Mounting a Tent onto a Hard Lid

[Dudley Lyndon]

Im thinking of getting a Utemaster Load-Lid(I will leave the link to them below) and want to get a rooftop tent to put onto this.

Has anyone done this and if so how hard is it to do?

Thanks in advance,
Dudley

Ute Accessories

Utemaster Products Unleash Your Ute's Potential - Get Stuff Done, Enjoy Life's Adventures! Products Include Australia's Toughest Ute Tub Hard Lid & Canopy

www.utemaster.com.au

 

[cam04]

Isn’t the reason tub racks were invented was to put tents over hard lids? The current situation trying to make utes look like matchbox cars is ridiculous anyway.
The tent would need to be a long way back to not hit the rear of the cab when the lid is open.

 

[CTL]

Im thinking of getting a Utemaster Load-Lid(I will leave the link to them below) and want to get a rooftop tent to put onto this.

Has anyone done this and if so how hard is it to do?

Thanks in advance,
Dudley

Ute Accessories

Utemaster Products Unleash Your Ute's Potential - Get Stuff Done, Enjoy Life's Adventures! Products Include Australia's Toughest Ute Tub Hard Lid & Canopy

www.utemaster.com.au

Don’t expect the load lid to be dustproof or waterproof, it is neither. Also its mounting clamps need to be constantly inspected and tightened on corrugated roads.

 

[Dudley Lyndon]

Isn’t the reason tub racks were invented was to put tents over hard lids? The current situation trying to make utes look like matchbox cars is ridiculous anyway.
The tent would need to be a long way back to not hit the rear of the cab when the lid is open.

Thanks for your reply Cam! I need something that will keep my gear secure and dry in the tub. The tub rack would leave my gear exposed. The Load-Lid seems like a good fit I'm just after some advice from other owners.

 

[Dudley Lyndon]

Don’t expect the load lid to be dustproof or waterproof, it is neither. Also its mounting clamps need to be constantly inspected and tightened on corrugated roads.

Have you got one of these?

 

[Dudley Lyndon]

This is what im looking at: https://www.utemaster.com.au/roof-top-tent-mounting

 

[cam04]

Maybe im getting old, but ive camped all my life with a lot of different setups and that is just compromises everywhere for no good reason - in my opinion. Is there a reason you don't want a proper canopy? What do you do when it rains? Do you have to set up a whole kitchen from scratch every time? If you only camp every now and then, maybe, but if you intend to enjoy going away you are going to outgrow that in 10 minutes flat - unless you have an actual reason for going that way in which case - respect.

 

[CTL]

Have you got one of these?

Yes

 

[Albynsw]

I agree with @cam04 and @CTL
Unless there is a reason to have this setup to suit every other day of your life carting sporting equipment etc you are going down the path of compromise with regards to camping
I tried a hard lid on a Hilux and ended up getting rid of it and the tub and went with a tray and gullwing canopy
I have kept that style of setup for the last two vehicles. By far the easiest setup to operate out of with maximum storage, water and rustproof plus security
The setup in your photo looks great though

 

[Colly18]

Maybe im getting old, but ive camped all my life with a lot of different setups and that is just compromises everywhere for no good reason - in my opinion. Is there a reason you don't want a proper canopy? What do you do when it rains? Do you have to set up a whole kitchen from scratch every time? If you only camp every now and then, maybe, but if you intend to enjoy going away you are going to outgrow that in 10 minutes flat - unless you have an actual reason for going that way in which case - respect.

I agree. Likewise, I've tried a myriad of vehicle based camping set-ups over the years and before even getting to Cam04's post I was thinking, "why not just a standard tub canopy and RTT on that, if or when needed?" (I'm still of the school that knows a quick erect dome tent or swag is a far easier option than most RTT's ) Compared to what you are looking at, a tub canopy provides a hell of a lot better access to stored gear and far greater load space. Maybe some better explanation Dudley, as to why you want to go this way would help regards more constructive feedback from members.

 

[Triton14]

@Dudley Lyndon imo everything we do is an individual thing & whats works for 1 person does not necessary work for all.

Personally I do not like RTT's for the main reason that once you set up camp thats it you are locked in

I prefer an independent camp for me to be able to use my vehicle for whatever I choose & whenever I choose.

We all do things for our own reasons!

Just my 2c.

