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Moving up to a Four-Wheel Camper

Phillip Loughlin - JHO ProStaff - SF Bay, CA
March 27, 2005

http://www.jesseshunting.com/articles/hunting/category17/78.html

When I was a kid, camping always meant one thing. A tent and sleeping bag. OK, that's two things, but who's counting? If it couldn't be cooked on an open fire, or fit in a backpack, it wasn't "camping gear".

Even after I started driving, my needs were simple. Instead of the backpack, my gear often went into the back of my little Toyota pickup, but it was still largely the same... tent, sleeping bag, and one handy addition - an ice chest. (There's nothing like camping with ice cold beverages on hand.)

Since I wasn't hauling my gear on my back anymore, the packing list slowly grew. I added a lantern and cook stove. A couple of tarps were handy for covering the area in foul weather. A portable table and some chairs added comfort. A solar shower was a welcome addition for washing off the grime at the end of a long day. It wasn't long before I'd fill the bed of the little truck for a weekend away.

 

A few years later, I'd moved up to a full-size truck with an eight-foot bed and a shell. By tossing an air mattress in, I did away with the need for a tent and essentially had my first "RV". This worked well for quite some time, and I camped out of that rig all over the country... from the Florida Keys to the Sierra. But the older and more spoiled I got, the less satisfied I became. I got tired of having to pack and unpack my "kitchen", and of having to roll everything up when the weather got tough. The truck shell was cozy, but it got really close after a while, especially with more than one person or a wet hunting dog.

About this time, I first discovered the Four-Wheel Campers. I'd looked at some of the more common cab-overs, such as the Lance and SixPac, and while they offered a lot of great amenities, I didn't like the idea of the added weight and the top-heavy balance. I drive a lot in the hills, especially hog hunting, and the thought of hauling one of those monstrosities along some of the trails was more than daunting.

Unlike other cab-over campers, the Four-Wheel models feature a pop-up top, so it stows away while driving and can be quickly deployed in camp. The campers are lightweight as well, and designed to be used on the back of a 4WD vehicle. In the fall of 2004, after three years of hemming and hawing, I finally broke down and dropped $11K for an almost fully loaded "Grandby" model to go on the back of my 3/4 ton Dodge Ram.

The Grandby is made for full-size, long-bed trucks. At under 800 lbs, loaded, my Dodge barely notices the load (although there is a noticeable wind-drag on the highway). The version I bought includes a two-burner stove, 16000 BTU furnace with a fan, water heater, outside shower, and few other nice amenities. The one thing that is not included is a bathroom. A portable pottie is available, but I've never liked dealing with those things. A shovel and fold out toilet seat has always been good enough for me. This has, however, turned out to be a point of contention on family outings...especially when it's cold outside.

They basically build each unit to the buyer's specifications, so it took about two months to receive my camper. As such, I got the rig a little too late to use during big game season, but I did have several opportunities to set up in the "sweat line" at the duck refuges, as well as a couple of runs up to my favorite quail hunting area.

This was luxury living, compared to the way I'd done it in the past. There's a lot to be said about rolling out of the rack and getting dressed in a warm living area, throwing on a pot of coffee and cooking breakfast without having to fold out a table and camp stove. After the hunt, it's lovely to come back into the camper, pour a favorite beverage and read a good book under real, electric lights.

When the sweat line started moving, it only took a couple of minutes to "break camp", by dropping the top and fastening it down. I could go from heated comfort on the couch to driving down the road in less than 10 minutes. The break-down is actually faster than I'd expected it to be... a pleasant surprise.

I also had the opportunity to do a family outing, with the three of us spending a weekend on the coast. The nice thing about the cabover as opposed to a camping trailer, is that I can haul the horses along, so I hooked up the trailer and brought the animals on our trip. This is another case where the light weight of the FourWheel Camper shows its value.

With three people aboard, the camper does get a little tight. It is, after all, self-contained in the 4'x8' bed of a pickup truck. With two people sitting on the couch, it's a little tricky to prepare a meal in the galley. And once the main bed is set up (a slide-out queen bed) and the couch is folded out into a double bed, walking room is at a bit of a premium. But it's still more spacious than a tent! Besides, you usually don't want to spend all your camping time inside anyway.

I have found that the furnace was worth the extra money, although the heat tends to escape pretty quickly through the vinyl sides of the pop-up. An "arctic pac" insulation package is available as an option, but I chose not to purchase it with my camper. I usually sleep under an elk skin blanket, but if it were really cold a decent sleeping bag or quilt would probably keep you plenty warm. As it is, with the elk skin I was pretty comfy even when the temps were down into the high 20s. If I were spending more time in really cold climates, I think the arctic pac would be worthwhile.

While moving around in the galley and living area, the furnace is more than sufficient to keep you comfortable. In fact, it can get too warm. Even though the system is thermostatically controlled, it pumps out some serious heat while it's running.

Another option I selected was the auxiliary battery. So far, even after a weekend of use with the heater, lights, and a portable DVD player, I barely made a dent in the battery power. My Dodge is a diesel and already has an auxiliary battery installed, so with three fully charged batteries, I doubt I'll ever run out of power. "Shore power" can be connected though, if you are in a place that provides an outlet.

I also added-on the water heater and outdoor shower. I've always used a solar shower before, and I really like being able to wash up during a long weekend afield. The water heater works as advertised, although it's a little tough to get the pilot lit. It takes a while for the water to heat up, since it's heating an entire reservoir. For a little less money, you can always buy one of the Zodi inline hot water shower systems. I haven't been out in warm weather yet, but I do look forward to having a nice hot shower at the end of a long day chasing A-zone blacktails!

When I picked up this camper, I considered that it would be nice to be able to pop it on or off of the truck whenever I wanted to. After removing it and replacing it a couple of times, I've found that it's not quite as simple as that. I've gotten a little better at it, but it's still a bit of a pain to get it properly aligned and buckled down. Fortunately, it's light enough that I can leave it on the truck most of the time without a real negative impact on my fuel efficiency or driveability.

Overall, I give the FourWheel Campers Grandby a major thumbs-up, and my strong recommendation to anyone who might be considering a cabover camper.