Finally got my GFC Superlite

emulous74

Well-known member
The GFC Superlite Landed:









































Overall, I'm happy with it, It is very lite, but it's to big for one person to gracefully put it up on the bedrack, but that probably won't stop me. They could of put the thick corrugated cardboard on the sides and these defects probably wouldn't of happened, the only other downer is they should of cleaned up the inside of the tent from the production leftovers. I've sent them an email with the pics and asked for a patch kit, I have no desire to return it or get a whole replacement cover, to me, that would be a waste and bad for the environment. I'll let you know what they say. The bolts they sent aren't long enough for the Leitner bars, so I either need to go get longer bolts or see if the Leitner tent brackets are enough to hold it on with only one bolt at each corner.
 

emulous74

Well-known member
Got it on my bedrack, was much easier than I thought it would be. Also put the mattress in. First thoughts, It's made well for the cost but I wouldn't call it a hardtop wedge RTT. GFC has a true hardtop RTT at more than double the price. I had an Alu-Cab RTT and while I really liked it, I didn't like that at least three people had to move it from vehicle to vehicle, you need 4 to bring it to the ground. For it's weight and that I can put it on and off myself it's worth the money, the quality is on par with my iKamper X-Cover and with that, you have to unzip around the whole tent to open it, the Superlite doesn't have the zipper at the front, so you have to unzip 3/4 of it to open, I was able to do it standing on the ground (I'm 5'11), but I did have to get on a tire or open a door to undue the straps. The straps and the zipper takes more time than just unlatching two latches at the back and raising it up. The poles are thankfully attached to the bottom and it's a bit cumbersome figuring out how to raise the tent and get the poles raised to hold it up, but I'm sure I'll figure out a good process. The mattress doesn't feel like it's as wide as the tent, but I believe that's so you can lay the poles down even with the mattress.

I sent them a long email saying I was happy with the tent and thanked them for making it, and that the defects were not noticeable when it was all wrapped up and that all I wanted was a patch kit. They replied not saying sorry your tent was damaged. All they said was: "Did you inspect the package upon arrival and not accept the damaged tent?" I replied back, Did you read my first email? Sounds like someone needs to take a customer service class.

I mounted it not in the middle, because I have Racksbrax on one side for my shower cube, but I figured when the cube is attached it will balance it out.
























It's actually a nice touch that the back screen and cover unzip this far, that way you don't have to climb over them getting in.
 

86scotty

Cynic
I sent them a long email saying I was happy with the tent and thanked them for making it, and that the defects were not noticeable when it was all wrapped up and that all I wanted was a patch kit. They replied not saying sorry your tent was damaged. All they said was: "Did you inspect the package upon arrival and not accept the damaged tent?" I replied back, Did you read my first email? Sounds like someone needs to take a customer service class.

That's a joke and an insult. I'd be PO'd about the damage and even more so about that cop-out of a response. It amazes me that people who sell and ship things, especially big things prone to damage, have no idea how the shipping world works.

I'll try to help them, here goes. I hope GFC reads this. The delivery guy, ANY delivery guy, ain't waiting around for you to unbox and check your stuff for damage. He just has about 150 more deliveries to make before he can go home, and he isn't paid to care or deal with your problems, he's paid to run his a** off. Also, since Covid, nobody delivering anything is waiting around for anyone, getting signatures or getting close to you face to face. Statistically most of it gets there, sometimes even in one piece. They toss em on the porch and run. The bigger and heavier ones all the quicker because they need the big things out of their truck so they can get to everything else.
 

pith helmet

Well-known member
That's a joke and an insult. I'd be PO'd about the damage and even more so about that cop-out of a response. It amazes me that people who sell and ship things, especially big things prone to damage, have no idea how the shipping world works.

