The Development of an Ultra-lightweight Roof Top Tent
(2024) MMKM10 20241Innovation
- Abstract
- This thesis, initiated by Thule Group, investigated how an ultra-lightweight roof top tent could be developed to improve and simplify the user experience during installation and use. The aim of the project was to design a roof top tent for two people, which could be handled and mounted on a car by one person.
During the project, Double Diamond together with a human-centred design approach was used as a framework. This contributed to an open work procedure, focusing on the end user and their needs. The market was mapped through benchmarking, research and testing of competitors’ roof top tents. A user study was conducted through social media surveys, as well as interviews with experienced and inexperienced outdoor enthusiasts and users of... (More) - This thesis, initiated by Thule Group, investigated how an ultra-lightweight roof top tent could be developed to improve and simplify the user experience during installation and use. The aim of the project was to design a roof top tent for two people, which could be handled and mounted on a car by one person.
During the project, Double Diamond together with a human-centred design approach was used as a framework. This contributed to an open work procedure, focusing on the end user and their needs. The market was mapped through benchmarking, research and testing of competitors’ roof top tents. A user study was conducted through social media surveys, as well as interviews with experienced and inexperienced outdoor enthusiasts and users of roof top tents. To establish guidelines, an ergonomic study was conducted taking weight, size, and shape into account.
Through brainstorming, sketching, and manufacturing of rapid prototypes, several concepts were explored. A main concept was finally selected for further development, resulting in a conceptual prototype of an ultra-lightweight roof top tent with a sleeping area for two people. The construction featured a rectangular aluminium frame with a stretched fabric which acted as bed. A dome tent was mounted on the base.
The final full-scale prototype was manufactured and mounted to a car and the entire installation process was tested. Due to its light weight, size and shape, the product could easily be installed and handled by one person. It could be folded into a long narrow shape that is easy to store. (Less) - Popular Abstract
- Roof top tents (RTTs) have become popular for spontaneous camping, adventures and road trips. They offer the freedom to camp wherever you take your car. However, traditional RTTs are heavy and large weighing between 45 and 80 kg. This makes the installation process cumbersome. It can be almost impossible for one person and very difficult for two persons to install to the roof of a car.
An RTT mounts to the roof racks on top of a regular car. During transportation it is folded into a compact package. It is easily pitched on the camping site, providing safety as users stay elevated off the ground, away from potentially dangerous wildlife and dirt.
In this master thesis project a concept for an ultra-lightweight roof top tent was... (More) - Roof top tents (RTTs) have become popular for spontaneous camping, adventures and road trips. They offer the freedom to camp wherever you take your car. However, traditional RTTs are heavy and large weighing between 45 and 80 kg. This makes the installation process cumbersome. It can be almost impossible for one person and very difficult for two persons to install to the roof of a car.
An RTT mounts to the roof racks on top of a regular car. During transportation it is folded into a compact package. It is easily pitched on the camping site, providing safety as users stay elevated off the ground, away from potentially dangerous wildlife and dirt.
In this master thesis project a concept for an ultra-lightweight roof top tent was developed to address these challenges. This was done in collaboration with Thule AB. The new RTT is significantly lighter and easier to handle, making spontaneous travel more accessible for two people. Unlike existing options on the market, this innovative design prioritises ease of use and portability. The solution includes a suspended fabric mounted on a collapsible aluminium frame, featuring a dome tent design for simple setup and handling.
Despite being slightly more complicated to install than a conventional RTTs, this ultra-lightweight tent weighs 72% less and occupies 69% less space than the company’s smallest existing model. The setup process is streamlined, requiring only four steps and taking four minutes.
In this thesis, the greater usability of the product has been the main priority, and the product has been redesigned from scratch. The means for achieving the result has been a hands-on- approach—building and testing prototypes rather than relying solely on theoretical models and computer-aided design (CAD). The resulting concept highlights that a practical approach can be beneficial to create user-friendly products that work.
Further development is needed to finalise the concept for production and of other complementary accessories for the tent. The built prototype supported one person; however, the target was for it to be able to carry two people. The shape, size and weight of the product made storage, handling, and installation easy, even for one person. The compact size, lightweight nature, made storage, handling and installation easy, even for one person. This indicates that the developed ultra-lightweight RTT meets the project's objectives. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9164732
- author
- Bengtsson, Susanna LU and Grip, Hjalmar LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MMKM10 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- roof top tent, Thule, ultra-lightweight, double-diamond, user centred
- language
- English
- id
- 9164732
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-20 09:38:29
- date last changed
- 2024-06-20 09:38:29
@misc{9164732,
abstract = {{This thesis, initiated by Thule Group, investigated how an ultra-lightweight roof top tent could be developed to improve and simplify the user experience during installation and use. The aim of the project was to design a roof top tent for two people, which could be handled and mounted on a car by one person.
During the project, Double Diamond together with a human-centred design approach was used as a framework. This contributed to an open work procedure, focusing on the end user and their needs. The market was mapped through benchmarking, research and testing of competitors’ roof top tents. A user study was conducted through social media surveys, as well as interviews with experienced and inexperienced outdoor enthusiasts and users of roof top tents. To establish guidelines, an ergonomic study was conducted taking weight, size, and shape into account.
Through brainstorming, sketching, and manufacturing of rapid prototypes, several concepts were explored. A main concept was finally selected for further development, resulting in a conceptual prototype of an ultra-lightweight roof top tent with a sleeping area for two people. The construction featured a rectangular aluminium frame with a stretched fabric which acted as bed. A dome tent was mounted on the base.
The final full-scale prototype was manufactured and mounted to a car and the entire installation process was tested. Due to its light weight, size and shape, the product could easily be installed and handled by one person. It could be folded into a long narrow shape that is easy to store.}},
author = {{Bengtsson, Susanna and Grip, Hjalmar}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The Development of an Ultra-lightweight Roof Top Tent}},
year = {{2024}},
}