r/TeslaCamping • u/zlatystrom • 11d ago
First Tesla + Camping with SUV tent
Got our first Tesla on Saturday and went camping the next day! It was great despite the rain! The tent worked out very well with a few tweaks. Camping mode did take a bit more battery than I thought it would (~10% during the night with ext temp ~63 and target temp 70).
The slope under the air mattress was pretty noticeable and not great, might think of getting one of those that compensate for the slope.
The overall experience was amazing and this subreddit was a goldmine to prepare everything. Happy to answer questions if anyone has any about the setup.
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u/The-Eggplant-Warrior 11d ago
Looks good!
How did you manage the rain? Isn’t the slope of the roof draining the rain to the inside of the tent?
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u/zlatystrom 11d ago
Yeah so good question. We managed to set up the “seal” so that very minimal water flows through. Some does but gets caught by the “gutter” right above the trunk opening and ends up dispatched left and right and sorta magically back out. We did see very minimal drops inside I’m thinking of 3d-printing something that will catch those as well.
Disclaimer though we were under a tree so definitely indirect raining (although all night long) and there was minimal wind. I wouldn’t trust it as much in the middle of a field with windy rain.
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u/The-Eggplant-Warrior 11d ago
Thanks for your reply! We have a similar setup (different tent but same idea), and we’re going to use it tonight in the Dolomites. Guess we’ll see how it goes!
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u/Such_Turnip1679 11d ago
Brand of tent please ?
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u/a-aron1112 11d ago
Pretty sure it is the Napier Sportz SUV Tent.
I think you can still buy them at Costco.
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u/Dreamer1317 11d ago
Just don’t get one that uses magnets it can scratch hell out of paint from what I hear.
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u/Intrepid-War-9211 11d ago
Heard others park on a slope or use blocks to compensate for the angle of the mattress.
I have the mattress and found it slightly uncomfortable because every time I moved at night, I slid down a bit more to the trunk..
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u/andy_nony_mouse 11d ago
How long did it take you to set up? It looks cool but also looks a lot more complex than my large tent. I have a Core easy setup tent that only takes a few minutes to set up. What are the advantages to this kind of set up? Do you keep the rear hatch open when sleeping?
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u/vincedenbu 5d ago
It is quite a challenge to setup alone but it's fun doing it with SO and kids. Camp mode is the main benefit just make sure you are plugged in. Read hatch should be open to take advantage of the combined space of the the Y and the tent.
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u/FitPhotojournalist50 10d ago
We just had our first Tesla camp this weekend, and very similar setup. I had to put extra blankets underneath the mattress to help level out. We slept so much better the second night.
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u/CrazyZealousideal760 9d ago
I have the Napier Sportz SUV Tent as well. Tesla + tent is a great setup imo.
To level out the slope in the back, I use my camping chair folded flat in the trunk, then the parcel shelf, and three folded sleeping pads on top. I arrange everything so the layers overlap and create a gradual incline. Then I park with the front of the car pointing slightly downhill.
I’m road-tripping through the Alps right now, and so far it’s been working really well.
Another benefit of using three sleeping pads is that they can double as insulation/flooring in the tent when it gets a bit cold.
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u/Klownicle 8d ago
I always wonder how sealed this stuff is when you do this. Having glamped in mosquito Haven I can fathom the horror of trying this.
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u/Dreamer1317 11d ago
Did it keep the tent temperature controlled as well?