Hondo Garage's New Thing

I used to have one of those (Power Wagon) Honesty I like my Tacoma much more... though the PW is a fucking BEAST!!!!!!


(Made 35’s on stock suspension look small)

 

I can only imagine how hot this tent can get with those small windows.

 

Normally I’d agree 100%, but almost every single one of these tents has gone to SoCal, and it’s July. So unless they’re all dead in Death Valley I’d imagine we’d hear about some pretty upset customers... so it’s must work pretty well

 

I'm just going based off of the James Baroud Space that I have. Pretty much the entire tent is vented except for down at the wedge portion and has the solar powered fan. It can really get hot in there even with all the vents which are significantly larger than the GFC.

I'm also curious how their windows do with any rain. Can you open them at all? If you notice the JB has an overhang so you can still vent the windows during the rain (still not enough to stay cool on a hot summer night during a rainstorm)

 

I don't plan on hanging out or sleeping in the tent during daylight hours. If I do, it'll be below in cabana mode, but the sides would be open.

I don’t foresee an issue. Probably better than a standard REI, MSR, or Northface ground tent in the full sun. Sounds like much ado about nothing, but I’ll find out soon enough.

 

Yes, it’s certainly more buttoned up than that. I spent my July camping week in my tiny Mountain Hardware Sky Ledge for the same reason, my larger TNF tent doesn’t have near the screen surface area. I guess if it’s bad they’ll retool and prob sell an upgrade for warmer months.

 

@DoorDing is the overall length of the GFC somewhere in your FAQ’s? Hinge to rear of extrusion? Any idea? Thanks

 

Max length if possible. Kinda want to see if i can stretch a 2500 mm awning tip to tip or if it’ll hang over. Thank you.

 

Thank you good sir. Really can’t get much nicer or more helpful of an online community than TW. Much appreciated.

 

I replied to an email telling me my build date was being moved from July 9th to July 23rd and still have not received a reply or a phone call (asked to speak to someone in person). That email was sent on July 9th.
Definitely very frustrating.
Build #45.....

 

Nice quiver of bikes up there! Interested to know how much of a pain you find loading/unloading? Do you carry a step ladder or something? Do you think you will run into issues with trees? Are the tires riding in the bed getting poison oak all over your gear?

Due to concerns with the above, I was envisioning I would go with a swing out hitch mounted rack - like the one recently seen on GFCs instagram post.

The downside is they're expensive and 60lbs + bike weight hanging way behind the axle. Also then something else to store in my tiny garage while not on a trip. I just tailgate shuttle with a blanket/ratchet strap when I'm going somewhere local.

Not trying to be a debbie downer - genuinely interested in your feedback, and if you've been rocking the roof mount trays for a while on a regular shell.

 

If you have the opportunity to camp in 80F degrees + weather it would great to get a report. I will be picking mine up some time in August and plan to camp on a roundabout route on the way back home. I expect 90+ weather.
I imagine that if all the lower sides are open that there would be a nice air flow but if all the sleeping panels are in place, that would cancel this flow.

 

Did you remove any of the sleeping panels for air circulation?

 

Free bird?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WCFUGCOLLU

and to clarify - I wasn't say they have taken anyone's money and run - just that there seems to be more energy going into talking with/pulling in new customers than keeping existing ones in the loop. I get that they are trying to build a sustainable business and that requires continued revenue - but think they're burning through a lot of the goodwill of their early-adopter ambassadors by making themselves so scarce.

 

Dude I would have called it complete with that paper towel roll holder. You took it to the next level.

 

I find that it's odd that there's no office phone# listed on their websight. I thought that they have an office person now.The only phone # listed is Graeme's and his message box is full. I've found that he's responsive but he's busy delivering campers.

 

Not sure if it’s been mentioned before but the threaded inserts around the frame are 5/16-18 threads.

Time to accessorize.

 

Just got a response from order support at GFC.... didn’t really say much specific but i feel 10,000X better hearing back!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Elise!

 

I know you all will say "f-that guy, he got his already" but seriously, let's put it all into perspective. The GFC phenomenon has snowballed beyond what anyone could easily handle/predict. This company (IIRC) was initially a side project for three dudes, who all have other gigs. Never-mind personal lives and families.

They have definitely hired on the best talent they can find, but everything is being done from scratch here. It all has to be built. Like every one of our sweet trucks. Even my completely stock Taco essentially took Toyota millions of dollars to create. Never mind all the steps along their way. All I had to do was show up with 30K. They did all the work for me.

I know these guys may seem like they have lost touch with some of us, but put yourselves in their shoes. I'm guessing they have hundreds of emails etc. daily from all of us "old conversations". Not to mention the hundreds of new inquiries. Combined with running a brand new company; managing: staff, production, delivery, the $, the shop (esp. when things break), further R&D and the like, I'd say we're lucky they haven't thrown in the towel. Thank you GFC for putting your passions ahead of all else.

Hard work in this country is something we don't see enough of. When we do see it, we don't even know how to say thanks. Theses guys are giving it their all, day and night, eight days a week since they started taking pre-orders. I know things get frustrating but put yourselves in their shoes. I bet most of us couldn't handle it for a week. We need to stop asking them to make the upstairs area larger so it can hold our stuffed animal collections en transit, and start asking them what kind of beer to bring to cheers upon delivery/installation.