We’ve had our Napier car tent two years now, after downsizing from a 40’ motor coach. We travel in a Suburban - the best decision we ever made for camping. Worth every penny, easy to set up and take down. We also carry two tarps (one tarp under tent, one tarp inside to catch soil, rocks, twigs, leaves). We also use a propane heater during cooler weather and with the rain fly, the heater takes the edge off. Thanks for the video, great job!
Awesome! Using a tarp under the tent like a footprint is probably a good idea. If I'm out for several days in the same place, I have a 9'x9' rug that I put down inside, as well as an "RV" rug that I put down just outside the door of the tent (the first time I did this I felt like I was truly "glamping" 😂 but it's so nice when staying in the same place for awhile). I have a Mr. Buddy propane heater than I use in winter, too. It works really well for the space. I'm glad to hear the setup is working well for you. It's definitely one of the best gear decisions I've made as well. Really happy with it, and hope to use it for years to come, even if I "upgrade" to a van someday.
Your review of the Napier SUV Tent was "awesome" .... FAR BETTER than most that set it up "NEW" never having spent more than 1 overnight in it .... I own a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee LTD and I am gonna purchase the Napier on Amazon , because your video pretty much answered my concerns ..... "Thanks" again for the GREAT review !!! Your dogs are wicked COOL 👌👍👍
Hi Tif! New subscriber here thanks to this vid. I’m 65 this month and I’m waiting for my Napier. I just ordered it yesterday. I’m hoping that I’m fit/strong enough to put this “new home” up for me and my dog. I’ve never camped alone and only been camping 2 times in my life. I wasn’t fond of camping. Then I saw this tent this last winter and thought I’d love to do this especially with the shower/potty tents that are available now. I’m going to try it out at a local KOA first and build some confidence and then see where this tent takes me. Thank you for this vid! Helped me to understand so much more.
Tami, thank you so much for commenting, and welcome to the channel! I'm so excited for you and your pup to get out and camp more. If I can be of any help--with the Napier tent or solo camping in general--please let me know!
Hello from SW Virginia! So grateful to you, LOVE DOGS, for this thorough video, with all the details included that are needed to understand this tent setup. Well done! 🎉 This Marine Mom thanks you for serving our country! ❤ 🇺🇸
I bought exact model for this summer camping trip. Very roomy and excellent tent for family camping and good to have one for long staying in nice camp site
I really like this, it seems like it would keep out rain without any concern (I do camp in rainy areas). I'd be comfortable knowing that with this SUV tent. Sometimes, it would be nice when not at a traditional campsite to not set up a tent! Thank you for not time lapsing, it is good to see every step of the way, especially using the wrong pole, I'd do that and probably twice!
Thanks for the info, best review I've found and sold another 84000 due to it. Liked the collapsible rake and tarp idea in comments, think I'll go that route provided all my gear doesn't require a second SUV! I saw in another review they said to put the cover on top before adding the side poles to make getting on top easier helps.
I'm definitely starting to see more of this type of tent at campgrounds here and there. But I imagine it might still be too big for some, or too much to deal with or haul around (it does take up a bit of space in the vehicle when traveling, especially if in smaller vehicle like mine). Solo travelers may not think they can put it up by themselves, but it's totally doable. I've found myself wanting something a bit smaller at times when I'm not going to be staying in a place very long. That said, it definitely becomes less of a "chore" to put up and tear down the more you do it, and I've come to really enjoy the extra "inside" space for myself and the dogs to move around. As I told someone else, someday I'd love to have a van, but until then, this works great. And, this could be used with a van, too, if it has a hatch.
The van you wanna get in future will be good but this works great too. It does the trick. The kids wanna protect you from the other kids lol. My bro told me years ago he could hear the wolves howling while hunting in the Upper Penninsula 😯. Great setup! Have fun!!!
Thanks! The van I want to get is for permanent living. The tent, on the other hand, is a more temporary thing. Though I've had serious thoughts on multiple occasions of just packing it all up, turning in my rental house keys, and making it work. 😁
This was extremely helpful as I am looking at tents to purchase for this exact set up. You did a great great job also at videoing this and showing everything. Kudo's and enjoy your camping :)
Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful to you! I'm planning to do another video this fall (when it cools off!) that details how to remove the screen room and "umbilical" and how to put on the rain fly.
@@lovedogsontheloose I have another question, in one of the replies to someone you mention your porta potty. May I inquire which one you have? I as well have been looking at them. Thank you in advance.
@@staciespeckman I use this one: amzn.to/3r8gywb (that's an Amazon referral link, but you can most assuredly get it cheaper at Walmart, as well as the bags). I've been using it for a few years now and haven't had any real issues with it. It sits a little low, but they all do. This one is sturdy and portable, if a little challenging to collapse down at first until you get the hang of it. But it does the job.
Your tent will last a long time. Ours lasted 20 years. Wish I had that screen room for the potty. Worked great as a stand alone and kept the firewood in the umbilical. Enjoy it will last a long time with little care. The one time in a good rain I got a valley of water between the rear window and the umbilical. Never leaked with the rain fly on. You could get a colapseable rake to rake the tent foot print and put down a heavy tarp. That's what I did . When you fold up the tent do what you fid to make it square. Then fold on side to the middle and do the same with the other side. Then fold it in half and roll it up.
