DrJ
Senior Member
For a brief time, I owned all 3 dinette types that Four Wheel Campers make,
I learned a ton about each one after camping in each of time for several nights.
Here is my subject material:
2013 Hawk Rollover Couch
2013 Grandby Side Dinette
2015 Grandby Front Dinette
Rollover Coach
Pros:
very simple and efficient design
lots of storage under the couch
sleeping on the couch for one person is great
creates lots of room for the smaller camper
great setup for 1-2 people
cabinet set up leaves good space for food and gear
could have AC
Cons:
table is nearly worthless (unless you switch to the Lagun)
bad setup for camping with lots of kids (table and sleeping arrangements are bad)
getting out of the camper with couch bed out is crazy hard
storage space is somewhat hard to use because of moving the cushions and it's all jumbled together
Bottom line:
Rollover couch was great when I went hunting or camping by myself, but trying to take 4 kids out was really tough. We spilled a lot of food (before the Lagun) and without fail one of my kids would have to go to the bathroom just when everyone was ready for bed. It is very painful to crawl over everyone else and try to get out the door.
Side Dinette Grandby
Pros:
most roomy interior of all
table setup is great for eating/socializing/sort of looking out of the windows
most storage is not in cabinets/drawers/etc... Great for taking an extra cooler or something else big
wonderful setup for 2 people
Had AC - which worked amazing in that size of camper
Cons:
lower bed would only be good for a shorter adult or 1 kid - 2 kids would struggle to fit there
storage space is more limited in cabinets
Grandby side dinette has some wasted spaces - especially behind the dinette seat towards the back of the camper where the rear turnbuckles are.
view from the table out the windows is too high and you don't see much outside
Bottom Line:
The Side Dinette feels much roomier and open then any other model. Meals or working at the table is vastly improved from the roll over couch. It was great for a week of hunting with my 8 year old, but if I had the other 3 kids there too - it would not have worked at all. This is a great setup for a couple or one person who wants to have a better table and doesn't worry about having less cabinet space.
Front Dinette (without toilet)
Pros:
best table setup of all - 4 adults easily sit there
storage is everywhere - lots of cabinets, under the dinette, middle floor, around the sink, etc...
ability to do King Slide Bed (which is terrific by the way)
sleeps plenty of extra people (had 6 of us last trip - no problem)
no need to crawl over people at night
weight better centered with fridge further forward
Cons:
less roomy than side dinette
Can't see out the windows at all while at the table
table is so big that it is a little harder to slide it out of the way sometimes
no outside camper storage
storage under the benches is accessible but need to move around both the lid and couch seat
Only 1 drawer in this model
Bottom Line:
When camping with several people (especially kids) the front dinette is by far the best setup. The king slide makes it very roomy for sleeping and allows NS sleeping which works out better for us. There is far more storage in the front dinette than any other model. It is by far my favorite setup.
Lots of folks may be trying to order a new camper before the price increase next month.
What's your favorite setup and why???
I learned a ton about each one after camping in each of time for several nights.
Here is my subject material:
2013 Hawk Rollover Couch
2013 Grandby Side Dinette
2015 Grandby Front Dinette
Rollover Coach
Pros:
very simple and efficient design
lots of storage under the couch
sleeping on the couch for one person is great
creates lots of room for the smaller camper
great setup for 1-2 people
cabinet set up leaves good space for food and gear
could have AC
Cons:
table is nearly worthless (unless you switch to the Lagun)
bad setup for camping with lots of kids (table and sleeping arrangements are bad)
getting out of the camper with couch bed out is crazy hard
storage space is somewhat hard to use because of moving the cushions and it's all jumbled together
Bottom line:
Rollover couch was great when I went hunting or camping by myself, but trying to take 4 kids out was really tough. We spilled a lot of food (before the Lagun) and without fail one of my kids would have to go to the bathroom just when everyone was ready for bed. It is very painful to crawl over everyone else and try to get out the door.
Side Dinette Grandby
Pros:
most roomy interior of all
table setup is great for eating/socializing/sort of looking out of the windows
most storage is not in cabinets/drawers/etc... Great for taking an extra cooler or something else big
wonderful setup for 2 people
Had AC - which worked amazing in that size of camper
Cons:
lower bed would only be good for a shorter adult or 1 kid - 2 kids would struggle to fit there
storage space is more limited in cabinets
Grandby side dinette has some wasted spaces - especially behind the dinette seat towards the back of the camper where the rear turnbuckles are.
view from the table out the windows is too high and you don't see much outside
Bottom Line:
The Side Dinette feels much roomier and open then any other model. Meals or working at the table is vastly improved from the roll over couch. It was great for a week of hunting with my 8 year old, but if I had the other 3 kids there too - it would not have worked at all. This is a great setup for a couple or one person who wants to have a better table and doesn't worry about having less cabinet space.
Front Dinette (without toilet)
Pros:
best table setup of all - 4 adults easily sit there
storage is everywhere - lots of cabinets, under the dinette, middle floor, around the sink, etc...
ability to do King Slide Bed (which is terrific by the way)
sleeps plenty of extra people (had 6 of us last trip - no problem)
no need to crawl over people at night
weight better centered with fridge further forward
Cons:
less roomy than side dinette
Can't see out the windows at all while at the table
table is so big that it is a little harder to slide it out of the way sometimes
no outside camper storage
storage under the benches is accessible but need to move around both the lid and couch seat
Only 1 drawer in this model
Bottom Line:
When camping with several people (especially kids) the front dinette is by far the best setup. The king slide makes it very roomy for sleeping and allows NS sleeping which works out better for us. There is far more storage in the front dinette than any other model. It is by far my favorite setup.
Lots of folks may be trying to order a new camper before the price increase next month.
What's your favorite setup and why???