New Hallmark Ute

[clikrf8]

I want to thank the admins for offering a new forum for us "others". We were quite happy with our Four Wheel Camper "Eagle" but needed more room for photography equipment and dog. Also, love my tacoma but it was too under-powered with its 4 cylinder engine. Several of you pointed out that braking would be a problem and it was: coming out of a tunnel on Washington's Hwy 20, we almost lost it around a corner hubby took too fast and brakes weren't up to cutting speed fast enough. A scare that had us rethinking our options plus Tacoma was just too uncomfortable for his back (T6 vertebra crushed a few years ago).

We explored our financial options (retired and still reeling from mistrust of financial advisors/bankers), took a deep breath and decided to go for it. Life is short and too many things to see and do in a shorter and shorter time. First was the truck: we researched our choices, hubby being the truck expert wanted certain features: diesel, 4x4, off road package, long bed, extra cab, Super Duty Ford. I checked daily on Auto Trader and found us a beauty: 2008 Ford F250 with low miles (33k) with everything on our list plus installed Air Bags/inside pump, Lo Jack, Sirius, towing package. We took a bigger deeper breath and took out a loan (we always paid cash, rarely relying on loans) to pay it off in 8 years.

Next, we found a buyer for our FWC, a nice Canadian who knew exactly what he wanted and paid close to our asking price. I am glad it is going to a new home sitting on his 2012 Nissan equivalent to our Tacoma.

We looked for several months for a camper, knowing that finding a used one was difficult at best as most Hallmarks and Outfitters were in Colorado. Another deep breath to buy a 2013 Hallmark Ute for our long box Ford. Yes, it is heavier but it is bigger and has more items standard. Hubby wanted a full bath (funny as I didn't and would have been happy with porta potti/outside shower). It still has room for us to both sit comfortably at the shortened dinette and look out the BIG windows. The soft top is insulated, there is a molded kitchen counter with a double sink, kitchen window with SS mini blinds, SS backsplash, Gorgeous SW motif upholstery, Solar system with 2 AGM batteries and 2000 watt inverter, rack/ladder/cage, locking shovel/ax set, audio center, and extended bed. $$$$ but life is short.

We picked it up from the factory in Colorado and headed off to circle around the US Southwest for photo ops. Snow chased us out of Colorado so we hung around Southern Utah for 3 weeks. I am busy editing images and will give a recap of our experiences later. For the most part, we really like our camper. The Ward family at Hallmark were wonderful to deal with and will fix a few issues we encountered. It is a spacious, well thought out, homey camper. The little details are thoughtful and innovative. They love building campers.

So, back to editing images. I have attached a small image of our truck/camper from our campsite at Walker Lake in Nevada.

 

[highz]

Really nice! Looking forward to more pics of your rig and your Southwest trip.

 

[MarkBC]

As highz says, pics please!
If you got a new rig to better-enable photography, there should be pics.

 

[leadsled9]

Several of you pointed out that braking would be a problem and it was: coming out of a tunnel on Washington's Hwy 20, we almost lost it around a corner hubby took too fast and brakes weren't up to cutting speed fast enough. A scare that had us rethinking our options plus Tacoma was just too uncomfortable for his back (T6 vertebra crushed a few years ago).


I feel that a lot of folks kind of bury their head in the sand regarding the braking issue. The smaller trucks and early 1/2 ton trucks have brakes that work fine when the truck is empty....but dump a camper on the back and things can go bad in a hurry. The lousy braking was one of the major reasons for my truck upgrade too.

Shortly after upgrading I had an near accident....and the upgraded braking actually saved a mans life. Long story short a motorcylist came off his bike in front of me on the I10 freeway in Phoenix....bouncing down the freeway....I came to a screeching halt about 15 yards from him. Traffic had me boxed in so no lane change was possible....and if I had been in my 1/2 ton Tundra....I would have ran over the poor guy. You will never regret your upgraded braking.

You now have a great looking rig that is more suited to your needs. Keep us informed of your travels...and yes...pictures are required!

 

[Ted]

Congrats on the new set-up, clikrf8. I really like the large side windows and the front windows in the pop-up of your camper. Looking forward to seeing your photographs.

 

[Phird05]

Congratulations on the new camper! You will definitely be very pleased with your Hallmark. And just like the folks at FWC and ATC, the Ward family will always be there if you need them....even to answer any questions you may have. They are top notch when it comes to customer service. Although mine is the smaller Milner LX, I think they did a great job with the layout, build quality and the fixtures and finishes are much nicer than a lot of what is out there. I couldn't be happier with my camper and have had no issues that required any intervention at the factory.

Again, congratulations!

Good Camping,

Paul

 

[Overland Hadley]

Beautiful rig!

