The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

I have a blemished Mountain Hatch and a Bedrug. It’s more than insulated relative to the other air leaks.

 

1. Solid rear aluminum door (Please VO make a solid rear door that seals all the way around, no more holes at the bottom corners!)
A solid composite panel instead of glass is available for the standard back window so no aluminium rear half door will be offered. R&D is being done on a full rear hatch option with Tern side hinge door that will replace the back door and tailgate. This will NOT be put into production until VO is satisfied with the design and backwards compatibility so no details on design and pricing are available as yet

2. Insulated aluminum walls standard
As mentioned above not everyone wants/needs this so keeping it as an option allows people to save money

3. Carpeting on the interior surfaces standard
While interior carpeting is a 'nice to have' option it has certain drawbacks:
a. Cleanliness - hard surfaces are easier to keep clean and don't collect pet hair etc. Also it would have to be a marine grade mold resistant carpet as condensation is still a factor for many people using propane based heaters.
b. Safety - While truck bed based campers are not considered RV's and as such are not subject to National Fire Protection Association Standards for Recreational Vehicles we take our customer's safety very seriously. All major components either meet or exceed NFPA E 84, NFPA 1192, NFPA 701 and/or CPAI-84 flame spread ratings.
c. Added cost, of course

4. Tent wall insulation available (I know VO is working on it)
Available soon, finalizing cost of insulation package as well as a kit for backwards compatibility on older versions without the hook and loop attachment built into newer tents

5. Clear coated exterior standard
Not really necessary from a practical standpoint as raw aluminium is self protecting. Longevity/quality of paint can be an issue as coating aluminium is problematic if not meticulously prepped... one thing when dealing with smaller panels pre-assembly but a different ball game when painting an entire, preassembled camper which makes it quite costly. If one did not want the patina from oxidation then you can use a protective wax product to keep it shiny.

 

1) Will someone confirm Vagabond is still located at: 320 W Channel Road Unit C Benicia, CA 94510 I'm having an awning shipped and just want to confirm they have not moved to a different location.
Correct

2) For those who have had solar installed on their drifter. What type of connector do they use for the inside? I have a goal zero Yeti just wondering if I need to get an adapter.
We generally use Anderson or MC4 for the solar connections but Goal Zero has an 8mm connector which does need an adapter. We recommend this option...

https://powerwerx.com/goal-zero-98054-8mm-fingerproof-powerpole-adapter-cable

Let us know before hand which route you want to go at operations@vagabondoutdoors.com

 

I insulated mine because my fridge is up against the tailgate and on summer desert trips with the sun beating on the back of the truck my fridge was struggling to keep up with the heat radiating off the tailgate. I used a combination of 1" foam insulation and Reflectix and it makes a massive difference under those conditions. Not sure how much difference it will make in the cold but it's a cheap, easy and worthwhile mod in my opinion

 

Thats too bad, a solid aluminum door would have been awesome. The glass one is ok (except for the holes on the bottom two corners) but the fiberglass one is too janky which is why I didnt option it. I got the glass one and installed a cover sold by strawfoot.

 

The composite one is janky? This is the final decision I've been struggling with (glass rear hatch vs composite) and this is the first I've heard of the composite option not being up to par. I contacted couple people on this forum who seemed to like it

 

Isn't the panel the same composite sandwich panel that is the lower insulation package / roof panel / under-the-bed-on-the-overhang panel?

 

Will it still be easy to close and tuck, any teaser pics?

 

We'll have to do a group buy for us earlier Colorado Drifters to save a little on shipping.

 

Composite panel = 3mm E-Panel not fiberglass
https://3acompositesusa.com/products/dibond/e-panel/

yes it is

 

Its all in personal taste, you may actually like it. When I was deciding on whether to get it or not Phil sent me a picture of it and I didnt like it at all. I saw the wavy texture, off white color, and it looked completely out of place. I cant find the picture so what I remember may be completely off. Maybe someone can post a picture of theirs? The glass door is much nicer looking in my opinion.

 

I cant wait for this, even with a heater going all night it gets chilli when its 0F outside. I get ice forming on the exposed metal and tent fabric from condensation. The price may be a bit of a shock, probably around $800.

 

Back in a Vagabond

 

I bet it feels soo good. Of course, I wouldn’t know... can’t wait to get back into the VagBros.

 

Glad you won’t offer carpet. I would tell anyone not to do everything in carpet. It holds smells in way too well...

My truck always smells like a bonfire, or whatever I cooked

 

Imagine if you like to stir fry a lot. Especially with peanut oil...

 

I do stir fry...a lot haha. It SUCKS! I keep a piece of foil to place on top to keep the oil from going everywhere.

If I can just figure out how to add an air fryer...

 

Then you know carpet does suck inside...

And you can run an air fryer if you have a big enough inverter.

 

I will say one thing about carpet is that it’s not for everyone. It does take a some extra maintenance. Anything from smells to twigs and hair can get stuck in there and hard to get out.

One thing I like about the drifter is there are is little to no “organic” materials in there that can rot, but since it’s almost all aluminum it can be recycled. I think the only thing that can spoil if left out in a field is the mattress. Why am I bringing this is up? It’s because these things are built to last generations and the vehicles we put them on. It may be a dumb idea that the camper can last more than a car, but that’s the thought we put into them. Carpet, even marine carpet can be great but will also take away from this.

DIY and user built to suite is priority number two. The camper is built in a way that you can easily make all these changes to if you want them and not limited to our production capacites. It can be as much of a blank slate as you want. I love seeing all the interior build outs and mods you guys do.

 

This is the post that made me think of it so thank you for sharing this. Yea seems really easy and if I'm insulating everywhere else then figure this is a quick fix.