Rooftop Tents - Show em and what you like and don't like

[JerryBsizzle]

Did some searching, but can't really find a thread on rooftop tents. I'm not a stranger to rooftop tents, but never had one myself. I'm about to move out of a parking garage at work so I'll be able to add height to my truck now. I hunt public land and do a lot of tent camping in a Kodiak canvas tent. Really want something a little quicker and up off the ground though. My dad bought an iKamper Mini in the summer of 2020, sold it before Christmas! He never thought about climbing down to pee, and he goes 3 or 4 times a night lmao.

I really would like to hear thoughts on people with a hardshell and why you like it or dislike it, and the same for a soft tent. I like the idea of more room in the soft tents that double in size when folded open. Also I would not want it longer than my bed. I already have a Yakima rack. Thanks! Pics of my dad's iKamper and my rack.

 

[H2OMAN]

Don't want you to think people are blowing you off. I can't answer because I hate them and refuse to use one. Hope you can get some feedback.

 

[wegasque]

It sounds like you need to hit up @boogielander for advice.

 

[JerryBsizzle]

Thanks, yea I know Boogielander is one. I may start the thread in another subforum might get more views.

 

[Belvedere]

I've had a few. My wife and kids love them. We also have a hard side camper and do hammock camping. I'm done with ground tents.

I have a hard rollup bed cover with T-slots and crossbars. I prefer the lower mount vs above the cab. Truck fits in the garage, and stays out of the wind some.

Never had a hard top tent. Just soft tents. Current tent is an Overland Vehicle Systems Nomadic 3. We really like this style with the "porch".

I used to keep a bottle or portable urinal, but now carry a 5 gallon bucket with a hose attached and a funnel up in the tent. Keep a bottle of water for a quick "flush" and stuff a rag in the funnel when done.

 

[jimothy]

I’ve got a Roofnest Falcon XL and my wife and I love it. The dogs do, too. But it is longer than the truck bed, so maybe not the best for you.

What I like about it (this should apply to other aluminum wedge RTTs too):

1. Simple and fast to set up and break down.
2. Easy to mount solar on top; we have 350W of flexible panels, but you could also mount rigid panels.
3. Lower profile than fold-out tents (soft shells, most iKampers, Roofnest Condor, etc.). Those others do give more space, but now that my son is off to college, this is plenty of room for my wife and our two dogs.
4. Aluminum should last longer than plastic (though you can Line-X them to make them last longer)
5. T-tracks on the side are good for mounting accessories, awnings, lights, grab handles, crossbars, etc.

Cons:

1. Expensive
2. Obviously adds height and weight. I’ve got an 18” tall rack, and this comes just over the shark fin antenna.
3. You’ll want to find fairly level ground to camp, though you can use rocks, traction boards, RV leveling blocks, etc.
4. If you go somewhere during the day (wheeling, driving to a trailhead, store, etc), it’s harder to mark a camping spot “yours”. You might find it taken when you come back.
5. The stock mattress is not comfortable; we replaced it with an Exped Megamat 10 Queen. (The Falcon 2 may have a better mattress, I don’t know.). The Megamat needs to be deflated in order to close the tent, so that makes breakdown not as quick.

I’ve written here a few times about my setup, including the solar, battery, lighting, and wiring setup I’ve put together. I’d be happy to share more details.

If you want more room, in a smaller (but taller) closed size, and get the benefits of an aluminum shell, Roofnest Condor Overland is interesting. I have never seen one in person, but they look interesting, especially version 2.

All said, we love our RTT, but if I were to do it over, I’d consider something like the Lone Peak Overland camper. It’s expensive ($6K to start, $9K configured the way I want it), but if you add up the close of my tonneau cover, rack, and RTT, it’s pretty reasonable.

 

[boogielander]

It sounds like you need to hit up @boogielander for advice.

thanks for the mention. let me eat my lunch at 4PM first and then i'll get on the thread lol

 

[boogielander]

so i went from a hardshell to a softshell (Inspired Overland RTT, lightest out there at 87lb for standard size). Let's dive right in.

