Inspired Overland Carbon Fiber Rooftop Tent || Lightest Weight RTT on the Market || Review & Compare

[@inspiredoverland]

Hi y’all, here’s a few pointers or quick updates: 1. We are working on creating a detailed walkthrough and features highlights. 2. There’s actually a video on our youtube channel on “How to install the mounting brackets”. 3. The CF top actually have UV coating on top (PPF is recommended) 4. The CF tent cover is for extra protection if you’re going to areas or region that have a lot of low hanging trees. 5. The Hybrid mattress is self inflate (there’s toggle on the bottom for inflate and deflate), of course you can top off the air by simply put more air. On deflating the mattress we have a few customer on our Facebook IO owners group that have use different tools for inflator and deflator. 6. The Gas struts being so strong (it width stand 50-60mph winds) also because once you start mounting things on top of the RTT you will need to balance it out hence we start off with a strong gas struts. 7. The latch, can be adjusted. The top part can be adjusted (L,R, Up, Down) depending on your set up. 8. The rain fly have multiple features: the main door can be a rain fly or an actual door, then the rain fly itself have a moonroof. Let us know if we address some of your questions. We love to hear more feedbacks, and have a safe trip.

[@joeydlc]

Hello, would you say this tent can withstand the temperatures in northern california on the 110 degree days? I worry about the quality over time of the carbon fiber in the harsher weather... thank you again! I am really looking forward to your answer.

[@inspiredoverland]

@@joeydlc Yes, that’ll be fine. The CF tent also comes with protective cover that’s UV and waterproof for storage purposes.

[@TesLatino]

You should try the FLEXTAILGEAR EVO Pump 3 Portable Air Pump for that mattress. I have the same tent and this pump can overinflate the mattress in under 15 seconds. It also deflates it just as fast using the deflating valve side of the mattress. I took mine to The Arctic Ocean from California just a month ago. I charged the batteries a month before that and I still haven’t recharged it. It’s that good.

[@campoutwestus]

Thanks, I'm really getting tired of buying different pumps, 4 so far including the Flextail dedicated deflator. Does the one that you have fit inside or outside of the mattress valve? I think the issue that I'm having is the flap inside the valve is interfering with deflation and I need to find an adapter that does not fit inside.

[@TesLatino]

@@campoutwestus It sounds to me like you are not using the two valves (inflate and deflate). Only one (to inflate) for both functions. Please correct me if I am wrong. [apologies in advance if you already know this] Just to clarify, this is what I mean. There is a valve on the left side of the rear of the mattress (looking from outside) that is used to inflate the mattress. It's orange tab will prevent deflation, making it almost impossible to deflate the mattress. On the right side, there is a second cap to the deflate valve. The orange tab in that one prevents air from going inside the mattress, so you can use it to easily deflate it. My pump needs to be held in place outside the valve for about 10 seconds to inflate and about the same to deflate when running in reverse, using the appropriate valves. If you want I can make a short clip showing this. Feel free to reach out to me if you have an X (Twitter) account and we can DM.

[@campoutwestus]

No, we are absolutely using both valves. Inflation is fine, but deflation takes forever. There were some Folks on the I.O. Facebook Forum that designed an adapter to fit on the outside of the valve instead of the inside because they were having the same issue. I've got the 3d print file, I'm just trying to find someone to print it. The consensus seems to be that the deflator becomes obstructed by the orange disc.

[@TesLatino]

@@campoutwestus Interesting. Sorry to learn you are having problems. I wonder if there are different versions of the valves. I deflated mine many times as we camped at different locations traveling most of the United States and through British Columbia, Yukon and The Northwest territories, and had no issues. My orange disc (on the right side) opens up when deflating allowing the pump to suck all the air out in just a few seconds. I have to do a full walkthrough of my tent now that I know it well, but I am in the middle of editing my expedition to The Arctic for this Friday. As soon as I get a chance, I will upload something about that. Cheers!

[@slobert1970]

It was nice meeting you in Nevada. We loved your set up. Admittedly I have turned my nose up at roof top tents in the past but seeing you two sleep high above the moon crickets while I chased em off my tent has,me thinking twice! Happy trails!

[@campoutwestus]

🤣 yes, I was happy to be above the crickets on this trip. Hope you guys had a great time, nice meeting you as well, happy camping!

[@ATEMOFFROAD]

This will no doubt be a great addition to your adventure, really impressed. Thanks for sharing 🍻🍻

[@campoutwestus]

It's pretty sleek! Looking forward to testing it out really well soon! Thanks for watching 🍻

[@ryanjmiranda]

Best deflator i've I found for self infl/def mattress is the flextail 10kpa vacuum. It's a vacuum only and very powerful. Removable adapter especially for those mattress set it and forget it. Couple minutes and it's deflated flat like factory. Also use it for vacuum seal bags for our blankets.

