A good problem to have... Step Inside! Advice welcome

[charliedontsurf]

Hey everyone... long time listener, first time caller. Been over on fjcruiserforums for a couple years now but I’m new over here. I’ve got a 2014 FJC that I am in the process and planning stages of getting ready for some overlanding/off-road adventuring. I seem to have hit a “speed bump” in my planning process however...

Looking at a hard shell tent. My wife and I very much like the James Baroud line of tents. I’m 6’3” and 320lbs and my wife is a tiny 5’2” and 105lbs. For space reasons alone, the Grand Raid XXL would seem to suit us because we are planning a 3 week road trip to OEWest next May and perhaps a 2 week trip to FJ Summit out in Colorado as well. It would be the 2 of us and our 2 smaller dogs. We live in Florida so a secondary use for us would be popping up the tent for beach days in the summer time. So here’s the dilemma...

It would seem that the JB Grand Raid XXL is a bit large for the FJ, but not completely unmanageable. I am planning to put it on a Warrior Products roof rack because it is rated for 1,000lbs static and I figured that would be plenty of leeway as far as weight is concerned. The Grand Raid will certainly dwarf the rack however and it will hang off the sides a bit. I’m afraid this may limit the other accessories that’s i may be able to mount to my rack like the Alu-Awn Shadow or a Road Shower and annex. However, that being said, it is large enough to sleep the 2 of us and our dogs very comfortably.

The other option would be a smaller JB like the Explorer. More of a snug fit (especially length-wise) in the tent itself, but I would certainly have the realestate on the rack for an awning and the shower etc...

So the dilemma is:

*Go with the Grand Raid and have a much larger and more comfortable sleeping area in the RTT, but sacrifice the awning and other things that may be nice to have for such a long trip. Or... Go with the Explorer and retain the possibilities of attaching an awning and other accessories up top, freeing up valuable space in the FJ. Thoughts? Opinions? Thanks!

 

[Drumber]

Soft shell is probably a better option for you. When unfolded most are ~88" to 98" long. Then you can get a 4 person one and have tons of space and comfort. Look at the 4 person options from CVT and Tepui.

 

[charliedontsurf]

I’ve looked long and hard at various soft shell tents. I’m not opposed to them but they will present some unique challenges to the type of overlanding were most likely to be doing. Namely set up and break down time. Especially after a 10-12 hour drive and in the dark and/or rain. And then up early the next morning to do the same all over again. The ease of set up and breakdown for a tent like the JBs really appeals to me for this reason.

I laid out some tape on my living room floor to get an idea of the actual area we would have in the Explorer. It would be tight but I think it would be manageable. I’m a side sleeper so I can curl my legs a bit I suppose. Other part of that equation is my wife is pretty much sold on the panoramic views afforded by the JB for those days at the beach. I’m still thinking on it but I’m starting to lean more towards the Explorer so that I can utilize an enclosed awning and other creature comforts directly on my rack.

 

[ttengineer]

The iKamper Skycamp will fit your roof very well as its only 54" wide but it opens to a king bed and takes less than a min to set up and open. They also have an available annex and an available awning that integrates into the tent. But be aware that unless you're a back sleeper, you'll need to add a mattress topper because the pad, although dense, is only an inch thick. Its $1000 less than a grand raid and weighs about 30lbs less too with the added benefit of being larger as well.

 

[charliedontsurf]

The iKamper Skycamp will fit your roof very well as its only 54" wide but it opens to a king bed and takes less than a min to set up and open. They also have an available annex and an available awning that integrates into the tent. But be aware that unless you're a back sleeper, you'll need to add a mattress topper because the pad, although dense, is only an inch thick. Its $1000 less than a grand raid and weighs about 30lbs less too with the added benefit of being larger as well.

Thanks I’ll check that out! Sounds promising...

Edit... just read the thread about the iKamper. Has some really cool attributes but I think the build quality and some of the seemingly thoughtless design characteristics really deter me from it. Thank you for the suggestion though!

 

[charliedontsurf]

I’ve been giving the Tepui tents a hard look now. My heart is set on a JB, but we may just have to wait until we get a Land Cruiser to buy the Grand Raid.

Setup and break down for the Tepui doesn’t look too terrible. I figure if I practice it a lot I can get it down to sub 5 minutes so if it’s dark or rainy and I’m tired it won’t be too bad I hope.

