Best review yet of this tent. For some reason, people tend to label videos as reviews when they're really just showing us around the tent. You did a great job of both - I learned things about the tent I didn't know, and understood what you liked and didn't like, and specifically why. This really helped me.
Great Review. One important Biggie. Like any Tent, it must be Dried Out before folding away for extended period like a few days. There can be irreversible Mold Damage if it remains wet and folded. Thanks for evaluating it so thoroughly as I believed most of these were Overpriced and had few advantages.
Thanks for posting the review! I ordered my Overlander from Amazon a couple of days ago. I'm going on a 2-week trip in my 2012 Jeep Wrangler this summer, visiting a bunch of state parks and recreational areas in the Texas panhandle. I've been camping and hiking since I was a kid (57 now) and cannot remember ever getting a decent night's sleep in a tent on the ground. All of the reviews I've read and watched so far agree that one of the nicest things about a roof top tent is that it is so much more comfortable than sleeping in a tent on the ground. So I bit the bullet and bought one. Guess I'll find out. Again, many thanks for the fine review.
@@SailingVesselAdventurer There's a 4 year old unit for sale nearby. Photos look good, but I've never examined one up-close. What should I focus on when looking at the used Smittybuilt RTT? Thank you!
amazing review-- thanks for taking the time to do such a thorough one! ! The past 6 years I've ground tent camped for 10 days at 10k' so this year being lucky 7 I splurged and got a SB XL and will be mounting it on the half height roof rack I just mounted on the Gladiator tonight! if all goes well gonna do several over night trips to a local state park prior to my Colorado trip in August!
Glad you had a success story on one of those. I bought one and sent it back the next day. The mounting brackets kept jamming. In addition to that the mounting bars were loose after I tightened the nut to the point of being nearly too tight to the floor of the tent. Reached out to their customer service dept and got an automated reply stating I had a "ticket number" and never heard a peep beyond that. Just spent the extra money on the CVT. Totally worth it. I immediately saw the difference in quality. Love Amazon's return policy - if they sell you junk they will take it back at no cost.
Nice Review! I have the same RTT and noticed one thing, at 1:44 I see you removing straps from undeneath the PCV cover. If I am not mistaken those straps are supposed to go overtop of the PCV cover. At least thats how I have mine set up and other people with the same tent seem to do it the same way. Don't want your cover to fly off on the Highway!
I really appreciate your honest review. I just had the XL version of this sent to me with the XL Annex. I could not believe how big this thing was coming off the freight truck! I was supposed to do a long term trip for Nat Geo and this was going to be my home. Obviously now that has been cancelled (maybe) so the tent is just sitting in the garage on its pallet. I do hope to see it get used soon however. Thanks for your great review!
Love the review video. I'm looking at getting a rtt soon. Then I started watching all your videos starting from episode 1. I'm hooked. You guys are living the dream. Hope it never ends. Good luck and safe travels! Cheers!
I live in Maine, and therefor am no stranger to extreme weather changes. I've been considering one of these tents for weeks, and after seeing this review, am going to go ahead and purchase one, along with the extension ladder (Toyota Sequoia isn't exactly a Jeep). Looking forward to all the photos, videos, and drone footage I can get while traveling around with this thing!
@@SailingVesselAdventurer never expected a response that fast or I would have asked a question! Were there any issues when mounting this to your vehicle? My only real concern is whether or not the crossbars on my sequoia may be too wide. I'm assuming it comes with multiple mounting options? Mine is already in the cart on Amazon ready to be ordered lol
We're actually backpacking through Vietnam right now and surprisingly have a good internet connection! As far as the tent, we had zero issues with mounting. You'll be able to move it side to side on your cross bars as needed before you secure it down on the cross bars. It was pretty easy. I don't think you can have a problem with bars being too long.
Thanks. That is the one I am getting and I am planning on traveling the western US I live next to RMNP. I also bought a new dirtbike it goes on a receiver hitch lift.
Thanks for the great review of the rooftop tent - had my concerns but you addressed them all. One question - where do you store the tent poles when the tent is packed up? I did not see where you got them or put them when you did the assemble and de-assemble. Thanks again - best review of this type of roof top tent.
I am getting one too. My brothers call me crazy for buying one. Since we do go camping a lot but we are always moving around. Sleeping on the ground is ok but I do like being comfortable. The convenient way of having a tent/ shade at the same time.
@@SailingVesselAdventurer I personally prefer extra virgin olive oil. It's not a high temp oil, so you may need to change to canola if you're in the desert. jk, thanks for the review.
Thanks for the very informative video. I have the XL version of this tent. Just wanted to let you know that the long straps are meant to be lashing straps on top of the cover to prevent it from inflating with air. The instructions do not tell you that but I called the manufacturer and they indicated that to me.
How would the ladder do in sand? Theres a spot in the outer banks that has beach camping. Will this work or will the ladder dig in and fold the tent the wrong direction
Excellent review, I was looking for a user review that covered all the points, you just did that and now I am going to order a tent from Smittybilt, thanks.
