Tents wot you got?

Hi over the next few months I'm going to hopefully be getting a proper tent I'm leaning towered a roof tent but I'm open till a ground tent aswell as they are cheaper and can always upgrade later.

So what you got, experiences recommendations?

Thanks

I've been one to sleep on the ground till very recently and have always thought roof tents were a luxury. Theres always been a lot of debate between the pro's and cons of them, and I'm of the belief it depends on what your doing!.

If your constantly moving on then a RTT is not a problem (as is a Decathlon 2 second tent or derivative). If your staying in one place, putting a tent up and down every time you want to go out in the vehicle is a right ol PITA!

Once you get the hang of a RTT (and we've got a Eazi Awn tent) they're pretty robust and very very comfy ... it's twice the size of a double bed... the Mrs does have to be ok with going up and down the ladders though (and get over the phsycologic need to go for a wee when they're up in bed and under the covers!

Theres also the debate about Security and Safety, so I guess it depends on where you plan to use it!

All food for though !

PB.

And the ever present problem (for some, not all) of 'wanting to go in the middle of the night'!

oz tent.

Reddisco wrote:

Hi over the next few months I'm going to hopefully be getting a proper tent I'm leaning towered a roof tent but I'm open till a ground tent aswell as they are cheaper and can always upgrade later.

So what you got, experiences recommendations?

Thanks

Tents go from about £30 to £3,000 for a roof top tent (RTT)

Have over the years used all sorts of tents from a Blacks pyramid to Vango/Ffalraven/Oztents

RTT come in two basic versions, either a hard shell (be it clam type or horizontal type) and a fold out RTT

Hard shell RTT go up faster then foldaway tents and ditto go away faster. Better on fuel consumption but in general less space then foldaway tents.

Be careful of el cheapos on ebay with their PVC canvas

Good names include Autohome/Maggiolina/Hannibal. These should all give good service and often sell on ebay secondhand for almost new prices so depreciation is low.

Ground tents? Small pup tent up to massive frame tents. What ever you get get a good name one rather then a shed elcheapo which will not stand up to a decent wind.

Hot nights in remote location a mesh tent is great for keeping cool, privacy is poor however!

A host of companies make small tents stick to a good recogonised name. Tents to stand up in? Oztents are probably the best around. Drawbacks are packed size and price


When looking at RTT get a demonstration of how quickly they go up and pack away and that includes putting covers on. What might be easy on an Xtrail might not be so easy on a LR on big tyres and a lift.

Our favourites at the moment?

Foxwing and Oztent RV4 if Barbara is with me. Vango or Ffel raven if alone. Looking forward to use those in conjunction with a Foxwing


HTH


Brendan

Oz tents are brilliant, a permanent erection in seconds ... who could ask for more?

I shall however be interested to see this smaller, space-saving package as for me this has been the only negative with the Oz Tent. The new version will conquer all if it's as good as I've heard.

Hillbilly - do you have to fold up your Oztent fully for your Defender, or can you cheat like roamingman does in his Disco3?

Good post Brendan, just about sums it up.

been in roof tents for about 6 years now and would never go back to a ground tent much more comfy and i like being up stairs,,always get a nice cool breeze and can always open the ends so air blows thru,,,,i had an over land
which i used in scandanavia in gales rain sunshine and it was very good but used to get condensation,,,,,
now i have a prime tech usa which i got off e bay and its better than the overland lot of people say there cheap and nasty,,,,WRONG,,,they are very well made i have been in gales at terifa and nearly got blown of the roof,,i have used it in snow rain sunshine,,,its been the best tent ever,,,,,,,and half the price of over rated south african tents,,,,no names,,,

Tom Mc wrote:

Oz tents are brilliant, a permanent erection in seconds ... who could ask for more?

I shall however be interested to see this smaller, space-saving package as for me this has been the only negative with the Oz Tent. The new version will conquer all if it's as good as I've heard.

The new Jet Tent from Oztent basic details are


Packed Size Size Sleeps
F21 1.1 x 0.3 x 0.3m 2.1 x 2.1 3-4
F25 1.1 x 0.3 x 0.3m 2.5 x 2.5 4-5
F30 1.5 x 0.3 x 0.3m 3 x 3 m 5-6

F25X 1.2 x 0.4 x 0.4m 4.3 x 2.5 up to 7
F30X 1.5 x 0.4 x 0.4m 4.8 x 3m up to 8


Hope that is of interest Tom

Hope to have some on display at Driffield


Brendan

Tom Mc wrote:

Hillbilly - do you have to fold up your Oztent fully for your Defender, or can you cheat like roamingman does in his Disco3?

