14 replies to this topic

[walker.malone]

Hi,
New (day two) and very excited member to the forum here, as I go into the final stage of planning for the purchase of my first FWC or ATC camper. Currently camping the west/northwest in a beatup chevy 2wd van, but not for long!
Planning on a 4wd Tacoma extended cab with 4.0/manual.
Deciding between ATC Bobcat and FWC Eagle. Deciding factors include who answers my questions better and faster, inside height (I think it is the same, 6'4), and which layout seems better overall. I also am not sure about the windows. FWC has the "inside" windows, you can shut them without getting soaked in the seemingly never ending rain in the Portland area. Seems like a plus to be able to stay drier. ATC has the "outside" ones. Why?

[marty]

Hi, the Bobcat has four large windows on the inside of the side liner. They operate from the inside. They also have outside storm flaps that operate from the outside. You can roll them up and leave them up most of the time. When you need them they will make all the difference. I will measure the inside height of a Bobcat today and email it to you. Marty

[Ted]

Walker.Malone,

Welcome to the forum. Whichever camper you end up with, you will enjoy the move up from the van. As to the windows, like Marty said, both manafacturers have the clear window part that velcroes shut on the inside. ATC has the flaps on the outside but FWC stopped putting those on in 2004. We have a 2003 FWC and I really like having the flaps. Like Marty said, most of the time they are rolled up and left that way. But on rainy days and hot sunny days, I set them up with two 16" boards with velcro on each end like a small awning. This way you can have the window open but keep out the rain or direct sunlight. This isn't a big enough issue to decide between one manafacturer or the other, but I do wish FWC had not stopped installing these.

Ted

[ski3pin]

Walker, my assumption is that you are talking about the storm flaps ATC puts on the outside of the sideliner -tent material. Otherwise I believe the inside flaps on ATC and FWC are similar. The stormflaps add to the weatherproofness of the sideliner. You can find on this forum photos of simple attachments folks have come up with to prop these open on an angle. We went with ATC installing a new sideliner in our older FWC because of the stormflaps, the quality of the liner material, and the installed attachments for the optional arctic pack. Good luck with your decision.

[ScottBailey]

My advice: it probably doesn't matter. The storm flags are kind of a PITA, but if you ended up needing them I guess they'd quit being a PITA; however, we don't see many complaints about this one way or the other....

So, it probably doesn't matter.

[chnlisle]

Roll'm up and forget'm til y'need'm

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

The exterior window flaps make great little awnings in direct sun, rain or snow. They also, when down, help keep water out of the interior if your driving in heavy rain for hours.

I guess they might be a PITA if you can't spare the minute it takes to set them up.

Stew

[craig333]

Stew, the only problem is, short people like me need to bring along a ladder or perform some kind of contortionist act to get them down.

[Bseek]

Craig333
Can you give me more information about the dog bed in the photo above? Where did you get it and how much?

[craig333]

Thats made by Paha Que. Very high quality. Has its own carrying case and a rainfly. Sets up in thirty seconds. Dog likes it. But, I don't see it on the Paha Que website now. This place has one.
http://www.alpinecam...r_p_61-383.html
May need to get one if they've stopped making them.