Another great video, Mark. I appreciate you always starting a discussion with your vids by asking others what their experience is.
Here's mine:
I have around 600 nights out in the last couple years with my van, trailer, and RTT.
I've done the vanlife and pickup bed camping thing for literally decades, since the late 1960s, and have even longer experience with ground tents. I have to say the RTT is now, by far, my favorite place to sleep in any environment or weather, from freezing New England lake side spots, to hot nights in the desert, and everything in between.
I did not like it at first, thinking it a hassle to: - haul stuff up there every night; - climb up and down if I forgot anything; - deal with condensation on cool nights.
Once I realized how much easier it is to just leave stuff up there, once set up, that I use every night, like current books, light, pee jug (laundry soap jugs are the best, just cut out the clear pour spout), and extra change of clothes, I wasn't hauling stuff up and down every day. I quickly learned to set items I knew I would want up there, like tomorrow's clothes, on my trailer cover over by the ladder throughout the evening, so everything is always right there to haul with when I go up. Other stuff just stays up there for the duration I'm camped anywhere, and often from one spot to the next, sometimes for weeks at a time.
PRO TIP: get a TV tray to keep in your RTT as a flat surface to put a drink on, keep your flashlight from rolling away or getting buried in bedclothes, and just generally be an easier place to find things in the dark. I bought three at a CVS drug store cheap, for general use around camp.
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Once I learned how to eliminate condensation with proper flow-through ventilation, leaving both end flaps down a bit even on cold nights and often the whole covered doorway with just screen, sleeping up there became kind of luxurious compared to sleeping in the van or in a ground tent.
Mine is a hardshell, so super easy up and down; just unlatch four spots, give it a shove, and it pops right up. Literally just a minute or two. Just about as easy to stow back away. I keep all bedding and the ladder in there when tent is closed, and often both camp tables and other flat stuff, so have more room in both van and trailer for longer day trips.
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My mattress is approx queen-sized at 82" long and 58" wide. SO much more soft cushy room than my van or ground tent. About three feet sitting height.
I usually keep a double folded comforter on the mattress, which is not that great of a quality foam, and sleep on top of that with an open sleeping bag and a couple SnugPak jungle blankets. Always warm, always cozy, even with cross-through ventilation on cold nights.
I think it's healthier sleeping this way, actually, and I LOVE that I wake up every day as the sky brightens before the sun comes up. The tent fabric lets in enough light that my waking pattern starts falling in line with hours around dawn. I wake up excited to get out there and look for last night's animal tracks in the sand, check out the river, go fishing or go for a bike ride as the sun rises, etc.
Definitely a big plus storage-wise over having a ground tent take up space anywhere when not in use, freeing up that space for other stuff or simply more room for relaxing. Big space advantage, too, over having a full-time bed set up in the van. Definitely a huge plus time-wise, as well, as mentioned above.
The Ladder Issue: I see a lot of folks saying they're too old to be climbing up and down a ladder, or their kids are too young to be climbing up and down a ladder, or that it seems like it would be such a hassle to to have to climb down in the middle of the night to use the potty.
It's not. Seriously. I'm closer to 70 than 60 and have found having the ladder keeps me MORE fit and limber and has not been a hassle in the middle of the night or any other time. Only takes a week of being out adventuring to start feeling more limber and energetic than I ever do when in a house. A huge part of that is climbing around my rig every day, deploying tent and awning, and climbing up and down that ladder.
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As for kids, christ, kids are better at ladders and playground style climbing than anyone. Whenever I have friends camping near, the kids are always up there in a heartbeat like it's their own private fort. Not one has ever twisted an ankle, slipped off a rung, or needed help up or down.
So yeah Mark, I love it way more than camping in a ground tent or sleeping in my van. It is by far the preferred choice of anyone who comes to camp. It keeps me far more healthy and positive, to boot.
I never expected such a simple piece of gear to be so beneficial or such a treat.
Thanks again for the videos, man.
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Roaddude - Traveling Photographer/Writer/Artist On the Road In North America. Gear, reviews, people, places, and culture.
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