My Experience:
Hello folks, today we're going over the IKamper Mini 2.0. We have run this tent for over a year and deployed it across three continents, two vehicles, and a lot of adventures. We did pay full retail for this tent out of our pocket without help from IKamper themselves. If you are just interested in a quick verdict because you're looking to buy it, I would say if it is within your budget, go for it. I think these may be my favorite tent manufacturers so far. If you want to know why look at our review below!
Specifications:
IKamper's Mini is their more compact hardshell model; this review, in particular, covers the older 2.0 model as the 3.0 dropped mid-review period for me. The Mini is a high-end rooftop tent option, and due to this, it comes with a high cost, 3700$ to be exact, and if you opt for the "full-size" option, you will be shelling out just over 4100$. The tents come in a glossy black or a more matte textured black. The double-layered fiber-reinforced plastic and honeycomb aluminum floor keep the system's weight at 125 lbs. The system is a clamshell-style two-person tent, meaning the hardshell opens up to one side like a shell and the floor flips out to double its size for sleeping. The system is 58"L, 55"W, and 12" H when packed, making it useable on nearly any vehicle. This footprint expands to 51"W, 83"L, and 48"H when deployed, offering a generous sleeping area for a camping couple like us. Now, let's chat about what has already been fixed in the 3.0 model, what could still be improved, and what is done well.
The Good:
The best part of the IKamper Mini is how small it sits on the rack versus how much space you get for sleeping. This ratio will, for most folks, be the feature that pushes them not only to IKamper but specifically to the Mini. It takes up half the area or less than the previous Alu-Cab or Roofnest tents we employed and offers more sleeping space than both! I can not stress how nice this is for long trips when space for boxes or other equipment is crucial on the rig—keeping to the design, the windows, and the overall openness/breathability of the tent combined with its hard shell is a significant plus. When stored, it has not had any issues with mildew smells or actual mold development, even after having it sit due to shipping for months on two separate occasions. When deployed, the tent has windows on both sides, a large opening where the ladder deploys, and a skylight. A major complaint for us in some tents is how cramped and cave-like they can seem, so we love that there is a lot of headroom and space in this model while also allowing multiple ways to open up the tent for fresh air. We vet the hardshell as taking a beating as well; I slipped into a lower clearance campsite in Turkey and managed to scrape the tent aggressively on some thick trees without causing enough damage to compromise the ability of the hardshell to keep water etc., out.
We also are big fans of minimal branding and logos, something the IKamper design team gets a check in the box for. Always a significant factor for overlanders who typically are only camped a night or a few nights in one spot before zipping off down the track to the next spot is set up and, more importantly, pack-down time. Both setup and tear down can be accomplished in less than two minutes thanks to an innovative straps system to pull in the fabric while closing on the Mini, making rainy mornings much less painful.
When installing the Mini, it was also refreshing to find the mounting hardware is intuitive and didn't work against us. The availability of winterized kits, awnings, and rooms to zip directly onto the tent and the included braces for the interior struts are some other great things we have noted. Overall this is the best tent we have employed. Even better, what things we would have changed have mostly been fixed by the 3.0 model, and what items remain to be improved are few and far between.
What is already fixed with the 3.0
Before I get into what still could be improved, I want to mention the fixes that IKamper has already accomplished with the 3.0 model. Firstly, IKamper changed the overall latch design to support smoother operation and better placement of the rubber protection. Additionally, the latches now buckle up and not down; this allows you to see the mechanism much better when buckling and supports tighter clearance setups.
A new design aesthetic was employed, eliminating the weird brown and red color scheme seen on our model in favor of a subdued black and gray setup that we much prefer. They even went so far as to change the logo text and eliminate the red letter, exchanging it for a brushed metal look that is, in our opinion, much cleaner.
Similar to the move from bottom to top with the latches, the pesky pole slots for the side windows have moved to the top portion allowing you to insert them from a position inside the tent more easily. This updated positioning also helps, similarly to the latches with low clearance setups.
A passthrough has been added, allowing charge cords to run out of the weather into the tent from below. I would like to see a little more done here, but it's still a nice feature that I didn't even think about.
A pocket at the opening of the tent door has been added for organizing and storing the various tent poles, it's a small addition that most folks won't appreciate enough, but those of us who have "gone fishing" for poles are big fans.
They also added an extra inch to the height of the hard shell. Allegedly this is to solve the issue of being able to store your bags/quilt inside the tent. If this is true, it's a massive improvement for a barely noticeable cost. However, I don't have the 3.0 to confirm just how true this is or what bags and quilts it would work.
