Anyone heard of Wildernest Campers?

[Wanderlusty]

Here is a pic of one...

http://corralcanyon.net/toy.htm

Apparently they are no longer made, but highly coveted by the people who have and/or want them...

It looks like a super neat product, and I can remember seeing one a long time ago at a state fair expo. I wonder why nobody else has taken this idea/product and ran with it?

I know http://www.flippac.com/ makes a similar product, but the top does not seem as compact, and the tent does not seem as roomy.

Wonder if anyone has any history on these. Such a neat idea.

Of course me owning a Jeep, I couldn't even use one of these, but with a kid on the way (actually about here!) I have been pondering different ideas as I still want to travel but the Jeep PLUS all the trappings for a young one just isn't adding up. Anyway, that is a side note...

So like I said, anyone have any history on or experience with these? They just seem like they would be excellent for expedition travel, especially for a family.

[paulj]

I put one on a S10 pickup in 1988. It was a short bed, so the 'nest has the distinctive reverse slope back end, so if can fit a 6' long sleeping bed on a 6' long pickup bed. We made good use of it on a 3 mth trip to Alaska. It worked well on a trip where we were constantly on the move.

I had problems with seam sealing the tent, and eventually took to rigging a poly tarp over the whole thing if I anticipated much rain.

The shell is still on the pickup, but I removed the tent portion some years ago. Leaving it parked outside in Seattle weather produced too much moisture damage, including rusting one of the lid hinges.

We regularly slept 2 adults and a child in the Wildernest. The adults slept in the upper level. Around age 6 my son slept on a shelf across the front end of the pickup bed. Later I added a hinged shelf to a full length storage box along the driver's side of the pickup bed.

I've only had one quick look at a Flipac. My impression was that its interior area was about the same as mine, with full hight+ tent over the pickup bed, and kneeling hight or better over the sleeping platform. It just hinges forward, rather than to the side. When closed the Wildernest is a bit lower, since it doesn't have to clear the cab. In fact, the Wildernest starts with the same mold as a fiberglass campertop (Guidon brand?).

paulj

[kcowyo]

I check Denver's Craigslist for these regularly. They show up quite often, but based on the asking price for them, the owners sure are proud of 'em. I've seen them from $900 - $1800. They show up on eBay every so often too, usually in the same price range.

I have yet to see one for sale that would fit my T100 or a Tundra. Most likely because they stopped producing them years ago. The one feature I kind of like over the Flip-Pac, is how they open to the pass side. The overhang can provide cover for shade or from rain. I think these would still be a good seller for some ambitious manufacturer.

Oh, and congrats Fat Man on the impending arrival! :jumping:

....sleep now, while you can ;)

[Wanderlusty]

Yeah, the flip to the passenger side rather than over the cab is also a feature I like about them.

The resale $$$ that 10+ year old camper shells are still getting is proof that this is a needed product. If the original manufacturer is out of business and cannot produce them any more, I sure wish some enterprising manufacturer would take the idea and run with it.

If I had the money and know-how, I sure would think it might be worth the try.

I think that with the right manufacturing and materials, the seam leakage like paulj experienced could also be remedied if they were manufactured again. I think it would be an awesome set up. Quick up, quick down, roomy, and lots of storage to boot.

[paulj]

The shade under the Wildernest overhang was not all that useful. I have vague memories of trying to cook under it while camped in rainy Ketchikan, Alaska. The headroom isn't enough to stand up, at least not when mounted on the S10, which is relatively low as 4x4 pickups go. The area under the overhang was ok for dry storage of gear. However by keeping most items in stackable plastic boxes, I could keep quite a bit of gear inside the pickup bed. In Alaska, food boxes and the cooler went into the cab.

I also bought several Wildernest accessories -
- a multipocket netting to hang from the front wall
- a mesh 'attic' for clothes
- cotton sheeting 'frost liner'

The headquarters for Wildernest was in Boulder CO. I stopped by there on the return leg of my Alaska trip. I think they sold most of their units in Colorado and California. I have seen a couple of other nests here in Washington state. Mine was installed by a dealer in Kansas City.

I heard someplace that Wildernest was owned and/or started by Lowe, would is better known for backpacking gear (packs, jackets, etc).

paulj

[blupaddler]

I too owned a Wildernest for a year or so.

