TownBiz

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Hereā€™s my take after spending more time with the Basecamp: itā€™s a well made product and fun camping setup for 2 adults (maybe 1 adult + 2 kids) - itā€™s worth the $3K price tag if youā€™re already sold on the ā€œroof-topā€ tent (RTT) premium which is typically $2-3K+. For purposes of this review, letā€™s assume whoever is considering purchase of the Basecamp has rationalized the value of a $3K RTT already - and yes there are plenty of nice ground tent setups that offer tons of great things at a fraction of the cost of the Basecamp or any other RTT for that matter.

With all that said, unless you really ā€œneedā€ an RTT for an upcoming trip, I donā€™t recommend buying the Basecamp right now for two reasons:
  • - If/when a 3rd party develops a set of crossbars that can be installed on the vault rails to make a flat surface, you may find that other generic/compatible RTT options are either easier + quicker to setup/takedown or cheaper (although they can also be more expensive too).
  • - ā€œTent Mode,ā€ the software option expected to enable suspension leveling on uneven ground, is currently in beta testing and unavailable for consumers. If Tent Mode is released to all Cybertrucks (rather than only Basecamp owners), third party RTT options could be even more attractive. If Tent Mode is exclusively enabled for Basecamp owners, that would be major selling point as well (similar to Model Y owners adding a 1st party tow hitch that is accompanied with access to ā€œTrailer Modeā€ vs. a 3rd party tow hitch which doesnā€™t have it.)

Hereā€™s what I like the most about the Basecamp:
  • - Easy to install and remove the packed 90 lb kit from the bed/vault of your Cybertruck. The Basecamp relatively light and compact. Strong folks can move it solo or you can find a buddy to make it even easier. Other high end RTTs are usually heavier and bulkier so you are more likely to need a friend to help - which will make removal a lot less convenient. Because itā€™s so compact, it installs nicely in the CT bed without sacrificing much room or reducing aerodynamics because you can still close the tonneau cover while itā€™s installed.
  • - For the most part, Basecamp uses quality materials and smart design. Heim Planet, the Basecamp tentā€™s manufacturer, makes premium tents and this is no exception. The inflatable design is intuitive and easy to setup + takedown. After familiar with it, people should be able to take <10 minutes on either task. The tent design takes advantage of every inch of CT bed space and it feels really well made.

And the things that I like the least about it come at the start of setup and end of takedown:
  • - Removing and reinstalled the CT ā€œAeroflapā€ takes away from the ease of use and overall premium Basecamp experience. The first step of setup is is removing the CTā€™s ā€œAeroflapā€ (long metal piece right between the can and the bed). Itā€™s tricky because you are blindly reaching the two T30 bolts that keep it in place and if you drop those bolts into the abyss below (likely falling into the area that the tonneau retracts into), bad things may happen and you will probably need to visit the SC to chase down the runaway bolts at a minimum. After do it a a few times itā€™s not terrible, but between removing the bolts and then forcefully popping out the Aeroflap, it just feels like a less than premium experience. Per another CT Owner forum memberā€™s conversation w/ his SC tech, there will be a toolless way to remove the aeroflap and once it's ready, people who bought the tent should be able to get it from their local service center. That would be a major improvement.
  • - Takedown is a breeze until you need to fit the folded Basecamp platform back in its fabric storage container. Because the tent is designed to make the most of the full width of the truck bed, there isnā€™t much room on the sides of the folded Basecamp, which can make fitting the platform back in the bag and zipping it back up a bit frustrating. The good news is that after doing it a couple times, the fabric seems to loosen up and it gets much easier. Still annoying.

For people who decide to buy the Basecamp, there are a few things to be careful with - it would be nice for Tesla to improve these too, but not critical:
  • - When installing the packed Basecamp on its vault rail mounts, use a flashlight and carefully align T25 bolts to secure the tent box to the rails or you may misthread the mounting bracket.
  • - When unfolding or collapsing the tent platform legs, make sure to fully compress the press the locking pin release buttons to release/fold/collapse the tent platform legs or you may snap the holding mechanisms.
  • - When doing the absolutely last step of storing the folded tent, avoid pulling hard on the cobra buckle straps or you may pull apart the super weak stitching. These straps are meant for light duty, keeping the fabric tent storage bag closed more than anything else.
  • - Although then manual says you can leave the small two red tent positioning straps connected below the Aeroflap for future use, this isnā€™t a great idea because they can easily be caught in the tonneau cover and crunched.

