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RTT Q&A
- Thread starter Bird dog
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- overland gear
The invisible kind. Driven by empty pockets
CVT MT Shasta extended stargazer. Since most tents like this one are all the same, it came down to ease of service (CVT IS 4 hours away) customer service and I just really liked dealing with the people there. Oh and this one came with annex included, big plus.
We had a Geo GT165A RTT for a little over a year and a half. We were driven primarily by size, features and price. It turned out to be the perfect size as we've found 55" RTTs are too narrow for our family and 80" RTTs are too large for our trucks (unless they're mounted over the bed and the cab on a Prinsu setup with a shell or something), but comparatively poor quality and many of the features we thought were "must-haves" ended up being more of a curse than a blessing for us.
We sold it and are in the market again, this time we are looking at the 23Zero Bondi. It has the same sleeping footprint as our GT165A, but appears to be much higher quality and does not have a bunch of "features" that we don't want such as annex rooms, atrium, window awnings, etc. It does add skylights, a much better ladder and several other nice things that our last tent was lacking.
We sold it and are in the market again, this time we are looking at the 23Zero Bondi. It has the same sleeping footprint as our GT165A, but appears to be much higher quality and does not have a bunch of "features" that we don't want such as annex rooms, atrium, window awnings, etc. It does add skylights, a much better ladder and several other nice things that our last tent was lacking.
Most likely picking up a 23zero Litchfield. Seems like it falls in between a CVT Shasta extended pioneer and summit at a pioneer price, and can be bought locally in Phoenix. I’m with @0uTkAsT that I think all the bells and whistles are meh, but the annex room itself fits our needs very well. May not fit your needs, so something to consider.
CVT Mt. Shasta standard.
Chosen because first off CVT has excellent customer service, and they have lived up that since we bought the tent. We needed a replacement piece, they sent multiples immediately with no hesitation.
Build quality is pretty top notch. I'm impressed with how well it's desgned. Super nice tent. Another selling point was the matress is a full 3" thick as opposed to most are 2.5" or less.
Would I get it again? Probably. The tent with our dog inside can get a bit small width wise, so I'm considering other wider options. I have no problems with the tent build itself, just the width can be a bit of an issue for us. Currently we're considering an iKamper, but it's not likely to happen anytime soon.
Chosen because first off CVT has excellent customer service, and they have lived up that since we bought the tent. We needed a replacement piece, they sent multiples immediately with no hesitation.
Build quality is pretty top notch. I'm impressed with how well it's desgned. Super nice tent. Another selling point was the matress is a full 3" thick as opposed to most are 2.5" or less.
Would I get it again? Probably. The tent with our dog inside can get a bit small width wise, so I'm considering other wider options. I have no problems with the tent build itself, just the width can be a bit of an issue for us. Currently we're considering an iKamper, but it's not likely to happen anytime soon.
I just checked them out since you mentioned them... I'd never heard of them until now. Looks like they offer decent re-hashes of the standard Chinese tents, only with aluminum skin on the floor, which is nice, but they didn't beef up any other components vs. their typical competitors, and they really don't offer anything to make themselves appealing, especially for the price point. They only offer 56" wide models, even the most basic unit still has the typical window awnings, they only have standard colors, use 5/8" poles and 280gsm fabrics, etc. I also find their logo to be big and gaudy... a non-issue for some, but I hate that. Many are guilty of it and I wish the trend would stop.
I like that the 23ZERO Bondi has the open roof, two vents per half, unique double side windows, 1" frame, 320gsm fabrics, blah blah. That's why I'm going with it for the next tent.
I chose CVT due to their price, features, and proximity to me. I had orginally intended on getting the Mt. Rainier, but a local guy was selling his Mt. Shasta extended pioneer for stupid cheap. I think I paid $1100 in total, including the annex. It's perfect for the wife and I, has plenty of room for our toddler to join us, and I've even camped with just my two daughters comfortably. As seen below, I usually make the kids pop a ground tent. They're young... they can rough it a tad.
I do wish the sleeping pad was thicker/denser. I've read that CVT has massively upgraded the sleeping pads, so I may just need to supplement mine, or purchase the upgraded one.
I do wish the sleeping pad was thicker/denser. I've read that CVT has massively upgraded the sleeping pads, so I may just need to supplement mine, or purchase the upgraded one.
Tepui Kukenam Ruggedized Sky 3...wow that’s a long name ?. But the materials seem pretty strong and the mat is comfy. Overall quality seems like it will last for a long time...or until I get tired of it.
The best thing about it is that when you purchase from REI during their big sales where you get 20 percent off, you end up saving a lot plus the free shipping when you pickup from the store.
We have a Front Runner Outfitters Feather-Lite RTT. For us, it was free shipping since they are local and we picked it up the same day. It's also under 100lbs and lowest profile of the tent that are in the same category. Size-wize it's a few inches wider and longer. People complain that the mattress doesn't take up the entire floor. That extra space is where we leave our bags. The mattress is 2" vs others 2.5" or 3". It's not bad sleeping on our backs, but if you're a side sleeper, than a thicker or a more dense memory foam mattress. The tent cover compliments the color of the truck, which we really like.
But main factors is how light and low profile and color. I think it's a great starter tent. Especially the price at 1K. Our next tent will probably a hardshell that is also a quicker setup/breakdown.
Old photo.
Newer photo, we just rotated the mounting so the tent opens towards the back of the truck.
But main factors is how light and low profile and color. I think it's a great starter tent. Especially the price at 1K. Our next tent will probably a hardshell that is also a quicker setup/breakdown.
Old photo.
Newer photo, we just rotated the mounting so the tent opens towards the back of the truck.
I just ordered the TJM Yulara. Saw it in person at the 4x4 Expo in Scottsdale a few months ago and was really impressed with materials and quality. I'll post a more thorough review of the tent and annex when I pick it up.
filipinotaco8541
2️⃣ Bronze
I went with a Tuffstuff Delta. My cousin bought the bigger version so I had the opportunity to check it out. I thought it was a good value due to the features it had compared to other comparable models. I’ve had it for almost a year and a half and have taken it on several trips. Heat, cold and high winds. No issues so far. Perfect size for two adults and a toddler. My cousin broke a hinge due to a freak storm that rolled in at Lake Powell. He called Tuffstuff and they sent out a new hinge same day for free. Cant beat that for customer service