Moving from TT to TC - need input
Hi all!
We have been lurking for a while on various forums about TCs. We have read just about every post, blog, article to be found, visited a few dealers, walked through units, so feel we are "informed" at this point.
A little background: Retired couple, 2 teen boys. Went from tent to offroad pop-up to 24' TT, to hopefully a TC.
Have traveled past 5 summers all across US for 1 - 2 1/2 months at a time all across the US. Blogged online for 3 of the trips. Love boondocking, BLM, state parks, quiet, few people...can't stand KOAs and the like.
Like to be self-contained with lots of solar. Don't go rock-crawling, but would like to have some offroad capability, forest roads, washboard, Arctic Circle and beyond in Alaska, etc.
After some initial fit-and-finish problems (don't ask about the gray water-soaked underbelly insulation in 120 degree heat at Lake Powell), the TT with forward bunk beds (boys), dinette, couch, hard king slide in rear, huge storage in and out, could still haul kayaks, bikes in truck bed, etc. was awesome for us. But now we are tired of dragging our house behind us with all the limitations and headaches that brings.
Stopped at Earthroamer one summer, president gave us a tour. Love it, not the $$$$. Stopped at Tiger Adventure in SC, love it, not the $$ and lack of space for 4. So...TC is our next best option.
We tend to bring a lot of stuff, realize we will have to downsize. Would still like to bring our chairs, weber propane grill and a few other "dirty" items that should be stored outside. Don't want generator. Want to add lots of solar. Don't tow anything. Maybe add front hitch to haul excess "dirty" items. Want good insulation. (Briefly looked at Class Cs, just to convince ourselves of their limitations and crappy construction, etc.)
Would get Ford 350/Ram 3500 DRW, CC, diesel to haul with careful eye on GVWR, etc.
Narrowed it down to Eagle Cap, Adventurer, Arctic Fox, Northern Lite, Northstar based on reviews. Looked at each in general at 2 dealers 5-6 hours away: Kittrell, NC and Apex, NC, next closest: Truckcamperwarehouse in NH or Mike something in OH.
AF 990/992- decent fit/finish, a little dated inside, proven, good insulation, unnecessarily heavy (sides of drawers solid, thick boards, really?), not the best outside storage
EC 995 - ok fit/finish, expected better after glowing reviews, not spectacularly better than our TT, good insulation, liked idea of windows but can only open a few inches, heavy, not the best outside storage
Adv 910 series - same as above fit/finish wise, liked u-dinette/bed and possible bunk, little lighter, little better outside storage. Saw a used 1 year old model that didn't necessarily have a leak but had been sufficiently humid inside and abused that mold was growing on cabinetry and many trim pieces had warped and pulled away, mirror came unglued from backing, etc. - sadly turned us off to Adventurer
NL 10-2 CD SE (maybe dry bath RR)- immediately struck us as tight, sleek, simple, love windows, no slide, decent insulation, lighter, big neg is lack of sleeping space for 4 and perhaps storage, worries about reports of delam problems under cab, lack of furnace ducting?
Northstar 12STC- is there a bad review anywhere?, excellent customer service, decent fit/finish, love windows, seemed huge inside for non-basement, no slide, bunk option, good inside storage, looks kinda dated inside with oak cabinets, decent insulation, lack of furnace ducting?, no good outside storage...but what is up with the "underbelly"? Is it supposed to be exposed, black-painted, criss-crossed ply "joists"?? Kinda turned us off, looked "unfinished". Can't find any mention of it. Also, the 2 little doors on the inside that give you access to your truck bed, neat idea, I guess, but saw no way that was insulated! 2015 model we saw had these door hinges showing some rust!
Would prefer dry bath, but not at loss of total storage.
We want to think longer term also when son #1 heads off to college and 3 years later son #2, it will be just the 2 of us.
So, we are not sure which way to go. Would love any input! Thanks and sorry for the long post.
We have been lurking for a while on various forums about TCs. We have read just about every post, blog, article to be found, visited a few dealers, walked through units, so feel we are "informed" at this point.
A little background: Retired couple, 2 teen boys. Went from tent to offroad pop-up to 24' TT, to hopefully a TC.
Have traveled past 5 summers all across US for 1 - 2 1/2 months at a time all across the US. Blogged online for 3 of the trips. Love boondocking, BLM, state parks, quiet, few people...can't stand KOAs and the like.
Like to be self-contained with lots of solar. Don't go rock-crawling, but would like to have some offroad capability, forest roads, washboard, Arctic Circle and beyond in Alaska, etc.
After some initial fit-and-finish problems (don't ask about the gray water-soaked underbelly insulation in 120 degree heat at Lake Powell), the TT with forward bunk beds (boys), dinette, couch, hard king slide in rear, huge storage in and out, could still haul kayaks, bikes in truck bed, etc. was awesome for us. But now we are tired of dragging our house behind us with all the limitations and headaches that brings.
Stopped at Earthroamer one summer, president gave us a tour. Love it, not the $$$$. Stopped at Tiger Adventure in SC, love it, not the $$ and lack of space for 4. So...TC is our next best option.
We tend to bring a lot of stuff, realize we will have to downsize. Would still like to bring our chairs, weber propane grill and a few other "dirty" items that should be stored outside. Don't want generator. Want to add lots of solar. Don't tow anything. Maybe add front hitch to haul excess "dirty" items. Want good insulation. (Briefly looked at Class Cs, just to convince ourselves of their limitations and crappy construction, etc.)
Would get Ford 350/Ram 3500 DRW, CC, diesel to haul with careful eye on GVWR, etc.
Narrowed it down to Eagle Cap, Adventurer, Arctic Fox, Northern Lite, Northstar based on reviews. Looked at each in general at 2 dealers 5-6 hours away: Kittrell, NC and Apex, NC, next closest: Truckcamperwarehouse in NH or Mike something in OH.
AF 990/992- decent fit/finish, a little dated inside, proven, good insulation, unnecessarily heavy (sides of drawers solid, thick boards, really?), not the best outside storage
EC 995 - ok fit/finish, expected better after glowing reviews, not spectacularly better than our TT, good insulation, liked idea of windows but can only open a few inches, heavy, not the best outside storage
Adv 910 series - same as above fit/finish wise, liked u-dinette/bed and possible bunk, little lighter, little better outside storage. Saw a used 1 year old model that didn't necessarily have a leak but had been sufficiently humid inside and abused that mold was growing on cabinetry and many trim pieces had warped and pulled away, mirror came unglued from backing, etc. - sadly turned us off to Adventurer
NL 10-2 CD SE (maybe dry bath RR)- immediately struck us as tight, sleek, simple, love windows, no slide, decent insulation, lighter, big neg is lack of sleeping space for 4 and perhaps storage, worries about reports of delam problems under cab, lack of furnace ducting?
Northstar 12STC- is there a bad review anywhere?, excellent customer service, decent fit/finish, love windows, seemed huge inside for non-basement, no slide, bunk option, good inside storage, looks kinda dated inside with oak cabinets, decent insulation, lack of furnace ducting?, no good outside storage...but what is up with the "underbelly"? Is it supposed to be exposed, black-painted, criss-crossed ply "joists"?? Kinda turned us off, looked "unfinished". Can't find any mention of it. Also, the 2 little doors on the inside that give you access to your truck bed, neat idea, I guess, but saw no way that was insulated! 2015 model we saw had these door hinges showing some rust!
Would prefer dry bath, but not at loss of total storage.
We want to think longer term also when son #1 heads off to college and 3 years later son #2, it will be just the 2 of us.
So, we are not sure which way to go. Would love any input! Thanks and sorry for the long post.
