Another Non-Cabover Choice...Northstar Vista

[CptnBG]

Here's another non-cabover choice. Not for me but I can see where there might be a market for this. Now if it was made in a pop-up style, maybe.....



Truck Camper Magazine Article

[mkasner]

Did you grandfather also spend $13,000 on a box to sleep in? This is a great alternative to an overhead camper and for those that cannot climb into the cabover, but at that price point building one on your own I feel would be more satisfying.

[JIMNLIN]

People are funny. They see no benefit of a different style/layout RV other than the one they own.

In 1971 my grandad was 78 years old and had a slide in TC with no overhead. He and grandma were to old to crawl up into and get back out of a over cab TC bed. The 6' tall slide in worked great for them.

My first TC was a 1968 48" slide in unit with double doors on the rear. The bed was across in the front. This unit had no accessories so the coleman stove and ice boxes/cooking and eating gear had to be brought along in a camp box.
Would I think about buying one now ??? Nope....but it would work for some folks .

[realter]

Deb and Ed M wrote:

realter wrote:
With the bed opened up to its 48" width, where do you set the porta potty to sit on it?

At the bottom of the steps ;-). HAHA

And back to the 48" bed.... I see this as a one-person camper. You've gotta REALLY be in love, to share a 48" bed with another person.

Rex is a shorter and thinner than average. The inside height and bed width seem normal to him. My wife wouldn't sleep in the bunk, so I would have to, and that's one of the reasons I don't care for my current cab-over TC.

Definately a solo camper.

[realter]

The pictures show fairly large windows on both sides. The options page at their website lists a window in the door for about $70. Mine came with a lower window, I took it back to the factory year later and got an upper window installed. A Heik skylight is a $900 option if one is claustrophobic. Nice wide door is 26". Most campers doors are 22".

tTCmag says watch for a spring announcement. I'm wondering if they will come out with a longer model.

[whizbang]

I think this is a solo, single person camper. Where's the windows? I would be claustrophobic in this camper: Lose the upper "bunk" and increase the passenger side window size. Lose the air conditioner and install a window over the hole. Add a window in the door.

As far as I can tell from the Northstar web page, the porta potti is impossible to use. It can't be used where it is stored, and, once it's full of liquid, can't be lifted out for use. It needs to slide out of storage for use. The porta potti location was obviously an after thought.

If Northstar wants to market this to two or more people, and keep the size and weight down, they might consider an east-west twin bed size(38" x 75")cabover.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

realter wrote:
With the bed opened up to its 48" width, where do you set the porta potty to sit on it?

At the bottom of the steps 😉

And back to the 48" bed.... I see this as a one-person camper. You've gotta REALLY be in love, to share a 48" bed with another person.

[DWeikert]

Steve_in_29 wrote:

DWeikert wrote:
I like it. Perfect for the single person looking to boondock. If I didn't have my Adventurer I'd give it serious consideration, although at 6'2" the 6' interior height would be a problem, but I've become very used to ducking over the years. Maybe a padded ceiling for safety? 🙂

Boondock? With 20 gal of water and a 7.5 gal gray tank? And they say it's good for THREE people with those tanks?

I'm having a hard time seeing the intended market for this unit.

Note I said "single person"? No way I would expect 3 people to stay in there. I work off a 20 gallon fresh water tank now and I can easily go for a week in the middle of nowhere. I generally camp near water but have yet had to refill from a local source, but I do have a pump and plumbing to do so if needed. I use the FW tank just for washing. I drink and cook with bottled.

[Steve_in_29]

Less Stuff wrote:

coolmom42 wrote:
The 2016 F-150 Super Crew 3.5 L Ecoboost V6 4X2 156.8" wheelbase lists cargo capacity of 2660 lb when equipped with the heavy-duty payload package & 17" wheels. Swap the wheels to 18" and the cargo capacity goes to 2890 lb, presumably because of the tire size/load rating.

2016 F150 payload specs

Very true so called 1/2 ton trucks have lots of different cargo ratings.

My new Ram is only rated to handle a 930 lb camper. Yet it's cheap price and great fuel economy have me willing to accept its low cargo ratings. At this point all I have is a canopy.

Not sure about how it works at Dodge but the last couple of times I ran the numbers on Ford's website the F250 was cheaper then a comparably equipped F150.

[Steve_in_29]

DWeikert wrote:
I like it. Perfect for the single person looking to boondock. If I didn't have my Adventurer I'd give it serious consideration, although at 6'2" the 6' interior height would be a problem, but I've become very used to ducking over the years. Maybe a padded ceiling for safety? 🙂

Boondock? With 20 gal of water and a 7.5 gal gray tank? And they say it's good for THREE people with those tanks?

I'm having a hard time seeing the intended market for this unit.

[mkasner]

My Steve Carell: No..No....God No was deleted, so here it is in text form 🙂

[GeoBoy]

805gregg wrote:
Another future failed camper co.

Are you serious? Northstar builds great non-basement campers and has been in business for 2 generations with the third coming on. This fad will come and go and Northstar will still be building great campers.

[realter]

With the bed opened up to its 48" width, where do you set the porta potty to sit on it?

[805gregg]

Another future failed camper co.

[jimh406]

It seems to me sharing the sleep space with everything else is a bad idea unless you can't do it any other way. In any case, I'm not seeing what the value add is to pay someone to build it for you for $13K.

It seems to me that a http://www.fourwh.com/product/empty-shell-model-popup-truck-camper/ is a lot better for $5K less.

[RobertRyan]

Less Stuff wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:
if only you could get away with a 500lb Camper.

Lots of people do but mostly backpackers, though a 500 lb. tent would be a big one.

Looked into roof top tents but they seemed kind of expensive for what you get and night time nature calls seemed a little dangerous.

Agree, OK if your younger,but imagine if you have the come down from the roof top bed,then negotiate those stairs at night? Not easy for people older
The Traycamper above has as much " stuff" as a Pop Top TC