I want to answer some of the questions posed in the comments above as I have spent a little time looking at this new Jeep pop-camper option in detail.
1) The idea from Hatchet Overland was for the next evolution in the roof-top tent market. Create something that looks good on the jeep and can be available even when used for a daily driver. The jeep is quieter than a roof-top tent when traveling, cooler inside the jeep in the summer as the camper "nests" and seals over the entire existing hardtop minimizing the solar radiation felt through the factory top and creates extra storage for hard to carry items with a dedicated recessed space for Treads or Maxtracs along with 100-200W of solar. A roof rack track (Yakama or Thule) might be an option in the production units but has not been tested for moving or stationary weight limits to date. As for comparisons to Ursa Minor, the idea from Hatchet Overland was to improve some of the challenges when looking at the RTT and Ursa products. For example, eliminate the ladder with easy access when being used by two people, provide standing room to change clothes and provide a more open useable space when inside the camper, keep the price point in the range of the RTT with required roof racks/mounting brackets by using the factory top and keeping with rear windows/wiper and seals, make the jeep a better daily driver versus a roof rack/RTT, and improve the camping experience by having an easy to use system that was always available and reduce the hassles and time of setting up with a system 1 minute set up, and 2-minute takedown.
2) The bed platform and the nested top of the camper are constructed of a fiberglass composite made in Colorado by the company that makes many of the components for the camping recreation industry and tear-drop trailers. It is then coated with a durable liner product to minimize scratching when going through the trees on the tight trails. As for the comments, it looks like a "big black tub looks like the hull of a swamp skiff turned upside down," it is made of fiberglass, so that I can understand the comparison LOL. See the photos below to see what it looks like in the down position.
3) Yes - the mattress is the Exped Magemat Duo LW, so it is 78" x 52" (LW) and fits two full-size adults. With the top down, it also allows for the 4-inch mattress with your bedding and pillows, and a 6-inch version is possible depending on the thickness of the bedding.
4) To create the increased space inside the camper, the unit slides forward (received a US Patent for this and other unique features) when deployed and opens a "portal" in the rear of the jeep to allow access from the inside of the jeep. This creates standing room and more interior space than found on units like an Ursa Minor J 30. The camper is not actually mounted to the factory roof but has 6 "hardpoints" attaching the sliding rails and the bed platform directly to factory holes in the jeep "roll cage." When down, the top nests around the factory top, overlapping the front and rear of the jeep top, with the sides resting in the existing rain gutters, and provides additional front to rear and lateral stability along with some noise reduction when driving on and off-road. It also has a full perimeter bulb-type seal to keep out the weather and noise, even though the factor top is intact.
5) The tent is made from a marine-grade fabric develop
ped for the harsh ocean environment but stays very "breathable" to minimize condensation. It has a ten-year color and durability warranty. In addition, the tent has large side windows that open to the top of the tent and under the roof canopy allowing airflow in rainy weather to prevent rain from entering inside. As for warmth, it has been used in sub-40 degree Colorado nights and was comfortable, according to one of the Hatchet Overland founders. As for being cool, the breathable fabric and the insulated top, along with the large window openings, seemed to keep it a few degrees cooler when I was inside at the recent Overland Expo in Loveland, CO, in the 90+ degree heat of the day.
6) The total weight added to the jeep on this pre-production model is in the range of 160-180 pounds based on the proto-type method of fiberglass composite construction. In production, Hatchet Overland will be using a vacuum infusion process that will reduce this weight by another 15-20% so that the total weight of the unit will be at or less than most roof-top tents and needed roof racks on the market today.
I answered these questions based on my personal knowledge of this new Jeep pop-up camper, so please understand that things might change in production with this camper in the future. However, I am here, like the rest of you, to share my knowledge and experience. I hope to be at the Expo Overland West in Flagstaff at the end of the month and see more new and existing products to further my travels in the outdoors.
