Rooftop tents offer some of the simplicity of an RV (just park, fold down a ladder, and sleep) for a fraction of the cost. Here we quickly review a newly installed Kukenam Sky model from Tepui roof top tents. Tepui makes some tough, well-designed rooftop tents. We’ve examined a couple in person, and will be putting one through some serious testing this summer on a two-month road trip to Alaska. The Kukenam Sky is a 3-person model designed with large areas of mesh to enhance outdoor viewing and ventilation. The tent is modestly sized and should fit on pretty much any car or truck. For our first look, we installed it on an E-150 Ford conversion van. First Impressions: The rooftop tent is an awesome concept, and these things are really well constructed with heavy materials; it is heavy, tipping the scales at 110 pounds. Thank goodness your car carries it! The bed, from a brief nap, seems really comfortable. It’s worth noting you need a quality rooftop rack to carry these.

If your car isn’t equipped with one, plan to add a few hundred dollars to the price of the setup. Availability: You can find it on Tepui’s website and a few select 4×4 and outdoor retailers. REI has even added Tepui to its lineup for 2016. Where To Test It: Anywhere you can drive to and park your car or truck! Alaska, the jungles of Central America, the American western desert such as Moab, or the Southeast. Who It Is For: Those who want the convenience of an RV, but without the size, hassle, and expense. It’s a perfect fit for adventure touring rigs, bike racers, and family campers. Installation: It takes a few people to install this bad boy initially and to remove it from the roof. Experienced installers took about 30 minutes to get mine in place. Plan an hour or so for your first install (it’ll go faster with practice). But once in position on the roof, one person can set up “camp” in just a few minutes. I’d guess it’s about a 10-minute process from parking the car until your head hits the pillow.

Tepui Kukenam Sky Tent Specsroom to sit up or even stand up without the fly on. 600D rip-stop ventilate coated poly-cotton No-see-um mosquito netting in all windows and doors 4 large internal pockets 2.5” high-density foam mattress Includes 8’6″ telescoping ladder Includes universal mounting brackets for pretty much any rackThe views from the top are awesome. It’s amazing how just getting a few feet off the ground opens up the vista. Flaw: This is definitely a big item to have bolted to your racks, and does take a little bit of time to unfold and get set up properly with the fly arms and everything tightened up for a storm. Who Should Buy It: People with pickup trucks or other overland vehicles that you cannot sleep in. The comfortable bed will be a bonus for those who have a hard time sleeping on the ground, but still want to get the camping experience. This also makes a solid basecamp for folks who want to road trip for climbing, cycling, competing in events like ultra-marathons — the list is pretty long.

This setup competes with an RV for convenience and comfort, and opens up space inside a van otherwise used for sleeping for tasks like cooking. Aaron H. Bible is an outdoor industry journalist based in Nederland, Colorado, specializing in cycling and snowsports, with a multi-sport background more than 15 years deep. ac unit not taking a chargeHe’s a former editor of Paddler magazine, Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine, Kickstand magazine, and Sporting Goods Business magazine; air handling units imagesand he’s currently a contributing editor for Elevation Outdoors magazine in Boulder, Colorado. best air conditioning units reviewsFollow his adventures on Instagram at @ahbible.American Cooling Technology | Posted on January 7, 2015 The new RTS-75rooftop air conditioning system is available in two capacity ranges: 75,000 Btu/hr. IMACA and 90,000 Btu/hr. IMACA.

The system is also available with optioning heating coils, digital drivers display with AC system diagnostics, and can be supplied with a 12-volt or 24-volt electrical system. It can be used as a single AC unit on small and mid-size buses and by using dual units on full-size buses. ACT developed the RTS-75 by benchmarking existing similar rooftop units and based on market feedback from customers who stated what they liked about their existing rooftop units and what improvements they would like to see in a new small bus rooftop unit.Dimensions - Exterior shroud - 43" L x 29" W x 13.25" Dimensions - Interior shroud - 26" L x 22.5" W x 3" Weight - 107.5 lbs with interior shroud Shipping dimensions - 1 pallet - 45" x 31" x 20" Shipping weight - 140 lbs Ceiling cut out - 14" x 14" Maximum allowable offset from level, front to back and side to Refrigerant type - R407C (zero ozone depleting) Refrigerant charge - 8373 - 12.75oz., model 8473 (heavy duty)

Metering device - Capillary tube Evaporator air delivery - 320 CFM - 543.7 CMH Capacity (Nominal BTUH) - Cooling = 13,500 BTU, Heating 5,600 Electrical rating - 240 VAC @ 50HZ, single phase App. current - Cooling 1,687 (7Amp) min -2,117 (9Amp) max, Heating Compressor locked rotor amps - 32.0Credit: Partnership Development Office Great news for drivers! They can now continue to keep the air-conditioning system on during the hot sunny days even when they stop the vehicle and switch off the engine. In collaboration with Green Power Industrial Ltd, PolyU's Department of Electrical Engineering has developed an innovative air-conditioning system for vehicles that can turn scorching summer heat into cool air without a single drop of gasoline. Motorists are so used to turn on the engine for air-conditioning. Our solar-powered air-conditioning system for vehicles (SAV) will break this convention. Featuring photovoltaic technology and intelligent power control, SAV switches on-board air-conditioner to solar power when petrol engine shuts off, and the switch-over is automatic and seamless.

Principal investigator of this project Prof Eric Cheng explained, "Drivers of minibuses or taxis can now switch off the engine but continue to stay cool while waiting for passengers at the station. In fact, our system helps extend the operation of air-conditioner for two more hours." Prof Cheng further stressed that this device can also give good power output even during cloudy or rainy days. Similar to a big solar charger, this system has solar photovoltaic panels on the rooftop of the vehicle to collect power for storage in a battery to support a stand-alone electric air-conditioning unit when the car engine is not running. The solar panel is made from bendy materials which can fit perfectly on any vehicle rooftop, giving it a sleek appearance. It also serves as a good thermal insulation for the interior and other valuable equipments inside the vehicle. Idling not only pollutes the air, but is also bad for the engine as it may contaminate engine oil and accelerate the deterioration of engine components due to higher operational temperature and unnecessary prolonged operation.

According to recent statistics, leaving a vehicle on idle for as short as 10 minutes a day will consume an average of 100 litres of petrol in one year. In other words, adopting our SAV can help save drivers' petrol and fuel cost. PolyU's President Prof Timothy W. Tong hailed the device as a practical solution that could benefit thousands of professional drivers and pedestrians in the city. The installation of our SAV on a Swire Coca-Cola Hong Kong truck was first announced in October last year. A series of testing on the road have proven the system robust and effective. To make another milestone on the road to green transport, the system is now being widely deployed in public transport such as minibuses and taxis, as well as some commercial vehicles including an operation truck of the Airport Authority Hong Kong. "We look forward to having more fruitful collaboration with Green Power Industrial Ltd and other industrial partners to build a low-carbon city. Together, we can jointly make a contribution for sustainable development of our community," said Prof Tong.