[@campoutwestus]

Thanks for the info. If we have any problems with the paddle board inflator I might try that.

[@wildbill3104]

Do you know if it will screw into this mattress so that the vacuum pump can be used hands free? I am most concerned about those gaps when lid is shut which seems to come from an under deflated mattress.

[@campoutwestus]

@@wildbill3104 I'm not sure about the Flextail listed above, maybe @ryanjmiranda can answer for you. The temporary adapter that Trey made does allow for hands free use with the paddle board inflator though. A friend of ours uses a DeWalt battery powered inflator/deflator with success. The problem we had was we have no way to charge the battery with our setup (we don't have any other use for an inverter).

[@ryanjmiranda]

@@wildbill3104 if I remove the bag seal adapter it just attaches tight to the mattress hands free. I wish I can attach it send a pic on here. Maybe I will make a video and upload it.

[@budnixon]

Thanks for sharing in depth review, definitely something to consider for those who are looking for a low weight & profile option. To each his own!

[@campoutwestus]

Thank you, it definitely has it's advantages, we're looking forward to using it more and seeing what works best for us. Appreciate you watching!

[@25Dingoes]

Honestly, just use a battery powered air blower, use to inflate mattress, then use the side air vent on the blower to deflate. I use a Ryobi one. Then you have a blower to quick start that great camp fire! Best part one item for multiple uses now that's a win.

[@campoutwestus]

We have a friend that uses one of those and it works great for him. It might be the best option. Thanks for the tip!

[@inspiredoverland]

$29.99 flextrail Evo 3 will work just fine.

[@renk5000]

Interesting that you used both bracket plates. I only used the fully rubberized bracket to mount the IO RTT to my crossbars. Do you imagine having issues during a mega mat duo in there? Thanks for the review!

[@campoutwestus]

🤣 I think it's nice and sturdy. Without using both we would have needed a spacer, so just used what we had and it seems like it will withstand a lot 😉. Thanks for watching

[@robb4269]

I had the same issue with an inflator, but my cordless jobsite blower works great.

[@campoutwestus]

What are you using? I'm still not convinced that there isn't a better option than the ones that I've tried. I am getting tired of buying them, though. 😁

[@siuloung]

Try the Dewalt portable mini leaf blower

[@campoutwestus]

@@siuloung that's what a friend of ours uses, but we don't have a way to recharge the battery (no other need for an inverter)

[@wildbill3104]

Thanks very much for your review! I look forward to seeing more after your trip. I am considering this RTT instead of the Alu-Cab LT-50. The LT-50 is all alloy so no problems with closing and compressing things inside, and those gaps are the most concerning thing that I saw in your review, but the LT-50 weighs 110 lbs (with mattress) and that difference is 30 of the 40 lbs that my 270 degree awning will weigh. Also the LT-50 is missing some of the IO CF features like the side vents for heating/cooling and the overhead storage. The IO CF also has a 3.5" longer and 6" wider sleeping area despite being 3" shorter and the same width of the LT-50 (partly explaining why the thinner IO frame has so much more flex). I really hope that you can cure the gaps when the lid is shut. That would be a dealbreaker for me. Second would be improving the inflation/deflation pumping to reduce setup and collapsing times, which may get old after a while, but I think you'll know whether or not after your trip. You have confirmed my doubts about the cover, so I think PPF would have to be used as well. One last thing: can you put the shoe bags on the side of the tent instead of the back if you're using the ladder on the side? Thanks again.

[@campoutwestus]

Appreciate you watching. I couldn't imagine going any smaller in the sleeping area, it's already much less room than our Smitty Built tent. The gaps concern us as well. Inspired Overland gave a list of tips that I pinned in the comment section and they indicated we may be able to make a few adjustments to help with the gaps. A friend of ours uses a DeWalt battery powered inflator/deflator with success. We don't have an inverter (no other use for one) so we don't have a way to charge the battery. Yes, the shoe bags can be moved to the side for side entrance (Trey pointed that out to me after I finished filming). We'll be sure to update after the next trip. Thank you!

[@032254855]

have the lt-50 is very basic but the materials it's made from should last a lot longer spent a night in 100kmh / 62mph winds with no damage and if my truck wasn't rocking like a boat i might have got some sleep

[@inspiredoverland]

Short answer: the latch can be adjusted and the top part of the tent is design to be trapezoid as in the top is bigger than the bottom.

