If you have young kids and want a rooftop tent (RTT) to share, options are limited. Because larger tents tend to weigh more, the lion’s share of RTTs is built for two to three people.
But there’s a market for larger options, and iKamper has been filling that niche since it burst onto the RTT scene last year. The South Korean brand’s original Skycamp four-person model raised $2.3 million, making it the most successful tent project in Kickstarter history.
In short: At $3,600, this hardshell RTT is pricey. But it’s a premium product for a reason. The sleek Skycamp’s weight-conscious aerodynamics coupled with simple setup and spacious design might just be worth it for your family.
Setup Speed
You can touched on the tent’s quick “pop-ability.” iKamper has nailed this process.
Unlock two hardshell latches, a newer feature that early adopters requested. (Urban owners were worried that vagrants would make the iKamper home.)
Open the hardshell. The tent pops up with it.
Fold down the collapsible ladder (83 inches standard; XL add-on to 105 inches). The sturdy thing can hold up to 330 pounds.
Climb up and hook two fully detachable metal rods into small holes on the Skycamp platform to prop the awning.
Boom!..
With vehicle load restrictions, the rooftop tent market has focused mostly on two-person tents. But iKamper has figured how to make an easy-pop hardshell tent for four — without much more weight.
Skycamp Tech Specs
Closed: 54.3 x 85.8 x 12.5 inches
Open: 82.6 x 85.8 x 43.3 inches
Mattress: 82.6 x 74.8 x 1.6 inches
Ladder length: 90.5 inches standard, 102.3 inches XL, 114 inches add-on
Tent capacity: 900 pounds; weight limit is also dependent on your vehicle’s roof rack
Ladder weight limit: 330 pounds
Speed limit: 70 mph
Roof rack/crossbars requirement: 165 pounds
Wind resistance
Skycamp’s wipable (hello, sticky lemonade) king-size mattress is a plush 1.6 inches thick. You could sleep on it without a pad and sleeping bag — at least for a siesta. Max cushion on top of the thick platform raised on the truck roof immediately eliminated the struggles with sleeping in a ground tent (i.e., not sleeping). The Skycamp just felt more like a real bed.
The angled hardshell “wall” also made the RTT feel more secure against the elements. The Skycamp is tested to withstand 40-mph winds. The wall also gave enough headroom for four adults to easily play cards or six kids to use a Ouija board.
Let’s start with weight, arguably the Skycamp’s most standout feature. iKamper has figured out how to build in a cushy, king-size mattress and a canvas tent in a hardtop shell at the industry target weight: 160 pounds.
That’s the rooftop load limit for most cars and trucks while moving at highway speeds. iKamper stressed that we shouldn’t exceed 70 mph with the tent on our Tacoma. That was a bit of a buzzkill for traveling six hours, which something worth keeping in mind.
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