Cabela's 10% military discount! USCG '77-83 Semper Paratus. I think you can actually get the 84000 direct from Napier for $399.00. As you said Cabelas is $459 so the discount only brings it down to $413. You could use your Cabelas point to lower that tho. Even tho I have a Coleman 4 person for solo camping I am seriously thinking about one of the Napier tents. I also have a cargo box but its not a swing away. I don't use it much for solo camping as I don't carry all that much stuff. I do have a car top carrier. Thanks for the vid!!
Looking for a tent for the back end of my Rav4. Thank you for the excellent detail! Thank you for taking the time to explain what/why you were doing things. (I love your dogs)🥰
Good job reviewing this, I have been on the fence as to get one or not. My problem is that I camp in bear country and with the hatch up there isn't any way to keep the food smell from attracting bear. You have to put your cooler and such in your rig or you will be fined. Well with it in my rig I can just see the bear saying ok I'll just come right in thanks, haha. I think I would have to spend the nights with the hatch closed so why not just attach a tarp to the back of the car, I dont' know what I'm going to do but you did a good review.
Thanks, Shari. I appreciate it. You bring up a good point about using this tent in bear country. Definitely doable to close the hatch at night without disconnecting the tent, but depending on the particular situation, I could see where a tarp or something simpler might be more appealing.
I think they’re pretty popular, with lots of companies making their own models now. I’ll have to look at the Costco one. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I just got myself a Kia Niro 2024 model and I am stoked to try and get a hatch tent for it. It has a massive interior for an air mattress. I've been looking at a lot of these reviews and this is a good one showing the setup from start to finish. I do wonder if I were to piece together a good camping set over a few years what I should focus on buying first. Tent obviously, but it's been years since I camped and I'm a little lost at where to start other than that.
Congrats on the new Kia Niro! That's awesome that you're thinking about piecing together a good camp kit. What to get first is entirely personal choice. Definitely the tent, yeah, but once you have that, I'd actually just go out somewhere not too far away for a night and see what you find yourself needing/wanting access to. Some kind of portable mattress for the back of the vehicle or the tent to ensure you get good sleep? Table? Camp chair? Stove and cookware? It really depends on how you like to enjoy your time and what you will find most comfortable and rewarding. Prioritize your list according to your necessities. That way you can get out sooner and start having fun. Then you can add/change things as you go. Have fun! Happy to help if I can answer any questions.
Nice, enjoyed your review. Question - do you know if you can close the rear hatch of the SUV while the tent is installed? For instance if I wanted to shut the hatch due to excessive rain/wind/cold or perhaps due to wild animals on site or sketchy neighbors, etc. Thank you.
Thanks for watching! Yes! You absolutely can close the hatch of the vehicle while the tent is attached. I did this often, especially in colder weather.
Hi! Great review! I'm from the Patagonia in Argentina and it's very windy arround here. What's your opinion in the wind resistance? You think that the poles can handle a 30/35 mph wind? Thanks!
@@Kalimanjao Hi. Thanks for watching. I’ve had it in 30mph winds before and as long as it’s fully tied and staked down and connected to a vehicle, it can handle a lot. It was the rain that always concerned me. Not the best rain fly coverage, imo. Light rain is fine though.
Thank you. Regarding air flow: I've not noticed this to be an issue myself. There are large screened windows on three of the four sides (the fourth side being the side that attaches to the car), in addition to the top being vented (when the rain fly isn't on). The only times I've noticed a lack of airflow have been when there was little to no breeze outside and the West Texas sun was beating down in the middle of our triple-digit summers. At that point, I figure no tent is going to be comfortable. :)
Thanks for the great video. Does the “screen room” have fabric walls that roll down over the screens? Seems to me that would be the great extension area for a “potty” room with privacy. I am going to assume not. Plenty of other options though. Travel safe! ❤️🐾. New sub!
Thanks for the sub and for the comment! Yes, all screen areas on this tent (except the ones in the ceiling) have fabric covers that zip open/closed. You can see this briefly in the video at around 13:20. The ones in the screen room actually zip down and can be rolled and toggled at the bottom if not used. There are toggles at the top that keep the fabric up when in use, and then there are zippers on each side of each window. It's an interesting way of doing it that I'm not sure I love (the toggles at the top sometimes come undone and then the weight of the fabric will start unzipping the sides on its own), but it's not something I have a huge issue with. I just check them to make sure they're up before I do anything. And yes, absolutely, that screen room makes a great privy. That's how I use it and it's been great.
I’ve been looking at these tents for solo traveling at some point. I have a few questions. Do you close the hatch at night for safety? Can you close this tent separate from the car if you had to run an errand? Thanks for any help in figuring out how to safely solo camp:)
Hi, Marlene. I usually do close the hatch at night for safety and because I don't actually want my two big dogs wandering around the tent all night. We all sleep better with the hatch closed. Regarding closing the tent separate from the car: yes, absolutely you can do this. From what I've read, when it's not attached to the car, it's simply not sheltered from rain very well on that side where the car would be. You can even entirely remove the umbilical (it zips on/off), so that you just have a [slightly modified] door there that can be zipped closed (both netting and solid material). When the rain fly is on, it doesn't cover this side bc the car would ordinarily be there. I've done this a few times and it's nice to have the option. Hope this helps!
