We finally have a finished (well 98%) prototype of the winter insulation kit we are producing for the GFC.
I am hoping… with fingers crossed, that our website is live by the end of next week with the WIK and several other initial offerings we have for the GFC community.
Here’s a first look at the insulation kit paired with our “Tent Console”…
That looks great!
Does the insulation and “console” remain in place when you close the tent? Will there still be enough space above the mattress for sleeping bags?
Is there anything that covers the big front door? How do they attach to the main tent? Magnets? This looks great!
Hey Richie! The tent is completely enclosed by the insulation. We are attaching the insulation kit using velcro though that may not be the best solution, long term. I’m looking at fabricating a fastener that utilizes the t-track around the roof of the tent. That’s the 2% that we are finalizing! The “Tent Console” is anchored using velcro and also serves as a connecting point for the front and rear roof panels.
Is there a rough ballpark as to cost yet?
We are working on it.
On this first prototype, I couldn’t afford to buy it! We’ve got to work out streamlining the construction process. This one uses some pretty spendy materials. My goal is to offer two models… one for three season camping and this one, which is suitable for full, four season use.
Looks so good Scott, can’t wait to have a chat when I get out of the lodge.
WG
Hi Adam! This version of the WIK has too much loft to close the tent with it installed. The tent will close when we take the sides off and leave the console and roof insulation panel. I’m not sure about leaving a sleeping bag up top. I think that it kinda depends on the loft of the sleeping bag. We’ll keep learning and I’m happy to share what I have learned as we go!
Have you considered using 3M “dual-lock”. That’s what I used to secure my home-made insulation layer to the ceiling of my tent. The adhesive is incredibly strong and sticks to the composite panels very well (if installed per instructions) and they make a version with no adhesive that can be sewn onto a cloth insulation assembly. I actually sewed through the adhesive with a standard home sewing machine but had to stop and clean the needle frequently.
At one point I had about 10lbs of cloth hanging from about 2 square inches of dual-lock.
Just a thought… It would be really cool if you built in some type of side window access so that you could feed the heater hose of an external diesel heater into the camper.
That way those using portable diesel heaters have an easy way to feed heat without modifying the insulation.
Great suggestion! I think that we have that covered pretty well already.
I use a diesel heater and set it on a wheel table. I have tried it several different ways and am leaning toward piping the heat into the truck bed and then venting up into the tent. I’ll share more on that in a later post.
Hey, Scott!
Just curious how the products from Overland Softgoods were coming along?
Hoping this comes to fruition in time for ski season 
Any update on the production of the tent console? Super interested!! Thanks!
This is my plan as well. The hose in the tent is too hot… and we have the 2KW heater. I would rather it be a 500W model, TBH.
The vent system piping heat below is a great solution. We may add a circular vent to the actual transform-a-floor to allow heat to pass into the tent while sleeping, bc when solo camping I feel more even heat if I leave a bunk open… and it’s quite cozy.