Benefits of hardshell:

• Stronger structure
• Ability to mount solar panels on top to help with your basecamp needs (especially if you have a fridge onboard that's hardwired)
• Ability to mount things on the side (lights, shower room, etc)

Some drawbacks of hardshell:

• Weight
• Cost

Benefits of softshell:

• Cost (mine was $1200; the Smittybilt softshell RTT was only $200 less)
• Weight (again, mine's only 87lb and the lightest mass produced RTT)

Drawbacks of softshell:

• Inability to securely mount a solar panel (I had a flex panel and it stayed for about half a year until I was going 90MPH into head wind)
• Inability to mount things on the side
• Slight weak structure but it's not that big of a deal.
• Due to the slimness (of mine) you can't really fit all your beddings inside. You'll need to find items that can be squeezed flat. Pillow is for sure not staying in the closed tent. Sleeping bags are maybe, depending on if it's a summer or winter bag. Mattresses are maybe as well, it can work if you use a blow up mattress. Ladder can be stored inside but I like to keep my sleeping area clean.

Here are some of my likes and don't likes regarding my tent:

• What I like:
  • Lightweight. At 87lb I don't really feel it at all when wheeling or going highway speed.
  • Slim profile. Doesn't sit too far taller than the cab, so it does help with aero and downforce (?!)
  • Easy setup: I use a stool to help me unzip the cover and push up. Gas struts do the work for me. All I need to do is attach ladder and i'm ready for bed. Fastest I've done was get to camp, level, get the tent ready, and be in bed 10 minutes after I turn off the truck. Before I put the Megamat in there I can wake up and 10 minutes later start the truck and be ready to go. I'm always the last person to wake up but the first person to get ready to go whenever we go camping.
  • Cost: For the price I got it's a really affordable tent. Sometimes they have sales events that bring the cost down to ~$1000
• What I don't like:
  • Slim profile means thinner mattress is used. I use a megamat 4" mattress to overcome the issue of 2" mattress that's included.
  • Soft top makes mounting solar difficult. I am still on the fence about using tape and adhesive to mount my panel.
  • Soft shell with slim profile also makes attaching a shower room/ awning room impossible. That means to setup a portable bathroom I have to have a separate pop up tent.

Aside from those 3 I don't really have any complaints.

Feel free to ask me any questions you have! Happy huntin'

 

[JerryBsizzle]

Thanks fellas for the detailed info. Some things I had not thought about a whole lot like changing out the mattress or removing bedding before packing up, mounting solar panels etc. I want to be up in the air and not on the ground, but I also like being able to cone and go without breaking down the tent. So I'm still undecided.

 

[TSL]

I have a 23 Zero 'Kabari' wedge / clam shell hard shell RTT. My reason for getting an RTT is that I do quite a bit of hiking and generally when I go camping, the campsite is a jumping off point for a hike; the trailhead might be in the campground, or it might be another 30mins to an hour from the campground. So I wanted something I could deploy fast and put away fast. I didn't want to be zipping and tucking for 20 mins before leaving camp. I also wanted the flexibility to not camp at a campsite, but to be able do disperse camp "where-ever". Especially these days when campgrounds tend to be jam packed at weekends, more and more are on a reservation system and you've got to plan 6+ months ahead if you want to stay there. That doesn't work when you want to be spontaneous and decide on Thurs morning "I'm going camping this weekend" !

