Review of our new Hallmark Everest

[smlobx]

I hope everyone is out enjoying their favorite overlanding spot this weekend. Please remember those that have sacrificed so that we can enjoy doing what we do...

Anyway, I promised a review of our new Hallmark Everest and having returned from a 3300 mile round trip I'm ready!

Let's start with the exterior and some of the things we like about our camper...

We got the 10' carefree awning and it provides tons of shade and is very easy to deploy. Underneath the awning there are two (15 gallon?) propane tanks with a separate hose to attach our outdoor cooktop.

Another reason we chose Hallmarks is the scissor stairs that they provide as part of their standard equipment. Our rig is pretty high off the ground and this make the transition easier.
Moving to the drivers side we spec'd an exterior shower as we wanted to keep the humidity inside the rig as low as possible (remember we live on the East Coast). The unit we have is from a British company Bullfinch and it is very easy to install and use...

We have 2- 100 watt solar panels on the roof along with 2 six volt batteries and during our 5 days camping we never came close to running out of power. In fact most of the times we were over 13.5 volts! One of the things we like about our rig is that all the lighting inside and out is led so we never worried about turning the lights on both inside and out.

 

[smlobx]

OK so let's move to the inside of our new home away from home...

One of the things that really stood out to us as we looked at various brands is that the soft walls of the Hallmarks are an off white color and this makes the interior considerably brighter than the competition. We also were able to choose the fabrics we wanted to use and thanks to the reccomendations we got here (thanks Vic!) we chose Sunbrella fabrics and they should wear very well (in fact my wife spilled some wine on the seat and was quickly ably to wipe it up without any ill effects. We have three ceiling vents, the center one is pre wired for a future A/C if we decide to get one later and the rear one has a fan in it and that is used to creat a vacum inside to collapse the soft walls inward when lowering the roof. Very ingenious!

Now to the Master Bedroom!
We opted for the North /South queen bed and I have to say it is very comfortable. We bought a RV Super Bag and while it's not cheap it worked really well.
The main advantage to this arrangement is the amount of storage that we have. On each side of our bed we have two compartments that were big enough to store our weeks worth of clothes. Notice that we also each have a 12V plug between the bins(an option). On top of that, the side of the bed closest to the main part of the camper raises up to reveal a huge storage space. We didn't use this space on our trip back but could easily see storing either food or additional clothes etc. there.
As if that isn't enough if you pull the mattress back towards the back of the camper there is another hidden storage compartment big enough to store several rifles or other items that you'd rather keep secure.

 

[smlobx]

One of the unique engineering parts of this camper is the mechanism that raises the top. According to Bill it is actually an aircraft part that extends the flaps on the wings. This screw gear is operated by a cordless screw gun and uses the same fitting that raises the legs on our camper!

It takes less than a minute to raise the top and it is strong enough to raise the top with a 4 wheeler on top so you can put virtually anything you could lift up there.

 

[smlobx]

Moving on to the right side of the interior we have the dinette with two huge sliding windows. Another thing we liked about Hallmark is that they provide you with thermal window coverings over each of the windows.

Behind the dinette we selected a cassette toilet. I have never serviced one before but I have to say it is very easy to use and if you put some chemicals in it there is no odor. Very convenient. There is a cover that doubles as a convenient bench seat during the day to take off your shoes etc.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

That looks like a first rate camper! I like it!

 

[Happyjax]

Looks sweet! Thanks for the report and pics!

 

[smlobx]

Onto the drivers side...

At the back there is a nice deep cabinet as you first enter the door. We haven't quite figured out the best way for us to utilize this space but there is a lot of potential...

Next to that is our two way fridge. I have to say I was interested in how this thing would perform and it performed beautifully even keeping some ice cream at just the right temperature! There is also plenty of room for what ever we would want to keep cold on an extended trip which is our plan... There is a nice little vanity base and mirror above the fridge that should hold most of my wife's "stuff"...

When we were spec'ing out the appliances I thought my wife would opt for the euro range and sink but when she saw them in person she chose the regular three burner range and integrated sink. There is also plenty of counter space which helps if we have to prep indoors.

One last thing.. In reading various threads many people seem to have wanted more outlets so we asked Matt to give us an extra 110v and 12v outlet near the dinette and he did. In fact we have 3, 110v outlets and 5, 12v outlets in our camper. Fantastic!!

