7 replies to this topic

[trikebubble]

After mucho discussion with the Wife, we have pretty much decided that towards the end of September we will be heading down to Vancouver to chat with the Four Wheel Camper folks with a mindset of ordering a Hawk.

 

My Wife and I (and our 2 mutts) live to adventure, travel ,explore, etc. I recently sold our fully kitted out Xterra, which provided us with miles of reliable smiles over the years. I have purchased a Tundra TRD Off-Road DC (with the 6'5" bed) and have complete replacement suspension components, including air bags, and new tires and wheels on their way for me to install.

The Tundra / Hawk combination is part of our our 10-15 year goal to do our best to get out camping and road tripping, and exploring as much as possible. The Hawk will be replacing both our rooftop tent setup on the Xterra and our current 18' travel trailer.

 

The Wife said that her requirements are 1: the cassette toilet, 2: the largest possible fridge available. 3: the Batwing awning, and 4: the Silver Spur exterior.

I want to do this right the first time, so I'm prepared to go all in, and order it exactly as we need it. I'm going to order the full rooftop solar package (I have a good portable solar setup to add to it), the exterior led lighting, the hot water tank, furnace, cold weather wrap, roof rack, powered fan etc.

 

I'm on the fence about the big rear flood lights, and the bolted on flip up steps. While the big flood lights look cool, I'm wondering how much folks actually use them. I would like to attach some auxiliary fuel can mounts to the back, so I'm thinking a collapsible ladder may be better for rooftop access.  

 

What other options should I consider, or not, based on what your collective actual experiences?

 

For kicks, I'll post a picture of our previous rig (the Xterra) atop Engineer Pass last summer, and our Tundra (still in her stock form)

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Edited by trikebubble, 21 August 2017 - 11:41 PM.

[longhorn1]

Get the max rooftop solar, plus 2 AGM batteries. We have a Grandby with front dinette and use the Thetford Curve Porta-Potti. The cassette toilet uses up a lot of cabinet space. FWC left the large lower cabinet doors off, we put up a curtain and store the Porta potti. The Porta potti was &125+/-, versus the FWC cost of $1,000+/-. Cabinet space is important.
Rear spot lights have hardly been used. Get at a minimum a power roof vent and a regular vent, some get 2 power vents. We have the furnace, stove, sink, hot water heater, and outdoor shower. The out door shower has only been used once. We have rear steps which we hang things off of. We have the 85L Dometic fridge, but FWC now has the new Isotherm fridge which is more energy efficient. When we got ours in 2014 100W was the max solar panel, and we have a an 80W portable. Hope this helps. jd

[moveinon]

What you are asking has so much to do with where you camp what you like to do camping.  If you like to hike or mountain bike then the hot water heater and outdoor shower are really handy.  If you do not do activities that make you need a shower maybe these are not so useful.  Someone earlier said they hardly use their shower but we use ours a lot, just depends.

 

I use my portable solar on the roof while traveling so regularly use the fold down steps for taking it down to position in camp.  I also carry camp wood on the roof rack.  If you do not use the roof for storage then the steps are a pretty expensive way to hold garbage bags or a laundry line, but do work great for that.

 

As much as we plan to get into a camping spot before dark we often seam to be backing into someplace when it is really dark.  If you do this the backup spots are very helpful to save the camper from those trees and limbs.  If you camp at campgrounds they would be pretty useless.

 

Fan makes a big difference on the hot days in summer and where you may be willing to camp and heater means you can camp in comfort in early spring and late fall when nights are colder.  The camper is a very small space and fan really helps on those rainy days when we have to cook inside.

 

I like the regular awning because with velcro you can attach a bug net to it and be comfortable outside in the areas where mosquitos would otherwise eat you alive like the mountains here in Oregon or Canada in the spring.  I do not know how that would work with the batwing, maybe there is a way.

 

Depending on your MPG, size of your tank, and where you like to camp extra gas can be great to have.  Just today after being back in the woods on a mountain for the eclipse I got stuck in traffic for miles getting back to Portland and was so glad I added a few gallons to the tank before leaving camp. 

 

Depending on how you need to charge your battery(s) and the size of your truck alternator you might want to think about running larger wires from the truck to the batter in the camper.  If you need to charge from the truck it can make a big difference.

 

I rarely use either the sink or stove inside preferring to cook and clean outside, but on those days we are in the rain they both are essential.

 

I have a three way fridge which has been great for me so my 160 watt solar is more than I need.  But if you go with a larger sized two way fridge it is good to have a battery monitor and the largest amp hour batteries and solar you can afford assuming you camp for multiple days without running your truck or plugging in.

 

Changed my lighting to LED and use all of both inside and outside lighting a lot.

[trikebubble]

Thanks for all the tips so far.

[RC Pilot Jim]

My 2 cents

 

Everyone has a great ideas. I would add

 

1. Yakima tracks as an easy method to install solar panels. 

2. Rear mounted solar plug for portable panel

3. Isotherm 2-way fridge - advantages: 1. cool 90 degrees below ambient temp; 2. park 30 degrees off level

4. Trimetric battery monitor. (Zamp displays amperage in from solar panel only NOT 110 or engine alternator

5. Two fantastic fans one over the bed in fan mode. One over kitchen in exhaust, (we only have one fan over kitchen, We tried exhaust and fan still did not have any air movement . Summers are getting hotter. Early this month in Oregon, except for the coast temps were in the high 90's-102 degrees).

[craig333]

Rarely use the floods but the shower get more and more use. We're all different. Get the furnace, probably the only most of us can agree on

[Trailbob]

Great advice posted so far.  Were on our second Hawk, and the only regrets we had with either of them was when we didn't order something initially, and had to pay more to put it on later.  So if you think you may want it, probably best to get it now.  I also added a Trimetric monitor to ours, and it has been a great addition for monitoring our battery.  Enjoy your new camper!

[fourwheeldrivekc]

Another vote for two fans -- one over the bed and one over the kitchen.  It was a godsend this past week in central Oregon.