Rooftop tents may be convenient when camping, but when you're doing anything else with your vehicle … well, not so much. The Bad Boy was designed with that fact in mind, as it allows one person to quickly install and remove their tent as needed.
For readers who aren't familiar with rooftop tents, they're folding tents that are mounted on top of the user's vehicle within a hard-shell container. They stay up there when unfolded for sleeping, with users typically accessing them via an included stepladder.
Among their selling points are the facts that they don't take up storage space within the vehicle, they're easy to deploy, they keep users away from wild animals and wet ground, plus they provide a nice flat sleeping surface.
That said, when their users aren't on camping trips, the tents occupy roof space that could be utilized for carrying other items (such as boats or bikes) plus they decrease vehicle mileage by increasing wind drag. They're also needlessly exposed to the risk of hitting overhead obstacles or being damaged by prolonged exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.
Because of their size and weight, most rooftop tents are pretty much impossible for one person to install on or remove from their vehicle. That's where the Bad Boy comes in.
Manufactured by Ohio-based company RollNJack, the device is essentially a hand-cranked forklift.
To install their folded-down third-party tent on their vehicle, users simply strap the tent to the Bad Boy's U-channel (the fork in its forklift mechanism), crank the U-channel up to sit higher than their vehicle's roof rack, roll the whole shebang over to one side of their vehicle, then crank the U-channel down until the tent sits on the roof rack.
Foot-lever brakes on two of the Bad Boy's four caster wheels keep it in place when necessary. And needless to say, removing the tent from the vehicle is just the same process in reverse.
According to RollNJack, the device is compatible with most SUVs, including the Jeep Wrangler and new Ford Bronco. Nonetheless, prospective buyers should check the compatibility of their specific vehicle before shelling out. The Bad Boy has a minimum lift height of 72.1 inches (1,830 mm) ranging up to 90.2 inches (2,290 mm). It can handle a maximum tent weight of 195 lb (88.7 kg).
Should you be interested, the Bad Boy is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. Assuming it reaches production, a pledge of US$495 will get you one – the planned retail price is $949.99. Shipping is limited to US customers.
It's demonstrated in the video below.
Source: Kickstarter