Good post Brendan, just about sums it up.

As my TR has a fixed roofrack support system it travels on there


on the series soft top we made a simple carrier









its just as quick and easy as a roof tent.

A good plan Stan, simple and effective, but surely the chequer plate is fixed to the sticks through the canvas. Any problems with water ingress, suppose you used silicon bath-type caulK?

Not the first time I've heard the comment - "SA roof tents are overated".

It is a debatable issue, and it depends on your requirements, roof tents tend to rock in the wind and have very little room in them, they are quick to erect and are fine if all you want to do is sleep in them.

Ground tents are equally quick to put up as many modern designs are coming through to the market, and they have the advantage of being much larger so you can stand up to dress, or put the cooker inside if it is inclement weather. They have another advantage, they sleep more than two people and allow you to move your vehicle without moving the tent, great if there is an emergency.

Roof tents are better in the respect that they are off the floor, this keeps out a number of nasties and ensures you are not sleeping on a cold floor.

Horses for courses.

I don't have a tent at the moment. I like the idea of spending the money and getting a decent canvas ground tent. Had a "Southern cross" brand one for 20yrs and it would still be going strong had some moron not fired a firework rocket through it at the bathurst races one years causing quite extensive damage

Then had a centre pole tent. Great in fine weather but not so good in rain.

Now considering where to go next. Never liked Oztents because of the size ie too big to fit inside the defender rear. But will check out the new models before buying.

Black Wolf Turbo tent is another possibility.

My life is however about to take another turn.....looking at buying a small sailing yacht, as overland travel is not possible for family reasons So the whole tent buying process is likely to be put on hold also...for awhile at least.

Tom, the canvas/holes are watertight we used rubber gromits

So the wife is all on for a roof tent but has also informed me that an oz tent would be great as a room for changeing/eating/cooking chilling out in etc she has also spotted the foxwing in a mag anyone got one?

Hillbilly that 90 looks pretty sweet what size tires are on it? Did u convert it till soft top?
Wife is also after a soft top 90 I've been keeping a rough eye out for a cheap 90 till convert but they are few and far between.

Red, declared interest here, we sell rooftents, Oztents and Foxwings.

What I posted elsewhere on this forum

Quote :

The foxwing is an amazing bit of kit.

Barbara loved the concept of it when she first saw it, I had my reservations.

These reservations were reinforced when I deployed(in a slow lazy fashion) it in the Dales on a dead calm day. One gust of wind, one giant kite, two broken hinges and one extremely disgruntled Brendan.

Repair was straightforward. Breakage was down to driver error. Don't be lazy deploying it!

Used it a couple of times in UK and then off to Scandinavia for a month. Come back impressed with it and the possible Oztent combinations.

Manby, it stood up to 55mph wind, yes it billowed a bit. Tents were being blown down but the foxwing was good. A bit scary putting it away in high wind so extra hands were drafted in.

Personally I am not a fan of roof racks for the type of long distance trips we do. However I would happily have 3 roofbars and a foxwing. Reasonable condition just sleep under foxwing, less reasonable small tent with porch under the foxwing


Brendan

You may find it difficult to carry both an Oztent and a roof tent up top. Dependent on your vehicle you might be able to carry the Oztent inside your vehicle.

The new Jet Tents pack down smaller so can be carried inside vehicle. However I am not sure at the moment if there is a connector for the Jet Tent to the Foxwing. As an aside there is a caravan connector for an Oz Tent. Buy a length of awning strip, fit to roof rack and Oz tent then connects to car.

The UK supply of Jet tents is currently on the high seas somewhere.

If you manage to get to any of the LRO shows this year we will have various Oz Tent, Jet Tent and Foxwing combinations displayed.

Oz Tent, Foxwing, Roof tents combinations are not cheap and are what I say are considered purchase rather then an impulse purchase. So see as many as possible, get people to demonstrate how easy the tents go up and are fully packed away again. Talk to as many people as possible. Wander around camp sites and talk to people about the setups that you like the look off.

It is better to take your time getting the right combination to suit you.

HTH


Brendan

"Red, declared interest here, we sell rooftents, Oztents and Foxwings."

