Long known for its X1 pickup truck camping topper, Oregon's Super Pacific is sidestepping into the camper van market. Its first van component splits the difference between rooftop tent (RTT) and full-blown pop-up roof, offering the slim chassis of a hardshell tent and the van-interior access of a pop-up roof. Called the Cloud Cap, the sleek add-on grows a two-person adventure van into a family RV, leaves space on the roof for air conditioners and vents, and includes T-slot framing for easy attachment of crossbars, solar panels, lighting, awnings and more.
On paper, there's no RV better than a pop-up camper van, particularly a micro-camper that manages to squeeze four people into the teeniest of van platforms. But in reality, the decision to slice the stock roof off the van and replace it with a collapsible bedroom isn't always so obvious.
"We learned from van builders that their customers faced a difficult choice: add a fiberglass pop-top to gain valuable sleeping space or add a roof rack to mount useful adventure accessories, but not both," said Super Pacific founder and president Peter Williams when announcing the Cloud Cap this month. "We created the Cloud Cap to eliminate that compromise, and we think it’s a big win for van owners."
Classic rooftop tents with cargo-carry capabilities are certainly another solution to Williams' dilemma, but they lack the vehicle integration of a pop-up roof. They're particularly questionable for cold-weather camping because they don't benefit from any in-van heating and require leaving the cozy van interior at night for exterior ladder access.
With the all-season Cloud Cap, Super Pacific strives to provide a best-of-both-worlds solution that solves those preexisting pop-top and RTT issues. A combination of aluminum extrusion framing, composite-honeycomb roof and floor panels, and marine-grade polyester tent fabric creates a rugged tent with space for two.
What separates the Cloud Cap from ultra-slim clamshell RTTs, including those from Super Pacific's competitors in the pickup topper market, is its pass-through hatch. The Cap requires cutting a rectangular hole in the factory van roof and installing weatherproof gasket to seal tent to van. The tent body mounts to the van roof via six brackets, and the Cloud Cap becomes an extension of the van itself, more like a pop-up roof than a standalone roof tent.
The Cloud Cap creates a single, two-story interior, just like the traditional pop-up roof and is accessed from inside the van via an indoor ladder. Given that it sits on the factory van roof, it does not offer the headroom-expanding lift-away sleeper platform that pop-up roofs often do, but since it's designed for American full-size van platforms, with available standing-height high roofs, that need not be a problem.
As far as carrying gear, the Cloud Cap can accommodate crossbars via its T-slot frame and offers an impressive 500-lb (227-kg) dynamic load rating. Campers will, however, want to pull off heavy gear before popping the roof because it only holds about 75 lb (34 kg) when open. Interior sleeper platform capacity checks in at 600 lb (272 kg), and Super Pacific specifies that the closed roof can handle up to 300 lb (136 kg) of weight on top, in case you intend to walk or lie on it. When closed, the low-profile 225-lb (102-kg) addition stands just 6 inches (15 cm) above the van roof itself.
As far as amenities, the Cloud Cap includes an inflatable Exped MegaMat Duo LW+ measuring 78 x 52 in (198 x 132-cm). Its three doors have both no-see-um mesh and fabric storm closures, and three adjustable vents keep air flowing when you need it. Super Pacific offers a "Therma Puff" quilted insulation kit fit specifically to the Cloud Cap's dimensions as an option for winter camping.
The Cloud Cap is currently available for Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 144 and 170 vans and Ford Transit 148 vans, and Super Pacific has plans to add Ram Promaster and Ford E-Series versions. The Cap retails for $12,200 and is sold exclusively through Super Pacific's dealer/installer network, which includes locations in Alberta, Canada, California, Colorado, Missouri and Nevada, in addition to the company's Portland HQ. The kit also appears aimed at camper van converters, so we expect to see it offered as an option on new van builds from partnering shops.
Source: Super Pacific
