Front Runner Rooftop Tent Review - Would I buy it again?

I’ve had this Front Runner rooftop tent for more than a year now since my last review so today we’ll be talking about some of the things I like and dislike.
I’ve slept quite a few nights in this tent now. It’s been all around Southern Africa in summer and winter. Over this time there are a few things I’ve come to like and others not so much so I’ll share those with you today.
Drone shots courtesy of Mud & Dust Overlanding; bit.ly/2qOkXVQ
Initial review; • Front Runner Rooftop T...
Custom mattress from Leisure World Randburg; bit.ly/2WZIvo1
More info on the tent; bit.ly/2VjO5hJ
Quick release tent mount kit; bit.ly/2H40WAu
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#frontrunner #rooftoptent #RTT

[@GetOutGO]

Long overdue, let me know if you have any questions!

[@reececomley606]

My problem is cost. I want to get out as soon as possible. So i was looking at the Tentco deluxe? What would you recommend under R13-14,000.00

[@GetOutGO]

@@reececomley606 I don't have firsthand experience with Tentco but the feedback on the forums seem positive. Also have a look at secondhand tents www.4x4community.co.za/classifieds/

[@EdwardBath]

Thank you for the honest review Chris, as you know I’ve owned the same tent for 2 years now and have had the same issues as you. I’ve since changed and am very happy with Ikamper. Keep up the great work mate!

[@GetOutGO]

THanks Mate! I think that iKamper is a winner!

[@dumanimjo609]

I appreciate this man's friendly disposition. His videos aren't too bad either.

[@GetOutGO]

Thanks Dumani!

[@lanaoneill3298]

Great review. Thanks for so much helpful information 👍

[@herbertefox6000]

Thanks for the review Chris, honest reviews goes a long way 👌👍⛺🐾

[@GetOutGO]

Thanks 👍

[@OverlandingEscape]

Great review Chris. To the point and fantastic - for the cold, maybe something with thicker sides. Nicely done

[@GetOutGO]

Thanks 👍

[@marki-p5065]

Thanks Chris very informative, Ive had 2 howling moon tents they are great but expensive and heavy, it appears your criteria for a good tent is the same as mine and being in the know what are the other options out there in your opinion...light durable and value for money...thanks Mark

[@AndeeHoe]

i like your Fortuner setup .

[@wolfiemedia]

Nice review mate 👌🏻

[@mikealdworth175]

Thanks for this review. I was on the fence between this tent and the Eezi awn, definitely going for the eezi awn now

[@GetOutGO]

Eezi-Awn tents are heavier but good quality tents 👍

[@axelcartwright4507]

Nice honest review thanks for that👍🏼

[@GetOutGO]

No problem 👍

[@roamingrhinooverland1293]

Thanks Chris. Like the honesty in the video. Weight is always a factor.. But my old Eezi awn still does the job. I like the folding tents as it does not take up the complete roof like the clam shells.

[@GetOutGO]

I had my Eezi-Awn for 15 years, they're great tents

[@globetrotter001]

Hi Chris, thanks for an honest review, I was considering of getting one but I wasn't quite sure how is gonna handle the winter. but I think I should check for a better option out there.

[@GetOutGO]

No worries! I think the new one should fair better as you can zip up the ventilator but haven't slept in one so I don't know 🤷‍♂️

[@carelsadventures]

Awesome review, thanks Chris! Also considered this due to the weight, but seeing as in cold weather it doesn't fair too well, and the other little snags maybe saving a few KG's isn't always worth the long-term hassles!

[@GetOutGO]

Thanks Carel! Weight aside there are definitely a lot of options out there

[@rickypermall7111]

Thanks for sharing, I'm probably going for the Eezi Awn.

[@GetOutGO]

Eezi-Awn tents are heavier but they are great tents

[@lesemaphorenomade8978]

Hi Chris, I was waiting for your feedback; thank you for sharing you experience. In fact, I was going to buy this tent, mainly for its very reasonable weight and price. There was a stock shortage in Europe in June following the lock-down. They are again available for sale. I think that I will continue to look for a model more suited to the European climate. Thanks again. Take care and stay safe

[@GetOutGO]

Glad you found it useful! As I mentioned, they added zippable flaps to the ventilation hole so that should help but I haven't slept in a gen 2 yet so I don't know.

[@Leon-lp9fl]

Thank you for sharing.

[@GetOutGO]

My pleasure!

[@StochasticStrength]

Thanks Chris for the review! I've started getting more into camping and we love the idea of having a rooftop tent for ease of set up and not having to sleep on the ground. However, our biggest vehicle is a Subaru Impreza Hatchback. Is this a feasible vehicle to mount this type of light weight roof top tent including the weight of 2 persons sleeping in it? Thank you!

