REI
Qual & Quant
to get a full view of the RTT (rooftop tent) experience, I led two bodies of research -qualitative interviews with RTT users & a quantitative survey. An analysis of that data led us to great insights, and further to a focus on 3 main areas of improvement.
Insight 01
Easy Egress
All but one of the interviewees listed their ladder as their biggest pain point with their rooftop tent. The ability for pets to get in and out of the tent is ranked 3rd in what makes users hesitant to use a rooftop tent.
insight 02
Comfort
Comfort is everything. Though 45% of interviewees cited comfort as a reason to use their rooftop tent, 36% named the mattress as their biggest frustration. Comfort extends to pets, getting them in and out of the tent ranked 3rd among barriers to use.
insight 03
Storage
65% ranked light & easy to remove as a top 3 priority (after price & setup) current & non-RTT users both ranked the ability to store the tent when it’s not on the car as a reason to be hesitant to purchase a tent.
Exploring Exploration.
With ease of entry and exit, comfort, and storage at the forefront, we explored hard- and soft-shell rooftop tent configurations and construction methods. Guided by REI’s values, we sought to reimagine the aesthetics of outdoor gear—bridging the gap between seasoned enthusiasts and a new generation of curious campers.