A couple final notes:
  • - If you think the tent is ugly, great, do you. Similar to the CT, itā€™s more ā€œfunction over formā€ and some people will think it looks awesome while others think itā€™s ugly AF.
  • - If you think you can get better ā€œtraditionalā€ ground tent gear for a fraction of the cost, youā€™re right! Great, do that if it checks the blocks you need.
  • - If you think a $3K tent is absurd and totally unnecessary, youā€™re also right. While I wouldnā€™t call the CT itself absurd because I think itā€™s a great truck and fantastic for many reasons, itā€™s also a luxury. There are plenty of solid second-hand traditional gas trucks out there which you can buy at a fraction of the cost too. So buy the Basecamp or another great $3K RTT if you want to or go camp on the ground under the stars for free - have fun out there!

Tesla Cybertruck CyberTent (Basecamp Tent) Follow-Up Review / Recommendation šŸ•ļø IMG_6180


Tesla Cybertruck CyberTent (Basecamp Tent) Follow-Up Review / Recommendation šŸ•ļø IMG_6182


Tesla Cybertruck CyberTent (Basecamp Tent) Follow-Up Review / Recommendation šŸ•ļø IMG_6179
Sponsored

 
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jf64k

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Been following along in your other thread, OP, and I really appreciate you taking the time for that and for this great summary!!
 

REM

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Great stuff!
 

SlegMD

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So stupid question time. Any limitations with driving slow speeds with tent up? Such as changing camp site by 500m? Asking for a friendā€¦.
Thank you for the time with this review.

I appreciate the simplicity of this tent And am strongly considering it, when the time comes!
 
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TownBiz

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So stupid question time. Any limitations with driving slow speeds with tent up? Such as changing camp site by 500m? Asking for a friendā€¦.
Thank you for the time with this review.

I appreciate the simplicity of this tent And am strongly considering it, when the time comes!
Not a stupid question - With any rooftop tent, you are kind of stuck in place so this is probably something a lot of people wonder about.

I havenā€™t tried it, but technically itā€™s possible since you can drive w the tailgate down. Rear visibility with CT large side mirrors will also help make this less intimidating. But I definitely wouldnā€™t drive quickly since youā€™re basically creating a massive kiteā€¦
 


smggsm

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So the tent not connected to the cabin,
for AC / Heat ?
 
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TownBiz

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So the tent not connected to the cabin,
for AC / Heat ?
Nope. There is an easy access zipper to connect to the bedā€™s outlets though. So you can always run a space heater or AC unit. If you really need heat, I would probably use an electric blanket for efficiency though.
 

seanocono

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Very well articulated review, OP. Thank you for taking the time. The only real miss for me is the aero flap conundrum, which is a real head scratcher. How did this pass the design stage?

Otherwise, I think this is a compelling option for those with the same objectives you outline. Enjoy your awesome truck and cool tent!
 
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Agree completely - but glad to hear Tesla may be launching a hardware ā€œfixā€ to make it less of a PITA. Reality is that once you do it a few times itā€™s not bad. Repacking the tent is more challenging at this point. I think the designer of the tent had good intentions, because they want to maximize every inch of the bed.
 
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Hereā€™s my take after spending more time with the Basecamp: itā€™s a well made product and fun camping setup for 2 adults (maybe 1 adult + 2 kids) - itā€™s worth the $3K price tag if youā€™re already sold on the ā€œroof-topā€ tent (RTT) premium which is typically $2-3K+. For purposes of this review, letā€™s assume whoever is considering purchase of the Basecamp has rationalized the value of a $3K RTT already - and yes there are plenty of nice ground tent setups that offer tons of great things at a fraction of the cost of the Basecamp or any other RTT for that matter.

With all that said, unless you really ā€œneedā€ an RTT for an upcoming trip, I donā€™t recommend buying the Basecamp right now for two reasons:
  • - If/when a 3rd party develops a set of crossbars that can be installed on the vault rails to make a flat surface, you may find that other generic/compatible RTT options are either easier + quicker to setup/takedown or cheaper (although they can also be more expensive too).
  • - ā€œTent Mode,ā€ the software option expected to enable suspension leveling on uneven ground, is currently in beta testing and unavailable for consumers. If Tent Mode is released to all Cybertrucks (rather than only Basecamp owners), third party RTT options could be even more attractive. If Tent Mode is exclusively enabled for Basecamp owners, that would be major selling point as well (similar to Model Y owners adding a 1st party tow hitch that is accompanied with access to ā€œTrailer Modeā€ vs. a 3rd party tow hitch which doesnā€™t have it.)

Hereā€™s what I like the most about the Basecamp:
  • - Easy to install and remove the packed 90 lb kit from the bed/vault of your Cybertruck. The Basecamp relatively light and compact. Strong folks can move it solo or you can find a buddy to make it even easier. Other high end RTTs are usually heavier and bulkier so you are more likely to need a friend to help - which will make removal a lot less convenient. Because itā€™s so compact, it installs nicely in the CT bed without sacrificing much room or reducing aerodynamics because you can still close the tonneau cover while itā€™s installed.
  • - For the most part, Basecamp uses quality materials and smart design. Heim Planet, the Basecamp tentā€™s manufacturer, makes premium tents and this is no exception. The inflatable design is intuitive and easy to setup + takedown. After familiar with it, people should be able to take <10 minutes on either task. The tent design takes advantage of every inch of CT bed space and it feels really well made.

