James Baroud USA and fantastic customer Service, well maybe more OK4wd.

aaen

Adventurer
Thought I would take the time to write up about my experience lately with amazing customer service from James Baroud USA/OK4wd.

First a little Background....

The decision by me to purchase a roof top tent was a long time in the making. Everyone I saw was the standard flip open ones, which I was not a fan off. Then from the recommendation from a friend, who knew what I was after, he pointed me in the direction of James Baroud. After some research, lots of questions/etc I settled in on a space grey Explorer version. The tent was purchased in Aug 2017 from Bomber Products and it was love at first site of the tent.

After purchasing to present.....

The tent was put to immediate use! That evening the back of my 2016 tacoma was slept in as I made my way back to the job site in Northern Canada. Unfortunately I didn't get to spend to many nights in it due to all the forest fires in Montana and southern Alberta. But I managed to squeak in two nights on the way back up, I took my time. I was instantly impressed with the ability to pop open the tent and be in bed in a matter of seconds. This would not only improve my camping, but also normal road trips as i no longer needed to stay in a hotel, the mind started instantly planning out weekend/extended trips as one does when he gets excited about a new piece of kit. Almost like a giddy school girl, who am i kidding I was just like that, ecstatic to say the least.

I quickly outfitted the tent with all the necessary sleeping equipment from a local outfitter store. JB comfort pad, mattress protector to keep it in good shape, bed sheets, comforter and two lovely pillows, all of which the tent swallowed up completely with ease. I managed to squeak out a few short road trips around the Alberta area using the tent (4-5 days on the forestry trunk road, few days camping in the Kamloops/Kelowna area), couple of cold winter night. By xmas I had racked up about 20 nights in the tent (not bad considering I work 6-7 days weeks, 12 hours a day) and was loving every minute of it. Unfortunately this is when things started to go south. :(

Issues with the tent......

Over the xmas break, I volunteered to take care of the camp while my crew was on break. During this time, I was busy planning out a trip to the SW USA, to do some exploring around my old stomping grounds in Arizona, California and Nevada. I cracked open the tent on one brisk night over the holidays too air it out and to test out a recently acquired -20 degree sleeping bag. Knowing it was going to be cold out and condensation is an issue in the winter, I turned on the fan. Which started to make this weird noise as if it was out of balance or something. I left it on as it wasn't completely horrendous and knew that I would more then likely need to make a warranty claim. Was kind of like a white noise drowning out the howling winds as I was on the high prairie in winter.

Next morning an email was sent to JB USA, and Rin was quick to send the fan out to Bomber products so I could pick it up on my way down to the SW USA on my trip and install it. Unfortunately the fan never arrived at Bomber products in time, and I was forced to continue on without it. Not a big deal, as I knew it was going to be warmer temps and chances were that I wouldn't need it.

After arriving in the SW USA, I spent about 12 nights in the tent cruising around Yuma, Joshua Tree, Mohave Preserve and Death Valley. I was thoroughly happy with the tent, or so i thought. Around the last few nights of the trip, I started to notice some wear on the outer fabric of the tent from the upper shell (there is a black gasket in here) and it was starting to stain the fabric, not a big deal, but I figured I would keep an eye on it and monitor it in case it was causing issues with the fabric. The next morning when i woke up I decided to give it a better once over, well, I noticed a wear mark in the fabric which could only be from a rivet holding in the fabric to the shell. A little concerning as this was may be 30 nights total in the tent since i got it in August.

Fast forward to that night and and this was the first time I was setting up or taking down the tent in the sunlight, I usually wait until it is dusk before setting it up, incase I need to move or go somewhere. Anyways, the light was just right so that it was shinning on the tent. The light on the truck, RTT and the mountains in the background was amazing. Unfortunately, while setting up the tent, I noticed a lot of light spots in the fabric, like beams of light coming through only to find stretch marks in the fabric and pin holes around the seams. The fabric was always tight around the doors and when putting the tent up. I was told this was normal at time of purchase.

Pictures of issues.......

