Roof tents

[EdF]

The cooking problem is easily solved with an awning, at least that's what we used. You'll find most roof tents have a section on the bottom as well to make for a convient room for cooking/dressing etc. should you need one.

Just beware of the size of oztents, they don't pack down small and if you fill the back of a 90 usually you'll struggle with getting that in there.

Horses for courses...

[/quote

Exactly, not everyone wants the same thing. As I wrote above, setting up what is essentially a ground tent to expand a rooftent rather defeats the object.. As we get older, most people are not so agile and need more comfort, and a bit more room. I imagine the worst scenario for camping - rain! - and think how I'd be most comfortable.. It's probably a small caravan!

I saw the Oztent demonstrated by Nene at Peterborough last year. The 2 metre long valise must put many off it, although I had thought it may go in the 90 under the rooflining, held in place by a couple of crsoomembers between the roof bolts.. Need to explore that further.

Now I'm retired, I find it hard to find trips outwith paid-for 'follow my leader' ones. Finding information about foreign rallies and privately organised trips is hard, requiring much surfing. I did find three, all on at the same time, the last weekend of July, the one weekend we can't go anywhere!

[Jen]

It's probably a small caravan!

Or a large caravan!

That's what I love about Land Rovers and camping though, enough options usually to satisfy everyone

[Eightpot]

There are a few reasons to stick with ground tents, but roofies have a couple of things going for them.

Speed to get set up - two minutes and your camp is made, beds already made, nice comfy matress to sleep in - this alone is a big plus

While floor dwellers are still hammering pegs in, you can be on your second tinnie. The only thing to disturb your enjoyment of the second tin is the WHRRRRRRRRRRRRR noise as they have to get the air compressor out to inflate a mattress, then the swearing as they find the puncture.

Much easier to pack away as well, and without the rigmarol trying to re-pack your car with tents, bedding, air bed/matts etc. Not a big deal for a weekend away but appreciated when your on a road trip and moving on daily.

Also if you are on uneven ground no problem, or a slope you can level a roof tent out by jacking the car slightly

Roof tents are a lot easier to live with in bad weather as well - you can put them away wet and not get mud and worms on your trousers or in your car.

Dont see any benefit whatsoever in Oztents, they are big heavy things, you still need to take all your bedding seperately and in reality not that quick to put away. I'll be using a basic ground tent for weekend camping in the UK this year, but might use a roll of upholstery foam as a mattress, rolled up and thrown in the back of the car, not going back to matts and air beds!

[EdF]

Yes, I see that, but whilst you're in the rooftent knocking back tinnies, where do you cook a meal and eat?? I can see myself in my ground tent cooking a full meal, sitting down in my comfy folding seat to eat it, watching a DVD on the laptop.. The Oztent doesn't really erect in 30 seconds, either. It does if you want it to sail away in the wind, but that doesn't account for pegging it out and putting guyropes up and fitting any accessories, such as a flysheet or side panels.

Jen: Yes, a big caravan preferably, with an oven, shower and loo.. These days the added fuel consumption makes it doubtful for a long trip, and I'd probably find Jeremy Clarkson setting fire to it in a motorway service area. He hates caravans, but doesn't say a word about artics...

I'm mulling over the idea of trying to organise a camping trip to Switzerland this year, just trying to get a few interested people together, no 'leading', just a bit of a convoy... We've been to the same area skiing every year for 5 years and it's even better in the summer (apart from there being no skiing) at Camping Jungfrau, Lauterbrunnen, near Interlaken and the best scenery in Europe (Eiger, Munch, Jungfrau, Schilthorn mountains all in a row) and lots to do and a MUST for railway nuts as all the villages are connected by a mountain railway.. Fabulous campsite, all you need is a tent and a bed, everything else is provided, including a full kitchen/dining room. Probably in August. Anyone game? I have loads of website links to the campsite, railways etc. if anyone wants them..

[EdF]

In mid-September the Swiss LR Club have their annual camping meet at Finsterhennen http://www.lros.ch/en/agenda/lros/swissnational

Maybe this would be a better time? It's over the weekend of Sept 13/14 and we'd probably go there on the way or way back from the Jungfrau Region. I'll talk it over with SWMBO and maybe make a separate post.

[Godlykepower]

Speed to get set up - two minutes and your camp is made, beds already made, nice comfy matress to sleep in - this alone is a big plus

While floor dwellers are still hammering pegs in, you can be on your second tinnie. The only thing to disturb your enjoyment of the second tin is the WHRRRRRRRRRRRRR noise as they have to get the air compressor out to inflate a mattress, then the swearing as they find the puncture.