[@GetOutGO]

Hi Jeffrey, as far as I can find it seems the Impreza's roof load capacity is 150lbs. The tent is 94lbs. Not sure of this is dynamic or resting weight. If it's resting it won't accommodate two adults as well. I would suggest maybe speaking to Front runner to check.

[@cyberjakes]

Excellent review!!! Do more equipment reviews!!!

[@GetOutGO]

Thanks! 👍

[@greatsouthernoverland]

Good honest review...nicely done:D

[@GetOutGO]

Thanks Vik!

[@RyanCrocker]

Nice one Chris. Honest review and I like it!

[@GetOutGO]

Thanks Ryan 👍

[@seanfrench1029]

Short & sweet. For my rare requirement, the lightness & quick release makes sense. I'm glad FR are tending to Gen-1 glitches.

[@GetOutGO]

Those were my requirements as well 👍

[@leonfouche8470]

Thanks for the review. Can the bedding be left in the tent when you pack it up?

[@GetOutGO]

Unfortunately not 🙁

[@hugocastillo2549]

I agree with you on the mattress. Unfortunately , I can’t find the mattress in the link provided.

[@GetOutGO]

It’s custom made. Leisureworld Randburg has a contact that makes them www.leisureworldsa.co.za/dealers/gauteng

[@LevonRivers]

Hi Christoff! What are your thoughts on the Howling Moon Stargazer? I currently have it and love it - except the weight! Do you think the Frontrunner is worth the weight savings, particularly with the new ventilator design?

[@GetOutGO]

Hi Levon, I don’t have experience with the howling moon unfortunately. If weight is your sole concern then at 43kg there isn’t anything lighter on the market. There are a lot of good products on the market to consider though.

[@few-ge5cs]

Hi Chris, Please could you supply me more info on the Megamaster gas heater I noticed in this video? Where to buy / Model name etc. Many thanks

[@GetOutGO]

Hi, it seems you don’t get the megamaster anymore. Alva makes one that looks almost exactly the same: alva.co.za/products/outdoor-freestanding-canister-heater

[@pietererasmus4608]

Hi Chris, regarding the longevity of the mattress, how many nights did sleep in the tent before you noticed it could be better?

[@GetOutGO]

Hi Pieter, around about a year. Not sure how many nights but I camp a lot obviously.

[@michaelblock3998]

Thanks for the review! Nice to know a flap is now standard issue for the skylight. I just ordered mine. Front Runner USA has been out of them for some time. I’ve had this style of tent in the past and already know what I’m going to upgrade right away. Mattress first, with a Megamatt Dual. The external straps that hold the cover on are weak so I’ll be replacing those with 2” mil spec straps rated to 1800 lbs and mil spec 2” buckles rated at 150 lbs. with the upgrades of mattress and strap I’m hoping to get the weight down to 85 lbs. I can easily deadlift that and install it with minimal help from my GF.

[@GetOutGO]

My pleasure! The flaps on the ventilation hole are definitely a win, otherwise in winter you have a real problem. A mattress and straps upgrade is great idea! Only other thing I’d recommend are guy ropes (or at least 1 guy rope) to tie the tent down to the car or ground in windy conditions.

[@michaelblock3998]

@@GetOutGO did you install the guy line anchors on the tent base?

[@GetOutGO]

You can attach it to the two metal rings on the base

[@brianbowes9253]

Hi Chris, so if you were a newbie coming into RTT what would you suggest I buy, much appreciated, trust you enjoying the Land Cruiser

[@GetOutGO]

Hi, depends on your vehicle and budget. Soft-shell, the eezi-awn fun / jazz or the FrontRunner gen 2. Hardshell maybe look at the new Alu-Cab LT-50

[@brandonyammine1234]

do you think this would be a good option to start getting into rooftop tent camping? I have found one on Facebook that is in great condition for $700 with the low profile mounting brackets. I't not wanting to spend a whole lot since im not sure how much ill actually get to use it but i want something thatll last for a little while

[@GetOutGO]

If you're going to use it for a year or two (or not often), I'd say it's a good option at $700. If you want something that will last longer I'd save up for something else (Eezi-awn / CVT / 23Zero etc.)

[@michaelnugara1]

Hmmmm. Compared to other Front runner products quality appears poor. Thanks for the vid and info as I am looking to buy a RTT Cheers Mick

[@joesegura6547]

Are you able to remove the tent from the top of your truck by yourself? I am Shopping for a RTT and really like how light this one is since I will need to remove it from my trucj when it is not in use and the fact that Frontrunner is a local company for me is a huge plus!

