Vehicle roof tents

We looked at them and decided against them.
Top heavy on the road, wind drag kills any fuel economy. Then you have to get the vehicle level at the camp site/carpark.
Only used irregularly so refitting and removal is a nuisance unless you leave it on all the time. (fuel economy issue).
Up and down a ladder all the time, especially when you have to pee in the night, what a nuisance.
Forget about it being on the roof and then drive under a tree, into a multistory carpark complex, low garage etc..

Can you make a ply platform for the Prado that allows you to fold the front passenger seat down and fit the platform in over top over the rear seats?
I'd suggest looking at the swags set up on a camp stretcher base.

So my mates with the Bush Buck have had theirs for years, on top of a lifter cruiser and have zero complaints.
They leave the bed made with pillows in there too.
No condensation problems.
The thing stays on the vehicle permanently (they remove the duvet and pillows between trips)
Its got mozzie nets and is lockable.

Im going with one of these as its been tested by someone I know for years.

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Originally Posted by No.3

Oldmate with the rooftop offering on the trailer kind of comes to the same point - he has the tent set up on a small box with locking compartments, all of his camping cooking and travel crap goes in the trailer under the tent. Gets to where he's going and it's about 5 mins to set up and 5 mins to pack away - modern form of the pop top tent caravan thingy.

Lower down means no stability issues, minimal wind problems, two steps down to get out (he has a fold up alloy ladder step thing that goes in the trailer) and if he needs to go anywhere he can disconnect and immobilise the trailer by locking it to something so at worst an opportunistic crim can only damage the tent. They would have to cut into the trailer box doors to get in or cut bolts to get the tent off - so no real advantage. Same risk of damage as having the tent on your vehicle at a road end with busting a window etc etc.

Having it on the trailer suits him better than mounting it on the vehicle, less fuel burn towing and at home it's easy enough to slip the box off the trailer with the tent attached and it takes up less room than anything else.

Plus being on a decent trailer means it's less likely to get damaged at road ends etc.

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A mate did similar but put it on a frame high enough to fit a quad underneath, perfect setup really

I mounted mine on my hardlid.
That negates both fuel and handling issues,and its easier to get off.
Also easier to get in and out of.
I can open the tailgate no problem and keep most of what I need at the back. I haven't used it extensively yet and will also get an awning at some point,but so far no complaints.
I did put a topper on the mattress for extra padding.