R1S Roof Top Tent - Initial Thoughts- A little painful

[Cavalryscout18]

I installed a roof top tent on my R1S for a week camping in the Oceano Dunes in Pismo Beach, CA. I just wanted to provide my experience with mine for those of you thinking of getting one. First, my gear: I have a Thule Tepui Kukeman 3. I am using a pair of the Thule Wingbar Evo 135 (53”) as my roof rack. I also added a Yakima SlimShady 8’.

For the good: Overall the set up was solid. Once it was installed and while using the tent and SlimShady, everything felt and worked great. The tent was comfortable and I slept great.

For the bad: The installation on the Rivian, the set up at the campsite, and the opposite (packing up and removing) is extremely painful to the point where it’s almost not worth it. The main problem is that the R1S is so tall, it is very difficult to install the tent and to set it up. I am 6 feet tall and can lift the tent myself (not recommended) so I’m probably in line with the average user. First, if you don’t have a tall garage where you can lift and lower the tent onto your roof with a lift kit, it will be very challenging to get the tent up on your roof; my garage was too short to support the tall Rivian, the 6 inch roof rack, and the 13 inches of tent, even at the lowest ride height. My tent weighs about 130 pounds so I had to get clever to get it installed. I had to use a series of pulleys; even then, I was worried it would fall on top of my hood, windshield, or roof. Then, setting up the tent at the camp site is challenging because of how tall it is and because you generally won’t have a ladder with you at the camp site. I had to stand on the seats and strain mightily to zip and unzip the tent and to unstrap the ladder, which sits on top of the tent. It took me maybe 20 minutes to set up and then another 20 to put away. This was my first time setting it up. I think it will be faster the next time I do it. But still, at the end, I was missing the simple days when setting up a tent on the ground was the most challenge. Now, $3,000 later, it is not easier.

This was not meant to complain. More to show some of the challenges that I disregarded when I bought mine. I will try it again and hopefully the next time it is quicker now that I have some experience and know what to expect.

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[Dark-Fx]

I disassemble and reassemble my tent when it goes on the R1S, since it rather doesn't fit well under my garage door either

As for packing and unpacking, lots of people have another telescoping ladder in their kit since they compact down pretty well. Don't be afraid to get fully on top of the tent when it's folded up. You can do most of the repacking and unpacking from up top.

 

[ja_kub_sz]

Thanks for the post, and hope you had a good trip?

So for your overall take, was it putting the tent on your R1S the major issue? Or was deployment and take down as bad?

I'm getting the impression it was just getting it on top that was the real headache and the ladder being a once you do it more it gets easier kind of thing?

Lastly would the R1T make this overall experience easier? I'm contemplating getting the tent myself.

 

[JPK]

Sorry to hear how difficult this was. We have a Roofnest Condor Overland 2 on a bed rack on our R1T, so we’re lucky that tent setup is probably somewhat simpler and we have the luxury of standing on the tailgate and gear tunnel doors for the steps that require us to be up high. We also used a winch to lift the 190 lb tent up, which would have been extremely difficult to do otherwise. If you have storage space, you could consider a camp trailer to mount the RTT on top of. That could solve several problems at once for you.

 

[AirCruiser]

Thanks for the post, and hope you had a good trip?

So for your overall take, was it putting the tent on your R1S the major issue? Or was deployment and take down as bad?

I'm getting the impression it was just getting it on top that was the real headache and the ladder being a once you do it more it gets easier kind of thing?

Lastly would the R1T make this overall experience easier? I'm contemplating getting the tent myself.

Hi,

Have you checked out the Air Cruiser?

We've had a huge uptake from the Rivian community and it beats the Yakima tent in almost every category.

It's lighter, more compact and boasts significantly more head room, which makes a huge difference. The interior views aren't obstructed by poles and there ire no rain fly's to mess around with and no canopies to set up.

It'a great fit for the truck bed and even leaves room for more gear when packed up.

Give the form a search for reviews and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask away

You an check it out here https://air-cruiser.cinchpopuptents.com/?utm_campaign=rivian

Best,

Jake

 

[ja_kub_sz]

Hi,

Have you checked out the Air Cruiser?

We've had a huge uptake from the Rivian community and it beats the Yakima tent in almost every category.

It's lighter, more compact and boasts significantly more head room, which makes a huge difference. The interior views aren't obstructed by poles and there ire no rain fly's to mess around with and no canopies to set up.

