James Baroud Isothermic Kit review - An Overland Bound exclusive

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TDGarage

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I've owned my James Baroud Evasion RTT for about one and half years. Overall I like the tent but was curious about the Isothermic kit that they sell as an option. I couldn't find anything online about how well it worked or even what it looked like. Eventually I decided to take the plunge and risk some $.




So this is what you get...



The tent has a velcro strip on the top and the liner just attaches.






The insulation is made up of sections and if you align it properly the doorways can be opened by rolling up the panel.



JB claims it keeps in the interior warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. That remains to be seen but I did have to open the window while I was installing the insulation because I was already getting too hot. Next week I head out to Death Valley and temps at night are expected to be around freezing, so that will be a good test.

I will report more when I return.
 
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shoredreamer

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Nice setup! I just bought a JB and can't wait to mount it and try it out. Where did you buy the kit from? Their stuff is pricey but well made. I wanted to get some of the vehicle shade kits too.
 
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I ordered it online from OK4WD in New Jersey. It seemed like they are one of the few who keep it in stock.
 
dpsmedic

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TDGarage - will be interested to hear how it works out for you. I just ordered a JB Grand Raid and looking at getting the Isothermic kit as well. BTW - Just down the valley from you in Gilroy.
 
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@dpsmedic What's the Grand Raid going on? I just go one too, the older model though. We should have a JB meetup, ha.
 
dpsmedic

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Good Morning @shoredreamer. The JB will reside on my 2013 AEV JKU in my profile photo. Be happy to meet up and swap ideas over some beers. How is your commute going over the hill these days. Looks like your options are slowly eroding away! 152, 17, 35, San Jose-Soquel...


shoredreamer said:
@dpsmedic What's the Grand Raid going on? I just go one too, the older model though. We should have a JB meetup, ha.
Click to expand...
 
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It's pretty crazy in the mountains. I work in downtown SC but it's been hell for my wife who works in Mountain View. Did you see hwy 35? Nuts!IMG_1402.JPG
 
TDGarage

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Well, DV was fun and I had a chance to spend a couple of nights in the tent with the isothermic kit. The temps were hitting high 30's at night, so just above freezing. I tried to sleep in the tent with a wool blanket only but it was just a touch too cold still. The insulation does make a difference but not enough to ditch my mummy bag. I wish I had a means to measure the exact temps but I didn't, so this wasn't a very good test.



It was eerily quiet and still at night. No wind what so ever. Yet it was still a touch too cold without my sleeping bag. Does it make a difference - yes, is it 20-30 degree difference? I don't think so. I would guess more like 10 degrees. Next time, I'll figure out a better way to measure.
 
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TDGarage said:
Well, DV was fun and I had a chance to spend a couple of nights in the tent with the isothermic kit. The temps were hitting high 30's at night, so just above freezing. I tried to sleep in the tent with a wool blanket only but it was just a touch too cold still. The insulation does make a difference but not enough to ditch my mummy bag. I wish I had a means to measure the exact temps but I didn't, so this wasn't a very good test.



It was eerily quiet and still at night. No wind what so ever. Yet it was still a touch too cold without my sleeping bag. Does it make a difference - yes, is it 20-30 degree difference? I don't think so. I would guess more like 10 degrees. Next time, I'll figure out a better way to measure.
Click to expand...
Beautiful rig.
 
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aearles

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Hey @TDGarage, I just posted on your other thread before I came across this one. Looks like your pictures may solve some of my frustration with the isothermic kit. At first I installed mine around the outside of the corner struts like you, but found that the doors wouldn't stay lined up as I progressed around the tent and there was an overlap at the end so I assumed it was meant to go on the inside of the struts, which causes them to bind and pull the velcro off the walls when closing it. Looks like maybe I just need to deal with the misaligned unused doors and overlap. Does yours do this? It's just a little too long.
 
TDGarage

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Hi, I install mine by aligning it with the door. Then running it on the outside, the second doorway aligns. It will overlap at one point but it's not near the doors, so I'm good with that.
 
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Nicholas Nelson

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Cooled wether review. Below -5. So a few weeks ago my wife and I went on a scouting trip. We had the kit installed and found that below 30 the tent with the kit was still exteamly cold. We woke up to frost snowing down on us from the cieling of the tent around 2 am. I turned the small vent fan on and the frost cleared out but the tent was still very cold. If it were not for the 0 degree sleeping bag, we would have been crawling into the truck with the heater on. I have a plan to purchase a zodi tent heater in the future to heat the tent on super cold nights like this.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using OB Talk mobile app
 
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aearles

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Sounds about right, I can’t imagine a thin layer of foam being effective at all in those temps without some inside heat source.

That Zodi looks like it would be way too much for such a small space though, the only model I see is 40k btu. I have a 30’ Travel Trailer that has a 30k btu and it heats up in minutes and cools just as quickly so the temperature swings are uncomfortable.

I’ve been seriously considering adding a house battery and a 12V electric blanket. Safe and silent heat, slow and consistent, you can leave it installed permanently and turn it on from the cab while driving so you arrive to a nice toasty bed (and walls & ceiling). I think this would be perfect if you can afford the space for a house battery or two. Should be cheaper than the Zodi too.


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Nicholas Nelson

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I have thought of this too. I am just unsure if the blanket will be enough to heat the the tent. It should it's a small space. I may try this first as I am looking to purchase a yeti goal zero 1000 soon.

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