Monday, October 13, 2008

Lance Widens Field

Lance Camper owners seem to be a fairly happy lot with their rigs. Now the company is looking to move into another segment of the RV market: The company has announced it's moving into the travel trailer arena. According to trade digest, RV Business, the new launch is called the 1880 series of travel trailers.

Entering the 18 to 26 foot marketplace, Lance is taking aim at the new wave of lighter RVs. These new trailers will scale in at less than 3,200 pounds, build from fiberglass based on an aluminum frame. Taking a page out of their camper design notebook, the company is using block foam insulation.

Outside the company touts its "no plastic insert" trim style, giving the rig sleekness; inside one-piece solid wood cabinets are said to be, "easy to replace." How many of us have changed the cabinets in our campers lately, or even wanted to? Entry prices are in the mid $16,000 range.

Photo: rvbusiness

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Monday, October 6, 2008

Canada Truck Camper Builder Fills US Void

Yakima, Washington -- A Canadian truck camper manufacturer says it's rolling campers off the line at a fast clip, but not in Canada--down south in the U.S.

You may associate this desert town with the now defunct Western Recreational Vehicles company, which built the Western RV line of campers and Alpenlite fifth wheels. Earlier this year the company folded up shop, leaving a lot of manufacturing employees on the unemployment line. But now some of that void has been filled as Adventurer RV has stepped in and hired some of those idled workers.

According to the local CBS television affiliate, KIMA TV, Adventurer could be rolling up to 10 campers off the assembly line per week for the next several months. As other manufacturers are giving up the ghost, Adventurer is picking up the slack. Sixteen former Western RV employees are now on the line, and the company is looking to hire 10 more workers over the next couple of months.

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Got a "Tow/Haul" Switch?

As new camper owners take to the roads, one of the questions that often pops up is, "I've got a tow/haul switch--should I use it with my camper?"

You'll probably find a tow-haul switch on your Allison transmission equipped pickup truck. Our friend Rocky has a GMC diesel rig with the Allison, and working on not being a bit envious can be tough! Other rigs too, may be equipped with a Tow/Haul switch, and the effects of its use are largely the same.

What's the Tow/Haul switch do? The switch changes the characteristics of how the transmission operates. Shift patterns are changed in tow mode that cause less shifting, enhanced performance, and a cooler operating transmission when the truck is hauling a big load to trailering. You'll find significantly improved engine braking--which with a diesel engine is a godsend.

Should you use the Tow/Haul option when carrying your truck camper? By all means! Many truck camper owners have commented favorably about better handling, and certainly better manners when decending steep grades. Give it a try!

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Sunday, August 31, 2008

Not a pretty truck-camper sight


It may not be pretty, but it works. RVtravel.com reader Eve Burton spotted this unusual truck camper in the parking lot of Hanks Market in Twisp, Washington.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Camper owner goes green

We've all been hearing more about how environmentally friendly RVs can be. Now a Utah truck camper owner has really put it to the test.

Brian Brawdy recently told an ABC television afiliate about his green camper. As might be expected, electricity is completely renewable solar. Here's the twist, Brawdy's camper has six panels, three on the roof, and three mounted on the cab-over front of the camper itself. If solar won't cut it, he also has a wind turbine to provide juice when in windy area.

But the eco-friendliness goes deeper: Fresh water is supplied, not from city water taps to RV tank. Instead, Brian collects rain water, filters it, and stores it in bottles. So much for our Arizona travels, I guess. But some parts of the country--take the Pacific Northwest for example--could probably keep you going year-around.

Brian's biggest "green problem"? Not enough stations are selling bio-diesel to keep his Ford F-350's diesel engine fired up at all times.

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

How About an Airbed?

When we started working on our new camper "project," it was clear the previous owners hadn't taken the best of care of some things. A new mattress was certainly in order before we took the rig out on the road. But what kind of mattress to replace the old "spring and stuffing" that we took out?

In our big fifth wheel we'd been spoiled rotten with a commercial air bed. It set us back a few bucks, so getting another one of these seemed out of the question. Still we wanted something comfortable and light, as we were working hard to lighten the camper load weight. With reservations we visited Walmart and picked out a queen size air mattress from the sporting goods section.

It was surprisingly comfortable for the price. When we added a couple of inches of memory foam to the top of the mattress, our restful nights were almost as good as back in the "big rig." Still there are a few things we learned from nights on the road.

First, a genuine, expensive "air bed" with separate air chambers for each sleeper is certainly an advantage. If we pump up our single chamber bed to make us both comfortable, things get ugly when one partner gets up, leaving their fellow abed. The sudden loss of weight on the bed causes a quick drop in altitude, leading to the potential of a sore shoulder or hip.

Second, when traveling between destinations where altitude changes are encountered, be prepared for a surprise. Heading uphill, the air mattress certainly expands, getting much firmer. Heading down the hill the opposite is sure to occur. Be prepared to have to make fine (and sometimes rough) tuning adjustments to get a decent night's sleep.

Oddly the quality of the sleep varies between mattresses, with no particular relationship to cost. Our beloved queen size air mattress developed a leak in Las Vegas, leaving us to hit another Walmart. We picked up another inexpensive queen mattress, pumped it up, and found that sleeping was far less comfortable. At the time we didn't have our memory foam with us--still, the "loft" and even-ness across the mattress just wasn't the same.

Would we go back to a "springs and stuffing" mattress? Considering the cost, weight, and comfort factors, we'll tough it out with the air mattress. But we will add a layer for memory foam. We prefer to "remember" a good night's sleep.


2008 Next Exit Directory
Never take a wrong exit off an Interstate highway again. The 2008 Next Exit lists every exit along every Interstate and details exactly what you will find at each: gas stations, campgrounds, truck stops, casinos, laundries, retail stores, shopping malls, movie theaters, factory outlet malls, drug stores, hospitals, rest areas, and more!

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Sunday, July 13, 2008

Starcraft Adds Hard Side Camper to Lineup

Starcraft RV out of Kansas has offered soft-sided truck campers for some time. But not everyone looks with favor on a soft-sider. Issues of security, wide-ranging temperature ability, and more just don't make a 'cloth-sider' an attractive option.

Enter Starcraft's new lineup of hard sided truck campers for the 2009 model year. Built with laminated sidewalls out of Filon, and a roof of fiberglass, Starcraft is keying in the idea of durability. But with a generation of buyers also demanding creature comforts, the new campers come standard with a king-size bed in the cabover, and HD cable TV readiness.

The specifications for those who want to make a longer trip may be a bit dicey. With only a 16 gallon freshwater tank and single 5-gallon LP tank, your ability to hang out in the boonies for more than a very few days may be pretty limited.

We found Starcraft's ability to avoid measurements recognized as fairly standard is a bit mystifying. How big is the new hardside TC? "Starcraft hardside truck campers have an exterior length of 14’ with a spacious 6’6” of headroom," says the company news release. Nor did we find a suggested retail price of even a base unit. Perhaps the company will cut loose with more information as the new model year approaches.


RV & Camper Toys: The History of RVing in Miniature
Everything you ever wanted to know about miniature RVs is in this colorful, entertaining and photo-packed book. Wow! This is a whole buncha fun! Learn more or order.

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