Finally, a significant design change occurred with the side windows. IKamper removed the cheap plastic layer and updated the mechanism to pull the windows up for storage instead of laying them out on the mattress or getting rolled in. This was one of my bigger gripes with our versions design, so it's fantastic they addressed it.
Some Considerations:
Many people upgrade to an Exped mattress, and now even IKamper offers an upgraded self-inflating insulated mattress. The comfort of the 3.0 is improved over the 2.0. However, the 2.0 is not that amazing. The stock mattress is relatively thin and bleeds heat through the floor. This negative is mainly because the upgrades exist but are not already done for the initial expense and less about there being no solution. IKamper, if you're selling an upgraded self-inflating mattress, then let's be honest, you know the stock ones suck, and for nearly 4,000$, they simply shouldn't.
Noise is pretty good on the IKamper, the hardshell cuts down the wind if you park correctly, and the canvas is not too "swishy" and doesn't whip in the wind much. However, while good quality, those dang zippers are a jingle jangling all night. It's a minor complaint, but adding some fabric or rubber bits to silence them would not go unnoticed.
The locking mechanism, in our opinion, is a bit unnecessary. It's a personal opinion complaint indeed; however, the added time and the concern of forgetting or losing the key are not worth the tiny amount of security. A scenario where someone steals my shitty mattress or blanky but doesn't take the whole tent worth thousands is not impossible but less probable. We could lose this feature, and a few folks would be happy while others would not notice its absence.
The removable rainfly and the skylight are features that we place at the bottom of the barrel. The skylight is a significant feature for some folks, so we understand keeping it, but they should work on whatever it is made of; that plastic material attracts dirt and grime quickly and feels and looks very cheap. Additionally, it is nice to remove the rainfly for cleaning, but that is about it, and you can clean the tent well enough with it that you likely will never remove it.
I am not in love with the ladder. It is prominent across the industry and is probably the best option; however, it struggles when dirty or after it has gotten cold enough to freeze (ours has never been the same after a camp in the Scottish Highlands). The latch system can be cumbersome and quirky, and it just feels cheap overall. I list it here to bring attention to it so that maybe IKamper can push something to innovate and change that mediocre standard. Also, for the money we pay, please give us the black variant at least to help with the cheap look in the mean time.
Condensation and moisture are always a big problem and the primary concern of campers with any tent setup. It is highly documented and makes scientific sense considering the floor material that moisture builds up under the mattress. Now, I must state again, as I did above, that despite this build-up, we have zero mold, mildew, or moisture issues with the tent. Additionally, the new 3.0 mattress has flashbacking on the underside to help mitigate this. Still, it would be nice to see a final solution, if only for the end user's peace of mind on this issue. It is not a complaint similar to the ladder, as I have no answer, but it is important to note, at least.
A few other things of note that would have quick and cheap solutions are the poles. Some markings to identify the side poles from the front ones would be great and could easily be accomplished with color bands or something similar; mixing these up is prevalent without realizing it.
A final note on the design to be aware of for folks running awnings that back up to the tent is that you will need to stand it off about 2" as the tent comes back nearly that much when fully open. This can, if not planned for, lead to some real headaches with awning mounts if your rack is not wider than the tent like on our Bronco or if the awning is flush fitting to the tent, etc.
Suggested Upgrades
I would love to see a small handle added to the latch side for pushing and pulling the tent closed on taller vehicles. It's recommended not to push on the latches, so having a small, shallow profile handle or even shelf to push and pull on for that initial bit where the suction is still on would be great.
An option for integrated solar and interior lighting with an Anderson port for power transfer would be a kickass premium feature I think many folks would shell out to have. You could put the port where the passthrough is now for powering a few USB-C ports and the lights. I don't hate the idea of a passive fan built into the hardshell like James Baroud model tents, but I would prefer a 100-200w solar panel like some companies already have done for the tent's roof.
Final Thoughts
In our opinion, IKamper's design offers a great blend between hardshell and softshell designs, taking the best from both worlds. The Mini is perfect if you have a smaller vehicle, a smaller family, or must be more conscious about rack space for long expeditions. If you're less worried about the room it takes up or have a larger group, spend a bit more and go for the full size to fit the kiddos or the dogs! Another great thing to see is the brand constantly taking in feedback and improvements for its customers; something we love to see is a company looking to improve and open to critique. Overall this tent is a fantastic option for families who can afford the higher cost for their weekend adventures or folks who can justify it with extended trips or more frequent exploration.
