We’ve got our eyes on a new pickup truck bed popup camper coming out of Denver. And while you may think it’s a saturated market, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of room for innovation. And like all good businesses, Tune definitely solves some problems. The 360-lb. Tune M1 potentially raises the bar on weight-to-space ratio, comfort, and functional versatility for pick-up truck based adventurers. Founded by a team of outdoor industry and engineering veterans, Tune Outdoor is a direct-to-consumer brand launching a premium lightweight pickup truck camper to a growing market seemingly still hungry for innovation, value, and product evolution.
Tune Outdoor unveiled its innovative new entry to the growing lightweight truck camper market and we can’t wait to get out and test one. The striking Tune M1 pop-up canopy truck topper seems to blend design innovation, and simplicity. The brand said a streamlined production process delivers an industry-best weight-to-space ratio, exceptional performance, and a stylish, modern aesthetic, targeting the burgeoning vehicle-based adventure and active outdoor community.
Employing durable, lightweight materials, Tune engineers developed an intuitive design that puts the Tune M1’s base model weight starting at only 360 lbs. It also features a patented wing-wall design with flared sidewalls, a market first, and a fully vertical pop-top, providing more cubic living space than any lightweight truck camper on the market. This exceptional weight-to-space ratio broadens the Tune M1’s utility across a wide range of outdoor and offroad conditions, making it an ideal solution for comfortable camping outdoors, whether you’re fishing, surfing, climbing, kayaking, biking, snowmobiling, hunting, and more.
“We designed a canopy truck topper that hits the sweet spot of lightweight, functionality, and feel, allowing you to access your favorite backcountry places with enough space to bring your toys and gear and still camp comfortably,” says company president Sean Kepler, who has held executive leadership positions at The North Face, VF Outdoor, Reef, and Crocs. Tune’s team of outdoor industry veterans and engineers spent more than two years perfecting Tune’s design and production process.
Tune’s structure incorporates an aluminum frame, injected ultra-strong composite corner brackets, a clean polyester pop-top canopy extension, and easy-to-fit, FRP honeycomb paneling. Each camper comes with three aluminum or glass awning doors that allow for easy access from any angle, low-power interior halo lighting, and over 440 feet of universal T-track on the interior, exterior, and roof for unlimited customization. A large sleeping loft allows users to sleep sideways, while maintaining 6’4’’ to 6’10” of stand-up headroom (depending on truck model). The bed and living area can be enjoyed simultaneously, opening the entire cabin to camp living – from hanging out and cooking, to toy hauling and remote working.
“Tune has engineered a product that is affordable, highly functional, and efficient to build, which empowers outdoor enthusiasts to comfortably enjoy their favorite off-the-path places to play and stay,” adds Kepler.
The M1 is being sold direct to consumers at tuneoutdoor.com with a base model price of $12,999 with an introductory price of $10,999 for a limited time.
Tune innovated a patent-pending industrial design solution that allows the Tune M1 to assemble quickly and easily, translating to fast installation lead times and efficient after-market service. The Tune M1 camper easily integrates with nearly any pickup chassis—from Tacomas to the Ford Lightning—providing unparalleled performance and comfort without extensive modifications.
The co-founder of Tune is an old friend of mine and one of the original inventors and partners at Backcountry Access. He’s got a depth and background in the “living and playing outdoors” industry that is tough to match, along with a background in engineering and bringing real world technical products to life. Tons of respect for those guys.
