Thinking of upgrading to a James Baroud Extreme from a CVT Bachelor

[jpachard]

All, I'm thinking of upgrading from my CVT Mt Bachelor to the James Baroud Extreme. We spend approx 30 nights a year in our RTT and while we love the comfort and convenience, we want something that is easier to deploy. I've seen the James Baroud tents in person and really like the extreme due to its clamshell design which offers a little more headroom over the explorer model. Can anyone make any comments or experiences if they have come from a conventional RTT? Also, what are people's thoughts on the explorer style vs the extreme?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Cheers, James


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[jacobconroy]

Well, I have an Eezi-Awn Globetrotter (a folding trailer RTT) and a Baroud Space, which is shaped like the Extreme. I really like the Space because it's easy to setup....and fairly easy to put away. It will hold more bedding than the Eezi-Awn (because of the cover-size-inadequacy on the Eezi). I'm talking 6 pillows, a 12 volt fan, and a winter down quilt, bed clothes, pockets for nighttime stuff, etc. They make a bigger version of the Space now as well that is longer and wider...and maybe taller.

The Barouds have a artificial, chemical smell when you are inside. It doesn't seem to go away, but you get used to it. The Eezi is canvas, and it "smells like camping" when you are in it, which is cool. Putting up the Eezi with the vestibule walls is a pain between the cover and stakes. Putting it away is a pain. I would say it's a better-quality tent. But, it's a pain. All tent covers suck. Digging up tent stakes (for the vestibule walls) and cleaning the dirt off of them sucks. It won't kill you, but it takes time.

The light in the Barouds is very convenient and rarely needs to be charged. The "solar-powered-vent" feature is kindof a gimmick, as mine no longer works. To be fair it didn't seem to do much when it did work, so I haven't bothered to request a warranty replacement.

Speaking of warranty, PM rino here on the forum. He's with OK4WD and sells Barouds. I lost the charger for the light in my Baroud, and he sent one to me for free. Really great customer service. That, and he was one of the two most responsive overland gear retailers I have dealt with. Answered my questions, took my money, and sent me a tent. It sounds silly, but after attempting to deal with some other RTT importers, it was really great to "just buy a tent" without having to beg for information and/or service.

In short, if you move everyday, get a clamshell. Baroud makes a great clamshell RTT. If you stay at each campsite for several days, then a real canvas folding tent feels more like "camping with dad". Mainly because of that awesome canvas tent smell. The manual labor isn't so bad for long-term campsites.

Just my two cents.

 

[jpachard]

Hello Jacob, thank you for the thoughtful feedback. We definitely camp and move so the RTT is or preference. I'm in the northeast and am definitely considering purchasing from OK4WD. Thanks for the positive comments on their customer support. Have you ever used your Baroud tent in the cold? We camp down into the 20's and snow so I was wondering how they perform with snow on them. Seems like from the technical information on their website they will be fine but getting user feedback is always good.

Cheers, James


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[jjohnson1892]

Adding my 2 cents here, too, as a JB Explorer owner and my dad now owning a new Explorer:

- I know of the chemical smell mentioned above. I aired out my tent for about 4 days straight and my dad's for a bit longer (nice warm weather, all windows open). It helped immensely and sort of went to a "nothing" sort of smell until we took it camping. Smells like campfire and nature now.
- I noticed a major improvement in the inside conditions of the tent when using the fan this past weekend. I've only had my JB since the beginning of the year (bought barely used), but since it was warm for most of my nights in it, all windows were open and air circulated without needing the fan. Since it was dipping into the low 30s at VOR this weekend, I closed up the zippers. First night it got a bit stuffy and almost damp, then ran the fan for the rest of the weekend and it did indeed help. (to the guy who said his is broken - work with JB on getting it up and running?)

My own comments:
- Setup and teardown are the main reasons I went with a hardshell and it was worth the upgrade. I can single handedly get my JB open in under a minute, closed in about 2, with another person it almost cuts it in half.
- The 360 windows in the Explorer are fantastic for airflow and the views
- I can sit up perfectly in the Explorer (in the front, the rear dips down a bit for cargo hold). The advantages of the 360 window airflow outweighed the higher rear ceiling for me, which is why I chose this over the clamshell model.
- The improvements between the model years are HUGE. My dad's new tent addresses all of my "headaches", which were simply a lack of traction in the ladder and the zippers had metal draws which can bend or break if they are squished during takedown.
- My wife and I can comfortably sleep up in the tent, for what its worth. It'd be great to have a larger sleeping area, but that tradeoff doesn't bother us.


Never owned a soft/folding tent, but played with a ton of them over my shopping experience and learned that the setup/takedown advantages were too great to pass on. Good luck deciding!

 

[jacobconroy]

Yeah...my comment may have been a little misleading, the "chemical smell" might be better described as "glue and plastic". It isn't bad, and it seems to be less noticeable every month, but it's still in there almost two years later. The smell certainly isn't a deal-breaker. It's an awesome tent. Perhaps they only smell like glue if they have been baking in the sun (my Baroud is black).

I slept in the Baroud the last two nights while working the bugs out in the heating system. The temp has been around 35 for a low. When trying the vent fan...it worked! I must have left the switch in the "on" position at some point, which was draining the battery as fast as the sun would charge it. I wanted to see if it made any difference in condensation, but I broke one of the fins off the fan while monkeying with it (it was hitting something and making a clicking sound). Gonna have to ask Rin how much new fan blades cost.

Condensation might not be a big problem for me since I'm pumping warm air into the tent. What do you all think? I'm not a condensation scientist. To be honest, I was trying the fan while looking for a mechanism to assist in relocating my beer farts to the outside of the tent.

