How sweet is this?

[CrnCnn]

I was looking on another forum and saw this picture.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jimmylongwong/DSC_7072.jpg
I found the company who makes the tent (LINK (http://www.autohomeus.com/products/overland.php)). I dig it. Pretty pricy but still I like it.

Maybe I should re-consider getting a roof rack.

[nfpgasmask]

That is pretty cool....

Bart

[VehiGAZ]

My wife loved it, except for the price. "Pretty pricey" does not do those numbers justice. A similarly-sized tent costs $50 at Coscto. Multiplying that amount by 30 puts it well into "extravagantly pricey" territory, I would say.

Still, it is so cool! The want-it-bad factor is pretty high. :_drool:

[circmand]

I guess Jeff Foxworthy is not the only Redneck with money.

[nfpgasmask]

It seems though, that this would have to take the place of my roof basket. And when I go camping, its nice to carry my spare and extra gas up top.

I have not read into these yet, but they look like they just fold up on top. I wonder if the "floor" of the tent has some sort of cushion on it? Nothing is worse that a deflating air matress or that oak tree root in your kidney all night long.

Bart

[ZEUS]

It doesn't seem like it would be too hard to fab up something close to that - or if you don't want to go that route you could probly fab up mounts to the roof rails for it and bypass the roof rack altogether by bolting onto those mounts. [Nice run-on sentence, huh.]

[CrnCnn]

It seems though, that this would have to take the place of my roof basket. And when I go camping, its nice to carry my spare and extra gas up top.

I have not read into these yet, but they look like they just fold up on top. I wonder if the "floor" of the tent has some sort of cushion on it? Nothing is worse that a deflating air matress or that oak tree root in your kidney all night long.

Bart
Yeah apparently they have a foam padded floor. I checked out the site some more last night and I really like it, they do fold up into a box like deal on top. Don’t know how long it would take me to afford one, they are from about 1,500 and up.

[Triathlete]

THIS (http://www.adventuretrailers.com/trailers.html) would be better. Retains your roof top storage, can be left at camp or taken along on the trail, and keeps all that extra weight off the roof improving your center of gravity (a good thing when wheeling if you like to keep the rubber on the ground)...
http://www.adventuretrailers.com/images/1_trailerbanner_02.jpg

[volume311]

Those are pretty cool but for that money you can get something like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/pop-up-camper-trailer-fold-out_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ50064QQihZ016QQitem Z260132898231QQrdZ1

I know some one that picked up one of those for $750 locally. With barely any more work, it was in great condition. I took it on a little camp trip and it was perfect for two people. Four would be tight. The only down side is having to tow something around.

[nfpgasmask]

I don't know about you guys, but imho, the nice thing about the roof tent is that you don't have to trailer anything.

But, I think I will stick to a conventional ground tent. I just need to get a good air matress or a better sleeping mat.

Bart

[Bulldoggie]

I would have to look, but there is a weight limit on our roof racks = less than my body weight on a 2x12. Any of that "chopper 230 birthday" activity would dimple the roof.

[ZEUS]

Haha! The tent system itself weighs in at like 100 lbs anyway!

[CrnCnn]

Well personally I like it still. Price is steep but I don’t want a hitch to trailer anything and I don’t like the little foam padding we have currently for a bed in the ground tent. I don’t like air mattresses because I am a fat body and deflate them. I think that once I have money to afford this I will buy one, which means I will never buy one. Either way they are dope.

I am going to be building a utility style box in the back and make a drop down panel off the rear door to lay my big fat legs on to sleep in the VX but even that will have to wait.

[mdwyer]

The Fleetwood Evolution (http://www.fleetwoodcampingtrailers.com/series.aspx?id=3&sn=Evolution) is one I've stayed in, and it gets up to my mining claim near Leadville, okay. It would match my Proton perfectly, too! I'm just not sure I could comfortably tow it. When full of water and stuff, it almost weighs as much as the VX!

[PHO2GR4]

At least the rooftop tent will keep you safe from scary scary bears.

Well, unless the scary bear is really hungry, I suppose. Or freakishly tall. Or one of those circus bears, who know how to climb up on cars. Or if the bear brought a bear partner, and they cooperate and shoulder-climb and boost each other up.

Okay, fine, you're not any safer at all. But it would look cool. Like having a treehouse without the tree.

PS: I'm still digging those T@B Trailers: http://www.tab-rv.com/specs/index.php

I even saw one up close during the Moab gathering. A nice match for the VX. All I need is a trailer hitch and an extra $15,000 or so, and I am THERE.

[JHarris1385]

I like these tents ALOT. There is guy that owns a LandRover Discovery that has one uptop. It was an extra package deal on his rover. They look awesome and really dont look too big when daily driving.

[crager34]

Super 8 baby. Now that's camping.

[CrnCnn]

So we saw this at sportsmans today, LINK (http://www.jumpingjacktrailers.com/). It is really cool becasue you can use it for many things in addition to a tent. ALOT more pricy than I would like but I really dont know what a utility trailer goes for.

[mbeach]

Those Jumping Jack trailers are pretty popular up here, as they allow you to haul all of your toys (4-wheelers, etc.) out on top of the "tent" trailer.

Roof mounted or not, if there's food in your tent, a bear will find a way in.
I've spent many nights sleeping in the cockpit of the VX while in bear country.

[snowtrooper1966]

Nice, mbeach!
I like the refrence to your VX's cockpit! I had the Dragon @ the DMV yesterday getting a VIN verification done since it is an out of state vehicle, and noticed on the ECM box some verbage about fuses being in the VX's cabin. I hadn't noticed any wings yet, but it is a Dragon, so perhaps they will unfurl as needs arise;)
You are also right about bears! We have alot of them around here. If they are hungry, the will find a way in, including, but not limited to operating car door latches and breaking windows.
I like the Jumping Jack. I don't think the VX roof could handle two people, food and a bear!
Best,
James

[etlsport]

i think the vx is only rated to hold 110 lbs on the roof...

as for bears.. this is how u stop them from getting your girlfriend..

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/vxclimb.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8838)

heh.. we were having some fun with our setup to keep the coolers above the reach of the bears (after that we moved the pulley out much farther away from the trunk)