Wear mark from rivet, on front side of tent, you can also see where the fabric is turning black from the gasket in the top shell
image002.jpg
image004-1.jpg

Stretch marks in fabric, this is almost all the way through, doesn't leak though
image004.jpg
image005.jpg
image005-1.jpg

I don't have any pictures of the rusty latches, nor of the broken fan. If I can figure out how to post up a audio file in here I will so others can hear what a bad fan sounds like

Fantastic Customer Service....

Once i got back to civilization/cell service, I fired off an email to JB USA and had a response back very promptly. The response was that they would look into this and get back to me with a response ASAP as they knew I was on a trip and getting anywhere was going to be an issue. This was not a problem, as i had to be in Boise Idaho to pick up a storage system(this also failed miserably, that is another story, one that i may never tell), for a few days, so I wasn't overly concerned. After getting the storage system installed in the truck after much frustration/redesign on my part to try and make it work, we brought it out for some promo shoots for the company so they could use this for their brochures/ads. They asked if I could set up the RTT, and JB USA also asked me to check if the fabric was still waterproof. One leaked a bit at the front of the tent, the rest I didn't even get to, as I found a pile of other holes in the fabric as the light was hitting it in a different direction. Disappointment/rage at this point had set in, as you pay top dollar for a product only to have to start failing after a few months?

A quick email to JB USA, stating I was not happy and that I needed a decision immediately as I was on my way to continue my trip as best as I could, but I was worried about having more issues with the tent. A few back and forth and JB USA realized that I was not going to be anywhere near a dealer to get the tent back to them for sometime. We talked briefly and the decision was made to drop the tent off back at the Bomber Products, (sadly 2500kms out of my way). Once they found out the distance I was going to have to travel, and the logistical nightmare it would be to get the tent back to them if I was back in Canada, they authorized a full refund on the tent as the head office in Portugal hadn't gotten back to them, and we were under the gun with what to do.

Overall, I am thoroughly impressed with the professionalism I experienced by Rin and Craig with my RTT. I will continue to do business with them and I am currently in talks with them about a few other options I am working on.

Now that all being said, I will never buy another James abroad tent in my life. None of those issues should exist on a $4,000USD roof top tent, these are supposedly the leaders in the industry with RTT's. Not from what I had seen with all of the issues I had with the RTT (Failed fan, pinholes and stretch marks, doorways so deformed I could barely zip them up at times, rusty latches, wear marks from rivets, gaskets int he shell rubbing on the fabric, etc) all on a 30 day usage tent. I have plans to go to Costa Rica/Panama this winter or want to for a few months, I won't be taking one of these tents there, as I am not sure I could rely on it for the duration of the trip, let alone make it down there in one piece.

Anyways, I thought I would post up my amazing experience dealing with Rin and Craig at JB USA/OK4wd and also post up my experience with my former James Baroud Explorer RTT. There are a couple of threads out there where others have all experiences the same issue with the fabric. One is here on Expedition portal and I think I found one on Ih8mud, although it may have been the same guy?

I hope this provides a record of the outstanding customer service at Ok4wd/James Baroud USA and also as a reference for potential issues with the James Baroud Tents to other potential buyers. Although I am pretty confident mine was a Friday afternoon tent I will not be purchasing another Jb RTT, leaning towards the alucab Gen 3 at the moment or possible shifting to one of the OZtent Jet tents (cot with a tent on it)

So I am moving on from this experience with James Baroud with positive attitude and I know that when I make the decision on the next RTT, Rin and Craig will be the first ones i talk to about it.


Regards

Steve
 
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Factoid

Three criminal heroes
Real world experience, real world use. This is why this forum exists and threads like this, as disappointing from a product quality perspective as they are, are a real service to the rest of us. Thanks for posting a detailed review and while I'm very sorry to hear of your experience, the customer service aspect of your review is admirable. Have fun on your trip south!
 

