jk pop top?

[The Swiss]

Its not off the table, it comes up at our new product meetings all the time. The prototype is all electric and was designed to lift 350lbs because the thought of taking a bunch of kayaks off the roof after a long drive late at night in the rain didn't interest me. The thing works great but I'd make a bunch of changes now that I've lived with it for a while

dh

You gotta be kidding!!! A guy at AEV in Michigan, I think his name was Mike but I'm not sure anymore, told me less than a year ago that this project died for good.

Well, I guess this is good news then; from having nobody seriously looking into this since the Outpost concept despite our screaming here on the board, looks like we now suddenly will have 3 options. Big kudos to Martyn and Mario at AT who were the first to take the plunge and to take the financial risk of developing a small series for the public.

Thanks guys!

 

[65Dormie]

One advantage of a side hinged design like the Dormobile is that it makes a wider space when opened. This enables access from inside the vehicle.

Paul

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Since Dormie, brought up Dormobiles, thoughts of which were running through my mind as read this post. Whether pop up, side hinged or front hinged (westy like), I want to be able to stand up and move around in the back of the Jeep similar to how you can in a Dormobile. Crawling through a hatch, like the Ursa Minor roof for the Element won't cut it.

My $0.02

Jim

 

[TCM]

Inside access makes sense for JKs in which the back seats have been removed. This allows for more flexible cargo loading that would allow convenient entry from inside.

For those with the back seat still in place exterior access seems a reasonable choice and the one I would prefer. Otherwise you will be crawling over cargo and the seats to gain access to the tent.

There are two competing design philosophies here, camper conversion or roof top tent. My choice would be the roof top tent model. But in the this case the Pop-Top improves on the RTT in three ways. One, potentially lighter weight than a RTT and the rack necessary to mount it. Two, much greater integration with the body and hence better aesthetics and improved aerodynamics. Three, cargo can be placed on top of the Pop-Top with bikes and kayaks being an especially easy fit with reasonable weight.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Since Dormie, brought up Dormobiles, thoughts of which were running through my mind as read this post. Whether pop up, side hinged or front hinged (westy like), I want to be able to stand up and move around in the back of the Jeep similar to how you can in a Dormobile. Crawling through a hatch, like the Ursa Minor roof for the Element won't cut it.

My $0.02

Jim

Earlier there was a comment about the Earthroamer style flip-top often not having enough clearance of branches & such to deploy without relocating. A Dormobile style side flip style requires much less "head room" to deploy which makes it a very smart comprimise between the partial clamshell style, which many feel doesn't offer enough space, and the flip-top.

I like the idea of being able to walk (crouch if you're tall?) around inside, but what kind of comprimises does that bring, if any?

 

[The Swiss]

Having experience both with a pop-up roof with access from the inside and a RTT with access from the outside, I definitely prefer having access from the inside. There are so many advantages, from being able to kinda stand-up to pull up your pants over better ventilation in the car to being able to stow away bags up in the roof when you are camping. HAving a true pop-up roof makes a vehicle a lot more livable, even if it's rather small in size and not a fully fledged Westy or Sportsmobile, than just having a RTT bolted to the roof.

The pic of the Fiat below comes very close to what I had (sides were soft, not hard sides like on the pic), the entire vehicle is less than 10 feet long and still made a good first camper.

 

[JeepinJon]

You gotta be kidding!!! A guy at AEV in Michigan, I think his name was Mike but I'm not sure anymore, told me less than a year ago that this project died for good.

You gotta talk to the guys in Montana. They are definitely in the know on what is coming up. :sombrero:

 

[The Swiss]

You gotta talk to the guys in Montana. They are definitely in the know on what is coming up. :sombrero:

Looks like. Unluckily Montana is usually not really on my way. But it got awfully quiet around this thread again ...

 

[onlyontwo]

Bump!

What happened to this thread? I was looking at doing some work to my F150 to make it more capable. But, now my wife has given the green light to off her Mini and get a 4 door JK. :wings:

So does anyone have more word on any of these concepts. I would love to have a pop-up on a JK.

Cheers,
Andy

 

[stolenheron]

Quick Photochop...

i'll take it! hahaha

 

[The Swiss]

So does anyone have more word on any of these concepts. I would love to have a pop-up on a JK.

Cheers,
Andy

Something like this? :wings:

Read more about it here:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26874

 

[T.Low]

i'd be interested, but here in europe TÜV is probably getting in the way and having them giving you a license will most likely cost quite a bit plus i believe there are not enough wranglers around to make it worth it.

anyhow would i like to see one and maybe one day it might make it to germany, etc.

to be honest: i like the sketch on the aev website better than the prototype they built...

As a pop top guy, I like the sketch also, except IMO, the exterior only access defeats my purpose.

1) Pull into camp in bad weather, pop the top and go to sleep.

2) Middle of the night, wife wakes up, climbs down and uses porta potty inside, warm and dry.

3) Wake up, pull lid down, jump in driver's seat, pour hot coffee from thermos, grab a blueberry pop tart and go. Don't stop until you are warmed and ready.

These are the reasons I spent the coin on the pop top instead of just an RTT.

When I am ready, I will enlist Derek's help in converting my V-Top to a Penthouse top, possibly with fold out rear section. He has great ideas and mad fab skills.

On this trip, thru camping in BC's Coast Range mountains off the Sunshine Coast, we had just seen 3 cougars sitting together on a bend in the FS road.

We pulled into camp at dusk, and She Low was afraid to get out until daylight. (I like this picture as much as any I've ever taken anywhere.)

The next morning I locked her inside until i knew it was safe outside.:ylsmoke:

She Low was very ok with that.

Shelter=good

I deemed the camp area safe for women folk and let her out.

We love pop top camping.

Life is short. Get pop tops in those Jeeps, boys, and camp it up.

 

[offroadcamperguy]

JK Pop up Phoenix PULSE

Here's one:

 

[tacomadave]

Wow, thats cool. Got any more pictures of the interior layout?

 

[offroadcamperguy]

Phoenix pop up JK PULSE interior

Looking straight down from the bed area, you can see there is all the space from the back door to the roll bar completely clear to stand, change clothes, cook, etc... Also in view is the heavy duty deep cycle battery, the wave propane heater, and the 12v refrigerator. Next to the battery is the built in step to get up to the bedroom loft.

Looking to the passenger side, this is the stainless steel, glass covered, three burner push button ignition stove and sink combination, with built in water tank and electric pump.

4 big windows surround the pop up liner, one on each wall. View looking up into the bed loft from the body.

Once you get to your camp site, you push the button on the automatic air mattress, and pump it up to whatever firmness you like. Then, there's a bunch of storage under the bed platform with automatic gas prop lifters.

Looking in from the back door, you can see the contoured cabinet face and countertop on the passenger side, then the roll cage fully in tact, and the connection between the living quarters and cab is fully wide open too!
<a href="http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k636/coyoterv4u/?action=view&amp;current=SportsmansExpo2011-9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k636/coyoterv4u/SportsmansExpo2011-9.jpg" border="0" alt="Wrangler Phoenix Pop up Camper"></a>