I am in the market for a RTT.....and I am keeping a close eye on this project!....Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!

Howdy all - quick update on summer testing. Things are progressing nicely. 002 came back from Moab a wonderful success having survived monsoon level rains, high winds and hail. Not a drop of moisture inside or a failure in the fabric.

Very, very satisfied with the results to date.

003 is presently in production and will likely be the closest thing to the production versions. Once completed, all 3 will be out in the wild for the remainder of the summer testing every aspect we can to break them. Come fall 2019 - I am aiming to begin production.

In the meantime - I have been testing 001 with the new 100W solar array, custom fabricated 50Ah LFP solar charger and a Dometic CFX40 fridge. Amazed how efficient the Dometic is. Looking forward to further testing in the field.

More to come very soon.

VG news Terrapod and thanks for the update.

I like the solar pad integration.


Eddie

Aaaaahhh product testing. Tent 002 goes pop! While installing new, upgraded gas springs, the owner of 002 inadvertently found a fail point. Can anyone spot it?



Result: Heavy duty lower mounts for everybody!

Tell me about your rear storage/drawer setup!

Oh no! Too thin of a bracket for the lower mount.

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Really cool product! Since I'll be in the market for an RTT in the near future and I want to be able to park the truck in the garage, I'm really interested in your product! Our of curiosity, what was it that you didnt like about the GFC RTT that made you want to come up with your own?

Start a go fund me. Lets get this off the ground, I love this RTT.

Thanks! GFC has a great product for trucks / truck beds. That's where the focus is. To which I say - go for it.

However - my focus was more on what a RTT is, functions, and the needs of the vehicle and vehicle based camping / "overlanding".

Weight - Height - Aero

All of those factors weigh heavily on a vehicle and have a direct impact on handling, fuel economy and more.

No other tent on the market addresses these factors. The goal of the final production level is to be as low of a weight without sacrificing quality, while maintaining the lowest possible profile (5.25"), and utilize integrated aerodynamics for improved MPG's.

To date - every trip has averaged about 17.2 mpgs - loaded. (This accounts for Highway & city miles. Not trails).

Testing is going well and my goal is to begin production fall / winter this year. I am presently lining up more solid suppliers, and customized materials.

Pricing is expected to be in line with the industry with many custom options available.

Once testing is complete this summer, the ball gets rolling.

I was actually set on getting one of the GFC RTT's however their rear shark fin antenna delete solution is janky as best. It wouldn't be so much of an issue if I had one of the earlier 5th gen 4Runner models that could adapt the Corolla XM antenna but the 16+ models are different and there is no solution yet for a delete yet. If you watch the GFC video they use a 3D printed cap to protect the PCB however the plastic antenna trim around the roof is left exposed. Looks like water could easily get in.

Here's a video of their shark fin delete.
YouTube

On the Terrapod tent there's no need to remove the shark fin since it uses the Rhino Rack Backbone. I spoke with the GFC guys and with their mount and tent it stands about 8" over the roof line. Sounds like the Terrapod and RR backbone stands 7.5" inches above. So it's lower and doesn't require a ghetto mod antenna delete. Looks like a much better solution. I'll certainly be keeping my eyes on this thread.

sub'd to this as I like your 3 goals, not a lot of the manufacturers focus on aero etc.

That RTT looks awesome! I just purchased the Tepui Low-Pro for that exact reason (along with budget). Wish I'd seen this earlier, I'd pitch in to that gofundme! Excuse me if this has been asked before, but how much does it weigh? Looks sturdy and sleek, great job Terrapod!

Agreed

He said 117 lbs which isn't bad at all.

All that sounds great, I'm honestly beyond excited! Good luck with everything you have to go thru to bring this product to market!