A few comments: 1) Based on the background, especially when you're driving around(street signs), I'm pretty sure we're more-or-less neighbors. 2) Those little rings on the inside of the tent - you probably got some bungees with the tent. They go between those rings and pull the sides in when you drop the tent down. So you don't have to tuck the sides if you do that. You are still hosed on the top, though. 3) On the bottom of the travel cover (where the two velcro straps are) there is a round piece that should slide into the groove on the base of the tent. It sometimes interferes with unfolding if you leave it installed (and sometimes doesn't) but it leaves that travel cover hanging off the tent, and makes putting it on vastly easier. My RTT is a Tepui Kukenam, from before Smittybilt started doing them, but it's more or less the same thing. It's also sitting on a trailer (of the off-road variety, and behind a Jeep, so it'll get anywhere - probably further - than an Explorer will) so I don't have some of the pains that are really associated with height. I also never have it out more than a week, so haven't bothered with the comfort things. But very good review. :)
Thanks for the comments and tips Steve! As for the bungees and rings inside the tent - finally those make sense! The tent didn't come with very good instructions so thanks again. As for the cover, we did figure that one out, but, we actually take the cover completely off because we are in and out of the car so much and it just gets in the way when it's hanging off of the platform (again, for us). If you are outside of the Phoenix area, we may be neighbors! Actually, you may be neighbors with my brother...I put this video together from his driveway. We actually live on our sailboat full time and just stopped in to see the family before heading back to the boat in Mexico. Thanks again for the tips and have fun with your setup. It sounds like a capable rig. As you can imagine, a Ford Explorer, even with a little lift, can only get so far!
Yep, that's how I figured it out. There are some street signs, and your brother isn't far. Don't be surprised by the bungees inside... I've been shocked with how few people know that. On the top... I strap up the cover to keep it off the ground for me, but you could do the same, just run a bungee across the bottom (my Tepui has a strap there to keep the ladder down).
Any issues with the crease portion of the tent dipping under pressure? I unfolded the tent and when I went to get in, the crease portion began to sink.. Any reason why??
I didn't notice what make/model your vehicle is. Also, what is your roof rated at? My Forester is rated at 150, but Subaru won't make an OK recommendation on a RTT.
Excellent review Jeff, super useful! I'm thinking of buying one but here in Australia the Smittybilt RTT is hard to get so I may go for a 2nd hand. The only problem is that it doesn't come with the tent poles (the owner can't find them) so I'll have to buy some here. Could you please tell me how long the tents poles are? Thanks a lot
Great review... thanks. I'm looking at getting a roof-top tent, but I think I may put mine on a small trailer as opposed to the roof of my vehicle. Pros and cons each way.
Thank you for that awesome review. I just put mine up today. One question, hopefully you still check this... do you use a separate set of tie down straps on the cover? My concern is it blowing off in high winds on the freeway.
I’m dying for a rooftop tent but I live in Seattle and my lifted Jeep without a roof rack barely fits into parking garages the way it is. I’m worried I won’t be able to park anywhere if I get a rack :(
Just put it on your roof rack and enjoy! When we got ours, we picked it up from the dealer, attached it to the roof, and then hit the road for 3 1/2 months.
Did you use the stock roof rack on your Explorer or did you buy an aftermarket one? Looking to outfit Honda Pilot but concerned about weight limit on rack.
Hi Jason. We did use the stock roof rack rails and have had no issue, but we also had to add cross bars to attach the tent. In the video description I included the link to the cross bars we used. Good luck and enjoy!
It would be difficult but not impossible! And the view would be great! However, I've seen videos of Great Whites jumping pretty far out of the water....
Did you use a heater in your tent like a little buddy heater, or could you? With the ladder, could you carry a < lb. Mini dachshund up.in tent with you?
I have heard of people putting heaters in their tents, but we never have. And yes, a person with some dexterity could easily carry a dog up the ladder. I have seen a Black Lab in one of these things before!
Hi Dave, the car manufacturer should have a spec on roof carrying capacity. Other than weight limits on your car, the tent is a universal fit. Just about any universal roof rack will work, again with weight limits in mind. We used an inno generic rack with no issue. Good luck!
For us, it was definitely worth the price tag. I think that if we were just going to use it on an occasional weekend, it would not have been worth it. We have other tents. But for a long trip, the setup speed and ease, and the comfort was well worth it for us.
We have slept in the tent in established campgrounds, state parks, koa's etc... But never in a rest area or walmart parking lot. Rest areas and the like generally have signs posted that prohibit tent camping so we've never tested our luck.
Nice video, I watched it a couple of times before buying a Smittybilt last month and am still watching it. I haven't been able to efficiently remove/replace the cover. The velcro keeps attaching and I go from side to side to to disengage it. It's encouraging that someone else mentions that process. Thanks. The Walmart pad under the mattress looks like a good idea. I haven't found it on their online site yet. Do you have a link? It sounds like you just went to an actual Walmart, and I'll try that. -Bill
So with the added memory foam, pads under the mattress. And keeping the sleeping bags in there it still closes without an issue? I’m looking at getting one and everyone seems to be adding more padding but I don’t want to to store the extra mattress pad in the vehicle. Thanks for the info.
