Forum Discussion

JN99's avatar
JN99
Explorer
Nov 13, 2019

Arctic Fox's change to cheaper-looking cabinetry ...

I'm really disappointed in the change for the 2020 cabinets in the Arctic Fox truck campers. So much so that it has stopped me from purchasing one. It's not only the new color that I don't like, but that the wrapped wood around the cabinet doors (face frame) looks like something from the 1970s, and that it may start to peel. It just looks awful to me. The cabinet face doors don't even match the color of the wrapped wood anymore! Look at the 2017-2018 models - the wood color was perfect and everything matched and looked of higher quality. Even the spice rack / book shelf looks to now have that ugly wrapped wood:

https://northwoodmfg.com/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/Camper/990/Camper_990_Windswept_Serenity__(13).jpg?bwg=1559065350

https://northwoodmfg.com/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/Camper/990/Camper_990_Windswept_Serenity__(15).jpg?bwg=1559065350

I don't know what they are thinking. I really like Arctic Fox but this is, in my opinion, a terrible decision. It has ruined it for me. I've also read that they have raised prices 8% for the 2020 model -- so they want me to pay much more for what I consider much less now. I'm not paying $40,000 or more to have to look at that ugly wrapped wood all the time that doesn't even match the cabinet doors. The cabinetry is one of the most important things to get right and they had it right, which makes it all the more disappointing.
  • My 2018 "Silver Fox" is wrapped as well.



    While the finish is totally fake, it's well done with 3D grain patterns and matches the real wood doors perfectly. The wrapped wood is some kind of lesser grade solid wood. Quality of workmanship is terrible. 90% of screws are stripped, every door and drawer front was crooked. The list goes on and on.
    Last NW product for me.
    I'm glad to see they're moving towards lighter color wood but that's hideous. Looks like a badly done cherry.
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    I looked at an Arctic Fox 29-5K 5th wheel at the Portland RV show, and saw the same poor cabinetry. Rails and stiles didn't fit flush. I was really disappointed.
  • My understanding is the cabinet doors are the same wood as before, just stained a new color. The wrapped part is the face frame (everything but the doors) as shown in the links I gave above. If you look at the 2017-2018 years, the face frame looks to be real wood (not laminated or wrapped). It may have been wrapped as well but the new version definitely looks cheap to me. Just look at those links I gave and compare them to the wood of 2017-2018 years.
  • That's why there are different manufactures. I looked at the 2020 5er's and TT's and didn't notice anything like that. Go look at something else, we found Lance to be cheesy and bought an AF in 04.
  • Gotta admit, not matching is bad. Are you suggesting that the new cabinets are "wrapped" like vinyl/laminate not real wood? If so, that's cheap.

    As far as looking like the 70's, well, everything that is old is new again. I could say the same bout my 80s/90's looking oak looking cabinets with cheezy gold hardware in the 03 we have and 06 we had. It's a camper, make it functional, make it look outdoorsy. Not like a custom home from 1988 or 1978!
    Maybe some nice knotty alder with a light stain, or a distressed farmhouse looking painted cabinets or how about save 500lbs and get rid of the 1000bf of lumber inside and get lightweight and look more like a Cirrus or those upside down campers that RobertRyan posts up?