@@lovedogsontheloose thank you! This makes all the difference. I will also be traveling with one or two dogs:) I am gathering my supplies a little at a time and it can be anytime between 6 months or more before my first solo trip.
Have you had this in the rain, or in a heavily buggy area.? I live in Wyoming and it rains a lot now, with pretty good winds and the bugs are ridiculous. Also, I don’t have railings on the top of my car, how would you attach to the vehicle?
@@chrisgilmore4591 I've not had mine in much rain. In fact, I've only ever had to put on the rain fly once. I mostly use it in an arid climate (so also not many bugs, comparatively speaking). I think it would do okay in a normal rain, but probably not as good in a storm with heavy winds and rain. Re/ how to attach without railings: this could be tricky but I'm sure there's a way to do it, even if it meant having to add your own straps somehow. If you buckled the straps that are sewn in so that you had an enclosed loop, and then looped another longer strap through those and pulled the longer strap toward your side mirrors or other point, maybe that could work? Not sure.
Hi, Grant-- thanks for watching and for the question. I wasn't full time in this tent, but I used it quite a bit. I'd estimate 20-25 weeks out of the year. In March of this year I got a van and sold this tent to help out with initial "move-in" expenses. I'm now full time in a van and kind of wishing I'd kept this tent to connect to my side barn doors. I may re-invest in it at some point. We'll see. By the time I sold it, there were more tears in the tent fabric. Overall, though, not bad for heavy use (with dogs) for 3.5-4 years. There were many times I thought about going full time in it; however, with two big dogs, while I'm sure we could've made it work, it didn't feel like the best choice. I wasn't ready to be stuck in a Subaru Forester full-time if something did happen to the tent and I couldn't replace it right away. Anyway, I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions.
@@lovedogsontheloose Thank you so much! I'm in Austin right now. Other than both Big Bend parks, do you have any suggestions for places to camp in central Texas?
@@GrantSR Admittedly I've not done as much in central Texas. I was in Lubbock for almost 17 years before moving into the van full time so mostly hit places in West Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Never tried it myself, but I would think it'd work. Check out this video I found. This guy has a lifted truck, but just to maybe give you an idea of how it might fit yours: th-cam.com/video/Ig_FRc1P4yU/w-d-xo.html
Definitely. I’ve just never particularly liked tarps under my tents because they tend to be water collectors when it does rain. But in dry places like West Texas it would work just fine. I’m not as worried about trying to keep dirt out of the inside of the tent simply because I have two dogs who are always going to bring dirt inside with them. But I do need to use my little broom or cordless vacuum far more often! Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
I’m not sure. If you have something on top to clip the straps around, it should work but otherwise you might have trouble getting it to stay tight around your hatch. On the other hand, if you leave the hatch open, you might be able to get away in most cases with not clipping it at the top and just making sure to clip into the tire wells, letting the hatch itself prop up the umbilical. Not sure how well it would seal but could maybe work.
Best review of this style tent yet. I’m umbilical curious too. Picture using suction to hold the umbilical to the back of a truck camper. Using the bumper part on the truck bumper as designed. Can it work? Guess it’s all about the length of the top part to reach a the door. Thanks again!
@@MotoDiva22 I'm betting there's a way to make it work, though not sure about suction cup mounts, as that umbilical is actually pretty heavy. Maybe if you used enough of them, equally spaced around the top and sides of the umbilical. If the truck camper is metal, you could also try rare earth magnets.
Rare earth magnets are an interesting idea. So many SUV tent designs don’t publish umbilical dimensions, so there’s another hurdle. I’m determined though. Many thanks for your response.
@@MotoDiva22 So I just read on Napier's website that the maximum height that will work with the umbilical is 80” (from the ground to the highest point). Not sure how tall your truck camper is.
I'm single myself so i'd have to put this tent up myself. I have a 2022 Subaru Forester. I hear that this tent is not waterproof do you find that to be true Amazon don't carry this tent anymore. Thank you for where you purchased this tent.
Hi, Paul. This is the tent I have: www.amazon.com/Sportz-Blue-Grey-Screen-x7-25-Feet/dp/B004O74Z0G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1X1VCJ3HI3XXT&keywords=Napier%252B84000&qid=1685581871&sprefix=napier%252B84000%252Caps%252C131&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=lovedogs073-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=66c70cbd1e1e8df4da51e1692e6c456c&camp=1789&creative=9325 (that's an associate link) To answer your question about waterproof-ness, the tent itself is not, but the rain fly is. I've only had mine in rain once and it did fine (everything stayed dry), but I did find it difficult to keep the rain fly off the tent material, so if you're going to be out in bad weather for a prolonged amount of time, it might be iffy. Hope that helps.
I haven't had it in any significant rain, so can't give you a straight answer. It did absolutely fine in a light wintry mix (rain/sleet mix) with high winds, but the wind did blow the fly against the walls of the tent quite a bit, even with the guy lines staked out, so I'm not entirely sure I'd trust it in a heavy rain + high wind scenario. Again, though, I haven't gotten to test it in those conditions yet. I'll do another video next week that shows details of the fly. Maybe I'll put it to the water hose test.
It should work really well if you want to attach it to the galley hatch, but I don't think it would work for the side doors. I've been looking at the Kelty Backroads Shelter for the side door of my Subaru. Haven't purchased it yet, though.
