave it zipped up except when entering/exiting and nothing is going to slither in. And don't store food or smelly items in your tent ever. Especially in bear country. Though, a RTT isn't going to help you there either. Bears can climb and can take a car apart. A RTT isn't going to stop them.

RTTs look cool, I'll grant them that. But they just don't seem very practical to me. And the high center of gravity makes me nervous, especially in very windy desert conditions.

For less remote camping where I want more comfort, I'd be more likely to go for building a small teardrop trailer than a RTT. At least then I'd have heat/AC and less wind worries.

 

[gerlbaum]

A a few of the 12x12 snap together flooring tiles works wonders for the ground. I’ve been using the fake grass ones:

 

[LooselyHeldPlans]

A a few of the 12x12 snap together flooring tiles works wonders for the ground. I’ve been using the fake grass ones:

 

[Pinion]

I like the ground or a hammock for camping. If I go out in the woods, it's to get away from creature comforts. I know how to make my own.

 

[F800]

I’ve had both and have settled on a ground tent (for now)

Roof Top Tent
- cool looking
- easy to travel with
- arrive at camp and you take up a small footprint (basically size of vehicle)
- easy enough to level out the Jeep with rocks or whatever
- extremely venerable if anything goes down outside
- pain In the ass to get down and piss in the middle of the night
- not a lot of interior space in the one I had, too small to chill up there
- worst part was The fact that if fpr some reason you need to get down the ladder, person entering camp or animal? Whatever it may be, you have to back out, legs first, and carefully go down a ladder.

the Roof Top Tent I bought was about $900 USD, knock off of Smittybilt but smaller interior.
I think I would enjoy an Ursa Minor, or possibly a iKamper Skycamp, but those are almost the price of an Ursa Minor so I will likely never try one out.

ground tent I have is 8 ft wide, I sleep on a cot and have ample room for both my Wife and I.


hope this input helps

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