Okay, so I’ve been wanting to try out this whole “SUV tent” thing for a while. You know, the ones that attach to your car? Seemed like a cool way to camp without being totally on the ground. I finally grabbed a Napier Tent SUV, and here’s how it went down.
Getting Started
First, I gotta say, unboxing this thing was a bit like wrestling an octopus. Lots of poles and fabric everywhere. Definitely a two-person job, at least for the first time. My buddy, Mark, came over, and we started laying everything out in my driveway.
The Setup Struggle
The instructions? Yeah, they were… okay. Pictures mostly, with some words that didn’t always make sense. We fumbled around for a bit, trying to figure out which pole went where. There were these color-coded bits, which helped, but we still managed to put a few things on backward initially.
- Tip #1: Lay everything out first! Really see what you’ve got.
- Tip #2: Find a YouTube video. Seriously, it helped us way more than the paper instructions.
Getting the tent actually attached to my SUV was the trickiest part. It’s got this sleeve thing that goes over the back of your car. We had to adjust it a few times to get it snug, so no bugs could sneak in. We used those elastic straps and hooks, make everything pretty tight.
Inside the Tent
Once it was up, though, it was pretty sweet! Lots of space inside. I could stand up fully, which is a huge plus. There were these big windows with screens, so you get a nice breeze without getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. And the floor felt pretty durable, like it could handle some wear and tear.
Taking It Down
Packing it all back up was a bit easier than setting it up, now that we knew what we were doing. Still a bit of a wrestling match, but we managed to get it all back in the bag. Although, I don’t think it’ll ever be as neatly folded as it was from the factory!
Overall Thoughts
So, would I recommend the Napier Tent SUV? Yeah, I think so. It’s definitely a step up from a regular tent. It turns the back of your car a living room, feels more secure. Just be prepared for a bit of a learning curve on that first setup. And maybe bribe a friend with pizza to help you out!