As I wrote earlier......the speed of setting up a roof tent is a rather poor argument in my book. I have a mountaineering tent, which can be erected in under a minute (mountaineering tents HAVE to be able to be erected quicker, as they can save your life.) Air matress?? Unless you have a really bad back......why bother? Get yourself a Thermarest self-inflating mat & a decent sleeping bag, and you shouldn't really need any more padding underneath you.

So while your on your second beer listening to the sound of a compressor....I am on my third, in lovely peace & quiet. By the way.....I dont have to bother with the hammering of pegs either! I have a bloody expensive set of expedition-proof pegs (sharp weird shaped Aircraft aluminium things, just tap 'em in with a boot & they cant bend......cost £50 though!!!)

As far as I can tell.....and from reading this thread since it was started, nobody has convinced me otherwise.......the ONLY decent argument for having a roof tent is being able to get away quickly. How often do you really expect to find yourself somewhere, where security is that much of an issue?

Obviously, as Jen said, Horses for Courses......you cant change peoples minds when they are set. But, as I used to do a fair bit of mountaineering, you could never change my mind from a top shelf ground tent, in favour of something that weigh's a ton, packs away to the size of a barn & costs as much as a bungalow.

My North Face tent weighs 2.2 kg, Thermarest weighs 710g & both pack away into a backpack with enough space left over for enough clothing for a six week backpacking trip.

[reads90]

Well i have a 90 and have done a bit of touring in it

Because i have a soft top 90 a roof tent is out of the question. But it is not just the argeument of the roof but also storage as there is non in a 90

I have a off road camper trailer. Half way between a tent and a cavaan really . The biggest problem with any roof tent it that nce set up you can move your camp very easy . So if you set up camp and need some milk its a pain. Or like when we went around Aus we used to leave the trailer set up and go on day trips in just the 90 and come back to the camp and find you camp all set up and ready to relaxe. Also the arguement of fuel ecomony, but then the arguement can be the same with the trailer.

Here is my set up

Back of the 90 storage , Engal Fridge sits on top of this lot when touring

Also have spilt cahrge, and long range fuel tanks

The trailer has a Kitchen in it. And a 85ltr water tank bulit in and storage for 2 gas botttles , and four jerry can holders

Off road tow hitch

ANd this is it set up. It has two more sides that go on the front. The top of the trailer is the bed so a comfortable 6' bed with a prober mattress

As i said we did a trip in the car and trailer and that was 25,000 miles around Aus and we lived in the car and trailer for 7 months

, This is in the car park at the top Australia in the car park. There is no tarmac within 600 miles of this car park

[alantd]

Obviously no right answer here then.

Roof tent is good when you're constantly on the move. Low effort, easy to work with in wet conditions, quick to erect and strike, can be pitched on any ground you can park on and are away from most ground-dwelling wildlife. However they're heavy, expensive, inflexible and won't take more than a couple of people. Also have to be taken everywhere with you.

Ground tent is good when you're going to be based somewhere. They're cheap, light, you can get any size and shape you want (mountaineering or stand-up-able family tent with table and chairs) and you can leave them set up as you forage off on trips.

I've been camping all my life and have slowly shifted over the years from a bivi bag to a mountaineering tent to a family tent. I've never used a roof tent but they have a certain appeal.

However, if I'm honest, pretty much all of my camping for the next few years will be family orientated and we won't be overlanding in a way that requires we sleep in layby or on a dirt track in a hostile environment. I'll stick to a ground tent for now and spend the money on other bits of kit.

Mmmm - roof tent still appeals though.

[simonr]

One of my customers reccommended a roof tent from Foundry4x4

There isn't anything I can see on their web site - but he said it's every bit as good as the branded tent he had previously, but significantly cheaper. It could easily be that some of the brands are just 'badge engineered' anyway. I don't have any other details, but might be worth an enquiry!

Personally, I've found Foundry very easy to deal with. If you ask a straight question, you get a straight answer - not the BS you get from some retailers!

Si

[mmgemini]

There are a few reasons to stick with ground tents, but roofies have a couple of things going for them.

Speed to get set up - two minutes and your camp is made, beds already made, nice comfy matress to sleep in - this alone is a big plus

While floor dwellers are still hammering pegs in, you can be on your second tinnie. The only thing to disturb your enjoyment of the second tin is the WHRRRRRRRRRRRRR noise as they have to get the air compressor out to inflate a mattress, then the swearing as they find the puncture.

Much easier to pack away as well, and without the rigmarol trying to re-pack your car with tents, bedding, air bed/matts etc. Not a big deal for a weekend away but appreciated when your on a road trip and moving on daily.

Also if you are on uneven ground no problem, or a slope you can level a roof tent out by jacking the car slightly

Roof tents are a lot easier to live with in bad weather as well - you can put them away wet and not get mud and worms on your trousers or in your car.

