Rooftop Tent for Ford F150
11 Feb, 2025
One of the questions we get the most from our customers is “what kind of setups are other James Baroud owners using?”. In this post, we invite overlander Rob Cook to share an overview of his F150 build and his review of the James Baroud Space XL rooftop tent.
Author
After spending the past 18 years behind the desk in a corporate marketing role, Rob Cook decided to make a career and life change by moving into civil service and prioritizing more time outside. Growing up Rob moved around the US a lot, from upstate New York to New Mexico, he’s seen a fair share of country and was drawn to the outdoors. As a kid he participated in youth sports and Boy Scouts earning his Eagle Scout badge at the age of 15. In the scouts Rob learned an appreciation and passion for nature and life outside that remains to this day. He is a father of two active boys who also enjoy the outdoors and sports, and when he isn’t driving his kids to matches and practices, he enjoys getting his boys out into the wild and exploring. Today, Rob and his boys live in the Seattle area and try to spend as much time camping, snowboarding, fishing, and hunting.
Why a rooftop tent?
In one word: comfort. I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors. From a young age my dad got me involved in scouts. I have fond memories of backpacking and camping throughout my youth and adult life. There’s something to be said about throwing a backpack on and wondering about the wilderness. But, as life changes so does the practicality of long backpacking trips. I found myself looking for ways to enjoy the outdoors that were more fitting to my life.
I started with a 2017 Ford F150, a Decked bed drawer system to organize gear and an ARE camper shell. This system was functional but not ideal. The Decked system provided much needed storage and organization. However, trying to sleep comfortably in a short bed truck with a camper shell where 2 feet of the space is consumed with a drawer system created issues. I found myself looking for a better way to explore the outdoors and maximize comfort.
Rack Selection
Originally, I mounted the James Baroud Space XL tent to the ARE camper shell. I quickly realized the weight rating on the camper shell was not sufficient to support the weight of the tent with gear and people in it. I decided to go with the Xtrusion Overland XTR1 for a rack system that was both functional and strong enough to handle a fully loaded Space XL.
Easy Installation and Removal
Having installed and removed the Space XL twice now, I don’t feel it could be easier or more straight forward. The hardest part is dealing with the weight/size of the tent. But with two people it is easily managed. The second time I mounted the tent my 14yr old son assisted and we were easily able to install the tent on the Xtrusion Overland rack. Although installation instructions are accessible, I found it so straight forward I didn’t need them. There’s something to be said for a product that is so thoughtfully engineered that instructions aren’t needed.
A note on rooftop tent sizes
One of the most appreciated features provided by the James Baroud Space XL vs. my previous setup is the comfort of the covered space. I can move around in the tent with ease whereas before I was cramped and changing clothes was a chore. Read More: James Baroud Space XL – A rooftop tent for the big and tall.
If you are not sure what rooftop tent size is right for you, check out the guidelines in our previous article: How many people fit in a car rooftop tent?
James Baroud Space XL Notable Features
The thoughtfulness realized in the design/installation process doesn’t stop there for me. In my opinion the product is made with top function and quality throughout.
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