SOLO CAMPING

[roybraddy]

I got to look into one of these ROOF TENTS....

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I have been very interested ever since seeing a very high dollar version of this for a small tera trailer setup from Oregon doing the same thing...

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This one has sleeping on top, kitchen in back of trailer, and plenty of room inside the doors for my Emergency Radio Equipment outings...

The tent setup on top of the Jeep would allow sleeping on top, cooking out of tailgate of Jeep and setup of Radio equipment inside the Jeep rear seat and storage area...

This setup cost around $2500 as compared to you don't want to know for the TeraDrop setup from Oregon hehe...

Gotta check this latest setup gear from Tepui Ruggedized Roof tent setup... I believe I could make this work for my solo outings...

Roy Ken

 

[tfischer]

I bet both of those are terrifying in high winds.

 

[roybraddy]

I bet both of those are terrifying in high winds.

Maybe so... I solved that kind of problem with my off-road popup by installing 1-inch eyelets in the four corners and then running 1/2-inch web straps to small screw-in earth augers... Those don't leave any marks in the ground when you pull them back out...

Have done a lot of tent camping in my days but never up high like that... I think I would really like doing that....

They make one of those for putting on top of the truck bed too...

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Probably would be a neat camp site after I got some of my wire antennas up in the air haha...

I'd probably have to carry my dog up into the tent haha...

Roy Ken

 

[neighbormike]

They're very cool looking but definitely not for me... Lexie would never approve and I don't enjoy the thought of an eight foot plummet to take a mid-night squirt!

 

[NMroamer]

That would be me also, one step and eight feet to the ground where I would probably spend the night.

 

[roybraddy]

Seems like I may be the only one here wanting to try this out haha... My OFF-ROAD POPUP is a bit too long to maneuver off the trail where I like to go...My Jeep or my truck by itself does just fine getting up on one of the ridges there... This is all along the Virginia/West Virginia wooded state line border not too far from a place called Flagpole Ridge in the Natl Forest area. This is all fed by a Forest Service road and good road to get Flagpole Ridge. Only the last half a mile or so is nothing but a walking like trail with a few trees to drive around...

It may turn out too that my battery bank may have to go in a small utility trailer too... Just not a lot of room for a truck pulling a trailer haha... I am usually all by myself but my radios get too loud sometimes and a ranger shows up to see what is going on haha... Been coming here a few times so they already know where the radio noise is coming haha...

Roy Ken

 

[nineoaks2004]

I am too old and decrepit to climb the ladder, and that far up I would probably break my sacroiliac or something. It would be funny if something happened to the ladder. I roll out of bed enough and it is a short fall
But it is interesting. I saw one that was about the size as a small tent that hooked up on top of small car he was driving.

 

[jmkay1]

They do look interesting and do have its pluses especially for someone wanting to get further off road then where the camper could go. I have seen them around, but most in a campground setting. I watched one couple across the way who Forgot to pack their dinner and ended up closing everything up again before heading back on the road to get dinner. That would be one drawback that you would have to repack everything if you want to go anywhere in the car. Personally for me, I would be terrified I would make one wrong step on that ladder and bust something and find myself flat out unable to get up and to get help.

 

[neighbormike]

Personally, if I were looking at doing off-grid camping, I would look into a GeoPro or something similar.

 

[Overland]

I wanted an RTT for awhile, and then I got one. I was disappointed in my decision after it's first few uses.. it is a major pita to fold up just to leave camp for sightseeing etc. Especially in colder weather with freezing fingers.

Then I tried it on a smaller trailer. Better, but I found myself desiring a setup to "live in" during rough weather. I got older..

However, if your the type to pull into camp and just sit and relax a few days or longer these setups could be just what's needed. Climbing down during the night is not a big issue, but the ladders can be a bit rough on the feet as the cross steps are thin. Their also very versatile as you stated Roy, all ya need is space enough to install a few crossbars or platform to set it on. With a pup I would think an install in bed of truck would be best.

Theres been a lot of cheaper knock off's over the years, some aren't much more than tent fabric on a base.. I went with a heavy canvas material and never had an issue with water intrusion.

Roy, I think an OZtent might suit you well if you can tolerate a ground tent and cot. I considered this before I decided on a pop up.

 

[bearman512]

I wanted an RTT for awhile, and then I got one. I was disappointed in my decision after it's first few uses.. it is a major pita to fold up just to leave camp for sightseeing etc. Especially in colder weather with freezing fingers.

Then I tried it on a smaller trailer. Better, but I found myself desiring a setup to "live in" during rough weather. I got older..

However, if your the type to pull into camp and just sit and relax a few days or longer these setups could be just what's needed. Climbing down during the night is not a big issue, but the ladders can be a bit rough on the feet as the cross steps are thin. Their also very versatile as you stated Roy, all ya need is space enough to install a few crossbars or platform to set it on. With a pup I would think an install in bed of truck would be best.

Theres been a lot of cheaper knock off's over the years, some aren't much more than tent fabric on a base.. I went with a heavy canvas material and never had an issue with water intrusion.

Roy, I think an OZtent might suit you well if you can tolerate a ground tent and cot. I considered this before I decided on a pop up.

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Yup they can be a pain and if you have to visit mother nature more than twice a night is not fun. I sold mine last year and now have a Gazelle T4 Plus that sets up in 90 seconds and is perfect for our type of Overlanding as we can setup camp and then go explore in the 4Runner. You can pick them up off of eBay and Amazon fore around $400 or less.
https://www.gazelletents.com/Product/tent-camping-8-person-with-screen-room-8307

 

[roybraddy]

This is my regular tent setup which is three rooms... The large room is great for table and chairs and the such and goes from one side door to the other.

