RTT + kids....

[pELYgroso]

So I got the Jeep, looking at RTT's and racks, and I now am wondering how exactly to set-up our camping situation with the kids. an 8 and 5 year old and 2 month old. My thoughts are to get the RTT with an annex and put the 2 older kids on those bunk cots down below (baby with us), or the RTT and an SUV tent that connects to the back of the Jeep with a sleeve thing, or both the annex and the sleeve, or get the biggest RTT I can and squeeze all of us up there. (may be too many flailing arms and legs for my wife to sleep comfortably if we're all up there)

My goal is to be able to do a lot of over-nighters this year in the Jeep and if I can get the set-up to be fairly straight-forward and comfortable, I think my wife will be down for short spontaneous trips. We have the 28' camper for longer trips.

What have you all done when kids are in the picture?

 

[jeeper]

We kid and RTT. I have a Mnt Mickinly, about twice the size of a Simpson 3. 3 kids. We all fit, but very tight. On the last trip I slept in the annex, while wife and 4 kids up top. That worked a lot better. I imagine you can put 2 kids below and be fine.

 

[ID Bronco]

You will never sleep with everyone on top. My wife would make me sleep in the annex before the kids, which would be great, I'd sleep better on a cot without the kids anyway. I suspect you'll have a similar experience. I love the new jeep.

 

[Tonkaman]

1 kid is a squeeze in our Simpson 3. My daughter sleeps sideways at our feet and it works, but there isn’t an inch of extra room. The annex is is a great option and that’s likely where I’ll end up. I don’t think you’ll ever end up leaving kids down there without an adult, kinda like how kids don’t want to be in the basement...

 

[Tonkaman]

Oh and always, always, always be sure to zip up the tent door while kids are sleeping up there, even if your in the annex below!

My daughter wiggles her way out the door In the middle of the night, and dropped to the ground. Luckily she wasn’t seriously injured, but it was scary

 

[Anchor_Mtn]

We put the kid and dogs in the annex below. It has worked great for us.

 

[pELYgroso]

Awesome, thanks guys! Hearing that a lot of you make it work with kids is reassuring!

Another question: I see some tents with the ladder and RTT access inside the annex, and other with the ladder and access outside the annex. The ladder inside the annex seems more convenient, but outside the annex will yield a larger sleeping platform. (a kingsize bed in one of them!)

Any thoughts on these different styles?

 

[nnnnnate]

One big reason I bought one was for my little kid (at the time). Its essentially a grown up sized pack and play. We love it.

 

[Tonkaman]

Go ladder inside. It’s nice to come down the ladder and into a controlled environment where your shoes are out of the snow and your but isn’t in the wind

 

[pELYgroso]

Go ladder inside. It’s nice to come down the ladder and into a controlled environment where your shoes are out of the snow and your but isn’t in the wind

Good call! After thinking about it, the annex might as well be a separate tent if you have to come down the ladder and then open up the annex to get in. I think through the bottom will be better.

 

[mesha]

When our kids were little they slept in the back of the jeep and we slept in the RTT. We could lock the doors with the key so they couldn't wander off Our RTT was on the trailer not the jeep. It was nice because we could leave the trailer in place and go exploring without having to pack the tent up every time.

As they get bigger an annex or separate tent would be the way to go. Jami wants to put a RTT on the jeep and one on the off-road trailer

 

[nnnnnate]

Adam rolls with an RTT on his 80 series and another on his trailer.

I've liked having a trailer for the same reason Mesha mentioned. Being able to deploy the trailer and leave it at camp. I can't deploy and pack up the RTT pretty quick but it gets old after a couple trips. If you have to deal with how to mount one on a jeep taking into consideration the removable top I'd suggest looking into a basic offroad style trailer as an alternative. Buying one can get expensive VERY quick, but for a barebones shell with an axle they can be made pretty low cost for a diy-er.

 

[mbryson]

When our kids were little they slept in the back of the jeep and we slept in the RTT. We could lock the doors with the key so they couldn't wander off Our RTT was on the trailer not the jeep. It was nice because we could leave the trailer in place and go exploring without having to pack the tent up every time.

As they get bigger an annex or separate tent would be the way to go. Jami wants to put a RTT on the jeep and one on the off-road trailer

I've kicked around having two RTT on a full size truck/SUV for a while. Haven't pulled the trigger yet obviously

 

[jeeper]

I am currently building a trailer to hold out RTT. It is not permanently mounted on any vehicle, so we throw it in and out of the truck as needed. I think I would prefer the ability to tow it, so it could be behind any of our vehicles as needed. It mostly gets used for the annual ward campout, and then an occasional overnight Overland trip.

 

[2002maniac]

I think the only thing that would be an issue for my family would be the middle of the night piss breaks. Climbing down off the roof in dark would be dangerous for my clumsy wife.

 

[Greg]

I think the only thing that would be an issue for my family would be the middle of the night piss breaks. Climbing down off the roof in dark would be dangerous for my clumsy wife.

That's a good point.... even worse if you've had a few drinks around the campfire and you're still a little buzzed at 2 AM when you gotta take a leak!

 

[ID Bronco]

Two RTT's sounds like a lot of work when you could do it DAA style and use a Springbar for everyone, no ladders, much cheaper, I was in love with the idea of RTT's until I read CruiserOutfitters thread on "is one really for you". It changed my mind.

 

[pELYgroso]

There's always the tent/annex/mega-awning-annex combo!
https://sundaycampers.en.made-in-ch...yers-Canvas-Car-Roof-Tents-Roof-Top-Tent.html

 

[jeeper]

There's always the tent/annex/mega-awning-annex combo!
https://sundaycampers.en.made-in-ch...yers-Canvas-Car-Roof-Tents-Roof-Top-Tent.html

I can only imagine how quick and efficient that must be to set up