Traveler I
Best roof top tent
- Thread starter 4RunnerDave
- Start date
I really like my Anza 1400 by Overland Pros. It has a huge front and rear open walls to allow for airflow and a great 270 degree view. It can be closed for those cold nights or when it rains. It has a waterproof 280G canvas with a removable rain fly. I was extremely impressed when I went to Utah and we had the rain fly on, there are these really easy to use rods, not pesky spring rods, that you can use to hold the front and back flaps open for air flow. We were still warm. When it rained, we zipped the whole tent up, but it was really warm, so we opened it up and used the rods. We stayed dry and enjoyed the sound of the rain. When it was hot, we unzipped the whole rain fly and stayed nice and cool. I was VERY surprised that the set-up time is minimized and I was able to do it on my own, and I am very short, if needed, but my partner helped, he is much taller than me.
I've used quite a few different brands over the past few years. Hannibal, Easy Awn, Howling Moon, and they where all great tents... I am currently using a Howling moon tent on a Sputnik system.
The main function of the system is to lift the roof top tent off of the vehicle allowing free use of your vehicle for game drives or a quick run to the shops for ice and can also be erected on uneven terrain without compromising sleeping comfort because of the adjustable legs. The full system includes a Howling Moon rooftop tent, a ground tent, a table, an awning, a stepladder and two chairs, all stored on top of the vehicle.
The main function of the system is to lift the roof top tent off of the vehicle allowing free use of your vehicle for game drives or a quick run to the shops for ice and can also be erected on uneven terrain without compromising sleeping comfort because of the adjustable legs. The full system includes a Howling Moon rooftop tent, a ground tent, a table, an awning, a stepladder and two chairs, all stored on top of the vehicle.
Off-Road Ranger I
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- Todd
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That is pretty cool setup and takes care of the ability to scout out areas in the day and still have the tent all set up back at camp.
Member I
everyone who owns a RTT will have their reasons why they purchased the brand they have.
When I started my overland trailer build over a year ago I looked at many RTT's. I came to a conclusion that many of them were constructed the same way & had the same complaints "their mattress's sucked". Price wasn't a issue for me. I wanted good customer service & read & watched lots of you tube reviews on RTT's. I went with Smittybilt (not for the price) but by the reviews. 1 video stood out more than the others. Cappy gave a honest video review on the 1st gen Smittybilt RRT 2783 problems it had, then Cappy received the new 2nd Gen Smittybilt RTT followed by another review that he seems very pleased of the corrections & improvements. The honesty of his review plus a buddy of my who works for Smittybilt (no buddy discount) assured me Smittybilt has & the continuous improvements on their products (we just seen another improvement lately on their annex). I went with the model 2783, I am quite happy with the quality of the tent & all the extras Smittybilt offers like 12v extension cord, the LED light strip, electronic adapter's which other companies charge extra for. I am sure you will hear more than enough suggestion of what RTT to purchase. Good luck with your search.
As for the mattress that was a easy fix, I took the recommendation from a member here & on American Adventurist forum & bought the self inflating Exped Duo extra wide & extra long queen mattress & now we have a good nights sleep.
When I started my overland trailer build over a year ago I looked at many RTT's. I came to a conclusion that many of them were constructed the same way & had the same complaints "their mattress's sucked". Price wasn't a issue for me. I wanted good customer service & read & watched lots of you tube reviews on RTT's. I went with Smittybilt (not for the price) but by the reviews. 1 video stood out more than the others. Cappy gave a honest video review on the 1st gen Smittybilt RRT 2783 problems it had, then Cappy received the new 2nd Gen Smittybilt RTT followed by another review that he seems very pleased of the corrections & improvements. The honesty of his review plus a buddy of my who works for Smittybilt (no buddy discount) assured me Smittybilt has & the continuous improvements on their products (we just seen another improvement lately on their annex). I went with the model 2783, I am quite happy with the quality of the tent & all the extras Smittybilt offers like 12v extension cord, the LED light strip, electronic adapter's which other companies charge extra for. I am sure you will hear more than enough suggestion of what RTT to purchase. Good luck with your search.
As for the mattress that was a easy fix, I took the recommendation from a member here & on American Adventurist forum & bought the self inflating Exped Duo extra wide & extra long queen mattress & now we have a good nights sleep.
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Off-Road Ranger I
- 2,876
- First Name
- Todd
- Last Name
- Hoffmaster
- Member #
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4284
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KJ7CRJ
- Service Branch
- Air Force
Don, Your response is exactly the same reason that I am considering the Smittybilt myself. It just seems to have all the features and the reviews that prove that money is just a number and spending more is not always better. I would like to make a additional cover to go over the tent made from car cover ( heat reflective material) and use either cargo straps or the web bungee to hold it in place and cut down on the AZ heat that black seems to absorb. Which is something that I would be doing for any tent that we purchase as it will be on the 4Runner 24/7/365.
Member I
I love my Smittybilt mod. 2783. It serves me & the wife well. We've used ours in early spring weather camping nights @ 24 & days in the 50's w\o any issues. Just known what to do in different season the tent will perform well. We unzip the sky light flap open part way to remove any condensation from the interior of the tent in cold weather camping. A condensation mat is a must IMO. This will only save you on the possibilities of moisture & mold problems. Like I said the mattress's stink, they will cause such uncomforted pain. I've tried everything under the sun to remedy this problem, the mattress I listed was the wise choice, but they pricy.
Enthusiast I
Can't go wrong with an Overlander tent from Smittybilt! Got mine recently and love it! Didn't have to buy new cross bars or do any extra mods to get it to fit!
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Member I
Enthusiast I
Just rained where I live and didn't notice any leaks in the tent or travel cover
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Member III
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Fortinb.
Dow Blue Board Insulation. Took a 4'x8' sheet, cut to size, and double sided taped it to the RTT base under the mattress. I've camped in 20 degree weather and the insulation did the trick as we stayed warm and cozy with no cold spots. Another benefit was no problem with condensation. Cost was $10.
Dow Blue Board Insulation. Took a 4'x8' sheet, cut to size, and double sided taped it to the RTT base under the mattress. I've camped in 20 degree weather and the insulation did the trick as we stayed warm and cozy with no cold spots. Another benefit was no problem with condensation. Cost was $10.
Traveler I
Pathfinder I
I currently an looking at a Freespirt. They are a fresh look at a rtt where as everybody else looks the same except the name.
Hi Jorrie,
That Sputnik system, is it specific to howling moon or is it universal and can be used with most RTT setups? Also, how does it work - does your RTT stay attached to your vehicle and if you need to move you fold out the Sputnik legs, disconnect the tent from the vehicle? or is this a separate system that get stored in your vehicle until you need it?
