Truck tents....

[shawn474]

Wife and I have 2 kids (ages 10 and 6). We have had a few popup campers that I have restored and flipped. We are entertaining the idea of a truck tent as we have done more tent camping lately. Wondering if anyone has any experience with the 4runner Napier 84000 model truck tent. We have been looking at it and it seems to be a neat concept but afraid the concept may be better than the application in reality. So my question is does anyone have one and what are your impressions? Reviews seem to be very favorable.

 

[Ducmonsta]

My personal concerns with these types of tents is finding enough real estate to back into. For example, if you're at an actual campsite, the tent pads aren't always accessible directly behind the truck. And if you're a dispersed camper in forested areas, it'll be hard to find a place big enough and flat enough for both truck and tent.

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

I've looked at these too and aside from the above possibility of not being able to back up to the tent I also ask myself "why do I need to have the tailgate hatch open into the tent anyway?" Just didn't make a lot of sense when you can get plenty of space with a regular large car camping tent like an REI Kingdom 6. Can put 4 cots in that thing for ultimate comfort.

 

[Intruder]

Do you sleep in the back of the truck or does it attach just so you can grab stuff out of the back without leaving the tent? I'm not sure I understand the advantage of this over a regular ground tent.

 

[bimrunner]

Better idea to just save up and get a RTT. You will be so much happier. Your wife will thank you. If you get one with an annex, kids can sleep down there and you and the wife get the comfy upstairs.

 

[3wbdriver]

It looks like it base a few different assembly options, which is a good thing in my book. I might have been interested in this a month ago, but I just bought a stand alone cabin tent.

 

[shawn474]

From what I can gather you don't have to have the hatch open. A sleeve attaches the tent to the truck. More my thought was to have the wife and I sleep on an air mattress in the back of the truck, the kids in the tent and use the porch area to store chairs, etc. after two back surgeries and spinal fusion the hard ground is pretty unkind after a day or two. They get really high reviews but it will cost north of 300. I like the idea that the 4runner is so off road capable and the tent seems pretty versatile.

 

[KidVermicious]

I've looked at these too and aside from the above possibility of not being able to back up to the tent I also ask myself "why do I need to have the tailgate hatch open into the tent anyway?" Just didn't make a lot of sense when you can get plenty of space with a regular large car camping tent like an REI Kingdom 6. Can put 4 cots in that thing for ultimate comfort.

This. We have a truck tent that works ok behind the first gen with the tailgate. We can't use it behind the 3rd because the lift hatch lifts the tent off the ground.

We use it as a standalone tent now anyway, even when we're in the first gen, because backing the truck up to it and hooking up the tent is a PITA and does nothing for you. And if you're not going to use it to move between the tent and the truck through the hatch, what's the point in having a "truck tent" anyway?

 

[Ducmonsta]

This. We have a truck tent that works ok behind the first gen with the tailgate. We can't use it behind the 3rd because the lift hatch lifts the tent off the ground.

We use it as a standalone tent now anyway, even when we're in the first gen, because backing the truck up to it and hooking up the tent is a PITA and does nothing for you. And if you're not going to use it to move between the tent and the truck through the hatch, what's the point in having a "truck tent" anyway?

I lol'd!

 

[boater1217]

I vote for a stand alone. I have tent camped and pop up camped. I really like the idea of being able to use the truck while leaving the camp site intact.

As far as a bad back goes, get a tent big enough to hold cots. In my experience, a cot with an air mattress is pretty comfortable.

 

[Swarty]

Just use the air mattress...

From what I can gather you don't have to have the hatch open. A sleeve attaches the tent to the truck. More my thought was to have the wife and I sleep on an air mattress in the back of the truck, the kids in the tent and use the porch area to store chairs, etc. after two back surgeries and spinal fusion the hard ground is pretty unkind after a day or two. They get really high reviews but it will cost north of 300. I like the idea that the 4runner is so off road capable and the tent seems pretty versatile.

