Lance 825 vs 865

wintersun wrote:

When not using the dinette table for food prep or eating we remove it and put it on the mattress and completely out of the way. I may end up replacing the top entirely with one that is two thirds the size as there are never more than two of us sitting at it.

We downsized our table to 1/4 the size ---- best thing we ever did inside. now there is room for everyone.....including Lucy.

FireGuard wrote:
Thanks for the good info.
Like all campers it's heavy. Didn't think it would be that much and would technically overload a 2500 CTD.

You'll be far beyond "technically" overloaded. Assuming a 4wd truck, you'll be overloaded by 10% or more. Get a 1 ton, and if you are even considering a slide camper in your future, get a dually.

FireGuard wrote:

I'm thinking this would be a good match for a new Ram CC SB Cummins 2500.

Do yourself a favor and go straight to the 3500. Pretty sure the new 2500 has coil springs vs the leaf springs on the 3500.

Thanks for the good info.
Like all campers it's heavy. Didn't think it would be that much and would technically overload a 2500 CTD. A 3500 with leaf springs would work well, especially when carry something or towing. Just makes for a rougher ride empty.

My wife gets upset when I use the kitchen sink at home for anything other than dishes. She looks at me funny when I brush my teeth with a cup of water, pee in the woods and go without a shower when camping. I know somehow that our decision If we had to choose between these two campers would go to the 865!

The 865 provides a bath sink but also has a pantry cabinet. Biggest difference I can see is that the 865 is going to have more windows with the window to the right side of the door in the dinette area that is lost with the corner bathroom in the 825.

When not using the dinette table for food prep or eating we remove it and put it on the mattress and completely out of the way. I may end up replacing the top entirely with one that is two thirds the size as there are never more than two of us sitting at it.

We also went back and forth between the 825 and 865 and ended up choosing the 865. My wife liked the sink in the bathroom, I didn't care and actually liked the roomier 825 bathroom. She liked that the 865 could be ordered with an oven and was not available with the 825. She didn't want a microwave which was fine with me. We both liked the dinette next to the back door and found by turning the table different ways it gave us different options for eating or lounging. We did a 3 week trip up the coast this summer and never had an issue with being inside or tank sizes. We have been more than happy with the 865, but I think either one is a good choice. We started out with it on a 2008' Dodge Power Wagon 2500 and with suspension upgrades it handled okay. The Power Wagon only had a payload of 1800 lbs. Last year we bought a 2014' Ram 3500 and it made a big difference on the handling of the TC and I highly recommend the 3500. Our 865 wet and loaded weighs between 2,600-2,700 pounds. Good luck with your decision and I'm sure you will enjoy whatever one you choose.

FireGuard wrote:
Comparing these models they look pretty similar. Interesting they would make 2 models so much alike.
The only differences I can see is the 825 has a bigger kitchen counter but doesn't have a sink in the bathroom and a couple gal difference on gry/blk holding tanks.
Anyone with either of these what are your likes and dislikes.
I'm thinking this would be a good match for a new Ram CC SB Cummins 2500.

We chose the 865. We liked the small bathroom sink. Ran it on an F250 with a 10k GVWR. Turned out the TC was much heavier than we expected. and we barely kept the under 10K.

We ran the rig to Alaska and back- and we felt like we were in an Apollo capsule on a moon trip after 7 weeks-- it was snug to say the least. We recently traded it and our 5th wheel for a class a. It was great for the Alaska trip but the tightness of the dinnette booth probably as the only place to sit in the unit was a downer for us and frequently limited any comfort at all.

We chose the 825 over the 865 for these reasons:

- the large kitchen counter
- 2 outside storage compartments
- I can put my feet up on the bed step while sitting on that end of the dinette

On the other side, my wife laments the lack of a bathroom sink and mirror.

Personally, I would have been happy with either model, I'm just happy she said yes to a camper!

I think if you have the chance you should see them both in person. Different floor plans really make for a different feeling.

Personally I think it's a smart move to eliminate the sink in those tiny bathrooms. Those sinks are pretty useless IMO.