shopping for truck camper that pops uu

Where does the moisture go when you fold the the walls of a soft side such as an Outfitter. No problem in the dessert, perhaps, but here where the humidity is so high, I'd think you'd have mold and mushrooms within a few hours.

realter wrote:
Seems like a piece of plastic up there would solve any 2 minute water problem. I don't understand above where it says lowering the panels will get your bed wet. Isn't the part that sits on the bed on the inside anyway? So how would the inside be wet?

Sorry to get off the original subject.

Because the panels lay directly on the mattress and whatever water or snow is on the outside of the panel (that is now inside the camper) WILL drip/run down onto the bed it is laying on.

If you are unfamiliar with the dynamics of fluids, put a bit of water on a plate and then move it slightly to simulate how the camper will move as it is going down the road. You will find that the water doesn't simply stay still in the center of the plate.

Can this be mitigated by using two people (if available) yes but it is still something a buyer needs to be aware of.

OP, look at the Alaskan Mini. Nice writer up on those in TCM year or so ago. Also, Northstar 650SC is self contained. My Laredo is extremely well made. Perfect fit and finish.

Seems like a piece of plastic up there would solve any 2 minute water problem. I don't understand above where it says lowering the panels will get your bed wet. Isn't the part that sits on the bed on the inside anyway? So how would the inside be wet?

Sorry to get off the original subject.

To cover the issue of rain coming in the CO bed area while raising the camper since there is an opening for just a bit if you are by yourself. No problem fo two people.
One person pushes the "raise" button at the rear of the camper, and the pre-positioned helper moves into the CO bed space as the camper rises, raising the side/front panels as the roof portion raises. This works with standard rain. If rain is coming down wind driven sideways, this method will help, but not be as effective.
Challenges in life are better thought out and solved.......

realter wrote:
I guess if you're over 6'4" an Alaskan's not for you. If you're camping in bear country, the Alaskan sounds like a better choice. An 8' Outflounder Apex and an 8' Alaskan both have a "bathroom". On the Apex you can upgrade to a cassette toilet, I think any toilet on the Alaskan is an upgrade.

There are lots of great TC manufacturers. Lots of good choices. As I've often read here, the best camper is the one you use, and hopefully paid for.

I've camped in Canada and US bear country for years with my Outfitter and never had a problem.

You want taller? They can make it.
Alaskan ONLY builds to order, and they are very capable of good CUSTOM work for a fair price.
Whatever you want -short of a side door (humor) - they can build it with quality.....

Alaskans don't fit everyone's style nor likes. They don't attempt to be everything to everybody. What they do, they do very well.

If someone doesn't understand CUSTOM BUILT/taylored to the customer, or is too tall, yet buys a used standard height.... That is not Alaskan's fault.

I will agree that Alaskans are best suited to dry country use. Occasional wet climate use is quite tolerable, but they shine brightest in the dry climates.

realter wrote:
I guess if you're over 6'4" an Alaskan's not for you. If you're camping in bear country, the Alaskan sounds like a better choice. An 8' Outflounder Apex and an 8' Alaskan both have a "bathroom". On the Apex you can upgrade to a cassette toilet, I think any toilet on the Alaskan is an upgrade.

There are lots of great TC manufacturers. Lots of good choices. As I've often read here, the best camper is the one you use, and hopefully paid for.

6'4" is to the ceiling, unfortunately there is a thing called the AC unit that sticks down several inches lower then that and it's RIGHT in the middle of the aisle where a person has to walk inside the camper.

I do need to correct myself, as some Alaskan units do have a built in toilet BUT they still have no true bathroom as the shower facility is still the pan in aisle and sink sprayer.

As to the "bear" comment, ANY bear big enough to climb through the softwall on an Outfitter (close to 7 feet in the air while on a truck) is big enough to simply go through the hardwall of a camper whether it be Outfitter or Alaskan if he wants to get at the creamy filling.

I guess if you're over 6'4" an Alaskan's not for you. If you're camping in bear country, the Alaskan sounds like a better choice. An 8' Outflounder Apex and an 8' Alaskan both have a "bathroom". On the Apex you can upgrade to a cassette toilet, I think any toilet on the Alaskan is an upgrade.

There are lots of great TC manufacturers. Lots of good choices. As I've often read here, the best camper is the one you use, and hopefully paid for.

realter wrote:

Steve_in_29 wrote:

joe123 wrote:
Alaskan is the only one to buy the others are ****.

I REALLY liked the Alaskans but there were too many trade-off in the end. Biggest being NO bathroom. Also if you are 6' tall you will be bumping your head..

Lol, Steve, you have to raise the top before you get in.

I believe most of the ones 7.5' and longer have cassette toilets.

Even after the top is raised there is a lack of headroom for tall people. I spoke with a guy at the Outfitter factory who had sold his Alaskan and was going with an Apex for that exact reason.

I said "bathroom" not toilet. You pull the porta-pottie out of the closet and use it in the aisle with no privacy and the shower is simply a pan you stand in (again in the aisle) while using the sink sprayer hose. Then you have to carefully carry the full pan outside to dump it. Back in 2004 they did say they could add an actual bathroom, at a cost of $2K to an already pricey camper.

Raising the top was the other big issue for us as the cabover bed is exposed to the elements (windblown dust/sand or rain/snow) while it is going up until the sidewalls are pushed into place and when lowered those cabover sidewalls lie directly on the mattress allowing water to soak in if it was raining/snowing out or even just a heavy dew.