What Maggiolina?

[Jimbo4x4]

My dad's after a Maggiolina style rooftent and was fully prepared to pay £1900 for an Autohome Grand Tour after being pursuaded by the salesman that that's what he needs Personally I'm sure he'll find something suitable for a few hundred less so I said I'd ask around..

All he's after is something easy to use that has plenty of room for him and my mum to get dressed in the mornings. Keeping in mind my old man isn't known for his contortionistic or athletic abilities, what model would you chaps in hard-shell-rooftent-land (looking at you, Jon) recommend? And in whos palm should he place his cash?

Cheers, Jim.

 

[Chas]

Is your dad looking for a new or s/hand one Jim?, a medium size Airlander one went on eBay recently for just over £1300, mine is a medium size but more than adequate for two people, obviously you can't stand up in it but I always managed to get dressed OK.

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Either really, just a sensible price would be nice. Medium width sounds like it should be ok

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

It's hard to advise really Jim because there's so little to choose between them besides the advertised differences and the tradeoffs between the different models depend so much on personal usage and preference. I'll make some general observations though in case it helps The mediums are 1450mm wide so it's worth checking that width will work for his car? (what's he got?) The extra space of a medium will mean a bit more elbow room for two but I don't think a small would seem cramped and they may have to take it in turns to get dressed in either but successful camping is all about routines to deal with stuff like that isn't it. The side awning canopy they do for them is really handy and really quite easy to put up and I mention that because the Columbus model look interesting but having no side awning option rules them out for me. How tall are they? The sissor mechanism in the wind up models robs a bit of length but it's usually only an issue for tall people. The sissor ones require the least strength / agility to put down, just turn the handle and poke the material in vs the pop up one having to overcome the gas struts at the front which is not super hard but a something to try before you buy to make sure you're happy with it. I don't know if the extra storage space in the deeper models gets used in the real world? I know I'm trying to avoid putting any extra weight up there than I must.

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Thanks for the tips fellas.
Jon, my dad's got an Isuzu Trooper and a Seat Toledo - a medium will look huge on the Toledo but won't be any wider than the car itself, so all's good on that front. My folks are 5'6 and 5'7 so I don't think length will be too much of an issue, but I do know that they want enough room to keep the next winter days clothing up there with them and still have enough room to move around. I think this is why the medium appeals more.
I can't see them putting anything bulky up top for travelling, which is why I think the Grand Tour is more than they need (from what I gather it's taller when closed so can be used more as a roofbox)
Sounds like any scissor type medium size tent will do them, any recommendations as where to go to buy if he gets new? Will probably just pick up the cheapest one that fits the bill.

Thanks again, Jim

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

The standard height models probably won't take much in the way of extra cloths when closed which may be why the salesman is pointing him at a bigger model. Once open and if they're carrying the change of cloths in with them the night before then they're all much the same space with a storage net in the roof space for stuff like that to go in till the morning.

I shop at BOAB because that's where I got good advice and service on my purchases and they're the UK importers. They understand what does and doesn't work with these tents and are probably the best place your dad could get advice. Not everyone likes dealing with them but I like their no nonsense none sycophantic approach

 

[Gav Peter]

Bloomin eck Jim - I thought you were trading in the Prime Tech for a minute!!!

I was just fishing about & I noticed Terrain are offering a hire service for roof tents - Linky here. Okay this add is for one of the fabric tents but I wonder if they offer a similar thing for a hard shell... Your folks could try before they buy...

I suppose the other thing worth thinking about, even if they buy & don't like, its resale value will/should remain pretty high.

Let us know how they get one - does this mean they'll be coming on the next mishun??

Cheers

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Gav, you havin a giraffe? £200 a week and they only cost £600 new or £550 second hand!
As you say, we already figured with resale values staying high even for very old models it'd be worth buying new and getting some sort of guarantee with it. And yes, you can expect to see the Trooper stuck in a muddy hole near you soon (I may have pursuaded him to get a high mileage LPG 80 with 2" lift, BFG AT's and a snorkel though... we shall see )

Jon, thanks again for that, didn't even know about the storage net! Seen some good reviews on BOAB before so will send him their way if my bro didn't pick anything up for him at the 4x4 show yesterday.

Jim.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Jon - forgot to check yesterday - are there net pockets on the tent sides as well, or just in the roof?

My HM is sitting open in the sun this morning drying out!! Amazing - sun in Scotland

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

There are removable (velcro'd) mesh pockets one each side and then the bigger cargo net in the roof space.

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Thanks for all the help gents, my bro picked up an ex-demo medium Grand Tour yesterday at the indoor show with a couple hundred knocked off the price tag so my pa's a happy bunny. All in great condition with standard warranty