agreed
Supertramp Flagship HT Hard-sided Slide-in Pickup Camper
- Thread starter Chadx
- Start date
Adding some images where the hardtop joins the tub.
Through a proprietary process, the hard top is bonded to the tub. The roof section is painted (be that the standard white or one of the optional paint colors). The trim, molded into the hard top, is masked and coated a contrasting color with a Raptor/Rhino type liner. The trim overhangs the lower section and is bonded to ensure long term weather tightness.
Through a proprietary process, the hard top is bonded to the tub. The roof section is painted (be that the standard white or one of the optional paint colors). The trim, molded into the hard top, is masked and coated a contrasting color with a Raptor/Rhino type liner. The trim overhangs the lower section and is bonded to ensure long term weather tightness.
Nope im still about a month out. It looks like they took some of the advice in this thread and color matched the seam. There is a black HT coming soon that im looking forward to seeing!
Did you see the North-South sleeping option? looks pretty ************.
Anyone have any thoughts about keeping that front window on the camper clean from bugs? There are a couple other rigs with a similar situation (Megatron for one). I also worry about rocks, etc. It's nice having the open view, but still. Of course, the popup units don't have to worry about this.
On the leading edge of all of our previously owned and current pop-top campers (and hood of our pickup for that matter), a good layer of wax (when brand new and then after thorough seasonal cleaning), makes bug removal much easier. I suspect the same strategy would apply to glass or acrylic windows on a cabover.
Key to bug removal is a good soak to soften bug exoskeletons. And then get the scrapy bits mostly spray off before toucging. After sitting out in the rain for a few hours is a great time. Bug and tar remover is also good at loosening before spraying off. Just avoid scrubbing with wash mitt when all those bug remains are on there as they are very abrasive. High pressure wash them off first so mitt-wash is just the final layer.
Once perfectly clean, or when brand new, a layer of wipe on wax or spray on wipe off wax will give a nice protective layer so future bugs won't stick as well so easier to spray off.
I imagine these acrylic windows will handle rocks better than glass ones, but time will tell. We drag our pop-top through branches the way it is, so HT won't work on our mountain trails, unfortunately. If we were only in more open areas, I think we'd get an HT as I really love the benefits and feel of the hard top. And the driving dynamics were surprisingly similar to pop-top.
Key to bug removal is a good soak to soften bug exoskeletons. And then get the scrapy bits mostly spray off before toucging. After sitting out in the rain for a few hours is a great time. Bug and tar remover is also good at loosening before spraying off. Just avoid scrubbing with wash mitt when all those bug remains are on there as they are very abrasive. High pressure wash them off first so mitt-wash is just the final layer.
Once perfectly clean, or when brand new, a layer of wipe on wax or spray on wipe off wax will give a nice protective layer so future bugs won't stick as well so easier to spray off.
I imagine these acrylic windows will handle rocks better than glass ones, but time will tell. We drag our pop-top through branches the way it is, so HT won't work on our mountain trails, unfortunately. If we were only in more open areas, I think we'd get an HT as I really love the benefits and feel of the hard top. And the driving dynamics were surprisingly similar to pop-top.
For anyone wanting to see a Supertramp Flagship LT and HT in person, Supertramp crew are bringing the HT (and using our LT) at the Adventure Van Expo in Bozeman, MT on Saturday August 16 and Sunday August 17. I'll be lingering around their booth Sunday (gofer/guy friday duties for the team and chatting campers) if anyone wants to swing in and say hi.