Looking at either the Kukenam XL Ruggedized SKY or the Autana XL Ruggeized SKY. Either would be a better size for my wife and I and our dogs. Plus it has an attachable annex with a PVC floor which will be a really nice feature that the JBs don’t have. That plus the 270* Shadow Awning should be a great thing to have which we wouldn’t be able to do with the Grand Raid.

Is the 122” length of the Autana XL worth the extra few hundred bucks? Seem like it will be huge! Like a palace on wheels haha. Is this a good fitting tent for the FJ or would the Kukenam XL be a better fit?

Thanks everyone for the input so far! I think we will eventually spring for a hardtop tent in the next few years. Especially if we end up with a Land Cruiser. I just think that it may be worth it to wait another year or so and see what new innovations are forthcoming in that segment of the market. I think this is a growing hobby/lifestyle for people and it will only grow from here. I’m hopeful we’ll see some really cool products in the near future.

 

[Hummelator]

I have recently been looking into Chinese hardshell roof top tents. Would love to buy brand name but just can't justify it. Searching on alibaba.com I found a company that makes a decent looking hardshell tent. Unistrengh I believe their name is. They have a couple models with the mattress being 80" long- same as a queen size bed. They have different widths too. To purchase it and have it shipped to port in Vancouver was just over $1050 USD. Obviously I don't expect brand name quality at that price but for the amount that I would use it each year, I'm sure it will hold up just fine.
A potential option to look into.

 

[Outside somewhere]

Is the 122” length of the Autana XL worth the extra few hundred bucks? Seem like it will be huge! Like a palace on wheels haha. Is this a good fitting tent for the FJ or would the Kukenam XL be a better fit?

Where are you? Long shot but I might have a banging deal for you. I've got the tepui gran sabana, now called the autana xl. No sky panels but I bought this version over the autana xl because I felt long term the sky panels might be a potential failure point and would end up scratched up/cloudy anyway. I'm actually selling it because I've moved to a trailer based setup now and it's just taking up room. Actually hate to sell it. It's got room for days and that's why I searched that model out vs a hardshell or other RTT's. I'm 6'5 and I wanted to be comfortable, spread out with the girl on her side and me on mine. Tried a couple of smaller sized RTT's for overnighters and I felt like I had to sleep in the fetal position the whole time. Not this thing. When fully opened with the annex the only way I can describe it is cavernous. It's quick to open, the annex zips in place and not only is the floor rubberized it also zips out for cleaning and whatnot. I know it fits fine on an FJ gobi stealth rack because I let a buddy borrow it this spring. I have a front runner rack on my smaller rubicon and it fits perfectly there too.

 

[sologeek]

I would like to know what you end up doing. I'm 6'4 350 so I share some of the same concerns you have. Please keep us updated!

 

[charliedontsurf]

I would like to know what you end up doing. I'm 6'4 350 so I share some of the same concerns you have. Please keep us updated!

I have done a lot of research...

For me, my heart is still stuck on the James Baroud Grand Raid XXL. Biggest positive to the Grand Raid (and other similar hard shell RTTs) is that set up and take is fast and simple. And you can leave all of your bedding in the tent which makes things even simpler and faster and frees up space in the back of your vehicle (which if you have an FJC like I do then you know space is a premium). If it's raining out or if you've just been driving for 12+ hours and you're tired, you just release the 4 points on the tent and up it goes. You get in and you're done.

Biggest downside of a hard shell RTT like the Grand Raid XXL (for me with an FJC) is that because of its size it will hang over the sides of whatever roof rack I use to mount it to my vehicle. And what that means is that it will limit my ability to attach awnings and other accessories to my roof rack. Which again, means that I have to take up more space in the back of my truck with equipment that could have otherwise been on my roof. The next, equally big detractor to a hard shell RTT is that the manufacturers of these tents don't seem to have seen the importance of an enclosed attachable awning/annex for these. You wake up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and it's raining. With the Grand Raid I would have to get wet while exiting the tent and then make my way to the bathroom (wherever that may be). It also means that to change clothes I would have to do so laying down in the tent if I want privacy. Nowhere enclosed to stand up that is attached to the tent.