Overall we could not be happier with the camper and the way we spec'd our rig! My apologies for the quality of the images...
Let me know if you have any questions....

 

[smlobx]

Thanks Wandering Sagebrush and Happyjax!

 

[DrJ]

Fantastic camper and great report!

Is there anything that you wish you would have ordered and didn't?

 

[JaSAn]

Sweet!

 

[isbram]

It sounds like you really like you new rig, every time we take ours camping someone will stop by and start asking questions about it.
In the large cabinet by the entry door we had Hallmark add two removable shelves; it just seems to a more efficient use of that space for us. We also added a tracked sliding Rubbermaid clothes basket under the counter; it works great for holding pots and pans and keeping them in place. We opted for the gas range with oven option otherwise we could have installed two baskets.

 

[smlobx]

Fantastic camper and great report!
Is there anything that you wish you would have ordered and didn't?

Good question.
We are still in the process of our fitting the interior (does it ever end??) so I'm not sure I have a complete answer yet but one thing I wish we had is a utensil drawer. You know for forks, spoons etc. I may start a new thread asking how other people organize their stuff..
Other than that we have been very happy with everything. Even the dinette seats are comfortable!

 

[smlobx]

It sounds like you really like you new rig, every time we take ours camping someone will stop by and start asking questions about it.In the large cabinet by the entry door we had Hallmark add two removable shelves; it just seems to a more efficient use of that space for us. We also added a tracked sliding Rubbermaid clothes basket under the counter; it works great for holding pots and pans and keeping them in place. We opted for the gas range with oven option otherwise we could have installed two baskets.

Isbram that sounds like some great ideas. Could you post a couple of pics?

 

[Bad Habit]

Isbram that sounds like some great ideas. Could you post a couple of pics?

x2 Always looking for more refinements (and reasons to tinker)

We have the oven option too so only the one bay under the counter and it's congested with the plumbing. Also, our single propane tank is on that side so that blocks off a lot of room in that area. We have the K2 so about 6" shorter than yours. Doesn't sound like much but there are some nuances different with the floor plan. We don't have the storage space next to the refrigerator, but do have a storage cabinet above the cassette toilet (because of the different propane tank placement).

The N/S bed with the storage under is great. Overall we have more storage than we have figured out how to use efficiently, so always looking for secondary storage ideas - shelving, containers, dividers etc. One thing that I'm starting to learn towards is to use the underbed storage less for clothes and more for things that are more likely to be needed only once set up (and somebody isn't sleeping). No access to it unless the top is up, and everybody is up and at 'em.

It's a constant learning and refinement process, figuring out the best places for things. There's enough space for the 2 of us, but it also makes it easy to over pack and put things in to places that you forgot you have (and probably don't need). We have the exterior storage boxes which are great for tools and messy items (small grill, etc) but also for collecting really heavy stuff. Starting to rethink what's really needed and put the whole thing on a diet. Went through a scale our last trip out, 11,000lbs, and still under GVWR.

The more you use it, the more you'll enjoy it and appreciate the choice you made.

 

[68 Siesta]

I love the amount of storage. Great report and great looking rig!

 

[smlobx]

Happy Memorial Day to everyone!

So what does a builder do on his day off? Build something of course!
With the help of my youngest son (23) I decided to build a movable platform to store the camper on when we're not able to use it as I need my truck for work.
So here are a few pictures...

 

[isbram]

Isbram that sounds like some great ideas. Could you post a couple of pics?

Ok here is a few shots of the shelves and the storage basket, I built a small frame to mount the basket so if wouldn’t hang up on the opening when sliding out. My wife is in charge of the inside of the camper organizing. She uses a big selection of Rubblermaid containers for storing napkins, silverware, coffee and sugar etc. She also uses them for the bathroom supplies; I don’t have to worry about shampoo etc. spilling and making a huge mess when driving off road.

 

[enelson]

Happy Memorial Day to everyone!

So what does a builder do on his day off? Build something of course!
With the help of my youngest son (23) I decided to build a movable platform to store the camper on when we're not able to use it as I need my truck for work.
So here are a few pictures...

Very nice!

 

[ski3pin]

Congrats on your new camper and thanks much for the review. Looks really nice with options that will suit you well! Have fun!

 

[Lighthawk]

Looks mighty comfy! Great write up and I am sure you and the missus will enjoy many a mile in fine rig.