Dozer Dan

Observer
Disappointing read. I've had my JB for about 16 months now and I've the same issues with my tent as you have.
The fan started out nice and quiet but after about 8 months it started to sound like a machine gun.
The clips develop rust.
I haven't looked properly but the fabric on my tent shows similar signs of wear.

I'm currently waiting for a delivery from JB with a new fan, a new light and a full set of clips. From what I can see though you can't cleanly replace the clips without damaging the headlining.
Very disappointing as this is very much an investment piece you expect to last for many years.
I'm not in the US so I don't have a Rin to deal with either, my local dealer didn't want to support me but rather just gave me the contact details for a guy at JB so I'm dealing with JB direct.

It's a shame because the tent is really awesome except for a few very minor issues.
 

aaen

Adventurer
Keep you chin up, I know that is not easy to do when your disappointed. I recommend a beverage of your choice, sit back and relax with the significant other. We get so worked up about all these situations (I am very guilty of this) and forgot what is really important to us and that is our loved ones...........Wow, what happened there? I must have blacked out. Screw my advice above, that was Tony, off with their heads, yeah that is a much better response and more normal Steve, pats himself on the back.

All kidding aside, I can almost guarantee that this is not a localized issue, which you have proven considering your in Ireland. I found expo and ih8mud threads on this and i know of one or two others whom have had the same issue from a few years back and I imagine there are others that haven't posted about it yet. I've also become aware that there is one or two others that are going through the same issues I have as well, bought at a different time as well, so different batch? I've also been informed by others that they had one or two stretch mark in the fabric and didn't care as it didn't leak and it works for them.

Seem James Baroud (Portugal, not USA as they are just a distributor and have been fantastic) needs to revisit their QC at the factory as something is running a mock with the fabrics and fans. I know talking with the Rin/Craig, they were just as frustrated as I was this happened to the tent.

Steve
 
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jacobconroy

Hillbilly of Leisure
I have used Rin's (and OK4WD drive's) customer service. It is exemplary. They are prompt, courteous, and "aim to please". Seems like they took care of you too.

Between my Baroud and Eezi-Awn RTTs, I can tell you that both show wear and tear. These are extremely expensive luxury items that sit on top of a car or trailer for months at a time. They are subject to vibration, filth, moisture, wide temperature changes, dust, UV, and just like any other big-ticket item, require a lot of time-consuming maintenance if you want to keep them shiny.

I don't trouble myself with maintenance. My vote is that my tents be used. I choose to view wear and tear as "character". Proof of your adventurous spirit. :) As long as they are waterproof...that's all that matters to me.

Don't mean to be argumentative or to belittle your problem. My Baroud has gone through exactly all the same issues in the last two years. But, I think it's important to say that these types of issues are typical for all RTTs...not just James Baroud.
 

MANUCHAO

Aventurero
Thank you & sorry to hear you had to live through that.....!!!
Good to hear you were not left out on your own by the distributors of these tents...

I have owned the EA brand and AutoHome brand....
Both were/are great and as stated above both have had their short comings whens used on a daily basis for months/years, but (knock on wood) nothing like you described above....
My EA the hinge came undone after a year of doing washboard roads, nothing that nyloc and replacement bolt could not fix (I replace all nuts with nylocs) and the cover taking a dump from UV ray damages.....but it always kept me warm/cool even in the coldest/warmest environments...... I only sold it cause i needed two people to set up/take down on my lifted vehicle......

My AH Columbus variant is going strong (5 years now) although I see some hair cracks on top of the fiberglass shell, that apparently are quite normal according to some.....
Not bad for a tent that has lived up in that roof all its life, had had close encounters with some tree limbs and is just north of 100#.
Again as stated above..... so as long is it is water proof life is good.....!!!

Again thanks for your post !!!
 

Factoid

Three criminal heroes
Hey, at least they used stainless hardware!

What a basic thing to get wrong. Painting or powder coating mild steel in an application with pivot of friction points (these latches have both) is a recipe for failure. As to the rave reviews, perhaps their quality has suffered recently and people are starting to speak up, but I'll bet it's more the herd mentality rearing it's head. “I paid top dollar, so my review is top dollar so I don't look like a sucker.”

