Skycamp 3.0

I have the full size iKamper 3 without the insulation, use a foam bottom air mattress with r rating and sleeping bag / comforter - I like to be on the cold side

Not sure the ages of your kids… I have a iKamper skycamp 3 on a 4R which is I think considered on the large size for a RTT … I can comfortably fit 3 adults or 2 adults and two kids pretty comfy. You will Want a better mattress for the inside as the one that comes with it sucks. Less than 5 mins to setup and about the same to put away - that part is fantastic.

I just got an iKamper skycamp 3 - 4 adults will be very tight, 2 adults would be comfortable with room to stretch out. By yourself you’ll have lots of room.

I have an iKamper skycamp 3 - not budget friendly at all (the opposite) but the best camping purchase I have ever made. Easy setup and takedown in <5m and just awesomeness

I have a skycamp3 - it takes me 3 mins to setup, about 5 to put away, it’s huge and can fit 3 full size adults and their gear - I leave it on full time

Yep a whole 5 mins to put away - that’s not that inconvenient really

All of my bedding folds up into the tent, that leaves just a bag to grab and throw in the car - I’m not exaggerating, I just did it today and it took 5 mins

I do not have experience with the vertical options. From the time i decided on adding a RTT I had already decided on an iKamper. I usually park so that the three window views I have are what I want to see. I am not sure about the setup time on the vertical opening tents - the skycamp is literally setup and ready to jump in in under 3m and the takedown is closer to 5m due to my making sure the flaps close in such a way as to block any moisture from getting in while it’s closed due to rain, washing, etc. I love the skycamp, only thing I didn’t love is the mattress that comes with it. My first couple of trips with it were great but my back felt the thin foam on the last couple of trips so I added the comfort mattress which is a combination of foam and air. If I had it to do again I might have upgraded to the skycamp DLX but I definitely would have ended up with another iKamper.

I do not have experience with the vertical options. From the time i decided on adding a RTT I had already decided on an iKamper. I usually park so that the three window views I have are what I want to see. I am not sure about the setup time on the vertical opening tents - the skycamp is literally setup and ready to jump in in under 3m and the takedown is closer to 5m due to my making sure the flaps close in such a way as to block any moisture from getting in while it’s closed due to rain, washing, etc. I love the skycamp, only thing I didn’t love is the mattress that comes with it. My first couple of trips with it were great but my back felt the thin foam on the last couple of trips so I added the comfort mattress which is a combination of foam and air. If I had it to do again I might have upgraded to the skycamp DLX but I definitely would have ended up with another iKamper.

I wouldn't say I'm an ultra light Backpacker but all of my tents have been pretty tight fitting two and three person tents. So I'm used to close quarters. I just took a few minutes to look at the dimensions of my sky Camp 3 and compared it to a few four-person backpacking tents... going by the dimensions it WILL be a tight fit for four full size adults in the sky camp.. Like I said in the previous post for my family of three and our dog it just seems like we are swimming in there.

I have a hard shell RTT (iKamper) and love it. As for awnings…I don’t get it. Maybe they’re useful for about 2 hours when the sun is directly overhead or for a light drizzle of rain but they generally don’t offer much protection and they’re expensive. I use tarps so that I can angle them for maximum coverage and move them around as necessary without having to move my vehicle.

Just a note on your options. If you’re looking for a walled tent, windy conditions may create excessive noise. IMO wedge options are better as you can turn it into the wind. Although I have never slept in a James Baroud or Autohome and quality counts so noise may not be an issue. I personally went from a flip over soft shell style to an iKamper (kind of wedge) and would always recommend a hard shell RTT over others. One of the most important things is to get one with enough space to hold the mattress and your bedding so you can open/close without moving equipment. This is paramount. Others have noted some cons with RTT in general: climbing up and down the ladder, extra cost, can’t leave camp, etc. They are valid. There are always naysayers. And like with anything, there is no perfect setup. There are pros as well. You’ll stay cleaner and dryer than on the ground. If you choose the tent well, setup/takedown can be 60 seconds. Bedding is ready when you are. Sleep is generally better. Good luck.

James Baroud Odyssey Magma. Ive used iKamper Skycamp 3.0, Wildland (which goes under the brand FSR in the states) and Thule. The Odyssey/ Magma is hands down the best of all of these tents, even thr iKamper. https://preview.redd.it/zsn5onq2w8sf1.jpeg?width=2150&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1efcfa72db601a3d5b712b699b5abd5a9e1fb365

James Baroud Odyssey, hands down the best RTT on the market. I have the limited edition Magma version and been using it for 3 weeks straight now in the Alps I previously have had a iKamper Skycamp 3.0, Wild Land (Go FSR) Summit and Thule. I have also tested several chinese branded tents. The iKamper was good while both the Wild Land and Thule where not (and neither was any of the chinese branded tents. The JB however canvas is the thickest with 3 layers and has 100% blackout, no water is coming in and ive slept in it during a few stormy days with strong winds. The entire structure of the JB is also sturdy as hell and it feels more like you are in a room then in a RTT. The Thule was no good in a storm and literally had to sleep inside the car. The Wild Land was ok but like most other tents the fabric makes a lot of noise in the wind and rain. The iKamper was very good and breathable as well but JB takes it to the next level.