Hi. I have the truck tent companion tent and used it one time as a stand alone tent. Where the poles went into the grommets two of the grommets blew out. I emailed Napier and they couldn't sent me out a repair kit because there was no such a thing. They wanted to send me out grommets that were already attached that I would have to cut off the old and sew on the new. Basically, the grommet split in two from the tension of the pole. Very poorly made IMO. Thanks for listening to me whine. : - )
Oh, man. I'm sorry you experienced that. Would they not allow a return/refund even? In over two years I've not experienced any weakness in the grommets on the 84000 that I have, but none of the poles sit too tightly in them. Sounds like that truck tent companion was made with poles sitting too tightly in the grommets ? I wonder if others who use that tent have had similar experiences.
@@lovedogsontheloose My truck tent is from Napier, the companion tent is from the cheaper ridge line. It was way past the time under warrantee to file a claim.
Hi, Adrian. Like I mentioned in the video, we don’t get much rain here in West Texas, so I can’t answer your questions. Sorry. That said, I would guess that the best way to dry it out might be to let it stand and dry. So, if you had to pack it up wet, I’d recommend setting it back up somewhere else as soon as you can to let it dry and air out. That’s what I do when backpacking, with my smaller tents, and I would guess that while it may take a bit longer with such a large tent and so much fabric, it’d probably work just as well.
@@18564864Oh no!! I'm sorry to hear that! The one time I had mine in a snow-rain mix and actually put the rain fly on, I was concerned but it did okay. But from that experience I figured it probably wouldn't do well in rain, or even a light steady rain with any amount of wind. The rain fly sits really closely to the tent material and even with guy line I couldn't pull it away very far.
I loved this until you said how hard it is to put the fly on since I'd need the fly and I'd need to put it up myself and I'm only 5'5". Other than that, I love it.
There are two models of the Napier SUV tent. One is for small SUVs and one is for larger ones. I forgot which model number referred to which. It’s in the title for confirmation. Good job being an anonymous internet jerk. 👍You can do better.
Thanks for the demo … just wondering, the parts that the poles slide/fit into, are they metal or plastic? Second question, is the tent self-standing, if/when one needs to drive away for whatever reasons? 👍🏼🇦🇺🦘
Hey, thanks for watching--glad the demo helped. The end "caps" that the poles go into at each end of the sleeves are a molded plastic. Yes, this is a free-standing tent, and you can drive away from it and then carefully back up into it when you return if you want. I've also used this tent as a stand alone tent in a campground where the tent area was a walk in from the parking lot. Hope this helps.
We’ve had our Napier car tent two years now, after downsizing from a 40’ motor coach. We travel in a Suburban - the best decision we ever made for camping. Worth every penny, easy to set up and take down. We also carry two tarps (one tarp under tent, one tarp inside to catch soil, rocks, twigs, leaves). We also use a propane heater during cooler weather and with the rain fly, the heater takes the edge off. Thanks for the video, great job!
Awesome! Using a tarp under the tent like a footprint is probably a good idea. If I'm out for several days in the same place, I have a 9'x9' rug that I put down inside, as well as an "RV" rug that I put down just outside the door of the tent (the first time I did this I felt like I was truly "glamping" 😂 but it's so nice when staying in the same place for awhile). I have a Mr. Buddy propane heater than I use in winter, too. It works really well for the space. I'm glad to hear the setup is working well for you. It's definitely one of the best gear decisions I've made as well. Really happy with it, and hope to use it for years to come, even if I "upgrade" to a van someday.
Don't use it in rain... naiper tent sucks in rain or cold.
this is the exact review I needed. A shorter person setting it up alone and big playful dogs running around in it. Love this. Thank you!
@@kristiharman2843 You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful!
Your review of the Napier SUV Tent was "awesome" .... FAR BETTER than most that set it up "NEW" never having spent more than 1 overnight in it .... I own a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee LTD and I am gonna purchase the Napier on Amazon , because your video pretty much answered my concerns ..... "Thanks" again for the GREAT review !!! Your dogs are wicked COOL 👌👍👍
Wow. Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad the review was helpful to you!
Hi Tif! New subscriber here thanks to this vid. I’m 65 this month and I’m waiting for my Napier. I just ordered it yesterday. I’m hoping that I’m fit/strong enough to put this “new home” up for me and my dog. I’ve never camped alone and only been camping 2 times in my life. I wasn’t fond of camping. Then I saw this tent this last winter and thought I’d love to do this especially with the shower/potty tents that are available now. I’m going to try it out at a local KOA first and build some confidence and then see where this tent takes me. Thank you for this vid! Helped me to understand so much more.
Tami, thank you so much for commenting, and welcome to the channel! I'm so excited for you and your pup to get out and camp more. If I can be of any help--with the Napier tent or solo camping in general--please let me know!
You will love it! I am sitting inside mine as I type. I’m 67 and drive a Honda Element. I was a hair from buying a tear drop trailer. This is amazing!
Hello from SW Virginia! So grateful to you, LOVE DOGS, for this thorough video, with all the details included that are needed to understand this tent setup. Well done! 🎉 This Marine Mom thanks you for serving our country! ❤ 🇺🇸
So glad it's helpful!
I bought exact model for this summer camping trip. Very roomy and excellent tent for family camping and good to have one for long staying in nice camp site
Absolutely! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Wonderful description of setup and take down. Thank you for the review!
