Ursa Minor J30. Pros and Cons from those who have or have had one.

[Jay61]

I own a 2018 JKUR that I love, it is the best vehicle for exploring for MY needs, wants and areas of interest. Since the day I ordered my Jeep I have been debating whether I want the Ursa Minor J30. I have seen some threads on social media where they are discussed, they all seem favorable, but then again, the threads were largely sponsored by the manufacturer of these top replacements. I have seen all the YouTube videos from "The Road Chose Me" and Venture4wd and they seem to love them. I would love some input from others who are in no way associated with the manufacturers. Yes, I know they are expensive, and it would be wrong to say money isn't an issue, but I will say, it is not a major issue for me at this stage of my life. I would love to hear the "cons" more so than the "pros". Thanks in advance.

 

[MazeVX]

So I don't own one because they are even more expensive over here, but I have taken a closer look more than once.

Where to start...
At first the biggest con to me is the interior width, it's really not wide. My gf and I, both aren't big but we get really close. Next, you have to climb up into it, no problem so far but you need to plan this when building out the rest of the interior.
It's heavy, you can't just take it of like the normal hardtop.
Not exactly sure but maybe you can't mount a awning, but unsure...

Pros
It's just there all the time, stop at the campsite pop it up and done.
More aerodynamic and more silent than any tent on your roof.
Easy to heat with a onboard air heater for winter camping.
Looks cool

Hope I could help a little bit.

 

[Graeme Radlo]

Think of it along the lines of hardshell RTT vs softshell RTT. If you're familiar with the tradeoffs between the two and you land on the side of wanting a hard shell, the J30 offers some improvements.

Here are some of the specific advantages I'm referring to:
-you can enter the tent with an external collapsible ladder, and you can also enter the tent through the JK with the middle panels removed.
-you can stand in the tent with the middle panels removed, particularly nice for changing clothes etc.
-as mentioned above the integrated top allows awesome aero, I also run a roof rack for lightweight items on mine, as well as solar panels. I've seen some hardshell RTTs that can do this, but not as efficiently
-keeps the weight lower
-depending on options you select it has 12v lights, usb ports, etc, that run off your vehicle

The biggest con I can think of (that any hardshell RTT will suffer as compared to a softshell) is the lack of space. For two people it is cozy, but we can no longer have our 85 pup sleep with us like we did in our old standard softshell RTT. She sleeps downstairs.

Like many other tents the stock mattress is a bit unsupportive for my other half (I am fine with it), so I cut a mattress topper in the shape of the stock mattress panels and now we are fine. We can still keep the bedding in there when we shut the tent too, but it does make it a bit difficult.

To correct the dude above, you can for sure run awnings. I have the ARB 2000 off to the driver side and a 1250 to cover the kitchen in the rear. Ursa Minor sells the brackets to do this, or you can DIY

Overall, I couldn't be happier owning the J30. Super easy to use, luxurious for sure, and I appreciate how integrated it is into the stock functionality of the JK.

 

[Bill Schmidt]

I purchased a j30 June 2019 for my 2016 jk. I had to replace my Aev (4.5”) springs to the heavy duty springs (~$200) not a big deal but added cost. The springs did help with less body roll so I’m pretty happy with that.
As for the camper itself, I went with the black sides and white Gel coat top which helps reduce heat in the hot months. We added the windows which helps with air flow and assists with my fridge running as much during summer nights.
Both my wife and I fit comfortably up top.

Here are some of the cons:
1. Each top is hand made and there are some slight differences with each one that is manufactured (according to Chris at UM) so my top is currently leaking from the back window down into the jack storage area. John from URSA Minor has been working with me on a fix but as of this post it is still an issue. (I can update you later on the repair)
2. The bedding is a little thin and the fabric for the covers they use is a bit rough. If you know a seamstress, you could have slipcovers made, that is what we are planning.
3. The top can be a little hard to close if you have the rear awning, could use a handle to pull down on.
4. A secondary access, such as a ladder, would be helpful so you could exit from the tent without having to go through the vehicle. Especially late at night or early morning.
5. There is some rattling that happened after install that we still need to locate. It is near speaker bar.

All in all, the wife and I like the top and hopefully we can work out the leaking issue.

 

[enjoitheride]

I purchased a j30 June 2019 for my 2016 jk. I had to replace my Aev (4.5”) springs to the heavy duty springs (~$200) not a big deal but added cost. The springs did help with less body roll so I’m pretty happy with that.
As for the camper itself, I went with the black sides and white Gel coat top which helps reduce heat in the hot months. We added the windows which helps with air flow and assists with my fridge running as much during summer nights.
Both my wife and I fit comfortably up top.

Here are some of the cons:
1. Each top is hand made and there are some slight differences with each one that is manufactured (according to Chris at UM) so my top is currently leaking from the back window down into the jack storage area. John from URSA Minor has been working with me on a fix but as of this post it is still an issue. (I can update you later on the repair)
2. The bedding is a little thin and the fabric for the covers they use is a bit rough. If you know a seamstress, you could have slipcovers made, that is what we are planning.
3. The top can be a little hard to close if you have the rear awning, could use a handle to pull down on.
4. A secondary access, such as a ladder, would be helpful so you could exit from the tent without having to go through the vehicle. Especially late at night or early morning.
5. There is some rattling that happened after install that we still need to locate. It is near speaker bar.

All in all, the wife and I like the top and hopefully we can work out the leaking issue.

Did you install the top, or have UM do it? I am looking at getting one, but I am on the East Coast. I have read of a few people installing them, but they never mentioned how difficult it was.