Host Ind. BS

Obviously, not all options of any product are compatible. Campers are the same.

You can order them any way you want from Host. I bought my Rainer as a Double Slide, but there are singles as well.

Sounds like you only want the option of the heaviest camper with least storage. Or, do you want Host to have more model names?

hbski wrote:
Does anyone know of any other truck camper manufacturers who advertise their multi-slide campers with the slides being "options".

Looking at a 2015 Host Everest and they want to charge 2940 for the rear slide and 1750 for the kitchen slide. If the rear slide isn't there you wouldn't be able to have the couch and if the kitchen slide isn't there you cannot use the bathroom. They also do not include them in the base weight.

Kind of like going to buy a car and them telling you the doors and wheels are extra.

I think most of the multi slide campers are like this. They aren't trying to disguise the price, rather, they are trying to disguise the true weight of the camper. By listing the slides as optional they don't have to calculate those into the base weight and it appears much lighter. The fellow I bought my Everest from said he looked online and the dry weight was listed at like 3000 lbs. That was of course with zero extra slides and options. He ended up having to sell it to me because it was so heavy with the weight of the triple slides.

If you look on the Host web page it lists the dry weight of the Everest @ 3295 lbs... but they also conveniently note (with 1-slide). This makes it look much more appealing than listing the dry weight @ ~5,000 lbs which is closer to the true weight when you factor in all 3 slides and option upgrades (AC, Generator, Awning, etc...) Easy way for dealers to make a fat pig look like a supermodel so they can say "SURE THIS TRIPLE SLIDE WILL WORK FINE ON YOUR F150!" :)

On another note, just about all of the multi slides are fully optioned out. I've seen probably 35-40 Host Everest/Mammoth campers and have only seen *ONE* camper (Host Everest) that did not have all 3 slides. It was an Everest without the rear slide which had an enormous wardrobe closet in the rear corner of the camper. Similarly, with the Chalet TS116, virtually every one is going to have all 3 slides. I have seen a double slide of that particular floor plan without the Kitchen slide however, but again, that is not the norm.

As far as the new Everest design, I'm not quite sure how the options would work. I'm fairly certain you would be required to have at minimum the kitchen and dinette slides because of the split floorplan design. On the older Everest design the dinette slide was required and the kitchen and rear were optional.

jimh425 wrote:
Obviously, not all options of any product are compatible. Campers are the same.

You can order them any way you want from Host. I bought my Rainer as a Double Slide, but there are singles as well.

Sounds like you only want the option of the heaviest camper with least storage. Or, do you want Host to have more model names?

Obviously, but in this case if you do not get the kitchen slide you physically cannot reach the bathroom. For this floor plan the kitchen slide is not an option it is mandatory.

thejustin wrote:

hbski wrote:
Does anyone know of any other truck camper manufacturers who advertise their multi-slide campers with the slides being "options".

Looking at a 2015 Host Everest and they want to charge 2940 for the rear slide and 1750 for the kitchen slide. If the rear slide isn't there you wouldn't be able to have the couch and if the kitchen slide isn't there you cannot use the bathroom. They also do not include them in the base weight.

Kind of like going to buy a car and them telling you the doors and wheels are extra.

I think most of the multi slide campers are like this. They aren't trying to disguise the price, rather, they are trying to disguise the true weight of the camper. By listing the slides as optional they don't have to calculate those into the base weight and it appears much lighter. The fellow I bought my Everest from said he looked online and the dry weight was listed at like 3000 lbs. That was of course with zero extra slides and options. He ended up having to sell it to me because it was so heavy with the weight of the triple slides.

If you look on the Host web page it lists the dry weight of the Everest @ 3295 lbs... but they also conveniently note (with 1-slide). This makes it look much more appealing than listing the dry weight @ ~5,000 lbs which is closer to the true weight when you factor in all 3 slides and option upgrades (AC, Generator, Awning, etc...) Easy way for dealers to make a fat pig look like a supermodel so they can say "SURE THIS TRIPLE SLIDE WILL WORK FINE ON YOUR F150!" :)

On another note, just about all of the multi slides are fully optioned out. I've seen probably 35-40 Host Everest/Mammoth campers and have only seen *ONE* camper (Host Everest) that did not have all 3 slides. It was an Everest without the rear slide which had an enormous wardrobe closet in the rear corner of the camper. Similarly, with the Chalet TS116, virtually every one is going to have all 3 slides. I have seen a double slide of that particular floor plan without the Kitchen slide however, but again, that is not the norm.

As far as the new Everest design, I'm not quite sure how the options would work. I'm fairly certain you would be required to have at minimum the kitchen and dinette slides because of the split floorplan design. On the older Everest design the dinette slide was required and the kitchen and rear were optional.

Actually Chalet, makes and advertises that camper as a dual slide and a triple slide DS116FB & TS116FB which is a more ethical approach. (Made actually as I understand their Truck camper factory roof collapsed last year and they haven't gotten it going again as of yet).

