Advocate III
I'm probably going to sell my RTT.. I've listed it once or twice, but not for long and ended up pulling it. Here are my thoughts..
For reference, I have had two, both CVT's - First a mount Shasta, but only for one trip and it was meant to be a loaner. That was replaced by a Mt Rainier. Both were the extended versions (with the ladder covered vs exposed) with annexes.
I really, really like (them) and while I don;t regret my purchases, I will probably be moving away from them for a couple of reasons. These reasons are very specific to my wife and I, and just a couple of different variables and I wouldn't even consider selling.
The main 'problem' in my case is that we like, and participate in, several very different types of camping. Our general preference is our hammocks, but of course they are dependant on places to hang them. The good thing is they take up very little additional space, so we can take them along, even if we don't end up using them, and it's very little extra gear. So, when we can't use the hammocks, we have two other secondary options, the RTT and a ground tent.
We still rotate the ground tent in because the RTT on our vehicle is very impractical for us. We like base camping, at least a couple nights in a spot, and tearing down and setting up every day is a lot of wasted effort when we're just coming back to the same spot. Not to mention the whole 'saving the spot' thing. But that's ok, I knew that going in, and always intended on my RTT being on my trailer. We did use the Shasta on our rig once, and I didn't like it there for the reasons mentioned. On the trailer it's perfect! It does exactly what I want it to. Stays warmer than most ground tents, I like being off the ground, comfortable, relatively quick up and down, etc.
But sometimes we don't want to take our trailer. So in those cases, assuming no trees, we are back in a ground tent.
At the end of the day, because we're constantly tailoring our plans to the specific trip, the trailer and RTT only end up getting used for 2-3 trips a year. Meanwhile, they take up a lot of space in my very modest 2 car garage. Space that I am always using, so I always have to move stuff around. Ugh..
Based on those few things, I plan to ditch the trailer and tent later this year. I'd like to pick up the OzTent, that seems to check all of the boxes for us, for those times when we don't use the hammocks. Quick up and down, standing height, can use cots, integral awning, add-ons to make it bigger when needed.. Yeah, I want one bad. BUT..... I have been itching to build a van.. Probably just 2wd cargo E350 or something, but with teh option of moving on to a 4x4 conversion later on. If we do that the plan would be to dump the trailer and RTT, hold off on the OzTent, and stick to the hammocks and van for everything else. If we're camping without offroading (about 50% of the time) we will just take the van. If we are going somehwere we want to play, I can flat tow the Jeep. That is unless / until I do a 4x4 swap, then just the van and I'll probably sell the Jeep.
Kind of a rambling post but the point could be inferred; it really all depends on what type of camping you do primarily, what qualities are important to you when camping, storage space, and money.
I will say that I was VERY disappointed about the bedding situation in the RTT.. When I bought I was expecting to be able to keep our bedding and pillows in the tent when closed, but that won't happen with our gear. Too much and too lofty. I mean, we could cut down to one pillow and a good down bag, and they woul dprobably compress enough to fit, but my wife really likes a lot of pillows and bedding when we're laying flat. And I gotta keep momma happy. That in itself prevents me from ever doind single nights in teh RTT (or avoiding it like the plague). Setting up and taking the tent down is no problem, but then add on moving the bedding in and settin gthat up, then folding it all back up and taking it back out in the morning is a beat down. Of course, there are some RTT's that do not have the same issue, I just know that has been my single most significant disappointment.
For reference, I have had two, both CVT's - First a mount Shasta, but only for one trip and it was meant to be a loaner. That was replaced by a Mt Rainier. Both were the extended versions (with the ladder covered vs exposed) with annexes.
I really, really like (them) and while I don;t regret my purchases, I will probably be moving away from them for a couple of reasons. These reasons are very specific to my wife and I, and just a couple of different variables and I wouldn't even consider selling.
The main 'problem' in my case is that we like, and participate in, several very different types of camping. Our general preference is our hammocks, but of course they are dependant on places to hang them. The good thing is they take up very little additional space, so we can take them along, even if we don't end up using them, and it's very little extra gear. So, when we can't use the hammocks, we have two other secondary options, the RTT and a ground tent.
We still rotate the ground tent in because the RTT on our vehicle is very impractical for us. We like base camping, at least a couple nights in a spot, and tearing down and setting up every day is a lot of wasted effort when we're just coming back to the same spot. Not to mention the whole 'saving the spot' thing. But that's ok, I knew that going in, and always intended on my RTT being on my trailer. We did use the Shasta on our rig once, and I didn't like it there for the reasons mentioned. On the trailer it's perfect! It does exactly what I want it to. Stays warmer than most ground tents, I like being off the ground, comfortable, relatively quick up and down, etc.
But sometimes we don't want to take our trailer. So in those cases, assuming no trees, we are back in a ground tent.
At the end of the day, because we're constantly tailoring our plans to the specific trip, the trailer and RTT only end up getting used for 2-3 trips a year. Meanwhile, they take up a lot of space in my very modest 2 car garage. Space that I am always using, so I always have to move stuff around. Ugh..
Based on those few things, I plan to ditch the trailer and tent later this year. I'd like to pick up the OzTent, that seems to check all of the boxes for us, for those times when we don't use the hammocks. Quick up and down, standing height, can use cots, integral awning, add-ons to make it bigger when needed.. Yeah, I want one bad. BUT..... I have been itching to build a van.. Probably just 2wd cargo E350 or something, but with teh option of moving on to a 4x4 conversion later on. If we do that the plan would be to dump the trailer and RTT, hold off on the OzTent, and stick to the hammocks and van for everything else. If we're camping without offroading (about 50% of the time) we will just take the van. If we are going somehwere we want to play, I can flat tow the Jeep. That is unless / until I do a 4x4 swap, then just the van and I'll probably sell the Jeep.
Kind of a rambling post but the point could be inferred; it really all depends on what type of camping you do primarily, what qualities are important to you when camping, storage space, and money.
I will say that I was VERY disappointed about the bedding situation in the RTT.. When I bought I was expecting to be able to keep our bedding and pillows in the tent when closed, but that won't happen with our gear. Too much and too lofty. I mean, we could cut down to one pillow and a good down bag, and they woul dprobably compress enough to fit, but my wife really likes a lot of pillows and bedding when we're laying flat. And I gotta keep momma happy. That in itself prevents me from ever doind single nights in teh RTT (or avoiding it like the plague). Setting up and taking the tent down is no problem, but then add on moving the bedding in and settin gthat up, then folding it all back up and taking it back out in the morning is a beat down. Of course, there are some RTT's that do not have the same issue, I just know that has been my single most significant disappointment.
