Post your RTT (roof top tent) setup

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What tent are you using, what rack are you using (most are 300lb limit) Most tents are over 100lbs then add a person or two plus gear... Curious in your setups!

Any information, photos would be appreciated on this thread.
 
I'll bite, I have a Yakima Skyrise HD in the size Small. It's a heavy duty 4-season RTT that weighs 95lbs and I have 2 setups that i run. Have only used it a few times since getting it but it has been really fun.

Roof-less Top Tent Setup
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Hardtop RTT Setup
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...and yes it holds up on the hardtop directly like that. I've had 350lbs up there and no issues, its solid.
 
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Is the rail just bolted through the top with some fender washers or do you run some flat stock the length inside?
Do you get a lot of roof flex when you have people in the tent? Or does it support off the roll cage? It certainly is a good looking tent. What makes it a "4 season" tent? Is there an insulated fly to go over top or is the insulation built right in?
 
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Goatman said:
Is the rail just bolted through the top with some fender washers or do you run some flat stock the length inside?
Do you get a lot of roof flex when you have people in the tent? Or does it support off the roll cage? It certainly is a good looking tent. What makes it a "4 season" tent? Is there an insulated fly to go over top or is the insulation built right in?
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Neither, I have a whole thread on the topic. Yakima Roof Rack Setup on TJ hardtop.
No roof flexing with people inside, no roll cage support. (I've had only myself and my daughter inside it on my hardtop, on the roll bars i've had a full house. Mind you this is only a 2-person tent).
All insulation is built right in, plus the 4-season rating comes from the type of fabrics used in the construction as well as the weatherproof coating.
 
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Awesome Jeeps you guys! :)

EJD I love yours without the top, mounted to the roll bar, that is cool! I didn't even think about that :)

lilnuts your rack looks similar to a safari rack, that is what I was looking at using originally. I am glad to see some TJ and LJ's getting a bit of overlanding use:)

keep them coming, lets see them!
 
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Mine is a Garmin rack and they make brackets to attach Yakima systems to their rack, Everything bolted right on.

Had to get a beefier rear anti-sway bar and slightly stiffer rear springs to keep the ride I wanted.
 
I don't understand the attraction of RTTs. A friend put one on top of his TJ and after a couple uses he took it off and sold it. After watching how long it took to get it ready for use, how long it took to put away, and having to put up with the ladder, I could see why he sold it. The tent I used took me all of maybe 2 minutes to get ready to crawl into.

Only if I was camping where there were dangerous snakes like Cobras, Black Mambas, etc. that are known to crawl into tents at night would I want a RTT.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
I don't understand the attraction of RTTs. A friend put one on top of his TJ and after a couple uses he took it off and sold it. After watching how long it took to get it ready for use, how long it took to put away, and having to put up with the ladder, I could see why he sold it. The tent I used took me all of maybe 2 minutes to get ready to crawl into.

Only if I was camping where there were dangerous snakes like Cobras, Black Mambas, etc. that are known to crawl into tents at night would I want a RTT.
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I see them on rigs every single day out here in Oregon. And the reason why I’m getting one is because I’m tired of setting up and sleeping in the mud. Different styles for different environments. Snow and mud being one of them up here. If I lived where you do I wouldn’t think of getting a RTT but having slept in them up here it’s amazing how much nicer it is. I camp almost every weekend and most the places I camp are in the national forest. My profile picture is the frozen over Alford desert in eastern Oregon. When my girlfriend and I woke up in the middle of the night it was storming, and the desert turned into river of running clay. The buddies we camped with had RTT and stayed clean and dry. I’m still washing clay and silt out of all my gear a year later. Just like we build our jeeps and suspension for our terrain and use, it’s important to use camping gear that fits your terrain and use.
 
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BuildBreakRepeat said:
I see them on rigs every single day out here in Oregon. And the reason why I’m getting one is because I’m tired of setting up and sleeping in the mud. Different styles for different environments. Snow and mud being one of them up here. If I lived where you do I wouldn’t think of getting a RTT but having slept in them up here it’s amazing how much nicer it is. I camp almost every weekend and most the places I camp are in the national forest. My profile picture is the frozen over Alford desert in eastern Oregon. When my girlfriend and I woke up in the middle of the night it was storming, and the desert turned into river of running clay. The buddies we camped with had RTT and stayed clean and dry. I’m still washing clay and silt out of all my gear a year later. Just like we build our jeeps and suspension for our terrain and use, it’s important to use camping gear that fits your terrain and use.
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You're right, it'd be a good choice for that environment. 👍
 
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I completely understand that RTT's aren't for everyone. The ladder freaks some people out. For us sleeping on the ground in "Rocky" mtns is not always comfy. Between bugs, bigger critters, rocks and ever changing weather the RTT works well for us. It's not a device to make you wheel harder. But we can go in the deep mtns of Colorado and camp for 4 or 5 days (because we have room for lots of supplies inside the jeep) and not see a soul, That's worth the price of admission for us. Our Yakima can be setup or taken own in less then 5 minutes. We can keep the bedding inplace when its folded up. If it rains or snows everything fits inside the jeep or the tent in seconds. The rear is also covered patio we can use like an eazyup with sides. I thought about the trailer camper and that might be something down the road, but for now I really like where we can take the "little rig".
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
I don't understand the attraction of RTTs. A friend put one on top of his TJ and after a couple uses he took it off and sold it. After watching how long it took to get it ready for use, how long it took to put away, and having to put up with the ladder, I could see why he sold it. The tent I used took me all of maybe 2 minutes to get ready to crawl into.

Only if I was camping where there were dangerous snakes like Cobras, Black Mambas, etc. that are known to crawl into tents at night would I want a RTT.
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They answered it, definitely useful up here. They are expensive and a big block of top weight on an already tippy vehicle I understand from your point of view, I really do, there are negatives, but if you camp A LOT, it is an excellent investment. Leave your pillows and sleeping bags in it... Leave it on year round if your jeep isn't your daily... And it takes no time at all to set one up, off the ground from all elements and a few extra seconds to scare a bear with a gun shot, instead of it just trampling you helplessly in your tent, guaranteed flat sleeping, if not add a rock under whatever tire needs it...

I look at it this way, instead of flying I could drive, have my vehicle to get around and being able to truly explore the hiking and national forest.I can drive my own vehicle, wing a trip an extra 500 miles any direction at a moments notice, explore, hike,camp, not be in a hotel, so one week vacation of hotel cost could pay for this tent in one year and the rest is just free hotel fee's for life, if you are an avid outdoorsman or travel, that's another way I look at it.

If retired, every day is vacation and you should be calling one of these your second home driving all across the u.s in a tj or lj, that's what I plan on doing :)
 
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BuildBreakRepeat said:
I see them on rigs every single day out here in Oregon. And the reason why I’m getting one is because I’m tired of setting up and sleeping in the mud. Different styles for different environments. Snow and mud being one of them up here. If I lived where you do I wouldn’t think of getting a RTT but having slept in them up here it’s amazing how much nicer it is. I camp almost every weekend and most the places I camp are in the national forest. My profile picture is the frozen over Alford desert in eastern Oregon. When my girlfriend and I woke up in the middle of the night it was storming, and the desert turned into river of running clay. The buddies we camped with had RTT and stayed clean and dry. I’m still washing clay and silt out of all my gear a year later. Just like we build our jeeps and suspension for our terrain and use, it’s important to use camping gear that fits your terrain and use.
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I use the Jack Daniels method.... cheaper, less weight, and using this method I can sleep quite literally anywhere! No tent required!

**Just kidding**
 
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