Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
The earliest we can get to it is next week, we are booked solid with projects.
Jeep Wrangler Habitat Official Release
- Thread starter elcoyote
- Start date
The earliest we can get to it is next week, we are booked solid with projects.
AZUnlimited
Adventurer
Initial Impressions of the Habitat
I’d like to start this post by giving a big “Thank You” to AT and UMV for taking a risk and turning out a great and innovative product. My wife and I are looking forward to many wonderful trips in our new Habitat. Additionally, I’d like to give extra thanks to Mario Donovan from AT. Throughout the entire early adopter phase, he has always answered my many phone calls, emails, and questions. I definitely owe him a beer. When doing business with AT, you are not only purchasing a product. You are purchasing a product backed by their outstanding customer service.
Before I get into my initial impressions of the Habitat, let me give you all a little background on my specific JK. It started life as an 07’ Jeep JK Unlimited Rubicon with a manual transmission and softtop. Early on in its life, I saddled it with one of the first production Gobi Stealth racks. The Gobi rack was definitely robust in design and build, which means it was very heavy. The rack completely changed the way the JK handled, even unloaded, and the wind noise and howling it created were unbearable at speeds greater than 35mph. Eventually the rack was sold. I’ll never forget the ride home after selling the rack. It felt like a completely new vehicle. Since then, the major additions have been the AEV bumper up front, and the AT Stage I & II drawer system in the interior. The addition of the AEV front bumper required a change to Jeep TJ front coils to compensate for the additional weight. Thus far this has been a pretty good setup.
Let’s start my initial impressions of the Habitat with how it feels from sitting behind the steering wheel.
The first thing you’ll notice as you enter the vehicle is the headliner above the driver/passenger seats. It incorporates two map pockets overhead. This is a welcome addition to the Habitat as there never seems to be enough places in the JK to stash little items like maps, paperwork, cell phones and other small electronics.
Speaking of cell phones and small electronic devices, what good is a place to store them if they cannot be charged? Luckily the Habitat has this covered. Above the drivers head is a 12v socket to plug car chargers into.
Additionally, Mario has added a bonus feature. He has been able to source some new to the market USB charging ports which are installed to the left of the drivers head. Thus no need to carry an additional 12v charger!! Just plug a USB cable into your portable electronic device and into the USB socket and you are good to go.
That basically covers the driver/passenger interior. Now onto initial driving impressions once the vehicle was fitted with the Habitat. As you may have noticed from some of the pictures post by Mario, my JK’s current mostly stock suspension is not up to the task of handling all of the weight of the current modifications plus the Habitat. I do not know the exact weight of the Habitat. But I do know I currently only have 1.5”"s of clearance to the bump stops in the rear of the JK. Ouch! This will be addressed shortly. Needless to say, the handling of the vehicle is a little squishy at the moment.
As mentioned earlier, I believe it would be an understatement to say that I despised the heavy external roof rack on the JK. I was initially worried that some of the issues associated with a rack would be inherent with the Habitat. Namely weight up high and additional wind noise. However, I am happy to report it does not appear to be the case. The additional weight of the Habitat feels to be just that, extra weight. Perhaps it’s due to the extra weight resting directly on the roll cage and being evenly distributed? Essentially, from the driver’s seat, I feel that the vehicle has more weight onboard, but I cannot tell where it’s at, if that makes any sense. With the heavy external roof rack on the JK, you always knew something was up above. As for wind noise, you can hear a little. It kicks in around 50 mph and doesn’t seem to get louder as the speed increases past that. I would not describe it as loud wind noise, just some wind noise. Now the interesting thing about this wind noise is that I notice it because the cab is so much quieter. Living with a soft top or topless JK for the past 5 years, the ambient noise level in the vehicle at highway speeds was always high. Things where loud, but you could not pick out what was specifically loud. Now that things are quiet, I notice some wind noise. I would say that the wind noise in the Jeep with the Habitat is a little bit more than my wife’s Nissan maxima, and definitely less than the JK with a soft top on it.
Let’s move on to driving at highway speeds. As is usual on the highways that link cities in AZ, most people cruise at a speeds between 75mph and 85mph. My particular JK likes to cruise comfortably at 80mph and will do 85mph when I am needing to get somewhere a bit faster. When I had the heavy external roof rack, everything dropped by about 7mph. 85mph was very tough to hit, and the vehicle and driver had to work to maintain the 75mph speed limit. This made for long days. I attributed this to the extra non-aero surface areas the external rack added to the sides and top of the vehicle. From the initial drive from Prescott to Phoenix with the Habitat, I have not noticed any change in being able to maintain my normal cruising speed. Even though the Habitat makes the brick shape of the Jeep a bit bigger(taller), it does not appear to have negatively affected my ability to maintain highway cruising speeds.
