Backtrax Ascent Pro

Roof-top camping just got a whole lot easier

Dragging a trailer-mounted tent or camper behind you restricts where you can go, no matter what environment you’re in.

Then there’s the security issues of leaving the trailer unattended while you explore; not to mention the fact that while you’re towing the camper you can’t tow anything else, like a boat or toy hauler; unless you have a road train licence!

So the alternative is to carry the tent on the roof; either in a bag or more conveniently, as a purpose-built roof-top tent .

While most roof-top tents fold out to a reasonable sized bed base they can be awkward setting up and folding away, given the height at which the package sits on the roof and a certain amount of strength and dexterity required to manipulate the canvas clad framework.

Assets that some who wish to experience the wild just do not have.

The latest roof-top tent from Queensland-based Backtrax is designed to alleviate some of these logistical issues, thanks to the latest fad in the RV world: remote-controlled set-up…

COMPOSITE COCOON

The Backtrax ‘tent’ is cocooned in a vacuum infused composite shell measuring 215cm by 146cm. It superimposes over most of the roof of a large vehicle such as a LandCruiser, with its own base frame attaching to the vehicle’s roof racks.

The shell is wedged-shaped to reduce wind resistance on the highway and has camber lock latches in four corners to keep the two shell halves together.

At the rear end where it’s thickest, the closed shell measures 38cm deep. If you want to carry other gear that won’t fit inside the vehicle, like beach fishing rods and or surfboards, an optional rack can be installed on the top of the Backtrax as long as you don’t exceed the individual payload of 18kg.

A recess in the nearside of the bottom shell is fitted with three toggle switches and an Anderson Plug, into to which a 16.7Ah lithium battery pack is attached. It’s perfect for charging mobiles or laptops and if need be can jumpstart your vehicle if it has a flat battery.

Once lock-down catches are released, pressing a key fob will see the top shell rise, lifting the baffles with it. It seemed to take a long time when looking on in anticipation, but the actual set up time is only 40 seconds.

The lift mechanism comprises four arms operated by electric actuators driving a screw thread with 4mm pitch. So if you lose the remote-control device it’s not the end of the world.

After actuating one of the toggle switches the other two provide electric lift-and-collapse capability. And should there be an electronic failure somewhere in the lifting mechanism or perhaps the battery pack, the tent top can be lifted manually via a crank handle inserted into a socket in the bottom shell.

Manual lifting takes about the same time as electric.

The battery pack is charged on an Andersen plug on the vehicle or via its cigarette lighter. Once the top is raised the battery is removed and plugged into a socket in the tent to power your tablet or smart phone, as well as the standard fit LED lights.

The installed fan is powered independently with a small solar panel charging an internal battery (it has a seven hour run time).

With the top fully extended the baffles are pulled neatly taut, so windy conditions and flapping material shouldn’t keep you awake. The baffle or ‘skin’ is UV stable, air texture, 1000 Denier PU coated nylon fabric stitched with pure cotton thread.

Inside diameter is a roomy 212 x 140cm with a head height when sitting up of 108cm. This space will accommodate two large adults. How large?

Well the Backtrax itself has a GVM of 330kg and with its tare being 59kg the payload can be as high as 272kg.

ROOF RATINGS 101

Now before you shoot the messenger, roof-top product manufacturers work with two sets of values when adding products to a vehicle roof, all of which have vehicle manufacturer’s weight ratings and differ from vehicle to vehicle.

The first is the ‘static’ load rating and the second is the ‘dynamic’ load rating. The latter is the weight bestowed on the roof of a mobile vehicle while the ‘static’ or stationary rating is usually four times that of ‘dynamic’.

Hence a vehicle with a dynamic roof-top rating of 100kg should have a static rating of 400kg. At the end of the day most retailers will advise that adding weight to a vehicle roof is done so at one’s own risk.

Access to the erected tent is via a supplied, telescopic ladder that collapses to a small arrangement weighing 8kg that will fit in the boot or back of the vehicle.

It will need to be deployed to erect the awning over the doorway to prevent inclement weather getting to you when topside and does so securely, locking into two tabs on the bottom shell.

The awning may be attached to either the near or offside of the tent and left there when packing away. Being an optional item it would probably pay to get two to cater for changing weather conditions.

The awning has two wings that pull tight on bungy cords to hold back the rain. An optional awning on the offside may be erected by shifting the telescopic ladder where it will lock into a second pair of safety lugs.

Inside the mattress at 100mm thick is super comfy due to a raised eggshell top over a 80mm high density foam base.

Thought has gone into the ventilation through large windows that feature on four sides. Two opposing windows in the front and back walls have midge proof screens while the other two are mosquito mesh so a through-breeze is possible regardless of what pests are airborne in the vicinity.

VERDICT

Portability with low stress and strain during set-up and pack-away is just the thing for adventurous campers who dread pulling up at the end of the day.

The mobility that this style of camping offers is pretty much unbeatable and while one or two electric, roof-top tents have been around for a while, none are as innovative or as user-friendly as the Backtrax.

BACKTRAX ASCENT PRO ELECTRIC ROOFTOP TENT

External dimensions: 215 x 146cm

Internal dimensions: 212 x 140cm

Internal height: 108cm

Travel height: 38cm (above roof rack)

Tare: 59kg

GVM: 330kg

Body shell: Electric lift, vacuum infused composite shell

Side walls: 1000 Denier PU coated nylon fabric stitched with pure cotton thread over alloy frame

Lighting: LED

Batteries: Portable 16.7Amp lithium

Solar: Small panel to power internal fan for seven hours