Went looking...getting a little closer
Well, this weekend we went and looked at/walk thru a bunch of campers. Taking in all the advice from this forum. Looked at some BFs, Wolf Creeks, Arctic Foxes, Northern Lite, Eagle Cap, and Adventur...
Forum Discussion
I have an opinion. We went looking for the same two campers last summer. Adventurer 86FB or Arctic Fox 865. Both are very similar weights and very similar quality. Both had very nice factory reps to ask questions to when I emailed them. I thought the Adventurer factory guy was great, their local sales guy was a complete idiot and dishonest to boot.
We went with the AF 865 for a couple of reasons. The new style round front gives you about 4" of additional headroom over the bed, I am 6'2" and can sit up without hitting my head. We got a fully loaded AF with an onboard generator, a/c and Fox Landing bumper for less than an Adventurer with no a/c and generator. The dealer we went thru was motivated to sell and more than willing to answer plenty of questions before we drove two hours to see the unit.
I really like the Adventurer quality, foot flush toilet and bumper set up. Beds were about the same, escape hatch was on the roof of the Adventurer, it had a nicer ladder and roof rack set-up. I think the angled sink and counter make it feel like it has slightly more floor space.
With 30lb propane tanks and a 6gal hot water heater and options the AF 865 was heavier. Mine listed a "wet" weight with propane and water of around 2850lbs. On the truck, with full water, full hot water heater, full fuel, two adults and enough gear for a long three day weekend total weight was close to 4,000lbs. My wife really liked the 865. It is tall and wide and I started my TC plans with the idea of boondocking during mule deer season. It is a bit big to haul down narrow, rutty, off camber logging roads. I spend a week in it for the season at temps into the high 20's at night it stayed warm and comfortable, in rain, sleet and some light snow.
This put us at close to max GVWR for an F-350. I was fine with that since my truck has the same suspension. We weighed it in a CAT scale and confirmed the weight. I upgraded to factory 18" Michelins(I think they are a far better tire), air bags and Rancho 9000XL shocks. The shocks were mostly to control the rocking in winds and they work nicely. We do not tow a trailer.
On our 2011 F-250 XLT crew cab, diesel 4x4 short bed p/u we have about 2' of overhang and the CG is centered over the rear axle. The camper has closer to 9'4" of floor, not 8'6". I am still trying to figure out what 865 actually means? I think the 86FB would have had a bit less overhang. I'm betting a loaded 86FB will be a couple of hundred pounds lighter, it has 20lb propane tanks, a 4 gallon hot water heater, slightly less water and less floor length and I do not think it is as heavily built as the AF. That being said they are both 4 season campers.
I lucked into my camper from a dealer in Washington state who discounts deep as the selling season goes on. It was a great price. The unreasonable Adventurer dealer is still trying to sell the very same camper I looked at seven months ago. He knocked the price down a few hundred bucks.
We went with the AF 865 for a couple of reasons. The new style round front gives you about 4" of additional headroom over the bed, I am 6'2" and can sit up without hitting my head. We got a fully loaded AF with an onboard generator, a/c and Fox Landing bumper for less than an Adventurer with no a/c and generator. The dealer we went thru was motivated to sell and more than willing to answer plenty of questions before we drove two hours to see the unit.
I really like the Adventurer quality, foot flush toilet and bumper set up. Beds were about the same, escape hatch was on the roof of the Adventurer, it had a nicer ladder and roof rack set-up. I think the angled sink and counter make it feel like it has slightly more floor space.
With 30lb propane tanks and a 6gal hot water heater and options the AF 865 was heavier. Mine listed a "wet" weight with propane and water of around 2850lbs. On the truck, with full water, full hot water heater, full fuel, two adults and enough gear for a long three day weekend total weight was close to 4,000lbs. My wife really liked the 865. It is tall and wide and I started my TC plans with the idea of boondocking during mule deer season. It is a bit big to haul down narrow, rutty, off camber logging roads. I spend a week in it for the season at temps into the high 20's at night it stayed warm and comfortable, in rain, sleet and some light snow.
This put us at close to max GVWR for an F-350. I was fine with that since my truck has the same suspension. We weighed it in a CAT scale and confirmed the weight. I upgraded to factory 18" Michelins(I think they are a far better tire), air bags and Rancho 9000XL shocks. The shocks were mostly to control the rocking in winds and they work nicely. We do not tow a trailer.
On our 2011 F-250 XLT crew cab, diesel 4x4 short bed p/u we have about 2' of overhang and the CG is centered over the rear axle. The camper has closer to 9'4" of floor, not 8'6". I am still trying to figure out what 865 actually means? I think the 86FB would have had a bit less overhang. I'm betting a loaded 86FB will be a couple of hundred pounds lighter, it has 20lb propane tanks, a 4 gallon hot water heater, slightly less water and less floor length and I do not think it is as heavily built as the AF. That being said they are both 4 season campers.
I lucked into my camper from a dealer in Washington state who discounts deep as the selling season goes on. It was a great price. The unreasonable Adventurer dealer is still trying to sell the very same camper I looked at seven months ago. He knocked the price down a few hundred bucks.
