No kidding. You could lose teeth like that, slam your face on the RTT itself, break fingers, and generally really hurt yourself falling from a ladder. It's extremely serious.
James Baroud tent failure?
- Thread starter theron
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
No kidding. You could lose teeth like that, slam your face on the RTT itself, break fingers, and generally really hurt yourself falling from a ladder. It's extremely serious.
As soon as i told them that i had one of their ladders, a package was in the mail to me to replace the plastic hooks with aluminum ones.
I can't complain about that.
I can't complain about that.
- Thread starter
- #44
It's been a few moons since I've posted but I wanted to swing back through with another James Baroud / OK 4WD update....and I wish it was good news.
We've been to some rad places (like Big Bend below!) but back in June I submitted a warranty claim with my 2nd James Baroud roof top tent. This time the fabric is wearing out in various places on the tent....on the corners on the inside/outside as well as in the middle sections of the fabric is wearing thin. Nothing is ever closed shut inside the tent but rather the fabric simply seems to be wearing against itself and the shell.
So I submitted this warranty issue back in June and now we are into October it's still not resolved. OK 4WD did say they would take care of this but it's going to be over 5 months on them "waiting for a shipment from Portugal to arrive"....in my book that isn't a great warranty. But take it how you will!
I use my James Baroud tent a lot but I still think it's a pass on paying out $3000 for the quality and warranty responsiveness.
Outside corner of the tent experiencing wear when it's closed:
Holes forming through the fabric on the corners and middle of the tent when it's closed (at all corners/sides):
We've been to some rad places (like Big Bend below!) but back in June I submitted a warranty claim with my 2nd James Baroud roof top tent. This time the fabric is wearing out in various places on the tent....on the corners on the inside/outside as well as in the middle sections of the fabric is wearing thin. Nothing is ever closed shut inside the tent but rather the fabric simply seems to be wearing against itself and the shell.
So I submitted this warranty issue back in June and now we are into October it's still not resolved. OK 4WD did say they would take care of this but it's going to be over 5 months on them "waiting for a shipment from Portugal to arrive"....in my book that isn't a great warranty. But take it how you will!
I use my James Baroud tent a lot but I still think it's a pass on paying out $3000 for the quality and warranty responsiveness.
Outside corner of the tent experiencing wear when it's closed:
Holes forming through the fabric on the corners and middle of the tent when it's closed (at all corners/sides):
Last edited:
Thanks for your update.
Mine shows the same kind of wear in the front, but it's not nearly as severe as yours!
I have heard from a friend who is a big advocate of the magiollina tents that he feels once you purchase the tent, you are on your own. It kind of feels that way with the JB based on your experience.
However, i must say that i had a very small water leak on the ceiling fan unit in mine. It was after a week of wind blown heavy rains. I never got wet, but the ceiling padding around the fan showed moisture. They (OK4wd) sent me a new fan unit within a week.
Mine shows the same kind of wear in the front, but it's not nearly as severe as yours!
I have heard from a friend who is a big advocate of the magiollina tents that he feels once you purchase the tent, you are on your own. It kind of feels that way with the JB based on your experience.
However, i must say that i had a very small water leak on the ceiling fan unit in mine. It was after a week of wind blown heavy rains. I never got wet, but the ceiling padding around the fan showed moisture. They (OK4wd) sent me a new fan unit within a week.
- Thread starter
- #46
You're def on your own for big warranty issues like I've had....but good to hear about the fan. I imagine small parts/details like the fan are easy for them to knock out
do you take a sham-wow or something and wipe down the shell and fabric before you put it away each time?
i always grab a towel on the front edge, and anytime it gets moist by the beach. I figure its the weatherproofing/coating wearing off mostly.
which isnt good, for when you need it on there and its gone....but looks like you use it alot ....
I'm looking to have an external cover made for my truck, that goes over this and the truck, all in one...but they are 500 bucks at least.
Is there any way to upgrade to the new windowed version, but keep the old shells? looks like the fabric kit would just bolt or rivet in.
i always grab a towel on the front edge, and anytime it gets moist by the beach. I figure its the weatherproofing/coating wearing off mostly.
which isnt good, for when you need it on there and its gone....but looks like you use it alot ....
I'm looking to have an external cover made for my truck, that goes over this and the truck, all in one...but they are 500 bucks at least.
Is there any way to upgrade to the new windowed version, but keep the old shells? looks like the fabric kit would just bolt or rivet in.
- Thread starter
- #48
I haven't been wiping off the fabric each day, possibly a good idea eh? If it turns out to help in the long run hopefully they will put it in the user manual...but that also sounds like a hassle to me
But in this case it seems to go beyond weatherproofing as my tent has holes from wear when the fabric falls onto itself when you close it.
I asked if I could get the new version of the fabric but they said it wouldn't fit....new style looks way better!
I was under the impression that the fabric is impregnanted with the waterproof "stuff" so it won't really wear off.
New style eh?
New style eh?
