Frequently Asked Questions

Definitely, all the tents we sell are labeled as 3 or 4 season. Some like the iKamper, Tepui Ruggedized series, and Treeline Outdoors Ponderosa & Redwood are designed already as 4-season tents.

For Tepui tents (regardless of 3 or 4 season) we suggest you get a Tepui Weather Hood and a Tepui Insulator, in that order, both will help regulate the temperature inside of the tent and keep you warm, as well as provide an extra shield from our rough winters.

For iKamper, the Skycamp Tent Insulation is a great addition to your cold weather setup.

The easy answer is to let us know what type of car you’re driving, and we can usually give you an answer along with what roof racks will work.

That being said, roof top tents are usually designed to fit on most vehicles with pre-installed roof racks. The general rule of thumb is to make sure that your rack has a Dynamic Weight Capacity of at least the weight of the tent. This is the weight that the rack can physically carry while the vehicle is in motion. When the tent is in use, the weight of the tent plus the weight of its occupants is effectively dispersed over the entire frame of the vehicle, as well as the tent hinge and ladder, also known as the Static Weight Capacity. This is in theory much greater, as the frame of the vehicle needs to be strong enough to protect the occupants in the case of an accident or rollover.

However, our tents weigh between 100 lbs and 220 lbs, so what model tent you decide on will depend on how much weight your roof rack can carry. Most aftermarket racks, like Yakima and Thule, have systems that are specifically designed for most vehicle makes and models, and generally have a higher Dynamic Weight Capacity than most factory racks.In regards to tent weight capacity, we average 200 lbs per occupant.

In the case of the two person Ayer, the total weight capacity would be 400 lbs. Our three person tents, the Kukenam and Autana, have a capacity of 600 lbs, and our largest four person tents, the Autana 4 and Kukenam 4 Ruggedized, max out at 650 lbs.

It is also worth noting that the ladder itself has a weight capacity of 320 lbs. Our stock mounting hardware will fit rack bars with a cross-section of 3.25″ width x 2″ height. Be sure to mount your racks 32″-48″ apart on your vehicle!

Most conventional roof racks will support the tent if installed properly. However you should check your manufacturer’s roof rack system to ensure it will support the weight of the tent. If you do not have a factory installed roof rack, we recommend aftermarket crossbars (such as Yakima or Thule).

Check out Tepui’s Installation page to see how the tent attaches to your roof racks.

Cleaning:

1. Open the tent fully and brush with a stiff bristled brush / vacuum all dirt from inside of tent
2. Use a mild detergent (1 cup of Lysol all-purpose cleaner to 1 gallon of hot water) with warm water and a soft to medium brush to clean the fabric as needed.
3. Rinse fabric with warm or cool water of all detergent prior to drying.
4. Let it dry under the sun with all windows open. It is important that the tent is completely dry before storage or mildew and mold may occur. This is especially necessary after camping in rain or wet conditions.
5. Using a small brush, remove dirt from the zippers. Also, use a silicon spray to keep them lubricated.
6. The tents come with a comfortable mattress which includes a washable cover, so you won’t need an air mattress or a cover sheet for it.

Caring for Mold and Mildew:

If there is moisture trapped in the canvas material for a length of time, mold and mildew may start to form. If mold starts to form it can stain the canvas and produce foul odors. This does not make for a pleasant camping experience! In order to handle mold properly, follow these steps:

1. Open the tent up and brush the affected area with a hard bristled brush to get and loose dirt off.
2. Using the same Lysol solution discussed above (1 cup Lysol to 1 gallon water), wash the canvas using a sponge and the bristled brush.
3. Rinse the tent off with a solution (1 cup lemon juice, 1 cup sea salt, 1 gallon hot water).
4. Once the Lysol solution has been properly washed out, let the tent air dry for several hours in order to prevent future mold from forming.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The tent must be completely dry before storage!If you want to be super cautious and plan on spending a lot of time in the rain, you might consider the following:After initial set-up, spray the tent with water and allow it to dry completely. This “seasons” the canvas. The water causes the canvas to swell slightly, closing the needle holes where the canvas was stitched. The most effective way to do this is to have the tent out in its first good rain. This process is only required once, but can be repeated as many times as you would like.

Zipper Care:

As zippers are subjugated to the elements (sand, mud, rain, snow) they will need to be cared for in order to maintain a long life. It is hard to keep mud and dust away from the zippers, so the best thing to do is add some lubrication. Using a lubricant such as Bee’s Wax is a great way to protect the longevity of your zipper. Just buy a small block and rub it on the zipper both while open and closed. This should greatly improve the operation of the zipper, and dramatically increase its service life. If mud and dirt does get ground into the zipper, clean it with a damp cloth and then re-lubricate.

Waterproofing:

The general cleaning of your tent over time can start to break down the waterproofing qualities of the material. Therefore, after washing the material, we suggest re-applying some waterproofing agents. Some waterproofing solutions will also add UV protection as well. A silicone based water repellent such as 303 Fabric Guard or Atsko Silicone Water-Guard work great. These solutions can be found in your local camping store.