Pop top Camper with the shortest lead time or places that have some in stock?

[TinyTink]

Hey guys! I haven't been on the forum in a while since I was looking for a travel trailer and ended up going with a Grand Design Imagine XLS. Everyone on the forum was a great help when I made that decision. It has been a great little camper for us. Unfortunately, my husband usually ends up taking it to his job sites from state to state and I don't like being stuck at home when I could be out traveling. I'm trying to set my Jeep up as an overlander for just me and my pups. I'm really going to be doing most of my camping at beaches and campsites near my local lake. I feel like the travel trailer is overkill for my needs and I really just need a toilet and a bed. Oh, did I mention I have boat fever now? So, I want to keep my hitch free for that inevitable bad decision.

I’ve been looking at the wedge popups and they look great, but for the price I feel like I'd rather just outfit them myself to suit my own personal needs. I really like the bare bones Go Fast Campers. Even though the price is pretty steep for something so basic, it gives me everything I need. I'm only 5 feet tall, but I just don't think anyone can sleep in the back of a Gladiator without a pop top with an overhang. The problem with all of the options I've looked at is the long *** lead times. I'm actually in Montana right now traveling with my husband for his job, and we may only be here about three weeks. After his job ends, I would like to be able to set off on my own and hit up the Grand Canyon and Moab, etc. I never know when his job will end and we will be off to a new place, so these long lead times are killing me! I guess I could wait until I get back home to Louisiana and have something shipped to me there, and in that case, I would probably go with either the Roverking or the Alu-cab. I would love to get something NOW though and the long lead times are an issue since I never know where I will be when it is done.

The only thing keeping me from getting a basic RTT is that I I'm pretty short and I won't be able to lift my dogs over my head to get them up there with me. I just need something that is closed in around the bottom like a Topper, and I need to be able to access it from the bed of the truck. That's pretty much my only requirement - Bed up top and porta potty and gear down below. I would prefer not to give up the tailgate, but I would for the right camper. Also, I wouldn't mind paying extra money for the AT summit or something like that even though it's more than what I really need. It's the same issue with the lead time though. I'll pay more for something if I can get it now so if anyone knows of something similar that is available quickly, please let me know! Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

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[bd100]

For an immediate fix, try a quick-setup ground tent and a tent cot, and get out there! The ground tent leaves the cargo area for gear and food and water. The cot makes it almost as comfortable as a rooftop tent. Throw in the porta potty and a little chair and table if you wish.

If not a cot, then a thin sheet of paneling or plywood to go underneath the mattress pad to even out any pebbles on the ground. It doesn't even have to be full length.

I did this for years with a sports car all over the Rocky Mountains, before I discovered offroading. (Sports car or 4x4, both are fun in the mountains.)

Edit: And a cab-high cap with insulation and screen windows works well for doubling the cargo space, and a place to put the dogs while you are out at a museum or restaurant or tourist trap or whatever. And probably better availability than rooftop tents.

 

[PlayfulBird]

What @bd100 said is 100%. Geet out there

I think the RTT (while very cool, comfortable and for many the perfect option) is victim to the hype train.
We rented RTTs to test and decided it was not for us and went with a swag (Australian canvas roll up mini tent with foam mattress and bedding permanently in it, got it from an importer so not sure what the lead is). This was great for us, now we have a 70kg dog who is happy to camp in there, but I have no place I can let him dry out, no place to brush him out or or or if the weather is miserable. There are great solutions for ground setups, and a lot of them are not as popular because of media not hyping them. Especially with dogs, trailers and ground tents beat out RTT in my opinion. Brushing out your furries, if it rains hard you can all hang out without crowding, they have a place to dry out.

Just few things I stumbled over, which I might consider in future

https://gofastcampers.com/ not sure the lead on something like this

and

https://springbar.com/ easy to set up great space and I love canvas. This company seems to be USA made, supporting locals with great products(there are knockoffs from china so it must be good to be worth making copies)

and

https://shiftpod.com/shiftpod/ or similar style tent

This sorta stuff combined with several other solutions often is still cheaper and is quick and easy to setup and very flexible.

 

[PsyRN]

I don't know of any that are pre-made and ready to go, unless it's a cancellation. Most are "custom" depending on the size of the bed.

Here's a thread with a pretty extensive list of companies that make campers for the gladiator. And if they're wedge, or pop-up.
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/slide-in-camper-options.29970/post-686056

There is a newer one not on the list based out of San Diego which has probably one of the short lead times i've seen. Some like 8-9 weeks, but I can't remember the name. It's cool because the pop-up is also hard-sided.

 

[TinyTink]

Thanks PsyRN, there are a few on this list that I haven't checked out yet; which I will do ASAP!

 

[ParatusExpeditions]

If you have contacted them and have a better idea of lead time I’m also in the market so I’d happily take your updated numbers ???

 

[TinyTink]

What @bd100 said is 100%. Geet out there

I think the RTT (while very cool, comfortable and for many the perfect option) is victim to the hype train.
We rented RTTs to test and decided it was not for us and went with a swag (Australian canvas roll up mini tent with foam mattress and bedding permanently in it, got it from an importer so not sure what the lead is). This was great for us, now we have a 70kg dog who is happy to camp in there, but I have no place I can let him dry out, no place to brush him out or or or if the weather is miserable. There are great solutions for ground setups, and a lot of them are not as popular because of media not hyping them. Especially with dogs, trailers and ground tents beat out RTT in my opinion. Brushing out your furries, if it rains hard you can all hang out without crowding, they have a place to dry out.

