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Ever since we first posted our rooftop tent on Instagram and Facebook, we have loved all the excitement, conversations, and questions it has brought up. We figured we’d try to pull all the info into one post to help answer your questions/curiosity or so you can just learn more about rooftop tents, specifically the CVT Mt. Rainier.
Why We Chose the CVT Mt Rainier
We are researchers. When we get an itch or an idea to do something we endlessly research social media and the rest of the internet for personal experiences, reviews, photos… anything that can tell us more about our options and get us the best quality, and the most bang for our buck. When we started looking for a rooftop tent we had a fairly long list of brands and slowly went through them depending on type/size of tents offered, versatility, and customer service.
The customer service really cemented everything for us. Jared called and asked a ton of questions before we had even decided for sure what we wanted and no matter who answered the phone or responded on social media, they always answered thoroughly and with nothing but patience. It was apparent quickly that it is still privately owned and the owners are involved heavily in social media as well as the day to day operations which is such a refreshing change. We knew that if we could make it work we definitely wanted to be a part of the CVT Family.
After figuring out how often we went out camping with which family members, where we went (temperature, weather, etc) we decided on the Mt. Rainier Hybrid Extended Fly in Grey. When shopping for a rooftop tent, definitely take into consideration whether or not you want an annex, not all companies include an annex in the cost and we knew we wanted one for sure so when pricing out we kept that in mind.
Mounting our CVT Mt. Rainier Rooftop Tent
Once we decided on a tent we went into the black hole of research to figure out what type of rack we wanted to mount it to. Check out this post that we wrote out to learn everything you’d need to know about weight for your vehicle and roof rack combo.
We actually started out with the Mt. Rainier mounted on a RhinoRack platform on their backbone system on our 2019 Toyota 4Runner. This rack system is sleek slim and worked great for us in that in-between phase. Ultimately we decided on the Leitner ACS Rack because it was easy to mount and gave us the option to take the tent off and slide the crossbars forward so you have access to your entire bed if you need to for transporting things like dirt bikes. Plus, there are many mounting options for accessories and storage boxes.
Using Our CVT Mt. Rainier Rooftop Tent for Overlanding
Right now we have our tent mounted on the Leitner Rack so that it opens to the driver’s side. It’s worked for us so far so we’ll keep it there for now! Once we find a spot to camp we level the truck using these so that we have a nice flat sleeping surface.
The newer Mt. Rainier doesn’t have a full cover to remove so we just have to release a few clips underneath and then fold up the sides before attaching the ladder and unfolding.
If we are staying more than a night we’ll usually add the annex. If the kids or dogs are with us we add it for more sleeping room. It’s basically an additional 8’x8′ sleeping area which is a great size for 2 cots, dog beds, bags etc. It also keeps the tent cleaner and gives us a place to store bags someplace other than the cab of the truck. The annex is also a great place to enjoy your morning coffee if it’s raining!
For quick trips if it’s not too windy we won’t even set up the guy lines. Just open up, add the spring rods to the overhang, and sleep.
The sleeping area has a foam mattress & we just bring bedding. There is an LED light strip on the top of the tent and you could always add fans or a heater if needed. You can open all the windows for airflow or close them up to stay warm depending on climate. The best thing about sleeping in the rooftop tent is that you don’t feel like you’re tent camping, it feels more like you’re in a camper or RV so you sleep really well in it.
Even with the annex on you still have access to your vehicle (or you can just access it from any one of the other doors. We love the ease of setting up and taking down and how it’s just all around an awesome solution to dry camping, camping off-grid, overlanding, or whatever you want to call it. It works great in campgrounds too and is always a conversation piece.
