What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Market positioning is a bitch!

 

The lower version will have less of an ability to grab things out from the side unfortunately. I know they designed the original to be able to grab action packers out the sides IIRC. The billet machined hinges are pretty damn sweet though.

 

Not really. I mean is an all aluminum rack with aluminum side panels and all in house made and custom super high quality parts. Pretty cheap really.

 

in house made...super custom high quality parts... sounds like an economy of scale problem again!

 

Yes it is.

How many people do you know that want a custom truck camper?

That's why things like the wildernest and flippac are now...well not made.

Your only other option is this: http://adventuretrailers.com/campers/toyota-habitat/

The GFC suddenly looks pretty cheap huh?

 

Are you going to be making one for $4k?

 

Don't forget James Barroud still makes similar products though.

 

Got out of town and went lookin around Wyoming, cause I can.

 

I don't camp enough to care about this product.. but damn, the RTT market sure is blowing up. There are bound to be lots of failing businesses along the way.



I did not make this graph... I would have used wingdings font

 

I know this is asking a lot, but can someone with an A340F measure the length of their dipstick? I need to fill this thing up to spec but after speaking to Gunny he told me the parts are different between the 'E' and 'F'

 

yeah when i got my first RTT is was only worth 1250 new. I got in on a good GB and go it for 1200 shipped 5 years ago. Could probably sell it for that now.

RTT prices aren't going down, they are going up. Which is a shame. For awhile there prices were nice for RTTs.

 

Agreed. The change in height has the potential to affect a lot of little things. I can see when even production costs could be impacted as some parts between the two rack sizes will not be interchangeable.

To be clear, I am not badmouthing the concept at all like some are doing. I want this to work.

 

I see nothing on their site that compares to a truck camper. Just over priced RTTs.

 

I agree. I think since there are so few competitors and no one can/wants to scale up to reduce costs, the prices won't really change. Some companies will just go belly up because they can't move their product, once the market gets too filled up with competition. As far as I can tell, there is very little differentiation for one company to foster organic growth (i.e., "RTT noobs") over the others. They are all very similar in price point and practicality.

 

Fridge prices are going down though. @m3bassman

 

FWIW, the GFC is in an entirely different category than a RTT. You can buy a Habitat for nearly double the price, which is still heavier, or find a used Flippac or wildernest. Both of which have their own issues.

Regardless, I honestly think the price is fair for what you're getting.

 

To you maybe, but to the average onlooker, they pretty much see camping crap in a few very broad categories. Ground camping, bed camping (aka RTTs and this thingymaflotchy), camper camping, and RVing. Sorry, but this thing is not a huge innovation... and it's still positioned in the market almost the same as every other RTT.

Not trying to shit on the product, but I think the RTT category of camping is getting awfully popular. It's a risky time to be jumping into the market as a supplier. This doesn't wow me.

*on shark tank set* And for that, I'm out.


Of course I have no numbers to back any of this up. Maybe there's still tons more money to be made and I'm an idiot. Who knows. This is the internet.

 

Here's why the truck didn't want to shift into Drive. The 4Runner shift interlock I was using had burnt copper traces.



Have to de-pin and use my old one.



EDIT: disregard I literally just forgot to put my foot on the brake, I'll leave this up so you can laugh at me in pity

 

I have a cheaper option for those who want to go camping. Get a hammok and a tarp one end on the truck the other on a tree.

 

I just recline my seat.