Palomino SS-500

[eperro]

Does anyone have any long term reviews or thoughts on the Palomino SS-500. I found a new 2021 for a decent price. I was originally looking at FWC and ATC but they are over a year out, more expensive, and the used ones seem to be selling at the price or higher than new ones since people know the long wait times. Are you getting that much more with the ATC and FWC? The camper will be on a 2018 f150 with the 6.5 foot bed. It will mainly be used for camping on weekends and hunting in the fall and will not be lived in full time.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Welcome to the cult.

Back in 2009 I looked into the Palomino brand, the SS500 model.
I hadn't looked at the ATC/FWC campers yet.
I was impressed with the camper.

One thing they are heavier then the ATC/FWC ones.
I don't know how well they hold up if you use them in
a hard off road area.

I also looked at the ATC/FWC brands at the factory and
really liked them.
Ended up with a 2009 ATC Bobcat. We have used it for great camping trips .
Alaska twice and many Yellowstone trips.We have about 50K miles on the camper.

If you can find a used ATC I would recommend them.
But they are around you just have to be in the right place at the right time.

Good luck.
Frank

 

[Old Crow]

I spoke to a Palomino Backpack Edition owner about a month ago. According to my log, we were at the Sinclair gas station in Kemmerer, Wyoming on July 17th.

I had noticed he had a cargo strap around the cabover of his camper so I asked what that was about. He said he wasn't quite sure how it had happened but the front roof latches weren't usable. One had broken off and the other was bent up. All he knew for sure was someone had flagged him down as he was driving along with the front of the roof up. He guessed one latch had let loose while driving rough roads and the other when driving at much higher speed on hard road. He said it didn't surprise him a lot as he drives many rough gravel roads and two-track and probably isn't as vigilant as he should be about the latches.

I thought that would have soured him on the Palomino but he said he was happy with it. He wished it wasn't so heavy but overall it has done well for him. It just is what it is.... a heavy truck camper.

He said the roof didn't seem to be damaged and he was still using the camper daily. He planned to just continue using the cargo strap until he could get replacement latches.

He said he also has an old Grandby he bought to rebuild. He'd like to have a newer one but prices are too high. Then he ran onto a good deal on the Palomino and realized the project was going to take a long time and a lot of work and he could be out camping now in the Palomino.

The camper was on an older Silverado and by all appearances the rig was heavily used, i.e., lots of dust and pinstriping.

I took his comments as a positive assessment of the camper despite the roof-latch problem.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

A good lesson to make sure our latches are closed and snug.
Frank