And the things that I like the least about it come at the start of setup and end of takedown:
  • - Removing and reinstalled the CT ā€œAeroflapā€ takes away from the ease of use and overall premium Basecamp experience. The first step of setup is is removing the CTā€™s ā€œAeroflapā€ (long metal piece right between the can and the bed). Itā€™s tricky because you are blindly reaching the two T30 bolts that keep it in place and if you drop those bolts into the abyss below (likely falling into the area that the tonneau retracts into), bad things may happen and you will probably need to visit the SC to chase down the runaway bolts at a minimum. After do it a a few times itā€™s not terrible, but between removing the bolts and then forcefully popping out the Aeroflap, it just feels like a less than premium experience. Per another CT Owner forum memberā€™s conversation w/ his SC tech, there will be a toolless way to remove the aeroflap and once it's ready, people who bought the tent should be able to get it from their local service center. That would be a major improvement.
  • - Takedown is a breeze until you need to fit the folded Basecamp platform back in its fabric storage container. Because the tent is designed to make the most of the full width of the truck bed, there isnā€™t much room on the sides of the folded Basecamp, which can make fitting the platform back in the bag and zipping it back up a bit frustrating. The good news is that after doing it a couple times, the fabric seems to loosen up and it gets much easier. Still annoying.

For people who decide to buy the Basecamp, there are a few things to be careful with - it would be nice for Tesla to improve these too, but not critical:
  • - When installing the packed Basecamp on its vault rail mounts, use a flashlight and carefully align T25 bolts to secure the tent box to the rails or you may misthread the mounting bracket.
  • - When unfolding or collapsing the tent platform legs, make sure to fully compress the press the locking pin release buttons to release/fold/collapse the tent platform legs or you may snap the holding mechanisms.
  • - When doing the absolutely last step of storing the folded tent, avoid pulling hard on the cobra buckle straps or you may pull apart the super weak stitching. These straps are meant for light duty, keeping the fabric tent storage bag closed more than anything else.
  • - Although then manual says you can leave the small two red tent positioning straps connected below the Aeroflap for future use, this isnā€™t a great idea because they can easily be caught in the tonneau cover and crunched.

A couple final notes:
  • - If you think the tent is ugly, great, do you. Similar to the CT, itā€™s more ā€œfunction over formā€ and some people will think it looks awesome while others think itā€™s ugly AF.
  • - If you think you can get better ā€œtraditionalā€ ground tent gear for a fraction of the cost, youā€™re right! Great, do that if it checks the blocks you need.
  • - If you think a $3K tent is absurd and totally unnecessary, youā€™re also right. While I wouldnā€™t call the CT itself absurd because I think itā€™s a great truck and fantastic for many reasons, itā€™s also a luxury. There are plenty of solid second-hand traditional gas trucks out there which you can buy at a fraction of the cost too. So buy the Basecamp or another great $3K RTT if you want to or go camp on the ground under the stars for free - have fun out there!

View attachment 39829

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View attachment 39832
Thanks very much for your review of the tent. I've been very curious how this works and looks.

Does the backside of the tent over the tailgate have a zipper to close for privacy?
 


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TownBiz

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Thanks very much for your review of the tent. I've been very curious how this works and looks.

Does the backside of the tent over the tailgate have a zipper to close for privacy?
So thatā€™s actually the front side of the tent, and yes it does have a zipper to close for privacy. The backside of the tent (facing the cab of the truck) also has a window that can be zipped open or closed.
 

smggsm

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Nope. There is an easy access zipper to connect to the bedā€™s outlets though. So you can always run a space heater or AC unit. If you really need heat, I would probably use an electric blanket for efficiency though.
what the options if you have 2 kids?
Can the sleep under the tent , air mattress ? šŸ˜
 
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TownBiz

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It is about 50 inches wide so if the kids are small enough adult +2 kids can fit although snugā€¦ I would recommend just getting a ground tent for the kids while you and your SO take the CT :)
 

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Drama Llama Update:

Tesla Cybertruck CyberTent (Basecamp Tent) Follow-Up Review / Recommendation šŸ•ļø 1710075001886

@TownBiz
Teslas Director of product design just called your picture "The Worst Possible Picture" lol
 
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TownBiz

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Drama Llama Update:

1710075001886.png

@TownBiz
Teslas Director of product design just called your picture "The Worst Possible Picture" lol
Lol - ouch.

I wonder if the $250 hard plastic Underseat Storage Bin that I bought from Tesla last week was also not designed and priced to make moneyā€¦
Sponsored

 
 





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