Review: iKamper Skycamp

iKamper is known for their unique and creative designs. With their conservation-minded Room in a Room and their earlier models of hardshell rooftop tents such as the Hardtop One, iKamper is no stranger to innovation.

The Skycamp is a unique new design that combines the protection and ruggedness of a hard-shell with the expandability of a soft tent. In fact, the Skycamp opens up to an impressive 82x74 inches, as large as a king size mattress.

Specifications:

• Model: Skycamp rooftop tent by iKamper
• Tent Dimensions – Closed (WxLxH): 54.3x85.8x12.5"
• Tent Dimensions – Open (WxLxH): 82.6x85.8x43.3"
• Sleeping area: 43 sq. ft
• Weight: 161lbs
• Price: $2150 (Early-Bird Kickstarter – Canvas Model)

Our Thoughts:

Mounting to standard rooftop rails, the tent itself requires no modifications to existing compatible vehicles. We fitted ours to the roof of our 17’ Tacoma with a Prinsu rack system. The 160-pound tent needed two of us to lift it and set it into place, but we were able to do so without much effort. Four mounting points easily incorporated our existing rack and the whole process was done in under an hour.

The tent itself takes less than two minutes to set up as it has remarkably few steps. Remove the two closing latches, raise the roof, extend the ladder, and mount your two rainfly poles. Nothing else is necessary.

The floor space is what makes this tent stand out. While the company’s information advertises two adults and two children, we could easily see four adults sleeping side by side in sleeping bags without any overlap. For us, the added space gives us the room to sleep comfortably, as well as have our gear in the tent and out of the weather with us.

A triple layered window system allows for multiple approaches to privacy and ventilation. The windows include a flap for blocking light, a see-through vinyl window, and a screen for keeping out bugs. Everything can be opened and rolled out of the way if you are looking for a single option, a combination, or only opening them to the fresh air. The addition of a skylight window allows a welcome view of the night’s sky as well.

There are two options in material, a standard polyester material, or a heavier poly-cotton blend. We opted for the heavier fabric, that although requiring more care in regards to moisture, will be tougher and more resilient in the long run.

The mattress included in the tent was sufficient for our multi-night test and was comfortable for both my wife and me as side-sleepers. We were able to leave our bedding, pillows included in the tent when closing it up, which makes for very rapid setup and teardown.

The tent closes very quickly, following the opening process in reverse order. Collapse the ladder, fold the extension, then pull down on the convenient assistance strap. You will need to allow a little time to retuck the fabric as the air escaping from inside tends to push the fabric out.

The only complaint that we have of the tent was the learning curve required in both closing the tent as well as operating the ladder. Closing the tent requires the perfect balance of tucking in material as the air pressure created in the lid closing is pushing it out at the same time. The ladder is easy enough to operate if the height of your vehicle already fits perfectly. We found the instructions inadequate in this regard and went with an online video instead.

Conclusion:

The ease of setup, combined with the massive floor space, quickly places the Skycamp as our go-to model for roof top tents for the family. The hard-shell gives us the freedom to go deeper into the backcountry without fear of damage or delays. The available options from iKamper allow this tent to quickly transform from an overlanding setup to a full-scale family camper very swiftly and efficiently. Given a chance, the Skycamp should become a welcome addition to any camper’s equipment list.

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Author

Tyler Szymanski is a field medic currently living abroad in Germany. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Tyler, his wife Maria and their dog  Noodles enjoy fishing, camping, and hiking. They are currently in the process of building an overland vehicle for an upcoming expedition into central Iceland, check out the progress of the build here.

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