I'll try to help them, here goes. I hope GFC reads this. The delivery guy, ANY delivery guy, ain't waiting around for you to unbox and check your stuff for damage. He just has about 150 more deliveries to make before he can go home, and he isn't paid to care or deal with your problems, he's paid to run his a** off. Also, since Covid, nobody delivering anything is waiting around for anyone, getting signatures or getting close to you face to face. Statistically most of it gets there, sometimes even in one piece. They toss em on the porch and run. The bigger and heavier ones all the quicker because they need the big things out of their truck so they can get to everything else.
I wish there was a two thumbs up option for this post.
 

pith helmet

Well-known member
Got it on my bedrack, was much easier than I thought it would be. Also put the mattress in. First thoughts, It's made well for the cost but I wouldn't call it a hardtop wedge RTT. GFC has a true hardtop RTT at more than double the price. I had an Alu-Cab RTT and while I really liked it, I didn't like that at least three people had to move it from vehicle to vehicle, you need 4 to bring it to the ground. For it's weight and that I can put it on and off myself it's worth the money, the quality is on par with my iKamper X-Cover and with that, you have to unzip around the whole tent to open it, the Superlite doesn't have the zipper at the front, so you have to unzip 3/4 of it to open, I was able to do it standing on the ground (I'm 5'11), but I did have to get on a tire or open a door to undue the straps. The straps and the zipper takes more time than just unlatching two latches at the back and raising it up. The poles are thankfully attached to the bottom and it's a bit cumbersome figuring out how to raise the tent and get the poles raised to hold it up, but I'm sure I'll figure out a good process. The mattress doesn't feel like it's as wide as the tent, but I believe that's so you can lay the poles down even with the mattress.

I sent them a long email saying I was happy with the tent and thanked them for making it, and that the defects were not noticeable when it was all wrapped up and that all I wanted was a patch kit. They replied not saying sorry your tent was damaged. All they said was: "Did you inspect the package upon arrival and not accept the damaged tent?" I replied back, Did you read my first email? Sounds like someone needs to take a customer service class.

I mounted it not in the middle, because I have Racksbrax on one side for my shower cube, but I figured when the cube is attached it will balance it out.

It's actually a nice touch that the back screen and cover unzip this far, that way you don't have to climb over them getting in.
You have a really nice setup. I am leaning toward the mid-sized for my next truck.
 

emulous74

Well-known member
I wasn't intending this thread to be a bash GFC thread, but I'll leave it at this, I received an email saying make a claim with the freight company, no regard to all I asked for, was a patch kit. I will never be a Go Fast Camper customer again and I cancelled my GFC Platform Camper reservation based on this. I have no issue giving up my deposit.
 

86scotty

Cynic
I wasn't intending this thread to be a bash GFC thread, but I'll leave it at this, I received an email saying make a claim with the freight company, no regard to all I asked for, was a patch kit. I will never be a Go Fast Camper customer again and I cancelled my GFC Platform Camper reservation based on this. I have no issue giving up my deposit.

I completely understand and agree. I know you were excited about the product. I'm not bashing GFC either, from what I have heard they make a neat product. My issue, mostly, is really just their response. I spent 25 years in overnight shipping. I understand both sides of the issue.

Rarely does a day go by in my current business that I don't compose an email trying to completely explain a situation to someone, be patient and thorough and instigate damage control that will be a positive outcome for all. Rarely does a day go by that I don't get a response just like you did, completely ignoring what you wrote! You took the time to write it, to not blame them and to offer an easy fix and it's like an algorithm answered your email. It just ticks me off, for you.

Good luck. Small overland businesses should pay attention to stuff like this given that so much of their advertising is word of mouth on forums like this one.
 

codertimt

Observer
I went ahead and posted my own thread, but since I noticed this thread I though I would go ahead and jump in here also as someone who also received their tent damaged. Finding these damage point without unwrapping the tent would I guess be possible, but you would have to widen every imperfection in the wrapping and try to examine with a flashlight. So maybe that is on the consumer to do and refuse delivery if they suspect an issue. However the actual issue is lack of protection for the sides and the shipping company transporting them on those sides; I suspect Go Fast will change their packaging method in the future. As I mentioned in my thread I immediately opened a damage claim with Old Dominion and the latest I heard back from Go Fast(about 1.5 hrs ago) is that they are indeed working on a patch kit. I'm just personally not that happy with that being the solution. My email experience thus far has been quite good, so I'm still attempting to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I do agree that so far they don't appear to be handling this very well.
 