But we need more photos just to make sure.


What kind of roof basket do you have mounted? I have been looking for a while trying to find a basket that fits my needs.

 

[clikrf8]

I feel that a lot of folks kind of bury their head in the sand regarding the braking issue. The smaller trucks and early 1/2 ton trucks have brakes that work fine when the truck is empty....but dump a camper on the back and things can go bad in a hurry. The lousy braking was one of the major reasons for my truck upgrade too.

Shortly after upgrading I had an near accident....and the upgraded braking actually saved a mans life. Long story short a motorcylist came off his bike in front of me on the I10 freeway in Phoenix....bouncing down the freeway....I came to a screeching halt about 15 yards from him. Traffic had me boxed in so no lane change was possible....and if I had been in my 1/2 ton Tundra....I would have ran over the poor guy. You will never regret your upgraded braking.

You now have a great looking rig that is more suited to your needs. Keep us informed of your travels...and yes...pictures are required!


i am glad that I remembered about the braking issues and told hubby about what several of you warned us about. We tried to stay to a budget by using our Tacoma and buying 4WC Eagle (great little camper-thoughtful use of space and perfect for us at the time). Sometimes, you just have to crunch it and go for it. I am really glad that you were able to stop in time to avoid a collision with the biker. Sometimes there are unavoidable situations when your equipment has to be up to whatever is thrown at you. Our Ford F250 has super 4 wheel disc brakes hubby says are excellent in stopping power. That's not an excuse for him to barrel down the road like a NASCAR driver but it is comforting to know we are in a safe vehicle. We use the Tacoma for our town car and only take out the Ford when we camp.

 

[clikrf8]

Beautiful rig!

But we need more photos just to make sure.


What kind of roof basket do you have mounted? I have been looking for a while trying to find a basket that fits my needs.


We had hallmark install the Rhino rack system rails and bought a basket by same company that was a demo. We wanted one that would hold our uninflated inflatable raft (39" x 60" or something like that. Also, I wanted a platform to stand on for photography and this basket has aluminum "planks". Here is a link to what we got:TRAY

Expensive but it will get lots of use. I was looking at the wire mesh basket but didn't see how I could use it with a tripod (and once, I broke my carbon fiber Gitzo by getting a leg stuck in a hole).

 

[clikrf8]

Here is a photo of our campsite along the Pit River on California 299. This was about the only campground open as others had shut down for the winter at Lassen and a lake near Susanville. A gal at the BLM office in Alturas suggested it. Pretty little spot we had all to ourselves with fall color and 2 small waterfalls cascading between the trees. Most of my photos are of where we were not of the truck/camper as we would get up early to shoot and move on and/or be out shooting until after sunset then go to bed.

 

[drodio]

Thansk for sharing. I, too have a diesel F250 (mine is an '03 -- http://go.danielodio.com/tonka ) and am considering both Hallmark and Outfitter. I'd love to hear more about what you do and don't like about the Hallmark camper you got.

DROdio

 

[clikrf8]

Thansk for sharing. I, too have a diesel F250 (mine is an '03 -- http://go.danielodio.com/tonka ) and am considering both Hallmark and Outfitter. I'd love to hear more about what you do and don't like about the Hallmark camper you got.

DROdio


Nice color, blue is my favorite hue.

What I do like: beautiful soft Southwest pattern for the upholstery, expertly sewn; solar panels, controller, inverter, converter system works great; all water systems function well: fresh, hot, grey and black-easy to fill, monitor and flush; heater keeps us warm while being a miserly consumer of propane; ditto the stove top (haven't tried oven yet); bed is comfy and we both sleep well; top is easy and quick to raise/lower with motorized lift; attention to detail is everywhere such a bumper bar above door, trim along dinette, stainless steel mini blinds and back splash, storage area above fridge with mirror; compressor fridge has never consumed more than power we have generated; nice big windows to look out on the world; polar window covers; insulated soft wall kept us warm with little condensation; ABS overhead storage bins with wooden tambour doors that we use as our pantry; LED lighting is bright but consumes little power; lots of lights for a well-lit interior; room for us, our dog and our gear with not much crowding on a smaller unit than a hard side; snap-in carpet helps protect floor but keeps feet warm; dinette has plenty of room for us to sit while we also have a shower/toilet; radio/CD/iPod outlet works well and let us listen to music; (4) 120 volt outlets, 1 inverter 12 volt to 120 volt outlet and (3 ) 12 volt outlets very adequate for our needs; 3 vents including one with Fantastik fan; lots of ways to customize your camper for your specific needs.