• Things I like about the 23 Zero:
  • I can set it up in about 1 minute and put it away in 2 to 3 mins. There's an internal bungee that pulls the two sides together at the front, sometimes I forget that and then it takes more like 3mins+ because I have to fuss with it a bit more to get the fabric inside the shell before closing it. Or I forget to put down the safety support pole which is there in case the case struts decide to die while you're sleeping !
  • I can keep sleeping bags inside it. Note : I do use down sleeping bags so they compress well. Pillows or a duffle bag etc : forget it, there's no room for those.
  • It is literally pitch black inside when you zip it up. If you like or need a dark space to sleep well it is very good for that.
  • It has a 3 inch mattress. I'm a side sleeper who gets low back pain very easily if sleeping setup is not good and this one works well for me. The thicker mattress was one of the deciding factors for me in getting this one.
  • It does have T-slot framing all around it so you can mount other stuff ( lights, maybe an awning ) on it also
• Things I don't like :
  • If I close it up fully ( my point above about it being really dark inside ), I do get condensation, even though it has some vents built in. So I always at least crack some of the side windows an inch or so at a minimum. This is a very minor annoyance though and in general I prefer having the fresh air coming in.
  • The latches to shut it down are very tight, I find I need a screwdriver to lever it open with ! I've tried tweaking the alignment of the top and bottom portions of the latches to make sure it 's good. Maybe it's me keeping sleeping bags inside that's making it a bit tight.
  • It wasn't cheap - I paid something like $3200 for it. It's list price is more than that but it is regularly available for 15% off.
• Things to be aware of :
  • It is heavy - like 170lbs or something. So there goes some of your payload on the truck ! I bought a hoist from Amazon so when I want to take it off in the winter, or for using the truck for other purposes, I back into my garage, hoist it up and store it strapped to the rafters. My garage is tall enough for that.
  • Since I have a Rebel with the 5'7" bed, there's no way this thing is going to mount below the cab. I currently have it on a Thule rack and have an RSI Smart Cap ordered. I do lose ~ 2mpg of fuel efficiency with the extra drag. On the other hand I like having more head room in the bed of the truck so for me I'll take that trade off.
  • It isn't super wide inside, something like 51" if I recall. It does work for 2 people. In my family, it is me and my 10yr old son who sleep in it. My wife has zero interest in negotiating the ladder ! The 10yr old is a wriggly / shuffly sleeper, I have to elbow him a few times during the night ( 'dude, you're on my side, move over' )
  • While it isn't super wide, it is long : 86" long - so great for a tall person to sleep in. Plenty of room to stuff clothes, books etc down at your feet in the narrow section of the tent. Of course they have to come out when you close it down.

Overall I really like it and don't have any regrets about purchasing it. Couple pics below of what it looks like. One of the pics also shows the slide out kitchen unit I built for the truck bed. Overall it gives me a nice setup. While I greatly appreciate the Yeti cooler, I do want to upgrade to 12v fridge at some point

By the way, if you happened to look on 23Zero.com, they don't even list my tent any more ( I got it only last year ). Now they are advertising a "Kabari X" and a "Kabari Lite" both of which have 2" mattresses which would be deal breakers for me. The Kabari Original is still available on various Overland outerfitter websites however.
One other closing thought : I've seen numerous clam shell style roof top tents on rigs I've passed on the road, with various brand names on them. Many of them look superficially extremely similar to the 23Zero model I have and I do sometimes wonder if they are all built in the same factory in China and re-branded and have a few tweaks added along the way !

 

[TSL]

I’ve written here a few times about my setup, including the solar, battery, lighting, and wiring setup I’ve put together. I’d be happy to share more details.

I'm interested in what you did re: solar setup, if you've posted anything on it elsewhere, be happy to read that if you could link to it. I'd like to get solar on my RTT. I do have roof bars for my 23Zero tent ( which I haven't fitted yet ), they are meant for light use, like a kayak or something I think, but they'd certainly carry solar panels.
What I'd like to do at some point is replace my Yeti cooler with a Dometic or similar brand fridge and have a battery mounted somewhere in the bed of the truck which would be charged via solar panels. And maybe also could be hooked up to the vehicle so the vehicle could charge it too, although I wouldn't want to be draining the vehicle's battery in the process.
Solar on the top of the tent makes a lot of sense, although given the choice I would set up camp in the shade, so portable solar panels I could move around make sense too.
At the moment I'm a total newbie to figuring this out and trying to learn what others have done and options are out there.

