Okay, here’s my experience setting up a rear tent for my SUV, written in a casual, blog-style format:
So, I’ve been wanting to do more camping with my SUV, and I thought a rear tent would be a cool way to add some extra space. I’m no expert, but I figured, how hard could it be? Let me tell you, it was a bit of a learning curve, but totally worth it in the end!
Getting Started
First, I picked out a tent.I spent some time on the web checking models,finally I got one that seemed like a good fit for my SUV’s size and had decent reviews. It arrived in a surprisingly small box, which was a relief.
Next, I unpacked everything. Tent, poles, stakes, ropes… it looked like a jumbled mess at first. I made sure I had a good amount of space in my driveway, because I knew this was going to take some spreading out.
The Setup Process
I started by laying out the tent on the ground behind my SUV. This gave me a good visual of how it was supposed to wrap around the back. The instructions were… okay. Not super clear, but I managed to figure out the general idea.
Then, I assembled the poles. They were those typical shock-corded ones, so they snapped together pretty easily. The tricky part was figuring out which pole went where. There were a couple of different lengths, and it took some trial and error (and a few frustrated sighs) to get them in the right spots.
The next step, and probably the most challenging, was attaching the tent to my SUV. The tent had these straps and buckles that were supposed to go around the rear hatch and wheel wells. I fiddled with them for a good while, trying to get a snug fit. It definitely helped to have a second person (thanks, honey!) to hold things in place while I tightened the straps.
Once the tent was secured to the SUV, I started staking it down. This part was pretty straightforward. I just hammered the stakes into the ground around the perimeter of the tent, making sure to pull the fabric taut.
Finishing Touches
Finally, I put up the rainfly.I have to get a rainfly,just use more ropes fixed it.
After all that, I stepped back to admire my work. It wasn’t perfect, but it was up! There were a few wrinkles here and there, but overall, it looked pretty good. I crawled inside and was immediately impressed by the amount of space. It was like having an extra room attached to my car!
The Result
I’m really happy with how it turned out. It’s definitely going to make camping trips more comfortable. Now I have a place out of sun and rain!