The unit was well constructed and designed. However, I didn't like how much the canvas hung down in the closed position. Set-up was easy, and it always attracts attention. I never used it in the rain or any high winds. I personally prefer the rotation going over the side versus the cab, mainly because of carrying surfboards.

I have also seen Vince's Flip-pac in operation. I think the Flip-pac is much nicer. All you do is open it up. Compared to the Wildernest which needed poles to be extended before being "completely" set-up. All Vince does is unlatch and Flip! Also the Flip-pac doesn't hang down as far when closed, the shell is higher, thus you keep a more camper shell like storage area.


From the prices you are saying on the Wildernest, somebody got a great deal on one about two years ago! ;)

[paulj]

The Wildernest has fabric panels that are supposed to keep the tenting in place when closed. However keeping them tight enough to prevent sagging is a problem. Also when wet, the nylon expands, and sagging is more pronounced. In Seattle winters, I got a lot of condensation in that liner and tent.

As long as my cargo was camping gear in plastic boxes that I could slide in and out of the bed, head room wasn't a problem. If I wanted to sit inside the bed with it all closed up, headroom as limited.

I can see where the side flip would be advantage for roof loads. The Wildernest has hard points molded into the fiberglass for roof rack mounts. I made my own mounts from angle aluminum, and used Yakima cross bars. The bars came in handy when flipping the lid back to the closed position.

I ended up putting two sets of roof rack bars on my S10, two on the Wildernest for carrying a kayak, and two on the cab for carrying a bike and a Basketcase. I couldn't have done that with the Flippac.

paulj

[Wanderlusty]

Sounds like if someone were to basic idea of the wildernest, primarily the flip to the side aspect, and re-engineer some of the previous design flaws, then that would be one great product!

It seems like with todays technology and materials, it would be possible to build a unit that flipped open to the side like the Wildernest, but with the one step up and done feature that the Flip-Pac has.

I would love to see something with the strength and durability of say, an Easi-Awn with the convenience and simplicity of a Wildernest.

Easi-Awns, from what I hear and see are a great product, with one major downside being the amount of wind drag it causes at highway speeds. If it were wrapped up in a topper, then that would not be an issue.

Basically it seems like it would be the best of all worlds for those who use a pickup as a base for their expedition travelling.

[paulj]

The fact that opening the Wildernest involves several steps never bothered me. I think it was more a matter of plain geometry than of materials. For example, the main ridge pole can only be as tall, in packed position, as the top is wide. If you want more interior height you have to build in some sort of extension mechanism. It could be spring loaded, or hydraulically operated, but that just adds weight and mechanical complexity.

Factory sealing the tent seams would help, though, I'd really prefer some sort of double wall tenting. I would have liked a separate rain fly, so the main tent could be packed dry, and fly hung out to dry separately.

Another water problem area was the attachment of tent to fiberglass. On one side the tenting was screwed to the outside lip of the campertop. On the other side, is was screwed to the inside lip of lid. That side had an added flap of fabric that was supposed cover this joint, and prevent water leakage into the lid. In extended rains water seeped through the fabric and along the seams. Again, this a geometry problem that needs more thought.

The seal between lid and top when closed also needs more thought. Admittedly I was neglectful of the rubber seals.

To a degree the problems that I had with the Wildernest were the same sort of things that RV and popup trailer owners has to address. Maintenance and storage off season was a big an issue as maintenance during use. On the other hand, a stand alone tent, can be kept in the closet, out of sight and out of mind, as long as it is properly dry.

paulj

[kcowyo]

I check Denver's Craigslist for these regularly. They show up quite often, but based on the asking price for them, the owners sure are proud of 'em. I've seen them from $900 - $1800. They show up on eBay every so often too, usually in the same price range.



I never get to quote myself, but as I was saying..... (http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/147748902.html)


http://a.im.craigslist.org/64/i8/Hwbwv36bsTKl7VrAENq0xRL4wtbM.jpg

[paulj]

The pictures of the Boulder Wildernest are good.