The two smaller rooms is to the back and my two half bed frames tie wrapped together with air mattress inserts fits perfect as one large bed in one of the rooms. The other room then becomes the day time catch all room.

This is not all that hard to setup...

Roy's image

Roy's image

The bottom right is one of the smaller rooms with my two half beds tie wrapped together...

When solo camping going to town to get more supplies is a bummer for anything you have setup... You have to make the decision to pack all up and go to town or just close it all up and leave it standing haha... Hoping it is still there when you get back...

At least with the POPUP you can lock it up which keeps all the honest folk's happy... I have a long steel pipe I stick through the two trailer wheels and its padlocked on both ends.. Of course if someone gets hooked to the trailer it will go a long way sliding both wheels until something breaks I suspect... All of these hitch locks again only protect you from the honest folks... You can wrap a chain around the hitches and drive away fairly easy...

Even if there is two of you along for the trip you have to make a decision on who goes and who stays with the equipment... I always try to get the wife to go to stores and I stay behind to protect everything... Then I worry like heck if she will be able to find her way back to the camp site OK...

I can remember camping off-grid way back then and you never saw another person around the camp sites for weeks... Certainly isn't like that these modern days... Always some homeless looking dude walking up out of nowhere asking if you got some food to share...

Times have changed a lot just for the worse in the past five to ten years...

Roy Ken

 

[roybraddy]

Roy, I think an OZtent might suit you well if you can tolerate a ground tent and cot. I considered this before I decided on a pop up.

I like this OZTENT setup... This would work out very good with my radio comms setup... Looks like a great operations tent...

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Thanks for the suggestion... something like this would fit into my Jeep and small utility trailer concept...

Have spent a few nights in trail camp site in my Arizona days way back then haha...

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Sometimes you would wake up with the dog licking your face - then you would remember you didn't have the dog with you on this trip hehe...

Roy Ken

 

[bearman512]

I like this OZTENT setup... This would work out very good with my radio comms setup... Looks like a great operations tent...

Google image

Thanks for the suggestion... something like this would fit into my Jeep and small utility trailer concept...

Have spent a few nights in trail camp site in my Arizona days way back then haha...

Google image

Sometimes you would wake up with the dog licking your face - then you would remember you didn't have the dog with you on this trip hehe...

Roy Ken

I have always like Oztents except for the price they start at $900 and go up ouch. Oztents also are heavier than my gazelle and are a bit longer and have to be loaded on the roof rack. There is another American company that sells their version of the Oztent for under $600. There is only 1 con and they dont do well in NM winds I have seen the carnage after a 49 + mph day which is common here in the desert. The Gazelle is low enough profile and the tie down points are also the popout points so it really is great in the wind. Half the wind noise than my old 10RT and the slideouts don't try to flap like bird wings.

 

[roybraddy]

Personally, if I were looking at doing off-grid camping, I would look into a GeoPro or something similar.

Mike - I definitely would not mind one of those GEOPRO small campers... That would solve a lot of camp site issues for sure...

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Back in my Arizona Days a group of we JEEP guys would head out for the weekend with three or four jeeps pulling utility trailer with all of our supplies. Those were fun days for sure camping up in the AZ High country... I need to dig out a bunch of my AZ trail pictures and look at them... Have no idea where that box is right now...

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My OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer is over 20 feet long with its 12-foot box and 5-foot front deck and 3-foot tongue area and is not a good trailer to pulled up into the high country trails in the woods haha... Forest Rangers would be getting after me cutting down some of their trees to keep going...

Roy's image

Roy Ken

 

[roybraddy]

I have always like Oztents except for the price they start at $900 and go up ouch. Oztents also are heavier than my gazelle and are a bit longer and have to be loaded on the roof rack. There is another American company that sells their version of the Oztent for under $600. There is only 1 con and they dont do well in NM winds I have seen the carnage after a 49 + mph day which is common here in the desert. The Gazelle is low enough profile and the tie down points are also the popout points so it really is great in the wind. Half the wind noise than my old 10RT and the slideouts don't try to flap like bird wings.

That looks like a really good tent to stake to the ground with my 1/2-inch web Ratchet Straps and earth augers haha... I can see the tie down possibilities in this photo...

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Roy Ken

 

[roybraddy]

If money was no object I would most definitely get one of these TERA DROP trailers from Oregon to pull behind my trusty ole Jeep...

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This has a nice roof rack for tent and kitchen in the back with fold out access... Inside perfect for one bed or my radio setup equipment...

I also keep looking at the line of off-road campers coming out of Austrailia… Those are all field tested to the max for sure haha...

We talking some serious money here with Austrailia trailers I bet... Robert Ryan from Australia keeps sending me brochures haha...

Roy Ken

 

[bearman512]

Next spare $38,000 I am getting myself one of these. There are dealerships around the USA that have them in stock.

 

[roybraddy]

Most all of the Australia campers use the independent wheel suspension...

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I would love to have this setup under my off-road camper...

Roy Ken

 

[Blackripley]

For me I want one of these, up and down from the inside BUT and this is a big BUT the conversion is expensive. I think it would also be a nice addition to our pop-up if we brought along a fourth.
https://www.ursaminorvehicles.com/campers/jeep-hard-top-popup-camper-package.html