I car camp with the kids and bring an air mattress. It works much better in a tent than in the truck. I can only fit a twin size in the back of the truck and the ceiling is so close you have trouble getting in and out, it's a pretty small space in reality. Once you are on an air mattress the truck doesn't give you any advantage for your back. Not only that but it was pretty stuffy if I had to shut things up and that was with just me in there.

I can fit a queen size in the cabin tent and still have space for 2 twins for the kiddos. Check out REI kingdom tents, they have 2 rooms.

These do have their uses though. I've used a friends during the winter for sledding with the kids. Let us load/unload the truck, heat drinks and just have a spot to warm up, the constant traffic ruined the floor though. I think they are very limited and that sleeping in the back of the 4runner is a one person activity... At least if you actually plan to sleep. :frisky:

 

[STX4Runner]

I vote for stand alone as well. I don't really see the attraction of this concept.
Questions I have include:

Does it seal tight enough to keep bugs from setting up shop in the 4Runner?

Will it scratch the paint from flapping all night in the wind?

How weather proof is it at the point it joins the 4Runner?

Also, sleeping in the 4Runner is absolutely a one person job. I'm 6'1" and fit just perfectly at a diagonal. But even if you and your wife are both short, the side to side room would probably be kinda tight.

 

[shawn474]

All good points; I am 6'2" and 205 so the back of the truck may not work. I will continue the search for a cabin style tent with 2 rooms. And a cot is a great idea. Might have to get a roof basket to fit all this stuff now that we dont have the popup to throw everything in.

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

RTT is the way I will be going.

 

[medelstein169]

Napier Outdoor Tent

Wife and I have 2 kids (ages 10 and 6). We have had a few popup campers that I have restored and flipped. We are entertaining the idea of a truck tent as we have done more tent camping lately. Wondering if anyone has any experience with the 4runner Napier 84000 model truck tent. We have been looking at it and it seems to be a neat concept but afraid the concept may be better than the application in reality. So my question is does anyone have one and what are your impressions? Reviews seem to be very favorable.

I actually posted a review on this tent 2 years ago on youtube....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nMjjQXX2kY

On my wife's old Rav4...hope it helps.

 

[Net4n6]

I had it before and highly recommend it. You can store all your camping equipment in the tent and sleep in the 4 runner or the other way around. I had pictures of the tent with my 4runner on here somewhere. I used many times for the Pismo trip.

 

[Net4n6]

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[3wbdriver]

All good points; I am 6'2" and 205 so the back of the truck may not work. I will continue the search for a cabin style tent with 2 rooms. And a cot is a great idea. Might have to get a roof basket to fit all this stuff now that we dont have the popup to throw everything in.

I bought a 4 man smallish tent for the Toyota Jamboree last May. After 2 nights in it I decided my 55 year old self was entitled to something I could stand up in, AND a cot. I now have a Coleman 7 man 2 room cabin tent and 2 solid cots, for less than what you would have paid for that tent. Total footprint stowed on the roof will be 3 1/2' x 2'. I will be testing them out the first weekend of October up in Kentucky.

But I still would have looked hard at your linked one if I had known about them back then.

 

[1traildriver]

I actually have that exact tent and used it twice last year. I can't say that I would overly recommend it as it looks and sounds like a cool concept, but really isn't that big of a deal to have your truck attached. It only works good for me because my truck has the pull-out cargo shelf, which fully extended is almost like a table for anything you want inside the tent. However, its really not that necessary and I could easily be happy with a stand alone tent...

It seals good enough to keep bugs out (via the elastic band around the part that attaches to the truck) and there is nothing that would flap and scratch the paint if set up correctly. You can zip close the area that attaches and drive away if needed. Its def a decent sized tent and I will live with it for now, but I could definitely live with something different.

I would say that if you could find the same size tent for considerably less its not worth paying extra just so you can back your SUV up to it.

 

[shawn474]

Awesome input guys. Thanks so much. Decision made - going with a stand alone cabin style tent. If anyone has recommendations on that style of tent i am all ears. Looking at coleman prairie breeze and vacationer right now.