That's fair Brendan, pointing out you sell 'em. The way I see it - and I've said this to everyone before, only i'm repeating it as there are new visitors to this forum now - "if it's relevant to the discussion, then no problem whatsoever". Any member of this forum who sells tents is welcome to give their opinion, exactly the same as if anybody on this forum sells cast iron pots, mozzie nets or Hi-Lift jacks if that's what we're chatting about at the time, then feel free. After all, the owners of overland companies are often the most qualified people to comment on products as they have been travelling off-road in hostile environments for years.

It's an age-old problem that's now transferred from articles in magazines to online forums, if you sell a particular product it's sometimes difficult to talk about that product or it's rivals. Here we all say our piece, that I feel is healthy.

Anyway ... "Wander around camp sites and talk to people about the setups that you like the look off." Now that's sound advice.

I've always said that I were to buy a new vehicle, a highly unlikely scenario I assure you, but if I did I would hire the identical make and model first, that way over the course of a weekend I would really put the vehicle through its paces, not just what the salesperson wanted me to see. Okay, with a tent that's a difficult one to pull off, but chatting to existing owners is the next best thing.

just fitted the roof tent on the fronty,im off to morocco on the 12th for 9 days,,,,,

tuggy wrote:

just fitted the roof tent on the fronty,im off to morocco on the 12th for 9 days,,,,,

Good luck with the trip we'll be expecting a full write up with loads of pics when you get back
New tent first time using it?

ok thanks for that,,,no this is my 3rd year in this tent and yep,,,plenty of pics to be taken,,,,,

Red, its a series not a 90

Hillbilly Raider wrote:

Red, its a series not a 90

You even said series and lookin back at pic I c it now
Still say it looks well though

thankyou

Tom Mc wrote:

"Red, declared interest here, we sell rooftents, Oztents and Foxwings."

That's fair Brendan, pointing out you sell 'em. The way I see it - and I've said this to everyone before, only i'm repeating it as there are new visitors to this forum now - "if it's relevant to the discussion, then no problem whatsoever". Any member of this forum who sells tents is welcome to give their opinion, exactly the same as if anybody on this forum sells cast iron pots, mozzie nets or Hi-Lift jacks if that's what we're chatting about at the time, then feel free. After all, the owners of overland companies are often the most qualified people to comment on products as they have been travelling off-road in hostile environments for years.

Thanks Tom, I will always try to give a fair assessment on equipment and will try to give pros and cons about equipment. Some of the cons on Oztent is price, weight and packed size!

I have travelled for a few decades before starting to sell overland gear.

Quote :

It's an age-old problem that's now transferred from articles in magazines to online forums, if you sell a particular product it's sometimes difficult to talk about that product or it's rivals. Here we all say our piece, that I feel is healthy.

Forums are interesting 'animals' when it comes to people trading and being forum members. I have seen people sign up to forums for the sole purpose of promoting their goods/services. Have seen people outright lie about their competitors goods on some forums! I own Land Rovers for a number of years before joining forums. We have only been trading for about 18 months , so I am use to forum etiquette

Quote :

Anyway ... "Wander around camp sites and talk to people about the setups that you like the look off." Now that's sound advice.

I've always said that I were to buy a new vehicle, a highly unlikely scenario I assure you, but if I did I would hire the identical make and model first, that way over the course of a weekend I would really put the vehicle through its paces, not just what the salesperson wanted me to see. Okay, with a tent that's a difficult one to pull off, but chatting to existing owners is the next best thing.

We will always try to give sound advice. Things like roof tents/roof racks etc can involve a considerable outlay of cash and it should be done in a calm considered manner rather then an impulse buy. Recently I talked a guy out of buying a carbon fibre roof tent. He wanted a lighter roof tent. Yes it was 12 kilos lighter but cost a £1,000 more. Was it worth the extra cost? He bought a standard roof tent. Yes I would have made more money if I had sold him a carbon fibre version, however in long term I will probably sell him more stuff as he considers he got good advice.

I will try and avoid spamming the forum and hopefully will give some good advice in the future.


Brendan

I have this Kampa at the moment. It cost me nothing as it was given to me by a sponsor



It only takes me and the mrs 10 mins to put it up...but you can get a good sweat on in 10 mins in Morocco doing so..... And putting it away.

I am therefore thinking about the Oztent....as you can still use the Disco to pop out for milk etc, as well as cook and get gear out the motor if it's raining.