Mine was a bit earlier model, with a tunnel vent in the peak of the roof, rather than this triangular one. Note the discoloration down the middle of the end, and around the center of the base (right side of the truck). It is probably mildew, due to moisture coming through the lid seals when closed.

The open end picture also clearly shows the skirt around the edge of the lid. The tent is attached to the inside edge of the lid, and the skirt is supposed to direct water away from this joint. On this one I would check the foam mattress for water damage. I ended up wrapping mine in a waterproof tarp to protect it from moisture. In later years I stored the mattress separately.

I should stress that while I had a lot of moisture problems, I had only one structural problem. After something like 12 years, one of the lid hinges (not shown in these pictures) rusted through. The hinges appear to be ordinary household door hinges, strong enough, but not weather proof. They should have been marine quality. In theory the rusted hinge could have been replaced, but I had problems removing the hex head screws that secured it to the fiberglass (and its reinforcing).

paulj

[Jonathan Hanson]

Roseann and I had a Wildernest for several years, and used it hard. We experienced the moisture problems; more importantly, we experienced significant structural problems in high winds. The erected Wildernest has huge windage - there's about eight feet of headroom in the thing, totally pointless (except for Uwe, heh heh) - and on a couple of Mexico trips we had to guy the interior frame to prevent it collapsing in 30mph El Nortes. Even so the pivot points where bolts go through the frame elongated badly. Not good, and impossible to sleep peacefully.

Also, the roof of the camper is arched when closed - meaning that the bed is concave. We always felt like we were rolling toward each other when sleeping; Roseann resorted to propping pillows between us.

Strictly personal opinion, but I don't recommend the Wildernest. It was a good idea, short on execution. I think the FlipPac is better, and although I know Vince will disagree, I still think the Four Wheel Popup is the ultimate expedition camper. We couldn't do a thing to hurt ours, and it was stable as a house in wind. Of course, it's in a different league expense-wise.

There was another Wildernest model that I'm not sure even made it to production, with a roof hinged at the front, so it opened like a clam. not as much room inside, but it appeared to be a more stable design.

[flywgn]

...We always felt like we were rolling toward each other when sleeping; Roseann resorted to propping pillows between us...

Ummmm, I haven't even met you yet, but that tells me something. :o

We were camped near a couple who were in a Wildernest and they claimed to have had a most uncomfortable night. I thought it had to do with the overall structure itself since we had had high winds (Death Valley), but after reading Jonathan's comment above I'm now thinking that I misunderstood.

[Jonathan Hanson]

Um, wait. That wasn't what I meant! Oh, forget it.

[DesertRose]

We always felt like we were rolling toward each other when sleeping; Roseann resorted to propping pillows between us.

JONATHAN - DO YOU HAVE TO REPORT PERSONAL THINGS IN THE FORUM?:eek:

Well, I guess then I have to add that the platform is also EXTREMELY susceptible to bouncing up and down with any movement -- can create quite a, um, disturbance in a public camping situation if you're not careful . . .:smileeek:

[Jonathan Hanson]

Excuse us, everyone. We're going to go make up.

[paulj]

I can see where the Wildernest would have problems with wind, especially 30 mph. I don't recall ever camping in a situation where the wind was strong enough to be a problem. Most of my camping was in the MidWest and Pacific NW, with plenty of sheltering trees. In a windy situation I think it would be best to aim the truck into the wind, so the wind hits the tent along its strongest axis.

I don't know what you mean about the roof being arched when closed. Are you talking about flexing of the fiberglass, or bending of the mattress? My mattress and lid stayed flat, without any tendency to bow or sag. We slept in the Wildernest 2/3 of the nights during our 3 mth Alaska trip, and found the nest to be more comfortable than most motels.

My mattress was 3-4 inches of moderately stiff foam. The fiberglass lid was a reasonably stiff sandwich construction. If I knelt on the inside of the open lid without the mattress in place, I could hear a bit of crackling, indicating the inside glass layer was thin enough to transmit concentrated forces to the core layer. But there were no such problems with the mattress in place.

In case it isn't clear, the tent and bed are supported in several ways. The primary support for the bed/lid is a cable system - cables front and back that run from the left side of the base, over a spring loaded vertical post, and back down to the outer edge of the bed. The vertical posts also serve as the base for the main ridge pole. On both left and right sides, there U shaped end supports. As part of set up you put two fiberglass rods between these 3 ridge poles, spreading them apart and tensioning the roof. You can see the bowed shaped produced by these rods in the Boulder pictures.

