RTT Opinions?

[bfilippo]

Hi Folks,

My kids are just getting old enough to feel like camping with the truck would be feasible/appealing, at least for 1-2 of them with me (my partner is not a camper lol).

There seem to be a ton of options, some of which fit the R1T very well, some not really, maybe all block the rear light up top a bit?

I want to get opinions from folks who ideally camp/live in the Northeast/Eastern Canada, for opinions, since we have more bugs, cold, wet than our west coast buds for the most part.

I would love to find something for $2500 or less - beyond that feels like I won't make a return on it, as I suspect we'll use it 6-8x/year.

Totally new to this world of truck camping, so any and all insights are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

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[DeafPug]

Keep an eye in the marketplace section here on the forums. You might come across a deal. I wanted a RTT, but didn't feel like paying retail for the tent or the crossbars to mount it on. I eventually came across one for less than half the new price and jumped at the chance with only short 350 mile round trip with the truck for a local purchase. I hope you can find a similar deal.

 

[AirCruiser]

Hey Benjamin ?

Jake from Cinch here. You might have seen our Air Cruiser RTT on the forums. We've had a huge uptake from the Rivian community.

Just touching base as I've seen your post. The Air Cruiser normally retails at $3,000, but we have a sale on at the moment where you can get $600 off the retail price, and there's also $600 worth of free equipment with the awning and thermal liner. The deal will end this week though.

The Air Cruiser is a great fit for the Rivian – it fits the truck bed perfectly, and due to its compact pack size, you still have room in there for extra gear. Its lightweight and compact size makes installation and storage of the RTT very easy.

Aesthetically, it looks superb on the Rivian; the clean lines sit very well with the design of the R1T.

It's got some very cool tech packed into it. The air frame structure is relatively new tech for an RTT, and all you do is plug it in and it will self-assemble – no poles to mess around with.

The Air Frame structure outperforms traditional RTTs in wind tests as well, with much less wind noise and the ability to withstand gale-force winds with ease.

The coolest thing though, especially if you have kids, is the headroom – it's much more like a cabin space than a sleeping space. Check out this short video; you can see the child standing up in the tent at around 40 seconds:



There's also a great review that's just landed. It's on the Cybertruck, but it's a great video all the same:



If you have any questions, please let me know!

Jake

 

[bfilippo]

Hey Benjamin ?

Jake from Cinch here. You might have seen our Air Cruiser RTT on the forums. We've had a huge uptake from the Rivian community.

Just touching base as I've seen your post. The Air Cruiser normally retails at $3,000, but we have a sale on at the moment where you can get $600 off the retail price, and there's also $600 worth of free equipment with the awning and thermal liner. The deal will end this week though.

The Air Cruiser is a great fit for the Rivian – it fits the truck bed perfectly, and due to its compact pack size, you still have room in there for extra gear. Its lightweight and compact size makes installation and storage of the RTT very easy.

Aesthetically, it looks superb on the Rivian; the clean lines sit very well with the design of the R1T.

It's got some very cool tech packed into it. The air frame structure is relatively new tech for an RTT, and all you do is plug it in and it will self-assemble – no poles to mess around with.

The Air Frame structure outperforms traditional RTTs in wind tests as well, with much less wind noise and the ability to withstand gale-force winds with ease.

The coolest thing though, especially if you have kids, is the headroom – it's much more like a cabin space than a sleeping space. Check out this short video; you can see the child standing up in the tent at around 40 seconds:



There's also a great review that's just landed. It's on the Cybertruck, but it's a great video all the same:



If you have any questions, please let me know!

Jake

Thanks, Jake. I have seen it, and it’s on my radar. One question - since it appears to be on 12v power and given there’s no 12v in the bed of the R1T, are people feeding it into the gear tunnel 12v? Is the cable long enough for that?

 

[zefram47]

Whatever you go with, definitely buy used. The resale value tanks quickly and RTTs are quite expensive new, as you're likely well aware. But if you go used, make sure you at least open/setup the tent to ensure it's in good condition, no tears/holes, no mold and not musty, etc.

 

[R1Thor]

Thanks, Jake. I have seen it, and it’s on my radar. One question - since it appears to be on 12v power and given there’s no 12v in the bed of the R1T, are people feeding it into the gear tunnel 12v? Is the cable long enough for that?

