Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get a rooftop tent for my truck for ages. I finally pulled the trigger and got a Raiders pop-up tent. Here’s how the whole thing went down.
The Hunt
First, I spent, like, forever looking at different tents online. I watched a bunch of videos and read a ton of reviews. It was kinda overwhelming, to be honest. There are so many options! I finally narrowed it down to a hard-shell pop-up style because it seemed the easiest to set up and take down, and I’m all about that convenience.
Getting My Hands on It
I ordered the Raiders tent, and it showed up in this HUGE box. Seriously, it was massive. I was a little worried about getting it onto my truck by myself, but I managed. I’m pretty sure my neighbors thought I was crazy, wrestling this giant box in my driveway.
The Install Process
Getting the tent mounted wasn’t too bad, actually. It came with these brackets that attach to my truck’s roof rack.
- Step 1: Wrestled the giant box.
- Step 2: Open the box and find a tent and all brackets.
- Step 3: Lifted the tent onto the truck’s roof (with some grunting and groaning).
- Step 4: Attached the mounting brackets to the roof rack.
- Step 5: Bolted the tent to the brackets.
The instructions were pretty clear, thankfully. It took me a couple of hours, and I definitely needed an extra set of hands for a few minutes to help lift it. But hey, I got it done!
Popping It Up (and Down)
This is the best part! You literally just unlatch a couple of buckles, and the tent pops right up. It’s got these gas struts that do all the work. Inside, there’s a built-in mattress, which is surprisingly comfy. I think I’ll use the mattress. Taking it down is just as easy – you just push it down, and the struts help it fold back up. Then you buckle it shut, and you’re good to go.
First Impressions
I’ve only used it a couple of times so far, but I’m loving it. It’s so much quicker and easier than setting up a regular tent. Plus, it’s awesome being up off the ground. Feels way more secure, and the view is pretty great. I can’t wait to use that during my vocation.
I might add some extra padding to the mattress for longer trips, but other than that, I’m super happy with my purchase. It’s exactly what I was hoping for!