It does still close without an issue, however, with all of that extra bulk, we do remove the pillows and stash them in the car. The pillows are just a bit too much. Good luck!
I would think that some kind of add-on to make the folded-up tent more aerodynamic would improve the gas mileage problem. I'm thinking of something like what truckers use. I don't know how it would attach to the roof of the car, though.
Hi Jon. We've been trying to come up with something like that. We even purchased a roof rack wind deflector to modify somehow, but, as you stated, attaching it to the car has been problematic. The roof top tent actually takes up a lot of real estate on top of the car and doesn't leave much room for attachment (without drilling holes). If we figure something out, we'll post an update.
Maybe the thing to do would be to not even try to attach it to the roof, but rather only attach it to the tent. Again, I don't how this would work, or what material to use, but as long as the tent is attached to the roof of the car there's really no need for the reflector to also be attached.
If you look at how a soft top on a jeep attaches above the windshield, it may give you some ideas. Also was thinking about cold nights, a house battery in the car and a heated mattress cover. (Of course these ideas need some MacGyver thinking but if it were me, I would make them happen). Great video and thanks.
I've been thinking about doing a video on overlanding on a budget, including a segment on the explorer. However, we're actually backpacking through SE Asia at the moment so that video will have to wait for a little while. Thanks for watching the tent review 😊
Great video lots of good info. I just got this tent. Can you still close up the tent with the additional memory foam matress and the camping matts you added to the already existing matress and sleeping bags you keep inside? Thank you!
Thanks for watching! And yes, we can still fold up the tent with the extra pads and sleeping bags. However, our bags are pretty thin down bags. We do remove pillows.
Hi Tyler, we're using the stock ford explorer roof rails and also inno cross bars to attach the tent. There is a link in the video description to the cross bars we purchased.
You mentioned "Wind Storm" and the noise that occurs. Could you attach a MPH to that wind and elaborate on that experience more? Not concerned with vehicle shake in the wind as I already have outriggers on my truck. Thanks.
We've been in multiple "wind storms" between 30-40 miles per hour. The stability of the vehicle isn't a problem, it's the noise and shaking of the tent itself which can make it an uncomfortable night. We've done quite a bit of backpacking and winter tent camping with a normal tent on the ground and in similar wind conditions. A tent on the ground properly staked out, although loud as well, is nothing like what it is like on top of the car. It does sound and feel like you are in the middle of a tornado! Having said that, we've experienced zero damage from the wind. It just makes for a loud and uncomfortable night.
Are you using your stock roof cross bars? We have a 3rd Gen 4Runner with stock roof cross bars and are looking to purchase this RTT. Just curious if we have to spend more on a new roof rack.
Questions: Do you leave the tent on 365 or do you just have it on during the camping months. Or is it easy enough to remove and use just when you go out on weekend excursions?
Hi Byron! We take the tent off of the vehicle when it's not in use. However, we are full time travelers so that means when we are using the tent and the vehicle, we'll be out on the road for months at a time with the tent happily on the roof. We are currently backpacking through SE Asia for roughly 4-5 months so the tent is off of the vehicle and stored indoors at a family members house. We leave the tent attached to the roof rack cross bars which come off of the vehicle more quickly and easily than unbolting the tent from the cross bars.
Sailing Vessel Adventurer what crossbars do you have? Any problem with holding up tent plus 2 adults weight? Holding up air force while on hwy at 75 mph?
Hey, appreciate the info. I decided to go with this tent after watching your video. Are you able to leave the memory foam in and fold the tent normally? And if so, what would be the max thickness of foam you could add and still fold it if everything else is removed? Thanks!
We did mount it to the stock roof rails but added "Inno" cross bars. It seemed plenty strong to us while we were sleeping in it and gave us zero concern. Good luck with your tent. We have enjoyed ours immensely!
What’s the difference between CVT RTT & Smittybilt RTT? I’ve been looking into purchasing, but all I’ve seen through reviews is that Smittybilt is a cheaper brand? I’m planning on van dwelling so I’ll need a RTT that’ll last me! If any of you have some insight, please reply to this comment! Thanks!
When we purchased the Smittybilt, we actually went and looked at a CVT as well. We couldn't tell the difference between the two other than the price, so we opted to save a few bucks and got the Smittybilt. Other than some velcro on the cover coming un-stitched, it's held up well after 3 years of hard use. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing... Have you used the tent in rain and if so were there any problems with leaking? I'm thinking of getting one to put on my Jeep Cherokee and camp with my son but am in the research stage right now. Another plus is the price seems reasonable when compared to the others. Thank you..
Hi George, we have spent quite a few nights in rain and even snow. We haven't any trouble with leaks. On the colder nights with snow, we zipped up the tent tight to keep heat in, and condensation was a bit of a problem. Similar to any other tent if you don't have ventilation to let the condensation out. We have had a ton of fun with it. Good luck with your decision!
Hi Sam, the roof windows do unzip, however not completely. You can unzip 3 sides and roll the screen out of the way so you have an open view of the stars.
