A person stands by a van with an open rooftop tent in a rocky desert landscape, surrounded by camping gear, with red cliffs and mesas in the background.

Meet the Designer: Kyle Hill

A person stands next to a black truck with a rooftop tent, parked on a desert plateau. Camping gear and a bike are nearby, with tall red rock mesas in the background.

Meet the Designer:
Kyle Hill

Tell us a little about yourself (fav outdoor activities):

I joined the CVT brand about 2.5 years ago because I saw an opportunity to design for in a space that is a passion of mine. I love being outdoors, whether it's camping, hiking, backpacking, or mountain biking with family and friends. 

Where does your inspiration come from when designing for CVT?

As a designer for an outdoor centric family of companies, I'm constantly inspired by outdoor adventure and making it accessible to everyone. I picture myself exploring with my family, setting up camp under the stars, and waking up to amazing sunrises and fun. These experiences fuel my creativity and drive me to design new and better products that enhance the outdoor experience. I envision innovative solutions that make camping and overlanding more comfortable, convenient, and enjoyable.

People riding mountain bikes on a trail in the desert.

What is your favorite thing about being a designer?

The best part of being a designer is the opportunity to bring ideas to life and create products that people love. I enjoy the challenge of solving problems and finding innovative solutions. It's incredibly rewarding to see a design concept evolve from a sketch to a tangible product that helps people connect with nature and create lasting memories.

What does CVT as a brand mean to you?

CVT, to me, represents a commitment to quality, innovation, and the outdoor lifestyle. It's a brand that understands the needs of adventurers and provides them with the tools to explore. I'm proud to be part of a company that shares my passion for the outdoors and strives to make every adventure unforgettable.

A man sitting inside a deployed CVT tent above a Dodge Ram pickup truck in the desert with a camping chair and cooler nearby.

Tell us how the process started with designing the new Wasatch Tent:

You know, as a team we wanted to design a new rooftop tent that kind of changed the paradigm that tents feel like they’re stuck in. There’s something fun and playful about having a rooftop tent and for me, as a designer, I wanted to take that and kind of push that envelope, and a big part of that is being able to enjoy the view.

A Wasatch tent deployed above a Toyota Tacoma near a rocky area.

What are some of the features that sets the Wasatch apart from other rooftop tents?

A big thing that’s becoming popular today are diesel heaters, and we wanted to consider that and enhance that experience, and one of those things was including a diesel heater port. We considered where it should be inside the tent, the location, the design of it, and make sure that it didn’t create any negative experiences for the user, but only positive.

We had a lot of features and factors to consider when designing this tent. From the fabric, the mesh in the windows, design elements of the shell. We like to think about every single detail and consider it to make sure that experience is what we would expect in our own personal group outs.

The inside look at a Wasatch tent with camping supplies safely secured in net pockets on the side of the tent walls.
Mason Hennemann
A dark pickup truck kicks up dust while driving fast across a dry desert landscape, with mountains visible in the background under a blue sky.

Hear more from Kyle

Learn more about the design process for the Wasatch Tent.

A dark pickup truck kicks up dust while driving fast across a dry desert landscape, with mountains visible in the background under a blue sky.

Hear more from Kyle

Learn more about the design process for the Wasatch Tent.

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