The TARDIS - A Four Wheel Camper Build

[trasko]

Would going with a Gerber E Tool be to much of a compromise?

Unfortunately I can't give you any real-world advice. I did lust after this guy for awhile:

Glock E-Tool (Amazon)

Just something else to consider if you're looking at the Gerber.

For *me*, I decided at some point that the answer is a plain-ole shovel. Given your strong drive for weight-minimalism and space-efficiency I could see you choosing differently than me. :sombrero: Thanks for sharing all your thoughts with us.

 

[RR1]

What happens when you read an industrial plastics catalog in the washroom?

You find a better storage solution for you camper!

Quantum Storage Systems QDC

These containers have a lot of things going for them, including the fact that there is very little wasted volume. A textured bottom so they do not slide around. They stack and nest. And they have integrated lids.

Number one reason I like them? They are available in the exact same hight as the benches in the FWC, so I can extend the bench to make a sitting area or even a place to sleep.

Betty Mills looks to be the best place to buy them.

Can't put too much weight on the lids, they will deform, not weather proof either. When at camp, most of my bins are outside vehicle.

Action Packer by Rubbermaid is a better choice IMO, YMMV.:elkgrin:

http://www.rubbermaid.com/Category/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?Prod_ID=RP091427

 

[RR1]

Thoughts, ideas?

I don't have the Gerber, but I do have an old school military folding shovel, where Gerber stole the design from.

Ok for digging holes, for relieving oneself, not for any serious recovery work, or even putting out the camp fire.

I carry that, long handle flat nose and a short handle spade. Thought is the short handle is easier to use while close to the vehicle, but I never had a problem with long handled shovels, almost even better if you have to reach under a high centered vehicle. Plus can use it to "safely" knock down the camp fire it gets too large.

That $130 packable inter-changeable handle one looks to be the ticket.

 

[Gear]

What happens when you read an industrial plastics catalog in the washroom?

You find a better storage solution for you camper!

Quantum Storage Systems QDC

These containers have a lot of things going for them, including the fact that there is very little wasted volume. A textured bottom so they do not slide around. They stack and nest. And they have integrated lids.

Number one reason I like them? They are available in the exact same hight as the benches in the FWC, so I can extend the bench to make a sitting area or even a place to sleep.

Betty Mills looks to be the best place to buy them.

These containers look very similar to the ones I have been using for several years now inside my Adventure Trailer. I went with a product made by Akro Mils. They have been almost unbreakable. Out of the 12 containers I had purchased I have only smashed the half of one lid. Early on in my travels to Baja I had placed a 5 lbs propane tank on top of one of the containers inside the trailer. Well I guess it was moving around inside the trailer pretty good because it cracked the hinge on one container. Other than that they have been rock solid. I like the food grade plastic. Just wipe them out at the end of your trip and they are ready to go. I would highly recommend these containers. Here is a link to the ones I got. Purchased thru Fastenal.com

http://www.akro-mils.com/industrial/coupon_display.asp?id=80

Great Thread by the way!

 

[Overland Hadley]

That $130 packable inter-changeable handle one looks to be the ticket.

Last winter was the reason why a full size is always needed. Had to shovel two stuck trucks out of three feet of snow several times over the course of 8 hours.

For *me*, I decided at some point that the answer is a plain-ole shovel. Given your strong drive for weight-minimalism and space-efficiency I could see you choosing differently than me.

A long handled shovel will be so much more usable, but the "weight-minimalism and space-efficiency" side of me might yet win.

Thanks for the thoughts on my shovel dilemma.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Can't put too much weight on the lids, they will deform, not weather proof either. When at camp, most of my bins are outside vehicle.

Action Packer by Rubbermaid is a better choice IMO, YMMV.:elkgrin:

I think you might be right about the lids not holding much weight. I might not be able to use them as couch/bed supports.

At first I was going to use Action Packers, but I just can not stand how much wasted space there is with them.

I am not worried about weather proof-ness, I was even considering open toped containers. I do not want to be moving storage containers in and out at camp.

 

[Overland Hadley]

These containers look very similar to the ones I have been using for several years now inside my Adventure Trailer. I went with a product made by Akro Mils. They have been almost unbreakable. Out of the 12 containers I had purchased I have only smashed the half of one lid. Early on in my travels to Baja I had placed a 5 lbs propane tank on top of one of the containers inside the trailer. Well I guess it was moving around inside the trailer pretty good because it cracked the hinge on one container. Other than that they have been rock solid. I like the food grade plastic. Just wipe them out at the end of your trip and they are ready to go. I would highly recommend these containers. Here is a link to the ones I got. Purchased thru Fastenal.com

http://www.akro-mils.com/industrial/coupon_display.asp?id=80

Can the lids of your containers hold much weight? I am now thinking that they are not strong enough to sit on? But that is not a total deal breaker. Thanks for the report on the Akro Mils product.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Great Thread by the way!

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts with us.

Thanks guys. Glad this thread is useful to others.

 

[Gear]

Can the lids of your containers hold much weight? I am now thinking that they are not strong enough to sit on? But that is not a total deal breaker. Thanks for the report on the Akro Mils product.

Well I got my youngest to take this photograph this morning. Here I am standing on an empty Akro Mils bin. There is maybe a 1/4" of deflection. Oh and for the record I weighted in at 182 lbs. today!

Here is a close up of how the lid supports the weight. Now if you were to put a board over the top of this box. I believe it could support the weight of one of those wheels in the above photograph.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Well I got my youngest to take this photograph this morning. Here I am standing on an empty Akro Mils bin. There is maybe a 1/4" of deflection. Oh and for the record I weighted in at 182 lbs. today!