 

[boogielander]

I'm interested in what you did re: solar setup, if you've posted anything on it elsewhere, be happy to read that if you could link to it. I'd like to get solar on my RTT. I do have roof bars for my 23Zero tent ( which I haven't fitted yet ), they are meant for light use, like a kayak or something I think, but they'd certainly carry solar panels.
What I'd like to do at some point is replace my Yeti cooler with a Dometic or similar brand fridge and have a battery mounted somewhere in the bed of the truck which would be charged via solar panels. And maybe also could be hooked up to the vehicle so the vehicle could charge it too, although I wouldn't want to be draining the vehicle's battery in the process.
Solar on the top of the tent makes a lot of sense, although given the choice I would set up camp in the shade, so portable solar panels I could move around make sense too.
At the moment I'm a total newbie to figuring this out and trying to learn what others have done and options are out there.

there are two ways you can go about this:

• Solar on tent:
  • This will require a solar controller of some sort. You will connect the solar to the controller, which then connects to your battery in the engine bay.
  • This will also allow you to plug your fridge to the battery.
  • This will then require you to park under the sun for the panels to work.
  • This will also require quite some wiring done.
• Portable Solar:
  • This will not require a solar controller and you will not need a lot of wiring job done to this.
  • You will need to have a portable power station, something like an EcoFlow Delta 2 with 1000w will be plenty enough. You just need to get a portable panel (or two, if you're planning to run the fridge while your power station is being charged, to push out enough juice)
  • EcoFlow Delta 2 series also allow expansion with add-on batteries. But your issue will be charging it to 100% off grid.
  • You can also charge the portable power station while driving via onboard 12v plug.
  • This will probably cost you a bit more because of how expensive a quality, well designed and built power station will cost.
  • This will work perfectly for weekend warriors or for those who don't spend extended time out (by that I mean days)

Alternatively, you can do what I've done. Combining both methods.

• I start with two dedicated 8 gauge powers from the battery. One is to the cab, second one is to the bed. Both have a 60A circuit breaker each to act as insurance and as on-off switch. Both are body grounded.
• Cab cable is hooked up to a Blue Sea Fused Distribution Block with Ground. This one is used to power everything inside the cab. I have a mobile Ham radio hooked up to it. I also have a modified fridge cable that I cut off the ciggy plug and swap ring terminals so my fridge is/ can be hardwired to the battery. I then have a Victron DC-DC charger there as well to charge my EcoFlow Delta 2 and add on battery (3kw capacity total). Victron will push 200w of power while engine's running, and shuts off when the engine's off.
  • When the engine's off (ie at camp overnight) I switch the fridge plug from battery powered to another fridge cable with 12v plug, and power it off with my EcoFlow. I also run my starlink off that same ecoflow.
• Bed cable is ran into a "power distribution" box that I made using a plastic 50cal ammo can. That's where I hide the solar controller, a power bus bar, a fused distribution block with ground, switches, and a 12v plug. The switches control the LED bed rack light strips and the 12v plug. The solar controller connection is fused, and sends power back to the battery.
  • This setup allows me to leave the fridge plugged in to starting battery 24/7 without worrying about draining the starting battery.
  • This setup also allows me to have light where I need them. I have red that goes around the bed rack for grabbing stuff at night, and a white one for cooking. Also allows me to plug in and charge my phone or something from the bed with that 12v plug.