One option you will definitely need is the biggest truck available to haul one of those monsters

hbski wrote:
Looking at a 2015 Host Everest and they want to charge 2940 for the rear slide and 1750 for the kitchen slide. If the rear slide isn't there you wouldn't be able to have the couch and if the kitchen slide isn't there you cannot use the bathroom. They also do not include them in the base weight.

Kind of like going to buy a car and them telling you the doors and wheels are extra.

That's like Arctic Fox saying the slide-out is an option on the 811, 990, 992... well, ALL their models!

hbski wrote:
Obviously, but in this case if you do not get the kitchen slide you physically cannot reach the bathroom. For this floor plan the kitchen slide is not an option it is mandatory.

My guess is there is an alternate floorplan. If you are interested in the model, I'd contact Host to find out if they have something else in mind or that the order form is wrong.

jimh425 wrote:

hbski wrote:
Obviously, but in this case if you do not get the kitchen slide you physically cannot reach the bathroom. For this floor plan the kitchen slide is not an option it is mandatory.

My guess is there is an alternate floorplan. If you are interested in the model, I'd contact Host to find out if they have something else in mind or that the order form is wrong.

Oh, I have inquired. Mostly here I am just complaining about what I feel is an unethical practice. The 2 Aspens, Everest, and Mammoth all require more than one slide to function.

Those along with the Chinook, Shasta and Cascade are all marketed as multi-slide campers, yet all only include one slide in both the weight and cost. Something that is unique to Host from what I can tell by visiting the websites of Lance, Arctic Fox, Chalet, and Eagle Cap for instance.

hbski wrote:

Actually Chalet, makes and advertises that camper as a dual slide and a triple slide DS116FB & TS116FB which is a more ethical approach. (Made actually as I understand their Truck camper factory roof collapsed last year and they haven't gotten it going again as of yet).

They also offer a triple slide version of the DS116RB floor plan with an optional rear wardrobe slide that isn't advertised on thier TC page. By your logic, do you consider this "unethical"?

hbski wrote:


Oh, I have inquired. Mostly here I am just complaining about what I feel is an unethical practice. The 2 Aspens, Everest, and Mammoth all require more than one slide to function.

Those along with the Chinook, Shasta and Cascade are all marketed as multi-slide campers, yet all only include one slide in both the weight and cost. Something that is unique to Host from what I can tell by visiting the websites of Lance, Arctic Fox, Chalet, and Eagle Cap for instance.

If you are dissatisfied with the requirements of more than one slide, seriously, you need to be looking at another camper. The entire point of having a big Chalet/Host/EC is for the ample space. If you desire only a single slide, buy a Lance,AF, etc...

As far as the weights go, the extra slides are OPTIONS. Camper dry weights are listed without OPTIONAL equipment. This is not some nefarious evil plan Host is using in an attempt for world domination.

thejustin wrote:

hbski wrote:

Actually Chalet, makes and advertises that camper as a dual slide and a triple slide DS116FB & TS116FB which is a more ethical approach. (Made actually as I understand their Truck camper factory roof collapsed last year and they haven't gotten it going again as of yet).

They also offer a triple slide version of the DS116RB floor plan with an optional rear wardrobe slide that isn't advertised on thier TC page. By your logic, do you consider this "unethical"?

No because they don't show you ONLY the 3 slide floor plan and require the 3rd slide to be able to use the bathroom all while pricing and weighing you in for a 2 slide unit. If Host showed the (probably non-existant) base floor plan and then indicated you could add another slide, that would be an entirely different thing

thejustin wrote:

hbski wrote:


Oh, I have inquired. Mostly here I am just complaining about what I feel is an unethical practice. The 2 Aspens, Everest, and Mammoth all require more than one slide to function.

Those along with the Chinook, Shasta and Cascade are all marketed as multi-slide campers, yet all only include one slide in both the weight and cost. Something that is unique to Host from what I can tell by visiting the websites of Lance, Arctic Fox, Chalet, and Eagle Cap for instance.

If you are dissatisfied with the requirements of more than one slide, seriously, you need to be looking at another camper. The entire point of having a big Chalet/Host/EC is for the ample space. If you desire only a single slide, buy a Lance,AF, etc...

As far as the weights go, the extra slides are OPTIONS. Camper dry weights are listed without OPTIONAL equipment. This is not some nefarious evil plan Host is using in an attempt for world domination.

Not at all dissatisfied with more than one slide. I now have two slides and would like 3 slides. However, I also want to buy one from a manufacturer and a dealer who is up front about cost and weight (I know hard to find).

I don't THINK this is an attempt to misrepresent their product, it is ENTIRELY OBVIOUS that it is and always has been for them (with very little effect on their ability to dominate even the average consumer, much less the world).

This isn't some new revelation for me either. I've known about it since I first looked at Host before I bought my Okanagan 9 years ago. I have been watching the Host offerings all these years as well, because they do develop some interesting stuff.

And Finally, pardon me for wanting to discuss a topic relevant to truck campers on the truck camper forum. I mean really is it THAT important to YOU to defend Host so vehemently for some reason?