Hi Martin! The tent is attached to "inno" brand rails. There is a link to the rails we used in the video description. Click on the show more tab below the video and you should be able to find it.
Sailing Vessel Adventurer thanks! I'd like to put one on the family van. It has a built in roof rack that comes with the van and has a 150lbs rating.... I'm your experience does that rated weight mean total weight with roof tent and people ? Seems like yours is on the rails of the rack that came with your explorer...
That generally means the weight the rack can hold while the car is driving down the road. I believe the manufacturers call that the "static" load rating. 150lbs is the same rating as our Ford Explorer and we've had no trouble at all.
Also, the roof rails that came with our Ford Explorer run for and aft. We had to add the cross bars to mount the tent to. It wouldn't work without them on our car.
Hello there man! Nice viceo on the Tent. I have the same tent, and also a back rack like you. I pretty much agree on all the downsides of it. I have it on top of a Nissan Rogue, and the worst of the downsides for me is the wind drag. Its bad, I even tried to build some sort of deflector to see if it would help, havent finished it yet though. So, I also have a back rack like you do, and I was wondering how did you manage to make it so high above the ground. Mine goes very low and screws up my ground clearance. How does you setup work, from the hitch on? Cheers!
Hi Daniel! Our rear rack has a "raised shank" which is basically a bend in the part that mounts in the receiver. It raises the basket a few inches which makes all the difference.
Hello there, thank you for replying! Mine is a Curt Rack, it also has a bent shank, but it is not enough for my car. What is yours? Is it the Curt 18153?
We bought it specifically for a 4 month road trip last year that was a break from our sailing around the world trip. We were in Mexico and hurricane season was upon us, so we stored the boat and hit the road till the end of hurricane season. Now that we are back on the boat and heading for Central America, we probably won't get back to use it at all this summer. Long answer, but this year, zero nights in the tent.
Best review yet of this tent. For some reason, people tend to label videos as reviews when they're really just showing us around the tent. You did a great job of both - I learned things about the tent I didn't know, and understood what you liked and didn't like, and specifically why. This really helped me.
Great Review. One important Biggie. Like any Tent, it must be Dried Out before folding away for extended period like a few days. There can be irreversible Mold Damage if it remains wet and folded. Thanks for evaluating it so thoroughly as I believed most of these were Overpriced and had few advantages.
Thank you for the honest review. This is the BEST one I have seen. We appreciate it a lot!
Without doubt the best review I ever seen. Thanks for your honest review
Thanks!
Thanks for posting the review! I ordered my Overlander from Amazon a couple of days ago. I'm going on a 2-week trip in my 2012 Jeep Wrangler this summer, visiting a bunch of state parks and recreational areas in the Texas panhandle. I've been camping and hiking since I was a kid (57 now) and cannot remember ever getting a decent night's sleep in a tent on the ground. All of the reviews I've read and watched so far agree that one of the nicest things about a roof top tent is that it is so much more comfortable than sleeping in a tent on the ground. So I bit the bullet and bought one. Guess I'll find out. Again, many thanks for the fine review.
Have a great trip! I hope you enjoy your tent as much as we have!
@@SailingVesselAdventurer There's a 4 year old unit for sale nearby. Photos look good, but I've never examined one up-close. What should I focus on when looking at the used Smittybuilt RTT? Thank you!
amazing review-- thanks for taking the time to do such a thorough one! ! The past 6 years I've ground tent camped for 10 days at 10k' so this year being lucky 7 I splurged and got a SB XL and will be mounting it on the half height roof rack I just mounted on the Gladiator tonight! if all goes well gonna do several over night trips to a local state park prior to my Colorado trip in August!
Laying in mine watching this. I basically am living in mine at work I love love it
Glad you had a success story on one of those. I bought one and sent it back the next day. The mounting brackets kept jamming. In addition to that the mounting bars were loose after I tightened the nut to the point of being nearly too tight to the floor of the tent. Reached out to their customer service dept and got an automated reply stating I had a "ticket number" and never heard a peep beyond that. Just spent the extra money on the CVT. Totally worth it. I immediately saw the difference in quality. Love Amazon's return policy - if they sell you junk they will take it back at no cost.
Great review! Very informative & helpful 🙌🏽
This was really helpful! Thanks for making the video!
Nice Review! I have the same RTT and noticed one thing, at 1:44 I see you removing straps from undeneath the PCV cover. If I am not mistaken those straps are supposed to go overtop of the PCV cover. At least thats how I have mine set up and other people with the same tent seem to do it the same way. Don't want your cover to fly off on the Highway!
I notice that also. Straps go over the top.
I really appreciate your honest review. I just had the XL version of this sent to me with the XL Annex. I could not believe how big this thing was coming off the freight truck! I was supposed to do a long term trip for Nat Geo and this was going to be my home. Obviously now that has been cancelled (maybe) so the tent is just sitting in the garage on its pallet. I do hope to see it get used soon however. Thanks for your great review!
