The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

That’s up to @Iggy. You can still buy direct from him. We would just be the middleman. Oh wait...

 

Hopefully you got it powder coated. I didn't and mine looks like shit.

 

I did.

 

Doubt mine will be done by the time you're there.

 

Time will tell. I’ve been soo damn busy I might not make it up for another few weeks.

 

Hey to the guys that already have a Drifter how do you think a Decked Storage System would work with it?

 

I think it depends on how tall you are. I’m 6’2 and hate having to step on top of my drawer to get in and it’s shorter than a DECKED system.

I also think the DECKED is super overrated especially if you’re going to be enclosing it in a waterproof shell. I think it takes up a ton of space (10-12 inches) and the storage space it offers isn’t really that good and for the price you pay you might as well just get some already overpriced ARB or Goose Gear drawers and save some money and gain more space.

 

Ditto what Brian said. Any drawer system is going to raise your floor, thus leading to less head room. It won’t nexessarily be an issue once you’re inside, but going in and out will be an issue. This is EXACTLY why I made an opening in the middle - and I still have to crouch down to get in. If I had even less clearance it would be a huge PITA to get in and out of the Drifter.

 

Honestly I think even more important than headroom is just room to get in and out of the camper.

 

There are definitely benefits and downsides to a drawer system and or storage platform. Grabbing your gear from outside is obviously easier, but then you can’t grab it when you’re inside. I personally prefer the open center. I can get in and out easier, and still fit my mountain bike or other trip specific gear in the middle. And keep the stuff I always take with me against the sides.

But as long as whatever you put in there is about 1 1/2 inches below the mounting tracks, the Drifter can still be mounted.
















Definitely a candidate for the fantastic fan option ...

 

That’s more or less what I was thinking. I’ll have to wait and see when I pick up my Drifter. It’s just I want to build something that doubles as storage and a stair. I guess I’ll just have to mess with it.

 

I’ve used those Action Packers for about 13 years. They definitely make containment easy, but they sometimes take a while to pack up since I used to Tetris the hell out of them.

Since most of the items can easily fit into smaller containers, I’ve transitioned over to Frontrunner Wolfpacks/ Cubpacks over the last 4 years. Currently have 4 of each. Most are only 1/2 - 3/4 full, but getting to frequently used gear is so much easier. And they nest really well, so you can stack them up easily at camp to increase floor space. And they are easy to secure since they fit together like LEGO blocks and don’t slide off of each other in transit.

Cabinets are definitely going to be part of my build, but these containers will always be useful. Great if you want to keep things modular, or if you just need a temporary solution until the interior is built.



This is all packed up for expo. Can’t get away from the Action Packer though until cabinets are built. Reserved for bulky items.



4 Wolfpacks
4 Cubpacks
Dewalt T-Stack chuckbox
24 gallon Action Packer
12’ x 12’ Easy Up
Bench (TF41 fridge, 7 gal water container, sleeping bag & pillows, misc. crap)
Folding stool

And since we’re a Frontrunner dealer... LMK if you want some Wolfpacks or Cubpacks

 

So on Monday I had the unfortunate experience of crash testing my Vagabond Drifter.

While driving down a dirt road near Toponos, CO I took an incline turn too wide and flopped my truck on its side. The Drifter likely prevented me from rolling over completely, and I came to rest on the cabover portion of the Drifter. I was incredibly fortunate that my dog and me came away unscathed - if I had rolled completely over I don't think that would have been the case. The Drifter certainly prevented further damage to my dog, my truck, and me and for that I am grateful.

The Drifter sustained only minor injuries, and continues to be used (where I am writing this post from in fact - a body shop in Glennwood Springs). There is a dent in the cab over portion, and the entire camper shifted (you can see this in the photos) - I expected my bed bolts to be broken but instead only one of the c-clamps was busted and a few of the bolts were bent.
There's been some discussion about the structural integrity of the Drifter and after this I really have no doubt that it's incredibly strong. There is an absolute ton of bends, folds, and welds inside that all contribute to the structural integrity of it. A couple bent bolts and a minor dent are pretty impressive. The fact that the gas struts were on the inside, and that the folds and bends in the aluminum extend entirely around the camper I think are the keys in minimizing the damage I imagine.

My truck was not so lucky. The side airbags deployed and it laid on the driver side for around 5 hours (I was 40 miles from cell service) and we can't get the engine started. The spark plugs have all been pulled (it was hydrolocked), and it's been manually turned with a wrench (so it's not seized) but there's something electronic preventing it from cranking (it acts like it has a dead battery, starter doesn't even engage but fuel pump is active). Basically if we can get the engine going insurance will repair it, otherwise it's probably a loss. It's a 2017 Tacoma with about 30k miles on it.

I'll end with two notes -

I've been driving on dirt and forest roads since before I had my license, so I'm not new to it. I definitely got complacent, and likely didn't pay enough attention to the road. As you can see it was a beautifully graded dirt road where a Honda Civic would have had no problem. It seems obvious, but always pay attention and don't become complacent.

I'd recommend everything have some form of bailout/overnight bag in their cab with them. I'm not talking a threeper bag, but a bag that contains everything you would need for you and your family or pets if you had to walk out. I didn't have access to my bed for over 24 hours and luckily had some dog food, toiletries (contact lenses really), warm jacket, and cash in a bag that I grabbed when I climbed out.

 

Yikes you ok?

 

Yep. I climbed out with my dog with zero damage to either of us. I wasn't going terribly fast at the time so the impact wasn't super hard.

 

Zero to Hero! Glad you came out good and the pup as well.

I’m sure the engine issue is probably a blown fuse or something...

 

Hopefully. I killed it as soon as I came to rest and everyone seems to think it should be fine. But still nervous about it.

 

I'm glad you and pup are ok! Hope everything works out with the truck.

 

Glad your ok man! I think most new vehicles have a rollover sensor that shuts fuel and ignition in the event of a roll over.