Tent Construction

Tent Body

The fabric is a heavy ripstop cotton polyester tent canvas. All fastening clips are nylon and the window and door zippers are self healing coil.

I found the construction of the tent to be top notch. All the seams are very well stitched and are sealed with seam tape on the inside. 

The base of the tent is attached to the platform using a channel in the base edge. There is then a flap that folds down to cover and protect the edge of the platform and to shed water away from the tent.

There are dual flaps at the platform hinges. One flap is on the inside that I tucked under the hinge. The other is a Velcro flap that is closed to cover the hinge area once the tent is open.

Tent Fly

The fabric is nylon tent fly material.

The fly construction appears very durable and reinforcements are added in the corners where the grommets are. The fly is held away from the tent body with additional poles that inserted into sleeves in the tent body.

On the end opposite the ladder the fly can be held away from the window with the same poles that are used for the window awnings.

Tent Pole System

All the poles are 1″ anodized aluminum.

The poles are beefy enough to stand up to the abuse that the tent will see over extended use.  The hinge is large and durable and is assembled with stainless steel bolts and Nylock nuts.  

The door awning pole is run through a nicely stitched sleeve that keeps the area sealed. This pole does have a tendency to flex and is then hard to pull out. ARB is addressing this issue.

The knobs used to fasten the adjustable poles have a tendency to become misaligned. The knob is a set screw that tightens against the adjustable portion and only works when aligned with the hole in the outer pole. ARB is working to fix the problem with the pole lock.

The poles are positioned correctly with two straps that run from the back to the front of the tent with loops around each pole. Before tightening the inside support pole I found that the position of these straps needs to be checked.

Tent Platform

Unlike many rooftop tents that use a plywood platform the ARB Simpson III Rooftop Tent platform is constructed of an ABS Plastic Foam Sandwich which is light weight, very durable, immune to water damage and able to support the weight required. The platform is trimmed with both aluminum and durable plastic.

The hinge section of the platform has an aluminum brace on each side that forms a rigid joint when the platform is open.

Ladder

The ladder is constructed of anodized aluminum and will retain its attractive appearance for years.

The ladder is the support for the extended portion of the tent.  If the ladder is not long enough ARB has extensions available as an option. I was able to add additional holes to make a shorter ladder for when my trailer rack is not raised. I did find it hard to pull the release knobs out to stow the ladder. ARB recommends lubricating the ladder with a dry lube.

Mattress

The mattress has been upgraded from the Simpson II tent and is constructed of a dense foam that should last for years providing a firm bed. It is covered by a durable nylon that can be easily cleaned off. The Nylon is reinforced on each side where the hinge is. However this patch should be wrapped around the side to be fully functional.

The mattress has Velcro stitched on the bottom in each corner that attaches to a strap to keep it in place when the tent is unfolded.

Overall I found the mattress to be firm and comfortable. However, I will be adding a sheet to cover the nylon.  With the mattress being 8 feet long it is going to be hard to find a fitted sheet that will fit it. I am going to take a king-sized sheet and modify it to fit the mattress.

Windows and Ventilation

The tent has a door located at each and and a large window on each side. With the ladder only on one end the second door is more of an emergency exit.

The windows awnings should keep all but the most driving rain out when the windows are left open. All opening are covered with fine screening which should keep out small gnats.

The awnings are supported by 2 flexible poles which are inserted into the metal rim off the platform. In the Simpson III tent these poles now fit through a nicely stitched opening in the tent material.

The corners of the awnings have been well reinforced with brass grommets for the poles to hook in.

There are 2 ventilation ports located on each side at the peak of the tent which are held open by a semi rigid Velcro strap.

Other Details

The tent has 2 pockets on each side for stowing small items like keys and flashlights.

Stowing and Cover

Once removed the small poles used to hold the awnings out are stowed in a bag then placed inside the tent.

Prior to closing the tent there are 4 elastic cords that are attached to each side of the tent that help pull the sides in as the tent is closed. When stowing the tent there is a fly pole that has a tendency to stick out and makes getting the cover on more difficult. The pole needs pushed in along with the excess tent material. After stowing the tent a few times this task becomes very easy. Once closed there are two Velcro straps that hold the tent closed so the cover can be placed over the tent.

The cover is made of thick waterproof fabric with all of the seams heat welded.  The zipper used to close the cover is very heavy duty and should last for years.

I did have one seam start to fail after a few uses of the cover.  ARB is addressing the problem with the cover seam failure by riveting the corners of the cover where they are prone to stress. Once the new cover is available I will get a replacement from ARB.

 

Use

I spent a weekend by myself camping in the tent. There was lots of room for my gear and the Annex provided a dry place to cook and get away from the bugs. During the weekend we experienced high winds which destroyed a number of sun shelters and tents. The ARB tent was barely even moving around while the winds were blowing.

Over Labor Day we used the tent as a family. We slept 3 of us in the tent: my wife, 12 yo daughter and I. We found the tent to be a little small for 3 of and would not recommend it. In a pinch we can use it for the three of use but I will avoid it for regular use.  We set the tent up in the dark and it  went without a hitch.

Storage

It is recommended by ARB that the tent be stored in a dry location with the cover open. Be sure that you open and dry the tent after each use to prevent mold and mildew problems.

Summary

The overall construction of the tent exudes quality and thought. The revised pole system for the awning is much more durable than the Simpson II tent used.  The tent is easy to setup and stow. 

As mentioned ARB IS already addressing some of the issues with the current design making small changes where needed to make a great tent even better.

ARB Simpson III Rooftop Tent Installation
ARB Simpson III Rooftop Tent Setup
ARB Simpson III Rooftop Tent Annex (Coming soon)