Here is a close up of how the lid supports the weight. Now if you were to put a board over the top of this box. I believe it could support the weight of one of those wheels in the above photograph.

Wow, thanks for the test! That looks great.

At half the cost and half the weight of a "normal" overland type container, I think these are worth a try. (I would love to have an excuse to buy another stack of Pelican cases, but the weight is just too much.)

 

[upcruiser]

Ok, I have another out of the blue question for you. And perhaps I missed this discussed earlier in the thread... Did you consider a Flippac at all as an alternative to a FWC shell? Curious to hear what your thoughts are comparing the two as far as plusses and minuses. Immediately I am struck by the potential weight and cost savings of a Flippac setup.

 

[Overland Hadley]

FWC V. FlipPac

Ok, I have another out of the blue question for you. And perhaps I missed this discussed earlier in the thread... Did you consider a Flippac at all as an alternative to a FWC shell? Curious to hear what your thoughts are comparing the two as far as plusses and minuses. Immediately I am struck by the potential weight and cost savings of a Flippac setup.

First off I need to say that I think FlipPacs are a great product, they are just not for me. Please keep this in mind when reading the following reasons why I personally do not want a FlipPac.

In random order:

- Resale value. People are selling 5-10 year old used FWC for close to what they paid for them new, and they are selling in hours.

- A FlipPac will have problems with water and dust ingestion. A FWC is a totally sealed camper, no water and no dust to worry about. (I have spent a lot of time working to get my topper sealed and I still have problems with dust and water, mostly because of the composite beds on the Gen2 Tacoma. Depending on the wind direction when driving this can be between a minor annoyance and a major problem requiring lots of time to clean.)

- I feel I can build a better "studio" space in the FWC for working with my camera equipment.

- There is no way to store things on the roof of a FlipPac. I need to at least have the option of carrying two sea kayaks, or a canoe, or a Thule box. I can do this with a FWC.

- A FWC is opened up from the inside, so if it is pouring rain I can stay warm and dry while getting the camper set up. A FlipPac requires being outside and I tend to camp in cold and rainy conditions.

- In the middle of the night a door is easier to open/close from the inside than the tailgate is.

- My personal feeling is that a FWC will handle strong wind while set up better than a FlipPac.

- FWC is easily removable, and the FlipPac is practically permanently mounted. I need to have the truck available as a truck. Plus when not in use I will not be dragging around the extra weight or wind resistance. This is a big deal as my truck is my only vehicle.

- FWC is easier to stealth camp in because it can hang off the back a little, it means that I can sleep my 6'4" body inside my 6' truck bed.

- The swing of a FlipPac means that you can not camp under low hanging branches. And I like to camp under trees.

- FWC is easier to heat, because it is insulated. You can also install a proper permanently mounted heater.

- The fact that the FlipPac needs a separate rainfly is just a joke. Maybe if you live in the southwest and only travel when it rarely rains it would not be as big of a deal. But where and when I travel rain/snow can be a daily occurrence.

- I want to carry the weight of the camper on the frame, not on the bed rails. (Think standing versus sitting on a bike.) I am tiered of having a heavy thing mounted on the bed rails and am looking forward to the weight sitting where it should, on the frame of the truck.

- Weight is closer than you would think. By the time you build in some storage/seating in the truck bed you are about 150lbs different, maybe less. (I worked out exactly what a FlipPac would end up weighing, it was close enough that it did not matter, and you know what a freak about weight I am.)

- Cost is closer than you think between the two. I do not have the numbers in front of me but I think a FlipPac from AT with color match and a windoor is around $5,500. FWC shell is $7,000.

Trust me I have thought long and hard about an AT FlipPac, they are just not for me. (The fact that the weight and cost are not too far off compared to a FWC shell, plus the resale value of the FWC are the main reasons.)

I have though of a situation where the FlipPac really shines, and that is on a quad cab truck with a short 5' bed. On that platform a FlipPac outshines a small camper.

 

[upcruiser]

Great thoughts, thanks for the time. Your concerns would be valid to me too with regards to conditions and wanting to haul things on the roof. I think having to unload a canoe or kayaks for every deployment would be annoying. The other thing I was wondering about specificially was dust, water, and bugs. I know with the cap I had on my Tundra, no see ums and mosquitos could get in, through the gaps along the tailgate. It was really frustrating trying to seal it well enough, I never did. And the weight similarities is a bit of a revelation to me. Thanks for the intel on that.

I agree, most of the setups I see people rocking look like they would work great in dry southwestern conditions but living in snow, rain, mud, etc I think is the test of things as far as I am concerned. You know as I do, that when the wind is cranking, it is raining sideways, or blowing sand sideways, an overhang doesn't cut it. Having a dry place to escape the elements is key and I want to be able to cook and relax out of the elements. I was also curious as to the weather resistance of the Flippac design as it looks a bit thinner than RTT material and I have seen weather that has driven moisture through the seems of mine.

Good point on the mounting as well. All great considerations.

Ok, thanks bud!

 

[Overland Hadley]

Ok, thanks bud!

No problem. Keep the questions coming.

It will be interesting to see how our builds evolve, as we both are looking for a setup that will be comfortable for a couple of months in inclement weather. :ylsmoke:

 

[Overland Hadley]

I have though of a situation where the FlipPac really shines, and that is on a quad cab truck with a short 5' bed. On that platform a FlipPac outshines a small camper.