Glad you guys have pealed off from the herd and are blazing a new trail, but sorry you had to deal with this crap.
 

Dozer Dan

Observer
I have kept the inner winter layer on so I haven't had a chance to inspect the fabric. The tent has held up very well in some really bad weather so I know it's not leaking anyway. Yet..
The thing with the latches is just plain silly. They should be made out of stainless steel. The latches are rusting pretty bad everywhere where metal meets metal, that's a design flaw, simple as.
JB themselves told my dealer that the clips can't be replaced without damaging the headlining. I haven't had a look myself but I'm inclined to take their word. Still waiting for the bits to arrive from Portugal.
It's a shame because the tent is 98% awesome. I still don't know of any better tent on the market.
 

rino

Supporting Sponsor - OK4WD
Thought I would take the time to write up about my experience lately with amazing customer service from James Baroud USA/OK4wd.

First a little Background....

The decision by me to purchase a roof top tent was a long time in the making. Everyone I saw was the standard flip open ones, which I was not a fan off. Then from the recommendation from a friend, who knew what I was after, he pointed me in the direction of James Baroud. After some research, lots of questions/etc I settled in on a space grey Explorer version. The tent was purchased in Aug 2017 from Bomber Products and it was love at first site of the tent.

After purchasing to present.....

The tent was put to immediate use! That evening the back of my 2016 tacoma was slept in as I made my way back to the job site in Northern Canada. Unfortunately I didn't get to spend to many nights in it due to all the forest fires in Montana and southern Alberta. But I managed to squeak in two nights on the way back up, I took my time. I was instantly impressed with the ability to pop open the tent and be in bed in a matter of seconds. This would not only improve my camping, but also normal road trips as i no longer needed to stay in a hotel, the mind started instantly planning out weekend/extended trips as one does when he gets excited about a new piece of kit. Almost like a giddy school girl, who am i kidding I was just like that, ecstatic to say the least.

I quickly outfitted the tent with all the necessary sleeping equipment from a local outfitter store. JB comfort pad, mattress protector to keep it in good shape, bed sheets, comforter and two lovely pillows, all of which the tent swallowed up completely with ease. I managed to squeak out a few short road trips around the Alberta area using the tent (4-5 days on the forestry trunk road, few days camping in the Kamloops/Kelowna area), couple of cold winter night. By xmas I had racked up about 20 nights in the tent (not bad considering I work 6-7 days weeks, 12 hours a day) and was loving every minute of it. Unfortunately this is when things started to go south. :(

Issues with the tent......

Over the xmas break, I volunteered to take care of the camp while my crew was on break. During this time, I was busy planning out a trip to the SW USA, to do some exploring around my old stomping grounds in Arizona, California and Nevada. I cracked open the tent on one brisk night over the holidays too air it out and to test out a recently acquired -20 degree sleeping bag. Knowing it was going to be cold out and condensation is an issue in the winter, I turned on the fan. Which started to make this weird noise as if it was out of balance or something. I left it on as it wasn't completely horrendous and knew that I would more then likely need to make a warranty claim. Was kind of like a white noise drowning out the howling winds as I was on the high prairie in winter.

Next morning an email was sent to JB USA, and Rin was quick to send the fan out to Bomber products so I could pick it up on my way down to the SW USA on my trip and install it. Unfortunately the fan never arrived at Bomber products in time, and I was forced to continue on without it. Not a big deal, as I knew it was going to be warmer temps and chances were that I wouldn't need it.

After arriving in the SW USA, I spent about 12 nights in the tent cruising around Yuma, Joshua Tree, Mohave Preserve and Death Valley. I was thoroughly happy with the tent, or so i thought. Around the last few nights of the trip, I started to notice some wear on the outer fabric of the tent from the upper shell (there is a black gasket in here) and it was starting to stain the fabric, not a big deal, but I figured I would keep an eye on it and monitor it in case it was causing issues with the fabric. The next morning when i woke up I decided to give it a better once over, well, I noticed a wear mark in the fabric which could only be from a rivet holding in the fabric to the shell. A little concerning as this was may be 30 nights total in the tent since i got it in August.

