New Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rooftop Camper Hits the Market

C

campertramper

Active member
$5000 Canadian for the Alibaba solution? That's 4k USD. I certainly like the price but my confidence for quality and support is low.
 
J

JDaPP

Adventurer
For what it's worth their was a picture of the Alibaba one on American adventurist that I asked about. The guy who posted it said it was low quality and he was 100% sure it would leak.
 
Gear

Gear

Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
ewak said:
I saw the new Hatchet Overland rooftop camper at Overland Expo a few weeks ago and I was mightily impressed. See https://www.hatchetoverland.com/. It's inspired by the Ursa Minor J30 but has several innovations that I would love to discuss in detail on this forum. Unlike the J30 it opens forward creating a space inside the trunk area that is permanently open for entering/exiting the camper. It allows for a thicker mattress up to 6" - I tried it with a 4" blowup mattress that was very comfortable. There is space on the top to mount maxtrax and solar. It uses your original hard top through modification which saves some money on the Ursa minor options for a working windshield wiper and defroster on the rear window or the sliding windows. My concerns are mostly about weather. It's not clear that it's going to be really weatherproof or even if it will repel moisture and retain heat. The interior led lights didn't look as polished to me but the platform itself seems like it has a lot of potential. I'm not sure if they will accept awnings or how durable they will be. They are a little cheaper than the J30 at 8k installed and the founders are planning a production run this winter. What do those of you with J30 experience think?
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Ursa Minor Owner #204 - My thoughts and some answers to questions in this thread. The Ursa Minor Camper weights 125 lbs over the stock hardtop. I Paid $8600 out the door back in 2017. I sold my stock Jeep white hardtop for $1700. I am not seeing a huge price difference even with the new pricing structure. Currently my top would cost $10,000 priced out on the Ursa Minor website. You can then offset the sale of your current hardtop. Something that is not possible with the new Hatchet model.

Bedding - The current Ursa Minor has a 2" foam mattress. I have seen folks add memory foam to the current mattress. Obviously this is not a good combination in cold weather. One thing I have noticed over the years is if you are camping in subzero conditions you can feel the cold coming up from inside the cab of the Jeep while sleeping. This year I have added a 1/4" close cell foam to my mattress cushions. In the past I have also simple inflated a small air mattress over the stock mattress on really cold nights. I leave two full size pillows up top during travel and could probably leave a sleeping bag up there as well but I choose to pull it out do to the expense of the bag.

Overall height - My Jeep has an AEV 3.5RS lift with BF Goodrich KO2 - 315/70r17. I manage to slip into an 7' garage.

Ursa Minor side entrance is fantastic. Chris Shontz has been showing off the benefits of being able to slide into the rear seat, remove your shoes on the rubber floor mat and then simple step up into the camper if equipped with Goose Gear. This simplicity is what makes this setup work. With the Hatchet model how do you open the rear tailgate from inside? If you have to come in through the side door do you crawl back to the standing area? On Dan Grec's Ursa Minor he has removed the rear factory roll bar so he can enter the rear side door and immediately stand up inside the camper.

The Ursa Minor hatches are a pain. There is no doubt about it. JL owners have the new redesign which helps with the stability of the hatch when installed. The JK version has a single spot that when pressed on will cause you to fall through, Doh. Having a micro camper means having trade offs. The huge bonus of having the center hatches is This - When camped you almost always park into the wind. You pop the top and climb up inside. Opening the windows provides a great view with wind protection. Now grab the rear cushion and move it to the front of the bed. You now have a standing table that is approximately 2'x4'. If you opted to add outlets in the corner you can power up your devices while making a quick sandwich. Bonus points for those that take the time to hang a hammock between the roll bar for a seat. One other small caveat if you have a JL. The two rear side indents on the top that most use for an awning are spaced for a collapsible ladder. If sleeping two full-size adults access through the side fabric of the camper might be a great option. I believe the ladder could easily be stored on the bed during transit. I would want to make a heavy canvas bag to protect the bed if stored this way. The two inside indents on both sides are the balance point for removing the top(just FYI).

Noise - The added thickness of the top is significantly quieter than a stock top. I have a completely LineXed top and I can not feel any heat transfer inside the cab. The LineX is scorching hot to the touch on sunny days. I will take that trade off for the durability and use the top like a truck bed. I simple strap Maxtax to the roof with straps and have added a very low profile Merlin Solar Panel as well.

Long ramble

Justin
 
@

@nerdridesbikes

@nerdridesbikes
sabjku said:
Christian, I’ll look into it. I actually saw another vendor listing it on Alibaba as well. Listed shipping to US as about $450, which seemed cheap!!
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I've seen a few videos and links to @grounded_4xe on instagram, might be the one you are referring to. His posts reference the top from alibaba and to contact him for information.
 
sabjku

sabjku

Observer
tomsepicbeard said:
I've seen a few videos and links to @grounded_4xe on instagram, might be the one you are referring to. His posts reference the top from alibaba and to contact him for information.
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He was at Expo East, and was the one I saw. Again, it did look relatively decent in person, for the price. However, I wouldn't personally take the risk on an unknown product and manufacturer. I'd much prefer to spend more money on a proven product, from a company that resides here in the US. There is absolutely a difference in the quality, fit, and finish of the Ursa over the one from Alibaba.
 
I

InVinoVeritas

New member
campertramper said:
Awesome - congratulations! You'll have to post about your experiences with it. I really want to love the Hatchet, but I'm not quite there yet.
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Yep. After speaking at length with one of its founders and pouring over design details, I got comfortable enough to move forward. Another lengthy conversation with one of its users has also been reassuring. The design fits our needs. From what I can tell, this product is well built, and perhaps overbuilt, but time will tell.
 
I

InVinoVeritas

New member
Here's my Hatchet, in the wild. Palo Duro Canyon.
IMG_3939.jpg
 
C

campertramper

Active member
Looks pretty sweet! I like the clean layout of your solar panels and I love the look of the white jeep! How do you like the fabric being used for the tent walls of your Hatchet? That's been a sticking point for me on that solution.
 
I

InVinoVeritas

New member
Herbie said:
I agree that having standing room available while the bed is deployed is crucial.

Any idea on the bed dimensions?
Wide-Interior.jpeg
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The unit is built around the Exped Megamat Duo LW+ so mattress is 52" wide. I'm 6'3" and my wife and I sleep very comfortably side by side. The comfort and R value of the Exped are exceptional.
IMG_1759 2.jpeg
 
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