I’m glad it was helpful! Thanks for the comment
I really like this, it seems like it would keep out rain without any concern (I do camp in rainy areas). I'd be comfortable knowing that with this SUV tent. Sometimes, it would be nice when not at a traditional campsite to not set up a tent! Thank you for not time lapsing, it is good to see every step of the way, especially using the wrong pole, I'd do that and probably twice!
😂I'm pretty sure I've used the wrong pole more than once in the last 2.5 years! It's nice to know it happens to other people. :)
Love your demo. Wasn't sure about tent being alone. Love it! Ty
Glad I could help!
Thank you for your service!
Thanks for the info, best review I've found and sold another 84000 due to it. Liked the collapsible rake and tarp idea in comments, think I'll go that route provided all my gear doesn't require a second SUV! I saw in another review they said to put the cover on top before adding the side poles to make getting on top easier helps.
Thanks for the comment! I'm really glad you found the review helpful!
I've been interested in getting one of these tents for when I get back on the road traveling. It surprises me why I don't see more people using them.
I'm definitely starting to see more of this type of tent at campgrounds here and there. But I imagine it might still be too big for some, or too much to deal with or haul around (it does take up a bit of space in the vehicle when traveling, especially if in smaller vehicle like mine). Solo travelers may not think they can put it up by themselves, but it's totally doable. I've found myself wanting something a bit smaller at times when I'm not going to be staying in a place very long. That said, it definitely becomes less of a "chore" to put up and tear down the more you do it, and I've come to really enjoy the extra "inside" space for myself and the dogs to move around. As I told someone else, someday I'd love to have a van, but until then, this works great. And, this could be used with a van, too, if it has a hatch.
Great demonstration. Love you video. The dogs are beautiful.
Thank you!
Hello from Canada....Great set up and review, thank you!
Hello! Thanks for watching! I’m glad you liked the video.
The van you wanna get in future will be good but this works great too. It does the trick. The kids wanna protect you from the other kids lol.
My bro told me years ago he could hear the wolves howling while hunting in the Upper Penninsula 😯.
Great setup!
Have fun!!!
Thanks! The van I want to get is for permanent living. The tent, on the other hand, is a more temporary thing. Though I've had serious thoughts on multiple occasions of just packing it all up, turning in my rental house keys, and making it work. 😁
@@lovedogsontheloose Providential. When the time is right. Keep thinking forward and doing your art.
I believe MANY others think as you do ..... (including myself....) 👍@@lovedogsontheloose
You did an excellent job. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm glad you found it useful!
This was extremely helpful as I am looking at tents to purchase for this exact set up. You did a great great job also at videoing this and showing everything. Kudo's and enjoy your camping :)
Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful to you! I'm planning to do another video this fall (when it cools off!) that details how to remove the screen room and "umbilical" and how to put on the rain fly.
@@lovedogsontheloose I have another question, in one of the replies to someone you mention your porta potty. May I inquire which one you have? I as well have been looking at them. Thank you in advance.
@@staciespeckman I use this one: amzn.to/3r8gywb (that's an Amazon referral link, but you can most assuredly get it cheaper at Walmart, as well as the bags). I've been using it for a few years now and haven't had any real issues with it. It sits a little low, but they all do. This one is sturdy and portable, if a little challenging to collapse down at first until you get the hang of it. But it does the job.
She did a totally AWESOME job, as a "long term review" !!!
I’m spending the month of July in that same tent. 1st time using it. 6-16-2024
I hope it works well for you!
@@lovedogsontheloose Thank you. I’m positive it will.
Txs a lot and cheers from French Canada; the best review on SUV tent i've seen so far. Guess it has to be Napier!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the comment!
Your tent will last a long time. Ours lasted 20 years. Wish I had that screen room for the potty. Worked great as a stand alone and kept the firewood in the umbilical. Enjoy it will last a long time with little care. The one time in a good rain I got a valley of water between the rear window and the umbilical. Never leaked with the rain fly on. You could get a colapseable rake to rake the tent foot print and put down a heavy tarp. That's what I did . When you fold up the tent do what you fid to make it square. Then fold on side to the middle and do the same with the other side. Then fold it in half and roll it up.
Wow! 20 years! That’s amazing. Good to hear your experience in rain. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Cabela's 10% military discount! USCG '77-83 Semper Paratus. I think you can actually get the 84000 direct from Napier for $399.00. As you said Cabelas is $459 so the discount only brings it down to $413. You could use your Cabelas point to lower that tho. Even tho I have a Coleman 4 person for solo camping I am seriously thinking about one of the Napier tents. I also have a cargo box but its not a swing away. I don't use it much for solo camping as I don't carry all that much stuff. I do have a car top carrier. Thanks for the vid!!
I haven’t looked in a while, but Napier did have them on sale at a significant reduction. The military discount definitely comes in handy sometimes.
Looking for a tent for the back end of my Rav4. Thank you for the excellent detail! Thank you for taking the time to explain what/why you were doing things. (I love your dogs)🥰
@@felixachinn9000 You’re welcome. I’m glad you found it helpful!
Good job reviewing this, I have been on the fence as to get one or not. My problem is that I camp in bear country and with the hatch up there isn't any way to keep the food smell from attracting bear. You have to put your cooler and such in your rig or you will be fined. Well with it in my rig I can just see the bear saying ok I'll just come right in thanks, haha. I think I would have to spend the nights with the hatch closed so why not just attach a tarp to the back of the car, I dont' know what I'm going to do but you did a good review.
