Camper dilemma

[marchesi]

I am thinking of buying a slide in truck camper. I started looking at Big Foot and Northen Lite but they seem so dam big. They hang over the tailgate a whole foot. I wish there was something out there with the lightness of the BF and NL but just more compact for off road. I was even reading that the BF is not designed to go offroad. Is that the truth? I then looked at the Alaskan and they are pretty heavy for what they are. I am starting to think that for offroad use and Baja maybe a pop top is the only solution. Any ideas?

[Overland Hadley]

Four Wheel Campers makes hard sided campers. Not that anybody would know, their website is so poor. I will find a link to some specs.

[Overland Hadley]

And welcome to ExPo!

[Overland Hadley]

FWC hardtop info Link (http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/tcm-exclusive:-four-wheel-hard-top/)

truckcampermagizine.com has some good information and specs on camper models.

[RR1]

You may want to check this out, finally lightweight Euro style popup campers here in the USA!

The super reliable Toyota Tacoma is the target for the base vehicle.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/62162-New-XP-Camper-designed-spied-(for-small-trucks-IE-Tacoma)


Here is the fullsize, looks like more interior space than a Sportsmobile.

http://www.natcoa.net/images/xpcamper.jpg

http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_full_width/hash/1d/99/1d995d3e472624981609c95848d132a8.jpg

[marchesi]

Thanks for the reply! Now I need to find a new job to afford one of the XP campers! Dam they are nice... I was told that FWD is not the same after they changed owner and the new FWD are of very poor construction/quality. Have been looking at Outfitter and they seem pretty nice.

[RR1]

Thanks for the reply! Now I need to find a new job to afford one of the XP campers! Dam they are nice... I was told that FWD is not the same after they changed owner and the new FWD are of very poor construction/quality. Have been looking at Outfitter and they seem pretty nice.

The new XPV model is going to be close in price to Four Wheel, Phoenix, All Terrain Campers.

Plus it will fit on a Midsize truck, Tacoma and the like. Cost will be considerably lower than its fullsize 3/4-1 ton counterpart.

Marc has a Facebook page, probably more than happy to answer any questions.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/XPCamper-The-1st-all-composite-monocoque-pop-up-camper/177569615604637

[Overland Hadley]

I was told that FWD is not the same after they changed owner and the new FWD are of very poor construction/quality.

Hmmm, I am thinking whoever told you that was trying to sell you another brand of camper?

I have spent the last year planning and researching a camper. From what I have learned in my research, the changes that have been made to the FWC campers have been positive ones.

My .02

[kylekai]

Thanks for the reply! Now I need to find a new job to afford one of the XP campers! Dam they are nice... I was told that FWD is not the same after they changed owner and the new FWD are of very poor construction/quality. Have been looking at Outfitter and they seem pretty nice.

I looked at both, and am now in the process of purchasing a Hallmark. You might want to read this thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/38552-Outfitter-or-Hallmark;

[Ford Prefect]

I like the outfitters, and the hallmarks seem pretty nice too.

Outfitter is a bit full of themselves, but they seem like they have a nice enough product. One of their campers has a side door, and a fold out rear tent, which I like a lot, but for some dumb reason they keep saying they are innovators not imitators on the youtube vid they did on the thing. Despite someone on here doing that to a bigfoot two years ago... with the side rear door, and the fold out rear bed, almost a carbon copy.

Now, I have to ask, what truck are you going to put this in?

If you are going with a mid-size to small truck then I would not go with anything other than a pop top, or perhaps even a pop-up tent trailer pulled behind you. (larger, lighter, and more roomy than your average slide in truck camper. besides you can drop it off and use the truck to get away from your camp site.)

Another thought I had personally considered doing was putting a pop up tent trailer mounted to a flatbed pick-up truck. lots of room, low profile for driving.
Anyhow, those are a few thoughts.

[Team Wild]

I feel like a spokesman for this company but I don't even own one or have even seen one other than pictures but they seem cool to me. http://www.livinlite.com/hstcamper-overview.php

Good luck with whatever you decide on.

[Overland Hadley]

I feel like a spokesman for this company but I don't even own one or have even seen one other than pictures but they seem cool to me. http://www.livinlite.com/hstcamper-overview.php


Yeah, those do look interesting.

[bajajoaquin]

Have you checked out Six Pac campers? They were bought out by
Four Wheel, and are supposedly in the process of shifting over to an aluminum frame.

[cwsqbm]

Have you checked out Six Pac campers? They were bought out by
Four Wheel, and are supposedly in the process of shifting over to an aluminum frame.

According to their website, they won't be building campers until late this year.

I like the idea of a FWC, but with a hard top. Their website doesn't mention them, other than in a link to the current inventory section. There was a thread here (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/37241-Four-Wheel-Campers-%28-quot-NEW-Hard-Sided-Cabover-Campers-quot-%29) on them too.

http://xtrv.smugmug.com/For-Sale/Four-Wheel-Campers/Hawk-H-T-by-Four-Wheel-Campers/IMG5755/905532318_kvNkQ-M.jpg

[bajajoaquin]

I've corresponded with them, and been told that they're starting production on short bed campers first (since most people who want light-weight campers don't have long beds).

Depending on the urgency of the need, that may be the best choice. If I were in the market for one, that's the one I would buy.

Sorry, I know it wasn't on the list...

[Curmudgeon]

Outfitter is a bit full of themselves, but they seem like they have a nice enough product. One of their campers has a side door, and a fold out rear tent, which I like a lot, but for some dumb reason they keep saying they are innovators not imitators on the youtube vid they did on the thing. Despite someone on here doing that to a bigfoot two years ago... with the side rear door, and the fold out rear bed, almost a carbon copy.
We're kind of off-topic here, but since you brought it up . . . .

Both of them are WAAAAYYYY behind the times. Amerigo campers had a side door and pop out rear bed back in the early 70s. Really neat campers, and one day I will own one.

JP