Fast forward to that night and and this was the first time I was setting up or taking down the tent in the sunlight, I usually wait until it is dusk before setting it up, incase I need to move or go somewhere. Anyways, the light was just right so that it was shinning on the tent. The light on the truck, RTT and the mountains in the background was amazing. Unfortunately, while setting up the tent, I noticed a lot of light spots in the fabric, like beams of light coming through only to find stretch marks in the fabric and pin holes around the seams. The fabric was always tight around the doors and when putting the tent up. I was told this was normal at time of purchase.

Pictures of issues.......

Wear mark from rivet, on front side of tent, you can also see where the fabric is turning black from the gasket in the top shell
View attachment 436584
View attachment 436588

Stretch marks in fabric, this is almost all the way through, doesn't leak though
View attachment 436585
View attachment 436586
View attachment 436587

I don't have any pictures of the rusty latches, nor of the broken fan. If I can figure out how to post up a audio file in here I will so others can hear what a bad fan sounds like

Fantastic Customer Service....

Once i got back to civilization/cell service, I fired off an email to JB USA and had a response back very promptly. The response was that they would look into this and get back to me with a response ASAP as they knew I was on a trip and getting anywhere was going to be an issue. This was not a problem, as i had to be in Boise Idaho to pick up a storage system(this also failed miserably, that is another story, one that i may never tell), for a few days, so I wasn't overly concerned. After getting the storage system installed in the truck after much frustration/redesign on my part to try and make it work, we brought it out for some promo shoots for the company so they could use this for their brochures/ads. They asked if I could set up the RTT, and JB USA also asked me to check if the fabric was still waterproof. One leaked a bit at the front of the tent, the rest I didn't even get to, as I found a pile of other holes in the fabric as the light was hitting it in a different direction. Disappointment/rage at this point had set in, as you pay top dollar for a product only to have to start failing after a few months?

A quick email to JB USA, stating I was not happy and that I needed a decision immediately as I was on my way to continue my trip as best as I could, but I was worried about having more issues with the tent. A few back and forth and JB USA realized that I was not going to be anywhere near a dealer to get the tent back to them for sometime. We talked briefly and the decision was made to drop the tent off back at the Bomber Products, (sadly 2500kms out of my way). Once they found out the distance I was going to have to travel, and the logistical nightmare it would be to get the tent back to them if I was back in Canada, they authorized a full refund on the tent as the head office in Portugal hadn't gotten back to them, and we were under the gun with what to do.

Overall, I am thoroughly impressed with the professionalism I experienced by Rin and Craig with my RTT. I will continue to do business with them and I am currently in talks with them about a few other options I am working on.

Now that all being said, I will never buy another James abroad tent in my life. None of those issues should exist on a $4,000USD roof top tent, these are supposedly the leaders in the industry with RTT's. Not from what I had seen with all of the issues I had with the RTT (Failed fan, pinholes and stretch marks, doorways so deformed I could barely zip them up at times, rusty latches, wear marks from rivets, gaskets int he shell rubbing on the fabric, etc) all on a 30 day usage tent. I have plans to go to Costa Rica/Panama this winter or want to for a few months, I won't be taking one of these tents there, as I am not sure I could rely on it for the duration of the trip, let alone make it down there in one piece.

Anyways, I thought I would post up my amazing experience dealing with Rin and Craig at JB USA/OK4wd and also post up my experience with my former James Baroud Explorer RTT. There are a couple of threads out there where others have all experiences the same issue with the fabric. One is here on Expedition portal and I think I found one on Ih8mud, although it may have been the same guy?

I hope this provides a record of the outstanding customer service at Ok4wd/James Baroud USA and also as a reference for potential issues with the James Baroud Tents to other potential buyers. Although I am pretty confident mine was a Friday afternoon tent I will not be purchasing another Jb RTT, leaning towards the alucab Gen 3 at the moment or possible shifting to one of the OZtent Jet tents (cot with a tent on it)

So I am moving on from this experience with James Baroud with positive attitude and I know that when I make the decision on the next RTT, Rin and Craig will be the first ones i talk to about it.