[@macairtuber]

Thanks for pointing out the many flaws of this tent. I'm looking for a

[@campoutwestus]

@@macairtuber I'm glad you found it helpful. Would love to hear what you come up with if you'll check back in 👍

[@inspiredoverland]

Hi, perhaps have a chat with us directly or meet us at one of the many expos/ shows we will attend this year. You’ll get better understanding on many of the features within the tent by speaking to us directly. To answer some of your “flaws”, the latch can be adjusted, inflate/deflate it’s the trade off that you’ll get with foam-air mattress for comfort (which all other companies are now following suit). Also, there’s no hybrid hardtop tent in the market at 5.25”, weight 80lbs and can mount gear/things on top of the tent.

[@scottymac5174]

That looks like a nice lightweight option.. Every lb carried up high magnifies. Is it a stand alone option or do they also offer the support frame ? A carbon fiber frame would be really badass.

[@campoutwestus]

I don't believe they offer any rack or frame for this tent. It's extremely lightweight though and should make an improvement.

[@campoutwestus]

We just returned from a week long trip and noticed a significant improvement in handling and fuel economy 👍

[@inspiredoverland]

Hi, yes we will have brackets on top so you can mount gear.

[@inspiredoverland]

Thank you for the review. Your feedbacks are very important to us and have a safe - fun trip.

[@campoutwestus]

Thank you, we look forward to getting a chance to really put the tent to the test and will update with any new information. Thank you for all of your quick customer support, that's something that's hard to come by these days.

[@inspiredoverland]

@@campoutwestus You’re welcome and have a safe trip.

[@peterrichardson8671]

Mate, very interesting. I’m looking at this RTT in Australia. We’re told the cover is protection from scratches so UV is something I didn’t think of… UV is off the scale in Oz so good tip. My plan was to put a self healing wrap on top so will probably find one that blocks UV as well. Personally, a vibrating cover would be a huge distraction.

[@campoutwestus]

If you have another option for a cover I would go with that as the cover that came with it is difficult to remove and replace in a reasonable amount of time. We did just return from a week long trip and noticed better handling and better fuel economy though 👍. Thanks for watching, and happy camping!

[@Allfather88]

Hi, I was wondering if the tent floor base feels sturdy with the both of you inside?

[@campoutwestus]

We were a little concerned about feeling the bars through the mattress. It's a foam/inflatable. If you let it self inflate you can feel them, but 30 seconds or so with the inflator and it feels great. Better than our old tent even with a foam topper on top of it and feels solid. We're experimenting with a dedicated de-inflator from Flextail and the preliminary results have been promising.

[@Allfather88]

@@campoutwestus With the inflatable mattress deflated can you add a 1-1.5in high density foam mattress and close it shut? Again, this would be for added comfort but wondering if the top will close shut after deflating the inflatable.

[@campoutwestus]

@@Allfather88 maybe if you had no other bedding inside, but we struggle getting it closed with one sleeping bag and one comforter even after deflating as much as possible. The mattress is very comfortable though so you may not need any extra.

[@huntercoleman460]

Great addition Heather.

[@campoutwestus]

Thank you Hunter!

[@DamagedDingo]

Why not cut a small V out of the memory foam so that it’s not up against the pump?

[@campoutwestus]

The foam is sealed inside the mattress, otherwise good idea. I do feel like the foam blocks a lot of the suction power.

[@DamagedDingo]

@@campoutwestus just use small scissors or razor blade. That opening looked more then wide enough via the video but I haven’t seen one up close so could be wrong.

[@campoutwestus]

@@DamagedDingo might be worth a try, we'll check it out. Thanks!

[@troymaxx9453]

That looks pretty nice!

[@campoutwestus]

Thanks, and thanks for watching

[@troymaxx9453]

It'll be interesting to see how it works out on your trip.

[@campoutwestus]

@@troymaxx9453 yes, we'll have to give an update

[@scottymac5174]

The one real good thing with my GFC is no ladders. You pop a panel and just step down into the bed. Perfect for old Geriatric guys like me. "Help! I've fallen and can't get up" Hahaha!

[@campoutwestus]

🤣 yes, that design is really nice. I like how you can stand up inside and have some protection from the elements. We considered that style, but have nowhere to store all of our stuff and would have to move it all outside when using the inside. Thanks for watching, we'll keep you updated on how it goes.

[@LadyToyz]

Why wouldn't they paint or put a UV protective PPG over the carbon fiber? Seems a lot easier than coveroing it.

[@campoutwestus]

Inspired Overland did reach out to us and let us know there is a UV coating on the carbon fiber. They said the cover is provided to save it from scratches. Thanks for watching.

[@CraigKoppel]

I feel like they thought of lots of minor details like the vent, tablet holder, and place for the shoes. No instructions wow. Yeah, quick and easy set up would be important to me too. Really good thorough review. 👍8

[@campoutwestus]

Thank you, I agree there are a lot of nice details on the tent.

[@inspiredoverland]

Hi, we actually have an instructions video on how to install the mounting brackets on youtube. All of the current model have the same exact kit to mount the RTT.

[@campoutwestus]

​@@inspiredoverlandI was unaware of that, I'll locate the instruction video and link it. Thank you.

[@ra64mike29]

Is this the standard or XL size?

[@campoutwestus]

It is a standard. I don't think they make an XL carbon fiber tent yet.

[@juliuscajilog9371]

What year and model iscyour pick up truck?

[@campoutwestus]

@@juliuscajilog9371 it's a 1988 Jeep Comanche

[@juliuscajilog9371]

Thanks

[@htchevyii771]

That looks pretty sleek.

[@campoutwestus]

I really like the look.

[@troymaxx9453]

Hell ya

[@campoutwestus]

There is a bracket installation instruction video on KZbin, I have linked it in the description.

[@johnowens8530]

It’s so unfortunate they designed the back window zip up from the bottom, this is a deal breaker for me. I live where it can really rain, and I need fresh air at night when it does. If it opened at the top I Could leave it open and get that air even while it rains. But I can’t from the bottom. What were they thinking this is a huge mistake.

[@campoutwestus]

That is a great observation. We have not used the tent in the rain yet, so I hadn't thought about that. The company does seem very responsive to feedback, so I could see future changes happening. One thing that does bother me is the side windows being on the outside of the screens. This means if I wake up cold during the night, I must unzip the screen, move it out of the way, then I can zip the window shut. On our old tent, the orientation was reversed, so you could just zip the window shut very easily. We did get a nice discount for our preorder, but it might come at the expense of being a guinea pig.

[@campoutwestus]

@@johnowens8530 I agree, this has been an inconvenience for us as well. Also, the screen is on the inside so if you go to sleep wanting a breeze, then wake up and want to close the door, you have to unzip the screen, zip the door, then re zip the screen. This is something I didn't think about until we put the tent to use and I don't like it.

[@campoutwestus]

Just realized that Trey already responded 🤣

[@johnowens8530]

@@campoutwestus no problem, it’s good to see everyone’s response. I hope if either of you use it in the rain more you will report back how it does. I am thinking if I want it I could simply cut a flap in the top of the fabric and roll it up. Basically make my own vent. I could add a zipper if I want to go through the trouble. Or Velcro might work also especially if I could get some suitable fabric.

[@inspiredoverland]

Hi, feel free to call us, video call or meet us at one of the event that we are attending this year for in depth explanation on the design and functionality of the tent. To keep it short, the main door has dual purpose. First, it’s an actual door, second it’s actually also a rain fly that extend out. Meanwhile, there’s also a moonroof rain fly on top of it. Also, there are two diesel heater/AC port which it can be use to circulate air. There’s also a Velcro hook on inside top left corner, where people can hang a fan if they want more circulation. Shall you have more questions, feel free to ask us directly as we are the designer, manufacturer of tent and we can explain the many features within the tent. Thank you.

[@oborevad]

Now redo the time comparison with only one person doing the smitty built tent. Not a fair comparison.

[@campoutwestus]

I can do the Smitty pretty easily by myself. We almost always camp together , so there's 2 of us to set it up or take it down. The Smitty would definitely be much more difficult for Heather alone than the new tent, with the exception that even deflated, it takes so much force to get the buckles on that she can barely or sometimes can't close them. She would probably have to remove some bedding. I don't argue at all that the Inspired Overland tent takes many fewer steps, but if you're in a hurry, it's still going to take more time because of the deflation.

[@KirbyLouis]

topoak tents... half the money only 8" closed

[@campoutwestus]

A friend just told me about TopOak. They're waiting for theirs. Seems like a nice tent at a good price.

[@inspiredoverland]

at 178lbs and 8” height vs 80lbs and 5” height. The weight difference alone is 98lbs. Not in the same category.

[@pingpongballz5998]

His jeans are so dirty...

[@campoutwestus]

Yes, he was working in the shop when I asked him to demonstrate. Mechanics and other people that do physical labor often have "work" clothes they wear for such occasions. People that pay to have everything done for them often don't understand that concept.

[@treyshumardcampoutwestus3702]

Mostly just stained from automotive restoration work.

[@freedompanda9438]

It doesn’t have a real bottom. I mean…come on. 🤣

[@campoutwestus]

I think that's what helps with the weight reduction. I haven't noticed a problem with the soft bottom so far though.