Dont see any benefit whatsoever in Oztents, they are big heavy things, you still need to take all your bedding seperately and in reality not that quick to put away. I'll be using a basic ground tent for weekend camping in the UK this year, but might use a roll of upholstery foam as a mattress, rolled up and thrown in the back of the car, not going back to matts and air beds!

By you are really out of date with tents....

Pegs. Not on my tent.

As for comfort I don't see any benefits of a thing RTT matress over a Therm-A-Rest. that is the best thing since sliced bread. Nothing to blow up with a compressor.

Or tent gets pitched on anything. Rock,sand,grass. It's even been pitched in a tar car park.

With a RTT you need tha vehicle on a flat surface. I do enjoy watching people moving thir car to get it onto levelish ground.....

As for in the wet.. Well it won't be the first time I've seen peope trying to dry EVERYTHING from inside a RTT after rain.

Creepy craulies like RTT's very much, especially scorpians. As you go under a tree if you hit the branches you can knock the svcorpians down. They then craul into the folded secured RTT.

Then of cours my long to erect dome tent doesn't haver to be taken down each day when staying fir a week or so on a camp site.

Any fool can be uncomfortable camping. You need common sense to be comfortable.

Six months living from a Defender with a ground tent. I do think I know what it is like.

mike

A leopard can change its spots.

[Godlykepower]

Mike, I think that this will be one of those subjects where opinions will always be divided.

[mmgemini]

Yes I agree. Each to his/her own.... mikd you my dome cost me 500quid.....

Though in this day and age air beds are old hat. ASDA are supposed to be seeling self inflating air matresses for 11 quid.... What the quality is like though I don't know. Our new ASDA store didn't have any in.

Moving on..

We bought some alli plates in Namibia. So much lighter than the plastic things we have. We also use them to cook on. Wish I could get some here.

mike

A leopard can change its spots.

[6cyltdi]

sportsshop ®

Holger Bormann

Hauptstr. 139

D-56566 Neuwied

Umsatzsteuer-ID: DE180163342

Steuernummer: 32/018/5652/3

www.sportsshop.de

I got a brilliant rooftent from these guys for 495 euros inc postage a packaging, used it loads without a problem, erected or put away in a matter of seconds.....

Highly recomended installed in minuites, very hardy design......

[Godlykepower]

....and moving back!

Jude bought a self-inflating matress from Tesco when we went across the Alps last year, because she liked my Thermarest. It was OK I suppose, did not inflate as well & insulation was not quite as good. Cost her £13. Just spend the extra and get a proper one.

Although they are not cheap, a genuine thermarest will last forever, and is an amazing bit of kit. I have the 3/4 length one, as I maintain you dont need insulation below your bum, and it cost me about £50 6 years ago. They are available in different lengths & thicknesses.

Now, moving on!!

Do you mean ACTUAL plates, like what you eat off??

You can get alli plates here too. If you want lightness & quality....try a "proper" outdoor shop......not Blacks/Millets etc. The likes of Snow & Rock or Ellis Brigham do very good cookware. I only use a brand called MSR (Mountain Safety Research), and I have sets of aluminium & titanium plates/cutlery/mugs/pots etc. You may have to re-mortgage your house if you bought MSR stuff though!! £21 for a titanium spork! Weighs about as much as a cigarette paper though.

Martin

[mmgemini]

I do need my feet warming.... That's why we have the 2'6" wide ones. Margaret joins them using a double sheet. That and the duvet from the bed make us nice and warm. Too warm in certain places.....

Yes. Plates you eat from.

We paid about thirty bob each from either Spar or Shoprite. We should have bought more.

I'm hoping that one of the South Africans will get me some when he comes over for Billing. I'll ask Margaret to look in E.B in Manchester next week if she has time.

mike

A leopard can change its spots.

[Godlykepower]

Mike, you do know I grew up in South Africa, dont you??

If you need anything from there, give me a shout & I can get my dad or friends to send it over.

[mmgemini]

Yes I do.

There are some people coming over for Billing. They should be bringing the plates for me. As they are travelling very light I wont be collecting the plates until the Sunday night so they can use them.

While my tent didn't come from ZA it came from Namibia. A Greensport Caprive. 3metres square with 2.9metres inside. Just what we need to get dressed in. I must say it's stood up well to waht we've used it for. Including camping in the snow at Keilder in the beginning of May.

mike

A leopard can change its spots.

[simonr]

I quite agree about Thermarests. I bought one when I was a student (over 20 years ago) and it's still perfect. Now I'm a little older, it doesn't feel as comfortable as it used to. It's only 20mm thick inflated - but then I bought it to carry on my back, so it had to be light! I'm quite tempted to buy one of the 'new' 50mm ones for a bit of comfort. A full length one for me leaves my legs hanging off the end!