Regards

Steve

Steve,

I would like to thank you for appreciation of our efforts and i'm glad we were able to make things right for you.

In regards to the tent, as much as James Baroud strives to create the perfect product there will sadly always be some problems in the real world. Think about the mighty Toyota Land Cruiser, a top of the line product but some are bound to have issues arise (and a bit of rust in salty places).

The fan is a known evil for us, as useful as it is we do not manufacture it in house and the failure rate is about 1 out of 10. We still honor our 5 year warranty and will replace it if necessary without hassle. We are working with several companies on developing our own unit, but this takes time and a large chunk of capital. We are hoping to have something finalized within the calendar year.

The fabric wear that rapidly is not normal and could be from a number of factors. Shell distance apart from one another versus fabric height, upper to lower shell circumference or even latch tension. There is a fair bit of science and experience that go into the perfect combination and from time to time you will get one that does not perform flawlessly. When this does happen, we are trained on how do diagnose and adjust the issue to remedy the issue.

With the thousands of tents sold around the world every year, we feel the James Baroud reputation of quality is well deserved given the small handful of problems. But this doesn't mean we are too proud to admit when we make a mistake and the team is constantly working on improving everything from our product, facilities, machinery and packaging.

Again sorry for the negative experience and I hope if you have a future experience with a James Baroud product it exceeds your expectations.
 

rino

Supporting Sponsor - OK4WD
I have used Rin's (and OK4WD drive's) customer service. It is exemplary. They are prompt, courteous, and "aim to please". Seems like they took care of you too.

Between my Baroud and Eezi-Awn RTTs, I can tell you that both show wear and tear. These are extremely expensive luxury items that sit on top of a car or trailer for months at a time. They are subject to vibration, filth, moisture, wide temperature changes, dust, UV, and just like any other big-ticket item, require a lot of time-consuming maintenance if you want to keep them shiny.

I don't trouble myself with maintenance. My vote is that my tents be used. I choose to view wear and tear as "character". Proof of your adventurous spirit. :) As long as they are waterproof...that's all that matters to me.

Don't mean to be argumentative or to belittle your problem. My Baroud has gone through exactly all the same issues in the last two years. But, I think it's important to say that these types of issues are typical for all RTTs...not just James Baroud.

Thanks for pointing that out and your are spot on, wear and tear to some extent is normal. My JB latches are too showing a bit of rust starting, but so is my $50,000 Jeep. I live in a salt covered road state, near the ocean and off-road frequently so i'm satisfied with my gear is all aging at the same rate.

Thank you man, we do "aim to please" and glad i could help! :)

Thank you & sorry to hear you had to live through that.....!!!
Good to hear you were not left out on your own by the distributors of these tents...

I have owned the EA brand and AutoHome brand....
Both were/are great and as stated above both have had their short comings whens used on a daily basis for months/years, but (knock on wood) nothing like you described above....
My EA the hinge came undone after a year of doing washboard roads, nothing that nyloc and replacement bolt could not fix (I replace all nuts with nylocs) and the cover taking a dump from UV ray damages.....but it always kept me warm/cool even in the coldest/warmest environments...... I only sold it cause i needed two people to set up/take down on my lifted vehicle......

My AH Columbus variant is going strong (5 years now) although I see some hair cracks on top of the fiberglass shell, that apparently are quite normal according to some.....
Not bad for a tent that has lived up in that roof all its life, had had close encounters with some tree limbs and is just north of 100#.
Again as stated above..... so as long is it is water proof life is good.....!!!

Again thanks for your post !!!

Your right the elements will take it's toll on your gear, especially roof mounted. For the fiberglass, if they are only in the gel coat they are not too much to worry about. This can be prevented with using a fiberglass wax annually, but I have seen customers clean up really neglected tents to a nice shine with this kit https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Gelcoat-Care-and-Restoration .

