Forum Discussion

FireGuard's avatar
FireGuard
Explorer II
Jan 03, 2015

Quality of Palomino pop up TCs

I love the convienence of a TC and have had a couple of big ones. Lance 1191 and AF 1140 but they can be a bit big to really be mobile for more rugged areas and parking in tighter spots.
I have a 21' TH which is perfect for whenI set up for a few days and want to take some toys.
I just picked up a Ram 3500 CTD, what an awesome truck. I have a SB and have been looking at pop ups like the North Star 850SC and now they make a 650SC which is 6'8" long and has a shower and toliet. This would be perfect as with no overhang it would be easy to carry a motorcycle on a hitch rack or even tow my TH. I have over 4k lbs of payload so weight won't be an issue.
I noticed the Palominos look pretty nice and are quite a bit less $$ than others.
Anyone have ny experience or knowledge with this brand?
The insides look really nice as far as counter tops, fabrics, cabinets etc. Some models are also self contained.
Truck Campers

8 Replies

  • Bonesquatch's avatar
    Bonesquatch
    Explorer
    Jan 04, 2015
    Echoing what others have said, I bought one used a few years ago for a super-low price and figured my wife and I would try it out after many years in tents. Bottom line, I liked it, she hated it. Specifically, the bed setup so that you bang your head when you sit up, and if one of you has to get up in the middle of the night, it's a hassle to crawl over the top of the other. Also, the wood used to build it was very cheap and rotted out after a small leak developed in the roof. Quality was ok, but not great and we switched to a Lance hard side last spring. For is its much better and fits out needs more fully.
  • BMW442's avatar
    BMW442
    Explorer
    Jan 04, 2015
    We got a 1985 Palomino pop up last summer that had been abandoned outside/uncovered for several years. It had a ton of water damage in the overcab but aside from that was in surprisingly good shape. Had to reframe that area & tweak a roof corner & paint it, but everything else was cool. The canvas, gas, electric, (2 piece) door, windows, etc was still all good to go.

    I know they have kind of a bad/cheap reputation and sure they're not built like other brands that cost 3 or 4 times as much, but if you have a lower budget & are looking for a first TC to see how you like it, they could be the perfect fit. We've really enjoyed fixing it up and personalizing the interior, and it works great for us.

    Granted it is not as snazzy as a new Northstar/Lance/Adventurer/Arctic Fox/etc but it's still a whole lot better than our old tent!
  • bcbouy's avatar
    bcbouy
    Explorer
    Jan 04, 2015
    the new palominos have an electric lift system now instead of the outside crank.just open the door and push the button.also standard are electric jacks and a couple models now have n/s beds.they scrapped the 2 piece door a few yrs. back. still not the best built but price wise very reasonable.my sunlite is not as well built and its 25 yrs. old and still going.it sees almost as much off road travel as it does hyway.i couldn't see myself spending outfitter money on an off road camper that will get the abuse a pop up is meant for.pop ups just need more maintenance if you use them as they are intended,its the nature of the beast.
  • lizzie's avatar
    lizzie
    Explorer
    Jan 04, 2015
    We had a 2005 Palomino Bronco pop-up. We loved the concept and enjoyed using the TC but it was problematic from the start. The poorly designed back door leaked badly and despite all our efforts to fix it, we would up with rot in one of the cabinets and delamination on the back. We were very fortunate to find a buyer who was also a handyman and who was willing to buy it from us at a reasonable price. Compared with the two units we have had since, it was cheaply constructed. The cabinets had rough edges and the doors closed poorly. I would would not even consider buing another one. lizzie
  • RWDIII's avatar
    RWDIII
    Explorer
    Jan 03, 2015
    I have a 2013 Bronco 800 . It is OK for the western Desert.
    I like to explore the boonies.
    it is a trade off.They have gotten better since Forest River bought them with electric top and one piece door.I am in the process of getting a new SS1200

    whatever camper you get,make sure it is at least 8 ft .



    This is a pic of my rig at the Race Track in Death Valley,with the F150:)
  • TomG2's avatar
    TomG2
    Explorer
    Jan 03, 2015
    As the saying goes, "You get what you pay for". I owned a 2014 Palomino 1500 last year. It did not fit my lifestyle, so I sold it. I was not built like a fine watch, or even a Timex, but it had decent components and serviceable features. They made big changes in the last couple of years and I personally would not look at one over a year old unless it was very very low priced. The feature that changed most is the one piece back door that is much better than the two piece on previous models. Doesn't sound like much, but it is.

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