I own one. Yes, the 12VDC cable is long enough to reach the gear tunnel, easily. It only takes a couple of minutes to air up, too, so it's not a burden for long!

 

[KBabione]

If you've never been camping before, I'm going to suggest going out once or twice in a more conventional setup before you invest in a RTT. Ideally you could borrow a tent and other gear (sleeping pads or insulated air mattresses) from friends and not invest much of anything for a trial trip. Just something to consider.

One other thing that we've found to be essential to our sanity on rainy camping trips is a screened-in room with weather shields. It fits over a picnic table and allows you a dry place to hang out during the day, saving the tent for sleeping. We have an older model of the Eureka Northern Breeze that has integrated sidewalls that you can pull down if you need more than the screens to shield you from the weather.

We've done a lot of family camping and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. I love the look of the RTT but decided it doesn't match our camping style for the following reasons:

• As I become less young, I have to get up once or twice to answer nature's call during the night - No fun having to climb down and up a ladder to do so
• We often go for 3-4 nights, but take the car during the day to different trailheads so we'd have to constantly be taking down and putting back up the RTT
• My twins, now 18, have enjoyed sleeping in their own tent since they were 8 or 9 - my wife and I enjoy NOT having them in our tent with us

 

[bfilippo]

I guess I should clarify. I’ve been tent camping a decent amount. We have an 8 person tent for the whole family that I can begrudgingly get everyone to go in, and we live right by Acadia. We also have a “camp” by a pond nearby.

My main interest in this is utilizing the truck to get places I wouldn’t otherwise get to, and quickly setup off the ground, likely with just my son and/or one of my daughters for when we have a free weekend.

 

[KBabione]

My main interest in this is utilizing the truck to get places I wouldn’t otherwise get to, and quickly setup off the ground, likely with just my son and/or one of my daughters for when we have a free weekend.

Thanks for the clarification - sounds like a RTT would be perfect for you then. Happy Camping!

 

[EVTrukHog]

IMO, the major downsides of the RTT are upfront cost and PITA to load it on/off your vehicle between uses. I don't have a dedicated "camping" vehicle and never liked leaving the RTT installed 24/7/365 on my daily driver. Although I use a garage ceiling mounted pulley system to load and unload my RTT, it still takes some deliberate time and effort to do.

Other than that, I think the RTT experience is far superior to my ground tents and hammocks - unless I'm venturing away from the vehicle. Enjoy the time with your kids. You blink....

 

[AirCruiser]

I own one. Yes, the 12VDC cable is long enough to reach the gear tunnel, easily. It only takes a couple of minutes to air up, too, so it's not a burden for long!

Thanks for answering

 

[AirCruiser]

Thanks, Jake. I have seen it, and it’s on my radar. One question - since it appears to be on 12v power and given there’s no 12v in the bed of the R1T, are people feeding it into the gear tunnel 12v? Is the cable long enough for that?

Hi Benjamin,


R1Thor kindly jumped in and answered

If you have any other q's, just let me know. We have 2 packages left on the BF sale. We'll have more units early next year and we'll launch with some deals but not the free gear so just a heads up.

 

[AirCruiser]

IMO, the major downsides of the RTT are upfront cost and PITA to load it on/off your vehicle between uses. I don't have a dedicated "camping" vehicle and never liked leaving the RTT installed 24/7/365 on my daily driver. Although I use a garage ceiling mounted pulley system to load and unload my RTT, it still takes some deliberate time and effort to do.

Other than that, I think the RTT experience is far superior to my ground tents and hammocks - unless I'm venturing away from the vehicle. Enjoy the time with your kids. You blink....

It's super easy to load and unload though, people overthink it, have you seen this way

 

[R1Thor]

It's super easy to load and unload though, people overthink it, have you seen this way

That's one way. (and for the first time you install it, a good approach)

Want to make it a 3-minute job?

I added lines on the floor that guide the truck to exactly where I need and the overhead storage unit can be raised/lowered with a drill.

Step 1- back in (align with markers on ground).
Step 2- use drill to lower, guiding into the latch pockets over the bed.
Step 3- Lock in place and disconnect tethers (I used liftings straps and carabiners).
Step 4, raise rack enough to pull the truck out.

To uninstall, reverse steps

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