Thanks, Shari. I appreciate it. You bring up a good point about using this tent in bear country. Definitely doable to close the hatch at night without disconnecting the tent, but depending on the particular situation, I could see where a tarp or something simpler might be more appealing.
what an excellent review. people need to take notes.
@@BrittanyFox Thank you. I’m really glad you found it helpful!
I love this tent for the features and easy setup, but it took in lots of rain. Any suggestions on rainproofing would be great.
Using all of the guy lines and stakes helps, but in my experience it's not great in heavy rain. Great in arid climates.
Excellent! Cheers from south of Houston!
,
Hey, thanks! And cheers!
Very informative luvvy ... good job 👍
Glad it was helpful.
I’ve been wondering about this kind of tent. Costco has a similar tent on sale in April.
I think they’re pretty popular, with lots of companies making their own models now. I’ll have to look at the Costco one. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great job!! Nice video, very informative. Nice and spacious.
Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful to you!
I just got myself a Kia Niro 2024 model and I am stoked to try and get a hatch tent for it. It has a massive interior for an air mattress. I've been looking at a lot of these reviews and this is a good one showing the setup from start to finish. I do wonder if I were to piece together a good camping set over a few years what I should focus on buying first. Tent obviously, but it's been years since I camped and I'm a little lost at where to start other than that.
Congrats on the new Kia Niro! That's awesome that you're thinking about piecing together a good camp kit. What to get first is entirely personal choice. Definitely the tent, yeah, but once you have that, I'd actually just go out somewhere not too far away for a night and see what you find yourself needing/wanting access to. Some kind of portable mattress for the back of the vehicle or the tent to ensure you get good sleep? Table? Camp chair? Stove and cookware? It really depends on how you like to enjoy your time and what you will find most comfortable and rewarding. Prioritize your list according to your necessities. That way you can get out sooner and start having fun. Then you can add/change things as you go. Have fun! Happy to help if I can answer any questions.
Nice, enjoyed your review. Question - do you know if you can close the rear hatch of the SUV while the tent is installed? For instance if I wanted to shut the hatch due to excessive rain/wind/cold or perhaps due to wild animals on site or sketchy neighbors, etc. Thank you.
Thanks for watching! Yes! You absolutely can close the hatch of the vehicle while the tent is attached. I did this often, especially in colder weather.
Hi! Great review! I'm from the Patagonia in Argentina and it's very windy arround here. What's your opinion in the wind resistance? You think that the poles can handle a 30/35 mph wind? Thanks!
@@Kalimanjao Hi. Thanks for watching. I’ve had it in 30mph winds before and as long as it’s fully tied and staked down and connected to a vehicle, it can handle a lot. It was the rain that always concerned me. Not the best rain fly coverage, imo. Light rain is fine though.
Nice vid ... well done
Thank you!
Hi There. Thanks for your service!!! Good video. How is the air flow in the tent? I saw one review that mentioned poor air flow through the screens.
Thank you. Regarding air flow: I've not noticed this to be an issue myself. There are large screened windows on three of the four sides (the fourth side being the side that attaches to the car), in addition to the top being vented (when the rain fly isn't on). The only times I've noticed a lack of airflow have been when there was little to no breeze outside and the West Texas sun was beating down in the middle of our triple-digit summers. At that point, I figure no tent is going to be comfortable. :)
@@lovedogsontheloose Thanks!
@@oldmanjimbomiller1713 You're welcome!
Thanks for the great video. Does the “screen room” have fabric walls that roll down over the screens? Seems to me that would be the great extension area for a “potty” room with privacy. I am going to assume not. Plenty of other options though. Travel safe!
❤️🐾. New sub!
Thanks for the sub and for the comment! Yes, all screen areas on this tent (except the ones in the ceiling) have fabric covers that zip open/closed. You can see this briefly in the video at around 13:20. The ones in the screen room actually zip down and can be rolled and toggled at the bottom if not used. There are toggles at the top that keep the fabric up when in use, and then there are zippers on each side of each window. It's an interesting way of doing it that I'm not sure I love (the toggles at the top sometimes come undone and then the weight of the fabric will start unzipping the sides on its own), but it's not something I have a huge issue with. I just check them to make sure they're up before I do anything. And yes, absolutely, that screen room makes a great privy. That's how I use it and it's been great.
@@lovedogsontheloose Thank you. I think I just caught a glimpse of that in your video on the “Stowaway 2”. ❤️
Great Video
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it.
I’ve been looking at these tents for solo traveling at some point. I have a few questions. Do you close the hatch at night for safety? Can you close this tent separate from the car if you had to run an errand? Thanks for any help in figuring out how to safely solo camp:)
Hi, Marlene. I usually do close the hatch at night for safety and because I don't actually want my two big dogs wandering around the tent all night. We all sleep better with the hatch closed.
Regarding closing the tent separate from the car: yes, absolutely you can do this. From what I've read, when it's not attached to the car, it's simply not sheltered from rain very well on that side where the car would be. You can even entirely remove the umbilical (it zips on/off), so that you just have a [slightly modified] door there that can be zipped closed (both netting and solid material). When the rain fly is on, it doesn't cover this side bc the car would ordinarily be there. I've done this a few times and it's nice to have the option.
