Roof Top Tents/Camper

[maxout]

Slowly gearing up for the spring and summer camping season for 2017. In the market for a new tent but came across these roof top tent/campers. Does anyone have any personal experience with these. Are they reliable or a deathtrap?

We are a family of four 2 adults and 2 kids. Will be mounting on a minivan.

here is a link that will be for resale in February.

http://www.ikamper.com/

This link shows one with a hard top and will be able to sleep the family.

Any comments or personal experience will be welcome.

TIA

[taemo]

I wanted to get one for my WRX but my wife is not much into camping and I don't think the OEM roof mount can't handle the weight

Also check http://www.rmtents.com/ I was about to get from them as I know a local photographer that uses it, he might still be a sponsor so give his name and you'll get 10% off.
His name is Darren Roberts, maybe message him on FB to see if he's still promoting it https://www.facebook.com/DarrenRR

[Brent.ff]

you going to be moving around at all when camping? I know that in my experience from camping out of my truckbed, it's a pain in the ass if you want to run into town, or even just down the road...

no way i'd do it with a full family.

[maxout]

Originally posted by Brent.ff
you going to be moving around at all when camping? I know that in my experience from camping out of my truckbed, it's a pain in the ass if you want to run into town, or even just down the road...

no way i'd do it with a full family.

No won't be moving at all. It will be stationary from arrival to departure. We use to camp in the van and was pain in the ass taking the second row seats out with the car seats.

The hard case camper will allow us to store the basics like sleeping bags and pillows inside. Also comes with a mattress so no need to air up and bring with us. This will allow more room and less packing.

[R-Audi]

Might be worth your time to stop by the Gear Shop to talk about Roof Top Tents... there are also some local companies that make them. (I say make them in general terms, I beleive most or all are made in China)

https://treelineoutdoors.com/

[klumsy_tumbler]

Originally posted by R-Audi
Might be worth your time to stop by the Gear Shop to talk about Roof Top Tents...

https://treelineoutdoors.com/

^ This.

Boyfriend's brother has one. Set up and take down seemed pretty quick, and it was pretty cozy (from the couple minutes I spent looking at it). Seems like it would be great if you want to be off the ground.

[HuMz]

I've had a CVT one now for three years, I wouldn't recommend that brand but you would be better off buying one local with the exchange rate anyway. I would probably be looking at something like this for your situation http://www.4wheelparts.com/Outdoor-L...6&t_pn=S/B2883.

Biggest Pro's

• More comfortable than sleeping on the ground.
  Easy setup, I can assemble or dissemble mine in about a minute. I've spent a week running trails having to get up every morning to drive to the trailhead. With mine it can still fold up with the sleeping bag/pillow inside.
  Don't have to worry about wet/flooding/damp ground issues.
  I can climb out the back window and stand on my truck box to piss if need be.

Biggest Con's

• Going to the washroom in the middle of the night, your wife will probably hate you for having to climb down the ladder to go.
  Probably longer setup/disassemble time on top of a minivan, will probably have to remove the 4 sleeping bags/pillows prior to disassembling.
  Will probably lose 1-2mpgs of gas mileage on your roof.
  Cost, for one that will accommodate your family, it could easily be upwards of 3 grand.

I think it overall it beats camping on the ground, but when your paying upwards of 15 times of what a regular tent would cost you have to decide if its worth it. If I had a wife and 2 kids I would probably looking at a tent trailer that would be a similar cost. An old tent trailer would be much more comfortable, warmer, and larger.

[IggyB]

I had a Hannibal roof top tent mounted on a rack I built over the bed of a 2000 Frontier.

You'd have to buy a very large tent to accommodate 2 adults and 2 kids. It'll take up the entire roof area of the minivan. Even then space will be limited.

You may not have the clearance to park it in the garage.

Going up and down requires a sober mind and kids may have to be supported from the bottom as they crawl up.

It always kept me warm and mosquito free. Although the mosquito repellant may have been produced by my sphincter.

I had no room to keep anything inside the tent other than the mattress that came with it.