I’ll post more on driving characteristics with the Habitat once I upgrade the suspension and get it off pavement.
I’d like to start this post by giving a big “Thank You” to AT and UMV for taking a risk and turning out a great and innovative product. My wife and I are looking forward to many wonderful trips in our new Habitat. Additionally, I’d like to give extra thanks to Mario Donovan from AT. Throughout the entire early adopter phase, he has always answered my many phone calls, emails, and questions. I definitely owe him a beer. When doing business with AT, you are not only purchasing a product. You are purchasing a product backed by their outstanding customer service.
Before I get into my initial impressions of the Habitat, let me give you all a little background on my specific JK. It started life as an 07’ Jeep JK Unlimited Rubicon with a manual transmission and softtop. Early on in its life, I saddled it with one of the first production Gobi Stealth racks. The Gobi rack was definitely robust in design and build, which means it was very heavy. The rack completely changed the way the JK handled, even unloaded, and the wind noise and howling it created were unbearable at speeds greater than 35mph. Eventually the rack was sold. I’ll never forget the ride home after selling the rack. It felt like a completely new vehicle. Since then, the major additions have been the AEV bumper up front, and the AT Stage I & II drawer system in the interior. The addition of the AEV front bumper required a change to Jeep TJ front coils to compensate for the additional weight. Thus far this has been a pretty good setup.
Let’s start my initial impressions of the Habitat with how it feels from sitting behind the steering wheel.
The first thing you’ll notice as you enter the vehicle is the headliner above the driver/passenger seats. It incorporates two map pockets overhead. This is a welcome addition to the Habitat as there never seems to be enough places in the JK to stash little items like maps, paperwork, cell phones and other small electronics.
Speaking of cell phones and small electronic devices, what good is a place to store them if they cannot be charged? Luckily the Habitat has this covered. Above the drivers head is a 12v socket to plug car chargers into.
Additionally, Mario has added a bonus feature. He has been able to source some new to the market USB charging ports which are installed to the left of the drivers head. Thus no need to carry an additional 12v charger!! Just plug a USB cable into your portable electronic device and into the USB socket and you are good to go.
That basically covers the driver/passenger interior. Now onto initial driving impressions once the vehicle was fitted with the Habitat. As you may have noticed from some of the pictures post by Mario, my JK’s current mostly stock suspension is not up to the task of handling all of the weight of the current modifications plus the Habitat. I do not know the exact weight of the Habitat. But I do know I currently only have 1.5”"s of clearance to the bump stops in the rear of the JK. Ouch! This will be addressed shortly. Needless to say, the handling of the vehicle is a little squishy at the moment.
As mentioned earlier, I believe it would be an understatement to say that I despised the heavy external roof rack on the JK. I was initially worried that some of the issues associated with a rack would be inherent with the Habitat. Namely weight up high and additional wind noise. However, I am happy to report it does not appear to be the case. The additional weight of the Habitat feels to be just that, extra weight. Perhaps it’s due to the extra weight resting directly on the roll cage and being evenly distributed? Essentially, from the driver’s seat, I feel that the vehicle has more weight onboard, but I cannot tell where it’s at, if that makes any sense. With the heavy external roof rack on the JK, you always knew something was up above. As for wind noise, you can hear a little. It kicks in around 50 mph and doesn’t seem to get louder as the speed increases past that. I would not describe it as loud wind noise, just some wind noise. Now the interesting thing about this wind noise is that I notice it because the cab is so much quieter. Living with a soft top or topless JK for the past 5 years, the ambient noise level in the vehicle at highway speeds was always high. Things where loud, but you could not pick out what was specifically loud. Now that things are quiet, I notice some wind noise. I would say that the wind noise in the Jeep with the Habitat is a little bit more than my wife’s Nissan maxima, and definitely less than the JK with a soft top on it.
