California Twit
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How I set up the rig.

The goal isn’t to bring as much stuff as you can. It’s to bring exactly what you need, and you only find that out by going a lot.

Reading marketing pages doesn’t get you there. So this is the current setup rather than the finished one: every trip takes something off the list or puts something on it, and I try to solve only the real problems I’ve run into, not imaginary problems I dream up while sitting in a boring meeting.

Compass Yellow Rivian R1T on a desert ridge at sunset
Arizona

The vehicle itself

The whole build. Racks, power, recovery, and the camp gear that never comes out of the truck, including the parts I’m still trying to replace.

The loaded Rivian charging at sunset, side on, with roof rack, bed rack, rooftop tent, sliders and spare

Why I set it up this way

I am still changing the setup. Each modification solves a problem I have run into while traveling, camping, or living with the truck every day.

I have kept the setup relatively simple, with enough capability to support the trips I take without turning the truck into a project for its own sake.

Rock-solid racks

The factory crossbars are great, but they have limited attachment points and they are curved. Anything mounted near the edge angles down, which doesn’t work well for the Crosswing awning or a shower enclosure. The Prinsu Pro gives me a flat platform and more places to mount things, and it runs front to back without adding much height.

In the rear, the 14-inch Xtrusion Overland XTR1 bed rack raises the Skycamp DLX Mini high enough to clear the rear window while staying close to the roofline, although it blocks the bed camera.

The entire setup keeps everything under 7' so the vehicle is still garage-able in most home and parking garages.

Prinsu roof rack with the Skycamp tent open above the Rivian cab

The things I use most stay ready

The five-foot Crosswing fits the R1T cab especially well, deploys in seconds, and gets used for shade at chargers, quick snacks, and rain. It stays mounted because it is useful too often to treat as trip-only gear.

The Skycamp DLX Mini stays on for the same reason. Once I accepted that this truck is set up for overland travel, taking the tent off between trips stopped making sense. I chose the DLX for the cork floor and integrated lighting because I wanted those comforts already handled, not another project to finish later.

Rivian R1T with rooftop tent open at a desert campsite

Storage should save time

The gear tunnel is great for long items, but mine kept becoming a bin for everything else. The Electrified Overland slide gives smaller items a home: toilet and shower gear, mats, tent accessories, saws, and the rest. Its drawer opens fully from either side, so I do not have to choose which side gets access.

The RIGd UltraSwing moves the spare out of the bed and solves another access problem. Its UltraTable turns the rear of the truck into a better kitchen. Once the truck is level, the tailgate and table give me two stable work surfaces without carrying another table.

Loaded gear tunnel slide packed with duffels and camp gear behind the Rivian
Bronze wheel, all-terrain tire, and rock slider on the Rivian

Protecting the lower body

I use Megawatt Performance Rock Sliders with Step. They protect the lower body when a careful line still puts the truck near rocks, and they make daily access and loading easier.

I have not tested every slider, but I have watched friends and club members put many options through sustained trail use. The Megawatts give me the protection and step I wanted. I would choose a lower-profile design if clearance mattered more than the step.

Rivian R1T parked on a rocky overlook above a desert valley
Xtrusion bed rack panel detail at the tailgate
Radio pouch and gear mounted to the Electrified Overland MOLLE panel behind the seat