Fleet in the East?

[BFH4N]

Hi Folks,

I’ve been watching this forum for a few months now because I’m trying to decide whether to get a Four Wheel Camper. My girlfriend and I are 64-year-old retirees living in Virginia. We are too old for sleeping on the ground, putting up tents in the rain and all that. But we want to get out and see the West while we still can. So a truck camper seems like the way to go. I’m convinced that FWC is the best choice. I already have a nice 2007 Tacoma FWD TRD access cab. The front-dinette Fleet is my tentative choice.

So, I’ve been watching this forum for a few months now, considering the various options. I even went so far as to visit the FWC factory in Woodland. I have a list of what I would order, but I am still hesitant…

We think we could function well enough in the small space, especially in nice weather. But it’s not clear to either of us that we could consistantly get a good night’s sleep in those beds. I’m a big, tall guy and we can’t really sleep together in a queen bed. The lower bed looks awfully confined. My girlfriend couldn’t go with me when I visited the factory and another trip to California is not an option.

So, here is my question for you forum folks: Does anyone in the East have a Fleet camper that we could come and look at and maybe try lying on the beds?

Thanks,

- Bernard

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Hi Bernard,
I believe The Fleet side-to-side inside measurement is 74" . You don't say how tall you are. If you are over 6 feet 2" I would have FWC change your orientation to front-to-back sleeping Then bed length is 78" - 6 foot - 6", and you won't have to crawl over each other to get out of bed.

Check with Stan at FWC , stan@fourwh.com, to confirm the inside measurement as the website doesn't show the specs anymore.

Good nights rest....Won't happen on the standard mattress (like sleeping on carpeted concrete). Most of us change out the mattress foam. I used "Nymbus Q41" (high bounceback - contours to the sleeper- stock 4 " thickness). Go to your local home firniture upholstery shop. I don't remember the king dimensions so the stock mattress width front-to-back sleeping should give you a mattress 74"x78".
Jim

 

[Texan76]

I believe they have gone to a softer 3" mattress foam now. I laid in the bed on a Hawk at the Denver show and it felt ok. Of course, it was only for a few minutes.

 

[BFH4N]

You're right, Jim, a lot of useful info is now missing from the FWC website -- like the sizes of the beds and floorplans. Why is that, Stan?

I was assuming a longways upper bed (or "north-south"' as some call it) and that's what I saw at the factory. I lay on the bed for a while and the mattress seemed OK, but I wasn't on it very long. Not sure if it was the new foam. I'm pretty heavy, so a firm mattress is good for me. It's the lower bed that we are concerned about. It's long enough and as wide as any single bed, but very confined, with a low overhead and closed in by cabinets and the front wall. Also, can't see how one would climb down from the upper bed without stepping on the lower one. (We're old and have to get up in the night!)

Anyway' I'm still hoping someone with a Fleet (or one of the larger models with the same "front-dinette" floorplan) will turn up within a reasonable distnace and let us come and look. Are you out there?

- Bernard