In this review we will explore how I used the Flated Air-Topper to go overlanding with my Rivian truck.
I love my Rivian R1T. I’ve had the truck for over 2 years and I’ve put on almost 30,000 miles. It’s my daily driver as well as my adventure vehicle. I’ve taken it off roading and on road trips, but one thing I’ve never done is go overlanding.
An all but necessary accessory for overlanding is a truck bed topper, also known as a “cap” or “camper“. They come in various sizes, shapes, and materials, and after researching for weeks to find one that would fit my Rivian R1T I learned that there are currently no compatible hardshell or soft shell toppers, except for an inflatable “Air-Topper” made by a company called Flated. So, I picked one up to give it a try, and the results were surprising. Keep reading for a full list of pros and cons, and more about my specific setup.
Current price of the MegaMat Sleeping Pad: https://bit.ly/3Zl3eU0
Current price of the Flated Topper: https://bit.ly/4d0oUbf
Current price of the DAC Vehicle Tent: https://amzn.to/3TrJI4C
Current price of the SUP air compressor adapter: https://amzn.to/47DYxHe
My favorite organization camping bag: https://bit.ly/3MQXH08
Rivian Flated Air-Topper – Things I Like
- It works!
- Lightweight
- Durable
- High quality materials and design
- Easy setup and takedown
- No permanent modifications needed to your Rivian
- Easy storage when not in use
- Decent water resistance
- No significant range reduction
Rivian Flated Air-Topper – Room For Improvement
- Not a perfect fit
- Aesthetics are not for everyone
- Not 100% water resistant
- Mid truck bed straps need to be longer
- Somewhat difficult access to Rivian gear tunnel buttons
- Storage bag quality is low
What Is The Flated Air-Topper?
Flated is a company that makes the only inflatable and collapsible truck cap. Using technology similar to inflatable stand up paddle boards, the Flated Toppers are super durable, rigid and lightweight.
Why use a Flated Air-Topper?
Bulky Items: I realized I needed a topper for my truck during a road trip with my family and dog. Because we were taking some large scooters with us, we couldn’t close the tonneau cover. A truck topper would have been nice to protect the scooters from the elements during the trip and also provide additional security by keeping our valuables out of sight.
Sleeping in the Bed: However, the #1 biggest reason I wanted the truck topper was to see if I could sleep comfortably in the Rivian truck bed with my wife as a camping/overlanding setup. The short 54” bed of the Rivian would be great if you were the size of a hobbit, but for anyone taller than 4 ½ feet, could sleeping in the back of a Rivian truck work? I’ll answer that in a bit.
Rooftop Tent: I’ve always wanted to try one of those rooftop or truck bed tents but I couldn’t justify spending thousands of dollars for something I would probably only use a few times each year. While a rooftop tent is pretty sweet for camping trips, when I’m not camping they are big, bulky, and would take up a lot of room in my garage.
I’m a big fan of products that can serve multiple purposes. The rooftop tent is a one trick pony that can only be used for camping, and when set up on my truck bed it takes away my ability to use my truck as a truck.
Lack of Alternatives: I did a lot of research trying to find topper or cap options for the Rivian R1T, and the Air-Topper by Flated was the only product that I found that would work. I was reluctant to give it a try given the lack of reviews and testimonials on the internet, and the few reviews I did find were of older versions of the Flated Air-Topper that complained of issues that the company has since addressed with their newest model.
How to order and install the Flated Air-Topper?
Fast Shipping: I had a Labor Day camping trip in mind when I came across the Flated Air-Topper online. I was so intrigued by the inflatable topper, I paid for the express shipping to get it in two days, just in time for my trip. Very few truck toppers, if any, can ship so quickly, and this is because of the small and very lightweight package the Flated comes in when collapsed.
Customer Service: I was impressed with Flated’s customer service; as soon as I told them I was interested in getting an Air-Topper for my Rivian, they reached out to answer all of my questions. They also specially included a gasket to improve the water resistance of my topper.
Inflating: Installation was easy and having a Rivian makes it even easier. Instead of using the provided manual pump to inflate three sides and roof of the Flated Air-Topper, you can just use the Rivian on board compressor plus a Flated pump adaptor. It is incredibly easy and it makes a perfect pairing. Just keep an eye on your PSI throughout the process.
Installation: To install the topper on your Rivian, just slide it over the bed and use the provided straps to secure the topper to the Rivian truck bed tie down rings. Because the Air-Topper that fits the Rivian is actually designed for the Ford Maverick, 4 of the 6 straps fit perfectly while two of the straps were too short. I had to use two of my own straps to complete the setup.
How did the Flated Air-Topper do on the Rivian R1T?
Overall: At the time of writing this article, I’ve put over 500 miles on my Rivian with the Flated Air-Topper and I am so far very satisfied. There is no added noise to my already quiet cabin and I do not experience any significant range reduction. The cab is extremely rigid; strong enough to support me standing on top of it.
Water Resistance: I have yet to set up the included gasket for Rivian owners, but even though several rainstorms the inside of the topper has kept surprisingly dry.
Button Access: The topper sits on top of the sides of the truck bed and covers all the buttons. I can still access the buttons for the gear tunnel and tailgate, but the first few times it took some searching under the topper curtain until it became second nature.
Window Seal: One of the main complaints I saw about the air-topper paired with the Rivian was the rear window not sealing correctly. This must be a problem with an earlier version of the topper because I had no issues with the included velcro strap that goes around the top of the tailgate which keeps the rear window sealed.
Overall: The Flated Air-Topper for the Rivian is a win. Though it does not fit perfectly due to the Rivian spoiler coming off the back which results in a gap between the topper and the rear panel, that has not bothered me one bit.
How did I camp with the Rivian R1T and Flated Air-Topper?
Sleeping Arrangements: The Rivian truck bed is short (4.5′) and in order to comfortably sleep two average sized adults I need to extend the bed by lowering the tailgate. So how did we protect our feet from the elements with the tailgate down? Well, I found a cool product called DAC tents. I got the medium sized tailgate tent (check it out here) which fits perfectly with the Flated Air-Topper and takes just minutes to set up and take down.
I used some poles I had laying around in my garage to make the DAC tent a perfect fit giving the back of my Rivian a spacious feel.
Sleeping Pad: For those of you looking for a sleeping pad to use in the back of the Rivian, the MegaMat Duo 10 Sleeping Pad would be a perfect fit if it were not for the wheel wells. I am currently looking for a sleep platform to put in the bed of my truck which would allow the MegaMat sleeping pad to fit perfectly, and give me storage space in the truck bed while camping.
Current price of the MegaMat Sleeping Pad: https://bit.ly/3Zl3eU0
Current price of the Flated Topper: https://bit.ly/4d0oUbf
Current price of the DAC Vehicle Tent: https://amzn.to/3TrJI4C
Current price of the SUP air compressor adapter: https://amzn.to/47DYxHe
My favorite organization camping bag: https://bit.ly/3MQXH08
