deminimis
Explorer
We just spent two weeks traveling throughout Baja with our truck camper. It performed flawlessly and suffered no ill effects from hitting unmarked topes at 60MPH or pot holes (so of which extend the width of the road) at the same speed, vagos or off-road (well, technically its a road, but not a road in a real sense). So, here it is:
We have a new 2008 carry-over truck camper (purchased in January 2010). When I arrived to pick up the camper (it was several states away), I was floored by the hugeness of the rig. My first thought was "oh, oh, what have I done??"
Quick history. As you may know, Bigfoot closed it doors due to the credit crunch. It was sold on the block to some carpet baggers and then resold to the former operations manager. Bigfoot is now back and running.
Okay, our Bifgoot is big and heavy. Its plusher than we needed (dry bath, for example). Its loaded with goodies like a 6 cf fridge, ac, propane powered Kohler generator, 56 fresh water tank, three-burner range, oven and microwave (who needs an oven -We used it to store cereal boxes and bread), two-sided sink, stereo, LED TV and a DVD player (yes, those were installed by me), toilet, sink, queen bed and tons of storage, etc., etc., etc. Weighs 3,000# as equipped. Add another 500# when you fill that huge water tank all the way.
Again, this is way more truck camper than we were looking for, but things being as they were, we would have been fools not to snatch it up.
So, the review: Near bombproof. Handled the road south of Puertocitos all the way out to Chapala, the horrible, horrible roads out to Ascencion, beaches, a massive sand storm, etc. Very comfortable: The factory matress is an innerspring queen (short queen). It was too firm for a dirt bike rider, so we added 1.5" of memory foam on top of that. Seriously, I haven't slept so well during this trip since I was a kid. We were sleeping 8-10 hours a night straight (not always beer-induced either).
Downside: Its big and heavy. Makes it spacious, comfortable and replete with tons of storage, but its a lot to lug around. Wind resistance is a big factor (approx 12.5 mpg at 60 mph on ULSD and down to 10 MPG at 70 mph). Much of this poor truck mileage is due to newer Chev D-Maxs get crap mileage if the DPF and EGR are left in place, which ours is. However, the noticeable drop in mileage suggests just how big the wind resistance issue is. Width, for us, was no big deal as we have a dually. Our rear fenders are wider than the camper.
Well, rambling a bit now. Quickly: Bombproof construction, luxurious by truck camper standards, but comes at a price in the form of weight and size. Although not touted as a off-road camper, its very capable of doing it so long as you have the room (and the truck that can handle it).
We have a new 2008 carry-over truck camper (purchased in January 2010). When I arrived to pick up the camper (it was several states away), I was floored by the hugeness of the rig. My first thought was "oh, oh, what have I done??"
Quick history. As you may know, Bigfoot closed it doors due to the credit crunch. It was sold on the block to some carpet baggers and then resold to the former operations manager. Bigfoot is now back and running.
Okay, our Bifgoot is big and heavy. Its plusher than we needed (dry bath, for example). Its loaded with goodies like a 6 cf fridge, ac, propane powered Kohler generator, 56 fresh water tank, three-burner range, oven and microwave (who needs an oven -We used it to store cereal boxes and bread), two-sided sink, stereo, LED TV and a DVD player (yes, those were installed by me), toilet, sink, queen bed and tons of storage, etc., etc., etc. Weighs 3,000# as equipped. Add another 500# when you fill that huge water tank all the way.
Again, this is way more truck camper than we were looking for, but things being as they were, we would have been fools not to snatch it up.
So, the review: Near bombproof. Handled the road south of Puertocitos all the way out to Chapala, the horrible, horrible roads out to Ascencion, beaches, a massive sand storm, etc. Very comfortable: The factory matress is an innerspring queen (short queen). It was too firm for a dirt bike rider, so we added 1.5" of memory foam on top of that. Seriously, I haven't slept so well during this trip since I was a kid. We were sleeping 8-10 hours a night straight (not always beer-induced either).
Downside: Its big and heavy. Makes it spacious, comfortable and replete with tons of storage, but its a lot to lug around. Wind resistance is a big factor (approx 12.5 mpg at 60 mph on ULSD and down to 10 MPG at 70 mph). Much of this poor truck mileage is due to newer Chev D-Maxs get crap mileage if the DPF and EGR are left in place, which ours is. However, the noticeable drop in mileage suggests just how big the wind resistance issue is. Width, for us, was no big deal as we have a dually. Our rear fenders are wider than the camper.
Well, rambling a bit now. Quickly: Bombproof construction, luxurious by truck camper standards, but comes at a price in the form of weight and size. Although not touted as a off-road camper, its very capable of doing it so long as you have the room (and the truck that can handle it).
