Lance 855S or Eagle Cap 850

[PSUJIM85]

I am new to truck camping and I am in bit of a quandary. I just purchased a Chevy HD3500 Diesel with a payload of 4265 lbs. (Crew cab with a short bed)

I have been looking at these shortbed slide out models, but I feel that they put me very close to being overweight when loaded. Does anyone have advice on owning these - which is better built? Also how did you find the weights - is the web site reliable or do they vary widely from what they present?

I also wondered if a driver side awning is useful or not?

Thanks for any advise
Jim

[billtex]

SugarHillCTD wrote:

Super_Dave wrote:
Jim,
As an EC 850 owner, I can say that everything else being equal, I would pick the EC over the Lance for skin and end cap design. The driver side awning was a huge waste of my money.

Dave

As a Lance 855s owner, I agree with Super Dave- I would buy the EC 850.

Not because of any problems with our Lance but because the EC has a better bathroom layout and more interior storage.

Ask Billtex- he is on this forum and decided on the EC 850 vs. the 855s

Thanks for the intro John!

Just rolled back in last night from a couple of weeks on the road; Acadia NP, Down East Maine, Canada...great hiking/biking/kayaking and lobster!
EC 850 has been great!

Jim; PM me and I will give you the whole story about our decision process...

Bill

[805gregg]

The Arctic Fox 811 is a great camper and it was a close second to the Lance 855s which we went with. One of the main reasons we went with the Lance was weight to not overload our 2015 GMC 3500 SRW. The Arctic Fox 811 dry weight of 2873 does not include the "mandatory" Value Pack which adds another 595 pounds so the Arctic Fox 811 starting dry weight is really 3468 pounds plus any options that you choose to add.

I confirmed this with the factory...FYI

Wow that AF starts out more than 200 lbs heavier than our 1.5 ft longer Lance that has wood frame, what do they make AF out of lead?

[805gregg]

Get the one that has been around the longest, you may need parts or service later

[bighatnohorse]

From today's Adventurer website:

"Full front fiberglass nose wraps are standard on all Adventurer TCC® constructed campers, making them more aerodynamic and use automotive styling to complement today’s popular trucks."

I haven't looked at their companion Eagle Cap stats.

It seems most folks don't use the side awning much.
But for me, the side awning has been extremely useful to shade the side of the camper in hot sunny weather.
We've also used it in four day rainy weather stretches with the campfire just outside the awning's drip line.

[wnjj]

twodownzero wrote:
I can't help but love the look of both of these.

Sadly, my 9 year old SRW 1 ton doesn't have the GVWR that you guys with the new ones have, and so I'd be a thousand or more pounds overloaded with one.

If a new SRW has 11,500, you have 1600 lbs more than me. Assuming the slide adds 600 lbs, you have plenty of cushion without going to a DRW.

Slide seems like it makes such a difference in interior room. My dogs would love it.

The Eagle Cap dinette slide adds 200 lbs, at least on the older models.

[twodownzero]

I can't help but love the look of both of these.

Sadly, my 9 year old SRW 1 ton doesn't have the GVWR that you guys with the new ones have, and so I'd be a thousand or more pounds overloaded with one.

If a new SRW has 11,500, you have 1600 lbs more than me. Assuming the slide adds 600 lbs, you have plenty of cushion without going to a DRW.

Slide seems like it makes such a difference in interior room. My dogs would love it.

[gregchambers]

The Arctic Fox 811 is a great camper and it was a close second to the Lance 855s which we went with. One of the main reasons we went with the Lance was weight to not overload our 2015 GMC 3500 SRW. The Arctic Fox 811 dry weight of 2873 does not include the "mandatory" Value Pack which adds another 595 pounds so the Arctic Fox 811 starting dry weight is really 3468 pounds plus any options that you choose to add.

I confirmed this with the factory...FYI

[Jim_Carolyn]

psujim85 wrote:

The GVWR for the Diesel in 4x4 is 4265 pay load and 11,500 on the GVWR. Is that camper under 3200 pounds dry?

Yes - it's 2873 lbs. dry.

[jimh406]

I looked at both of them years ago when I bought my Host. My observation at the time was that the Lance's had very dark interiors with more closed floor plan designs and more cabinet space. Eagle Caps were a little lighter and not as well finished. Since that time, I've noticed based on posts here, that build quality varies a lot in the same manufacturer due to the nature of how they are built one at a time.

I think Lance has a similar end cap now, so I don't think that matters. If you want to consider other possibly lighter models, look at Host as well. Which ever one you buy, do a good delivery checklist of the actual unit you buy.

[PSUJIM85]

Jim&Carolyn wrote:
I recently ordered and just received my 2015 GMC Denali 3500 Crew Cab, short bed, SRW truck and plan on ordering an Arctic Fox 811S. I figure after loading it up with camping gear and 2 passengers, I should still be under the weight cap. With a 3rd person, it may be close. I don't plan on towing anything.

The GVWR for the Diesel in 4x4 is 4265 pay load and 11,500 on the GVWR. Is that camper under 3200 pounds dry?

Jim

[Jim_Carolyn]

I recently ordered and just received my 2015 GMC Denali 3500 Crew Cab, short bed, SRW truck and plan on ordering an Arctic Fox 811S. I figure after loading it up with camping gear and 2 passengers, I should still be under the weight cap. With a 3rd person, it may be close. I don't plan on towing anything.

[Bedlam]

When not towing, we have close to 7000-7250 lbs on the rear axle with the TC, gear, water and occupants loaded. When trailering behind the TC, I have seen the rear axle at 7250-8250lb depending on which trailer we use and what we have loaded. I weigh often and we configure differently for various trips, so that is why I have such variation. For example: Next week we will going to a local lake with our boat but next month we will be traveling the Oregon coast with two dune buggies in tow.

[PSUJIM85]

I would think a F250 with the AF811S would be very overloaded?? With the Lance 850S and 1000 lbs est. cargo and water/fuel, I would still be under the GVWR on paper, and right at the limit with the NEW 850 by EC, They say they are making them 300 lbs lighter this year.

Air bags stabilize but do nothing for loading, so I am weighing that against their added weight. no pun intended...

Any thoughts?

Bedlam wrote:
We chose the Arctic Fox 811 over the Lance 855S and the Adventurer 86SBS was close behind our AF pick. The Eagle Cap 850 was not available in our area to compare to our choice, but it produced by the same company as Adventurer and I suspect quality will be similar.

I'm not sure if you will find a slide model that will not take you over GVWR once you are loaded up for camping. Depending on the OEM wheel package, you should be safe if you have the higher capacity OEM's as long as you do not tow a trailer with a heavy tongue weight. Expect to do some suspension modifications regardless of the TC you choose.

If you boondock, a driver side awning would be nice, but it is impractical when connected to utilities. A curb side awning would be more useful in varying situations. We like the rear awning since it rains often where we live and allows a covered area in front of the door.

I prefer the slide on the curb side so that you can pull off the road and extend the slide without it deploying into traffic, but that will depend on where and how you plan to travel.

[av8rds]

One of my camping cohorts just made this decision about a month ago. He thought the 850 was a better unit and purchased it instead of the Lance.