Some pros and cons of my setup:

• Pro: allows expansion and customization. With these dedicated routes you can expand upon it as you see fit and add more accessories since you already have the basic structure - dedicated power. Hell, when it's all set and done and no more revision is needed I'll probably yank the switch in the back out and replace it with Switch-Pro so I can turn off my lights from my tent with my phone lol
• Minimal work needed when I'm at camp. Everything's pre-done already.
• Con: takes some wiring knowledge to pull this off, knowing what gauge of wires to use, knowing how to lay things out, knowing what part to buy, etc
• Con: takes time. I laid the foundation in one weekend and slowly expanded it over the course of 3 weekends, primarily because I didn't have a set plan for how I want it to be. I was just adding stuff to it with the stuff I see fit.
• Con: takes $$. I only use quality parts from Blue Sea Systems and Blue Sea alone. No Amazon specials. No Ebay Specials. No cheap China products that come from questionable origins. Quality stuff costs.

I think I posted pictures of my setup before and how I did it.

 

[TSL]

there are two ways you can go about this:

• ...

I think I posted pictures of my setup before and how I did it.

Thanks so much for this summary, really helpful. I think I have seen some posts on your build thread related to this also, I'll take a look. With my current skill level, portable solar is probably going to be the easiest way forward for me. With that said, it's something I'm looking at for next year, so I have a winter ahead of me to do some reading and research !

 

[1BADRAMLIMITED]

I recently found this company who told me via email they are releasing the Ram model later this year. They also stated the f-150 setup is identical to the Ram one soon to come.

Looks pretty robust to me!

Ford F150 (2015+) Camper

Fully integrated wedge style roof top tent. Tent is accessed from inside the truck bed or from the outside using a ladder. Built in lighting both inside the truck cap and on the ceiling of the rooftop tent (everything is prewired, you just need to wire into / hook up to your power source). Great...

gaiacampersusa.com

Gallery

Stainless steel truck toppers / caps / canopies and campers.

gaiacampersusa.com

 

[boogielander]

Thanks so much for this summary, really helpful. I think I have seen some posts on your build thread related to this also, I'll take a look. With my current skill level, portable solar is probably going to be the easiest way forward for me. With that said, it's something I'm looking at for next year, so I have a winter ahead of me to do some reading and research !

Yeap do some reading and research. When I have time (and when it cools down) I'll take some more pictures and do a post about it to explain the parts used, engineering processes and thoughts, what needs to be improved, etc.
I may also do a video (still on the fence because video is not really within my wheelhouse) for those who spend time on youtube while sitting on the throne in restrooms.

One of my trips next year will pass by OR, so if time aligns I can even do this install for you lol

 

[boogielander]

I recently found this company who told me via email they are releasing the Ram model later this year. They also stated the f-150 setup is identical to the Ram one soon to come.

Looks pretty robust to me!

Ford F150 (2015+) Camper

Fully integrated wedge style roof top tent. Tent is accessed from inside the truck bed or from the outside using a ladder. Built in lighting both inside the truck cap and on the ceiling of the rooftop tent (everything is prewired, you just need to wire into / hook up to your power source). Great...

gaiacampersusa.com

Gallery

Stainless steel truck toppers / caps / canopies and campers.

gaiacampersusa.com

interesting design. I think for those who wheel a lot the concern would be the tent portion above cab - we have the shark fin and that may hit or cause problems.
After a quick browse through the site I see that it's made in S. Korea and has no information on how heavy it is.

I think for the price GFC is still the best option being made in US and also merely 300lb in weight.

 

[jimothy]

interesting design. I think for those who wheel a lot the concern would be the tent portion above cab - we have the shark fin and that may hit or cause problems.
After a quick browse through the site I see that it's made in S. Korea and has no information on how heavy it is.

I think for the price GFC is still the best option being made in US and also merely 300lb in weight.

Take a look at Lone Peak Overland. It’s also made in the USA. Not as light as GFC (they say around 350, but that’s probably starting weight for midsize trucks), but to me, it looks better built and has more features available.

Of course, it doesn’t exist yet. First installs should happen around September, I believe.

 

[boogielander]

Take a look at Lone Peak Overland. It’s also made in the USA. Not as light as GFC (they say around 350, but that’s probably starting weight for midsize trucks), but to me, it looks better built and has more features available.