Hope this helps!
@@lovedogsontheloose thank you! This makes all the difference. I will also be traveling with one or two dogs:) I am gathering my supplies a little at a time and it can be anytime between 6 months or more before my first solo trip.
@@marlenebocook162 Exciting! Please don't hesitate to ask any other questions you might have as you prepare. I'm happy to help.
Have you had this in the rain, or in a heavily buggy area.? I live in Wyoming and it rains a lot now, with pretty good winds and the bugs are ridiculous. Also, I don’t have railings on the top of my car, how would you attach to the vehicle?
@@chrisgilmore4591 I've not had mine in much rain. In fact, I've only ever had to put on the rain fly once. I mostly use it in an arid climate (so also not many bugs, comparatively speaking). I think it would do okay in a normal rain, but probably not as good in a storm with heavy winds and rain.
Re/ how to attach without railings: this could be tricky but I'm sure there's a way to do it, even if it meant having to add your own straps somehow. If you buckled the straps that are sewn in so that you had an enclosed loop, and then looped another longer strap through those and pulled the longer strap toward your side mirrors or other point, maybe that could work? Not sure.
Thanks SO much!
You're welcome!
Great Video! Can the screen room be detached from the tent?
Hi! Thanks for watching. Yes, the screen room can be zipped off if you prefer not to use it.
NAPIER should be "paying you, as a Brand ambassador 😉👌👍👍👋 @@lovedogsontheloose
Great review! Is it possible to use the tent without putting up the screen room?
Thanks for watching! The screen room is not detachable, but the vehicle sleeve is. Hope this helps.
Coyotes and Loons are the best sounds!
Good explanation.
Thanks! Hope it was helpful.
How many weeks out of the year, on average, would you say you have used this? Just for occasional camping? Almost full time?
Hi, Grant-- thanks for watching and for the question. I wasn't full time in this tent, but I used it quite a bit. I'd estimate 20-25 weeks out of the year. In March of this year I got a van and sold this tent to help out with initial "move-in" expenses. I'm now full time in a van and kind of wishing I'd kept this tent to connect to my side barn doors. I may re-invest in it at some point. We'll see. By the time I sold it, there were more tears in the tent fabric. Overall, though, not bad for heavy use (with dogs) for 3.5-4 years.
There were many times I thought about going full time in it; however, with two big dogs, while I'm sure we could've made it work, it didn't feel like the best choice. I wasn't ready to be stuck in a Subaru Forester full-time if something did happen to the tent and I couldn't replace it right away. Anyway, I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions.
@@lovedogsontheloose Thank you so much!
I'm in Austin right now. Other than both Big Bend parks, do you have any suggestions for places to camp in central Texas?
@@GrantSR Admittedly I've not done as much in central Texas. I was in Lubbock for almost 17 years before moving into the van full time so mostly hit places in West Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Will this fit a truck with a shell on back?
Never tried it myself, but I would think it'd work. Check out this video I found. This guy has a lifted truck, but just to maybe give you an idea of how it might fit yours: th-cam.com/video/Ig_FRc1P4yU/w-d-xo.html
I would think if you put a tarp down before you put the tent down you'll protect that tent floor a lot more for holes. And keep it cleaner
Definitely. I’ve just never particularly liked tarps under my tents because they tend to be water collectors when it does rain. But in dry places like West Texas it would work just fine. I’m not as worried about trying to keep dirt out of the inside of the tent simply because I have two dogs who are always going to bring dirt inside with them. But I do need to use my little broom or cordless vacuum far more often! Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
I just have a soft top of my Jeep so I'm wondering if that umbilical would wrap it enough to stay up
I’m not sure. If you have something on top to clip the straps around, it should work but otherwise you might have trouble getting it to stay tight around your hatch. On the other hand, if you leave the hatch open, you might be able to get away in most cases with not clipping it at the top and just making sure to clip into the tire wells, letting the hatch itself prop up the umbilical. Not sure how well it would seal but could maybe work.
Best review of this style tent yet. I’m umbilical curious too. Picture using suction to hold the umbilical to the back of a truck camper. Using the bumper part on the truck bumper as designed. Can it work? Guess it’s all about the length of the top part to reach a the door. Thanks again!
@@MotoDiva22 I'm betting there's a way to make it work, though not sure about suction cup mounts, as that umbilical is actually pretty heavy. Maybe if you used enough of them, equally spaced around the top and sides of the umbilical. If the truck camper is metal, you could also try rare earth magnets.
Rare earth magnets are an interesting idea. So many SUV tent designs don’t publish umbilical dimensions, so there’s another hurdle. I’m determined though. Many thanks for your response.
@@MotoDiva22 So I just read on Napier's website that the maximum height that will work with the umbilical is 80” (from the ground to the highest point). Not sure how tall your truck camper is.
What area of Texas did you film this video? I live in southeast Texas.
Hi! I'm in West Texas. Thanks for watching!
I noticed that you hitch stabilizer is installed incorrectly. It needs to be rotated 180 degrees.
Very impressive eye! We actually rotated it that way because it was a more solid mount. Receiver and extension are both rock solid.
I'm single myself so i'd have to put this tent up myself. I have a 2022 Subaru Forester. I hear that this tent is not waterproof do you find that to be true Amazon don't carry this tent anymore. Thank you for where you purchased this tent.