How do you like the XL? is it too big? I cant decide if i want to buy the standard or the XL for my girlfriend at I
Got the XL here up in Canada. Get the 23 zero winter liner and install it if cold is an issue. Also consider a diesel heater 🤷♂️
Love the review video. I'm looking at getting a rtt soon. Then I started watching all your videos starting from episode 1. I'm hooked. You guys are living the dream. Hope it never ends. Good luck and safe travels! Cheers!
Thanks for following along Ryan! And good luck with your adventures!
I have the same Ford, planing on buying one this spring, thank you for the review, safe travels, fellow explorer.
Wow!!! That ladder bends like a noodle when you use it to lever the tent open!!
I live in Maine, and therefor am no stranger to extreme weather changes. I've been considering one of these tents for weeks, and after seeing this review, am going to go ahead and purchase one, along with the extension ladder (Toyota Sequoia isn't exactly a Jeep). Looking forward to all the photos, videos, and drone footage I can get while traveling around with this thing!
Awesome! Have fun with it! We've really enjoyed ours😊
@@SailingVesselAdventurer never expected a response that fast or I would have asked a question! Were there any issues when mounting this to your vehicle? My only real concern is whether or not the crossbars on my sequoia may be too wide. I'm assuming it comes with multiple mounting options? Mine is already in the cart on Amazon ready to be ordered lol
We're actually backpacking through Vietnam right now and surprisingly have a good internet connection! As far as the tent, we had zero issues with mounting. You'll be able to move it side to side on your cross bars as needed before you secure it down on the cross bars. It was pretty easy. I don't think you can have a problem with bars being too long.
Just what I was hoping for. Appreciate the info! Have a great trip :)
Sabattus
Thanks. That is the one I am getting and I am planning on traveling the western US I live next to RMNP. I also bought a new dirtbike it goes on a receiver hitch lift.
Thanks for the great review of the rooftop tent - had my concerns but you addressed them all. One question - where do you store the tent poles when the tent is packed up? I did not see where you got them or put them when you did the assemble and de-assemble.
Thanks again - best review of this type of roof top tent.
Appreciate the honest review!
Great review, appreciate you taking the time to do so.
I am getting one too. My brothers call me crazy for buying one. Since we do go camping a lot but we are always moving around. Sleeping on the ground is ok but I do like being comfortable. The convenient way of having a tent/ shade at the same time.
I have a feeling you are going to love it! Having some comfort (not sleeping on the ground) makes a big difference in camping fun. Enjoy!
@@SailingVesselAdventurer I personally prefer extra virgin olive oil. It's not a high temp oil, so you may need to change to canola if you're in the desert. jk, thanks for the review.
I’ve been looking at buying this tent after the fist of the year to do a little OverLanding. Great review thanks
Thanks for the very informative video. I have the XL version of this tent. Just wanted to let you know that the long straps are meant to be lashing straps on top of the cover to prevent it from inflating with air. The instructions do not tell you that but I called the manufacturer and they indicated that to me.
Thanks for the tip!
How would the ladder do in sand? Theres a spot in the outer banks that has beach camping. Will this work or will the ladder dig in and fold the tent the wrong direction
did you think about installing a wind deflector, like the ones on the semi trucks?
Great vid and great review. You covered all the necessary points. Thank you for finally answering the necessary questions in once vid.
Thank you for this I’m looking for a rooftop tent, for my Explorer. I think I found it. Happy trails my friend.
Awesome video Brother, thank you for sharing the info! Thumbs up ~John
Excellent review, I was looking for a user review that covered all the points, you just did that and now I am going to order a tent from Smittybilt, thanks.
Glad I could help! Enjoy your tent!
I wonder if you could put some flashing on the front of the folded up tent so it's more aerodynamic when you're driving.
A few comments:
1) Based on the background, especially when you're driving around(street signs), I'm pretty sure we're more-or-less neighbors.
2) Those little rings on the inside of the tent - you probably got some bungees with the tent. They go between those rings and pull the sides in when you drop the tent down. So you don't have to tuck the sides if you do that. You are still hosed on the top, though.
3) On the bottom of the travel cover (where the two velcro straps are) there is a round piece that should slide into the groove on the base of the tent. It sometimes interferes with unfolding if you leave it installed (and sometimes doesn't) but it leaves that travel cover hanging off the tent, and makes putting it on vastly easier.
My RTT is a Tepui Kukenam, from before Smittybilt started doing them, but it's more or less the same thing. It's also sitting on a trailer (of the off-road variety, and behind a Jeep, so it'll get anywhere - probably further - than an Explorer will) so I don't have some of the pains that are really associated with height. I also never have it out more than a week, so haven't bothered with the comfort things. But very good review. :)
Thanks for the comments and tips Steve! As for the bungees and rings inside the tent - finally those make sense! The tent didn't come with very good instructions so thanks again. As for the cover, we did figure that one out, but, we actually take the cover completely off because we are in and out of the car so much and it just gets in the way when it's hanging off of the platform (again, for us).