Issues: Hallmark unaware of Ford's bumper that flexed so we lost a piece that connected FastGuns from truck to camper and L angle braces were distorted; a screw was not seated properly on a monitor panel; one burner on stove top was loose; a fuse blew but probably due to hubby using microwave too many times; camper bumper and step plate interferes with Ford's back up alarm and visibility of truck license.

Overall we are are happy with our camper. Hallmark, in a call about the fuse, said they would work with us to fix the camper/truck connection problem. Hubby has ideas about the camper bumper and can fix loose burner and the screw as he is pretty handy and was a machinist. Generally, it is a well-thought out design containing just about everything you could need for comfortable camping. It is a solid camper and should survive our back road adventures. From what I can see, fit and finish, except for some bath trim that can be redone (I am a right-brainer who notices the little things) are well-done. The roof should never leak as it is carbon fiber and one piece. They are a great company to work with and seem to appreciate their customers.

Happy trails.

 

[generubin]

Brakes. Really nice to have. Good choice getting a 3/4 ton.

 

[clikrf8]

Brakes. Really nice to have. Good choice getting a 3/4 ton.


Gene,
I think it was you who first brought my attention to the brake issue. Our F250 has nice big brakes. We had to test them a few times (old people on 101 on Oregon coast like to make left turns after waiting an eternity then suddenly decide as you are approaching intersection that it is ok to turn, sheeesh). I still like to drive my Toyota and actually didn't feel the FWC Eagle on it but thankfully never had to hit the brakes. It was also underpowered on passes with his 4 cylinder engine. The Ford is more of an off road vehicle with its off road package. Fuel consumption is half the Tacoma's and I don't like that but we are fairly frugal with home energy usage and combine trips into town in the Tacoma. I do miss the simplicity and compactness of the FWC but hubby is happy so I am happy.

 

[buzzman]

clikrf8,

Congrats on your new camper and truck. Also, great photos on your web site! Post more pics here of your truck/camper if you can.

Sherri and I have been looking at Hallmark campers. I would like to hear about your travels in your Ute, both pros and cons. We love our FWC Grandby and it has served us well with no real problems, however, with about 5 years of camping in it, and the fact that we like to take long trips of 5 to six weeks at a time, there are a few amenities that we would like that our FWC does not have. The Hallmarks seem to have what we need. This past summer we stopped by the Hallmark factory in CO to check them out. Matt Ward gave us a nice tour of the factory and showed us the the details and options of the the two models we were most interested in, the K2 and the Ute/Everest. We loved the campers overall. The floor plan of the K2 was perfect for us. You said you have a wet bath in your Ute and I'm curious to know how you like it? If you use it very often, convenience of use, etc.? We don't necessarily need an inside shower, and it would seem to me to complicate things and add a lot of weight to the camper. But there have been times on our trips where the camp ground showers were really, really bad, or non existent, and the location was not suitable for taking an outside shower. In those cases we would have enjoyed an inside shower. So we are still trying to decide that issue.

Happy travelling!

 

[judithgap]

Nice color, blue is my favorite hue.

What I do like: beautiful soft Southwest pattern for the upholstery, expertly sewn; solar panels, controller, inverter, converter system works great; all water systems function well: fresh, hot, grey and black-easy to fill, monitor and flush; heater keeps us warm while being a miserly consumer of propane; ditto the stove top (haven't tried oven yet); bed is comfy and we both sleep well; top is easy and quick to raise/lower with motorized lift; attention to detail is everywhere such a bumper bar above door, trim along dinette, stainless steel mini blinds and back splash, storage area above fridge with mirror; compressor fridge has never consumed more than power we have generated; nice big windows to look out on the world; polar window covers; insulated soft wall kept us warm with little condensation; ABS overhead storage bins with wooden tambour doors that we use as our pantry; LED lighting is bright but consumes little power; lots of lights for a well-lit interior; room for us, our dog and our gear with not much crowding on a smaller unit than a hard side; snap-in carpet helps protect floor but keeps feet warm; dinette has plenty of room for us to sit while we also have a shower/toilet; radio/CD/iPod outlet works well and let us listen to music; (4) 120 volt outlets, 1 inverter 12 volt to 120 volt outlet and (3 ) 12 volt outlets very adequate for our needs; 3 vents including one with Fantastik fan; lots of ways to customize your camper for your specific needs.

Issues: Hallmark unaware of Ford's bumper that flexed so we lost a piece that connected FastGuns from truck to camper and L angle braces were distorted; a screw was not seated properly on a monitor panel; one burner on stove top was loose; a fuse blew but probably due to hubby using microwave too many times; camper bumper and step plate interferes with Ford's back up alarm and visibility of truck license.