With this basic setup, the tent and bed will rock on the truck's suspension. They provided two means of reducing this movement. One was a strap that ran diagonally from the bed down to the right side wheel. The other was a pair of telescoping aluminum tent poles that fit into brackets on the outer edge of the bed. The brackets are visible in the closed side view of the Boulder truck (but the poles and strap are not in use).

paulj

[VikingVince]

Jonathan said "I think the FlipPac is better, and although I know Vince will disagree, I still think the Four Wheel Popup is the ultimate expedition camper."

Jonathan...I don't necessarily disagree. I have always liked the FourWheel camper and still do. However, I recently looked at them very closely at the Sportsman's Expo here in southern CA. They had a big display with several of their units. I still like them alot BUT...after detailed inspection, the biggest drawback is they are really short on storage space. I estimate that with my built-ins in the back of my Tacoma I currently have about 5-6 times the cubic storage space. I could redesign one side of my built-ins to be 36 in high cabinets with a small sink and stovetop just like the FourWheel.

A couple down in Baja had the FourWheel model that fits the Tacoma...they carried lot of their stuff in tubs/Actionpackers and then had to set those outside of the rig in a tent in order to use the rig...that doesn't appeal to me...although I still like the units.

Bottom line...with a flippac, if you're a half decent carpenter I think you could build/install everything that the FourWheel has and still have 3-4 times the storage space. Part of the reason is that with the Flippac the bed is entirely over the cab, freeing up all the cargo bed space. A fully optioned FourWheel for a Tacoma tops out around $12k...you could trick-out a flippac ($3200) with homemade couch, cabinets, stove, sink, frig/freeze for $5-6K.

From what you said, though, I think the FourWheel is better in heavy wind. I've been in heavy wind (80mph gusts)...and it does shake around a good deal. I like both units. If I were to get a FourWheel, I'd definitely get a double cab truck...take out the back seats and install storage units to make up for the lack of storage in the FourWheel...that would work!

[Jonathan Hanson]

I agree with all that, Vince. When we get another Four Wheel camper (we sold our old one to buy our land), I'd like to have the factory leave out some or all of the cabinetry (which they told us they will do) and build my own, including a space for an Engel to replace the marginal factory fridge. One thing we missed was being able to light the stove under a kettle while in bed - the bed extends over the stock stove location.

Our procedure with luggage was very simple, however: We stored our stuff in duffels; whenever we stopped for lunch or a coffee break, one of us would climb in the back, pop the top, toss our bags up on the bed, and we'd have a clear floor. Since it takes, literally, 30 seconds to raise the roof on that camper we always utilized it even for very short stops.

One more strength of the Four Wheel: You can raise the roof with two sea kayaks on top (or, obviously, anything lighter such as bikes). Takes a little more force, but with a Wildernest or FlipPac the roof load has to come off first.

[Wanderlusty]

Jonathan,

Hey, yeah, the Four Wheel campers do even sell a shell model, for the bargain price of $5995.

http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/

http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/shellpictures.htm

Personally, I think that is a bit steep for shell only, but then again, maybe not.

I think the Four Wheel campers are pretty awesome but for the fact that they are a lot pricier, and at least my initial concern is remembering to be conscious of the overhangs when it tight spaces. That is one feature that i liked about the Wildernest, is that it pretty much followed the profile of the cab.

With a kid almost here (literally...made a false alarm trip to hospital last night!) it has been on my mind more and more that the Jeep is just not going to be big enough for us to travel in, so options for truck based camping is something that I am checking out now.

A lot depends on what vehicle I get also. My top contenders are are an 04 or previous Taco with the crew cab, or a monster F-250 with crew cab and diesel. I know that there is a lot of difference between those two in both size and price, but my thinking is the Taco has clearly proved it's capability, but both me and the wife are bigger folks, so the Taco might be a bit snug for any family of three, let alone our family. The F-250 may well be overkill, but I figure that it is not much bigger than any other full size pickup, which would be the next step, but it is VERY much more stout. And I like the idea of Diesel too.