If you are outside of the Phoenix area, we may be neighbors! Actually, you may be neighbors with my brother...I put this video together from his driveway. We actually live on our sailboat full time and just stopped in to see the family before heading back to the boat in Mexico. Thanks again for the tips and have fun with your setup. It sounds like a capable rig. As you can imagine, a Ford Explorer, even with a little lift, can only get so far!
Yep, that's how I figured it out. There are some street signs, and your brother isn't far. Don't be surprised by the bungees inside... I've been shocked with how few people know that. On the top... I strap up the cover to keep it off the ground for me, but you could do the same, just run a bungee across the bottom (my Tepui has a strap there to keep the ladder down).
Hey there Steve!
I have the same tent, and I am trying to understand point 3. Do you have a way to show how it is done?
CheerS!
You sir are living my dream 13 states 12k miles in little over 3 months? It dont get any better than that!
Also somehow sleeping 100+ nights in 90 days that's impressive lol
3 1/2 months = 105 nights. It's simple math.
Any issues with the crease portion of the tent dipping under pressure? I unfolded the tent and when I went to get in, the crease portion began to sink.. Any reason why??
Hi. Where is that road between the mountains? When the video starts. It is very beautiful
Do you use any strap to hold down the cover while you traveling on the highway ? Thanks
Great review. Curious though. Why would you want to be driving over 70 mph with a rooftop tent?
I didn't notice what make/model your vehicle is. Also, what is your roof rated at? My Forester is rated at 150, but Subaru won't make an OK recommendation on a RTT.
RTT on the factory rails? Is it okay?
Can you close the tent with the extra memory foam added pad. Great review BTW
Excellent review Jeff, super useful!
I'm thinking of buying one but here in Australia the Smittybilt RTT is hard to get so I may go for a 2nd hand. The only problem is that it doesn't come with the tent poles (the owner can't find them) so I'll have to buy some here. Could you please tell me how long the tents poles are? Thanks a lot
Unfortunately I don't have dimensions for the tent poles. We actually sold the tent recently and purchased a van for our upcoming adventures
@@SailingVesselAdventurer No worries, thank you and keep up with the great videos!
Great review... thanks. I'm looking at getting a roof-top tent, but I think I may put mine on a small trailer as opposed to the roof of my vehicle. Pros and cons each way.
We thought about that too. Not a bad way to go.
Thanks for the tips and honest review.
Thank you for that awesome review. I just put mine up today.
One question, hopefully you still check this... do you use a separate set of tie down straps on the cover? My concern is it blowing off in high winds on the freeway.
great review joe pera
Thanks for the video! Really helped me choose my rooftop tent
The Smittybilt Cartop tent looks like a modern version of my Aircamper car top tent, built in the mid seventies. Mine is heavy canvas.
Great review.
Love your video!
great video
Well done. Thank you for your review...good stuff.
I’m dying for a rooftop tent but I live in Seattle and my lifted Jeep without a roof rack barely fits into parking garages the way it is. I’m worried I won’t be able to park anywhere if I get a rack :(
Velcro always always wears out they should’ve used a heavy duty zipper but I love this tent and how fast it sets up
Great review, thank you
Great video! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!
Mine comes in today!!! So excited. What preparations do I need to do before 1st use?? IE airing out etc
Just put it on your roof rack and enjoy! When we got ours, we picked it up from the dealer, attached it to the roof, and then hit the road for 3 1/2 months.
Did you use the stock roof rack on your Explorer or did you buy an aftermarket one? Looking to outfit Honda Pilot but concerned about weight limit on rack.
Hi Jason. We did use the stock roof rack rails and have had no issue, but we also had to add cross bars to attach the tent. In the video description I included the link to the cross bars we used. Good luck and enjoy!
I'm curious now that some more time has passed if you ended up removing and using something else or replacing the velcro.
Did you ever use a propane heater, like the Buddy Heater?
We never did.
How hard to mount on the dingy davits ? Would it be out of reach of great whites?
It would be difficult but not impossible! And the view would be great! However, I've seen videos of Great Whites jumping pretty far out of the water....
Did you use a heater in your tent like a little buddy heater, or could you? With the ladder, could you carry a < lb. Mini dachshund up.in tent with you?
I have heard of people putting heaters in their tents, but we never have. And yes, a person with some dexterity could easily carry a dog up the ladder. I have seen a Black Lab in one of these things before!
Great review. Where do I find out what kind of rack is needed for this? And will it fit my Senata Sedan or not? Thanks!
Hi Dave, the car manufacturer should have a spec on roof carrying capacity. Other than weight limits on your car, the tent is a universal fit. Just about any universal roof rack will work, again with weight limits in mind. We used an inno generic rack with no issue. Good luck!
Great review not a bad unit to sleep in etc, so is the tent worth its price tag ?
For us, it was definitely worth the price tag. I think that if we were just going to use it on an occasional weekend, it would not have been worth it. We have other tents. But for a long trip, the setup speed and ease, and the comfort was well worth it for us.
Have you slept in the tent on long crossroad trips....in rest areas, koas etc? Looking at how safe it is to camp on the way to your final location.
