Overland Camping

[Rob9550]

Since I can’t boat all year round here in SC, I have decided to try out a new hobby that the entire family can enjoy. I have a Ram 2500 4x4 that I plan to set up to run trails and fire roads to take the family camping. I camped in tents as a kid but the hassle of setup and teardown takes away from time that can be spent enjoying the outdoors. I have decided to get a Roof Top Tent (RTT) but I am unsure which one at this time. I have already picked up new wheels and tires and a suspension system from Thuren Fabrication to help off-road. When I get back from this deployment I will post pics of the suspension and set up. I would really like to have the AT Habitat set up shown below but they're about $9k with options. Once I retire I plan to take a few months and travel the western portion of the US and see all the different National Parks.

 

[KXCam22]

Those are very popular in Australia. Cam.

 

[Volffas]

I've 1/2 seriously considered a roof top tent in the past, but the fact that you have to tear it down every time you need to move, added to the crazy high price tag, has me sticking with my traditional tent and a good inflatable mattress for now. It may be more suited to camping out west when you aren't in a crowded campground, but for where most of our camping is done, its nice to set up a base camp and then do trips out from there. Or if we get everything set up and then remember we have to go 15 miles to the store to get something we need, there isn't the hassle of tearing it down first. I'm not saying they aren't nice setups, I just think they only work for a very narrowly defined type of camping. Even if there are some much cheaper than $9,000, you can buy an awful lot of nice tents that are easy to set up and easy to take care of for that much money.

 

[swatski]

Since I can’t boat all year round here in SC, I have decided to try out a new hobby that the entire family can enjoy. I have a Ram 2500 4x4 that I plan to set up to run trails and fire roads to take the family camping. I camped in tents as a kid but the hassle of setup and teardown takes away from time that can be spent enjoying the outdoors. I have decided to get a Roof Top Tent (RTT) but I am unsure which one at this time. I have already picked up new wheels and tires and a suspension system from Thuren Fabrication to help off-road. When I get back from this deployment I will post pics of the suspension and set up. I would really like to have the AT Habitat set up shown below but they're about $9k with options. Once I retire I plan to take a few months and travel the western portion of the US and see all the different National Parks.

Man - that is pretty sweet! I've been thinking about something like that, both for the truck (we just got a real Landy! a toyota) and the boat - with a enclosure. Please post more pics.

Those are very popular in Australia. Cam.

@KXCam22 Where have you been?! Glad you are back on the forum!!
Someone was asking for advice on fiberglassing a foil the other day, too.

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[Jgorm]

I'd take a camper in a second over a tent. Some brands will pop up so you don't lose much overhead clearance. Like this
https://goo.gl/images/qY1dyd

I had a giant camper for a while. It was awesome. A tent can get wet and sucks in the wind. Hard sides can have heaters. Even with a small one you can have heat, fridge, sink, and small cassette toilet.

 

[Jgorm]

This popped up on Facebook. See how much more you get than a tent with s small camper.

 

[swatski]

This popped up on Facebook. See how much more you get than a tent with s small camper.

What's Facebook?

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[Jgorm]

What's Facebook?

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Is that thing the Russians use to influence elections and steal all your personal thoughts.

 

[PEARCE]

@Rob9550 before you drop 9k on a tent please consider a modest truck camper. You can get them where they are relatively light so it wouldn't effect the offroad performance of the truck too much. I would think trying to live comfortably in a tent on top of a truck for any length of time would get real old real fast.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice!!

 

[Ronnie]

I saw some similar and much more elaborate setups on the jeep Rubicon trail event last summer and a company that makes small trailers which they took on the trail with them One had the integrated tent capability. I also have the oem tent that fits into the bed of my avalanche truck and gives me access to the cab as well. It’s all good stuff but time consuming to setup and breakdown. If given the choice I’d stick with a traditional tent but something more modern from Coleman / Costco like the one pictured. These are really easy to set up and breakdown, we bought a small and large one a few years ago, cheap at Costco. They remind me of compact umbrellas.
If I could afford it I’d shoot for an in bed truck camper as @PEARCE suggested since I wouldn’t have to set it up or break it down to use the truck it is installed on.

 

[Mainah]

I have done all kinds of camping from back packing for days to “car camping” to the 37 foot 3 slide leather couch and kitchen island camper. I will never give up my nice back packing tents but that is not for everyone. I also don’t see going back to a glampor. I would consider a small tag along though. The nice thing about small campers(not popups) is heat, ac, and having a comfortable bed. You can find them a few years used pretty cheap too. Just leave it at the camp site when you go off road.

I have seen the family tent @Ronnie linked and can say that it looks very easy to set up and allows for plenty to stay dry and good space if tent is the way you choose to go. Just beware of moisture issues with any solid wall tent.

As for the off the ground truck tent I think that is awful expensive for the limited purpose it can serve compared to other options. Don’t forget bears are tall when they stand on thier hind legs so no matter what option you choose don’t forget bear repellent (I prefer hot lead).

 

[Wayloncle]

I’d get one of the off road, jacked up pop-up campers!

 

[Rob9550]

Since I have the DIY bug with most of my projects, I may see if I can find an M1101 for a decent price around SC. I can tow it to just about any location and not pay the "expedition tax" on the off-road trailers that are premade.

 

[Mainah]

That would be pretty cool. Another alternative in that case would be a miclic trailer.

 

[Jgorm]

@Rob9550 my bother in law built one at my house in a little longer military trailer. It was a ton of work, but looks bad ass! I think it was on 44s.

 

[Betik]

Man - (we just got a real Landy! a toyota)

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Did you ? What happen to keeping the Q7 for ever ? Did you get tired of changing the oil every time you put fuel ?

 

[swatski]

Did you ? What happen to keeping the Q7 for ever ? Did you get tired of changing the oil every time you put fuel ?

Long story...
But no, I did not get tired of it at all! I freaking LOVE that car, Q7 TDI. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.
Drive it like a sport sedan, let it rip. And still get 600+ mile range... Crazy.

I found out it is the "1st gen" TDI that has no EPA fix, and the Audi/WV has no choice but to buy it from me for some crazy money. Money that one just does not turn down... So, reluctantly, I'll be turning the Q7 in next month, and then driving the LC.

The comparison is hard, the LC is basically a truck. But it is built like a tank, seats 8, and you can do a lot things with it, it can will literally "crawl" over rocks and sand dunes, like this:

Or this:

If I make it to your Ouachita gathering we will take it for a spin in the woods!

Here they are, my new and old friends, about to get to know each other really well.

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[Betik]

I love those “cars”. They are actually build better than the tundras. I cannot wait to see how the old and the new friend get along on a road trip....

 

[GTBRMC]

Those are very popular in Australia. Cam.

I can see those being popular in the Outback. Elevates you nicely from the many creepy-crawly hazards the Aussies have to contend with in their bush country.

 

[swatski]

She did real good here, in Arkansas woods:




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