“Project Shadow”- Shining a Light on James Baroud’s Dark Project
15 Nov, 2024
As the global market for overlanding continues to grow, so do new perspectives, needs and uses of our products. We spent some time this past year studying the evolution of our community, and the result was a set of ideas that shaped a new tent. We’re excited to provide an early preview of this work, Project Shadow. An easy to use, slimline, value packed, clamshell ABS tent. Now in the final prototyping stage, we presented the project at a conference during SEMA SHOW 2024, and have attracted some media attention, including this article from Gear Junkie.
Press Release
Porto, Portugal November 4, 2024 – What was once an ultra-niche activity spearheaded by Europeans in 4X4s wanting to “rough it” across North Africa has exploded in recent years following the pandemic. “Overlanding” as it’s referred to within the rooftop tent community is transforming the way people camp. From the convenience of setting up camp in less than a minute, to democratizing campsites by letting users sleep comfortably above their cars, rooftop tents have become the essential companion to anyone who values spending time outside.
James Baroud was born from a passion for adventure and many treks across Morocco. The goal was simple: to design a roof tent that provided the best insulation from sound, temperature, light and wind, all with the goal of giving the user the best sleep possible. These core principles continue to drive everything today, and the designs have adapted to meet the ever-growing needs of the overlanding community.
James Baroud Crew with the first ever James Baroud model
Today, rooftop tents have evolved from their roots of off-road, off-grid exploration, to being an alternative to traditional ground tent camping, backyard camping and even a weatherproof popup shelter for outdoor sporting events and concerts.
In recent years, the overlanding community has put a lot of competitor tents to the test and the feedback has been consistent, “everyone wants a super durable, lightweight tent that offers flexibility for storage at a reasonable price,” said James Baroud Chief Commercial Officer Bobby Huang (former REI Co-op Strategy Director). He adds, “we’ve always been known for quality, comfort and a hefty price tag. I wanted to challenge ourselves to build a solid tent that’s worthy of our 5-year warranty and comes within the average price of a mass market tent in the US. I think we surprised ourselves with what we were able to accomplish.”
This year at SEMA in Las Vegas, James Baroud is unveiling the details behind “Project Shadow” a wedge style rooftop tent that comes with three integrated anodized aluminum roof bars, two large rigid waterproof storage containers and a new full wall zip down design that gives the user a full panoramic view. In addition, there are new design elements that keep the zippers hidden from view for a clean look as well as the option to add a new style of fully see through rain shade that mounts like a tunnel with aluminum structural tubing that not only keeps the inside protected from inclement weather but doesn’t flap during high winds.
Internal dimensions are 197 cm x 137 cm (78″ x 55″), which is the same as the Odyssey M model and comfortably sleeps two adults and a child. It’s also not too large so it fits well on most standard size vehicles ranging from a Toyota 4Runner to a Subaru Outback. The walls are made from an aluminized technical canvas and are sourced from the same supplier who makes NASA’s space suit fabrics. They are fully synthetic and the micro aluminum strands are woven in to provide superior insulation from temperature, light and sound. This is an all weather tent that will keep the user comfortable in below freezing conditions and because of its wedge shape design, is perfect for camping in stormy conditions as it can be parked to deflect the weather.
Key Features
Estimated Launch
Pre-order available in Q1 2025.
Want to know More?