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Check out gazelle tents. I have the T3x and the T8. Love both. The T8 is too much for 2 people IMO. I'd take a look at the T4. Not the T4 plus. A bit big, but super easy to put up and take down.
T3X is the perfect overland tent in my opinion. I've had mine for about 3 years & have used it around 30 nights. If the weather is decent I often don't stake it in the ground at all, if it is going to be decently windy or rain I often just stake in the base & if I expect bad weather I'll stake down the walls too. Paired with a cot & I never have had an issue finding a place to set up. https://preview.redd.it/brw3v3joa2mg1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=203ef1e9e97a62bf9f6010da273691d38f1c1dab
Just got the T3X Gazelle so excited to break it in
As a long time Gazelle owner I think the only asterisk is weight/transportation. I love our T3X but its not Honda CIvic Trunk Compatible :) and at nearly 30+lbs it can be an issue lugging it around if you're not camping within a reasonable distance of your car. Just my .02c, never owned anything as easy to setup.
I just bought a gazelle T3x. It’s super easy to set up and I did a raging thunderstorm in it and stayed dry. Also shout out to Exped Megamat for comfortable sleep
I have a deluxe gazebo, T4, and T3X. My friend has the T4+. They’ve given me many good years and are still like new. Camp setup is mere minutes. My only gripe is that I will bust my butt on the triangle doors EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I've had a rooftop tent, many kinds of ground tents, teardrop camper.... If you're gonna go for a RTT, go hard top and quality. We had an iKamper Skycamp 2.0, they now have a much bigger line up and if you'll always be solo or just two people, the iKamper mini would be just fine and cheaper and easier to wrangle. That being said, the 2.0 pupped up and was ready to go in about 30-40 seconds, I never staked out the side windows just the entry (which is also still optional, technically). The stock mattresses aren't great if you're a side sleeper, but many folks install self inflating sleeping pads instead (we finally did after 3 years... it added another 3-4 minutes to setup and take down, though). The only other step is tossing your bedding inside, since most hard top RTTs (though not all) don't tend to have room to store all the bedding inside. Hard tops are also better on fuel economy. Also, for an upside, a RTT doesn't take up any cargo space. That being said, I sold the RTT since I don't consistently have a ton of folks with me anymore (kids grew up). For guests I do have a Gazelle T3X and T4, as well as some Byer of Maine Quick Cots. Each Gazelle tent takes about 60 seconds to assemble completely. The longest part is putting the stakes in the ground. The cots are 60 seconds a piece as well, they just pop outwards and open. And the bonus is that you have standing room inside for changing clothes, which you will NOT in a RTT. Here is a video for setting up a Gazelle: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErC8FmqfQ8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErC8FmqfQ8) I do the rain fly differently (I hook on 2 of the corner poles, then toss the other two across the roof) but don't overthink it. I also have to put my foot on the bottom of the tent to pull out the hubs for more leverage. The T3X is a little shorter and therefore easier (I'm 5ft 5, if you're tall it won't matter as much) but the T3X is also slightly smaller dimensions and I wouldn't put 2 cots in it, it's about perfect for a solo traveler IMO (as a bonus it'll also fit sideways in most cars whereas the T4 in storage bag is... quite long and will need to be stored front to back). For what it's worth, I've also set up a T4+/T8 solo (basically double the size, with 6 hubs to pop out) and it's still just as easy if you prefer a really big tent. I'll say this politely---if you can't set up a Gazelle tent, solo camping is probably not for you. You can't go wrong with either, they both have their pros and cons, but an iKamper Mini 3.0 is $3995 and a Gazelle T4 Overland (upgraded stakes, ground tarp, waterproof bag) is $469... a substantial difference. Another option you may not have considered, and it'll depend on your specific vehicle and how it's set up, is you can also outfit your vehicle and have a self inflating sleeping pad or mattress inside of it, and get mesh screen things for the windows and such. Then you don't have to set up ANY sleeping quarters... just your chair and table/stove.
I really like my Gazelle T3X. It is 5 ft long when in the bag. It’s 30 lbs. Easy to setup and take down. The bag is slightly oversized, no need to sit on it to get the zipper closed. I’m 66.
If packed up space and relatively large weight is not bad then consider a hub style tent. I like my Gazelle Overland edition. The doors are a little tricky getting in and out but in all other regards (setup and takedown) it seems like that would be a good fit.
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