Gear Review – Slumberjack SJK Roadhouse Tarp

When I mentioned our Toyota Tacoma camping rig and our “perma-camping” kit, I noted the Slumberjack SJK Roadhouse tarp.  

A very good piece of gear that is versatile, quick to set up, and provides sun and rain protection.

Additionally, this tarp is compact and easily fits into a tote at the back of our truck bed with other gear.

There are many tie-out points, reinforced grommets, reflective guylines, and a reinforced patch in the middle to make an almost pyramid-like shelter, too.

With two people, Joan and I have set it up in twenty minutes with no difficulty.

The back of the tarp has reinforced fabric to hold the liftgate in place, and the straps themselves easily set up in the wheel rims and tighten down quickly:

And because it is a tarp, the shelter itself allows many different pitches optimized for sun protection with lots of airflow.

Because of the setup, you can attach it to the back of a truck/SUV or even use it as a standalone A-Frame shelter.

With the tarp’s simple addition, a cold and rainy day and the evening turned into a pleasant, dry, and welcoming camp.

The photo below illustrates how two additional types of equipment can make this very good shelter excellent.

The first item to add?   Add some telescoping poles. The included poles, though sturdy, are fixed in length and offer little versatility.  Though excellent for a sunshade or a standalone A-frame, the lack of telescoping poles limits the versatility.

A simple addition of telescoping poles makes this very good shelter an excellent one.  I went with the slightly more expensive poles with ball-shaped tip covers by Green Elephant to more easily build a pyramid-style shelter and provide more effective weather protection, and adjustable guylines so we can quickly raise or lower the shelter as needed.

If you find yourself in rainy conditions but with less wind or in a protected area, the second pole works especially well with the reinforced middle part of the tarp. You’ll have more space and head room. Helpful if you are not a 5’6″ person. 😉

 

The second piece of additional gear, one I purchased based on the review, is a set of four suction cups meant for SUPs.  These suction cups hold the top of the tarp to the truck more securely.  The tarp held in rain, sleet, and snow with four points of contact. Even after we readjusted the tarp in the wet snow. Four of these cost $32 total (2 per pack at $16 ea)

UPDATE June 2022 – I also purchased Cyclone-style 10″ stakes with their superior holding power in the ground. About $16 for a set of 10.

UPDATE June 2026 –   Still works well for our mountain season a few years later 

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Overall?  The Slumberjack SJK Roadhouse tarp makes an excellent addition to the kit for anyone who camps regularly out of their truck or SUV.  Be sure to purchase telescoping poles for increased versatility and suction cups to better hold the tarp in place on the back of the truck.  At nearly $200 for the entire kit, it is not as inexpensive as a folding picnic shelter but much lighter, less bulky, more weather-proof, and more versatile. And it costs less than awnings designed for truck campers, too. These awnings have less versatility and weather resistance than the Slumberjack tarp.

We find the Slumberjack SJK Roadhouse tarp an excellent piece of equipment. And a piece of gear well suited to anyone who appreciates versatility and willingness to learn to set up effective shelters as dictated by different conditions.

You could rig something similar for half the money (or more) with bungee cords, a tarp, and poles as well, but the extra touches of this purposefully designed gear and the ease of setup make the price a good one for us. Especially since we plan on using this shelter in the same way we don’t mind spending money on a well-made tent. Meaning we will use it for many years to come.

Disclosure: We purchased the Slumberjack SJK Roadhouse tarp with our funds.