Jeep Tent – Smittybilt Overlander and Overlander XL

The rooftop Jeep tent is one of the coolest accessories out there right now. I find myself watching endless YouTube videos of people talking about them, popping them up, putting them down, and I think I will have to buy one very soon.

jeep-tent-overlander

The first company I am looking at is Smittybilt. Smittybilt makes the Overlander rooftop tent and the Overlander XL rooftop tent. The Overlander tent is built to fit on top of a proper Jeep roof rack. It comes in tan, is waterproof and is made of heavy-duty 600D ripstop polyester. Inside you’ll find an LED strip light, a 60mm high-density foam mattress with a removable cover so you can wash it and they say it sleeps 2-3 people. I would comfortably say it sleeps two skinny people. I made this diagram so you can see how it lines up with a full-size mattress.

smittybilt-jeep-tent-dimensions

The only thing you need to know is these need a proper roof rack to live on. One thing I was confused about is that most roof racks say they will only hold up to 300lbs or so. Well, a helpful user over at r/Jeep explained this to me. Roof racks have two load ratings: static and moving. For instance, the Kargo Master Congo Cage has a moving rating of 350lbs and a static rating of 650 lbs.  So keep that weight limit in mind if you think it will be a problem. Smittybilt also sells jeep tent bundles that come with the tent and roof rack in one. Here’s a longterm review I found of someone who owns this Smittybilt jeep tent.

smittybilt-overlander-xl-jeep-tent

Now if that tent seems too small for your needs, Smittybilt also makes the Overlander XL jeep tent. This is probably the size that most of us actually want, but it is larger and more expensive. They say it will sleep up to 4 and I would agree with those dimensions if you are close friends and no one is over 6’4″ tall. Think of the Smittybilt Overlander XL jeep tent as a king size mattress with a twin mattress next to it. I know I sleep pretty well in a king with my wife (even if our 5-year-old jumps in with us) and having a twin size bed next to that means you have more than enough room for everyone to get a good night sleep. One issue I see is Smittybilt says this is meant to be mounted on a trailer or heavy duty roof rack so make sure your roof rack can hold the weight of the tent plus 4 grown adults if that’s how you plan on using it.

smittybilt-overlander-xl-jeep-tent-dimensions

Like the Smittybilt Overlander Jeep tent, he Overlander XL is built to last. It’s made of heavy-duty 600D ripstop polyester, is waterproof and comes with a protective cover. It also has the LED interior light, 60mm high-density foam mattress with removable cover, mosquito screens, and a telescoping aluminum ladder. You can buy the Smittybilt Overlander XL at Nomadic Offroad Supply with free shipping.

If you own one of these tents or another brand, leave us a comment and tell us what you think! Do you like it? Should we get one?

 

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