Product Review

PRODUCT REVIEW BY ALEX WRIGHT & BRONTE HARTLAND

DRIFTA ROOFTOP TENT AND AWNING

As we sit around the campfire, overlooking the setting sun with a gleam of content in our eyes, it’s hard to imagine living life any other way. Since packing up our lives into the LandCruiser three months ago to head around our beautifully diverse country, Bronte and I (Alex) have learnt, (often painfully) the trade secrets of camping and fine tuned our setup along the way. With the intention of exploring some of Australia’s remote 4W driving we needed a roof top and awning that would be lightweight enough to tackle the tracks without worrying about being excessively top-heavy. With the Drifta 1.2 RTT being one of the lightest hard-shells on the market at 57kg, it was a no-brainer for us. We also wanted a 270-degree free-standing awning that was easy to set up and have the option for side walls to bunker down out of the weather when we needed. Since the beginning of the trip, the Drifta RTT has withstood the relentless downpour we experienced in NSW, keeping us high and dry up in the tent - literally not a single drop! We did make the mistake however of not putting a timber floorboard underneath us, leaving us teeth-chattering cold in the NSW hinterlands. This was easily resolved though by getting the ply bedbase provided by Drifta that’s made to fit the RTT, which now lives in our rooftop under the mattress, keeping us insulated from the chilly temperatures. I know what you’re probably thinking ... how does a rooftop go in the wind? After experiencing the strong southerly winds along the Great Australian Bight cliffs, the Drifta rooftop surpassed the test but there is a small trick to it. You have to face the hardshell into the wind. The tent and the hardshell are separated with an air gap

which is great for airflow and reducing condensation, but it will flap in strong winds if you are not facing the right direction. Keep the hardshell facing into the wind and you will be sure to have a restful night, full of 4W driving dreams. The one thing you appreciate the most on the road after a long day outdoors, is a good night's sleep and with the compact design of the Drifta rooftop we wanted to make sure we weren’t missing out on comfort. After a bit of trial and error, we now have the comfiest bed that we look forward to each night. We LOVE our sleep and if you do too, we recommend doing the same (in this order): ply bedbase, the Drifta eggshell mattress (game changer), a mattress topper, warm sheets and the Drifta sleeping bag for the cooler nights. All this fits into the rooftop (minus the pillows) and feels like you’re sleeping on clouds with no sore shoulders or Deep Heat required the next day. Bronte can also stay up in bed reading with the interior LED lighting and I keep my sandy shoes out with the handy boot bags provided. The rooftop has been incredibly easy to pop up and down, making daily camp movements a breeze and simple enough for one person. We’ve added the ladder upgrade kit to make the climb into bed more sturdy and mounted our solar panel to the rooftop bars. We also put our surfboards on top of the rooftop bars to allow more room for storage in the car which added a bit of weight on the gas struts but we use the Drifta twist lock crab claw bar to give us peace of mind whilst sleeping during windy nights. We also have the Drifta Stockton freestanding 270-degree awning attached to our roof rack, chosen for its lightweight, broad coverage and ease of use, only requiring one person to set it up. During our trip, we have had a couple of days of sideways wind and rain where the side awning walls came in handy and created a cosy area for us to escape the weather. Although it's very sturdy in the wind and rain, we add poles and tie downs just for peace of mind while we’re sleeping. Overall, the awning has been perfect for our needs with good drainage of the rain and of course, some nice shade on those balmy sunny days. The 270-degree awning alongside the Drifta 1.2 RTT have been fundamental to our adventure around Oz which you can follow along on YouTube “Wrighty’s Root”. Now it's time to get back to cracking a tinny and watching the sunset!