Hi, Paul. This is the tent I have: www.amazon.com/Sportz-Blue-Grey-Screen-x7-25-Feet/dp/B004O74Z0G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1X1VCJ3HI3XXT&keywords=Napier%252B84000&qid=1685581871&sprefix=napier%252B84000%252Caps%252C131&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=lovedogs073-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=66c70cbd1e1e8df4da51e1692e6c456c&camp=1789&creative=9325
(that's an associate link)
To answer your question about waterproof-ness, the tent itself is not, but the rain fly is. I've only had mine in rain once and it did fine (everything stayed dry), but I did find it difficult to keep the rain fly off the tent material, so if you're going to be out in bad weather for a prolonged amount of time, it might be iffy. Hope that helps.
Thanks!
Aww. You’re my first Super Thanks. Thank you! 🙏
How is it about leaking when i does rain. Is the rain fly effective?
I haven't had it in any significant rain, so can't give you a straight answer. It did absolutely fine in a light wintry mix (rain/sleet mix) with high winds, but the wind did blow the fly against the walls of the tent quite a bit, even with the guy lines staked out, so I'm not entirely sure I'd trust it in a heavy rain + high wind scenario. Again, though, I haven't gotten to test it in those conditions yet. I'll do another video next week that shows details of the fly. Maybe I'll put it to the water hose test.
Do you think this will work for a teardrop trailer
It should work really well if you want to attach it to the galley hatch, but I don't think it would work for the side doors. I've been looking at the Kelty Backroads Shelter for the side door of my Subaru. Haven't purchased it yet, though.
I like the Tibetan prayer flags in the hatch. Nice touch.
Thank you.
Are these available in South Africa?
I'm sorry, but I don't know. I would recommend reaching out to @napieroutdoors. www.napieroutdoors.com
Hi. I have the truck tent companion tent and used it one time as a stand alone tent. Where the poles went into the grommets two of the grommets blew out. I emailed Napier and they couldn't sent me out a repair kit because there was no such a thing. They wanted to send me out grommets that were already attached that I would have to cut off the old and sew on the new. Basically, the grommet split in two from the tension of the pole. Very poorly made IMO. Thanks for listening to me whine. : - )
Oh, man. I'm sorry you experienced that. Would they not allow a return/refund even? In over two years I've not experienced any weakness in the grommets on the 84000 that I have, but none of the poles sit too tightly in them. Sounds like that truck tent companion was made with poles sitting too tightly in the grommets ? I wonder if others who use that tent have had similar experiences.
@@lovedogsontheloose My truck tent is from Napier, the companion tent is from the cheaper ridge line. It was way past the time under warrantee to file a claim.
Whats it like putting it away in the rain when its soaking wet and muddy? How do you dry it out ? And does it take long to dry out?
Hi, Adrian. Like I mentioned in the video, we don’t get much rain here in West Texas, so I can’t answer your questions. Sorry. That said, I would guess that the best way to dry it out might be to let it stand and dry. So, if you had to pack it up wet, I’d recommend setting it back up somewhere else as soon as you can to let it dry and air out. That’s what I do when backpacking, with my smaller tents, and I would guess that while it may take a bit longer with such a large tent and so much fabric, it’d probably work just as well.
It sucks to pack up wet. Just set it up when you get home.
top...
I got the same one.... used it about 4 times and one day i camped in rain and that twnt failed miserably... wasted 400 dollars on a tent.. damit...
Yeah, fortunately I live and camp mostly in a very arid climate. I'm not sure I would trust it in heavy rain.
@lovedogsontheloose yea I had good experience without the rain but that rainy day sure got my wife not to go camping for awhile.. 😭😭😭
@@18564864Oh no!! I'm sorry to hear that! The one time I had mine in a snow-rain mix and actually put the rain fly on, I was concerned but it did okay. But from that experience I figured it probably wouldn't do well in rain, or even a light steady rain with any amount of wind. The rain fly sits really closely to the tent material and even with guy line I couldn't pull it away very far.
I loved this until you said how hard it is to put the fly on since I'd need the fly and I'd need to put it up myself and I'm only 5'5". Other than that, I love it.
The fly is definitely tricky for one person. Possibly easier for one taller person (I’m only 5’4”).
that tent won't hold up in the wind in Quartzsite az
Good job not knowing the name of the product you're reviewing right at the beginning and after having it 2 1/2 years!?! Cmon. You can do better.
There are two models of the Napier SUV tent. One is for small SUVs and one is for larger ones. I forgot which model number referred to which. It’s in the title for confirmation. Good job being an anonymous internet jerk. 👍You can do better.
@@lovedogsontheloose sorry. I was in a grouchy mood. Peace.
@@smallalien5860It's all good. Shit happens. You made my day by apologizing, so thanks for that. Peace.
Thanks for the demo … just wondering, the parts that the poles slide/fit into, are they metal or plastic? Second question, is the tent self-standing, if/when one needs to drive away for whatever reasons? 👍🏼🇦🇺🦘
Hey, thanks for watching--glad the demo helped.
The end "caps" that the poles go into at each end of the sleeves are a molded plastic.
Yes, this is a free-standing tent, and you can drive away from it and then carefully back up into it when you return if you want. I've also used this tent as a stand alone tent in a campground where the tent area was a walk in from the parking lot. Hope this helps.