I'm currently in the warranty-claim process of dealing with the same exact issues. Tent was installed on the truck (from brand new) 8.5 months ago, and has seen ~15 nights of use. I don't commute and the truck is parked in an underground parking lot 95% of the time. I've even covered the tent with a tarp when camping in poor weather. It has been babied!

Original fan was silent, then started making noise some months later. Replacement fan has already arrived, but has not yet been installed.

The latches holding the upper & lower parts of the tent closed have rusted. Some of the hardware at the bottom of the tent is surrounded by rust stains, too. These problems could have been easily avoided by making the hardware out of stainless steel (& powdercoating it for looks), instead of painting normal steel.

Latches:

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Bottom hardware:

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Fabric defects:

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I'll echo what everyone else has already said about Rin @ OK4WD - fantastic to deal with. But I'm very, very disappointed with how the tent has held up to such light, short-term use. I could understand this happening with a $1000 Chinese clone (of which there are plenty), but to have this happen with a $4000 James Baroud... Simply not the quality that JB is praised for (seemingly everywhere), and certainly not reflective of the price paid.

Glad I can be a help and like I mentioned above, problems are bound to arise from time to time outside our control. What we can control is how we handle them and correct the issue for the customer. Craig will be in contact with you today to setup your exchange.

It's going to be a bit of a pain, but I think replacing the latches without damaging the headliner is possible. The top (pivoting) part of the latch simply bolts on/off, so that's easy. The bottom is held on with rivets which can be drilled out. Start with a thin drill bit and go up in incremental sizes until the rivet is just barely holding in place. Slow, careful drilling will be key. Then place a metal, narrow object into the rivet and tap it with a hammer - the rivet will pop out and the fabric should be unaffected. That is, if the rivets are aluminum. If they're stainless steel, god help us.

Yes they are aluminum rivets and very easy to drill and replace if need be. Just be sure to use a drill bit stop to control your depth and if you have any questions or would like me to help walk you through it drop me an email rino@ok4wd.com and i will be happy to help.

Disappointing read. I've had my JB for about 16 months now and I've the same issues with my tent as you have.
The fan started out nice and quiet but after about 8 months it started to sound like a machine gun.
The clips develop rust.
I haven't looked properly but the fabric on my tent shows similar signs of wear.

I'm currently waiting for a delivery from JB with a new fan, a new light and a full set of clips. From what I can see though you can't cleanly replace the clips without damaging the headlining.
Very disappointing as this is very much an investment piece you expect to last for many years.
I'm not in the US so I don't have a Rin to deal with either, my local dealer didn't want to support me but rather just gave me the contact details for a guy at JB so I'm dealing with JB direct.

It's a shame because the tent is really awesome except for a few very minor issues.

Who did you purchase through in EU?
 

Dozer Dan

Observer
Who did you purchase through in EU?

I live in Ireland and we have no distributors here so I got mine from Devon4x4 in the UK. At the time they were the only option. Their main business is 4x4 stuff and not really tents so they probably don't have as much experience as other vendors dealing primarily with outdoors stuff.
 

MANUCHAO

Aventurero
Your right the elements will take it's toll on your gear, especially roof mounted. For the fiberglass, if they are only in the gel coat they are not too much to worry about. This can be prevented with using a fiberglass wax annually, but I have seen customers clean up really neglected tents to a nice shine with this kit https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Gelcoat-Care-and-Restoration .

Thank you for the information... much much appreciated !!!
 
...I got mine from Devon4x4 in the UK. At the time they were the only option. Their main business is 4x4 stuff and not really tents so they probably don't have as much experience as other vendors...

If you haven't discussed with Devon4x4 yet, do give them a try - I've found them to be fantastically responsive to questions I've had about their products. Not warranty-related, though...
 

aaen

Adventurer
Believe he already has talked to them and they basically told him to go fly a kite and talk to the factory. Maybe not so much in those words, but that was my understanding of it.
 

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