Rooftop tents have their own advantages, but they cap the camping setup at a limited number of people. Tents are better off there, but they aren’t the most convenient to carry, pitch, and pack away. Owing to this disparity, a third league of vehicle-mounted tents is really becoming a go-to idea for some manufacturers. We have seen Thule manufacturing a hitch-mounted tent in the Outset, which unfolds to create a tent-like space slightly above the ground, while remaining attached to the back of the vehicle.
Australia-based MyGlamper is now taking that concept and expanding it for up to 12 people to camp in simultaneously. For some reason, that idea doesn’t add up to me. It’s like you can fit an entire football team in there, but it would ride behind a large 4WD or midsize SUV with a maximum of 6 people on board. Unless you’re driving in an RV with this towbar-mounted tent, you can at best have people in two different trucks assembling at the camp and living together.
Designer: MyGlamper
Hitch-mounted MyGlamper isn’t only about 12 people. The company is offering three different inflatable mountain cabins that are designed for 6 to 12 people. These are individually called MyGlamper Lite (ideal for couples or small families), MyGlamper Plus (spacious, designed for longer stays), and MyGlamper Pro (designed with automation and off-grid living in mind).
Each MyGlamper unit can inflate into a large tent and later pack away into a hard-sided box to mount onto the back of a vehicle. It looks like a rooftop tent, but instead of going up on the roof, it attaches to the hitch receiver, so as to ride upright behind the vehicle. The size of the box erected to the back of your SUV is based on the model you choose. If you’re interested, all three MyGlamper models are available for preorder now. The first 100 models are going for special founder’s pricing.
According to the website, the six-person MyGlamper Lite starts at AU$18,990 (approx. $13,000), while the Plus model is available starting at AU$24,990 ($17,500). The flagship 12-person MyGlamper Pro is on preorder for AU$29,990 (approx. $21,000). The tent models are not just basic sleeping canvases, as the price would have suggested. These are completely equipped with lighting, electrical fittings, an indoor kitchen, a bathroom with a recirculating shower, and a raised master bedroom.
Since the MyGlamper models are designed to be lightweight yet spacious, they will offer a camping experience that rooftop tents and traditional tents have failed to offer over the years. With a dry weight of under 70 kg, Lite sleeps 6 people and sets up in minutes without tools or hassle. The company notes that it takes the Lite up to six minutes to set up. The Plus and Pro models have a dry weight of 90 and 110 kg and are capacious enough to sleep up to 12 people.
According to the company, the glamper models are made from 300gsm riptech polycotton canvas, carbon steel hitch, and stainless steel or aluminum legs and brackets. Each of these inflatable tents, which inflate on the vehicle hitch or can also be detached from it, comes with a puncture kit for emergencies. Each model includes a 100-Ah battery and a 30-L fresh water tank for longer stays in the wilderness.
