Got my new Bobcat for the Taco yesterday down in Jean, south of Las Vegas. These guys at ATC know how to pick nice days for installing a camper. The installation was pretty easy. Marty had to nibble at one of the mounts for the fancy external tie-down in front. Unfortunately, the manufacturer doesn't leave the actual mounting point quite far enough from the truck, so the flared 'fender' is a little tight. I think they could make a longer bracket, or you could put a threaded steel ring through one of the two mount points, to extend it a bit. I think a piece of carefully trimmed wood in the bed, between the sidewall and the side of the camper, might prevent movement.
The flared fender also makes for tight clearance as the bed slides under the camper. I backed it under using my old trick, a piece of tape centered on the front of the camper, and the back of the bed. Marty flexed the jacks enough to get by. There is some flex in the jacks. Extensions would be a less stressful route.
OK, so those were the problems. The camper itself is about all I could ask, not having used it to camp. I went out today and played with the pop-up. It's a nice system. It looks a little awkward, but everything just falls into place. The whole unlatch and lift is about a minute. It looks like good vinyl to me. The front bed is terrific. I guess there is some controversy because cushions for the extension can't be store in the cabover part. You might not use the extension, sleeping across, or they could offer thinner cushions. I like it the way it is, but I might look at Cabelas thick inflatable pad sometime if I thought I could store a big solar panel up there with the roof down.
The camper has a really big feel inside. With the all the pop-up area windows 'open', you really get a sense of where you are. It's kind of cool because you are pretty high up. The ceiling is a cushion surface, and I am just about at ceiling height. That's a nice touch. I like the fact you can sit on the sofa, use the porta potty, or do simple meal prep with the top not extended. Maybe you shouldn't run the lights. Getting the furnace as a standalone option with the shell provides a really nice counter. The electrical panel is right there, so it's easy to wire things on either side, from the panel or the battery.
The truck seemed to settle some, with the weight of the camper added. It looks fairly even, front to back, as far as I can judge. The ride is softer, which could be a plus. I didn't really test anything on a rough road. The position of the camper anchors still concerns me a little. The side mirrors worked OK, and you need them. I can see a thin slice of road from the camper door window, and that is quite helpful at times.
For me, there would be no advantage in a larger shell. I apparently got the 'big' bed, because of the slide. The windows are interesting, with several layers, and you need to go outside with a step stool to open them. It's not that big a deal. Ventilation should not be a problem.
I'll try to post a full review with photos on my photo site in a few weeks, but my initial impression is pretty positive. From everything Marty told me they are trying to make a quality product. The four inches they add to the width seems really smart, to me. There is enough space to move around, even with the sofa, which sticks out. I took my Coleman folding camping chair, which is like a directors chair, and it fits nicely on the floor. There is more than enough room for people to move around and get by each other. At the same time, there is no 'camper bulge' look. Looks really nice with the Taco. Everything is white. The "Bobcat" decal is a nice touch, with little cat feet. I like looking at the camper on the truck, in my front yard.
Overall, I'm sure this is nicking some gas mileage. I have the Taco fourby with the 6 speed manual. The fifth gear seems to work well on hills. Getting home is one good climb over a plateau, to a mile of elevation. There's a loss of power, but it's reasonable. I feel I'm getting most of what I want in this camper, except maybe a toilet with a holding tank. This is a lot of camper for the weight. I really can't believe this thing weighs around 650 pounds. What I put in will equal the jacks, more or less, when the jacks come off. A lot of people seem to say you need 'big' trucks to carry campers, and especially comfortable trailers. This works quite well. So it's either fancy camping or minimalist RVing. The pure shell really wouldn't be that bad with a camp stove and a couple of camp chairs, maybe a little catalytic heater.
The flared fender also makes for tight clearance as the bed slides under the camper. I backed it under using my old trick, a piece of tape centered on the front of the camper, and the back of the bed. Marty flexed the jacks enough to get by. There is some flex in the jacks. Extensions would be a less stressful route.
OK, so those were the problems. The camper itself is about all I could ask, not having used it to camp. I went out today and played with the pop-up. It's a nice system. It looks a little awkward, but everything just falls into place. The whole unlatch and lift is about a minute. It looks like good vinyl to me. The front bed is terrific. I guess there is some controversy because cushions for the extension can't be store in the cabover part. You might not use the extension, sleeping across, or they could offer thinner cushions. I like it the way it is, but I might look at Cabelas thick inflatable pad sometime if I thought I could store a big solar panel up there with the roof down.
The camper has a really big feel inside. With the all the pop-up area windows 'open', you really get a sense of where you are. It's kind of cool because you are pretty high up. The ceiling is a cushion surface, and I am just about at ceiling height. That's a nice touch. I like the fact you can sit on the sofa, use the porta potty, or do simple meal prep with the top not extended. Maybe you shouldn't run the lights. Getting the furnace as a standalone option with the shell provides a really nice counter. The electrical panel is right there, so it's easy to wire things on either side, from the panel or the battery.
The truck seemed to settle some, with the weight of the camper added. It looks fairly even, front to back, as far as I can judge. The ride is softer, which could be a plus. I didn't really test anything on a rough road. The position of the camper anchors still concerns me a little. The side mirrors worked OK, and you need them. I can see a thin slice of road from the camper door window, and that is quite helpful at times.
For me, there would be no advantage in a larger shell. I apparently got the 'big' bed, because of the slide. The windows are interesting, with several layers, and you need to go outside with a step stool to open them. It's not that big a deal. Ventilation should not be a problem.
I'll try to post a full review with photos on my photo site in a few weeks, but my initial impression is pretty positive. From everything Marty told me they are trying to make a quality product. The four inches they add to the width seems really smart, to me. There is enough space to move around, even with the sofa, which sticks out. I took my Coleman folding camping chair, which is like a directors chair, and it fits nicely on the floor. There is more than enough room for people to move around and get by each other. At the same time, there is no 'camper bulge' look. Looks really nice with the Taco. Everything is white. The "Bobcat" decal is a nice touch, with little cat feet. I like looking at the camper on the truck, in my front yard.
Overall, I'm sure this is nicking some gas mileage. I have the Taco fourby with the 6 speed manual. The fifth gear seems to work well on hills. Getting home is one good climb over a plateau, to a mile of elevation. There's a loss of power, but it's reasonable. I feel I'm getting most of what I want in this camper, except maybe a toilet with a holding tank. This is a lot of camper for the weight. I really can't believe this thing weighs around 650 pounds. What I put in will equal the jacks, more or less, when the jacks come off. A lot of people seem to say you need 'big' trucks to carry campers, and especially comfortable trailers. This works quite well. So it's either fancy camping or minimalist RVing. The pure shell really wouldn't be that bad with a camp stove and a couple of camp chairs, maybe a little catalytic heater.
