RV News: iKamper’s New Rooftop Tent, 2025 National Park Attendance Numbers, and More
Image Caption: Photo Credit: iKamper
It’s Friday here at RV.com, which means it’s time for another edition of our weekly RV industry news wrap-up from the week gone by. Here are the biggest stories from the past seven days that you might want to know about:
Photo Credit: iKamper
- iKamper Reveals Skycamp 4.0 Rooftop Tent: Vehicle accessories manufacturer iKamper was on hand at last week’s Overland Expo SoCal event, where the company announced the introduction of its new Skycamp 4.0 rooftop tent. The new model comes with a revamped design that promises more space without dramatically altering the footprint. This model is designed for midsize SUVs, trucks, crossovers, and similarly sized vehicles. The new rooftop shelter comes with a redesigned sleep space that includes an optional foam or self-inflating mattress, more headroom for additional space, and a cork-lined ThermaSeal Floor that doubles as insulation and a sound-dampening barrier. For full specs and details, visit the iKamper website.
Photo Credit: Overland Expo
- Overland Expo SoCal Draws 19,000 Attendees: Speaking of Overland Expo SoCal, the event took place last week in Costa Mesa, CA, and saw 19,000 people from 46 states, as well as Australia, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, and other countries attend. That’s in addition to the 420 registered exhibitors and the 56 professional presenters who conducted 145 hours of instructional training. This was the second year for the SoCal version of the event, with Overland Expo West up next on the calendar on May 15-17 in Flagstaff, AZ.
Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
- US National Parks Saw 323 Million Visitors in 2025: And sticking on the theme of attendance numbers, this past week the National Park Service announced the official visitation numbers of America’s national parks last year. According to the NPS, more than 323 million people visited the parks in 2025, with 26 of those locations setting new all-time records, despite a 43-day partial shutdown of the US Government. Other stats worth noting include 13+ million overnight stays and 1.3 billion recreation hours logged in the parks over the course of the year. Check out the Park Services’ Visitation Statistics Dashboard for further insights.
Image Courtesy of Rossmönster Vans
- Rossmönster Partners with AI Company to Make a New Smartphone App: Rossmönster, a leading manufacturer of off-road and overlanding adventure vehicles, is teaming up with a company called Grover to make an AI-powered app for customers. The new smartphone software will reportedly give users a searchable owner’s manual, smart route planning, access to an online community, and much more. The app can reportedly even assist with troubleshooting and calculating the use of fresh water, power, and other resources while traveling off-grid. RV News has more info here.
Image Courtesy of welcomia/Getty
- RVs and Travel Trailers Remain Most Popular Ways to Camp: This week’s interesting stat from The Dyrt’s 2026 Camping Report shares insights into how people like to camp. According to the latest stats from the report, which surveys thousands of Dyrt users each year, 52.2% of campers say they took an RV camping trip last year. The popularity of RV travel hasn’t gone unnoticed, as 51.6% of campground managers say they’ve expanded their offerings for motorhomes and towables. The interest in RV camping also increases as we age, with just 21% of respondents under the age of 34 saying they camped in a coach or trailer in 2025. But that number grows to 64% with those 65 and up. Read the full summary here.
Photo Credit: TechnoRV
- TechnoRV Launches New A/C Soft Starter: The calendar is turning to spring, which means warmer weather isn’t too far behind. Just in time for the start of the busy camping season, TechnoRV has announced the availability of its new High-Performance Soft Starter, which connects to virtually any rooftop-mounted air conditioner, reducing the amount of power needed to start up that A/C unit by as much as 70%. This puts less strain on batteries, generators, and other sources of power and allows RVs with multiple A/C systems to run them all simultaneously even when camping off-grid. Installation is quick and easy, requiring about 20 minutes to complete. For more information, visit the Techno RV website.
Image Courtesy of GUARDON/Getty
- RV Dump Finder Expands Online Dump Station Directory: One of the biggest challenges that RVers face is finding a proper place to empty their holding tanks. Those challenges have been greatly alleviated thanks to RVDumpFinder.com, which includes a nationwide database of such locations. The online platform has now expanded its capabilities by allowing users to search based on their current location using integrated GPS features on modern smart devices. The database also includes hours of operation, whether or not potable water is available, and cost, if any. The update also offers community reviews to help others determine the best places to stop. RV Business has further info here.
Photo Credit: Gulf Stream
- Gulf Stream Coach Celebrates 43rd Anniversary: Big congratulations to Gulf Stream Coach, which celebrated its 43rd year in business this past week. That is a major milestone, of course, but perhaps even more impressive in this day and age is that Gulf Stream remains one of the few family-owned and operated RV manufacturers in the industry. The brand produces a wide variety of motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and more. Check out their website here.
Thanks for dropping by to catch up on the latest RV and camping news. See you next week, when we’ll once again recap everything that is happening in these fast-paced and always-changing industries.
Kraig Becker is a writer in the RV, outdoors, and adventure travel space. Over the course of his career he has contributed to such outlets as Popular Mechanics, Outside Online, Business Insider, TripSavvy, Digital Trends, GearJunkie, The Adventure Blog, and countless others. An avid runner and cyclist, he enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and just about any other outdoor activity. His travels have taken him to seven continents and on many amazing adventures.
