1 - given my age, tent camping and sleeping on the ground are no longer enjoyable. Especially in Texas, in the summer, with no A/C. If you've never tried to sleep in a tent when it's 90F at midnight, you wouldn't know. 2 - again, at my age, I'd kill myself trying to get out of the tent at 2 am to go piss. I'd slip and fall down the damn rickety ladder and splat on the ground. 3 - yeah, those are real pricey. I've looked at them too. I guess in bear country you'd get some marginal protection from wild animals. I'd rather sleep in the cab of the truck myself.
They are a good choice for areas that are home to a variety of snakes, ticks, chiggers, fire ants and other species that you don't want as bed companions.
Real popular here in Australia - but manly with gen z & millenials. They buy a new 4WD with electronic everything, (MUST have huge screens for Apple car play & maps), and spend a gazillion dollars on accessories like rooftop tents, 270 awnings, lithium battery packs, portable coffee machines, starlink, etc etc etc. Old gen X codgers like me are too lazy for all that carp & use swags. But we don’t have bears here.
My kid had one of those tent systems on his 4Runner. Aside from the fact that it made the rig top-heavy, it also cut into the fuel economy. Then there was that little thing where the fasteners get loose and the whole damn thing flies off and lands in the #2 lane on the freeway. Ask my kid how I know this...
yup, I put carrier bars on top of my truck to haul kayaks when the bed is full of gear. The bars alone eat up at least half a mpg plus make a godawful whistling noise. I can imagine constantly carrying around stuff on top would eat up several more mpgs.
1 - given my age, tent camping and sleeping on the ground are no longer enjoyable. Especially in Texas, in the summer, with no A/C. If you've never tried to sleep in a tent when it's 90F at midnight, you wouldn't know.
ReplyDelete2 - again, at my age, I'd kill myself trying to get out of the tent at 2 am to go piss. I'd slip and fall down the damn rickety ladder and splat on the ground.
3 - yeah, those are real pricey. I've looked at them too. I guess in bear country you'd get some marginal protection from wild animals. I'd rather sleep in the cab of the truck myself.
Yeah I never considered that. I am up and down like a whore’s drawers in the night.
DeletePlus the pup would want to sleep with us and getting her in and out would be a pain too…
They are a good choice for areas that are home to a variety of snakes, ticks, chiggers, fire ants and other species that you don't want as bed companions.
ReplyDeleteReal popular here in Australia - but manly with gen z & millenials. They buy a new 4WD with electronic everything, (MUST have huge screens for Apple car play & maps), and spend a gazillion dollars on accessories like rooftop tents, 270 awnings, lithium battery packs, portable coffee machines, starlink, etc etc etc. Old gen X codgers like me are too lazy for all that carp & use swags. But we don’t have bears here.
ReplyDeleteMy kid had one of those tent systems on his 4Runner. Aside from the fact that it made the rig top-heavy, it also cut into the fuel economy. Then there was that little thing where the fasteners get loose and the whole damn thing flies off and lands in the #2 lane on the freeway. Ask my kid how I know this...
ReplyDeleteTop heavy? I’d never heard that before… or people living them!!! 😬😬😬
Deleteyup, I put carrier bars on top of my truck to haul kayaks when the bed is full of gear. The bars alone eat up at least half a mpg plus make a godawful whistling noise. I can imagine constantly carrying around stuff on top would eat up several more mpgs.
Delete