SUV Tents anyone have these?

I’m not talking about the rooftop tents. I’m talking about the ones that attach to the open back of the 4Runner.

I have a wife and two kids. If we’re going overlanding/camping, can I attach one of these to the back and have my wife and I in the tent while the kids sleep in the back of the 4Runner and we’re all, basically, sleeping in the same room/area?

Are these types of tents any good?

 

I have never used one and I'm sure some are good quality. I don't like the idea that the car is attached to a tent because you can't easily pack up and go explore.

We just bought one of these:
https://www.costco.com/core-10-person-lighted-instant-cabin-tent.product.100892778.html

Going to use it this weekend for the first time down in Baja with a wife and 2 kids with 2 air mattresses. Bought a huge mesh tarp from Harbor Freight to create a little "porch". We are going on a 2+ week camping trip in June and plan too use this the whole time.

 

I love tent camping. Owned many good ones over the years. We own travel trailers now. I had been looking at some more recently if we invited friends or kids friends who don't own any gear. This brand I came across Kodiak Canvas look good. Canvas could last a long while if properly maintained. You have to worry about regular water proofing of the canvas material. Looks rugged but I don't know. I have owned decent ones from places like REI or Walmart or Eddie Bauer.

https://kodiakcanvas.com/

 

We have the Napier Sportz SUV tent. We’ve used it a few times, sleeping in the 4Runner and using the tent for storage, changing clothes, etc. Our kids are grown but we took them camping a lot, and I can see this tent being no problem at all with kids. Not difficult to detach, zip up, drive away, and reattach when back at camp. Have fun!

 

That’s actually the exact one I’m looking at. May I ask why you didn’t sleep in the tent? Is it too small for sleeping purposes?

 

That’s a huge tent for a small price! My kids have never been camping and I’m thinking having them in the back of the 4R with a mattress might feel more comfortable and safe/secure for them. But a tent like that seems pretty roomy and might feel comfortable enough for them to sleep in it. Thanks for the link!

 

This looks like something one would bring while on safari in Africa. It’s literally a portable cabin. If it wasn’t so expensive and requiring regular waterproof maintenance, I’d definitely be inclined to go with something like that.

 

Yep! My kids are ~2 and ~4, they have camped a good amount already, but they love the tent. This one comes with a light too that you plug into a USB battery pack. We used a similar but smaller one last month and it went pretty well.

 

I have a Kodiak Flex Bow tent. It’s great! The only downside to it vs. the cabin style is you can’t put a stove in it. Either way +1 for the Kodiak Canvas.

 

The tent is plenty large for sleeping (like 8'x8'?), but we chose to sleep in the 4Runner on a Luno mattress for the novelty of it.

 

We looked at something similar but my concern was when detached the side wasn't smooth, looked like there was a pocket at the bottom that would be a water issue if it rained. We ended up with a closeout coleman 8-man (for two of us + the dog) because the dog can't settle if she isn't in her crate at night (we tried when she was spayed...she ended up in the crate with the cone on at about 2am). she's still a pup, almost 8 months old so maybe she will settle (but she's also a mini-aussie so maybe not)

 

My wife and I have opted for a luno mattress in the vehicle. She wants solid walls when camping, gives her a piece of mind. Additionally, I recently purchased a Quick-Set by Clam Venture model. It's a 9x9 hub gazebo for hanging out.

 

I think the Napier Sportz SUV tents are 10x10. I just purchased one but haven't had time to set it up yet.

 

I can sympathize with your wife. I loved tent camping up until a few years ago, I was camping in Vermont and there was a bear roaming around our campsite at night. A conservation officer showed up and supposedly shooted it away, but I was wide awake until I finally couldn't take it anymore and grabbed my sleeping bag and curled up in the back of the 4Runner, where I proceeded to sleep like a baby. Since then I've always tried to slept in the 4Runner.

It's also nice to not have to worry about rain.

 

Glad no one got hurt. That is her exact fear, bears and mountain lions.

To OPs original point, unfortunately it’s unrealistic to put two adults and two kids in a 4Runner. I don’t own one so this ends up being more opinion. Awhile back I was looking into a lot of the SUV tents that come off the back of the car like the Napier. They all seemed to do a sub par job in the rain. I came across a GoFSR hub SUV tent model but it was pricey.

 

I’ve been eyeing up those Kodiaks for years, yeah they look awesome! Yes I agree that canvas based tents have some great advantages (with weight being possibly their biggest disadvantage). Not sure if you’re familiar with Nortent, but I’ve had this in my shopping cart for like 5 years lol…

https://nortent.com/products/nortent-gamme-8pc-arctic

 

If you guys are interested in those high dollar canvas tents you should have a look at OZTent. They’re big and heavy but they set up in a couple of minutes.

 

Detached tent would be 1) easier to find a quality item 2) easier to setup 3) easier to use 4) not cause scratches on the paint 5) not be parked location dependent. 6) you get the point.

