Skycamp Mini 3.0

I have an iKamper mini 3.0 and I love it! I keep it on my weekend camping rig full time. I survived a major wind storm camping in Big Bend. A cold front blew thru. I didn’t sleep well, but it handled the almost 40 mph winds like a champ! Just do it!

Had a iCamper mini on an Outback for a couple of years after my wife and I retired. Camped from Washington to Baja, great memories. The cons are mostly about the ladder, we are on the older side and when midnight nature calls it can be a hassle . Also a small annex when it’s raining is a must to keep it dry in the tent. Had some strong wind gusts in Baja that was scary at times but the tent was not damaged. We now have a Metris van with a pop top which is working great for us now.

We had the same RTT on a 2018 Subaru Outback. Very easy to setup, barely affected our gas mileage. Spent many nights camping, 6 weeks in Baja for example. Main downsides are having to use the ladder in the middle of the night to pee and a couple of nights of high wind was uncomfortable. Bring a small utility tent to change clothes in.

A rtt is set up way faster, especially hardshell ones. So if you only stay for one or 2 days at each canpingspace it is quite nice. Also, I experienced that in bad (rainy or really cold) weather my rtt is much more comfortable. (I have a ikamper skycamp mini 3.0)

As far as bugs, I love roof top tents for the comfort of no surprise bugs or scorpions. Also much better sleeping than the ground. They aren’t technically in your budget but you could probably get one used. I would keep them in your research while you camp with your tent and watch for deals from people selling. For me, the whole trip can be ruined by not getting the best sleep🤣 so I have had so much better camping since I got my RTT. They do also have ladder adapters so dogs can climb the ladders but again that will be cutting into your budget so probably more of a future thing. I have ikamper 3.0 mini and we’ve been through rain and storms easily with no issues. I’ve heard that the inflatable plus foam style sleeping pads are the best. There are brands in every price range. I’ve seen that a lot of people get their dog a camp bed to put in the tent so that they don’t puncture the air mattress, this seems like your best bet.

I've had a rooftop tent, many kinds of ground tents, teardrop camper.... If you're gonna go for a RTT, go hard top and quality. We had an iKamper Skycamp 2.0, they now have a much bigger line up and if you'll always be solo or just two people, the iKamper mini would be just fine and cheaper and easier to wrangle. That being said, the 2.0 pupped up and was ready to go in about 30-40 seconds, I never staked out the side windows just the entry (which is also still optional, technically). The stock mattresses aren't great if you're a side sleeper, but many folks install self inflating sleeping pads instead (we finally did after 3 years... it added another 3-4 minutes to setup and take down, though). The only other step is tossing your bedding inside, since most hard top RTTs (though not all) don't tend to have room to store all the bedding inside. Hard tops are also better on fuel economy. Also, for an upside, a RTT doesn't take up any cargo space. That being said, I sold the RTT since I don't consistently have a ton of folks with me anymore (kids grew up). For guests I do have a Gazelle T3X and T4, as well as some Byer of Maine Quick Cots. Each Gazelle tent takes about 60 seconds to assemble completely. The longest part is putting the stakes in the ground. The cots are 60 seconds a piece as well, they just pop outwards and open. And the bonus is that you have standing room inside for changing clothes, which you will NOT in a RTT. Here is a video for setting up a Gazelle: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErC8FmqfQ8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErC8FmqfQ8) I do the rain fly differently (I hook on 2 of the corner poles, then toss the other two across the roof) but don't overthink it. I also have to put my foot on the bottom of the tent to pull out the hubs for more leverage. The T3X is a little shorter and therefore easier (I'm 5ft 5, if you're tall it won't matter as much) but the T3X is also slightly smaller dimensions and I wouldn't put 2 cots in it, it's about perfect for a solo traveler IMO (as a bonus it'll also fit sideways in most cars whereas the T4 in storage bag is... quite long and will need to be stored front to back). For what it's worth, I've also set up a T4+/T8 solo (basically double the size, with 6 hubs to pop out) and it's still just as easy if you prefer a really big tent. I'll say this politely---if you can't set up a Gazelle tent, solo camping is probably not for you. You can't go wrong with either, they both have their pros and cons, but an iKamper Mini 3.0 is $3995 and a Gazelle T4 Overland (upgraded stakes, ground tarp, waterproof bag) is $469... a substantial difference. Another option you may not have considered, and it'll depend on your specific vehicle and how it's set up, is you can also outfit your vehicle and have a self inflating sleeping pad or mattress inside of it, and get mesh screen things for the windows and such. Then you don't have to set up ANY sleeping quarters... just your chair and table/stove.

I had an ikamper mini on a Tacoma. I’ve travelled across Canada and most of the States in it. Got the annex now too. It’s def not a real quick set up take down. Gotta consider leveling vehicle, moving stuff up to tent. Once it’s up it’s up. At least for us. Either way. We love it and it allows you to camp in places harder to get to. Have fun.

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.

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.

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...