Basecamp Installed 🏕️

[Bothwalien]

Which tailgate cover are you using for your bike, and do you like it with the Cybertruck tailgate?

Sponsored

 

[TownBiz]

Got 2 X Kuat Huk half pads and they’re perfect.

 

[Known-Background]

Thanks for sharing please put full set up when you can. My wife and I are eager to get this with CT

 

[Bothwalien]

Awesome. I have a Kuat hitch rack for my current ICE truck (that I love) but I read about someone having phantom vehicles pop-up on the display when using hitch racks on Teslas. Also, I'm curious about the aero difference between having a couple bikes over the tailgate vs. on a hitch. The tailgate seems like the winner, but maybe it's not enough difference to worry about.

I'm hoping you love the tent. That's definitely more aero than our small camp trailer.

 

[CarMan ElecTruck]

Appears to be ‘easier’ than other fooftop tents overall to install to the truck…

 

[BeFamousVideo]

Morbid curiosity got the best of me and I decided to buy the $3K Basecamp rather than wrap the CT.

Local SC did the install yesterday which was comprised of screwing 6 brackets into the correct vault rail holes and then screwing in two T25 bolts to secure the packed tent - that’s it. Based on the how the manual reads, it’s likely that at some point Tesla will ship these direct to CT owners to DIY install because it’s that easy. Trickiest part is aligning those two T25 bolts because of the angle. Per the instruction book, if you use a flashlight it’s much easier.

Lots of rain here so I haven’t had a chance to fully deploy the tent yet, but I did practice removing the 90lb tent by unscrewing the two bolts and lifting at an angle. Totally doable solo. Putting it back in was a little trickier, but not bad.

I also tried the initial tent deployment step which requires popping out the CT’s Aeroflap (long metal piece right between the can and the bed) - a little tricky because you need to unscrew two T30 bolts, not drop them into the abyss below, and then forcefully pop out the Aeroflap. This will be much easier with a ratching small torx wrench vs the wrenches that come w the tent. It was pretty easy to reinstall the Aeroflap, but I am a little concerned about losing some of the water proof sealant between it and the cab. According to the manual, after removing the Aeroflap, you should be able activate Tent mode, but it’s still not showing for me. I’m asking support if there’s a specific SW upgrade that should have been done to enable it…

I am hesitant to provide an initial impression since I haven’t even set up the tent yet. That said, I will say that it takes up a pretty big chunk of bedspace which makes transporting multiple bikes in the bed a non-option. It’s nice to confirm that you can remove or install it pretty easily though. It looks a little bit trickier than I hoped based on the instructions alone - but let’s see how it shakes out. Can’t say if it’s worth the price tag yet either - especially if the suspension leveling tent mode is available to people who don’t buy the Basecamp. If a 3rd party released some easy to install + remove in-vault crossbars, there could be some interesting other 3rd party over-bed tent options at some point (assuming there’s ever enough CT volume to make it compelling to design and release such a thing).
]

Maybe one bike lays sideways with tire under tent, 2nd bike stands on angle?

 

[TownBiz]

Maybe one bike lays sideways with tire under tent, 2nd bike stands on angle?

Could work. I have a one up hitch mount that I keep as a backup for when my cyber truck isn’t available but I suppose I could always use it for this when I have multiple bikes and don’t want to take the tent off the truck.

 

[TownBiz]

Appears to be ‘easier’ than other fooftop tents overall to install to the truck…

Unfortunately, I have not tried any other rooftop tents to compare. I do think that the roof nest ones look super easy but they are expensive and crazy heavy.

 

[Daryoon]

I really like that the Tesla one folds up and is under the tonneau cover. Yet elevated to still allow a garage/storage underneath.

Thats the ideal set up for me so one don’t have to install roof racks diminishing the efficiency when driving.
Also, I like how it’s easier to access via the lift gate vs a ladder in many other rooftop tents I have seen in the past.

I do wish Tesla came up with a way for HAC to the tent during the design stage. That would have been ideal and justified the price tag for me.

So looking forward to reading more of your experience once it’s fully deployed.

Removal of that trim piece seems like an unfinished detail that I hope an acceptable solution can be developed in the future.

 

[Daryoon]

I wonder if the tent will work with the CT molle panels installed?

 

[TownBiz]

I wonder if the tent will work with the CT molle panels installed?

Nope - they mention that on the ordering page

 

[Daryoon]

I can understand the tent negating the usefulness of the molle panels. But I wished the molle panels can be left installed while the tent is installed and deployed.

Perhaps that's a mod to make that happen but would need someone to own both and have this odd desire to make them compatible.

The pictures shows the molle panels thickness maybe the limiting factor. Or perhaps the location of the molle mounts onto the rails being in the same location the tent mounts need to be. Hard to understand all that from the pictures provided.

 

[TownBiz]

I can understand the tent negating the usefulness of the molle panels. But I wished the molle panels can be left installed while the tent is installed and deployed.

Perhaps that's a mod to make that happen but would need someone to own both and have this odd desire to make them compatible.

The pictures shows the molle panels thickness maybe the limiting factor. Or perhaps the location of the molle mounts onto the rails being in the same location the tent mounts need to be. Hard to understand all that from the pictures provided.

Yeeeeah it’s CRAZY tight between the tent and the side panels. Makes packing the tent a PITA tbh….

 

[Tsimes]

looking forward to pictures when it’s set up. Thanks.

 

[Gigahorse]

Yeeeeah it’s CRAZY tight between the tent and the side panels. Makes packing the tent a PITA tbh….

I keep refreshing this page waiting for pics of it and your review of setting it up and taking it down
Looking forward to your feedback on it, ability to camp with the truck is one of my biggest reasons for buying, and after midgate and vault HVAC climate was canceled the tent option is my last hope.

Sponsored