Mammoth Overland is no stranger to building backcountry shelters with a no-compromise philosophy. From their apocalypse-ready trailer to a camper that can literally handle the worst winter conditions you could imagine, no matter what project from Mammoth we’ve checked out, we’re impressed by the over-engineered designs that allow you to prepare for the worst. Their latest product, the SKL, brings that same philosophy to a whole new form of backcountry shelter. The SKL is dubbed a rooftop camper, and the most obvious difference between it and the more common rooftop tents is the total lack of soft material. Not only does this allow it to provide a more secure shelter, but you can also camp in the SKL in areas that have prohibited canvas tents due to bear activity.
While it’s not a rooftop tent, the SKL has plenty in common with its soft-sided competitors. Namely, it’s easy to open with a 30s deployment time. The optional roof rack allows you to store up to 500 lbs. of gear. It measures 89x59x18 inches, and the mattress width comes in between a full and queen, meaning there’s more than enough room for two adults to sleep comfortably.
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From there, the features diverge from rooftop tents rather drastically. For starters, interior lighting comes not only from LEDs, but also from six porthole windows. The SKL boasts an R5 insulation rating, which is far beyond the R0 of most tents. The SKL also comes with a 6-amp Renogy battery pack mounted inside the camper’s roof structure, and customers can upgrade to either a 104- or 208-amp battery pack for additional capacity. It’s also pre-wired for solar panels so that you can further extend your backcountry travels.
Mammoth Overland is based in Woodinville, Washington, and they are a subsidiary of U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer Vashon Aircraft. Mammoth’s products are made with the same care and precision as they use to construct their airplanes. The Mammoth Overland SKL rooftop camper starts at $11,500, and customers can reserve one now via the page below.