A soft RTT like the Tepuis, Treeline, Howling Moon, ARBs etc solve some of the problems I mentioned above. But they leave a lot to be desired in terms of ease and quickness of set up. Not to mention I don't think I can leave bedding in them while they are packed away during transit. Biggest positives to a soft RTT is that they are generally more affordable. They are generally bigger and have much more space. They have attachable annex's that are fully enclosed so you can enter/exit your tent in privacy and have a fully enclosed area to change clothes in, sit and relax in, eat dinner in a chair with a table if the weather is bad, out your bathroom in if you need some privacy for that, plus other considerations.

So for instance, my choices are as follows:
*Option A) Grand Raid XXL and no awnings etc but very quick/easy set up. Great for traveling to a new spot every day.
*Option B) Tepui or Treeline with a fully enclosed annex. Plus other creature comforts like a Shadow Awning and a Road Shower are possibilities. Great if you're setting up camp for more than a couple days.

My adventures next year will require both setting up/tearing down daily while traveling to destinations AND camping for a few days at a time in certain locations. So it makes the choice very difficult. I've narrowed it down to the James Baroud Grand Raid XXL, the Tepui Autana Sky Ruggedized, or perhaps one of the tents from Treeline. So in short I'm not really any closer to a decision than I was when I first started this thread!:costumed-smiley-007

 

[sologeek]

I have done a lot of research...

For me, my heart is still stuck on the James Baroud Grand Raid XXL. Biggest positive to the Grand Raid (and other similar hard shell RTTs) is that set up and take is fast and simple. And you can leave all of your bedding in the tent which makes things even simpler and faster and frees up space in the back of your vehicle (which if you have an FJC like I do then you know space is a premium). If it's raining out or if you've just been driving for 12+ hours and you're tired, you just release the 4 points on the tent and up it goes. You get in and you're done.

Biggest downside of a hard shell RTT like the Grand Raid XXL (for me with an FJC) is that because of its size it will hang over the sides of whatever roof rack I use to mount it to my vehicle. And what that means is that it will limit my ability to attach awnings and other accessories to my roof rack. Which again, means that I have to take up more space in the back of my truck with equipment that could have otherwise been on my roof. The next, equally big detractor to a hard shell RTT is that the manufacturers of these tents don't seem to have seen the importance of an enclosed attachable awning/annex for these. You wake up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and it's raining. With the Grand Raid I would have to get wet while exiting the tent and then make my way to the bathroom (wherever that may be). It also means that to change clothes I would have to do so laying down in the tent if I want privacy. Nowhere enclosed to stand up that is attached to the tent.

A soft RTT like the Tepuis, Treeline, Howling Moon, ARBs etc solve some of the problems I mentioned above. But they leave a lot to be desired in terms of ease and quickness of set up. Not to mention I don't think I can leave bedding in them while they are packed away during transit. Biggest positives to a soft RTT is that they are generally more affordable. They are generally bigger and have much more space. They have attachable annex's that are fully enclosed so you can enter/exit your tent in privacy and have a fully enclosed area to change clothes in, sit and relax in, eat dinner in a chair with a table if the weather is bad, out your bathroom in if you need some privacy for that, plus other considerations.

So for instance, my choices are as follows:
*Option A) Grand Raid XXL and no awnings etc but very quick/easy set up. Great for traveling to a new spot every day.
*Option B) Tepui or Treeline with a fully enclosed annex. Plus other creature comforts like a Shadow Awning and a Road Shower are possibilities. Great if you're setting up camp for more than a couple days.

My adventures next year will require both setting up/tearing down daily while traveling to destinations AND camping for a few days at a time in certain locations. So it makes the choice very difficult. I've narrowed it down to the James Baroud Grand Raid XXL, the Tepui Autana Sky Ruggedized, or perhaps one of the tents from Treeline. So in short I'm not really any closer to a decision than I was when I first started this thread!:costumed-smiley-007

Interesting points, Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. My friend has a cvt and I know he is able to leave all his bedding, sleeping bags and blankets and such inside the tent when he closes it up before driving. However, he does often need to stand on top of the rtt after it's closed in order to compress it enough to get it secured for the drive.

 

[jpachard]

The annexes are another love/hate item. The setup on them is not optimal and when they get wet they are lousy to pack.

Also, just a clarification on the bedding topic, I would keep my bedding in my CVT no issues. I’ll be moving to a Baroud shortly as we spend 30+ nights a year in a tent so for me the added cost is offset quickly.


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[charliedontsurf]

The annexes are another love/hate item. The setup on them is not optimal and when they get wet they are lousy to pack.