- Thread starter
- #50
Yeah the new style has a lot more ventilation and is easier to shut...the struts have a halfway knee lock now. Here's a photo of it on Tom's van:
James Baroud Evasion Evolution Rooftop Tent - Adventure Ready
Oh wow, cool!
Geez...I really hope that new design is better in terms of durability. I just bought mine a couple of months ago and for the amount of $ I paid, I'm really expecting a product that lasts.
Sorry to hear about your experience, I hope they come through for you.
A rtt is definitely something that will be on my next trait truck.Thanks for the info..
Thank you very much. I was thinking of buying them for my small rental company In Iceland and now I think not. I have to be able to trust my seller as I´m in another country and hard conditions.
From where I sit, three Autohome RTTs later including my current Columbus, there is still a needed void that hasn't been adequately filled especially in the all things hard shell RTT: Quality of design, materials and a real post-sale customer service/support.
I can say after too many nights to now count in my Columbus, their experience in fiberglass is uncontested; zero issues. And zero wear points anywhere on the fabric.
My only two complaints with my Columbus: The bug screens velcro on/off; WTF were they thinking?! And they need a fabric that is more compliant/less noisy and cut more precisely to eliminate sag which translates into sleep disruptive noise in winds >15mph or so. It is so close.
I can say after too many nights to now count in my Columbus, their experience in fiberglass is uncontested; zero issues. And zero wear points anywhere on the fabric.
My only two complaints with my Columbus: The bug screens velcro on/off; WTF were they thinking?! And they need a fabric that is more compliant/less noisy and cut more precisely to eliminate sag which translates into sleep disruptive noise in winds >15mph or so. It is so close.
I will post up on this. I still have really enjoyed my JB RTT. It sat in the back yard on saw horses during the winter and i just put it back on the cruiser. I have noticed two places on the shell that are showing spots that appear to be very small cracks. I contacted the vendor who i purchased it from and they are sending me a fiberglass repair kit. I will be interested to see what that is and how to use it considering i've never done any fiberglass work...
I have no signs of wear on the fabric. Zippers still are strong and good to go. Mattress is still comfortable and it's never leaked on me in rains. So overall i'm satisfied.
Thinking about the fiberglass i'm just wondering which scenario could be accurate... 1. it's thin as possible to save on weight or, 2. it's just cheap fiberglass work? Not sure.
And to continue, my thoughts on the "competition" hard shell from what i've seen, felt and been told by owners is that there are pros and cons. The pros that i've seen is the crank opening is just way easier to open and close especially if you are solo. My gas struts make opening mine a breeze, but closing it you have to be very strong. But the con is that those mechanisms have been known to break and also pinch or cut the fabric... so what's better? A pro is they do seem on average a little longer which i would prefer. The doors are just not what they should be in my opinion... i don't want to tuck the bottom under my mattress to close it. That's just silly, it should zip shut. and, most importantly i've heard of them allowing water under the mattress after heavy rains.
I have no signs of wear on the fabric. Zippers still are strong and good to go. Mattress is still comfortable and it's never leaked on me in rains. So overall i'm satisfied.
Thinking about the fiberglass i'm just wondering which scenario could be accurate... 1. it's thin as possible to save on weight or, 2. it's just cheap fiberglass work? Not sure.
And to continue, my thoughts on the "competition" hard shell from what i've seen, felt and been told by owners is that there are pros and cons. The pros that i've seen is the crank opening is just way easier to open and close especially if you are solo. My gas struts make opening mine a breeze, but closing it you have to be very strong. But the con is that those mechanisms have been known to break and also pinch or cut the fabric... so what's better? A pro is they do seem on average a little longer which i would prefer. The doors are just not what they should be in my opinion... i don't want to tuck the bottom under my mattress to close it. That's just silly, it should zip shut. and, most importantly i've heard of them allowing water under the mattress after heavy rains.
Last edited:
Haven't had mine open since late november, but I have not noticed any wear points. IMHO those must be coming from the upper shell moving when closed, which is kinda hard to believe given how tight those latches are. Not noted any fiberglass issue either, BUT I have not gotten up on a ladder for full inspection. My 80 is a DD, and 6 miles a day of that commute are on washboarded and dusty roads in AZ.
The fan is toast and while it has not leaked inside, I did notice last year that the solar cell had water in it. They are available on Amazon FWIW.
The fan is toast and while it has not leaked inside, I did notice last year that the solar cell had water in it. They are available on Amazon FWIW.
I heard from OK4WD that the new style walls will fit into XXL. it'll be some labor to get it in there, but he said they would sell me one.
Wow.. really ?
That one pic looks like a bubble just popped from the inside out (crater like).....
A fiberglass repair kit ?
I would imagine they would step up and do the repair themselves or pay for someone to fix it.....
How long have you had your tent for ?
EDIT: BTW Im assuming that the damage shown on the pics above came out of the blue... or were these a incurred by the owner ?
Last edited:
I will need to check to confirm but i think i've had it about 2.5 years. It has spent all it's life on the truck except for last winter.
