This past week we dove into an exciting project to prep our 2023 Chevy Colorado for camping at Overland Expo East. Our goal was to assemble, 3D scan and install the Küat Ibex Bed Rack and mount a rooftop tent, getting the truck adventure-ready for a few days of living in the great outdoors! Here’s how it all came together.
Unboxing and First Impressions
The Küat Ibex Bed Rack arrived well-packaged, and from the moment we started unboxing it, we could tell we were dealing with a high-quality product. Every component was neatly organized and labeled, the heavy-duty feel of the CNC machined and extruded aluminum parts was impressive. The rack’s lower mid-height design felt like the perfect fit for our Colorado with a taller rooftop tent installed.
As we laid out all the parts, we immediately noticed the intelligent design behind the entire system. Each piece was cut or cast with precision, and it's clear the folks at Küat put a lot of thought into making this modular system attractive and assembly as intuitive as possible. It’s always a good feeling when you can tell right away that a premium product is worth the investment.
Before fully assembling the rack and installing it on the truck, we decided to take a slight detour in order to create a custom one-off project. Since one of our specialties is creating MOLLE panels, we had to 3D scan the assembled uprights and extrusion to make a unique set of panels for this build. This will allow us to use our own block and slot pattern, making sure all of our accessories mount perfectly on the rack.
Küat does offer their own MOLLE panels for this rack, which are great - we highly recommend them if you're looking for more modular storage opportunities. The panels we create with these scans most likely won't become a product. This side-quest is more about customizing the build for our personal taste and needs. This being said, if you have an Ibex rack and would like us to turn these into a product, please reach out. We make product development decisions significantly based on customer demand and requests. After Matt wrapped up 3D scanning and merged the scans to create an accurate model, we were ready to move on to finishing the full assembly.
Rack Assembly and Installation
The overall assembly process was simple and straightforward. Modifying the height of the rack from full to mid-height was the task that took the most time honestly. Connecting both sides was extremely straightforward and with just a couple of different bolt sizes and included Allen keys, we were able to quickly bolt everything together using the two crossbars. The design of this rack made the entire process quite smooth, and we had the entire unit connected and mounted to the truck bed in no time.
This Ibex bed rack is designed to work with almost any truck, and as expected, it fit perfectly. The lower mid-height setting ended up suiting our needs perfectly for this build keeping the tent low, and the heavy duty security bedrail clamps keep everything in place. With this rack installed, the truck was already starting to look more adventure-ready. There's something odd about an off-road or overlanding 'build' with stock wheels tires or suspension though... we're not fond of it either, but those are on the way! Check back soon.
Mounting the Rooftop Tent
The final step in this build episode was mounting the rooftop tent. With the Küat Ibex rack securely in place, this part of the process was extremely straightforward. We used the CVT tent's M8 T-slot system, which made it easy to adjust and position the tent for a perfect fit.
Once mounted, we gave the tent some time to air out, ensuring it was ready to go for Overland Expo East. The combination of the Küat Ibex Bed Rack and rooftop tent gave our Colorado an impressive, prepared look, but more importantly, it is now one step closer to being fully equipped for the adventure ahead.
Ready for the Expo
In the end, the Küat Ibex Bed Rack was the perfect addition to our 2023 Chevy Colorado. The mid-height adjustment provided a great balance between practicality and accessibility, and the rack’s versatility means we can continue adding accessories to customize the setup further.
With everything structure-related in place, we’re almost ready for Overland Expo East. Stay tuned as we continue to dial in this truck for the trails ahead. Wheels, tires and suspension are next!
Watch the full Küat Ibex Bed Rack install episode by clicking below:
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