Overall we are are happy with our camper. Hallmark, in a call about the fuse, said they would work with us to fix the camper/truck connection problem. Hubby has ideas about the camper bumper and can fix loose burner and the screw as he is pretty handy and was a machinist. Generally, it is a well-thought out design containing just about everything you could need for comfortable camping. It is a solid camper and should survive our back road adventures. From what I can see, fit and finish, except for some bath trim that can be redone (I am a right-brainer who notices the little things) are well-done. The roof should never leak as it is carbon fiber and one piece. They are a great company to work with and seem to appreciate their customers.

Happy trails.

 

[judithgap]

I am glad that there is someone who has purchased the same camper from Hallmark I plan to purchase. I also have a 2008 F250 crew cab 4x4 diesel similar to your truck. I am also an amature photographer who enjoys taking pics of Gods beautiful world. It sounds as if you are very satisfied with the camper.

 

[Happyjax]

Hello all. Newbie here and this is my first post
I have been reading the forums here for several days now. I have been researching my options for a travel vehicle to do my photography for over a year. This site has had the best info yet and I am very happy to have found it.
I was thinking about customizing a van but feel that there will be too many places I can't get to with a normal van and the Sportsmobiles are a bunch of money. I like the FWC campers but I also think the Hallmark looks good. I am happy to have found another photographer using it so you can tell me the good and bad as far as storage and shooting from the roof etc....
I have not purchased my truck yet because I have too many unanswered questions on which camper I would like. I am even looking at the flatbed versions as they seem to have more storage space.
I am up for any ideas or suggestions you folks may like to share and I look forward to learning and maybe even camping with some of you when I get my outfit.
Thanks all and have a great evening!
HappyJax

 

[enelson]

I sold my Sprinter to get a truck/camper combo instead. We can get into a lot of places with the truck that I could have only dreamed about getting into with the Sprinter. My opinion is to buy a truck with more payload capacity you think you need by 30%-50%.

 

[Barko1]

I just picked up my used Hallmark Cuchara from the factory last week. It was on consignment so I made a deal with the owner and then had hallmark put on a new roof/sidewalls a rack/ladder and grab handle. The service I got from them was excellent, wasn't a new camper but I was treated like it was. They went through the whole thing, gave me a thorough briefing, got me loaded, and back on the road for the 700 miles pretty much all on I25 South. I did find diesel for $2.22! Slept a few hours on the way back with the roof down, heater worked great. Got it home and my wife and I Ioaded it up and headed to Big Bend NP for a few days of a trial run.

I have had a Grandby for about 6 years and during the last couple I also had a 9.5' Lance each carried on my 99 F250 7.3. The Lance was top heavy and a pain at times but it had a hot shower and a lot more room and comfort over the Grandby. The Cuchara is in between these two, much bigger than the Grandby but without the high profile and extra weight that the Lance had. It has an electric operating roof, lots of storage drawers and overhead storage cabinets. The fabric sidewalls are insulated so that is a big improvement over my Grandby (for sale BTW). I plan to use some reflectix for the windows for winter nights although the heater is more than adequate. Wifey wanted the shower and it works well, hot water, porcelain toilet (!) nice counters, very easy to pop the walls up. We have 4, dogs so we need all the room that is provides. Two dogs ride up front and the two bigger ones now ride in the camper watching out the big windows.

When I first headed out from Colorado I nearly forgot I had that big camper on the back. I do have good E rated tires, airbags, and a Helwig sway bars but around town I hardly feel the camper. It is what I wanted, enough room, shower/loo, without the extra girth. So far it all is working great. This pic is from Big Bend Ranch State Park, on the Rio Grande, great campsite with snow in the mountains across the river in Mexico. Actually that is looking North not Mexico. We camped at Balmorhea State Park, huge natural spring in the desert. Then we spent a couple nights in cottonwood in Big Bend, a night by Rio Grande Village and then on to Big Bend Ranch. We were lucky it snowed, makes a beautiful place even greater. Everything in the Hallmark worked great, easy up and down, no problem driving around, I still need to add a gas line for the Wave heater. Nice things are the slide out battery tray that holds two 6v batteries, a 30# propane tank, the electric roof, a big dinette bed, a thick memory foam mattress on top, and plenty of counter space and storage. Because of the rear overhang and weight I lose some off road capability but I can get to where I need to go. We looked at an Outfitter Apex 9.5, it was nice but I noticed some bubbling on the roof and didn't want to spend for that on top of an already pretty high price. Hallmark seems to get better customer service ratings. One guy I talked to who had to get a new roof on his Outfitter (storm Damage) said it was problematic working with them and cost way too much. Another guy said he had to take his back because the pull out under bed storage broke and again they charged him a huge amount to fix it even thought it failed because of a weak design. So far I'm pleased.