 

Yeah always different pros & cons to weigh, the cons that you point out are definitely negatives. But on the flip side I do think about how a rooftop tent is never plopped onto dirt/mud, so cleaning (and drying) it seems way easier. Also, man some look incredibly easy to open up, then fold back up, like this Thule (compared to staking down a ground tent)…

https://www.thule.com/en-us/rooftop-tents-and-accessories/rooftop-tents/thule-approach-l-_-901015

 

I’ve been on outings with folks who had rooftop tents. When we stopped for the evening they were set up and grilling while the rest of us were still futzing with our ground tents. I must admit I was a little jealous. They did take a little time to level their vehicle with wood blocks at some locations. For day excursions away from the campsite some folks had a pop-up tent that they would unload their gear into so as not to be running trails while fully loaded. The big issue with a rooftop tent is putting it on the roof, taking it off, and storing it when not in use. My garage is too full of junk to park inside, but if I wanted to, my truck would never fit with a tent on top.

Have a look at this video of an OzTent setup. Scrub to 2:45 for a sped-up set-up with a timer running.

 

It’s fine. 4Runner ORP is loaded with awesome settings for so many scenarios. I believe there’s a ‘Take my tent off the roof’ setting as well as a ‘Put my tent up on the roof’ setting. I think that the knob all the way to the right also has a setting to protect against possible UFO abductions…for those who might be nervous about such a thing while in an open field in the middle of nowhere, and all alone.

 

I have the Oztent tagalong tents (it can sleep 4 in each). They are attached to the Batwing awning on each side. Wife and I sleep in one and the boys sleep in the other. It does take some time to set up. Pic shows only one attached cause I was at an event doing solo camping. I tried the rooftop tent, it only lasted one trip. It was to hot to sleep in and climbing up and down was nut fun.

 

Lots of great options,some compromises. Isn't that part of the fun?

 

We've got one of the Napier Sportz 82000 like 4Daughters posted above. Works pretty good - and you can disconnect your 4Runner from it, drive somewhere, and easily reconnect it. The tent goes up easily/fast. The tent is free standing - you don't need any stakes/lines - although it comes with some if you really want/need to secure it down. We watched a video before we put it up the first time and it was easy. Went up even faster the second time we used it. We do the opposite of what 4Daughters described - we sleep in the tent and use the back of the open 4Runner for storage. Tent is 9'x9' - a queen sized air mattress easily fits with spare room to walk around the air mattress. I'd feel too confined with two people sleeping in the back of the 4Runner. We just leave some stuff - like our big, heavy 65qt Lifetime cooler, bags with our clothes, etc... - in the back of the 4Runner. It is tall enough to stand up in also. It has a rain fly (not on in picture) - but we've never used it in the rain. We camp at state parks that are within a couple hours drive of our house - so if rain is in the forecast we just don't go. I think it would be Ok in light rain - but I think water would get in if the rain was heavy/prolonged. As you can see in the picture we camp in regular campsites with electrical hook ups. Put the tent up right on the camper pad with a tarp/footprint under the tent. Early spring/late fall - we have a small electric heater that we put in the cargo area floor of the 4Runner blowing warm air into the tent. With the rainfly on and the windows zipped up that little electric heater keeps it comfortable when it gets down in the 30s at night. We only camp in it for a night, or two, at a time - maybe 2-3 times a year. Works great for that - but don't think I would want to live out of it for a week. If camping for longer periods like that I'd want a camper - but I don't want a camper!

 

Great write up! We’ll have to try sleeping in the tent like you described. Agree about the rain. Ok for light but who knows for heavy rain. Have fun!

 

For those concerned about rain, I’ve used this Llbean tent for maybe 20 years, many downpours.




adventure dome.

 

I'd say the quality/materials of the Napier SUV tent that 4Daughters and I described/showed is similar to that LLBean tent. The dome tent portion of the Napier SUV tent, with the rain fly on, would probably take rain just as well as this LLBean tent. The weak spot with regard to rain would be where the Napier SUV tent's vehicle sleeve connects to the 4Runner - it fits pretty tight - but not watertight. I think in hard rain some water would come in around the edges of the sleeve that attaches to the 4Runner - but I don't think the roof, walls, or windows would leak unless it was raining heavy for a long time - conditions that would cause any of these lightweight tents to leak some. I understand that if you are traveling a long distance and are camping for an extended period of time you can't just avoid rain. But we only travel about 2-3 hours from home at the most - so if the forecast calls for rain we just wait until the weather looks better. We've got some favorite campsites - really nice parks with elevated campsites right on beautiful lakes. We can reserve campsites from April-Oct. You only lose $5.25 to change your reservation - so if it looks like rain we just move the reservation out. We typically have at least two reserved campsites out in the future - we either use them if the weather is good - or roll them forward if it isn't. Between spring/fall we typically end up camping 2-3 times a year - for 1-2 nights at most. We camp for the scenery - not necessarily the camping experience - although we always have a good time. I guess a better way to explain it is that we would never just camp like this in a campground with no scenery other than trees and other campsites. So, for how we use it - these Napier SUV tents work very well.

 

Also, keep stuff from touching the inside walls of the tent when it’s raining.