Non-Rivian rooftop tents

[PoorPilot]

I heard that the problem is the size of the bars being larger and the clamps don't fit them. I believe there are other ways of securing the tent to the bars, however.

And that’s a concern, but I’m hoping that because it’s the same tent being offered in the Gear Shop, that everything will fit.

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[jfornelli]

And that’s a concern, but I’m hoping that because it’s the same tent being offered in the Gear Shop, that everything will fit.

Yep, gonna have to wait and see. I'm hoping people start finding options and sharing with the rest of us.

 

[Monkey]

Yakima is telling me they don’t have clamps big enough to securely attach to the crossbars. ?‍

...but they make the tent and the clamps and the crossbars that Rivian is selling. Hmmm... Weird that they would make brand-specific crossbars that are incompatible with the rest of their gear. But the Yakima bike, ski, snowboard, kayak, etc.. mounts and racks all fit the Rivian crossbars just fine. So I'm confused now.

Could be that all the T-slot hardware fits just fine and these Rivian bars need different clamps and they're not available yet other than bundled with the Rivian tent that needs them.

Like many manufacturers these days, Yakima is facing supply chain problems and factory shut-downs....

 

[jjswan33]

And that’s a concern, but I’m hoping that because it’s the same tent being offered in the Gear Shop, that everything will fit.

I suggest you have a private convo with @wicked2112 he works for Yakima. I was discussing this issue with him at the Portland meet up on Friday. He confirmed the size of the bars is too wide for the standard Yakima tent fitting. If another tent they had would fit they would tell you, the alternative right now is to buy something from another company.

I just ordered a Skycamp X-Cover 2.0 Mini, I’ll report more when I get it and install it etc.

 

[PoorPilot]

I had to cancel my Skyrise HD after a discussion with wicked2112. Apparently the Rivian branded Skyrise has different mounting brackets than the "off the shelf" version of the Skyrise due to the size of the Rivian crossbars. I'm still hoping to find a solution or another option fairly quickly.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Thanks for all the responses. I decided to order a Yakima Skyrise HD directly from Yakima, so we’ll see if it fits or not. I wanted to surprise my son with it before a camping trip at the end of the month, but who knows if it will actually be delivered in time or not. I also ordered some additional crossbars from Rivian, in addition to the ones I ordered originally, as I’d like to add some more accessories as I need them.

My guide suggested I'd be able to get the crossbars at the original price instead of after the increase. I didn't know that until after I had already ordered.

 

[Pherdnut]

I shopped a Thule Tepui Explorer in anticipation of an R1T. Dimensions closed are:
48 x 56 x 12. "clamp" is a very simple metal bar nutted tightly on very long screws. Should be installable on any rack system that can handle the weight.

Love the tent but extra memory foam mattress recommended. Folds up fine with that still inside.

 

[PoorPilot]

I shopped a Thule Tepui Explorer in anticipation of an R1T. Dimensions closed are:
48 x 56 x 12. "clamp" is a very simple metal bar nutted tightly on very long screws. Should be installable on any rack system that can handle the weight.

Love the tent but extra memory foam mattress recommended. Folds up fine with that still inside.

That looks like a nice alternative, but I’m curious about the “simple metal bar”. I don’t know what the dimensions of the Thule crossbars are, but the Rivian’s are over 3.5”, so it may not work. I’m sure you could find a different bar to use that fits the width of the Rivian crossbars, but I just don’t know. This is the problem that I’m running into while searching. When I contact different companies, they either don’t have the Rivian specs or don’t know what type of vehicle I’m talking about.

 

[kylealden]

I just ordered a Skycamp X-Cover 2.0 Mini, I’ll report more when I get it and install it etc.

Please do! I'm extremely curious about the X-Cover 2 Mini for the Rivian. I keep adding and removing it from my cart and waffling between it and going with the Go Fast Camper.

 

[RivianXpress]

So what happens if Rivian can't deliver an ordered tent in a reasonable timeframe? If you cancel the tent after taking delivery will Rivian refund you the price of the tent and the tax??

 

[Pherdnut]

That looks like a nice alternative, but I’m curious about the “simple metal bar”. I don’t know what the dimensions of the Thule crossbars are, but the Rivian’s are over 3.5”, so it may not work. I’m sure you could find a different bar to use that fits the width of the Rivian crossbars, but I just don’t know. This is the problem that I’m running into while searching. When I contact different companies, they either don’t have the Rivian specs or don’t know what type of vehicle I’m talking about.

Edit: Oh, I see. I'll check how much width the plates can accommodate when I have a chance. 3.6" is surprisingly wide. I would guess yes though.

I don't know why Yakima told you you needed something special either because I find it hard to believe. These things are designed to be universal. Rivian's not making crossbars that only work with some products and not others. Most rackable products are designed with the same philosophy.

If the folded up tent fits the bed, you will be able to install it. Here's video right at the point where they're doing it.

Edit: surprisingly high quality little ratchet wrench he's using included.

 

[PoorPilot]

So what happens if Rivian can't deliver an ordered tent in a reasonable timeframe? If you cancel the tent after taking delivery will Rivian refund you the price of the tent and the tax??

My original configuration included the kitchen, tent and several accessories that fit the crossbars. However, when it came time for my delivery/pickup, I was told that the kitchen and the tent were not going to be included with delivery and I would not be charged. When I took delivery, I was told the tent and kitchen were delayed with no updated timeframe, so that's why I'm looking for other options.

 

[PoorPilot]

Edit: Oh, I see. I'll check how much width the plates can accommodate when I have a chance. 3.6" is surprisingly wide. I would guess yes though.

I don't know why Yakima told you you needed something special either because I find it hard to believe. These things are designed to be universal. Rivian's not making crossbars that only work with some products and not others. Most rackable products are designed with the same philosophy.

If the folded up tent fits the bed, you will be able to install it. Here's video right at the point where they're doing it.

Edit: surprisingly high quality little ratchet wrench he's using included.

Please let me know. It seems the Rivian/Yakima crossbars were made specifically to latch to the Rivian (which is fine), but they're also an abnormal width compared to other crossbars on the market. I'm guessing people have made some modifications to their current RTT setup and just aren't willing to share or don't really know.

 

[Singletracker]

I shopped a Thule Tepui Explorer in anticipation of an R1T. Dimensions closed are:
48 x 56 x 12. "clamp" is a very simple metal bar nutted tightly on very long screws. Should be installable on any rack system that can handle the weight.

Love the tent but extra memory foam mattress recommended. Folds up fine with that still inside.

I think the simple clamp and bolt mount that you describe is pretty common and it does the job on most racks/bars. In my experience, there is not much to differentiate most of the basic RTT’s from the different sellers, except the price! Your don’t always get what you pay for, so you may want to shop around and check the materials used in the tent. You may find there is very little difference between them. Most of the sellers do offer upgraded tents (heavier tent material, window options, etc.) for a whole lot more dinero. Question is, does one really need any of that. I will say, the mattress is the big unknown. Unfortunately, that is something only trial and error may resolve. I had to replace mine

 

[lostpacket]

Rivian's not making crossbars that only work with some products and not others. Most rackable products are designed with the same philosophy.

I hope you're right but this is their approach to software... among other things.

They often talk of "partnerships" -- up to the reader to decide if those "partnerships" are going to be the best thing for the consumer.

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