Outdoors

Beefy hard-wall rooftop tent hauls more to camp than a Thule cargo box

Beefy hard-wall rooftop tent hauls more to camp than a Thule cargo box
The AntiShanty RTD debuts as a dual-function, hard-sided vehicle-top shelter
The AntiShanty RTD debuts as a dual-function, hard-sided vehicle-top shelter
View 10 Images
The AntiShanty RTD deliverse hard-sided shelter from the elements
1/10
The AntiShanty RTD deliverse hard-sided shelter from the elements
The RTD provides a little peace of mind to those who don't like the idea of sleeping in a fabric tent
2/10
The RTD provides a little peace of mind to those who don't like the idea of sleeping in a fabric tent
The AntiShanty RTD debuts as a dual-function, hard-sided vehicle-top shelter
3/10
The AntiShanty RTD debuts as a dual-function, hard-sided vehicle-top shelter
AntiShanty is still testing and developing its prototype and hopes to launch the production RTD next year
4/10
AntiShanty is still testing and developing its prototype and hopes to launch the production RTD next year
The RTD can carry camping gear, luggage or sports gear to camp, then set up into a tent in about 60 seconds
5/10
The RTD can carry camping gear, luggage or sports gear to camp, then set up into a tent in about 60 seconds
Shown here in a mockup, the RTD Slimline will be a lighter, sleeker rooftop shelter without the cargo-carry capabilities of the standard RTDe
6/10
Shown here in a mockup, the RTD Slimline will be a lighter, sleeker rooftop shelter without the cargo-carry capabilities of the standard RTDe
The RTD includes a large floor fit for a double mattress (or separate sleeping pads)
7/10
The RTD includes a large floor fit for a double mattress (or separate sleeping pads)
Along with its all-aluminum construction, AntiShanty uses quality components like Tern windows
8/10
Along with its all-aluminum construction, AntiShanty uses quality components like Tern windows
One thing the AntiShanty definitely isn't is low-profile
9/10
One thing the AntiShanty definitely isn't is low-profile
RTD in cargo mode
10/10
RTD in cargo mode
View gallery - 10 images

Over the past decade or so, the term "RTT," short for rooftop tent, has pushed its way into the everyday vernacular of all kinds of outdoorsy folks. AntiShanty looks to make the related "RTD," rooftop dwelling, an official entry in that same dictionary. With solid aluminum walls in place of fabric, the new product isn't really a tent. And with the ability to carry nearly 800 liters of gear to camp before immediately transforming into an SUV-top backcountry bungalow, it's something very different from anything out there.

Still a prototype under development (and looking the part), the RTD combines two rare products into one. It's one of the few rooftop tents that doubles as a cargo box and one of only two hard-wall RTTs we've ever seen. The other hard-wall rooftop design is the egregiously expensive Redtail RTC (now Skyloft), giving AntiShanty some serious pricing leeway with which to work while still being the most affordable in the category.

If you're wondering why the RTD looks absolutely giant atop the Toyota 4Runner upon which it's mounted, it's because it relies on its extra size for its dual-purpose design. Other rooftop tents that double as cargo boxes perform only one of those functions at a time, requiring that the owner remove the interior tent fabric to free cargo space. The RTD, on the other hand, can carry cargo to camp and then set up as a rooftop shelter in roughly a minute, seamlessly performing both functions on the same trip. It also locks, securing valuable cargo like surfboards or snowboards.

One thing the AntiShanty definitely isn't is low-profile
One thing the AntiShanty definitely isn't is low-profile

While many rooftop tents are designed to carry sleeping bags and pillows closed, the boxy RTD offers close to 800 liters of storage capacity, more than an XXL-sized Thule Motion XT roof box ... or any other large rooftop cargo box we found for comparison, even those that double as boats. We verified with AntiShanty that the listed 28-cu ft capacity is indeed free space that doesn't include space taken up by the folded tent components — beating out the largest cargo boxes was one of the company's objectives in developing the RTD.

RTD in cargo mode
RTD in cargo mode

The downside of the voluminous RTD design at this point is that, unlike a carefully streamlined Thule or Yakima box, the front of the RTD is an absolute wall that adds wind resistance on top of the vehicle. It seems to us AntiShanty would be better off adding a bit of streamlining to the front, and perhaps lowering the height, even if it means a little less cargo capacity.

