All of my campers have been NorthStar brand with 2 of them being the Arrow model. They were not the U-model. For me, the size of the NS hardsides perfectly met my needs. They were 6" narrower than other popular models. I sincerely believe this helped in the great handling of my setup as there was less mass sticking out from the centerline of the truck. It was easy to load as there ws sufficient clearance between jacks legs and body side of truck bed. The 2 pop-ups I had were 7' wide and loading it was like threading a needle.
I like the non-U model in that I did not need to worry about a permanent table getting in the way which allowed for more flexible and efficient use of the interior. I could set the table up when need and stow it away when I did't...which was most of the time. The Arrow, with the cassette/ shower and all the other convenience accoutrements for me was camping in style in some of the most remote places that a larger TC would not go. All I wanted was camping in maximum comfort as remote as possible with the least hassle. The Arrow fit the bill.
The pop-ups allowed me to traverse further into the back woods, but those type are not the best for winter camping in my region... winter camping, including hunting season, were paramount for my TC requirement. The hardside fit this criteria much better.
IIRC, the U-type has the toilet/shower on the opposite side of the kitchen sink and water heater. One of my pop-ups was the NS TS-1000 which had a similar layout. One thing that was a big negative for winter camping with plumbing on opposite sides was that the pipe/ pex tubes ran under the camper to the other side and they were fully exposed to the cold elements. The Arrow model that I had placed all plumbing fixtures and components on the one side and all the plumbing (including the water storage tank) was internal to the camper. This allowed me to meet winter camping better than half-way. If winter camping is in your plans then look closely at how the U is laid out with respect to plumbing runs.
I am not sure if there are window option on the new NS models. The last one I had used the Heki insulated type. Yes, these are great for insulating properties, but I am not a fan of them. I had previous campers with the manual multi-awning single pane glass and they were hassle free. The Heki's allowed for maximum privacy (very little if any at all light exuding to the outside which was great for stealth camping.) But...
...you can read my critical review of them
HERE. Oh... and NEVER, NEVER drive off with any of the Heki's even slightly open- else you end up learning a hard and expensive lesson as I wrote about
IN THIS POST.The old time crank windows allowed for them to be left open without high risk for damage. This old type feature was nice not necessarily for driving with window open but moreover for leaving them open for ventilation when parked at a campsite. The Hekis NEED to be securely closed when the camper is unattended. If a sudden wind storm were to kick up while not around then there is potential for real damage. I limped by with the Hekis and a good part of my camping was in cold temperatures and windows were closed a majority of the time.
I am not familiar with all the newer model options. At one time on the non-U model there was an option for a bunk bed or built-in cabinets over the gaucho. The bunk was rarely used but the ability to fully open up that panel made for easy storage of long items- e.g. rifle case.
The microwave option was a nice feature, but if I had to do it from new I would not order one, but it is a good option for resale. Resale options are something to consider. In trying to sell my 2008, many potential buyers were turned off by not having electric jacks. It was pre-wired for them but I could have moved it sooner if this was on the camper.
My camping region did not dictate an air conditioner but it was a necessity the couple of time I traveled to the Nevada desert. It also made to a selling point-option when advertising. For me, solar would not function well as winter camping usually meant snow on the roof- mine was pre-wired for that owner added feature, but a generator suited me better.
Apologies for the mini dissertation. I would not have sold my most recent 2008 Arrow. I only parted with it because I bought a fixer upper house 5 years ago and weekends are for renovating and not camping. It got to where I was only using the TC one time a year for hunting and it was not worth it for me to insure and maintain for that limited use.
I am a big fan of the NorthStar brand and will seriously consider them again when I look into TC's again.
Sold the TC, previous owner of 2 NorthStar pop-ups & 2 Northstar Arrows...still have the truck:
2005 Dodge 3500 SRW, Qcab long bed, NV-6500, diesel, 4WD, Helwig, 9000XL,
Nitto 285/70/17 Terra Grapplers, Honda eu3000Is, custom overload spring perch spacers.