Of course, it doesn’t exist yet. First installs should happen around September, I believe.

i see 375lb with no additional options. we shall see how that goes.

GFC is the only camper tent that had been sent through Baja and came back undamaged and handled jumps and whoops like a champ.

@dtourino on Instagram: "Only way to know if it can take it is to throttle through it. Damn this truck for not having a manual 3rd; might be time for a manual valve body."

813 likes, 15 comments - dtourino on July 16, 2023: "Only way to know if it can take it is to throttle through it. Damn this truck for not having a manual 3rd; might be time for a manual valve body.".

www.instagram.com

@dtourino on Instagram: "Anyone want to parallel me on a dirt bike for the next one? 8,000lb Truck + 90mph road gap. 🎥: @avvblanc"

7,772 likes, 93 comments - dtourino on June 27, 2022: "Anyone want to parallel me on a dirt bike for the next one? 8,000lb Truck + 90mph road gap. 🎥: @avvblanc".

www.instagram.com

I figured if it can handle that kind of stress put on it, it can handle everything else in terms of wheeling and crawling. Amenities can always be added later for way less.
I mean, $500 for LED lights and 12v wiring...?

I speak highly of GFC because my truck will see a lot of high speed dirt roads and possible smaller jumps and whoops, so I only look at things that are proven. Are there other options? Sure there are, but I don't wanna spend the money and put them on my truck to find out if it will break half way through the Mojave or down in Baja.

But then if you're not going to use it as hard as I do (doing stupid things like going 70+ on dirt and look for jumps whenever it's safe to do so), then Lone Peak looks like a promising option given the price point (base, no add-ons) Or even an Alu-Cab or 4WC are all known reliable camper tents too

 

[jimothy]

i see 375lb with no additional options. we shall see how that goes.

GFC is the only camper tent that had been sent through Baja and came back undamaged and handled jumps and whoops like a champ.

@dtourino on Instagram: "Only way to know if it can take it is to throttle through it. Damn this truck for not having a manual 3rd; might be time for a manual valve body."

813 likes, 15 comments - dtourino on July 16, 2023: "Only way to know if it can take it is to throttle through it. Damn this truck for not having a manual 3rd; might be time for a manual valve body.".

www.instagram.com

@dtourino on Instagram: "Anyone want to parallel me on a dirt bike for the next one? 8,000lb Truck + 90mph road gap. 🎥: @avvblanc"

7,772 likes, 93 comments - dtourino on June 27, 2022: "Anyone want to parallel me on a dirt bike for the next one? 8,000lb Truck + 90mph road gap. 🎥: @avvblanc".

www.instagram.com

I figured if it can handle that kind of stress put on it, it can handle everything else in terms of wheeling and crawling. Amenities can always be added later for way less.
I mean, $500 for LED lights and 12v wiring...?

I speak highly of GFC because my truck will see a lot of high speed dirt roads and possible smaller jumps and whoops, so I only look at things that are proven. Are there other options? Sure there are, but I don't wanna spend the money and put them on my truck to find out if it will break half way through the Mojave or down in Baja.

But then if you're not going to use it as hard as I do (doing stupid things like going 70+ on dirt and look for jumps whenever it's safe to do so), then Lone Peak looks like a promising option given the price point (base, no add-ons) Or even an Alu-Cab or 4WC are all known reliable camper tents too

Indeed, for hard riding like you do, the Lone Peak probably isn’t right. I meant it as a US-made alternative to the Gaia.

 

[TSL]

Yeap do some reading and research. When I have time (and when it cools down) I'll take some more pictures and do a post about it to explain the parts used, engineering processes and thoughts, what needs to be improved, etc.
I may also do a video (still on the fence because video is not really within my wheelhouse) for those who spend time on youtube while sitting on the throne in restrooms.

One of my trips next year will pass by OR, so if time aligns I can even do this install for you lol

hmmmmm......we might have to talk some time !