So that is my thinking for trucks, which leads me to thinking campers. Reading this thread has kinda schooled me on the ins and outs of what is available. Or NOT available, as the case is with a Wildernest. To me, the Wildernest seems like a great idea that only gets points for a so-so execution. Perhaps it could have been better, but also there appears to be some hurdles inherent to the design that compromises it no matter who builds it.

The Flip-Pac is nice, and is definitely under consideration despite the fact that I don't like the clamshell-over-the-cab style, but whatever...

The 4 wheel camper is probably just pricier than I can expect to pay, especially if I go the F-250 route...and stilll just not that keen on adding that much more bulk on what would already be a big setup.

The more I have thought about it, the more I have been drawn to a setup like Scott sometimes uses, with a retractable bed cover of some sort, and a Eesi-Awn or comparable tent mounted at bed level. That is clearly the most compact, when set up that way. It is an easy set up. It is a fairly well proven design.

And somehow, when lined up against the other options, the Eesi-Awn somehow actually becomes the 'budget?' solution! Whoda thunk it?

Anyhow, I have some time. I want to pay the Jeep off first, and while I travelled EARLY and OFTEN growing up, I figure I will not tackle expedition travel with the kid until he is at least a couple years old. But I am the kind of guy who researches every decision VERY thoroughly, so 2 years or so should just about be enough time to collect all the neccessary data....

[VikingVince]

Jonathan...yeah, you are right about the advantage of being able to carry a certain pound load on top without having to take it off to raise the lid. That is definitely an advantage I forgot to mention...another minor advantage with the
FourWheel is that you can leave all your bedding in place when you lower the top...I have to pull my sleeping bag and pillows out...but that's because I put in a different 4" mattress (very comfy though)...never tried it, but I think I could have squeezed it shut with the sleeping bag in place with the original one and half inch mattress.

To tell you the truth, if I were building my rig now I would get a FourWheel over the Flippac...although the Flippac is a good choice for a more limited budget. I ended up with a Flippac basically because I found a used one for $700.!!!...that was a major incentive to try it versus $10K for a FourWheel

On another note, I was actually suprised to hear you say that you put a kettle on the stove for heat while in bed...I know some folk do that...there is a carbon monoxide (CO) risk if the stove malfunctions (I know you know that)...I'd have two CO detectors in the unit if I did that. I never leave any type of heating unit on while sleeping...but I've never camped sub zero either...about the coldest I've gone is a little below freezing.

[paulj]

Sleeping in the Wildernest worked well on our Alaska trip, where we moved almost every day. It wasn't as good for vacation trips where we wanted to stay put for several days at a time. If we wanted to drive anywhere during the day, we had to pack up the tent and sleeping gear. So for a number of years we made more use of a stand alone tent.

Now we are back to sleeping in the car (2 people in a Honda Element), but there is still that tension between the convenience of having a dry, off-the-ground sleeping area, and having to unpack and pack every night.

paulj

[Wanderlusty]

I guess that in the end, no matter what direction you go, there is always going to be some compromises made. Just have to find what MOST fits the way you travel. And even THAT isn't always easy!

[Jonathan Hanson]

$700! That's a screaming bargain, Vince!

When you see a naked Four Wheel Popup frame, all elegant welded aluminum, you can at least partly justify their expense. There's no other pop-top style camper I know of within four or five hundred pounds of it. And they're still not as strong.

I'd never use a stove for heat unless I was wide awake and ready for coffee, with suitable ventilation. We didn't have the factory heater in ours, partly for reasons of expense and storage space.

[DesertRose]

Being serious here for once, I thought I'd chime in that quality of construction of either the Wildernest or the 4WheelPopup was excellent - never any complaints. Particuarly with the 4Wheel - wow, did we ever put miles on it, and it just stayed tight and high-quality the whole time, save for a problem with the door eventually sagging. (For 5 of the years we had it we lived in very very remote places, down long dirt roads, and drove it regularly to towns - it also took me to the Sierra Madre for a very tough trip way off the beaten track, and survived some gnarly encounters, including sliding off a slick road and slamming hard into a ditch and rock, which broke a leaf but didn't even knock a screw loose on the camper.)

