The soft sided flip style ones are best suited for people who set up camp for days on end. I preferred this type for hunting trips as a base camp. They have the annex that can zip on and give you another enclosed space to get out of the rain without having to actually go up and lay in bed. I really miss having that feature. Setting them up takes 10-15 minutes typically. Putting them away takes 20-30 once you get good at it and usually requires climbing around on top of the tent to compress it enough to secure it shut. This is especially true if you keep bedding inside of it, which most do because thats part of the point of them.
Hard sided tents take about a minute to set up, and a few minutes to break down. I personally use the Alucab and its brilliant. All bedding stays inside, its got an insulated roof, double canvas walls so it retains heat, has power run to it, and can have gear stored on top of the tent. It was expensive, so unless your sleeping in it 40+ nights a year I dont know that many can justify the cost. If its raining and I have to put the tent away, I dont have to spend long in the rain to close it up. I did lose the ability to have an enclosed room at the bottom. The side access I use for the ladder also isnt shielded from rain, so if its wet out a little bit of rain gets in. Doesnt bother me much.
Different brand tents offer more or less options of course. Generally speaking anyone who has prolonged use of a RTT will recommend a hard shell. Less hassle, better in the wind, retain heat better, overall feels more secure. IKamper is a sort of hybrid between the two styles but I see people commenting on how thin the mattress is and Im not positive you can upgrade the mattress in those.