Let’s move on to driving at highway speeds. As is usual on the highways that link cities in AZ, most people cruise at a speeds between 75mph and 85mph. My particular JK likes to cruise comfortably at 80mph and will do 85mph when I am needing to get somewhere a bit faster. When I had the heavy external roof rack, everything dropped by about 7mph. 85mph was very tough to hit, and the vehicle and driver had to work to maintain the 75mph speed limit. This made for long days. I attributed this to the extra non-aero surface areas the external rack added to the sides and top of the vehicle. From the initial drive from Prescott to Phoenix with the Habitat, I have not noticed any change in being able to maintain my normal cruising speed. Even though the Habitat makes the brick shape of the Jeep a bit bigger(taller), it does not appear to have negatively affected my ability to maintain highway cruising speeds.
I’ll post more on driving characteristics with the Habitat once I upgrade the suspension and get it off pavement.
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AZUnlimited
Adventurer
Exterior Pics
Okay, here are some pics I took last night of the Habitat closed up.
Pictures of the latches in the rear to keep everything closed.
Front hinges and torsion bar with composite cover.
Better view of the drip rail along the side of the habitat.
Here is a photo of the support pole mounts placed on the front bumper. Look for them on the bumper just before the start of the fender.
Okay, here are some pics I took last night of the Habitat closed up.
Pictures of the latches in the rear to keep everything closed.
Front hinges and torsion bar with composite cover.
Better view of the drip rail along the side of the habitat.
Here is a photo of the support pole mounts placed on the front bumper. Look for them on the bumper just before the start of the fender.
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kb7our
Explorer
Thanks for taking the time to report and for the additional pics AZU. It does not appear that front latches are used so I wonder what is holding down the front lip at the windshield? Is the back inside shell carpeted? Is it easy to crank open and back closed? How's the mattress that's provided - any room for linens to remain while closed? Was a ladder provided for backup entry/exit? What "don't" you like about it at this early stage - anything? What would you change if you could (probably too soon to say)? Does it feel super stable up there with 2 people in the forward sleeping area? Also, was there a nominal install charge you can share?
I know, lots of questions, but you're the first one so it comes with being first in line for a production unit
-Wade
I know, lots of questions, but you're the first one so it comes with being first in line for a production unit
-Wade
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jrueppel
Adventurer
Double thanks for all the detailed pics. Great to get to see all the little pieces up close. Also really curious how the mattress and space for linens or sleeping bags while closed might have turned out. I think I saw a loop of 12v wire hanging down in the install photos that AT put on their Facebook site. Guess that routes up to the 12v socket and USB port. How did that get connected into the Jeeps 12v power? You got to be super psyched to have #1 home at last. Thanks for sharing the details. They are making waiting for a few more weeks just a little bit easier for the rest of us.
kb7our
Explorer
The Nemo second article tent pics recently posted on the AT Facebook page look nice and tight, with numerous apparent refinements. Really spiffy job Cam and AT team!!! Thought there might be some mini screened windows in the front corners to peek out - I see some in the rear with the draw shade lowered. I spy some side awning zippers (YES!!!), interior attic netting, closable side windows, and one heck of a nice draw string skirt to keep out foul weather. Probably missed some things. Heck, I'll take the tent without the Habitat shell for now!!! Comon John, crank out the shells, I have a major mid Jun Yellowstone and N Rim trip planned and would love to have mine ready for that adventure. AT, let us know if this is a go for production. Nice job all. Mario, you guys should provide an AT 10th Anniversary patch, decal, or similar on the units (at least I think it's 10 years).
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DingusKahn
Adventurer
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What he said.
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What he said.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
kb7our
Explorer
With the apparent capability to utilize the Nemo zip on awning on either side as well as the back of the Habitat (based on latest AT Facebook pics of Nemo article 2), I wonder who besides me might be interested in Cam providing us with a small privacy room option as well, something for a potty/shower/changing room on either side with walls (no floor needed) and zipper door (ok maybe a window or two as well). The current awning shown at OE11 might be too big for add on walls, but a smaller version that allowed this option might just be the cat's meow. I think most people might be using something similar anyway so providing walls with a fast setup that could work directly with the Habitat would be ideal. We use the Cabelas Privy Shelter http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camp...Rprd746435&WTz_l=SBC;BRprd746435;cat104569380 but have also used other units. I would purchase such an option at a reasonable price and if it was a nice "quick deploy" accessory.
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kb7our
Explorer
Yep, I can relate. Just figured if it's taken over 2 years to get to this point with the Habitat and only 1 production model so far, better get a head start on anything new to compliment the setup :sombrero:. Already having experience with roof top tents and similar arrangement, a changing room seems ideal to complete the setup. Hoping to get "some" camping in this season with a new Habitat.
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