Advocate II
This is why I do have a trailer.
-
Guest, UPDATE We went through the site migration runbook and completed all steps. We will need to complete the migration next week, but will leave the forums up for the weekend. A few days after maintenance, a major upgrade revision to the forum site will occur.
-
Why a RTT (roof top tent)?
- Thread starter vegasjeepguy
- Start date
Pathfinder I
Everything has its compromises. Packing up a RTT takes about 15 minutes without the annex attached. It kind of sucks but really not that bad. For real wheeling trips I still prefer its comfort and storm worthiness over a ground tent. If I know I'm going to have a base camp somewhere like Moab I take the pop-up camper. If you had a small cargo trailer with a RTT on top all the same. I may just build one and get rid of the pop-up some day.
For those with dogs they can sleep in the annex if need be. My Malamute prefers to simply be tied to the bumper. If the weather gets rough, and it has, he just crawls under the truck. I've found him bone dry after all night high wind thunderstorms. Our little dog we can just throw up in the tent or can sleep in the truck.
I'm a Tepui Dealer by the way if anyone has any specific questions. Feel free to PM me. Someone asked earlier about winter/snow use. I have not experienced that yet personally. But Tepui does make a winter cover with a heat reflective liner (think space blanket) for just that. It also creates a better air pocket all around the tent for more heat retention.
For those with dogs they can sleep in the annex if need be. My Malamute prefers to simply be tied to the bumper. If the weather gets rough, and it has, he just crawls under the truck. I've found him bone dry after all night high wind thunderstorms. Our little dog we can just throw up in the tent or can sleep in the truck.
I'm a Tepui Dealer by the way if anyone has any specific questions. Feel free to PM me. Someone asked earlier about winter/snow use. I have not experienced that yet personally. But Tepui does make a winter cover with a heat reflective liner (think space blanket) for just that. It also creates a better air pocket all around the tent for more heat retention.
Last edited:
Off-Road Ranger I
Base camp =s OZ Jet tent 25x.. bullet proof.. We have a two man Flash 2 FL for one nighters or backpacking. I'm not completely sold on the RTTs for North American use. They are gaining in popularity quite fast. It will be interesting to see who the last couple of companies standing will be when the popularity wears off.
Advocate II
The ladder acts as a leg supporting the overhang.
Advocate II
It's just the ladder? That seems inadequate. I'm no engineer though.
Advocate II
You'd be surprised...its rock solid.
Pathfinder I
The ladder is really only a part of the support system.
The two base sections have a tongue and groove that connect as well as the tent section it's self. There is webbing that go over the top of the frame poles that in addition help the whole thing deploy correctly also offer support.
On the surface I agreed it seems to defi common sense but yes RTT's are surprising solid once set up. There is some movement from the vehicle suspension but it's minimal. I feel like the bed in my pop-up camper moves more.
The two base sections have a tongue and groove that connect as well as the tent section it's self. There is webbing that go over the top of the frame poles that in addition help the whole thing deploy correctly also offer support.
On the surface I agreed it seems to defi common sense but yes RTT's are surprising solid once set up. There is some movement from the vehicle suspension but it's minimal. I feel like the bed in my pop-up camper moves more.
Advocate II
So it's not all in the ladder. There is some support/strength where the two floor pieces hinge. That seems much better.
Pathfinder I
I have a smittybuilt rtt but this one is the boss
Advocate II
That right their is the 5 Star of the RTT's.I have a smittybuilt rtt but this one is the boss
Pathfinder I
Maybe top heavy
Advocate II
Will My Racks Work With a Tepui?
The general rule of thumb is to make sure that whatever rack you mount the tent to has a Dynamic Weight Capacity of at least the weight of the tent. This is the weight that the rack can physically carry while the vehicle is in motion. When the tent is in use, the weight of the tent plus the weight of it's occupants is effectively dispersed over the entire frame of the vehicle, as well as the tent hinge and ladder, also known as the Static Weight Capacity. This is in theory much much greater, as the frame of the vehicle needs to be strong enough to protect the occupants in the case of an accident or rollover.
That being said, our tents weigh between 100 lbs and 220 lbs, so what model tent you decide on will depend on how much weight your roof rack can carry. Most aftermarket racks, like Yakima and Thule, have systems that are specifically for most vehicle makes and models, and generally have a higher Dynamic Weight Capacity than most factory racks.
In regards to tent weight capacity, we average 200 lbs per occupant. In the case of the two person Ayer, the total weight capacity would be 400 lbs. Our three person tents, the Kukenam and Autana, have a capacity of 600 lbs, and our largest four person tents, the Gran Sabana and Kukenam XL Ruggedized, max out at 650 lbs. It is also worth noting that the ladder itself has a weight capacity of 320 lbs.
