Buyer beware: Ikamper does not stand by their products

[Jems007]

Buyer Beware: My iKamper Experience


I wanted to post this as a warning for anyone considering an iKamper. Specifically I have a skycamp 3.0 mini I purchased a few years ago hoping it would go away on its own….plot twist: it didn’t. Even after countless nights sleeping in all weather conditions over
years.


My tent has had a persistent chemical odor since it was new. After communicating with iKamper, they acknowledged that the smell is likely coming from the adhesives or dyes used in the manufacturing process. Despite that, their solution was for me to purchase a replacement tent fabric for roughly $1,200.


Think about that. If the odor is likely caused by the materials used to build the tent, why should the customer pay over a thousand dollars to fix it? The risk isn’t worth it if I’ll have my kids in it or others who may be sensitive to the smell.


To make matters worse, customer support has been incredibly frustrating. There isn’t a readily available phone support line where you can actually talk to someone, and getting help is far more difficult than it should be for a product that costs several thousand dollars. It takes days and days for a rep respond.. iKamper primarily directs customers to email or online forms for support rather than offering live phone assistance.


For me, this isn’t just about the smell anymore. It’s about standing behind a premium product and taking care of customers when something appears to be wrong.


There are too many great rooftop tent manufacturers out there to spend this kind of money on a company that, in my experience, won’t stand behind its product.


If you’re shopping for a rooftop tent, my advice is Don’t trust iKamper. Spend your money with a company that backs its products and is easier to reach when you need support.

Here’s an email they sent to me a few years ago admitting to the likely source with an offer for a paid replacement . They still haven’t told me the exact product they used so I can verify myself:

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[sharpsicle]

I've never had a tent that didn't smell when it was brand new. Always was a standard practice for me to open them up and air them out until the off-gassing has done its thing. To get to the point where you think it needs to be covered under warranty, that must be some serious smell!

 

[Jems007]

I've never had a tent that didn't smell when it was brand new. Always was a standard practice for me to open them up and air them out until the off-gassing has done it's thing. To get to the point where you think it needs to be covered under warranty, that must be some serious smell!

yeah after nearly 3 years and letting it sit open for weeks at a time in Utah heat and it never goes away… I feel like it just gets worse in the heat. I have a Kodiak canvas tent and zero smell. Most of my backpacking tents also have zero smell but I know what you mean. Some products for sure need time to air out, but it doesn’t even make a dent in this Ikamper.

 

[ArcticDreadnought]

What exactly does the wording of the warranty cover?

 

[Jems007]

What exactly does the wording of the warranty cover?

“For 2 years from the date of purchase, iKamper will replace (at our discretion) defective parts at no cost to the customer. iKamper will provide replacement parts, but the customer will be responsible for installation.”

I originally emailed the at the two year mark if I recall correctly. I stopped fighting it and again this year I put it on my jeep and tried camping and my wife couldn’t take the smell so we took it off. I emailed them again hoping for a change of heart but again denied.
In reality, it’s about the company not standing by their product and replacing it when they know about the issue.

I’m just trying to help others make their decision. Overall, the tent is cool, but just know if you buy something from my camper and something similar happens, it’s kind of a pain in the A to deal with them.

 

[Jteakus]

I love that smell in mine. Smells like days away from work.

 

[Jems007]

I love that smell in mine. Smells like days away from work.

I’d be curious if yours smells the same as mine. That sounds weird!

 

[Jteakus]

It just has a sweet smell like a new car kind of? Smells a lot like a C7 Corvette with 3LT interior. Like nearly identical.

 

[Jems007]

It just has a sweet smell like a new car kind of? Smells a lot like a C7 Corvette with 3LT interior. Like nearly identical.

Not really sweet smell. I am in my mid 40s and have had many many new products in my life. I know what’s normal and what isn’t. I believe it’s the glue they used or the ink on the map that causes the smell. Even keeping it open for a week doesn’t really remove the smell after 3 years.

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