We have slept in the tent in established campgrounds, state parks, koa's etc... But never in a rest area or walmart parking lot. Rest areas and the like generally have signs posted that prohibit tent camping so we've never tested our luck.
Nice video, I watched it a couple of times before buying a Smittybilt last month and am still watching it. I haven't been able to efficiently remove/replace the cover. The velcro keeps attaching and I go from side to side to to disengage it. It's encouraging that someone else mentions that process. Thanks.
The Walmart pad under the mattress looks like a good idea. I haven't found it on their online site yet. Do you have a link? It sounds like you just went to an actual Walmart, and I'll try that.
-Bill
Hi Bill. We did just stop by Walmart and pick up the pads. Good luck!
"Put your back into it and then shove 'em in the holes." - Words to live by.
awesome review!
So with the added memory foam, pads under the mattress. And keeping the sleeping bags in there it still closes without an issue? I’m looking at getting one and everyone seems to be adding more padding but I don’t want to to store the extra mattress pad in the vehicle. Thanks for the info.
It does still close without an issue, however, with all of that extra bulk, we do remove the pillows and stash them in the car. The pillows are just a bit too much. Good luck!
I would think that some kind of add-on to make the folded-up tent more aerodynamic would improve the gas mileage problem. I'm thinking of something like what truckers use. I don't know how it would attach to the roof of the car, though.
Hi Jon. We've been trying to come up with something like that. We even purchased a roof rack wind deflector to modify somehow, but, as you stated, attaching it to the car has been problematic. The roof top tent actually takes up a lot of real estate on top of the car and doesn't leave much room for attachment (without drilling holes). If we figure something out, we'll post an update.
Maybe the thing to do would be to not even try to attach it to the roof, but rather only attach it to the tent. Again, I don't how this would work, or what material to use, but as long as the tent is attached to the roof of the car there's really no need for the reflector to also be attached.
If you look at how a soft top on a jeep attaches above the windshield, it may give you some ideas. Also was thinking about cold nights, a house battery in the car and a heated mattress cover. (Of course these ideas need some MacGyver thinking but if it were me, I would make them happen). Great video and thanks.
Excellent review!!
That is a good review so far.. I am more interested in your SUV.. can you make a video about your explorer as an overland car.
I've been thinking about doing a video on overlanding on a budget, including a segment on the explorer. However, we're actually backpacking through SE Asia at the moment so that video will have to wait for a little while. Thanks for watching the tent review 😊
Great video lots of good info. I just got this tent. Can you still close up the tent with the additional memory foam matress and the camping matts you added to the already existing matress and sleeping bags you keep inside? Thank you!
Thanks for watching! And yes, we can still fold up the tent with the extra pads and sleeping bags. However, our bags are pretty thin down bags. We do remove pillows.
where are you driving in the beginning of the video
What rails are you using for it to be strapped to the roof?
Hi Tyler, we're using the stock ford explorer roof rails and also inno cross bars to attach the tent. There is a link in the video description to the cross bars we purchased.
You mentioned "Wind Storm" and the noise that occurs. Could you attach a MPH to that wind and elaborate on that experience more? Not concerned with vehicle shake in the wind as I already have outriggers on my truck. Thanks.
We've been in multiple "wind storms" between 30-40 miles per hour. The stability of the vehicle isn't a problem, it's the noise and shaking of the tent itself which can make it an uncomfortable night. We've done quite a bit of backpacking and winter tent camping with a normal tent on the ground and in similar wind conditions. A tent on the ground properly staked out, although loud as well, is nothing like what it is like on top of the car. It does sound and feel like you are in the middle of a tornado! Having said that, we've experienced zero damage from the wind. It just makes for a loud and uncomfortable night.
Thank you for the reply, that additional info helps a lot.
Are you using your stock roof cross bars? We have a 3rd Gen 4Runner with stock roof cross bars and are looking to purchase this RTT. Just curious if we have to spend more on a new roof rack.
Joanie C we're using the stock roof rails but had to add cross bars. In the video description, I included a link to the cross bars we used. Good luck!
Questions:
Do you leave the tent on 365 or do you just have it on during the camping months.
Or is it easy enough to remove and use just when you go out on weekend excursions?
Hi Byron! We take the tent off of the vehicle when it's not in use. However, we are full time travelers so that means when we are using the tent and the vehicle, we'll be out on the road for months at a time with the tent happily on the roof. We are currently backpacking through SE Asia for roughly 4-5 months so the tent is off of the vehicle and stored indoors at a family members house. We leave the tent attached to the roof rack cross bars which come off of the vehicle more quickly and easily than unbolting the tent from the cross bars.
Sailing Vessel Adventurer what crossbars do you have? Any problem with holding up tent plus 2 adults weight? Holding up air force while on hwy at 75 mph?
Hey, appreciate the info. I decided to go with this tent after watching your video. Are you able to leave the memory foam in and fold the tent normally? And if so, what would be the max thickness of foam you could add and still fold it if everything else is removed? Thanks!
I would guess that you could get up to a 3" foam mattress in there.
How is it when putting away after a rain storm?
Obviously it's very wet and a chore. It definitely will need to be opened up and dried out as soon as possible if you put it away wet.
