July 19, 2018 | By Julie Kailus

With vehicle load restrictions, the rooftop tent market has focused mostly on two-person tents. But iKamper has figured how to make an easy-pop hardshell tent for four — without much more weight.

If you have young kids and want a rooftop tent (RTT) to share, options are limited. Because larger tents tend to weigh more, the lion’s share of RTTs is built for two to three people.

But there’s a market for larger options, and iKamper has been filling that niche since it burst onto the RTT scene last year. The South Korean brand’s original Skycamp four-person model raised $2.3 million, making it the most successful tent project in Kickstarter history.

In short: At $3,600, this hardshell RTT is pricey. But it’s a premium product for a reason. The sleek Skycamp’s weight-conscious aerodynamics coupled with simple setup and spacious design might just be worth it for your family.

As a mom, I wanted to see why families were geeking out about this newcomer.

We tested iKamper’s Skycamp on a family trip to Alta Lakes near Telluride.

Safe Weight

Let’s start with weight, arguably the Skycamp’s most standout feature. iKamper has figured out how to build in a cushy, king-size mattress and a canvas tent in a hardtop shell at the industry target weight: 160 pounds.

That’s the rooftop load limit for most cars and trucks while moving at highway speeds. iKamper stressed that we shouldn’t exceed 70 mph with the tent on our Tacoma. That was a bit of a buzzkill for traveling six hours, which something worth keeping in mind.

However, the hardshell stayed on rock solid. I eyed it in the rearview while climbing a gnarly 3-mile dirt doubletrack to the campsite.

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