Is the roof tent trend over?

casioqv

Dr. Diesel
When I was a kid I used to fantasize about epic road trips... doing the pan-american highway and the Darien gap, etc. and came up on my own with the idea of roof mounted campers for cars... I used to draw designs for them all day long at school and had features like folding hard sides, thin profiles with auto-inflating mattresses, and ingress/egress through the sunroof. I like sporty european cars, and wanted to camp in safety and comfort without having a big RV.

I was blown away in the late 2000s when I saw a photo of a European traveller in africa with a real RTT, I had no idea other people had been thinking of, and already making these! I had to have one!

And they are every bit as awesome as I fantasized as a kid... when I first put one on my car in the USA back in ~2009, nobody had seen one, and people would point and stare. Then around ~2020 they became a huge hit here in Northern California- I would see them on cars parked up and down the street. Now they all seem to be gone! Where did they go?

And how the heck can I sell mine if nobody wants them anymore? I had an iKamper SkyCamp 2X, but had to upgrade to a 4X as my family grew. I've found zero interest when trying to sell the 2X, at really any price. Advertised all over the internet- paid ads on facebook, craigslist, and on here. I need the space in my garage to store the 4X, and am shocked that the 2X seems completely unsellable given how awesome I think it is. One minute setup for a bed bigger, and more comfortable than almost any RV on the roof of a small off-road capable SUV that is fuel efficient and fun to drive! How could anyone not want one?

What are your thoughts? Is the roof tent trend over? Are those of us that own them stuck with them unless we want to pay to take them to the landfill?
 
Last edited:

casioqv

Dr. Diesel
It's hard for me to beleive iKamper is selling any new tents at all, when I see them sitting on the market for 6+ months, in like new condition, at half new price. I love iKamper- they have the best customer support I've ever experienced, and the tents are fully upgradable (I upgraded a used 1.0 into a 3.0 for pretty cheap). They've even scrounged around in the wearhouse to find and ship me free replacement 1.0 parts. I hope they survive, and hope I can check out the new showroom next time I'm in Seattle.
 
Last edited:

casioqv

Dr. Diesel
I think they got so expensive that nobody is buying the 1/2 price used because not many have $2-3k cash but don’t bat an eye an credit carding $4-6k.

That is terrible if true.... but I can believe it.

I asked GPT-4 why I can't sell the tent, and it basically said it's because it's not camping season yet, which makes sense ?
 
Last edited:

vintageracer

To Infinity and Beyond!
One of the bigger rooftop tent importer/manufacturers CVT opened a rooftop tent sales center in Chattanooga TN. It lasted less than 1 year before they pulled the plug and went back to their original store in California.
 

ThundahBeagle

Well-known member
God, I hope so.

That's a little tongue in cheek - a little. For me, I think they are a cool idea, but in the NorthEast and having a pickup with Leer Cap, I've just never had a use for one. I bet they are handy out west or in desert areas. Keep the worry of scorpions and snakes down, I suppose
 

jmmaxus

Member
I don’t think it’s over I just think the market is going back to where it was in 2019. Everyone ran out to buy RVs and RTT etc the last two years and now the RV lots are full and not as many are buying into any type of recreational vehicle as much and lots of people off loading them so the market is now saturated. Honestly I was thinking of getting one and may still but I just bought cots for my ground tent so may just stick with that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

vintageracer

To Infinity and Beyond!
Yesterday I went to Costco to git 2 rotisserie chickens for the dog and spent a little time walking around just looking at stuff for sale that fit into that category of "You Might Like To Have But Certainly Do Not Need". Costco has a LOT of that kind of CRAP on their shelves.

One of many examples that stood out to me were the folding chaise lounge chairs now on sale for $89.95. 2 years ago they were $49.95. Just one example of many items I saw that made me think about all this inflation and interest rate hikes as it relates to items we may "Want But Certainly Do Not Need".

Sorry Costco!

I don't care how nice your folding chaise lounge is they are not worth almost $100.00 with tax to me. $50.00-$60.00 maybe but NOT $100.00! Especially when nice rarely used low mileage nice chaise lounge chairs can be had at garage sales everywhere for $20.00 or less.

Rooftop Tents can certainly be placed in this category. $1500.00-$2000.00 several years ago for a nice top of the line tent and now these same manufacturers/retailers want $3500.00-$4000.00 for the same tent.

SORRY NO SALE!

Your new rooftop tent ain't worth anywhere near that amount of money no matter how KOOL it looks on the Mall Crawler! If you want a good rooftop tent ON SALE just hit Craigslist and Marketplace. You will have a far better selection there than at any local retailer has on their floor for 1/2 price or LESS!

I would be very concerned if I were a manufacturer/importer/retailer of any item that fits into that "Like To Have But Certainly Do Not Need" category. Our whole economy in the USA is built upon the buying and selling of goods and services. In this time of rampant inflation and interest rate hikes folks will have to continue to buy what they "Need". Does that mean they will continue to buy what they "Want"?

I say NO!

Economic survival in uncertain times is far more important than buying stuff you "Want"!

I am very fortunate that I can buy most anything I want at anytime. My thoughts walking around and looking at all this CRAP with all this price inflation made ME Say Ain't No Way In Hell would I pay that amount of money for many of the items now on Costco shelves no matter how bad I Wanted it!


I can't believe I am the only one that continues to think this way when it comes to shopping and the spending of discretionary income on CRAP I Want and Sure As Hell Don't Need!
 
Last edited:

Lemsteraak

Adventurer
Gold+Landrunner.jpg
This is one of the original concepts, simple, rugged, light, quick to set up and offers excellent protection from the elements. If I could offer a critique of the newer models, they aren't.
 

Mickey Bitsko

Adventurer
Needs and wants will be sharply defined in short order.
There's still a lot of posers with free money, but manufacturers
Don't live on poser money. Prices will adjust.
 

plh

Explorer
Early adopter, had one for a couple years and sold it. Couldn't stand folding it back up to put away on top of my truck.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
188,026
Messages
2,901,347
Members
229,352
Latest member
Baartmanusa
Top