dumb question about tents & such. One on top of a car?

dieselcruiserhead · Post by **dieselcruiserhead** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:24 am

Question about tents and sleeping and such. I have never been to burning man. I have this neat old land cruiser wagon with a full size roof rack and was thinking it would be kind of neat to put the tent up there. Does this work well? How about sleeping in the car, problem is I am 6'5 so I need to have back open and am worried about dust. Up top might be kind of windy but might be nice too? What are all of your prefered methods for sleeping in the same unit for a week? :D

dieselcruiserhead · Post by **dieselcruiserhead** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:25 am

PS I am pretty much wide open for options. I have plenty of room to carry stuff, but will need to buy a tent since my current one finally died (after 10+ years hard use :) ). Willing to spend some money to have fun. Also how about mattresses & stuff? I was thinking a futon mattress or an air mattress or maybe even a fancy thermarest?

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 5:32 am

Why NOT do a Snoopy? You might consider cutting a sheet of plywood to lay over the roof rack, or a Rack a la' Torquemada is gonna be what sleeping's going to feel like. Maybe drill pairs of holes around the perimeter of the board and run zipstrips through to anchor. You'll want to anchor that box kite, I mean tent, good and tight up there, too.
MAJOR DRAWBACK TO YOUR PLAN:
Are you an early riser? Unless you come up with a plan to shade that tent, you'll also have a rooftop sauna. Of course you'll probably stay up all night ANYWAY, since you'll have no insulation from the sonic buffeting of mobile discotheques, several feet off the ground.
MAJOR PERK TO YOUR PLAN:
You can invest in one of those yellow plastic slides, and swoosh down out of your sleeping perch in a dramatic entrance! Ta-DAHHHHHH!
RECCOMMENDATION:
DEFINITELY make use of that cartop real estate....But pitch your tent on the ground where it'll be easier to shade and shelter. Use that topside spot to catch a breeze and a view during the day. Perhaps a couple of PVC arches with a sheet over top for shade, or just an umbrella. Whatever you use, make sure it's secured for the comfort and non-impalement of those downwind.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 10:32 am

I've seen tents set up on roof racks. Never done it myself, as I'd be too aggravated getting out to go to the portapotty in the middle of the night, but go for it.

Give some thought to structural integrity in the event of heavy wind.

Janka · Post by **Janka** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 2:03 am

Just wanted to add: dust is an issue. I'd recommend if at all possible to have a sleeping space you try to keep relatively dust free, even if this means some hassle with always dressing down and washing your feet before entering (we managed that last year and it was great).

I'd also join in with the person who suggested having the sleeping tent where you can easily shade it, and making a day-time shade-structure on the top of the RV. You could also easily make friends by inviting passers-by or neighbours to share your view and margaritas. ;) I know I loved the elevated chill-out places around us.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:02 am

There are at least 3 issues you will have to deal with;

Wind - (50mph or higher, possibly for hours at a time). Many people try to use their vehicles as wind-breaks for this reason. Sticking atent up like you suggest will expose it to the full force of the wind and airborne objects (like other tents).

Rain - many tents do not do well after days of rain. How easy will it be to get-in/get-out ogf this while it is raining, without slipping or getting everything wet/dirty? Many people use extra cover above (like a portable carport) to provide protection from rain and sun. You could also do this, but it would be higher...

Sun - Once the sun hits your tent, staying inside is very hard. The trick is to never let the sun hit your tent (by shading it). This is hard to do on top of a car, but not impossible.

The one plus to your idea I can see is it raises you up, providing a view of your neighborhood (of course, it also lets the neighborhood see you...)

1st Star to the Right · Post by **1st Star to the Right** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:08 am

Since someone never responded to my question about handling the rain in another thread (thanks Badger), the rooftop tent idea sounds interesting and a possible alternative to floating the night away in a resurrected Lake Lahontan. And a single sheet of plywood would be easier to haul than a bunch of pallets. My tent is freestanding, I could strap it down to the car and that's the end of that.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:12 am

Yeah, it's a sock. Get over it. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. First one in months too.

So does anyone have more rain tips and tricks and other cool tent ideas?

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:15 am

Maybe you could get design ideas from these sites:

http://www.loftyshelters.com/
http://www.car-top-tent.com/

I guess if you were on safari and didn't want to be attacked in the night by wild animals, these would be nice.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:39 am

One thing that I've found handy for organizing all my crap in and around the camp is bringing hammocks- You can bundle a bunch of gear up into one, and hang it up out of the way. If it rains, a tarp over top covers all. And it's good for when you've got company! Those lightweight net-hammocks for gear are good, too. And dollar/thrift stores usually have those flat-folding three-basket organizers made of wire mesh- Good for fruits and veggies, gear, what-have-you. If it DOES start to really dump rain, and your shelter isn't watertight, these make it easier to quickly grab your non-get-wetables and chuck 'em in your car. I swipe huge trashbags from work and keep a few "strategically deployed" around the dome for quick coverups.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:41 am

Duh! I've seen the Lofty Shelter stuff in use out at Moab but I never found out the name of the company! A couple of people climbing Mount Peale doing highpoints had one of those.

That would take care of the Lake Lahontan problem for sure. But the wind would be a little rough.

dieselcruiserhead · Post by **dieselcruiserhead** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 1:54 am

Cool I dig the answers. I figured most have tents and I do know up top there would be cool but I think you are right about the sun, it might be a good idea to have some shelter from it. Maybe I'll setup a pre tarp or something like that to sheild the sun. I am going to have lots of neat things coming off the roof rack anyway... Boy I can't wait :)

How about sleeping pads & mattresses & such? Air mattress best way to go? Would be a bummer if popped but might might still be the best way to go?

Janka · Post by **Janka** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 2:23 am

Whatever mattress you're most comfortable with sleeping on the ground is the best for you. :) Since most people come in cars, space is not necessarily a limiting factor, you could even bring an actual mattress.

I personally used an inflatable camping mattress and a (good) sleeping bag and liked it and plan to go for the same this year. I recommend bringing a sheet, though, even if you usually do not on a camping trip - sometimes it will be so warm you don't want to be in the bag, and with the dust and heat the camping mattress surfaces are not too nice against the skin. Also, bring a pillow if you use one at home.