Seeking advice on my first Alaskan

[Dr.Science]

Newbie on this forum. I've been thinking about getting an Alaskan for some years now and finally sat down and ran the numbers on pop-up campers, and Alaskan won. I suppose that won't be a surprise to any of you, but really the aesthetics won the argument. If I'm gonna be spending 16-hr winter nights sitting in a camper, I want it to be warm and to look good.

So the question is, which one? A bit of research tells me the motive force will be a 2500 or 3500 class pickup, 4WD, probably diesel, probably about 10 years old to hit a $15K price point. That will carry a 6.5 or 8-foot bed, which means a 6.5' CO, 8' CO or 8' NCO Alaskan. I want to keep the overall rig length fairly short because I go to a lot of places that push the limits of the rig. I also mostly go to fairly cold places. I hope it will be a used Alaskan because although I could swing the price of a new one, the 16-month lead time for a build is daunting. But, they seem to be scarce on the used market. I'm not afraid to fix one up though; handy with tools and have many of them. One thing I'm wondering, would it be better to get a 6.5 ft camper with an extended cab or an 8 ft with a standard cab? And is the 8' NCO really that much different from an 8' CO in terms of extended living space (I'm recently mostly retired so I'm looking at using this rig for extended journeys, typically 4-16 weeks, sometimes with spouse who's a rugged outdoorsy sort).

Also looking for tips on set-up for extended cold weather use in boondock environment. Best heater, best choice of fridge, stuff like that. Traditionally I do this stuff backpacker style but getting a bit old for it, have to learn the RV'ers ways.

Thanks for your sage advice.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Hi Doc, and welcome to WTW!

I think Alaskans are great campers! The Boss of Me (and me) came very close to buying one, but the roominess of a Northern Lite won. I’m still rethinking that decision. The Alaskan Campers are literally the most comfortable camper I’ve ever been in. Because of the wood floor pack, they do take a bit more maintenance than regular hardside campers, but that’s not a huge issue.

I am a diesel guy, but I don’t think I would buy another one. With the HP & torque wars going on, I believe the makers are pushing things too close to the edge. I’ve had turbo issues with my F350 that make me ask if the power is worth the additional $10K purchase price, and there’s the higher maint costs. I’d go with a 1 ton. Bed length is a personal choice, but I prefer 8’.

oops, hit reply too soon... adding stuff

One option Alaskan has is an insulated floor. You can do that yourself with construction foam. For heat, I believe forced air is best, but a lot of people add a catalytic heater to reduce current draw. Ventilation helps control the moisture from a catalytic heater. If you will be around shore power, a small electric works well.

Both of my rigs have 3 way refers, and they are fine, but I think a compressor fridge is the way to go. We also have a chest style Engel that is a great asset on a trip. We use it as a freezer.

Hope that helps!

Welcome to the cult.

 

[thisoldcamper]

Welcome Dr.
My choice would be a setup like Moose Dog put together: https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/16222-the-end-of-the-beginning-the-beginning-of-the-new-chapter/?hl=utility
Extended cab, utility bed, 8 ft cab over Alaskan. Plenty of room for supplies and people.

 

[CougarCouple]

Hello Dr. Science

Will agree with your perspective I also like feel I get when I see them. Check the weight then add 500# I think you’d be at 1 ton min.
Welcome to WtW so many great folks here.

Russ

 

[Dr.Science]

Thanks for the tips. For a truck I'll probably be looking at an institutional auction, government or major contractor used rig. Probably an 8-ft bed because 6.5-ft Alaskans seem to be nearly absent on the used market - everything I'm seeing is 8 or 10 feet. I've seen photos that show 8-ft campers in 6.5-ft beds; is that reasonable, or if not, why not?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Thanks for the tips. <snip> I've seen photos that show 8-ft campers in 6.5-ft beds; is that reasonable, or if not, why not?

My 2¢. Not a good idea. I don’t like the thought of extra weight that far behind the axle.

 

[rando]

Agreed on not being a good idea to put a long bed camper in a short bed truck, particularly if you plan on driving rougher roads. There have been a few folks on here who have done it with lighter pop-ups and while it hasn't lead to calamity (that I know of) it has also lead to questions such as - why don't I have any steering control on washboard roads?

If you are assembling something from scratch then do it right and you will be happier long term.