As far as the tent hardware, AntiShanty borrows from its original folding-wall playbook in guiding the installation of one rectangular and two triangular walls that drop down after the roof is popped open and secure to the tub floor to create an all-aluminum wedge shelter with hard sides. Unlike the multi-piece folding walls on hard-sided pop-up truck campers like the Hiatus or Lagom, AntiShanty's are simpler single-panel walls.

The RTD can carry camping gear, luggage or sports gear to camp, then set up into a tent in about 60 seconds
The RTD can carry camping gear, luggage or sports gear to camp, then set up into a tent in about 60 seconds

AntiShanty applies aircraft-grade aluminum construction to the RTD, using a laser-cut exo/endo frame to support the insulated aluminum panels. It's designed it as a four-season tent meant to be comfortable in everything from summer swelter to winter deep-freeze.

While all that aluminum helps keep the RTD from growing too heavy, the prototype's estimated 300-lb (136-kg) weight is still double (or even more) what you might expect from other rooftop tents. Add in the weight of any cargo and, later, the people sleeping in it, and you can quickly surpass the dynamic and/or static load capacity of factory roof rails or aftermarket crossbars. In fact, it even surpasses the ratings of some full-length platform racks Such a heavy load will also require more of an effort to mount and remove from the vehicle.

The RTD includes a large floor fit for a double mattress (or separate sleeping pads)
The RTD includes a large floor fit for a double mattress (or separate sleeping pads)

AntiShanty tells us that it's actively trying to shave weight and get the number down before production, but it sounds like buyers will ultimately need a particularly beefy platform rack like the Eezi-Awn K9 (or maybe the world's strongest pickup topper) to carry the RTD. And they'll want to figure out what they plan to load inside the RTD ahead of time and compare closely to the rack's weight capacities to be sure it'll work.

AntiShanty is also planning the non-cargo RTD Slimline as a lighter, slimmer dedicated rooftop tent. That model is merely a rendering at this point, without size or weight estimates, but it sounds like it could be a good way of enjoying the hard-sided benefits of the RTD with less of a weight and bulk penalty.

Shown here in a mockup, the RTD Slimline will be a lighter, sleeker rooftop shelter without the cargo-carry capabilities of the standard RTDe
Shown here in a mockup, the RTD Slimline will be a lighter, sleeker rooftop shelter without the cargo-carry capabilities of the standard RTDe

We love the idea of an RTT that can actively work as a cargo box while still transforming into a tent, but we're still not sure if the RTD shows that it can be done effectively or provides more evidence to the contrary. We hope AntiShanty smoothens out the rough (vertical) edges and successfully cuts weight on the production model to pull the needle toward the former.

At US$10,000, the RTD is double or triple the price of other hardshell roof tents on the market but only about half the price of the Redtail RTC, the only other hard-wall RTT to which we can compare. At $9,500, the RTD Slimline really doesn't save buyers that much money at checkout so will really lean on its lighter, sleeker design as the selling point. RTD deliveries are planned to begin by Q2 2023, and eager buyers can put down $1,000 now to reserve their build spot.

The video clip provides a closer look at the RTD and its operation.

Hard Sided Roof Top Dwelling

Source: AntiShanty

View gallery - 10 images
5 comments
5 comments
Michael son of Lester
If it were not for the “falling down a ladder at two in the morning when going for a pee” issue, I would actually consider buying one of these. They look sturdy and keep you off the ground, plus they are cheaper than most of the teardrop trailers out there, and they don't interfere with the vehicle's operation or cause you to spend more on gas. Seriously, one of these could easily be added to a five-foot wide utility trailer with a bit of work, making a heck of a nice camping trailer with lots of storage.
TpPa
some ones going to die if you have you get in and out like he did, that ladder needs to be able to be placed at the entrance, and not be resting on the vehicle to do it.
TpPa
Oh, they could also put a wedge up front to cut the air better, the top half really wouldn't hit much for how little it actually moves
Aross
Too small. No dimensions mentioned but to me it looks too small to be able to hold anyone over 6ft. Adding the ladder by the side instead of the back where the entry is located also seems crazy. It also seems like setup takes longer than my old pop up,
jerryd
A losing idea made worse by bad design. As they said, the aero on this is going to serious raise fuel consumption not to mention bad handling from such high up weight, causing rollovers if having to steer quickly, even cause a single vehicle accident.
Either a light trailer or a rear SUV tent would be far better for most.
If the trailer is large, slightly bigger than the SUV frontal area, light enough and actually aero, It could increase the SUV mileage by cleaning up it's aero.