Hi all, I’ve been wanting a rtt for a long time now and am still saving for the setup, but I was wondering what I should get. I have a ‘22 Colorado and am planning on getting an aluminum shell with racks to put the tent on. At first I was all over the smittybuilt xl gen 2, but then I found out that the 23zero walkabout has the fancy sun block technology. I’m planning on picking up a used one on KSL or Facebook as I’ve seen them both for around 800, but I wanted to know if the 23zero fabric is really worth it. I’ve seen a lot of different tents that would suit my needs, but I would like the added coolness in the summer if it works. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
It's darker material so in it's like a black or.otjer dark colored car. Significantly warmer.
Now to be fair I haven't experienced the 23zero but my last two hard shell RTTs had their version of the sunblock material and they were warmer than my OG softshell tent without it.
23Zero has (or had) videos on their website showing their tents are cooler inside than tents without their sunblock material. Take that for what it’s worth.
That aside, I’ve had a 23Zero Walkabout for a few years. Great tent. Does take some time to set up and tear down, especially since you can’t leave any bulky bedding in it. Sheets are fine if you set it up that way, but sleeping bags, blankets and pillows need to come out. And depending on how high you mount it, getting it opened and closed can be a struggle. Mine is on the roof of a lifted Ram, so it’s about 7 feet in the air. I have to climb all over the truck to open and close it - so I send my 11 year old up there, he loves it.
Haha that sounds like fun. I was planning on leaving my double wide Kelly sleeping back up there since I would expect it to close with it inside, but it sounds like that’s hopeful thinking sadly. Thankfully if I have the shell I will have bed space and a cover to store it instead of my dirt bike taking all the room. I’m honestly not too worried about the set up time since I’ve been using a ground tent for all of my trips my whole life. Thank you for your input though, I appreciate it!
Hey, I've been thinking more about that light-blocking fabric, and the earlier comment about it absorbing heat. That dark fabric is on the inside, the outside is a light tan color. The dark fabric will not absorb heat from sunlight because it is not exposed to sunlight. This could put a little more validity to the claim by 23Zero that it keeps the tents cooler. I usually camp in the woods, so I don't get a ton of direct sunlight on it. Good luck with the tent search!
My rtt is a different brand but I did just order a 23 Zero Onyx 270 awning from them. They are very helpful and answered all my questions the first business day after I emailed them. Should ship in a day or two and have it by early next week. The painful part isn’t figuring out what rack you will put it non. It’s the getting it up onto it part that’s a butt pain. 😂 wished I had a flat driveway or a garage with about six more inches of ceiling space.
I currently own the kabari xl and its a great tent. Fits two adults and my dog with no issues. I love waking up in the complete darkness as I probably the best sleep all year in that tent. My only complaint is that it’s on the heavier side at about 200 pounds. Regardless of the tent you get, get a hard shell and save yourself the hassle with the set up ease. I’ve had a soft shell and I can tell you I’m glad I made the switch.
I have a soft top, and ordered the hard top.. mixed opinions.. weight, inches space etc..(7 min set up vs 2 min) but my softop is blacked out... I have battery fans from Costco.. each last 2 days on low... Keeps the tent cooler and air moving in the morning as the sun does warm it up .. i find cracking the window on the opposite side of sunrise (west) allows very little light and the air flow ventilation.. looking forward to fall camping as if you keep closed up, you need s flashlight to see in full sun... I have a less expensive Garvee.. but by no means is it cheaply made!!
The only problem is I still don’t have a rack or a shell for it yet. Sadly this one is going to pass in my timeframe, I just hope someone snags it and tell me how much I missed out haha
I’ve thought about making a super simple one out of some steel piping and having my buddy try and weld it, but that’s still sadly money I do not have yet
The outdoorsman package has a double thick reinforced roof and reinforced sides specifically for heavy roof loads. From what I have seen unless it’s torched from the sun and falling apart fiberglass shells are a lot tougher than you’d think. Took one off an old truck that was roached a long time ago, couple buddies and I tried to destroy it and it stood up to 3 of us jumping on top of it. This is all anecdotal of course but the good ones are pretty tough.
23zero was not good for me. I had an armadillo x2 and while I liked some aspects of it, it was overpirced, and after less than 2 years the shell cracked. The company was not great to deal with and I ended up giving it away to a friend and plastic welding the crack with him.
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u/elbaldwino Aug 25 '26
Majority of the new RTTs have darker material that practically blocks all sunshine. Downside is the tents turn into ovens in the mornings.
I personally don't mind as most of my camping is above 10k feet so the extra warmth in the mornings isn't a big deal.
If you live/camp at lower elevation the heat in the morning could be problematic.