When it comes to Roof Top tent's they can be broken into two main categories. Hard shell tents and soft shell tents. Being in California we wanted a hard shell tent for the additional durability. My worst fear would be a torn tent due to a sharp low hanging branch. The hard shell tents are much more durable than the soft shell tents. A product like a rooftop tent is purchased as an investment. Many owners have had theirs for 15-20 years. This is evident by the lack of used tents on eBay or Craigslist. On average Americans don't keep a house as long as they hold onto their tents and we wanted one that would last.
For overland travel we wanted a tent that was durable, easy to use, secure and full of features.
Through our research for hard shell tents we narrowed it down to:
First trip out with the James Baroud Explorer Evolution installed
Each manufacturer has a slightly different design. After extensive research we decided James Baroud was the best match for us.
Top features include:
- Ability to store gear on top
- Easy automatic opening
- Included light and mount
- Solar powered vent
- Additional door on rear of tent
- Cost of the tent
- 5 year warranty
After using the tent on multiple trips it has lived up to and exceeded our expectations. For the overland and 4wd enthusiast I would strongly recommend a roof top tent by James Baroud.
Since purchasing our RTT we now have an extra hour per day on our trips to explore, hike, relax and enjoy wherever we are. Our 12 year old Eureka tent had served us well, but it's amazing how great it is to just unclip 4 latches and attach the ladder and have camp set up. With a standard tent one has to search for a flat spot unroll and setup the tent. Inflate the Therm-a-Rest's®' and roll out the sleeping bags. Then do it all in reverse the next day. There is enough space in the tent to leave our pillows and sleeping bags rolled out even when it is stored.
Tent deployed with the ladder ready
James Baroud recommends a heavy duty rack system like Rhino-Rack. The tent comes with mounting hardware for three crossbars. I was impressed with the quality of the Rhino-Rack product. I have used both Yakima and Thule in the past but found the Rhino-Rack crossbars and gutter mounts to be easy to install and substantial in durability. The feet are significantly wider than competitors and this will better distribute the weight of the tent. Also the gutter mounts can be ordered in different heights. This allows for shorter towers and a lower profile mounting.
Partially deployed
The ladder securely clips on either the left or right side of the tent, but not the back
The included flashlight can mount inside the tent and provides plenty of light. It is also easily recharged with an included 12v DC adapter
Storage pockets are located on each side of the tent. The shocks are also covered.
The solar powered fan in the roof can operate up to 24 hours per charge and is turned on by a switch located in the unit itself. Separate blades are included to switch the direction of airflow.