Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 at 02:16
Jolls,
The roof top tent is a new thing to us, havent done an extended trip yet. So far so good on a couple of weekends. Left it on for quite a while (weeks)to see if it went down bushy tracks without being ripped by overhanging branches etc. It is fine in that regard, just need to bare it in mind as you go. Doesnt fit under shopping centre carparks, and if your garage/carport is not high it may not go under.
Fits onto the ARB Bars over the canopy of the DCab OK. Before fitting it measures up as though it will hang out over the sides, but in fact it is ok. A bit tight between the rear of the roof rack and the tent as you need access for your hand to zip the cover on and off. I selected a square plastic covered type tubing bar for the ARB bars.
It is a Howling Moon brand, and I have mounted it to fold out over the LHS, as to the rear would interfere with opening the rear window upwards, and lifting the fridge lid would be difficult when out on the fridge slide also as it is up high on top of Outback Roller _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx. Otherwise you could fold it out to the rear or the RHS, or if you had it on bars over the cabin it could fold out over the car bonnett.
Cost around $2300, plus not much change out of $500 for the ARB Bars to sit it on, an expensive tent. There is an annexe (extra $400). I got sick of the tent, too much time setting up and down each day, problems with prickles in the floor, and too many rocks at the best campsites to get pegs in. We can be in bed within 5 minutes of turning the motor off with this, packing up takes a little longer, I reckon 5-8 minutes after some practice.
As for 3 kids, forget it without a tent also, it's really only a big double bed. The Shipshape brand is much bigger I think but you need a bigger wagon type vehicle to mount it on. Britz car rentals have Hilux 4wd DCabs fitted up with two of the Howling Moon tents, one over the cabin and on over the canopy and they look ok for a family, but the cost is getting pretty steep for two units. We came across a couple with a LR Defender DCab last year and they had two similar units on top of their vehicle and were travelling with 2
young children.
We thought the ladder would be a pain, but in fact it is easier to get up and down and in and out than getting up off the bed on the floor of the tent, especially in the night.
One last comment, if anyone goes for a Howling Moon, the extruded Alloy rails underneath the tent which mount onto whatever bars you have dont look the part to me, particularly when it gets down to the edges of 4 X 3/8" hexagon bolt heads holding the whole lot to the vehicle I dont reckon it would last on the tracks we go on. The corrugations would shake these loose. I replaced mine with 3 heavier alloy cross members with a good solid fastening system that still allows the unit to be slid fore and aft for adjustment.
Cheers
David
Still hoping someone can help with the dust and fan query
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