UKH

Any folk on here got any experience/advice? I'm looking at them for extended photographic/climbing excursions. 

Ta

I was thinking about buying one, but after watching this and other videos - I've reconsidered.

youtube.com/watch?v=ZCVavqvwYvw&

Hmmm. It is the hardtop style that I am looking at rather than those frame ones that this video seems to be talking about, for several of the reasons this guy talks about.

Apart from not wanting to sleep up in the air I think that once the tent is up your vehicle isn't going anywhere is enought to put me off.

Dave

That suits me fine really. I'm generally not driving around when I am asleep, and I wouldn't be using it as a base camp set up, more of a park up and get some kip arrangement

That reminds me a bit of some of the 1 or 0 star reviews you see of outdoor products where someone has bought the wrong thing for their needs or not really understood what it is for. You know the sort of thing I mean: "I'm giving this gilet 0/5 because I got very cold arms while wearing it."

Absolutely. I watched the video and the guy doesn't make much sense really. I had to laugh when he relates the tale of desert rats managing to get into his roof tent.. and the next breath saying he preferred a conventional tent. 

The type he bought is totally impractical for his requirements and he tries to blame the product by listing things he found annoying because of that. Rather than viewing the tent as basically akin to a pop top on a campervan, he seemed taken aback that he couldn't set up his camp whilst still use his vehicle! 

His knowledge of roof loads on vehicles was also non-existent. The load rating is based around dynamic load and the vehicles handling characteristics. Static loads are never listed but are significantly higher as the roof structure is designed to protect the vehicle occupants should it overturn.  

Hey, I had a hardtop tentbox on my Hilux for a couple of years and it was great, I had lots of good adventures in summer and winter and never let me down once, me, my wife and baby did a few trips in it too, can be a little chilly in winter but nothing a good sleeping bag wont sort. was ok size wise as a family but abit crammed once baby got bigger, If its just for you then id say go for it as plenty of room and so easy to move around, the tentbox took less than 5 minutes to set up and put down again.

We now have x2 little ones so have upgraded to a van.

check out the tentbox insta and facebook groups, lots of good info on there.

Thanks for that. It is indeed the Tentbox Classic that I'm looking at. The fabric roofed ones seem too much hassle for my needs.

I do have a friend with the fabric one and he says its great, however I preferred the hard top, look allot better on truck too..

I had one of the original models when Tentbox first started, they have come a long way since then and have seen lots of good reports from the newer models.

Defiantly worth joining the Facebook group.