 

[mikehzz]

You could spend a lot of cash putting a tent on the hard lid but I reckon you'll end up finding it completely annoying. It will get in the way of using your ute for every day utey stuff. If you do use the car as a daily driver, a roof tent is a completely annoying accessory. It gets in the way in countless situations and causes you to use extra fuel ALL the time. If you ever camp in the same spot for more than a night, but want to do 4wding each day, a roof tent on the car is completely annoying. You have to set it up and pull it down every day and you risk losing your camp spot, plus you've got a virtual load of bricks up high on the car which sucks. You've set up and then want to drive to a pub or a sunset lookout, pack it up, then unpack it in the dark when you get back. Awesome. Removing and reinstalling a roof tent on your car after a trip gets old very quickly and is completely annoying, as is finding somewhere to store it when it's not on the car. They're mostly heavy bulky buggers.
Something that's not completely annoying is a light weight off road trailer with the roof tent that used to be on the car, now on the trailer. All the annoying things disappear and you have room for a lot of extra gear that you only have to drag around when you're actually going out bush. A weekend overnighter? Throw a swag or similar in the car, leave the trailer at home, and you're done. Variety is the spice of life and it's horses for courses really. Rather than have a single setup that causes different compromises with daily driving, touring, 4wding and in place camping, i've found it far better to tailor the gear to suit the trip. I hate heavy, my trailer is 400kgs loaded and will follow me just about anywhere, but I regularly just swag it...well stretcher tent it, I'm not a swag fan either. I love the tent on the trailer, it's awesome. It's off the ground and quicker to setup than any other option and I can unhitch it to use the car. I ended up hating the tent when it was on the car.

 

[Sandyfreckle]

I researched a bit for my current RTT..., going up to people at campgrounds and chatting about what they thought were pros and cons.
One of the main cons was flapping canvas if or when the wind came up..., another was needing to get up for a p### in the middle of the night(civilised choices are a short or long ladder trip). Overall pros are that RTT's can be very convenient and you're potentially up and away from bugs and ground water ingress and you can get your vehicle into places other vehicles cant access.
Long story short, I ended up purchasing a hard shell one because (1) the canvas sides were stretched out and didn't flap in the wind, (2) it was so light that a friend and I could unbolt it and lift the hard shell pod off of my homemade platform roof rack(25 mm square alloy tube), very easily for storage, allowing for alternative use of that platform of rack.., (3) and the pod was easy to put up or pull down, literally in a couple of minutes with minimal need for tucking in. They're not for everyone(aged or infirm) but they are useful and can be made to be comfortable.
Another personal opinion...., chuck the mattress these RTT's come with(they are soft and cheap) and get yourself a 75mm high density foam one to replace it.
Anyway...., everyone has different preferences and choices..., and that's a damn good thing !

 

[discomatt]

My thought is if f you can’t tow a light trailer in then that’s due to very steep slippery terrain, I would rather a trailer in that situation rather than all that extra weight up high.
the lower the centre of gravity is on any car the better it is, even more important with a 4wd

 

[FranksnBeans]

I researched a bit for my current RTT..., going up to people at campgrounds and chatting about what they thought were pros and cons.
One of the main cons was flapping canvas if or when the wind came up..., another was needing to get up for a p### in the middle of the night(civilised choices are a short or long ladder trip). Overall pros are that RTT's can be very convenient and you're potentially up and away from bugs and ground water ingress and you can get your vehicle into places other vehicles cant access.
Long story short, I ended up purchasing a hard shell one because (1) the canvas sides were stretched out and didn't flap in the wind, (2) it was so light that a friend and I could unbolt it and lift the hard shell pod off of my homemade platform roof rack(25 mm square alloy tube), very easily for storage, allowing for alternative use of that platform of rack.., (3) and the pod was easy to put up or pull down, literally in a couple of minutes with minimal need for tucking in. They're not for everyone(aged or infirm) but they are useful and can be made to be comfortable.
Another personal opinion...., chuck the mattress these RTT's come with(they are soft and cheap) and get yourself a 75mm high density foam one to replace it.
Anyway...., everyone has different preferences and choices..., and that's a damn good thing !

I agree, I'm a RTT'er too. Altho I have a softshell - a Darche Panorama. I originally wanted a hardshell too but couldn't justify the cost at the time. Plus they have certain drawbacks as well. They're less spacious than a softshell, they take up your entire roofrack, and a softshell that opens to the side effectively provides a handy awning. The additional zip-on rooms below it come in very handy too when the weather it terrible or the marchflies are bad. The Darche ones are massive, you could easily fit 2 swags down there or a table and chairs no problem.

I'm a heavy sleeper and never noticed the flapping. Mine lives permanently on my roofrack. I also move around a lot on camping trips, I rarely ever stay in one place more than 2 nights. And even then my 4wd doesn't move, I use those days for swimming or fishing or I check out a bushwalk or something. I could see the issue if you're setting up a base camp with a few mates and doing day-trips. It would be a pain packing up and setting up again each day. As it is though, it's never an issue.

Agree totally on the mattress. I did one trip with the standard mattress then chucked it in a dumpster when I got home. I could feel my hip on the hard floor. Very uncomfortable. I replaced it with a 100mm self-inflating mattress which is honestly as comfortable as my bed at home.

It's not for everyone, but that's the great thing about camping - there are lots of setup options available for different types of campers.

 

[Albynsw]

I went from a soft to hard sheand love it
So quick to setup, it takes me longer to walk up the ladder than to open it ready for sleeping so the negatives noted about packing up to go out for the day are a non issue to me
Everyone has different preferences though