Just few things I stumbled over, which I might consider in future

https://gofastcampers.com/ not sure the lead on something like this

and

https://springbar.com/ easy to set up great space and I love canvas. This company seems to be USA made, supporting locals with great products(there are knockoffs from china so it must be good to be worth making copies)

and

https://shiftpod.com/shiftpod/ or similar style tent

This sorta stuff combined with several other solutions often is still cheaper and is quick and easy to setup and very flexible.

Thank you! Unfortunately, the ground tent just won’t work for me as I will sometimes need to stop and use the porta potty during travels and stopping to set up a tent for that isn’t really feasible. I will be able to crawl up in the topper to do that whenever the need strikes me. If you have ever travelled through the Dakotas or Texas, then you know there are long stretches of interstate with no exits or bathrooms. Also, I have to admit that as a woman travelling alone, I just feel more secure with a hard sided topper that I can crawl into if I have to sleep at a Walmart or truck stop. Then when I am camping in a campsite I can open up the top part and be able to stand up in it. I also sometimes camp directly on the beach so sand would get all up in a ground tent. If I am off the ground, the sand will still get in the back of the truck but at least I will be able to clean it off my feet and the dog’s feet before putting them in the bed with me.

 

[TinyTink]

If you have contacted them and have a better idea of lead time I’m also in the market so I’d happily take your updated numbers ???

So far Go Fast Campers is about 8 weeks out and Harker Outdoors is 4-6; they appear to be the shortest so far : )

 

[ParatusExpeditions]

What I have (in mo):
GFC 2
AT summit 5
AT atlas 5
at habitat 5
XP switchback x1 5
Harker 1.5
Hiatus 2
TF alpha 3 (not much info, wouldn't buy as of now)
Sinny guy: Prod not started for gladiator fittings, 2023+
Alu cab, depending on the outfitter, 2-4

feel free to update if you see anything different

 

[PlayfulBird]

Thank you! Unfortunately, the ground tent just won’t work for me as I will sometimes need to stop and use the porta potty during travels and stopping to set up a tent for that isn’t really feasible. I will be able to crawl up in the topper to do that whenever the need strikes me. If you have ever travelled through the Dakotas or Texas, then you know there are long stretches of interstate with no exits or bathrooms. Also, I have to admit that as a woman travelling alone, I just feel more secure with a hard sided topper that I can crawl into if I have to sleep at a Walmart or truck stop. Then when I am camping in a campsite I can open up the top part and be able to stand up in it. I also sometimes camp directly on the beach so sand would get all up in a ground tent. If I am off the ground, the sand will still get in the back of the truck but at least I will be able to clean it off my feet and the dog’s feet before putting them in the bed with me.

I get that. Good luck.

We have a shower attachment on the side vehicle (before that we had a tent that deployed by just throwing it on the ground into a shower type cabin) that is superfast to deploy and has our toilet solution. Any which way, do look if a she'wee is maybe an option. It is great for us, also when in public bathrooms no more need to get near germs

 

[bd100]

A cab-high cap is enough to use a porta in the cargo area.

 

[TinyTink]

I get that. Good luck.

We have a shower attachment on the side vehicle (before that we had a tent that deployed by just throwing it on the ground into a shower type cabin) that is superfast to deploy and has our toilet solution. Any which way, do look if a she'wee is maybe an option. It is great for us, also when in public bathrooms no more need to get near germs

Thanks Playful Bird. I think the shower stall could be a good option. Trying to think of a way that I can just cut a hole in the roof of a cheap basic topper and then add a wedge RTT that I can cut a hole in at the bottom - my boyfriend can do some very basic welding and it doesn't have to look nice just be functional. It wouldn't be hard to install the same type of modular platform as on the Go Fast Campers for the bed system and I could use memory foam for a more comfortable mattress anyway. Its such a simple design that I would be surprised if I'm the first to try it on my own; anyone know of someone here that has done something similar?

 

[TinyTink]

Thanks Playful Bird. I think the shower stall could be a good option. Trying to think of a way that I can just cut a hole in the roof of a cheap basic topper and then add a wedge RTT that I can cut a hole in at the bottom - my boyfriend can do some very basic welding and it doesn't have to look nice just be functional. It wouldn't be hard to install the same type of modular platform as on the Go Fast Campers for the bed system and I could use memory foam for a more comfortable mattress anyway. Its such a simple design that I would be surprised if I'm the first to try it on my own; anyone know of someone here that has done something similar?

Or maybe I just need a high cap that is modular and the roof can be removed so I can then add an RTT and cut a hole in the RTT at the bottom. I could sew it and seal with the canvas tape they use to repair boat sails (I used that on an old convertible Audi where the window was detaching from the canvas and it worked wonders). I guess I would have to look at the RTTs and do a lot of research to figure out which one to use. Or I could get one of the frames that support the RTT on the truck bed and enclose it somehow. Don't they make one that has molle panels or something you can attach? Sure the parts are out there if I can just figure out how to put then together the right way. . .

 

[PlayfulBird]

cut a hole in the roof of a cheap basic topper and then add a wedge RTT that I can cut a hole in at the bottom

just figure out how to put then together

I am sure there are at least a few that have gone that route, not in pickups i reckon but Land Rover defender, or the vw synchro busses or perhaps Hilux /Tacoma. Maybe a have a search if there are any DIY projects or even instructions. I will later have a look through some other forums.

 

[PlayfulBird]

This is promising, with a bit of welding, the wood you can get cut too. I would want to improve the opening mechanism and the canvas and how it deploys. Would take inspiration from the icamper or roof nest
https://www.doityourselfrv.com/truck-camper-pop-top/

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