I used to have a sort of sling thing which turned the folded Thermarest into a very comfortable chair. Not seen them for years - but I'm sure they still exist. It only weighed a couple of hundred grams - so a good option for backpacking.

I've only ever had ground tents including one BIG Kyham which is so big you can fit a 110 inside! Sarah said she wanted a tent big enough to put her pants on standing up! It's so big - even I can!

However, I rather like Chris's (GBMud) roof tent on his trailer - it looks very comfy. You don't get many Scoppions dropping out of trees in the UK - not even my pal Colon! It's an unpleasant thought though - I'll be on my guard at Billing!

Si

[mmgemini]

I've only seen one orange scorpian. They seem only to be in the UK.

Funny I don't think out Therm-A-Rests are that thick. Like you say Simon, Oh just had a quick measure. I'd say 30mm. Still I find them very comfortable.

Yes the slings are still about.

mike

[Godlykepower]

I quite agree about Thermarests. I bought one when I was a student (over 20 years ago) and it's still perfect. Now I'm a little older, it doesn't feel as comfortable as it used to. It's only 20mm thick inflated - but then I bought it to carry on my back, so it had to be light! I'm quite tempted to buy one of the 'new' 50mm ones for a bit of comfort. A full length one for me leaves my legs hanging off the end!

Si, I was looking at one of the new 50mm ones just last weekend, they are really nice. Not bad money too really. I think it was about 70 quid?

Like you, I got all my gear for when I had to carry it about on my back, which was why I went for a 20mm 3/4 length job. This was well before I could afford a Land Rover, but old habits die hard! If I had to re-buy a Thermarest (and no reason for me to, mine is still in perfect condition) I would get a "fat" one as weight carrying is no longer an issue.

But since I invested a lot of money on very good quality mountaineering kit, all my gear is built to last & just so happens to be really light, so I'm stuck(?) with a lot of stuff that is not necessarily what the overland community would immediatley choose.

[MogLite]

I've only ever had ground tents including one BIG Kyham which is so big you can fit a 110 inside! Sarah said she wanted a tent big enough to put her pants on standing up! It's so big - even I can!

You should really just wear your own pants

any way back on topic.....

I've got a big family tent, that works well, as kids and roof tents is gonna be madness.

I'm currently building a rear awning for my Isuzu, like the Hannibal awning. I can sleep in the vehicle, but solo camping, that will give me enough shelter to sit/cook etc. Maybe even change my pants.

If we camp later into the season this year, I shall look at a teepee as previously recommended by G-Rover.

[MogLite]

Oh sorry - fogot to ask - how do Thermarests work for people like me who sleep on their sides. I find I need an airbed or my hip digs in. But I've not tried a Thermarest.

[Godlykepower]

Oh sorry - fogot to ask - how do Thermarests work for people like me who sleep on their sides. I find I need an airbed or my hip digs in. But I've not tried a Thermarest.

Depends on how much comfort you want/need. I usually sleep on my side too, and my Thermarest plus any one of my bags is more than adequate for me. If you have a big fat sleeping bag (or one that is thicker underneath, than it is on top) then you should be just fine.

For backpacking, I use a First Ascent down bag rated at -26 degrees, and this is fatter underneath you, however, it is quite snug, so I keep an ex-special forces Arctic bag in the back of the Land Rover all the time. This bag is rated at -50 degrees & is more roomy but is too big to be carried in a backpack. I can use the Arctic bag year round, as I just lie on top in hot places. So this bag plus a Thermarest under you, will give you about 3 inches of padding underneath you.

Martin

[JSG]

As people have said - it's down to individual choice.

I've never been keen on roof tents mainly due to the issue of striking camp if you need to drive to the shop for milk etc.

Having had various ground tents the downside is time to erect and pack if you are doing single night stops.

I moved over to an Oz Tent last year after seeing the demo at Eastnor and wish I'd done so years ago. The RV1 (smallest) will fit inside the 110 with one of the rear seats folded, the larger ones would need to go 'across' the rear load space with the seat folded.

I've also used a RV5 recently at Gaydon which had plenty of room for 4 and the height to stand up in. Both can be erected and packed in less than a minute and are completely weatherproof.

With the optional side and front panels you get masses of extra room.

Going to Gaydon with all the gear and 4 people in the 110 I carried the RV5 on roof bars and would use the roof rack for the 90 - no big deal.

If you want to be on the roof then the RV1 will sit nicely on the roof rack and pretend its a roof tent.

[lwt big cheese]

Interesting topic.

Don't forget that if you buy a mountaineering type tent that they are designed for using for just a couple of weeks per year for a couple of years. And as light as possible.

UV degrades them significantly so that they loose their water repelancy and strength.

Trail mag (I think) tested various tents on the top of Leeds University a couple of years back, recording their effectiveness if left up for the summer.