[@GetOutGO]

Hi Joe, it usually takes 3 people to lift the tent, it weighs 43 kg (94 lbs). You could probably do it with 2 strong guys 😉

[@mikekay213]

New subscriber been thinking of this vs ikamper mini which is 3 times the price. I wonder if it’s 3 times better than the front runner

[@GetOutGO]

Welcome to the channel! The iKamper is in a completely different league but yes, it's very pricey. Watch out for Ed's review coming out soon kzbin.info/door/y_pvisrlguW8pnKf8dGhog

[@mikekay213]

@@GetOutGO waiting for comparison since you have had both, thinking of easing to RTT with the Frontrunner first

[@drup2013]

Very honest assessment Chris. Many people tend just say what the company wants them to say.. Any other brand that u can recommend??

[@GetOutGO]

Hi Andrew, depends what you're looking for and where you live. For soft-shell tents Eezi-Awn is great and available internationally. The Front Runner Gen 2 is still an option if you're looking to reduce weight and they've fixed some of the Gen 1's issues apparently. In the US I've also heard good things about CVT and 23 Zero. In South Africa you also get Tentco and Howling Moon but I have no experience with these. In Australia you have the Darche and ARB's as well, don't know these either. For hard-shells I'd recommend the iKamper.

[@drup2013]

@@GetOutGO Lovely. Thanks buddy

[@MrRobinski]

@@GetOutGO what other issues did they fix besides the flap do you know?

[@AK-rr4mc]

Leg room, light weight, side protruding setup that leave room for luggage on the rack makes this viable. Reduced clearance from top mount ladder makes this infeasible for most garages and covered parkings.

[@GetOutGO]

I’ve subsequently changed to an iKamper Skycamp Mini and even though that has a lower profile, even that doesn’t fit in my garage. I think you’ll find that’s the case with most RTT’s

[@grantlabuschagne5958]

Did the tent come with all fittings and the ladder packaged in one box?

[@GetOutGO]

Yes 👍

[@garthdejager9143]

If you had to choose between eezi-awn, tentco or front runner soft shell RTT which one? I'm in the market and looking around. iKamper is goals maybe one day. Great video, awesome watching SA gents!!!

[@GetOutGO]

Thanks Garth! The FR tent is still the lightest, so if weight is a concern for you there isn't another choice really. If weight is less of a concern I would recommend an Eezi-Awn. My previous RTT was an Eezi-Awn and I had it for 15y without any hassles. It was much heavier than the FR though. The iKamper is amazing but in a completely different class obviously.

[@leizlhoffmann8873]

How do you strengthen the floor

[@GetOutGO]

Hi, apologies for the late reply! I glued two metal plates underneath where the ladder was rubbing against the floor. So it didn’t really strengthen the floor so much as protect it from the ladder.

[@ChillOutDood]

I couldn't find the mattress 😥 do you know the name?

[@GetOutGO]

Hi, Leisure world have someone that makes it custom so you have to contact them leisureworldsa.co.za/

[@paytonlabuff7633]

Would this be able to sleep 2 plus a small child?

[@GetOutGO]

It would be a very tight fit

[@simonhartley6089]

Thanks for the review, Chris! Tent roof systems aren't cheap, as you know. I'd love to be able to rent a rooftop tent to try it before I buy it. Do you know of any places in South Africa that rent them out?

[@GetOutGO]

My pleasure! Maybe try bushlore.com/ or www.ivory4x4hire.co.za/tent-rentals/. Go Camp definitely has RTTs to rent but only top of the line hard-shell ones www.gocamp.co.za/camping-equipment/roof-tents-awnings

[@simonhartley6089]

@@GetOutGO Thanks so much!

[@chrissmith3222]

is the ladder adjustable height ?

[@GetOutGO]

No it isn't. You can buy an extension if it's too short though.

[@chrissmith3222]

@@GetOutGO My problem is it will be too long

[@GetOutGO]

@@chrissmith3222 Maybe give Front Runner a call, it might be as simple then as drilling two new holes.

[@michaelhein2914]

what would you buy now ?thx

[@GetOutGO]

If I had to buy a soft-shell; Eezi-awn. I’ve switched to a hard-shell though (iKamper Skycamp mini) and it’s a game changer!

[@michaelhein2914]

@@GetOutGO yes , hardshelll is the way to go thank you

[@pim1234]

and the price ...

[@GetOutGO]

It’s not that expensive compared to other RTTs, price is on their website.

[@K_H-Channel]

Sounds like an awful tent. Thanks for the honest review.