It'a great fit for the truck bed and even leaves room for more gear when packed up.

Give the form a search for reviews and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask away

You an check it out here https://air-cruiser.cinchpopuptents.com/?utm_campaign=rivian

Best,

Jake

Nice ?

 

[AirCruiser]

Just realised that you've got an R1S.

Here's some specific feedback and pics from a customer with an R1S

'I’ve used a large hard shell rooftop tent for a number of seasons but was forced to leave it on the vehicle year round due to its weight. When I discovered the Air Cruiser’s weight I was cautiously optimistic. This would allow me to remove it off season and not have the wear and tear from taking it everywhere. I was also looking forward to being able to use covered garages again.

When the Air Cruiser arrived, the installation on the vehicle couldn’t be simpler. We were off on our first camping trip with it the next day. While it hadn’t been a factor in my decision to purchase the tent, initially, I underestimated the value of the use of compressed air as the structure for the frame. I ended up finding it so easy to set up and take down the tent that I was able to use the vehicle during the day when with the previous tent I would leave it set up on the vehicle and that was that, a significant compromise with roof top tents. With the Air Cruiser auto-inflating, it gave me more time to do other camp setup tasks.

My kids sleep in the tent while I’m in the vehicle below. They love how tall the interior volume is and how the large sunroof allows for light and visibility. I could barely get them down for breakfast. I like that there are no support rods to hold up canopies, which on my last tent would pop out and damaged the roof more than once. The Air Cruiser compliments my Rivian perfectly.'

 

[Cavalryscout18]

Thanks for the post, and hope you had a good trip?

So for your overall take, was it putting the tent on your R1S the major issue? Or was deployment and take down as bad?

I'm getting the impression it was just getting it on top that was the real headache and the ladder being a once you do it more it gets easier kind of thing?

Lastly would the R1T make this overall experience easier? I'm contemplating getting the tent myself.

Getting up on the R1S was the biggest challenge and that’s mostly because of my garage not being tall enough. However, once it’s up on the roof, it’s still very far off the ground and because mine has a zipper that you have to zip all the way around, I had to get up and down around the entire truck multiple times. But I do think that part will get easier once I do it more often. As someone mentioned above in the responses, if I had a separate ladder with me and just got up on top of the tent while it was folded and just did it from up there, that would have solved a lot of issues. Then you just have to carry a separate ladder for the tent and then hope you don’t fall through the glass roof as it is a long way down if you fall.

And yes, putting the tent over the bed of a R1T would make the process 1000x better and easier. The whole time I was thinking, this would be so much easier if it was an a truck bed at chest level and not 8 feet off the ground.

 

[Cavalryscout18]

I disassemble and reassemble my tent when it goes on the R1S, since it rather doesn't fit well under my garage door either

As for packing and unpacking, lots of people have another telescoping ladder in their kit since they compact down pretty well. Don't be afraid to get fully on top of the tent when it's folded up. You can do most of the repacking and unpacking from up top.

That is true, I didn’t think of getting up on top of the tent. It is a long way down though if you fall and you would need to be careful where you stepped to not break glass or any other panel that was not meant to be stepped on. Maybe having those roof platforms would make this easier.

 

[Cavalryscout18]

Sorry to hear how difficult this was. We have a Roofnest Condor Overland 2 on a bed rack on our R1T, so we’re lucky that tent setup is probably somewhat simpler and we have the luxury of standing on the tailgate and gear tunnel doors for the steps that require us to be up high. We also used a winch to lift the 190 lb tent up, which would have been extremely difficult to do otherwise. If you have storage space, you could consider a camp trailer to mount the RTT on top of. That could solve several problems at once for you.

Yeah, having one of those trailers to carry it over the Rivian would have been nice but the good ones are like $800 and I felt it a little pricey to just lift a tent. Might be the only way to go though. Putting it on an R1T over the bed would be immensely easier.

 

[Cavalryscout18]

Just realised that you've got an R1S.

Here's some specific feedback and pics from a customer with an R1S

'I’ve used a large hard shell rooftop tent for a number of seasons but was forced to leave it on the vehicle year round due to its weight. When I discovered the Air Cruiser’s weight I was cautiously optimistic. This would allow me to remove it off season and not have the wear and tear from taking it everywhere. I was also looking forward to being able to use covered garages again.

