Hmmm.... .  I am shorter than you.  The stool and both hands on the bar
work well for me.  But Bonnie is just not strong enough to raise it, though
she has been able to lower it.  I guess the latter is more important,
because if we were camping, and something happened to me, she'd have to
break camp and get us home (or wherever, I don't want to think about).

On Fri, Jul 29, 2022 at 3:43 PM Bill Glenn <idahobill@gmail.com> wrote:

> In view of the recent conversation about different ways of raising the
> poptop,
> here's what has worked for me. I'm 5-7 (170cm), slight to medium build, and
> now in my seventies, and have never had trouble raising the poptop, though
> it
> should be noted that I do not carry anything on the roof.
>
> Stand under the skylight facing the sliding door. Grip the lifting bar with
> your right hand and place your left hand against the roof just forward of
> the
> skylight. As forcefully and as quickly as you can, push up with your left
> hand
> to the maximum extension of your arm and immediately drive your right hand
> across your body toward the front of the van, turning your upper body as
> needed to drive the lifting bar all the way home.  When these motions are
> smoothly combined, the poptop does indeed pop right up.
>
> My wife, who is 5-1, can execute this, but comes up just a little short to
> drive the lifting bar all the way home, though she has succeeded at times.
>
> Try this to see if it works for you.
>