Moose:
We bought one of their early models (2005 Caribou 8, set up for a long bed).
Roofing:
Originally, the Outfitter pop-ups came with TPO roofing membrane (we like our roofing a lot; even after almost 10 years of ownership). I wish we hadn't bought the PolarAire roof vent option now. PolarAire is no longer on the market (after Sureflo stopped carying the vent), and the cut-out L,W is not correct to fit any of the current models of power roof vents. After almost 10 years, the PolarAire vent cover is visibly deteriorating, so luckily, I managed to fing a very unusually shaped Maxx air style cover in Asheville, NC, which I test fit in Asheville before buying. I'll install it this summer. There is no way of course that Outfitter could ever imagine that PolarAire would be completely off the market in 8 years, so not their fault. Just remember to buy roof vents (and other camper accouterments) from large well-established manufacturers. Outfitter is willing to install virtually enything you spec out.
Roof vinyl compression seal: on the older Outfitters (up till they came out with a composite roof?), there is a vinyl compression seal mated to the roof flange, which when clamped down is supposed to form a waterproof gasket between roof and camper sidewalls. Our "seal" has been pretty good (only water intrusion once, a small flood onto the rear Corian countertop vanity (killed all my appliance manuals!), when we had not stored the camper
absolutely level). This is the only thing keeping water out of the Weblon pleat when the camper roof is closed and clamped down. If you buy a used unit (again, I think Outfitter did away with this compression gasket on their composite roof models after 2010; can anyone confirm?), make sure the the seal integrity is good all the way around the camper, when the roof is clamped down (you'll need and L-shaped piece of plastic, and an articulating flashlight head to probe and visualize this).
Camper shell:
We have had chronic leaking all around our propane hatch and rear battery compartment hatch (probably since new). This allowed water (over the years) to slowly leak into the containment boxes, and find its way onto the hidden side of our camper wings (many of Outfitter's pop-ups have plywood wings and plywood tub sides and raw un-clad lauan (a thin Philippine mahogany veneer) under the tub (the surface that rests on your pick-up bed). This rotted out several very large sections of under-wing (which I replaced and repaired myself, last summer: see link below). My theory here (after months of post-mortem with/between another long-time Caribou owner (Testudo) is that the hatch locations (both, located in the negative pressure zone immediately behind our forward driver-side jack; and the other in the negative pressure zone immediately behind our rear passenger-side jack) are indeed right in a negative pressure zone, whereby during rains while driving, the vents suck air and rain misted up from the truck, into the poorly-sealed hatch frame. I have looked at other Outfitters, and ours seems unique in the locations of our hatch doors. So, this situation may not affect many other Outfitters (ie. may affect only a small cohort). Other than tearing off the 2 offending hatches, and installing marine "hatch plates" that cinch-down with a twisk lock, I have to pack towels in there at all times (even after my large repair job replacing all the rotted wings), because even when the camper sits outside parked, water STILL floods into the compartments during rain. I now tape large plastic skirts over the hatches when camper is stationary. I tested this situation when driving: with hatch dry, I toweled up the inside of the compartments, then drove in rain...water indeed got in. Towels will be permanent in those hatches until I can find proper cinch-down marine campartment doors.
Link to our Caribou repair / refurbish
here-->FRP fiberglass:
In 2005, we were lucky enough to get the new thicker non-wood backed fiberglass cladding on the camper exterior. This has worked very well for us. We have not had any delamination whatsoever (after again, almost 10 years, living in one of the rainiest places in North America). The only issue we ever had was last winter. We stored our camper outdoors for the 1st time ever since new. Last year, we had temperatures almost as cold as this one (-30s to -40s for weeks on end). On inspection of camper in spring, I noticed about 6 craters in the white fiberglass cladding: look like small (about 3mm diameter) volcanic craters of fiberglass had "exploded" (or, popped, like a bubble), leaving the underlying porus chopped-strand base exposed. Hmmm? After doing research (at the FRP manufacturer's website), this apparent is common when the underlying glue used to bond the fiberglass to the camper's XPS foam and aluminum framing, is contaminated with water (small droplets, or moisture IN the adhesive glue itself), and under extreme freezing (like we get here in the East for 3~4 months straight every winter), the moisture expands, and blows off the protective gelcoat (resembling a small blister). This is easy enough to repair (I repaired our ~6 blisters last summer). But, I will not ever take this chance again, and we nor store our camper in heated facilities over the 7 months of winter here. I don't think blistering can happen with the benighn cold you get in the US (I'm not talking Alaska!). Of all the Outfitter owners I've ever talked to (probably ~60+ owners), I've only had feedback from 2 who had blistering the same as we (one owner located on North East Coast; the other mid West: both have extremely cold winters; both store their campers outside over winter).
So, concluding, the only wisdom I can impart to future owners, is:
-make sure you have Outfitter build your tub and wings with a rot-resistant material like Coosa composite board (or, I believe that Outfitter offers some models with a 100% fiberglass tub and wing set now);
-make sure that you have Outfitter install the absolute best marine hatch system out there on the market (ie. pass on the typical RV industry sub standard camper hatches);
-make sure that ALL your appliances are from very long-established appliance, vent, fridge, furnace, water heater, electric systems manufacturers, so you don't find yourself orphaned by a non-standard or odd-ball manufactured item(s).
All in all, luckily I have the time to address the weaknesses in our camper myself, and have fortified our unit to what I consider pretty well bullet-proof (this taking nearly 10 years of ownership). I can say that our Caribou has been pretty rock-solid structurally after my repairs, and would be very hard pressed to ever sell it (I get nightmares just thinking of buying another camper (whatever the brand or genre of camper), and having to go through the fortification/strengthening and repair upgrading
rigamarole again :B
Anyhow, without generalizing, this is our particular experience. Your model, year and build may differ significantly from ours, so bear this in mind. Outfitter is very willing to build a very customized camper (structure, appliances, layout, etc), so apply this strategy when you order yours :)