When the Air Cruiser arrived, the installation on the vehicle couldn’t be simpler. We were off on our first camping trip with it the next day. While it hadn’t been a factor in my decision to purchase the tent, initially, I underestimated the value of the use of compressed air as the structure for the frame. I ended up finding it so easy to set up and take down the tent that I was able to use the vehicle during the day when with the previous tent I would leave it set up on the vehicle and that was that, a significant compromise with roof top tents. With the Air Cruiser auto-inflating, it gave me more time to do other camp setup tasks.

My kids sleep in the tent while I’m in the vehicle below. They love how tall the interior volume is and how the large sunroof allows for light and visibility. I could barely get them down for breakfast. I like that there are no support rods to hold up canopies, which on my last tent would pop out and damaged the roof more than once. The Air Cruiser compliments my Rivian perfectly.'

The weight is definitely a problem. Too late for me since I already purchased the Thule. My wife would be very unhappy if I had to buy another tent so soon. But for others thinking of getting a RTT, the weight is definitely something to consider when trying to mount on an R1S.

 

[Thedude]

The interior views aren't obstructed by poles and there ire no rain fly's to mess around with and no canopies to set up.

The poles don’t obstruct views in any tent I’ve owned. Unless your tent is dual wall by design it’s vastly inferior to a tent with a full rainfly in poor weather.

 

[HaveBlue]

I have never understood the alure of an RTT. Everything sways like a boat, it's more wind exposed, you have to constantly climb a ladder, wind resistance when driving, cost, limited size, lower clearance on the trail and have to wheel with it. Advantage setup and take down time? Are there some finer points I'm missing? Many people have them and seem to like them. They are four season from the looks of it. Many regular tents today insist on a mesh ceiling which is so stupid.

 

[Singletracker]

For me, one of my main consideration when choosing between an R1T and R1S was how the tent would mount. I figured there was no way I could easily mount a tent on the S. On my T, with a proper bed rack, I can easily mount/dismount it by myself, just using tie down straps to lift it. It doesn’t take very long, at all. Of course, you need vertical clearance to attach the straps into whatever ceiling hooks are used.

I had a canvas type RTT (think Thule, Yakima, or whatever) for a number years. I had it set up on my Toyota FJ Cruiser. It was functional, but certainly had its drawbacks. First, it was a PITA to set up and take down. It took just long enough to make you not want to do it. Once inside, it was great - very, very roomy. However, if you are camping where there is ANY wind, forget about a good nights sleep. All that canvas and the rain fly make a racket.

A couple of year ago, I switched to a hard shell (James Baroud) tent, which is now on my R1T. It can be opened in barely over a minute (seriousy) and taken down very quickly, as well. Assembly and break down are simply a non-issue. Need to go somewhere? You can break camp in minutes. In windy, rainy weather, it is much less annoying than a canvas tent, as it is very sturdy, the walls are very stout, and the roof is fiberglass. When I’m at home, if I need to put something in the tent or get something out of it, I don’t think twice about popping it open in the driveway. It’s so easy. My previous tent? Nah. For these reasons, for me, it was a game changer. Also, I think it is more aerodynamic and the range hit is minimal, as far as I can tell. On the negative side, as it doesn‘t fold open like a canvas tent, there is much less interior space and headroom. It’s actually about as wide -54”- as a normal, folding canvas tent, but not nearly as long or tall. But, hey. It’s cozy. I’m 6’ tall and there is plenty of room for me and another person.

 

[Singletracker]

I have never understood the alure of an RTT. Everything sways like a boat, it's more wind exposed, you have to constantly climb a ladder, wind resistance when driving, cost, limited size, lower clearance on the trail and have to wheel with it. Advantage setup and take down time? Are there some finer points I'm missing? Many people have them and seem to like them. They are four season from the looks of it. Many regular tents today insist on a mesh ceiling which is so stupid.

- Sways like a boat? Nope. I honestly never know mine is up there.
- Wind issue while camping? Yup, for some tents, but not more than a ground tent.
- Constantly climbing a ladder? Nope. You climb in to sleep, climb out when you get up. How many times do you really need to climb the ladder? But, it can be an adventure, especially after a few brews. Make sure you have a pee bottle up there ?
- Wind resistance when driving? Well, that can vary depending on setup
- Cost? Well, yeah
- Lower clearance? Could be, depending on how it’s mounted and where one is going, but, generally, not an issue.
Wheel with it? You bet. no problem.

Missing points - way better than a ground tent - ease of setup, comfort, have your sleeping bag and stuff always up there ready to go, security, away from the critters, always have a home on your rig, like a turtle- sweet.

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