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Another new Outfitter Caribou 6.5 Lite


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#11 gbail

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Posted 02 May 2015 - 09:14 PM

Thx for sharing. Looks like a great, customized rig.

I've also been thinking of buying an Outfitter for my Chevy k2500HD, but I was put off quite a bit by how poorly they seem to be thought of in some of the online posts I had found.

I'd love to hear of your experience with your after you've had the chance to put it to test this summer.

Edited by gbail, 03 May 2015 - 01:55 AM.

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#12 4wanderers

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Posted 04 May 2015 - 03:34 AM

Hi Gbail,

 

Sure just send me another note.  Drove it from Denver to BC, Canada when I picked it up and so far so good. Truck handles it well ( though I will add airbags to stiffen it up ) although one slight negative was the fuel economy.   I was very surprised by how much impact the camper had on it.   In US gallon terms we found it dropped to as low as 12mpg.  Now that was at 75mph across Montana into a direct ( and strong ) headwind.  We don't usually go that fast and it improved quite a bit at 60 and once the wind died down.  So much for the camper taking it down an mpg or two - more like 5 !   I would not be happy with any less than 16mpg but it seems like we will need to baby it to get that.  I'd be curious to hear what mpg people are getting with lightweight pop up campers on 1/2 ton pickups.

 

Can already tell you we are very glad we went north south on the bed, got the larger fridge, and storage either side of the bed - the camper is very light on for storage otherwise.

 

Am curious......what are they saying on the other site ?


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#13 Ethergore

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Posted 14 July 2015 - 12:04 AM

Updates on how your liking this camper?
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#14 4wanderers

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Posted 14 July 2015 - 03:30 AM

Still going strong and performing well. There are of course minor annoying little things that probably crop up on most campers but overall I would say we are happy. Things we like:

1. size inside seems just right, get lots of comments on sleek, low profile look, appreciate larger fridge

2. definitely appreciate the north south bed arrangement and extra storage that comes with it ( we had custom made )

3. Lithium battery a godsend....why does anyone still use the heavy, clunky lead acid type ( I think they will be like black and white TV's in 2 or 3 years ).... Lasts long and half the weight

4. Everyone comments on the mock hardwood floor...they love it ( custom choice - did not like Bob's standard option ) along with cassette toilet

Things we would change/ did not like:

1. structure is very sound or so it seems but finish is not as good as 4Wheel.....some annoying loose ends were left and they ignored some of my specific requests. That said they were more open to customization than 4wheel which we liked.

2. Had the roof raised 2" so we had a deeper mattress and the ability to sit up with camper roof in down position. Now it does not fit in my garage (my fault ) and my head still touches the roof when the roof is down. Not sure I would do this if I had my time over ! Seems to have pushed up the weight too

3. It seems to weigh much more than we expected......Bob suggested that based on my mods it would be about 975lbs. We seem to be closer to 1150-1200

4. Minor peeve ( and I missed this ) - it is 84 inches wide and thus extends 2" over either side of the standard 1/2 ton truck. I can fix the optics of this with fender flares and negative offset rims creating a wider stance ( but, more $$$$ ). Better to have the camper fit within the width of the truck.....most are 80". That said the extra space is nice !!!

If buying just be VERY specific about what you want and don't assume anything.....cabinet knobs were not what we asked for and placement of sink and cooker on counter were not where we wanted despite pretty specific instructions. Can't change them now !
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#15 rfg

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Posted 17 July 2015 - 09:18 PM

3. It seems to weigh much more than we expected......Bob suggested that based on my mods it would be about 975lbs. We seem to be closer to 1150-1200

Have you had it weighed? I still haven't done that with mine and I'm curious.
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2012 F350 Crew Cab SRW Diesel 6.75' bed
Outfitter Caribou Lite 6.5


#16 4wanderers

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 06:19 AM

Once, but not accurately as I weighed the truck without camper then with camper but at different times. Camper is off the truck now and stored so I wont weigh it for a while but when I do I will be very specific and share the details with you. I would be curious too because you went with a 12 inch cabover and I went with a 10" and I think it has added more weight than Bob estimated. Let me know if/when you do yours and whether you have camper tanks full and jacks on.
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#17 keyprop

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Posted 03 September 2018 - 04:32 PM

Now that it has been a few years, what is your review of the Caribou lite?


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#18 4wanderers

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Posted 03 September 2018 - 07:52 PM

Not much changed from before .

Bigger fridge and lithium battery are huge assets, and we love the cassette toilet and use it often when boondocking on a cold night. We really like the north south sleeping arrangement but the quality of the slide out ( extended ) is flimsy and finicky to push in. We will rebuild it like the 4wheel version which glides effortlessly ( again, one of those Outfitter quality misses ).

If you get a swing arm table, do NOT get the version Bob supplies. It is poor quality and the teeth on the ratchet arm have already worn. ‘ Lagun’ make the best one for just slightly more money - we will be getting one .

I would also not get the Attwood / Suburban furnace - too loud, can’t control fan speed and uses a lot of propane. Way, way more capacity than needed for the camper. Get a Propex ( smaller, quieter and much more efficient ) if you want to run propane or an Eberspacher diesel/gasoline heater if you want the Rolls Royce of heaters and avoid introducing a 3rd fuel type. The heater they sell is huge and takes up space that could be an ( invaluable ) drawer/ cabinet .......you will find storage is very limited in this rig ( but we knew that ).

Lastly, do not put anything on the roof - we ordered a rear awning ( said to be 15 lbs ) and it was in fact very close to double that. We could not figure out why the roof was so heavy to lift, my wife cannot manage it by herself, and so we removed the awning. The roof is now far more manageable to lift. For us it was a waste of almost $600.

That’s all I can think of for now 😊
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#19 smlobx

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Posted 03 September 2018 - 09:31 PM

We have the North / South bed in our Hallmark and love the layout and additional storage it provides.

Do you know what brand of Lithium batteries you have? I've been thinking of upgrading as my wet cell batteries are on the way out.
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#20 4wanderers

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Posted 03 September 2018 - 11:48 PM

Yes, they are ‘Relion’ brand and have served us well - no issue so far. We paid just over $1,000 USD for a 100amp unit. Quick to charge, light weight and run down to 0%. We also have Progressive Dynamics lithium compatible charger.
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