Also, it's so easy to pop, a consideration for me when travelling alone, which I did a lot for about a decade. The Wildernest was hard for me alone - we rigged a big strap to toss over the top to the other side, and I could take a running start and dig my heels in and open it if I threw all 100 pounds into it - being careful that if it didn't work and it snapped back closed, I let go the strap lest I end up catapulted over the top!

[paulj]

Yea, openning and closing the Wildernest does take some upper body strength. My wife regularly set up the tent once the lid was over, but I always did the initial lifting (from a standing position on the lowered tailgate). When closing it, I usually walked my way along a roof rack bar until the lid was vertical. At the point it helped if another person made sure the tenting was out of the way, so it wouldn't get pinched between lid and cap as it closed.

paulj

[kcowyo]

Roseann and I had a Wildernest for several years, and used it hard. We experienced the moisture problems; more importantly, we experienced significant structural problems in high winds. The erected Wildernest has huge windage - there's about eight feet of headroom in the thing....
...
Also, the roof of the camper is arched when closed - meaning that the bed is concave. We always felt like we were rolling toward each other when sleeping.....

....I still think the Four Wheel Popup is the ultimate expedition camper. We couldn't do a thing to hurt ours, and it was stable as a house in wind....


There is a lot of great first hand experience in this thread! Thanks Jonathan & Roseann, Vince and Paul for sharing honestly the pros & cons of these set ups. I've been researching the Wildernest, FlipPacs and Four Wheel Campers for 2 years now, but previous owners will always give better real world impressions that the brochures and manufacturers web sites can.

Things like the wind hassle, set up struggle and sagging bed with the Wildernest, are factors I hadn't really considered. I can see how the squeeky overhang can be annoying if you toss & turn all night, or travel with your spouse....;)

And Jonathan, I hope you're right about the Four Wheel Campers being the ultimate, because if fate has any heart at all (I know, I know....) I may be making a little roadie soon for my next "mod." :keepingfingerscrossedsmilie:

[Jonathan Hanson]

Kcowyo;

Yahoo! I don't think you'd be sorry.

On the option sheet, don't miss the screen door. Yeah, it should be standard, and it's a lot, but it's worth it. You'd have a very hard time fabricating one yourself.

On our next one I'll definitely skip the refrigerator in favor of an Engle.

[kcowyo]

Well, fate must feel it owes me a favor as this little plan of mine is moving in the right direction. :cool:

I won't have the luxury of an option sheet, but I won't have to drive all the way to Kalifornia either if this works out. :keepingthemcrossedsmilie:

[DesertRose]

We just talked to the factory rep at a show in AZ, and they are now including site delivery and installation in the deal - a hugely important thing. Apparently they send their own truck and trailer and put it on right at your place. We had to go to That State, too (a vastly bizarre experience, trying to camp near Tahoe!). And when we upgraded to a new Tacoma and had a local company transfer the camper, they must have been a bunch of gorillas and used hammers to fit it, because the rear of the Tacoma is all messed up - it doesn't seal any more, because the side pieces that are supposed to close up to the tailgate are all smashed out of shape.

Anyway - an important consideration.

[kcowyo]

An important consideration indeed. Thanks for the tip Roseann.

I'm trying not to jinx the deal till I'm sure it's going to happen, but I'm looking at getting a used unit from a private seller. If it happens, we'll be the only gorillas installing it!

Did your Taco require rear suspension modifications for the additional weight and the type of roads you were taking it on? I'm strongly considering an Air Lift airbag system for a non-permanent solution since I won't have it on the truck all of the time.

But I'm getting ahead of myself....

[Jonathan Hanson]

We had Air Lift bags on both our trucks that carried the Four Wheel camper, and they worked very well, especially when combined with an adjustable shock like the Rancho 9000.

You need to check them periodically, however: On our 2000 Tacoma one of the lower brackets walked off its grip on the spring U-bolt.

[Jonathan Hanson]

Dave, welcome, and thanks for the great detail information. Your truck looks almost identical to our '92 with its Wildernest.

We did use those rings for tie downs, and they did seem to help, as you suggest, in winds up to 25 mph or so. But beyond that the tent got unhappy. We actually modified our fiberglass wands; the originals were too short and slightly longer ones gained us some canopy tautness.

