New Member, Preparing to Order Question

[Dphillip]

Greetings from Omaha.

After two years of faithfully following this forum my wife and I are preparing to order a Hawk from Rocky Mountain 4 Wheel Campers. We are confident on most of the options we want but are uncertain about the Thermal Pack. Do we need it? We are not hard core off the grid campers. We anticipate that most of our camping will be at campgrounds with hook ups and don't forsee camping during extreme cold or hot temps. My wife feels we need it and I'm just not sure? The Hawk we are going to order will have the side dinette, flush mount sink/stove and furnace. We are deleting the refrigerator in exchange for shelving and will go with a portable unit instead. We are both retiring soon and plan on touring the country towing our motorcycle behind the truck. The Hawk will basically be a place to spend the night on the road as oppose to a off road camper. Thank you in advance for you thoughts and thank you for all the knowledge I've gained over the past two years.

 

[Stalking Light]

I ordered my camper a month or so ago and will pick it up in a couple of weeks. I did not order the thermal pack but after reading about it I decided to add it to my order (although they are on backorder). Aside from the insulating properties, what sold me on it was it makes the fabric part less transparent. It seems that when I camp in a campground I am always by someone who likes to leave a porch light or lantern on all night and if I want a light on I'd prefer to control it myself.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

If the great majority of your camping is on a hook up, my two cents worth says you don't need it. Run the fan if it's hot, electric heater or furnace if it's cold. You can always add the arctic pack later if you want.

 

[Ted]

Welcome Dphillip, and congrats on placing your order. When I read your post my first thought was you won't need the arctic pack based on the description of your camping style. But then you mentioned touring the country. Well, you could run into some serious cold while on that trip. But mostly I have to agree with Stalking Light. The fabric in our 2003 camper had a blackout layer. The new FWCs don't have this. So at night when the light is on is the same effect as being inside a tent with a light on. A great silhouette of you and your wife climbing into the bunk at night for the whole campground to see. If nothing else, order it for that reason.

 

[BobM]

Im so glad I have one. Its good for both hot and cold. It also helps with noise etc

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Wander The West mobile app

 

[Lighthawk]

The new FWCs don't have this. So at night when the light is on is the same effect as being inside a tent with a light on. A great silhouette of you and your wife climbing into the bunk at night for the whole campground to see. If nothing else, order it for that reason.

Seriously? Our 08 FWC liner is completely opaque.

Dphilip: I would get the liner. Without it you have one thin layer between you and the ambient (hot/cold) temps. I notice this especially laying in the bed and somethings entertain having a mini liner of just the area over our heads. But even when temps drop into the 40's, I think you would be well served to have some insulation up there. YMMV

 

[Smokecreek1]

I agree with Ted, it's better to have it, and not need it most of the time, than the other way around. I didn't have one for the first few years and i camp year round here in the high lands of the northern great basin (05-Granby and retired in 05) and there were a few times especially in Dec and January that i wished i'd had it, Unlike some of those on here, i don't leave it in year round, and use it only during the late fall and winter and i usually dry camp most of the time(don't like the closed in feeling-even if it warms the place up-or cools it down), but if you use plug in cg's allot, get one of those small electric heaters to go along with the arctic pack (like me on those rare occasions when i use real cg's), and you should be happy! As a side, it's seems easier to not notice the cost of it if it is hidden in the original cost of it as to fork out the price later as a stand alone item-just my way of thinking.

Smoke

 

[pvstoy]

Years ago I wrote a article for All Terrain Campers and it is still on their web page. You can read it here http://www.allterraincampers.com/coldweatherpack.htm

 

[billharr]

Went from a 2002 Hawk to a 2013 Hawk. I miss the dark soft side. Before I saw light only from the vent hole, nice and dark inside. Now every light shines through. Thinking about a cold pack for that reason alone.

Bill

 

[longhorn1]

Congrats and welcome. We ordered the thermal pack and I'm glad we did. If you camp in the mountains or go somewhere in the late fall to watch the leaves, like we just did in the Great Smoky Mountains you will be glad you have it. There is also a little more sense of privacy. I don't plan on taking mine out as it will help in the warmer weather also. Good luck. JD

 

[Dphillip]

Thank you all for the replies and opinions. It appears we'll be including a Thermal Pack with our order which now means my wife was right again.

 

[longhorn1]

They are always right, at least in their eyes they think they are.

 

[highz]

I don't think you'll regret adding the thermal pack. I know I don't.

Got any trips to the Niobrara planned with your new camper?

 

[Dphillip]

We haven't been to the Niobrara in about twelve years where we camped and canoed down the river. The first trip with the new camper will likely be into Colorado and then the Black Hills for the Motorcycle Rally. We also go to Moab every year for the Jeep Safari but may not take the new camper there as we've had a standing reservation in a efficiency cabin the last ten years or so. It's really an exciting time for us since we've been impatiently waiting for over two years to place our order.

 

[Beach]

Besides keeping your camper warm and cozy, it will keep it nice and cool. It is a must have when we use the A/C in the summer here in Texas.

 

[craig333]

I don't have one and while it would be nice its certainly not a must have. Not for the camping you've described. Easy to do later if you decide you need it.

 

[deethe]

i went with the arctic pac, just received it and plan to install it year round for warm and light blocking. I passed on the stock furnace for an aftermarket Truma E2400 that I'm in the process of installing.

You might find that the portable fridge is more cumbersome than a dedicated built-in, if so- consider a 12volt only Isotherm Cruise with Smart thermostat control- better door latch for rough roads. the 3-way i ordered from FWC doesn't have a sturdy door lock for closed or venting purposes.

 

[rotti]

.....if you use plug in cg's allot, get one of those small electric heaters to go along with the arctic pack

Agreed....one of my favorite purchases for my Hawk when I'm in a full service campground. They really put out more heat than you would think.

You will be happy with the liner in your travels to Colorado and Sturgis. It can snow at most any time in the high country here and mornings are always cold. In Sturgis you will want all the sound insulation you can get. I've found ear plugs, a pillow over your head and alcohol helps...a little. The 75th next year and it should be wild.

 

[idahoron]

I am another with a small electric heater. It is a small 5000 btu 1500 watt forced air heater with high and low along with a dial that will allow me to adjust the heat. So high has the ability to dial it down or up and the low can do the same. Plus it has just fan only mode. I have used this thing a ton. I am amazed that my electric heater is actually a better heater than the buddy. The buddy is nice for no electricity but the electric one is FAR better at heating the camper. I was also one that bought the thermal pack as a afterthought. I still deal with the same condensation issues but the one thing that is nice is the reduced cold spot next to the wall. I leave mine in full time.

 

[Dphillip]

We really went back and forth regarding a built in or portable fridge. We felt with our style of camping we just won't travel with perishable food that often. If we do have an off the grid trip the portable fridge would be called into service. Also, the portable fridge would fit perfect in the back of the Jeep to keep our lunch cool when we hit a trail for the day.

A small electric heater sounds like a must have accessory.