Ikamper 3.0 with the LNT cover - Ikamper can keep you dry, but you still need to air it out after. Using the LNT cover makes it so you can just take off the cover and under is dry enough to put away. Hard to dry in the pnw when it’s raining for weeks on end/ not sunny. https://preview.redd.it/g9aozuptmevf1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=35e321187e82b6fba6ea67f287459ba6a6d17b74 To be clear, I put the cover on before opening and don’t take it off till closed to keep it extra dry.

I've camped 287 nights in the last 5 years, and have not missed a single month since 2017 (I keep a log). This in the blazing heat of mid desert summer, and the sub-zero temps (-10 is common) of Colorado at 11.5k feet out elk hunting. Over half of that has been in RTTs. Only cons is naive at best, and disingenuous at worst. And given this oft-repeated hate parade, I'm leaning towards the latter. A hardshell roof tent has offered the most comfortable sleep and best warmth by a country mile, even over my 7.2 R value Nemo air mattress and mountaineering tent or my Eno hammock setup. It's the fastest option by far (15 seconds up; 45 or so down). Even over inflating an air mattress in the back of the Suburban. All the bedding stays inside so it never needs to get laid out, and I gain space in the cab of the truck to boot. I can still carry a kayak and fishing poles on top in the ski rack, my MPG difference is all of 0.3, and no-you don't need to climb down a ladder to pee. That's what a bottle is for. People seem to get really bent out of shape about RTTs and act like they have zero utility or legitimacy. It's wild.

I'll re-iterate what I have before the last 100 times we've had this conversation in the last decade: 12 month a year camper, snow/rain/shine alike from Colorado to Arizona to Washington. 287 nights in the last five years personally, most of which has been in RTTs. iKamper Skycamp, CVT Mt Hood, 23Zero Kabari, Roofnest Falcon XL, 23Zero 62 Walkabout, you name it; I've owned/tested/tried it in every state west of the Dakotas. Anyone who says there aren't pros or it's LARPing or whatever falls into one of these camps in my experience: A. They've never used one personally and are speculating/repeating what someone else said. B. They've used an old school softshell for a few nights and decided they know everything about every design. C. They're jealous or hating on them for whatever reason, and are intentionally exaggerating to try to end the trend. I'm personally all about aluminum wedges/clamshells. you can park them into the wind, mount roof racks for kayak/solar/etc., they setup and teardown faster than any other option besides a basepad cowboy style, they're extremely well insulated, the most comfortable way for me to sleep with the included mattress (I'm 6'2" 225), all your bedding stays inside the tent, you never have to fight water intrusion, you never have to pack up a muddy tent, etc. Here are some cons I often hear that also aren't true/understood correctly. "You have to climb down a ladder to pee." *Use a bottle. Ladies too; my GF uses a She-Wee. Problem solved.* "It's gonna murder your fuel economy." *I lost a whopping 0.3 MPG putting a RTT on my Suburban. Biggest loss was like 1 MPG on my old Jeep.* "If you wanna go somewhere you have to tear it down." *Correct. But if you use a hardshell tent, this is a non-issue. The only time it would be a pain is if you used an old-school softshell design.* "Yeah, but it's too expensive." *It's 2026 and the economy is in the toilet. You can buy a tent that sold for $4K in 2021 for like $2100 now. People will say that's still too much...then go buy a $400 Marmot tent, a $140 Exped air mattress, a $200 Kelty sleeping bag, and a $150 Osprey Atmos backpack. And that's not counting their boots, poles, headlamp, JetBoil, etc. It's not any more prohibitively expensive than MTBing, snowboarding, or through-hiking IMO.* I've built sleeping platforms in my FJC, sleep in the back of my Suburban quite a bit, have a Gazelle T4 for my rock crawler, and a whole rogue's gallery of backpacking tents and three hammocks. I do it all, so you can believe me when I say: **RTTs have extreme merit and are my favorite option that clocks in at a reasonable value.** You wanna talk prohibitively expensive and obtuse? You're thinking of a slide-in or bed camper setup. A 4WC Hawk in a 6.5' truck bed is an RV you can drive through the Rubicon...too bad you're into it for over $20K. But I'll leave that for another day...