Tuff Stuff Alpha Long Term Review

[@shaweehillsworkshop4226]

Tuff stuff should send you one with the awnings. I see you recommend this tent on various Facebook groups almost daily!

[@J_PIK]

Just spent a night out on our brand new alpha. It came with window awnings. I’m definitely happy with this purchase!!

[@JimHogge]

Rob, Just getting ready to go with our son-in-law on our first trip of the season. Enjoyed our time with you on the Idaho BDR last summer. With love our. Alpha II. It’s great for the two of us and fits welll on our Jeep Jk 2 door. Have a great summer.

[@ChrisTovahsAmazingAdventures]

Great review of the Tuff Stuff Alpha roof top tent. We are traveling down to Nicaragua with ours.

[@goldy7678]

I just ordered a Tuff Stuff basecamp trailer and the Alpha tent to go on top. Can't wait to take delivery in about 8 - 10 weeks (trailers are back ordered). The trailer is black and white so I ordered the Alpha tent in black to match, but I do have concerns over the amount of heat it might absorb. Unfortunately they stopped making it in white which was my first choice.Thanks for your reviews - keep up the good work.

[@RevereOverland]

Yeah white would be my choice for heat too, but I think it looks a little cheap. I doubt the black is too different from the grey, and it's never been so bad that we've wanted to get up early!

[@J_PIK]

Great review. Ours comes in a week or two. We got a black alpha with the truck bed rack, annex, and anti moisture mat from Tuff Stuff Overland. We also bought a Jackery Explorer 1000 to power everything for our excursions. It’s going to be fun getting out a lot after staying in the last seven months!

[@RevereOverland]

Awesome! You shouldn't really need the moisture mat, since the base structure helps prevent it. That being said, if the moisture mat covers the hinge, it should help stop it there!

[@J_PIK]

@@RevereOverland Ah. Tuff Stuff highly recommended the anti-moisture mat and combined it into the purchase with a discount to help avoid the mildew smell. Thanks for commenting. 👍

[@J_PIK]

@@RevereOverland Hey dude we got our alpha. It DOES have the window awnings. They use the same exact tension rods as the main entrance. Pretty hyped. The mattress is super firm. I’m definitely buying a thin cushion to put under me. We camped one night out locally and had a great evening. We connected the tent lights into a Jackery battery. On the lowest setting it only draws 1-2 watts. Pretty good! That won’t even use 1% of our battery if I left it on all night.

[@RevereOverland]

@@J_PIK great! The mattress was firm when I first started using it, but it seems to soften up after a few weeks of use!

[@henrikm4657]

I’ve slept 4 nights in mine now, and I love it!!!

[@ElGancho08]

Lucky

[@kevinstrident]

A tip for the spring rods: put the bottoms in first, then flex the top up to the awning.

[@RevereOverland]

What’s the reason for that?

[@kevinstrident]

You wouldn't need to hang one of the poles in the interim, it's easier to get the pole in the hole when it's not under tension, and I've found that doing it the way you are (which is way I did it until just recently) eventually wallows out the hole in the base of the tent.

[@henrikm4657]

I’ve tried both ways, and the only downside to doing it the way he did in the video is that there’s a slightly bigger risk of ripping the little slit in the canvas in case the pole slips out of your hand due to the tension.

[@dezertbomber15]

@@kevinstrident glad you pointed this out as I too noticed he was doing it how I too started, then found putting the rods into the holes first allowed me to insert them quicker, seated better in them, and pulling them up to the awning's holes was easier (can insert and remove one handed).

[@davidsavell9362]

Thank you so much for this review and all of your other videos! This helped me so much in choosing which RTT to buy, which ultimately ended up being the Alpha(which by the way, they have continued to update). Love watching your videos, maybe we will meet out on a trail one day. Cheers!

[@stumptownwoodworks]

My iKamper came with slight damage, packaging was crap. That package looks good. Also looks like an carbon copy of the Roofnest, but who knows who copied who. Roofnest did have an issue on the Condor and xlwith the stiffness of the long sides. They sent people reinforcement kits who had v1, v2 had more ribs and a shape change to stiffen up the sides. Good looking tent, it was a tough choice for us. The awning was the one of the tipping points, hearing this is removable is nice. iKamper rolls up, so always there and never in the way.