Be sure to mount your racks 32"-48" apart on your vehicle!
Weight Capacity. This is in theory much much greater, as the frame of the vehicle needs to be strong enough to protect the occupants in the case of an accident or rollover.
That being said, our tents weigh between 100 lbs and 220 lbs, so what model tent you decide on will depend on how much weight your roof rack can carry. Most aftermarket racks, like Yakima and Thule, have systems that are specifically for most vehicle makes and models, and generally have a higher Dynamic Weight Capacity than most factory racks.
In regards to tent weight capacity, we average 200 lbs per occupant. In the case of the two person Ayer, the total weight capacity would be 400 lbs. Our three person tents, the Kukenam and Autana, have a capacity of 600 lbs, and our largest four person tents, the Gran Sabana and Kukenam XL Ruggedized, max out at 650 lbs. It is also worth noting that the ladder itself has a weight capacity of 320 lbs.
Be sure to mount your racks 32"-48" apart on your vehicle!
The general rule of thumb is to make sure that whatever rack you mount the tent to has a Dynamic Weight Capacity of at least the weight of the tent. This is the weight that the rack can physically carry while the vehicle is in motion. When the tent is in use, the weight of the tent plus the weight of it's occupants is effectively dispersed over the entire frame of the vehicle, as well as the tent hinge and ladder, also known as the Static Weight Capacity. This is in theory much much greater, as the frame of the vehicle needs to be strong enough to protect the occupants in the case of an accident or rollover.
That being said, our tents weigh between 100 lbs and 220 lbs, so what model tent you decide on will depend on how much weight your roof rack can carry. Most aftermarket racks, like Yakima and Thule, have systems that are specifically for most vehicle makes and models, and generally have a higher Dynamic Weight Capacity than most factory racks.
In regards to tent weight capacity, we average 200 lbs per occupant. In the case of the two person Ayer, the total weight capacity would be 400 lbs. Our three person tents, the Kukenam and Autana, have a capacity of 600 lbs, and our largest four person tents, the Gran Sabana and Kukenam XL Ruggedized, max out at 650 lbs. It is also worth noting that the ladder itself has a weight capacity of 320 lbs.
Be sure to mount your racks 32"-48" apart on your vehicle!
Weight Capacity. This is in theory much much greater, as the frame of the vehicle needs to be strong enough to protect the occupants in the case of an accident or rollover.
That being said, our tents weigh between 100 lbs and 220 lbs, so what model tent you decide on will depend on how much weight your roof rack can carry. Most aftermarket racks, like Yakima and Thule, have systems that are specifically for most vehicle makes and models, and generally have a higher Dynamic Weight Capacity than most factory racks.
In regards to tent weight capacity, we average 200 lbs per occupant. In the case of the two person Ayer, the total weight capacity would be 400 lbs. Our three person tents, the Kukenam and Autana, have a capacity of 600 lbs, and our largest four person tents, the Gran Sabana and Kukenam XL Ruggedized, max out at 650 lbs. It is also worth noting that the ladder itself has a weight capacity of 320 lbs.
Be sure to mount your racks 32"-48" apart on your vehicle!
Contributor I
Team4 Overland " The Beaver Hut Series" 56"x84"
Attachments
Advocate II
That's the same one I want to get for us family of 4 and mount it up on the Gobie Stealth Roof Rack for the JKU. By any chance can youI've only got one weekend in my cvt mt denali, but I have no doubt I made the right choice. Big enough to easily sleep 5 or 6 people, and super comfortable.
Post up some inside pic. Thanks Jose
Influencer II
Believe it or not Jose, I don't have any inside pics. What I will do is get the tent deployed sometime this weekend and be sure to get some inside pics. I can tell you it Will easily fit 5 adults comfortably with room to spare.. 6 adults could work but would be snug. Its a masive tent.
Advocate II
Thanks Scott! That's awesome that it fits that many people as it will be my wife, 2 boys and I with room to spare. Much appreciated and no hurry brother enjoy your Thanks Giving. [emoji106]
Influencer II
As promised @Jose here are some pics. I did the best I could but it's not easy to get pics standing on a ladder haha. Ignore the mess of sleeping bags.. I leave my sleeping bags and pillows folded up in the tent to make for an easy camp setup if we were to arrive somewhere late at night. To give you an idea I took some measurements of the mattress and it's roughly 87"x96" so.. Its rather large... Hope these pictures ore ok...