https://adventurevanexpo.com/bozeman/
Full list of their shows for the rest of this year if you want to take a peek:
Adventure Van Expo: Bozeman, Montana
August 16th & 17th
901 N Black Ave, Bozeman, MT 59715
Overland Expo Mountain West
August 22nd - 24th
5280 Arena Cir, Loveland, CO 80538
Sonoma Adventure & Powersports Show
September 13th & 14th
1350 Bennett Valley Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Adventure Van Expo: Lake Tahoe, CA
September 20th & 21st
1985 Olympic Vly Rd, Olympic Valley, CA 96146
Adventure Van Expo: San Juan Capistrano, CA
October 4th & 5th
30753 Avenida La Pata, Mission Viejo, CA 92675
https://adventurevanexpo.com/bozeman/
Full list of their shows for the rest of this year if you want to take a peek:
Adventure Van Expo: Bozeman, Montana
August 16th & 17th
901 N Black Ave, Bozeman, MT 59715
Overland Expo Mountain West
August 22nd - 24th
5280 Arena Cir, Loveland, CO 80538
Sonoma Adventure & Powersports Show
September 13th & 14th
1350 Bennett Valley Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Adventure Van Expo: Lake Tahoe, CA
September 20th & 21st
1985 Olympic Vly Rd, Olympic Valley, CA 96146
Adventure Van Expo: San Juan Capistrano, CA
October 4th & 5th
30753 Avenida La Pata, Mission Viejo, CA 92675
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Cross-posting from the LT thread...
Camper Van Expo (Bozeman, MT locale) complete. Was fun hanging out in the booth on Sunday and chatting campers and pickups with folks. Was so busy chatting and looking around the show I almost forgot to click a few pics, but grabbed these right as the show closed.
Camper Van Expo (Bozeman, MT locale) complete. Was fun hanging out in the booth on Sunday and chatting campers and pickups with folks. Was so busy chatting and looking around the show I almost forgot to click a few pics, but grabbed these right as the show closed.
I’m in the market for a truck camper, this is on the list but it would have been incredibly nice to have a monocoque shell. My concerns are durability, thermal bridging/leaking with this seam. I live in Alaska and will see extremes and need to know that this is going to endure those elements as it can often be the difference in being comfortable or even being in danger.
Well, you basically have two monocoque shells joined in this case. Does that count? Ha. There are no internal frames or other structure for the vacuum-infused tub nor the one piece upper half. The two structures are bonded around the entire seam, on two planes, with the proprietary process. And in addition to being permanently bonded, there is the several inch tall trim, which is an extension of the upper mold of the roof section, that hangs down around the entire seam, protecting it even more.
These shells don't have frames and so there is no thermal bridging anywhere on the shell. I winter camped in an HT for four days/three nights with night time temps at 15F, 3F and 17F (ambient temp; not wind chill). The only frost was on the aluminum frames of the Arctic Tern windows when I opened the window shades in the morning. Had full water on board and only minor issue was a couple inche section of the gray water tank drain-hose had iced up when I tried to drain it first thing in the morning. The water tank and two gray water tanks are in the heated basement inside the insulated envelope, so no freezing issues with those. In this case, that sink's gray water drain hose was touching the uninsulated aluminum door overnight so the one little section that was touching the door iced up. Simple solution was tucking the drain hose a bit further back so it's wasn't resting directly on the door and it thawed out. One could also could put something insulating between the door and hose. I'm leaving our LT on all winter this year (had removed it last winter), so I'm going to proactively insulate my gray water door.
While the HT is a new model camper, it's really only the windowed hardwall part of the top section that is new for this model. While issues are possible with any new design, in my experience, everything in these campers is overengineered and well thought out and done. Since the main camper tub and roof section itself have been used for the LT for several years, it's really been put through it's paces by a lot of owners. I'd be confident that the HT will hold up. I, for one, drive trails with our LT that are rigourout enough that my wife often gets out and walks rather than rides. Ha. A wheel off the ground is a common occurrence. No structural issues to date (took delivery of our LT in March 2024 so have run it two seasons so far). If you have any specific concerns or questions, hit up the STC team directly as they are really open about talking through any questions or concerns.
Informationally, below is a picture of the window frame frost after opening the shade in the morning it was 3F (ambient; not wind chill). Pretty reasonable considering the temp.
Thank you for that information. I do think there is a big difference in 3 degrees and negative 20 degrees. Maybe it’s unreasonable for me to even consider camper use in these temperatures that we see here. Life is just a little different here. Maybe I could add in some insulation to areas of concern. Insulation between window and blinds, maybe some form of hanging insulation to create an extra air gap? Not sure some easy solutions but conservative of fuel for heating is nice and also maintaining a comfortable environment to lodge/rest in is important but not as important as being safe in harsh environments. Alaska is not forgiving.