It would be great if someone would restart the company and address a few issues. I was intrigued by the flip-up model they showed just before going under.

[kcowyo]

Awesome info Dave!

We've spoken before on another board and I really like your truck and Wildernest combo. After reading your post I can now tell that you're not just a fan but an afficianado of the Wildernest. I think they're really unique outfits, it's a shame someone is just sitting on the patent.

Here's a new listing on eBay for one in Littleton - (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Wildernest-Camper-Topper_W0QQitemZ4629630805QQcategoryZ50061QQrdZ1QQ cmdZViewItem)

[paulj]

When a lid hinge of my Wildernest rusted through I tore out the tenting, since I no longer trusted a key structural component. I still have the tent frame in storage.

I also have the fiberglass rods (plain ends), which never gave me any problems. If I recall correctly, it helped to install one side first.

The white gell coat of the camper matched the white of my 1988 Chevy S10 pickup pretty well.

paulj

[paulj]

The 'Nest was built in Broomfield, Colorado, which is in Boulder County, by (or through) Lowe Alpine. The patent was held by a company called Expandable Van Tops in Canada I believe.


I may have seen a van camper based on this Expandable Van Tops patent, see post:
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11668&postcount=50

The EVT patent, by Jack Lange, is 4462631, 1984, with a continuation 4993773, 1991. The former is expired, the later may still be in effect. However with any patent, the details of what is covered, and what is not, requires detailed study, and potentially litigation.

paulj

[Martinjmpr]

Those are nice pictures. When I bought my carpet kit in March or April the guy also had a wildernest he was trying to sell. However, his truck was a 'pre-tacoma' (a 94 Hilux) and it wouldn't fit on my truck (and I already had a shell anyway.)

I'm a little disappointed that only Flip-Pac remains in this market. Seems to me someone could find a way to make Wildernests popular again. Of course, there are a million good ideas out there, it's making them profitable that is the tricky part. The dilemma of something like this is that the kind of people who might want a Wildernest probably can't afford it (don't know what the price would be but I'd be very surprised if it was less than $3500 new, seeing as how a basic, cab-high fiberglass shell is nearly $1500 in most markets.) And the people who can afford to drop that kind of money on a shell would probably prefer a full camper (or a hotel room!) anyway.

[elportodave]

Hello,

Great Posts! Great Info and i am so pleased people are still posting. Does anyone know if adjustments are going to be needed to compensate for the extra weight of the Wildernest on a 1988 Toyota Pickup regular cab? I just got a sweat Wildernest in great condition, but i am not sure if i am going to put too much strain on this little pickup of mine. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[paulj]

I put a Wildernest on a 1988 S10 pickup, and the fit was near perfect. Since the Chevy/GMC lineup was the most popular pickups at the time, it was probably sized specifically to fit them.

Since my S10 had the 6' bed, the Wildernest had that distinctive bobtail cut.

My guess is that Guidon molded the shells for them, using standard molds. Then in some order, reinforcements were added on the inside, and the lid cut off. In the short bed case, the tailgate opening was cut off, and a new flat panel glassed in place. The lid was reattached with the hinges. Finally the tent was added.

paulj

[erod]

Hello,

Great Posts! Great Info and i am so pleased people are still posting. Does anyone know if adjustments are going to be needed to compensate for the extra weight of the Wildernest on a 1988 Toyota Pickup regular cab? I just got a sweat Wildernest in great condition, but i am not sure if i am going to put too much strain on this little pickup of mine. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

well, your lucky to have one of the foremost experts on WN's here on the forum (Dave)...thought i might as well add .02 while i am here. first off congrats, awesome unit, i NEVER would have sold mine if i would have had a feasible place to store it (thanks again dave)...it just was too much to have after i bought the FWC. so many good times in the WN and mine too was in really great shape! my one big complaint was winter camping, during consecutive days of snowfall...i could never get things dried out...great the first night but once i collapsed the tent everything was wet. although, setting it up and running mr. heater's portable buddy (love that name) inside helped...pretty much the main reason i went with the fwc (and i found a great price on one in really good condition)...winter camping. also, its a little more feasible to "live" in an fwc full time than the WN, IMO (never know when your out a place to live...like now :) . with that said your stoked!

like Dave said earlier i would recommend beefing up the rear suspension...add a leafs didn't get me where i wanted to be so i went with OME leaf packs and was happy with the stance...unloaded. i have 2 dogs and tons of gear and with everything i was still sagging a little so i also installed firestone ride right air bags...problem solved! enjoy the Nest and be sure to post pics! ahh, looking at these gets me all choked up :) ...cheers!