[@RevereOverland]

Yeah the Roofnest appears identical except the awnings and cover. Their cover is about 2 inches slimmer, so it looks a little better, but you also lose some bedding storage!

[@besearchingforwisdom6267]

You're doing an excellent job at the reviews and videos, I subscribed

[@Paulygoku]

We bought one because of your 1st and 2nd review 🔥👍

[@marcochavanne]

Thanks for helping sell me on this tent! From what I’ve seen they added window awnings for the side windows as well.

[@bradenb]

Thanks for the review. When every Overlanding channel seems to be running $3500+ iKampers it is hard to remember that there are more affordable alternatives. Besides being a little bit thicker this honestly looks just as good to me. Especially for the Alpha 2 (which is all I can fit over my short bed Tacoma). It's about $1500 less than the iKamper Skycamp Mini!

[@RevereOverland]

Yeah it’s a great tent, made even better by being a whole lot less than the competition!

[@ludeykrus]

Looks like a great tent! Unfortunately, it does not appear that the discount code works anymore… guess I’ll be holding off on it!

[@williambrinton4661]

As always, Great vid and review !!!

[@RevereOverland]

Thanks!

[@nathanmorrison5469]

I have the newer version. Wish it had the ratcheting straps. It has a cable lock that always gives me trouble. Great video though!

[@tthietala]

Awesome tent mate. Can you attach a solarpanel to the top cover?

[@RevereOverland]

Yes, I’ve seen people do it. I’m assuming it involves drilling into the cover, so you’d have to waterproof any holes!

[@r3sid3ntttv9]

Yo thanks for the 10% off code! Just ordered my Alpha!

[@ii1825]

Nice review. This tent is very intriguing. Can the top support anything? Max trax and/or rotopax? If I go with this tent I essentially lose my roof rack. 2006 4Runner with a Prinsu rack.

[@RevereOverland]

The tent top can't support anything. They have a new model coming soon called the Stealth that could probably mount kayaks to it though!

[@sonshin4492]

Thank you great info/review and for the 10% Off code, just ordered my first RTT

[@lylevalentine5535]

Good review!

[@pitviprplays9794]

What is the feature you mentioned about the raised height at the back of the hard shell? I don't think you ever clarified in the video what you meant the benefit was, unless you meant the bedding storage, but that would have it all stuffed along the driver side of the tent not along that raised section. Can you please explain why it's higher in the rear since the tent looks identical from front to back, its side to side that seems different.

[@RevereOverland]

The raised height at the back just allows more bedding storage. We pile it all on the driver's side, but generally more (like the pillows) at the back end.

[@davemalott832]

Help me out here, What is it your laying on up on the roof of your car? What it someone is like 250 plus lb's? Wouldn't that cave the roof?

[@jonthompson2416]

Hey Rob, been looking at the newest version of this tent. What would you say are the biggest negatives you encountered? I've been looking at the iKamper as well but I like the annex for the tuff stuff way more.

[@RevereOverland]

Just that shell. It started to get tiny cracks from the UV degradation. I've had the iKamper longer and it hasn't had the same issues. The solution would be to get the Tuff Stuff with the aluminum shell. I heard the Tuff Stuff annex has a poor fit - is that something they've fixed?

[@TOTjaybin]

Worth it over your smitybuilt?

[@AmazonWebService98]

i like the soft top better since the hardshells are so long and they would go over the cap or hang beyond the bed

[@RevereOverland]

This is the same size as my soft top tent, and you can get a smaller version too.

[@AmazonWebService98]

@@RevereOverland yeah i saw, the aplha is a lot bigger then my smittybilt, but the alpha 2 is pretty awesome

[@ii1825]

How does it fit with your drivers side awning? I am considering this tent with a 270 awning that is larger when stored than a normal awning. I'm afraid I wont be able to mount that kind of awning with this tent on my Prinsu rack. Will an awning that is 9 inches square when stored interfer with this tent opening? Do you have to offset the tent to one side?

[@RevereOverland]

My ARB awning tucks underneath the tent when it’s centered. I would imagine a 270 awning wouldn’t work, because the shell of the tent hinges out. You could potentially build brackets to hold the awning away from the tent a little.

[@ii1825]

@@RevereOverland I pulled the trigger on the Alpha. Couldn't pass up the deal they had this last week. Got it out the door for $2022 Is your awning only using one bolt per mount? Did you have to use spacers due to the bolt heads on the Prinsu? Thanks in advance.

