The Cross Country
https://overlandex.com/back-country-2/ was the first shell they offered starting last year. Based on the CAMP-X (Back Country), it comes with propane, Truma heater, all house battery wiring (including Victron DC/DC charger, USB and 12V outlets), roof vent/fan, etc. Will be interesting if they offer true shells (no heater, wiring, etc.) or stick with the "mostly shell" model. Better yet, offer selection of à la carte add-on to the shell to build out exactly where you want it.
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Here is how I'd have a Hudson Bay built if customization were offered:
- Standard build with propane, water, Truma heater and water heater, etc. but minus the164L built-in fridge. I'd like storage shelving in that place to hold cube bags like an AT Overland Aterra XL.
- The front storage cabinet that now holds the batteries cut down to be a short cabinet on which I'd place a Luna 90 top-load, chest fridge. The cabinet height is just enough to hold batteries and with chest fridge on top, becomes nice step access in and out of the cabover (we sleep east west and so prefer to access near the wall rather than in the middle like is required by current Hudson Bay design)
- We'd have a large battery bank and inverter to power one induction burner, 120v outlets in the cabin and I'd wire a 120v exterior outlet which I'd use with extension cord and portable induction cooktop, battery chargers for eMTB, electric dirtbikes, charging fishing boat batteries, etc. Just nice to have an external 120v outlet for many things.
- Four solar panels on the roof rather than two and appropriately sized solar controller.
- Black countertop on all surfaces rather than bamboo.
- Galley countertop with no sink and no stovetop and no cutouts, but all propane and water lines stubbed out.
- The countertop would later be cut for different model sink and cooktop.
- The sink would be larger/deeper (even if I had to eliminate storage space below it and have a nice, separate, fixed faucet (not fold down) and a separate filtered drinking water dispenser.
- The built-in stovetop would have one propane burner and one induction burner.
- Option for different color/material for seat cushion or, offer a 'cushion delete' with associated discount and we'd have seat cushions custom made locally with the fabric of our choice.
- Mattress delete option (we've never used any of the mattresses in any of our campers. We remove and store them and put in our custom foam/memory foam mattress).
I'd change a few other minor things along the way.
- Replace interior LED dome light with perimeter string lights, as previously discussed.
- Change/add some plumbing fittings for the exterior shower lines so they can not only be isolated, as they are now, but drained independently of the main lines after they are isolated. This let's one isolate and drain rather than requiring the entire system be winterized, then isolating those lines, then rest of system be de-winterized (which you can't really do anyway since those lines are dead-headed if the valves are off, so you can flush out the antifreeze. No good way currently to get the water out of the lines once you isolate the outside shower unit. Would be a nice touch to be able to not only isolate, but drain the lines that run to the exterior fittings.
- Redesign that shower pan to get it slammed right down against the floor. Last redesign helped, but it's still elevated and short headroom. Get that pan all the way down to the floor to give nearly the full headroom of the main cabin (minus 1" or so for angled floor pan). Then, with the current grate system, you still have foot-support when seated at the dinette and also have a large storage space (that would have to be removed when using the shower, but gives valuable storage space all other times).
I've given much of this feedback to Mark and Arnold and hopefully some if it will trickle into future versions or can be made available on a "custom build" basis.
