In the past year, Sabrina and I have traveled over 45k miles and spent over 200 nights sleeping in our Jeep's camper topper, the Ursa Minor J30. We've comfortably slept in temperatures as high as 105f and as low as -14f. We want to answer some questions about what options you should get, modifications we made to our J30, and give a general review!
Ordering Your Ursa Minor
We ordered our Ursa Minor on their website in mid-June of 2017. It took a few months for Ursa Minor to make our J30. It was shipped out on the first of November and only took a few days to get shipped to the east coast. We had the J30 delivered to a local 4x4 shop to help us with unloading and installation. A forklift is required to take the container off the shipping truck!
Ursa Minor sent us an email with a confirmation email and included a tracking number. This email also includes a shipping notice and installation guide. I've attached these guide below (these were last revised in 2017, and there might be more updated versions from Ursa Minor).
The J30 gets shipped in a custom built crate (this is what you pay the extra $400 for). You'll have to disassemble this crate and lift the J30 onto the jeep to install. It takes about 3+ people to lift it, it's awkward. Installation is pretty easy, it slides right where the stock hardtop sits and gets bolted down in the same spots.
We asked John from Ursa Minor a ton of questions throughout the entire process, and he was really responsive and helpful with each of his answers.
J30 Setup & Takedown
It takes just 3 steps to setup the J30.
- Unlatch both sides of the stainless steel buckles
- Pull the red release tab in the rear of the jeep
- Lift the topper up from the rear and ensure fully open
Takedown is equally as simple, just reverse the process and make sure to tuck the fabric inside and push down on the rear of the J30 to lock it back into place. All in all, it takes about 2 minutes to setup and about 3 minutes to takedown. If it's raining out, the J30 can be open from the inside. The process is really easy and well thought out.
Sleeping With Two People
We've had no problems living in the J30 with two people. It does make some things more complicated, like getting up and down in the middle of the night, but overall the sleeping area has plenty of space for two people, plus some gear.
The Ursa Minor is a perfect height for a standing desk. We often go to a pretty view, open the J30 up and open up our laptops and work right from the back of the Jeep. There's enough room for both of us to work side by side. It's incredible to work from National Parks, forests, etc.
Comfort
The mattress upstairs is made of 2" foam covered with a sturdy, washable case. We've found the mattress to be just comfortable enough to not add any additional padding.
During summer months, it can get really hot as the sun beats down on the J30. Opening the walls for ventilation is helpful, but we also add a 12v fan, which gives the circulation to keep us cool.
Weather
We've slept in the J30 in downpours with heavy wind. The canvas repels the water well and drys pretty quick. After months of use, water will seep in through the bottom edge if it rains hard enough. To combat this, we spray our J30 down with a water repellent every few months. To prevent mold, you don't want to leave the top closed wet for too long. After any rain, before we close the top, we dry it off with a towel and try to air it out in sun later that day.
Although the J30 is amazing, it's still a roof top tent. It provides some insulation, but it's still a tent. It's always about 10 degrees warmer in the tent than outside. In the winter, we've slept in temperatures down to -14f. By using two 20 degree sleeping bags, we were comfortable enough.
In summer, with the side walls closed, it can get really hot. Luckily, the walls can be partially or fully opened to allow air flow through the tent. If you purchase your Ursa Minor with the 12v outlet, you can plug in a small 12v fan to provide more airflow, which is really helpful in the summer!
The bug screens help to keep the larger bugs out, but the holes are large enough to allow tiny gnats in. Mosquitos are too big to get in. We've thought about adding another bug screen, to prevent the gnats, but we haven't found an elegant solution.
Maintenance
We've had only two areas of ongoing maintenance to attend to. The Sunbrella fabric is naturally water resistant, but over time, we apply some extra water protectant to the edges to keep it water tight. The edges of the fiberglass are sealed with a plastic cover. This cover was originally hot-glued in place and as you get in and out of the J30 the edge eventually falls off. We took some gorilla glue and applied it to the plastic edge. The worked for a while, but it falls off again and again. We're working on a new solution for this edge, but it's mostly cosmetic anyways.
Experience
We've loved living full-time out of our Jeep. This is in large part to the simplicity and comfort of the Ursa Minor J30. After a full-day of exploring, we would find the nearest National Forest, drive down to a good view, and pop open the Ursa Minor. No matter the weather, we were comfortable and safe. It's not as easy to pull up to a Walmart, pop open the Ursa Minor and spend a night. Stealth is not the strongpoints for any rooftop tent.
The major drawback for the Ursa Minor is the price. Starting at about $7,000, it's not cheap. Looking at the competition, a rooftop rack, and tent comes in just shy of the Ursa Minor, but the benefits of its comfort, lightness, and ease of use, justify the higher cost.
Final Thoughts
The J30 is more than a traditional rooftop tent, it transforms your jeep into a live-able go-anywhere vehicle. Ursa Minor Vehicles will bend over backwards to help you and ensure you have the perfect experience. The J30 was the original reason we purchased a Jeep. Today, the J30's ease of use and connivence is why we continue to live full-time out of it! If you can justify the price, you will not regret the purchase.
If you have any questions, leave a comment below!
