33 replies to this topic

[WestyWanderer]

Awesome, thanks for the thoughts. What about the Northstar? I'm aware of its wooden frame, and I'm not really leaning that way, I'm just trying to explore ALL options.

[highz]

The dry weight of the Northstar uses up your GVWR, just like the Palomino. I can't speak to their durability.

I was asking the same questions about the same brands as you when I was camper hunting. I finally concluded that I would only put an FWC or ATC on my small truck. Any other camper would put the truck chronically way over the GVWR. Even with the FWC, I usually run right at or a couple hundred pounds over the GVWR - and that includes not carrying heavy gear.

There are some good folks here that scour Craigslist and post what's available. If you can travel and have the money in hand, the right camper will show up. There are many more in California than where I live!

One camper available now that wasn't when I was looking is the Caribou Lite 6.5. It appears comparable to the ATC/FWC. I imagine there aren't many used ones around yet, but it's worth looking into.

[Argonaut20]

What HighZ said. X 2 You might think about a shell from ATC or FWC then building it out over time as a way of saving money initially. The used camper alert does turn up used deals, but be ready to move when they show up. Get the money in hand so you can deal immediately.

[WestyWanderer]

I will definitely keep my eyes peeled, I would love a FWC. I have the money and am ready to go, just need the right camper!!!!! Thanks again guys for all the help, I really appreciate it.

The New Guy,

Brent

[generubin]

I feel like I repeat myself over and over again here. If you go over payload, someone is going to get hurt by poor braking at some point in time. And when that happens, and if you hurt another party in an accident, there will be an investigation. And if it is found you are driving a vehicle that is over loaded, you will be considered negligent. It will cost you dearly financially and emotionally if a someone is hurt or killed. Please do not overload your trucks past recommended payload. It is unsafe for you and unfair to others on the road who may be hurt by your actions.

Springs and airbags do not increase a truck's payload. They do nothing to address chassis strength,axle strenght, braking, drive-train strength nor tendency for rollover. Airbags, in fact, put the greatest load on the chassis in a particularly weak location. If you must, please use overload springs, not bags.

[craig333]

I own what I own because I felt my old rig was going to kill me. I've told this story before. My old rig was overloaded. I had a full tire blowout (instant, not a nice slow leak) while towing my jeep. I had full size camper at the time. If it wasn't for my jeep, at least i think, and a straight stretch of road I might not be here to tell this story. I think the jeep acted as an anchor keeping the truck straight. If it had happened an hour later in the canyon I hesitate to think what might have happened. I ditched the truck and camper days later. I don't know what may finally do me in but I don't want it to be from a poor vehicle choice. I"m not wealthy, it stretched my finances to get a new truck and camper. I drive my truck daily. More than a few times its saved me from rear ending someone on my commute. My old truck was hit the brakes and pray, not fun. Just my two cents. Do what you think you need to do.

[porscha356]

Awesome, thanks for the thoughts. What about the Northstar? I'm aware of its wooden frame, and I'm not really leaning that way, I'm just trying to explore ALL options.

There is an awful lot of bias on this site towards FWC, ATC, Alaska, etc., the campers that have been exclusively represented here for years. I have no knock on their quality or build integrity/design, but you should not rule out Northstar or any other brand if it suits your wallet or taste.
I have visited the FWC factory, talked to the owner and put feet into all the offerings, similar with ATC. I have done the same with Northstar albeit in a dealship in CA not the factory in Iowa. In my observation, Northstar popups may be heavier but they are a tad larger and have more standard equipment. They also offer an extended bed which allows you to sleep north-south and keep a mattress up above without moving cushions around and having to sleep in the cracks between them like in the others. FWC et.al.offer a pretty spartan, cramped environment as a basic package. When you start adding on the stuff you want the price and weight goes up exponentially.
Bottom line: if you expect to be off road and trailblazing like Kit Carson, maybe the all aluminum welded frame, lower weight and lower profile (a few inches) is just the ticket. However, if you are not so inclined to beat the bush on a regular basis, you can readily accomplish the occasional foray onto the Canyon Rim Trail or wherever in a Northstar, Outfitter, Hallmark or other quality brand and have a bit more room and comfort to boot!

[JHa6av8r]

Rotti, generubin,& Craig333 seem to be some of the only ones thank speak the truth about operating at or over, in some cases way over, GVWR. Everything mentioned by generubin is what led me to sell my Titan Crew Cab and get a 1 ton. Then it was a search for the lightest camper we could get with the things we needed and wanted with none of the fluff. I thought the Northstar was going to be it for us, but after comparing it to FWC didn't IMO have the quality we wanted. Really think how you will use it which sounds like you have. Lot of good suggestions here. Keep you eyes open and be ready to move. There are more than a couple of stories here where the right camper showed up unexpectedly and there's a new happy owner.

[JHa6av8r]

There is an awful lot of bias on this site towards FWC, ATC, Alaska, etc., the campers that have been exclusively represented here for years. I have no knock on their quality or build integrity/design, but you should not rule out Northstar or any other brand if it suits your wallet or taste.
I have visited the FWC factory, talked to the owner and put feet into all the offerings, similar with ATC. I have done the same with Northstar albeit in a dealship in CA not the factory in Iowa. In my observation, Northstar popups may be heavier but they are a tad larger and have more standard equipment. They also offer an extended bed which allows you to sleep north-south and keep a mattress up above without moving cushions around and having to sleep in the cracks between them like in the others. FWC et.al.offer a pretty spartan, cramped environment as a basic package. When you start adding on the stuff you want the price and weight goes up exponentially.
Bottom line: if you expect to be off road and trailblazing like Kit Carson, maybe the all aluminum welded frame, lower weight and lower profile (a few inches) is just the ticket. However, if you are not so inclined to beat the bush on a regular basis, you can readily accomplish the occasional foray onto the Canyon Rim Trail or wherever in a Northstar, Outfitter, Hallmark or other quality brand and have a bit more room and comfort to boot!

I researched and considered everything you mentioned here and thought the Northstar was wanted i wanted until I actually started touching and feeling. My Grandby Silver Spur with a front dinette configuration is anything but spartan and cramped. It's me, my wife, & soon to be 5 year old son and everything we take is stowed away easily.

[Greatbasinguide]

Although this is an old thread, I thought I would toss my two cents in.  I have a Palomino Bronco on a long bed king cab F250.  I have it because the person who sold me the truck told me she wasn't going to take it off. So from a spartan camper on my old truck 2004 Ford F350 Diesel, I now have hot and cold running water, a commode, a shower inside and a shower outside, furnace, threeway fridge and  AC.  Pretty plush for me, a long way from the granite mountain ledges and small tent out in the Sierra with Doug Stewart and other wanderers. 

 

I use my camper when on horse group outings, or on work projects, having the commode saves me from porta potties, shared with a couple hundred people, coming in hot, sweaty and sticky after pushing cows or wandering mountain trails a hot shower is a heckuva nice thing. After years of ski mountaineering and climbing and waking up to frozen boots and water bottles, that furnace is rather nice.  I have never used the AC as it requires 3,000 watts and 110, and I am never in a place with hookups.

 

 

 

Most of my driving includes towing a horse trailer and a lot of dirt road miles.  I have had no problems with the camper aside from door fit, which can be adjusted using shims under the bed rails.  The Palomino is what it is, keeps the rain out and and like everything else is a series of tradeoffs and compromises. The only real question for a potential purchaser of any camper, or anything is: what are the compromises and tradeoffs that work for that purchaser.