SmittyBilt OVERLAND TENT FOLDED - SB2783

So back story to this purchase, I work in the off road industry and smittybilt gets an undeserved rough reputation within certain groups. Luckily, I love TrailRecon and actually made my decision largely due to him, so if you're looking for an in depth review, he hits every point good and bad. Anyways, I love this tent. There is more than enough room for me and my girlfriend, Super easy setup and teardown, and the quality feels amazing regardless of some people's opinion. Now, is it the "nicest" or "best" roof top tent out there? No, but, for my needs and wants, it is perfect for me. Price is amazing for what you get over other soft shell tents. I've used this 3 times in the month i have owned it and all I want to do is go out again and again. Here's just a short and quick list of pros and cons for those who are interested:Pros:Price is amazing for what you are getting.The quality is way above average; especially against soft shells that cost thousands moreQuick and easy set up and teardownVelcro cover; many soft shell RTT have a zipper and they always get dirty and cloggedLots of spaceVery light weightEasy mountingGreat ventilationReally good in rain, absolutely no leaks. Waiting to see when snow comes.Cons:That ladder... Probably going to change it for a telescoping ladder because wow, it's badThe mattress; while it's not horrible, if you are side sleeper, you are going to want to add a foam layer (i did and it is perfect now) or just replace it with a different mattress.The rain fly poles are very durable, but can sometimes be a pain to put in place. Only struggled once and in defense for the tent, I was setting it up during a rain storm so it was a bit more of a struggleLike I said, I absolutely love this tent and have already convinced one of my good friends to buy one. Don't just focus on some people's gripe with smittybilt, this is a really nice tent. Check out TrailRecon's video on it, he does a great job going through the tent and his likes and dislikes. I would definitely buy this tent again if I went back in time.

I don’t like to recommend anything until I’ve tested it, but after the thunderstorm we went through Saturday night I feel like I can weigh in a little early on this one. In short, if you are considering a roof top tent (RTT) then the Smittybuilt RTT is a fantastic tent at a reasonable price. Just after dark Saturday night a big ole red cell formed on the radar and just sat right on top of us and dumped nearly 2” of rain in the next 2 hours along with some significant winds. Since it was so early in the evening and we weren’t ready to go to bed yet, we just moved our chairs into the bottom “annex” room, ate our supper and had a few beers while watching the lightning flash outside. Later on when it slacked up a little, we crawled on up in the tent and called it a night. Not a drop of water in the tent and even with the strong winds everything stood strong. It’s hard to find a tent that is truly waterproof, but this one did very well and we slept like babies, high and dry.The only 2 areas I’ve seen that need to be improved after spending almost a solid week sleeping in this tent are:1 - Needs a little thicker memory foam mattress. It has a 3” mattress, but I can still feel the hard floor of the tent slightly when I’m on my side. I’m going to add another 1.5” memory foam pad underneath it or maybe even a thin air mattress. I think that either will solve the problem and won’t effect the setup and storage in anyway.2 - The ground stakes for the annex are junk. I’ll go buy some heavier duty stakes to replace them.In summary: Well made, easy to set up, lots of features and user friendly.

We have used ours 3 times and absolutely love it!!!2019 Subaru Crosstrek using a heavy duty aluminum aftermarket crossbar (locking type)We tried the OEM style aero crossbars which caused 2 issues:1. Low clearance for installation which made for some frustrating installation moments)2. Too much flex (when climbing in and out or moving around inside the RTT)Once installed we placed a 1 “ memory foam topper on the included mattress (otherwise you’ll be a little sore on the hips, elbows, etc).We leave our sleeping bags / blankets inside when we stow it.Takes 2 people to place on the roof manually, I’m building a crank lift for easier install. But, with my wife’s help for balance, it’s very easy. I could probably do it myself (it’s only 124lbs), but it’s Large & a little awkward, don’t want to damage the new Subie!Once installed it’s very easy to put the cover on / off.Deploying the tent and rain fly poles literally takes 2 minutes!Closing and stowing takes less than 5 min.Very comfy and warm. We’ve camped in overnight temps of 30 and 40 degrees, with our Heater-Buddy propane heater. Which was on for about 5 min (with proper ventilation and safety space)I’m 6’4” and about 230 and I fit fine. Wife is much smaller. Very comfy.The LED light (included) is amazing!I’ve called Smittybilt 2 times for questions about the roof rails. Looong wait time. Also, they were not able to answer the crucial roof rail questions. All cars are rated for a max dynamic roof weight of 150lbs (stability and safe turning).Sturdy roof rails are key! Preferably, I’d like to add a 3rd roof rail for weight distribution over the long term.The ladder is a shining spot. It’s nice and wide and safe for those late night restroom trips.The taller clearance roof rail you use, the easier it is to install. I actually leave the rails attached to the RTT when I remove it. It will cause some wind resistance and gas mileage decrease.All said, this is one of the coolest investments in our happiness that we’ve ever made!The tent is very thick, sturdy & well made. The zippers are tough & don’t snag.The rain fly poles are very easy. (If you’re under 6’, you might want to take a small step stool - like my short wife 🤣) to assist with deploying / stowing the RTT.We’ve learned a lot in a short time, thanks to the RTT community.Hope this helps!We can be contacted for further questions on Instagram at Overlander_minney_treehouse.-Joe