[@RevereOverland]

@@ii1825 two bolts at either end. The bolts go through the side of the rack and have a stainless steel plate between them. Yes to spacers.

[@jy7841]

Is that a 4runner? What rack are you using?

[@jamesgosman4387]

I'm also interested in what rack you are using please

[@chaseertzberger6626]

Hey mate, what website do you enter your discount code in to?

[@ivanmorga6002]

How much is that

[@J_PIK]

Will the ones coming out this week come with awnings? Sure hope so. Mine gets shipped this week or next.

[@RevereOverland]

I'm not sure. They typically don't, unless you got a combo offer with it!

[@BiNiaRiS]

too bad the coupon code doesn't work on the tents. they seem to have them permanently listed at 6% off :\

[@jmo0311]

I have me and my wife and our 8 and 10 year old kids. Do you think we would fit ok in there? I know sometimes dimensions can be misleading.

[@RevereOverland]

If you all fit in a king bed, you'll fit in this!

[@frankblue177]

How'd you get the awning to work? I've tried multiple different mounts with my hard shell

[@_kmk5185]

Have you experiened any condensation below floor mat? I seen and heard a lot of condensation issues with some brand rtt.

[@RevereOverland]

The design of the base stops condensation from forming, but along the gap where the hinge is there is a little. Never enough to soak through.

[@_kmk5185]

@@RevereOverland thanks for sharing your insight!

[@ludeykrus]

Hey "Revere Overland": what website does your code work on? And is it still valid?

[@consaka1]

Hmm Put that on my van and redo the inside to not waste space on the bed. I really like vans though for being compact with everything self-contained. However, even with a full-size van space to put stuff can end up tight. That being said that tent costs more than I have paid for most of my vehicles. :)

[@bah5310]

How about setting it up in the pouring rain?

[@OverlandPioneers]

I would imagine the same setup time with added dampness.

[@shaweehillsworkshop4226]

Overland Pioneers I prefer the word moist

[@RevereOverland]

It’s about the same, but I’d take off the elastic before fully opening the top so it’s set up quicker.

[@bah5310]

@@RevereOverland so everything inside stays dry? And then when you close it does any water leak through? If there's a draught anywhere just have me camp there.

[@romeoalphafoxtrot9517]

Friggin love it!

[@WolfOverland]

i will buy this!

[@yalaavianeyesafari]

How much heavy your roof top tent?

[@RevereOverland]

176lbs

[@rodrigorojas7169]

Saludos desde Chile amigo...Éxito

[@stevemarchiando]

Any issues with trail dust getting into the tent?

[@RevereOverland]

Not inside. The back gets a little dusty on the outside in places, but not a lot.

[@stevemarchiando]

@@RevereOverland great! Thanks for the review and content. Ordered my ALPHA II (the small one) today.😁

[@MobiusGuitars]

Hmm, went to buy this tent today & it doesn't look like the RVO10 discount code is working anymore. I had it all in my cart & it was working a few weeks ago. Any idea what's up?

[@RevereOverland]

Try REVORLD10

[@MobiusGuitars]

​@@RevereOverland Not recognized as valid :-(

[@RevereOverland]

@@MobiusGuitars it doesn't appear to work on their tents. Sorry! I'll send them an email and see if that's intentional.

[@MacSPEED]

@@RevereOverland any updates on this code?

[@dragally1]

Your takedown time doesnt count as you didnt put the struts in . lol

[@87toyhighlux]

nice video, do you have any problems with dust getting inside while going down the road? My Alpha ll has 1/2' gaps at the corners.

[@RevereOverland]

A little makes it up the back, but only on the lower outside of the tent. It never causes problems inside.

[@silenttraveler2710]

Awesome Tent....

[@MatthewTran96]

How did you mount the awning ?

[@RevereOverland]

It bolts directly to the Prinsu rack with a stainless steel plate on the other side for the bolts to hold onto.

[@cbtech]

Too bad your coupon code doesn't work anymore 😔

[@thomasbessey998]

I know... I was just about to order one... blah

[@handyjayes1]

Love that tent 👍

[@TheAngryCamper]

what no one talks about is getting dressed and undressed in an RTT....

[@Territheparadox]

The coupon code no longer works :(