Camping Lab Roof Top Tent Review

[grgbowe]

Roof Top Tent review

Great review!! It helped me finally made the decision to purchase a roof top tent.

I purchased one Tepui roof top tent (www.tepuitents.com) about three months ago and tried it this summer. It's very good quality and a lot cheaper than ARB and Autohome . We camped in Jalama and it holds up the wind very well. We haven't tried in the rain yet, but so far I'm happy with the product. The owner of Tepui tents is from Santa Cruz, California, he is very friendly and helpful with all the questions I had.

I'm definitely not going back to the conventional ground tent.

 

[Teotwaki]

So ffor Camping Labs I have a problem with the long main platform hinge. If I am in the tent and happen to kneel in the middle of the hinge the two pieces sort of pop apart in the middle.

I've emailed Fernando at Camping Labs 3 times with never a response. I also had a coouple of other questions to ask about it as mine was preinstalled on my trailer and there was no manual supplied.

 

[Teotwaki]

I also have some questions about the straps internal to the tent. There are two in the far side of the fixed platform that seem to have a function but only one end is attached.

I have noticed in my rear view mirrows that air is getting into the tent cover and causing it to balloon quite a bit. This raises its profile and ups the wind resistance, impacting gas mileage.

 

[1ststatecruiser]

Great review!! It helped me finally made the decision to purchase a roof top tent.

I purchased one Tepui roof top tent (www.tepuitents.com) about three months ago and tried it this summer. It's very good quality and a lot cheaper than ARB and Autohome . We camped in Jalama and it holds up the wind very well. We haven't tried in the rain yet, but so far I'm happy with the product. The owner of Tepui tents is from Santa Cruz, California, he is very friendly and helpful with all the questions I had.

I'm definitely not going back to the conventional ground tent.

good price, im also looking for my first TT for nxt year use . Is the changing room convertible to another room? if so howmany people all in all and is there a flooring connected to sides of the changing room. ill wait for your review how it holds up on he rain. thanks

 

[Teotwaki]

I actually caught Fernando on the phone! He said he had been traveling and is back but they are moving warehouses so he has fallen behind on emails and phone messages.

Arrrgh! I just realized I forgot to ask him about the "ballooning" top cover. I'll try calling again.....

 

[Rattler]

He is still in the process of moving? I was going to buy an RTT from him back in May/June but he was in the process then too. Ended up with my Mombasa (pretty much the same tent) from TRDParts4U instead.

 

[Teotwaki]

He is still in the process of moving? I was going to buy an RTT from him back in May/June but he was in the process then too. Ended up with my Mombasa (pretty much the same tent) from TRDParts4U instead.

I was shocked when he took my call! Maybe he has to downsize his warehouse in this economy? Either way, I am glad that he took time to talk to me.

 

[womacje]

I was shocked when he took my call! Maybe he has to downsize his warehouse in this economy? Either way, I am glad that he took time to talk to me.

Jim,

If the aluminum hinge/extrusion that mates together, is the same as Mombasa's, is seperating when you kneel in the center, try this:
-make sure no fabric, the mattress cover gets saggy specifically, is caught in the mating area
-make sure the extrusions are fully mated, this sometimes requires pulling the ladder away from the ground and giving it a downward pull to get them together.
-check your hinge to make sure all bolts are tight and the hinge hasn't shifted allowing for misalignment. (these bolts do come loose. as a matter of habit, check all attachments on these tents, due to the vibration they will work loose.)
-check the bolts holding the hinge plates to the base to assure they are in place and secure.
-Sometimes the fabric gets tight keeping the tent from fully opening. If this is the case, check to make sure your fly pole is seated in its pocket, this is the 3/4"+/- pole up high.

Below is a pic of the male/female extrusions and the hinge plate of a Mombasa tent, for reference.

I hope this helps, if not let me know and I'll try to help you figure it out. I am posting this to help the community not to step on Fernando's toes, I have heard tons of great things about him.

Jeremy

 

[Teotwaki]

Thanks for the feedback and the hinge photo Jeremy! Two things that I found.

One was that the velcro straps that would hold the mattress in place had come loose. This allowed the mattress to often get caught in the hinge.

Two was that the original owner had told me that I could just leave the RTT cover hanging from the groove. I found that this bit of vinyl was thick enough to keep the hinge from seating fully.

I'll also double check the hinge bolts as advised.

It has been raining so much that I did not want to open the tent and then close it up without fully drying. I should have a chance soon to open it up and check the bolts and how well the poles deploy.

 

[womacje]

Thanks for the feedback and the hinge photo Jeremy! Two things that I found.

One was that the velcro straps that would hold the mattress in place had come loose. This allowed the mattress to often get caught in the hinge.

Two was that the original owner had told me that I could just leave the RTT cover hanging from the groove. I found that this bit of vinyl was thick enough to keep the hinge from seating fully.

I'll also double check the hinge bolts as advised.

It has been raining so much that I did not want to open the tent and then close it up without fully drying. I should have a chance soon to open it up and check the bolts and how well the poles deploy.