I've been snowed on in the Baroud several times and didn't get too awful cold. I did buy the winter kit for it (2nd, internal wall kit). I recommend the winter kit if you are ordering a new tent. Noticeably warmer inside. Darker too (if you are hungover and want to sleep in). The legs that hold up the roof are very stout. No concern about the weight of snow and I have never found water in the tent from snow or rain.

 

[concretejungle]

you are correct about the smell. I guess it's the fiberglass but it certainly does smell. Mine has not gone away after about 4-5 years of owning it and using it.

 

[jacobconroy]

With regards to the isothermic kit mentioned above - does it affect the closing of the tent much? I'm assuming it can be left connected when closing the tent...

It makes it a little tougher to close, but you can leave it in all the time. My Baroud is completely packed with pillows N such (and I mean FULL)...but I can still add the isothermic kit and close the lid. If you are the kind of person that has a pillow or two and a sleeping bag I would imaging that it would make no difference. The trick (as mentioned in other threads) is to tuck the tent walls and isothermic kit over the top of the rear struts when closing...not underneath.

 

[jacobconroy]

That's good to hear. I'm already somewhat struggling with closing the tent (while using the over the strut trick), but am hoping it'll still be doable with the isothermic kit...

My tent has the following:
- JB comfort/anti-condensation mat
- original 3" mattress
- latex topper (1" or 1.5" - can't recall)
- thin bedding
- light comforter
- two small pillows
- heavy comforter folded and stored in the cargo net

When closing, it's catching and locking the rear that I always struggle with. There are times when the upper and lower portions of the fibreglass come together very smoothly and allow me to latch the tent very easily, but most of the time it's a real chore and requires a ton of pressure on top of the tent (via my upper body), which just seems/feels wrong. It's almost as if there's some alignment (between the top and bottom parts) trick that I'm missing. One thing that seems to help is to ensure that there is as little fabric as possible around the perimeter of the tent, where the upper/lower parts come together. As well as leaving each window half-open and folded inside. If there are any other things to consider that would make folding easier, I'm all ears!

Sorry about hijacking the thread, but the OP might be interested in all these details if he is thinking about buying a Baroud. When I need to close, I pile the bedding and stuff as uniformly as possible in the center and try to leave about 8 inches of clearance all the way around to allow the walls to pile up in those spaces. My Space also has catches front and rear. I "loosely" attach the front catches (without cam-lock...or whatever it's called), close the lid, tuck in the stuff, then fully close the rear latches. Then, fully close the front latches. It wouldn't surprise me if an Explorer needed to be closed a little bit differently.

Sound like you have about 5 inches of "mattress". I would think that's a lot. Pillows are easier to compress and displace than a big comforter would be. I also use a winter down quilt instead of blankets. Very compressible.

I have:
*two body pillows at 48 inches
*two Temperpedic pillows at ~20 inches
*two "snuggle" pillows at ~24 inches
*a fantastic fan
*a twin size wool blanket for backup (if heater fails)
*a Jacks R Better Katahdin quilt found here (this thing is "the bomb" for tent camping when weight doesn't matter)
*assorted nighttime stuff, down footies, down hat, down sleeves, sleeping clothes, etc.
*the isothermic kit

But, I don't think a single other piece of gear would fit in there. I've tried. I plan to go out this weekend. I'll get some shots of the way I pack the sleeping gear, isothermic kit, etc. for a better explanation. Took quite a while to work it all out.

 

[brentbba]

I 'had' an Eezi-Awn Globetrotter on a trailer. Sold it and bought a JB Evasion a couple of months ago. I know it's not the style the OP is looking for feedback on. I'll see about the switch as this weekend will be my first outing with the new JB. Biggest concern is that nice vestibule I could crawl down into with the Globetrotter. Set up and take down is certainly easier with the JB.

 

[concretejungle]

You can certainly put a lot of bedding items in the JB. I have a mattress topper, two sleeping bags, two pillows in mine all the time. No problem.

Regarding closing them, i thought that the newer edition had easier pistons to help with this? Mine is hard as hell to close in the heat, or even in the cold. I have to latch the front down first, then get on the tail gate or rear bumper and pull the rear down. While holding it relatively down, i have to struggle to latch one of the rear latches, then push all the tent fabric in and close it. Then latch the other rear after pushing all the tent and bedding inside, then latch, then i have to go to the front and latch the front ones.

 

[jjohnson1892]

Sorry to OP for more off track discussion but quick pro tip to help with closing (that I learned from Rin at OK4WD) - use a tie down on the rear loop and attach it to the hitch/bumper. Get the tent close to latching, use the tie down, then tuck in the fabric, bedding, etc.

 

[jacobconroy]

Sorry to OP for more off track discussion but quick pro tip to help with closing (that I learned from Rin at OK4WD) - use a tie down on the rear loop and attach it to the hitch/bumper. Get the tent close to latching, use the tie down, then tuck in the fabric, bedding, etc.

I agree with this, and that is how I do it too. Forgot to mention it earlier. I leave the rear about 8 inches open while tucking. Takes all the sweating, hurrying, and cursing out of the closing process.

 

[Dozer Dan]

I have got an Evasion, 2016 version and the handles are in the corners. I just attached a cable tie to the rear right strap I use to hook where the rear right latch latches on. Makes a world of difference.

 

[jjohnson1892]

Great idea. Do you guys attach the tie-down strap to the luggage-loop parts of the tent?

No, attach it to the fabric handle in the rear (that attaches to the inside of the top of the tent). Usually leave about 6 inches of gap to tuck fabric in.

 

[brentbba]

Just got back yesterday from my maiden voyage with my JB Evasion. Couldn't be happier. I LOVE the 360* windows!!!!! Nice cool night desert breezes felt just great.