130 replies to this topic

[KILR0Y]

Good feedback so far.  I recommend reading WTW posts all night long, for several nights in a row.  It's not only a good cure for insomnia but rather informative as well.  My advice to you would be to get everything you can afford now, then add later as needed. 

 

Rear wall steps and solar plug are a must, not too easy to install later...   Lastly, as one rather smart WTW member posted some time ago, leave much of the crap at home.  Pack smart, don't just throw everything you see in the garage into the Hawk when you travel!  Over time, you'll learn what is important to you on trips.  Many of my friends still don't understand why I have such a small camper, but they are the ones with the 40' motor-homes that can't go where I can go.  Many of us on here like the access to the back-country and outdoor settings while having the basic necessities of home (like a bed, shower, running water).  Really, what more do you need other than your FWC, family, some supplies, and a camera? 

 

I hope this helps, let us know when you pull the trigger.   I hope you find some of the threads on here informative like I did when buying.

 

Kilroy

[craig333]

Fridge is easy to add later. Pretty sure they do the solar wiring on all rigs now. Get the heater and the screen door now.

[alano]

We took delivery of our Hawk just before Labor Day and then hit the road for two weeks. We put in a change order to extend the roof tracks from 6 feet to the full length of the camper after reading about someone who added solar to the top of their rig using the tracks. In addition to the tracks, we got the rear steps and solar plug (top) for future use because I determined they were difficult to add later.

 

We used every other option we got on our trip except the Porta-Potty which is absolutely the easiest option to add later. We used the screen door, furnace, side awning (rain and sun), hot water heater / shower (almost didn't get but so glad we did), compressor fridge,  two batteries, Fantastic fan (blowing in and out), LED light package, and jacks (OK we didn't use them on the trip), Sometimes, late at night, I think maybe we should have gone for the extra roof vent (not something easily added later).

 

The Arctic Pak is an easy add-on I believe. We discussed these things with our salesman, Mike, and he was very helpful and not at all pushy about option decisions.

 

Pull that trigger and congratulations!

 

Alan

[Kispiox]

I purchased my Hawk pretty much loaded. LED everything with one solar panel and two batteries. I find it hard even with heat in cold conditions and exterior lights on all night to draw batteries down 80% which is the bottom end of AGM duty cycle. If weight is an issue, you probably could get by with one battery? You can always add another later. If 3/4-T may as well get two

Of all the stuff I question the need for roof steps. They are rear access and you can't walk on the roof, so to clean the solar or secure anything on the rack forward a ladder is either needed or a walk on your truck. What am I missing here. Do others find them useful. So far I just hang towels from them????

[KILR0Y]

... Do others find them useful. So far I just hang towels from them????

 

I do step on them regularly when loading-unloading items from the roof rack, but rear wall steps are a great towel hanger, most of all!  

[ckent323]

My Keystone camper is on a full size dodge 4wd truck. 

 

I have the tailgate on the truck (folded down) and the Keystone extands part way across it.  That leaves a small ledge to stand on the full width of the back of the camper (makes a narrow entry porch as well).  I can stand on the ledge and access the top hold down clips, push in the canvas etc.  The steps make nice grab handles.   I also use them to tie my wind blocking tarp (as needed) and rear awning tarps to.

 

Finally when putting stuff on the Yak racks they are quite helpful.  We only carry a Home Depot purchased tubular steel  frame folding three step stool (stronger than the rectangular aluminum units).  It is not tall enough to access the top of the camper.  Soon I will add folding steps to a riser from the hitch and ditch the stool (one less thing to carry inside the camper). 

 

The runing boards on the sides of the truck passenger cab allow us to reach the front clips.

Regards,

Craig

Edited by ckent323, 12 November 2013 - 01:55 AM.

[Kispiox]

Yea, the cam clips are not a problem from the runners and my back bumper. Out of all the stuff, I don't think that I'd pay for the steps if doing it over again. There is plenty of stuff to hang a towel on to dry. When at an on-the-grid campground all you need to do is borrow a ladder from a motor home camper to clean the solar.

My advice is get two roof vents. I regulate night time ventilation from the forward one without disturbing my sleep very much. The only other thing I did not get is air conditioner. Arctic Pack is a must. Most of my travels are high latitude.

On loading. Everything that you buy try and get the lightest possible design. If I don't use it,... it gets tossed.

[billharr]

Screen door top of list. I purchased a used 2002 Hawk not screen door, I had to buy a whole door to get the screen. Worth the $$ I use it all the time.

[craig333]

I don't have the screen door. So far I've been lucky and camp in relatively bug free areas. I'm sure thats going to change before long. I don't quite agree with the keep it light philosophy. I have a big heavy truck, one of the perks is the ability to carry and dang thing I want no matter what it weighs. Come to think of it I've been meaning to get some nice cast iron cookware

[Bwht4x4]

Awesome info guys.  I really appreciate it.

 

I've been looking and reading all I can on WTW about all makes and models of pop-up campers.  We visited both the FWC and ATC factories a couple of weeks ago and decided to go with FWC over ATC simply because ATC didn't have anything for us to look at.  It's hard to buys something that you can't see and touch.  In the end it's probably a better choice due to available options for us.

 

The comments on the list of items to get now vs later are interesting and quite consistent.  I didn't think the second vent was needed, but many of you have recommended it.

 

Here's a couple of questions I need to have answered:

• Is the arctic package held in place with velcro?  If it is, is the one side of velcro installed on the camper even if we don't order the arctic package right now or does the velcro have to be installed later with the arctic package?
• Are the Yakima roof tracks installed just through the roofing material or do they get installed into the aluminum frame?  If they go into the frame how hard is it to find the aluminum tubing to install the tracks at a later date?
• What is included in the exterior LED lighting package?  Do I need these?
• Can I do the camper install myself?  I'm pretty handy and have the tools for the job.  How hard is it?  It'd save me almost $400.

Attached is the list of options that we are currently wanting.  We are thinking of not getting a refrig right now and wait to get something in the future after we save a bit of money and do a bit more research into them.  I called FWC and they said the space would be wired and plumbed for a future refrig install.  They actually said it would most areas are pre-wired (i.e. solar, lights, etc).

 

Edited by Bwht4x4, 12 November 2013 - 06:52 AM.