Good to hear that you have it sorted out. I have been able to leave the cover attached, I wonder if the cover was sewn a little to close to the welt, which wouldn't allow the two surfaces to mate properly as you said???

Happy trails,

Jeremy

 

[Rattler]

Jim,

If the aluminum hinge/extrusion that mates together, is the same as Mombasa's, is seperating when you kneel in the center, try this:
-make sure no fabric, the mattress cover gets saggy specifically, is caught in the mating area
-make sure the extrusions are fully mated, this sometimes requires pulling the ladder away from the ground and giving it a downward pull to get them together.
-check your hinge to make sure all bolts are tight and the hinge hasn't shifted allowing for misalignment. (these bolts do come loose. as a matter of habit, check all attachments on these tents, due to the vibration they will work loose.)
-check the bolts holding the hinge plates to the base to assure they are in place and secure.
-Sometimes the fabric gets tight keeping the tent from fully opening. If this is the case, check to make sure your fly pole is seated in its pocket, this is the 3/4"+/- pole up high.

Below is a pic of the male/female extrusions and the hinge plate of a Mombasa tent, for reference.

I hope this helps, if not let me know and I'll try to help you figure it out. I am posting this to help the community not to step on Fernando's toes, I have heard tons of great things about him.

Jeremy

Thanks for the Mombasa advice. I will have remember to check that stuff in the spring.

 

[womacje]

Thanks for the Mombasa advice. I will have remember to check that stuff in the spring.

Anytime! It's all about sharing the love here!

Jeremy

 

[Rattler]

I can't wait to get out and use it more this year. We are anxious to see how well it will work with the addition to our camp, a 6 mo boy we are adopting. I think we should be good for a couple years and then we will have to get a bigger setup.

I would hate to have to go bug my mom's neighbor for his super-clean FZJ80 to mount a larger tent on (I am already planning on stopping by).

 

[womacje]

Rattler, someone posted on the Expedition Ops FB page that they're adopting this year as well. Coincidence? Congrats!!!

 

[70sguy]

So ffor Camping Labs I have a problem with the long main platform hinge. If I am in the tent and happen to kneel in the middle of the hinge the two pieces sort of pop apart in the middle.

I've emailed Fernando at Camping Labs 3 times with never a response. I also had a coouple of other questions to ask about it as mine was preinstalled on my trailer and there was no manual supplied.

Something I learned after the first trip with my Eezi Awn 2200 mounted on the lid of the M101 trailer..
the open side of the tent should really get some support, especially the larger tents. So whether you can make it happen with slightly longer load bars or load bars shifted in favor of the open side...or as I did on my M101 lid (see pic) with a length of aluminum angle bolted to the side of the lid to catch the stiffening rail on the bottom edge open side of the RTT, it really goes a long way to prevent bending hinges etc and stressing or damaging the floor joint system of the RTT.
The floor joint systems may lock together and work fine in ideal conditions like in your garage but in the real world you are a often on not so level ground and setting up in the dark and things don't always snap together quite the same.
HTH

 

[Rattler]

Rattler, someone posted on the Expedition Ops FB page that they're adopting this year as well. Coincidence? Congrats!!!

I hadn't been there until a couple minutes ago. "Like".

 

[rain76king]

Great review!! It helped me finally made the decision to purchase a roof top tent.

I purchased one Tepui roof top tent (www.tepuitents.com) about three months ago and tried it this summer. It's very good quality and a lot cheaper than ARB and Autohome . We camped in Jalama and it holds up the wind very well. We haven't tried in the rain yet, but so far I'm happy with the product. The owner of Tepui tents is from Santa Cruz, California, he is very friendly and helpful with all the questions I had.

I'm definitely not going back to the conventional ground tent.

Photoshopped logo? Become a mud supporter if your going to push your brand of tent.
I only buy from the companies that support Mud and it's community.

 

[Southeast Overland]

Photoshopped logo? Become a mud supporter if your going to push your brand of tent.
I only buy from the companies that support Mud and it's community.

There is a thread on ExPo where that was noted. The owner of Tepui came online and said his tents were originally sold under the name 'Rubicon' but Jeep had that name reserved and he had to change it so the new logo was photochopped over the old logo. The story seemed believable and the Tepui owner said he would put up new pics if I recall correctly (aka: don't quote me).

Tepui is a competitor of mine - and I'm not trying to slam them in anyway - just passing along info I saw elsewhere.

 

[grgbowe]

Yes I saw the updated pics on their website so it is not as confusing anymore. They also have some awesome pics taken by some surfers on their way to Chile with one of their Kukenam models. Really makes me want to quit my day job and just drive, camp, and surf. There are no palm trees or waves in my backyard....Bummer

 

[Teotwaki]

The guy who ran "CampingLabs" has gone out of business.

For parts or a new tent the Mombasa brand sells the same models.

For instance, my CampingLabs "Large" (72" by 96") is the same as a Mombasa RTT ADVENTURE II (3 MAN) (RTT9010).

I bought a new RTT cover and zipper through Jacque at TRDParts4U and the cover fits perfectly.