Excellent video, thank you.
Does the floor made from plywood or pvc form?
the floor is an aluminum skinned/polyurethane foam sandwich construction. It's light and strong
Did you just mount to stock roof rack? Did you feel like it was strong enough to support tent and people? I'm looking to get a roof top tent.
We did mount it to the stock roof rails but added "Inno" cross bars. It seemed plenty strong to us while we were sleeping in it and gave us zero concern. Good luck with your tent. We have enjoyed ours immensely!
Thanks for the reply. Great video by the way.
What was the stock weight limit for your roof rack?
Leann DeWick my explorer started it held 250 lbs
what made you go with smitybuilt, rather than the more popular tapui, yakima or cvt?
It was strictly a price issue. They all had similar specs and build materials so we decided to spend as little as possible. It worked out well for us.
Sailing Vessel Adventurer k thanks Im looking to get one now thanks for your review,
What’s the difference between CVT RTT & Smittybilt RTT? I’ve been looking into purchasing, but all I’ve seen through reviews is that Smittybilt is a cheaper brand? I’m planning on van dwelling so I’ll need a RTT that’ll last me! If any of you have some insight, please reply to this comment! Thanks!
When we purchased the Smittybilt, we actually went and looked at a CVT as well. We couldn't tell the difference between the two other than the price, so we opted to save a few bucks and got the Smittybilt. Other than some velcro on the cover coming un-stitched, it's held up well after 3 years of hard use. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing...
Have you used the tent in rain and if so were there any problems with leaking? I'm thinking of getting one to put on my Jeep Cherokee and camp with my son but am in the research stage right now. Another plus is the price seems reasonable when compared to the others.
Thank you..
Never mind, you answered my question in your video... I should have listened completely first..LOL
Hi George, we have spent quite a few nights in rain and even snow. We haven't any trouble with leaks. On the colder nights with snow, we zipped up the tent tight to keep heat in, and condensation was a bit of a problem. Similar to any other tent if you don't have ventilation to let the condensation out. We have had a ton of fun with it. Good luck with your decision!
Does the roof windows unzip completely? or is there always a mesh screen?
Hi Sam, the roof windows do unzip, however not completely. You can unzip 3 sides and roll the screen out of the way so you have an open view of the stars.
What kind of rails do you have the tent resting on?
Hi Martin! The tent is attached to "inno" brand rails. There is a link to the rails we used in the video description.
Click on the show more tab below the video and you should be able to find it.
Sailing Vessel Adventurer thanks! I'd like to put one on the family van. It has a built in roof rack that comes with the van and has a 150lbs rating....
I'm your experience does that rated weight mean total weight with roof tent and people ?
Seems like yours is on the rails of the rack that came with your explorer...
That generally means the weight the rack can hold while the car is driving down the road. I believe the manufacturers call that the "static" load rating. 150lbs is the same rating as our Ford Explorer and we've had no trouble at all.
Also, the roof rails that came with our Ford Explorer run for and aft. We had to add the cross bars to mount the tent to. It wouldn't work without them on our car.
Sailing Vessel Adventurer thanks for the help! Great video. Helped me make my decision
FYI - just cover the front of the tent with Glad Wrap Grip & Seal and peal off prior to storage...ZERO BUGS!
Hello there man!
Nice viceo on the Tent. I have the same tent, and also a back rack like you. I pretty much agree on all the downsides of it. I have it on top of a Nissan Rogue, and the worst of the downsides for me is the wind drag. Its bad, I even tried to build some sort of deflector to see if it would help, havent finished it yet though.
So, I also have a back rack like you do, and I was wondering how did you manage to make it so high above the ground. Mine goes very low and screws up my ground clearance. How does you setup work, from the hitch on?
Cheers!
Hi Daniel! Our rear rack has a "raised shank" which is basically a bend in the part that mounts in the receiver. It raises the basket a few inches which makes all the difference.
Hello there, thank you for replying!
Mine is a Curt Rack, it also has a bent shank, but it is not enough for my car. What is yours? Is it the Curt 18153?
Very good info in here. How many nights do you spend in it per year?
We bought it specifically for a 4 month road trip last year that was a break from our sailing around the world trip. We were in Mexico and hurricane season was upon us, so we stored the boat and hit the road till the end of hurricane season. Now that we are back on the boat and heading for Central America, we probably won't get back to use it at all this summer. Long answer, but this year, zero nights in the tent.
Great video, thanks!
Thanks Tom!
0:11 where is that? It is beautiful
That's the Buckhorn Wash Road in the San Rafael Swell in Utah. Amazing place! Definitely one of our favorites
Watching a bear climbing a ladder, oh wait... it's my mother-in-law.
😂😳😳😳😳
What model is this?
It's the Smittybilt Overlander 2783
I’m 6 foot, would I fit in this?
Yes
3 minutes!!! Wow!!
I WANT TO DO THIS!!!!!
To keep the bugs off the cover spray it with Pam
My iKamper is set up in 3 minutes love it.
You got my like after the bear comment hahahhaah