4×4 Colorado Nimbus Hardshell Review

Deciding on a rooftop tent can be difficult when so many options exist.

Do you pick a soft top that folds out and maximizes space? Or maybe a pop-up that lets you sit up? Perhaps you want the easy setup and takedown of a wedge-style tent and don’t mind sacrificing foot space due to the sloping roof.

The 4×4 Colorado Nimbus tent offers a bit of everything above, and when I came across it, I was sold.

They seemed like the only company to look at the rooftop tent market and say, “We can do better.” So, I decided to stop into their shop in Denver to look at their offerings. I walked in thinking these tents were too good to be true, and I was blown away.

Why I Chose This Tent

My experience with another hard-shell foldout tent:

Having had another hard-shell foldout tent for a year I bought from Alibaba, and a dozen trips under my belt, I kept asking myself, “Did I put a ton of money into this tent just for camping a few times a year?” The answer was yes. To add even more frustration to my situation, I was annoyed the tent had six poles and took 15 minutes to take down and pack up.

Sure, the space was great. It could fit three people, and none of us touched each other. In reality, though, it was only ever me and my girlfriend up there. So why do I need all of this space?

It was a hassle to pack everything up and because of that, I never left camp to go explore. I couldn’t even store the bedding inside, so I had to keep it in the cab with me.

To sum it up, my previous experience with another rooftop tent was pretty lame.

Introducing the Nimbus RTT with a 1-minute setup with a 3-minute takedown. It has plenty of space for both of us and features galore.

Stand-Out Feature: Front-Facing Window

When I called this tent innovative, I meant it. 4×4 Colorado was started by two veterans who left the car dealership industry and kept the “KISS” mentality: Keep It Simple Stupid.

They worked a few extra-special features into their designs and then engineered them to be bulletproof. The obvious standout is the scissor-hinges in the foot box that give both actual usable foot space, and allow for another window for ventilation. Plus, 360-degree views.

Sure, it may only raise the foot box by about 10 inches, but now you tall guys out there can sleep straight instead of diagonally and squeezing your feet into a corner. Also, the added window is a game changer.

What’s That Silver Hole?

As far as I know, 4×4 Colorado is the only RTT outfitter that has an integrated diesel heater port. Oh, you’ve never heard of a diesel heater? Neither had I. The RV and boating industries have had them for years and never let us in on the secret.

Gone are the days of putting a buddy-heater in the corner and hoping you don’t burn your sleeping bag on the red hot face. These fantastic little devices can hang on the side of your truck and pump hot air directly into your tent through the port. There’s no need to unzip anything or run a propane heater inside where it’s begging to set you on fire.

4×4 Colorado even has a portable diesel heater with Bluetooth. Get a little chilly at night? Whip out your phone and crank that sucker on High. Their website says it can heat your space from -40F to the triple digits in minutes. Plus, burning at max at only .12 gal/hr, this thing will run for over 10 hours on its 1.3-gallon tank. Goodbye, cold nights!

Build Quality

At 171 pounds, this tent construction seems like it weighs 400 pounds. It’s very stout.

The struts are rock solid, and the fabric is double-ply. The inner layer is dark, and when everything is zipped up, I can easily sleep the day away with how dark it is. The quilted headliner is solidly attached to the ceiling and has shown no signs of drooping.

Also, as an unfortunate soul who has to park outside, I was worried the crazy hail storms here in Colorado might dent or crack the roof, but there’s not even a scratch.

The memory foam mattress is still as comfortable as my first night in it, and the zippers are solid. When I jokingly asked the guys at 4×4 Colorado if I could go through a carwash with it on my roof, they said to give it a shot. That’s how confident they are in the build quality.

Niceties

4×4 Colorado really thought about everything when it came to what you want in a rooftop tent. Are you worried about the bottom of your mattress getting wet and growing mold? Not a problem. Anti-condensation mats come standard to fit the footprint of the tent. Step in a puddle and almost lose a boot to the mud? Use the included boot bag to keep everything outside.

For interior features, an integrated LED strip easily lights up the entire tent when paired with a USB power bank.

The gear storage on the roof can be easily removed and has a clear window to slip an iPad into for easy late-night movie-watching. The team even told me they are currently working on an Exped-style inflatable mattress that will allow you to store even more bedding inside and be a little more comfortable for side sleepers.

When packing up, there are elastic bands that help pull in the tent’s fabric when you are putting it away. Keep in mind this is only version 2 of the tent. They love to hear feedback and suggestions for future revisions.

Final Thoughts

4×4 Colorado is one of the newer kids on the block, but they are already making big waves.

The company is a great group that stands by its products and always seeks to improve. They have some of the best industry customer service I’ve experienced. They’ve been 100% transparent and very informative. Even if a wedge isn’t your style, they have other options, like the Alto as a larger fold-out option and the Stratus as a full pop-up RTT.