86scotty

Cynic
I feel for both parties on issues like this. For the seller, not GFC but any seller, you can't pay a shipping company enough to treat it like it's yours. You literally have to encase it in lead. Ever order a widget from Amazon and shows up broken or is just general crap so you call in and they just say 'keep it, we'll refund you or send you another'. This is the problem. Mass production at the level that statistically most people don't complain, even when there are small problems, so this over time gives shipping companies license to be lazy. And boy, they are. They don't pay people to care, they pay people to move faster, faster, more, more. It's the reason I left the industry.

I realize I'm ranting about something way too big to change but here's how you can minimize problems. You CAN demand to know how your package will be shipped. Some companies have better claim policies and take better care than others. If the seller won't tell you how they are shipping it or give you options then don't give them your money. Yes, that can be a tough call when it's a small batch item you really want (like a GFC or similar). Here's the second thing and it's big. TRY TO MINIMIZE how many times your item is moved. In LTL, on a roof top tent for instance, that thing was loaded and unloaded in 5 or more different trucks if it went across as many states. You can minimize this in a few ways.

If you can pick it up from the dock then do so. Every LTL company has a dock locally or regionally. That's one less truck it will be thrown on, and I do mean thrown. BE HOME the day it's supposed to come or have it delivered to where you will be. If you aren't it's moved off the truck, back on, back off the truck at the dock, knocked and bumped around a few more times and the potential for damage by the second delivery attempt is compounded exponentially.

At the end of the day you can't guarantee everything will be perfect unless you pick it up where it was made. It's a total catch22 because paying a shipper enough to care will be as difficult and expensive as just driving there to pick it up yourself.
 

emulous74

Well-known member
I got a phone call from GFC today, and they apologized for the misunderstanding of what I wanted and listened to what I wanted and what I expected. They also tried to talk me out of cancelling my platform camper order. All in all it was good call and promised me that I would get the first patch kit once they've made them. I honestly think they were mesmerized that money wasn't the issue with me what so ever. They are sending me a hat. If they learn from all of this, they will be a better company. I'm not saying making great, innovative products is easy and is very important, but every good company has to be great at customer service to survive.
 

aaaslayer

Active member
what did you end up using to mount it to your Leitner Rack? I also have a Leitner ACS rack and I already have the rooftop tent brackets from my previous tent. Did that work for you along with the hardware they included?
 

emulous74

Well-known member
what did you end up using to mount it to your Leitner Rack? I also have a Leitner ACS rack and I already have the rooftop tent brackets from my previous tent. Did that work for you along with the hardware they included?

I used the Leitner Tent Brackets and finally got to confirm with GFC that they would work. I wasn't able to use the bolts that GFC provided as the bolts don't screw all the way thru the nut, so I got 1/2" x 5/16th Cap Screws at Lowes and they worked perfectly and had it on my truck for three days and they never came loose (I didn't use Loc-tite). GFC said just make sure the cap screws were grade 8, but Lowes only had one kind in that size.
 

aaaslayer

Active member
I used the Leitner Tent Brackets and finally got to confirm with GFC that they would work. I wasn't able to use the bolts that GFC provided as the bolts don't screw all the way thru the nut, so I got 1/2" x 5/16th Cap Screws at Lowes and they worked perfectly and had it on my truck for three days and they never came loose (I didn't use Loc-tite). GFC said just make sure the cap screws were grade 8, but Lowes only had one kind in that size.


Thank you for the heads up, I can't wait to get my tent in 2 months
 

SDDiver5

Expedition Leader
Man it's sad hearing more and more of these kinds of stories. To me it seems that a few simple tweaks from GFC would fix every issue we've been reading about...

Customer service 101

On a side note- is the GFC logo supposed to be upside down on the tent or whas that literally a mistake?
 

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