We had the opportunity to try out the Smittybilt Roof Top Tent and with being overland enthusiasts we were excited to test the product.
There is nothing more relaxing than jumping into your Jeep and getting away from the hustle and bustle of daily life..... However this doesn't mean you have to rough it out in the woods during this "Relaxation time". Smittybilt recognizes that you don’t have to leave all of your creature comforts at home and with their new line of Overlander gear; it can make your outdoor experience even more enjoyable.
A few things from Smittybilt.......
Smittybilt Overlander Tent is designed to mount easily on your stock roof rack system or on an aftermarket rack/crossbar system and weighing in at only 118 lbs the Smittybilt Overlander Tent is the perfect weight. Generally, most OE roof racks will have a capacity of 100-200 lbs while vehicle is in motion (dynamic rating). However, when the vehicle is parked and you are utilizing your Smittybilt Overlander Tent, you are applying a static load which is easier to support and most rack systems can generally handle this static load with ease. Always check with the manufacturer of your vehicle and your roof rack system to determine the applicable weight limitations as they vary from vehicle to vehicle. If you need a roof rack system or more carrying capacity you may check with your local supplier for Smittybilt, Thule, or Yakima racks to suit your needs.
Check local and state laws regarding roof mounted load capacities. Many states have a limit of 165lbs while vehicle is in motion, and therefore most vehicle manufactures will build their roof racks to meet that limit. The Smittybilt Overlander Tent weights only 118 lbs, so it can be mounted to most rack systems.
After a long day of overlanding you are tired and the last thing you want to do is spend hours setting up camp. With the Smittybilt’s OVERLANDER ROOF TOP TENT set up camp in minutes with waterproof construction, mesh windows for ventilation, and a wide aluminum ladder as standard features.
Now that they have said their side of it we will tell you what we have found....... First off the prices for these are right around the $900 mark. We got our Smittybilt Overlander roof top tent from Quadratec (part number is 92023.3000) The certain application didn’t matter because we had other plans for ours..... A pull behind custom built off road trailer where the tent can be removed from location to location is what we had in mind. The traditional mounting is to have it as an overhang off of whatever roof rack you mount it on but with our custom build we wanted it to lay on our oak rail system. The universal mounting set up bolted on nicely with the supplied.
After mounting the tent we could quickly open it up and finish the rest of install. First the telescoping ladder, constructed from a quality, heavy duty aluminum that extends up to 6.5' and hold up to 265 lbs. The tent has four side windows with screens and awnings along a waterproof rainfly which when removed has two sun roofs to view the sky or let more air in. Inside the tent, there is 90" x 53" mattress made from 2” thick, high density foam with removable cover. Another feature is the LED light strip inside the tent that is perfect for reading or reviewing your itinerary for the next day. There is just quality everywhere with the Smittybilt Overlander Roof Top Tent.
Now for the real test......We attached it to our custom trailer and took it for a test ride to see how it performed under certain conditions. The trail we drove on was very bumpy and rocky. It shook everything that was part of the set up and there were even areas so rocky that it broke ¼” bolts off the wooden support system but..... The tent stayed together, not even a loose nut. Same set up was was tested at 70 mph and not one thing blew open or came loose.
Next we wanted to go to a remote area to set it up and see how easy it is for quick set......Ready set go.....from parking the jeep, , getting the cover off, and fully opening the tent.....6 minutes was fully set up. Needless to say we really like the speed of the set up of Smittybilt Overland Roof Top Tent.
Inside the mattress is comfortable; the windows are placed nicely to allow airflow and viewing of the environment around you. The sunroof is nice for those cool days of relaxing in the shade watching the birds in the trees. The LED lights which is a neat feature provides just the right amount of light and another useful feature is the cigarette lighter extension that allows you the ability to plug in anything you have...cell phone, radio...etc We were impressed also by it coming with a shoe bag and individual bags for the supports and such.
We have taken our Smittybilt Overland Roof Top tent through some pretty rough terrain and for a tent on a custom built trailer, but it holds up great. While had to beef up a few things on the trailer, no modifications to the tent were needed.
The same things would apply if mounted to the roof of your vehicle as it makes remote camping easy and gives a few of the comforts from home all while treading lightly. You would have to watch it going through tight areas with trees but won’t notice the added weight very much.
After your long day out on the trails and setting up camp it is nice to know that at the end of the day you can relax and enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep.....oh and that family of bear snooping through your camping area.... you can relax as you are 6ft above the ground and out of the way with no chance of becoming snacks for the bear.
