Advice needed, family sized RTT

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NicholsPack

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So, wife and I made an oppsie baby a couple of years back and we have out grown our alu cab expo 3. So we have two little ones, she’s relatively normal sized, but I’m 6’4” and range between 250-270 pounds depending on the time of year.

The rig is an 80 series land cruiser, rolling on 35’s with a 2.5” lift. This puts the tent a solid 6’6” off the ground. I’m in Virginia, and most of the trails I run have lower clearance limbs.

So I’m looking for some sort of a hard shell, 4 person, 4 season tent with a solid ladder. I’m hoping someone on here has experience in one to help me find one that can handle 600 pounds worth of occupants, not get ripped to shreds by limbs, with a solid enough ladder that my large frame can climb without feeling it’s going to buckle.

Thanks for any who chime in!
 

El-Dracho

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Hi Ben,

When I read your question, I remembered that we once had a similar question here recently. Please have a look here, maybe there is something that will help you:


The extra-wide family RTTs take a special place among the roof tents that offer extra space. Please keep in mind that a tent of the width must also fit on your vehicle, because usually extra-wide mountings are also required as a basic construction. They do not fit on every base rig. But I think the mighty 80series is big enough for a big RTT, right?

The really big RTTs starting with 180cm or about 70in I remember, are all folding ones and no hard shells. Maybe some member here has another idea.

Another option beside a big RTT I've seen several times at overlanding families is to put simply two roof top tents on the rig. One for the adults, one for the kids.

Bjoern
 
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leeloo

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The only tents matching you requirements are hybrids like iKamper. packed is a hard-shell, unpacked is a softshell with plenty of room.
 
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reaver

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The only tents matching you requirements are hybrids like iKamper. packed is a hard-shell, unpacked is a softshell with plenty of room.
This right here. The only RTTs I've seen that can accommodate 4 people comfortably are made by iKamper, overland vehicle systems, and tuff stuff. All of them are soft shell folding style, with the iKamper being a hybrid design with a rigid shell.
 
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GBGCR4x4

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I'd go iKamper all the way. Very high quality, lot's fo space for 4 people, and the ladder is solid. Otherwise, there are softshells our there that can accomodate 4 to even 5 people, great ladder, etc. But if you want hardshell, in that case iKamper.
 

JasonJM

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I'd suggest the iKamper (Skycamp) as well, once folded out its essentially a King sized bed area. We love ours and my wife says it's the best sleep she's ever had camping. It's a three season tent, but they do sell an internal quilted linter that can be zipped in to use 4 season. The hardshell is pretty slim compared to other's I've seen. I think I measured ours at 13" above the mounting at the highest point in the back and it tapers down in the front. I'm not sure you could fit a tent in less space than that. We've been very happy with the ladder, quite stable for all of our use. The manual says the tent can accommodate 900lbs and the ladder is rated to 330. Good luck in your search and let me know if you'd like any more info on the iKamper.
 

GhostCat

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I'm a a similar place in my research for Fam of 4 RTT. One thing you might consider on iKamper vs Condor XL is not only the sq footage but specific dimensions.

The closed length (i.e., the open "width") is 74" for Condor Xl and 77" for iKamper. You're a tall guy so that might not matter either way as you'd be sleeping the long way. I'm well under 6' plus a 5' JT bed so the short Condor XL not only fits the bed rack better but still allows our family to sleep the "short" way leaving the 93" length to spread out.

That's what I've worked out in theory on paper anyway.

This also helped nudge me towards the Condor XL.