Also, just a clarification on the bedding topic, I would keep my bedding in my CVT no issues. I'll be moving to a Baroud shortly as we spend 30+ nights a year in a tent so for me the added cost is offset quickly.


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I'm curious, what is it that is drawing you to the JB over your current CVT? My 2 biggest hesitations with the James Baroud tents are 1) Sizes that don't really cater to taller people unless you get the Grand Raid XXL (which means sacrificing other items in my situation) and 2) Lack of a covered entry/exit and their awnings aren't fully enclosable (no floor).

 

[jpachard]

I’m curious, what is it that is drawing you to the JB over your current CVT? My 2 biggest hesitations with the James Baroud tents are 1) Sizes that don’t really cater to taller people unless you get the Grand Raid XXL (which means sacrificing other items in my situation) and 2) Lack of a covered entry/exit and their awnings aren’t fully enclosable (no floor).

Hey Charlie, here are the reasons I’m migrating to the Baroud:
1. Set up and take down time. The CVT is slower to set up and the cover gets in the way when the tent is deployed.
2. I’ve used the annex once. It added to the overall set up and take down time for little value add, at least for my camp.
3. Improved gas mileage, we do lots of driving to get to where we want to be.
4. Better quality interior and mattress. The CVT was a great starter tent and solidified our decision that rooftop is much better than ground tents for our camping and expedition needs. The CVT was good in weather, never leaked etc.

All that said, me and my better half are 5’9” and 5’6” respectively so we don’t have the height challenges you face regarding tent selection. We have a James Baroud Space on order.

I agree that the uncovered doors on the Baroud can and will be an issue but it looks like JB will be releasing a small annex product soon that will address this issue.

I have a Baja rack on my 4Runner and from my measurements it looks like I will easily be able to keep my arb awning included with the setup.

Good luck with your research. Everyone has different needs and we are lucky these days to have so many good choices out there.

Cheers, James


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[charliedontsurf]

This was my main motivation for getting the JB Explorer - immediate setup/tear down in poor weather.

This past weekend I spent three days/two nights base camping in an absolute (and non-stop) downpour. Here are the lessons learned:

- if the truck is not perfectly level, water will run along the fibreglass edges/channels and drip down in a stream on one side; not convenient if you're cooking in that very corner
- water will drip down all around your tent, on to whatever you have below it (tonneau & bed in my case) and the drips will result in splashes, that (over time) will get everything else around wet (even if those things are themselves covered by an awning)
- getting in/out of the tent while it's raining is no fun at all - expect water to get into the interior and soak your mattress
- with two people in the tent, fan running, and a single window open, we still got quite a bit of condensation in the morning; the night prior I had the fan running with two windows open (one at the feet area, one by my head) and there was no condensation at all, so you've got to have some windows open
- tent fan easily ran for two nights straight without being recharged (no sun to be found)
- found a fairly small (maybe 5cm x 3cm) wet spot on the fibreglass roof, near~ish to the fan - water is somehow getting in between the fibreglass and the carpet
- closed windows all stayed waterproof
- rain pouring on the fibreglass shell results in some fairly loud noise (think being inside a tin can) - did not expect this

The big take-away here is that a cover over the entire tent is really, really necessary. Not an unexpected conclusion (I've had a tarp over it before), but one worth considering.

I have a 16-ft Kelty Noah's tarp (diamond shaped) and plan to do the following:
- adjustable "flag mount" bracket on the front of my cab's roof rack;
- roughly 4-ft tall pole in the above bracket, which will be folded down flat when not in use, or raised vertically when needed
- one end of the above diamond tarp attached to the front pole
- another flag pole holder behind the truck, holding up the other (opposite) end of the diamond tarp; a tree would be even better
- the two sides of the diamond tarp would provide cover for entry off both sides, while the bulk of the tarp would cover the rear tailgate area

This tarp setup would essentially provide complete coverage for the tent and truck bed and be reasonably easy to setup (I figure tent + tarp will take the same amount of time a soft-shell RTT would take to setup ~ 10mins max). In good weather I won't need to use the tarp.

Very good observations! Living in Florida I know I'll deal with rain while out camping at some point. When I was a kid we went on a boys scout camping trip for a weekend and it rained the whole time. It was pretty miserable haha. I love your tarp idea with the brackets and poles. Very interested to see some pictures of what you come up with!