 

[wcj]

What you describe and your use sounds very similar to my experiences. I am currently running a 8 foot cab over on a Chevy 2500 extended cab short box, 6 feet. Diesel, 4x4, only addition is airbags and 285x75x16 Toyo MT's (third set) and a winch, This vehicle gets a lot of serious off road use, probably more than most because I have easy access to that type of camping. The truck handles the camper with no issues, the shorter wheelbase is better off road and the turn radius is tighter. I have run multiple trips where chains on all four wheels were required. I have been lots of places you could not take a standard pick up camper that an Alaskan is low enough to get in. The lower center of gravity is also nice off road and a life saver in the wind. We came across Judith Gap a couple of years ago and the conventional pick up camper ahead of us tipped over a one ton Ford in the wind. It makes a difference. If you do high wind areas there are other tricks we can share later.

We camp all summer, but also well into the fall for bird and elk season. The standard furnace is needed to warm it up on a windy and snowing evening, we supplement it with a Wave cat heater because no battery drain. The Wave alone is not enough when it gets seriously cold.

If you have a spouse on the trip, the cabover is better, the extra room makes a difference. The cabover handles the two of us and a dog with no problems. If you are alone a non cab over works, I have one I rebuilt from the floor up, but it is tight for two in bad weather,
I currently run the stock three way fridge, only on propane. Doesn't work worth a damn on 12 volt or 110. A switch to a 12 volt compressor is in the near future. A 12 volt bunk warmer made for truckers works nice to take the pain out of crawling into the cab over. We cut reflectix inserts for the windows when it is really cold. Keep all the perelli tape in good shape. Carpet cut to fit the floor that you can take out and shake helps in the cold.

All of our camping is dispersed boon docking so I cannot help with campground suggestions.
Good luck with your search.

 

[wcj]

I added a couple of photos to the Gallery

 

[Dr.Science]

wcj - That's very helpful info. At this point I'm looking for an 8-ft CO and a standard-cab longbed 2500 or 3500 truck. Utilities (solar, furnace, fridge, plumbing) will depend upon the camper I find. We're going to Chehalis tomorrow (we live nearby) to look at campers and I may get on the waiting list for a new one, but I suspect the fastest way to solve this is to find a used one (meanwhile I have a comfortable Astro conversion van that gets us just about anywhere we need to go, but it's basically a camping rig).

BTW on refrigerators... check out this link: https://gnomadhome.com/best-12v-portable-refrigerators-for-vanlife/ which has a spreadsheet comparing specs on MANY offerings. Best current draw in a compressor fridge is the top-loading 55L Dometic. I also like the idea of a "cooler" shaped compressor fridge because you can simply put it outside, or in the cab of the truck, when camped in cold places, and the current draw then drops to about zero. Access it through the truck cab slider window.

 

[wcj]

Thanks for the link, lots of good information. Still debating between a chest type and replacing the upright. Haven't decided.

 

[Dr.Science]

Step 1 completed. Ended up last week with a 2013 Silverado 2500 extended cab, gas, 62K miles, rated to carry 3,275#; and just last night plunked a 1990 8' CO into it, which was listed on Craiglist that same day by a guy who lives 5 miles from me! The camper is a little bit rough but the price was good (considering this market), the wood and skin are totally sound, the hydraulics work fine, and I feel comfortable enough with sorting out the propane, plumbing and electrical systems. Excited.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Step 1 completed. Ended up last week with a 2013 Silverado 2500 extended cab, gas, 62K miles, rated to carry 3,275#; and just last night plunked a 1990 8' CO into it, which was listed on Craiglist that same day by a guy who lives 5 miles from me! The camper is a little bit rough but the price was good (considering this market), the wood and skin are totally sound, the hydraulics work fine, and I feel comfortable enough with sorting out the propane, plumbing and electrical systems. Excited.

Congrats on both truck and camper! We need to see the photos!

 

[ski3pin]

Good scores, congrats!

 

[Dr.Science]

Just uploaded a gallery: [sharedmedia=gallery:albums:1466]

Currently trying to figure things out. The wiring is a bit of a mess - everything seems to be plugged in to the battery. 15A power controller and 8A fridge leaves very little leeway for other power consumption. Fridge seems to not work in 12V mode, haven't done troubleshooting yet. Haven't figured out water or propane systems, but they'll probably need some attention. Yesterday built an insulated base to fill the 2" gap between camper floor and truck bed, installed it today, then removed about 200# of electric jacks. The camper fits into the truck bed with the tailgate securely closed, and the truck feels great, hardly even notices the weight (which my original owner's manual tells me is precisely 1500# wet weight, though I think water and propane are currently empty). What's the consensus on tie-downs for this kind of set-up? The camper came with a set of Happijacks but the front of the truck bed has a fashionable curve to it so I don't think I can fit them at the front end. Rear end is workable.

 

[Beach]

Congrats, sounds like you got the rig you wanted.