[paulj]

I noted early on that my S10 leaned a bit toward the right rear corner. For years I though it was because the Wildernest, when open, put extra load on that corner. But then I learned that front torsion bars were user-adjustable. I tweaked these, and leveled out the truck.

Even with the Wildernest and a full load of camping gear, the pickup still felt tail-light, especially on washboard gravel roads. This was the 1988 with 4wd and 'sports package'. That included a limited slip diff, but I don't think the suspension was beefed up.

paulj

[skullbecca]

Does any one have any idea what I can do to replace the back door hinge of a wildernest camper shell? I live in the Denver area, but work in Nevada
Thanks for any advice

[paulj]

I'd ask at any shop the deals in camper tops. Parts like the door and windows appear to be off the shelf items. If I recall correctly the door hinge is just a piano hinge attached with pop rivets. I'm working from memory since my son now owns the truck and Wildernest.

[T.Low]

Found this link about tires. Turned out to be nada, but apparently he's selling the Wildernest too. Not affiliated with sale at all, just thought if anyone is out ther looking, this may be a lead.

Good luck.

http://bellingham.craigslist.org/pts/1022790207.html

[gwittman]

I know this is an old thread but I thought I would revive it because it has a lot of good information about the WilderNest and I though I would add little more to it.

I had two brothers that worked for Guidon in Kansas when they were building the WilderNest. One brother worked specifically on the WilderNest and was the guy they sent out for any problems the dealers had. He came to California in 1989 for some repair work and gave me a brochure on the WilderNest. It was exactly what I was looking for to put on my new 89 Ford Ranger. They built it with a custom gel coat color to match the off-white of my Ranger. It now resides on my 2002 Ranger and has been painted red to match.

The downfall of WilderNest was basically due to the high price of the unit. From what I understand, the marketing company in Colorado pulled the building of the unit from Guidon to a local shop in Colorado in an attempt to reduce manufacturing cost. It did not take long for them to find out how difficult it was to reduce cost and eventually stopped production.

I think Guidon eventually bought the rights to WilderNest but could not achieve a workable agreement with the man that fabricated the tent. Apparently he had the rights to the tent and would not let go of it. The two parties could not come to terms, so the WilderNest could not be revived.

My brother that was directly involved in the fabrication of the WilderNest eventually left Guidon to work for another topper company that was starting up in his home town. I am pretty sure Guidon ultimately shut the facility down because my brother went to an auction there and bought a couple left-over tents as spares for me.

[paulj]

When I lived in Chicago, I drove to Kansas City (MO) to have my Wildernest installed (in 1988). It wasn't at a factory, but I think the dealer had close connections with Guidon. It was 1000 mile round trip, in about 24hrs, with a couple of rest area naps.

[WilderNest]

To all:

I am a representative from a company up here in the Northwest. We have looked at the WilderNest Campers, researched it, and loved it. We are familiar with the procedures that go into making the camper, and we are confident that we have the skills and resources that could bring it back to life.

Please help us revive this wonderful product by filling out this short survey. It will take less than 2 minutes. Click here to take survey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LGBDN3L).

Please provide us with your email address in the survey (optional) if you would like to be informed when the camper launches.

We are excited.

P.S: Please forward this survey link to anyone who would be interested in the WilderNest Campers: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LGBDN3L

[mog]

Best of luck to you. I have a Fullsize shortbed unit, and think they are great. A ‘modern’ one with new materials should do well. Flippac seems to be doing fine. I think there would be a market for the WilderNest style also.

[AKsharpshooter]

Since the newer Dodge bed rail isn't straight will it seal properly or have you made a model just for that. I like the idea have not having a full cab over camper for daily driving but expandable for use when stopped. :drool: