Wedge Campers & Assorted Oddities

Here's the weather seal on the Vagabond. Right under that flap is the hole I was talking about earlier

 

tbh, bulb seals don't really matter as much as long as whatever design overhangs over the sides of the bed. The biggest issue is leakage from under the bedsides.

 

That hole near the cab still needs to be covered unfortunately.

 

i mean.. did you miss the part i said about overhang?

 

Just making sure we're on the same page, no need to be rude.

It's going to need to over hang 1-2 inches to cover it. I believe most fiberglass canopies do, while the metal ones don't.

 

@inv3ctiv3 Any input on how the GFC handles this?

 

I think AT is going to find a lot of traction in the full size 6.5' bed market for their offering but less so for Tacoma's where the Drifter seems like a better fit. For those who don't want a 4WC but still want a 4 season solution the AT looks rad. I hope AT finds buyers and I've got zero regrets in buying a Drifter.

 

I'm glad AT has some competition.

 

That 1” gap where the front of the bed meets the bedsides threw me for a loop when I bought my shell too.

 

Agree - pros and cons, but to respond a bit to @danneskjold here are some additional observations:

Pros for GFC

1. Thermal - Everyone is talking about rain and I like to stay dry, but heat is a big issue as well. If buying an aluminum roofed camper, I'd be worried about the heat and I am surprised that no one has brought up the issue of insulation on the vagabond, at least not that I have seen. Raw aluminum gets extremely hot in the sun, to the point where I am sure you could cook an egg up there. The GFC white roof was chosen for a reason that included thermal as the roof takes the biggest thermal load, and you may as well bounce as much light as possible. I'm sure the Vagabond has insulation, but your fighting an uphill battle in the sun and most people do a lot of camping in the summer.
2. Strength - Aluminum is an excellent material in terms of strength and weight, but terrible for fatigue. The GFC is lighter and stronger. Steel is stronger and the welds will hold up better over time.
3. Corrosion and Looks - The Vagabond is raw aluminum and might look unfinished to some. The GFC base price includes powder coating - looks good and it protects well. And then there is galvanic corrosion that may be a Vagabond corrosion problem down the road.
4. Wood - Are the bed panels made out of plywood on the Vagabond or has that been upgraded?
5. Side doors - the fully operable side doors on the GFC are a big pro. Being able to reach into the back of the truck without reaching through a window or crawling in the back sounds like a game changer.
6. Transfrom a floor - the options this provides are a big plus in making a small space work for multiple uses.
   
7. Extrusion on side of GFC - being able to attach just about anything to the t-slots around the GFC provides good options.
8. Price - I know the GFC went up in price, but it is still significantly lower, especially when you begin adding on options and the price of those options are less on the GFC.
9. Manufacturing - the GFC guys are making these units themselves in-house. This is great for being able to adjust and to continue to improve the product moving forward. Fully making your own product has multiple benefits.

Pro's for the Vagabond -

1. The cab window flipping down is nice
2. Gas struts are mounted inside.
3. Having the option for side windows is great - I would like the GFC to have this option
4. Placement of side windows on the tent section is good and if the three panes would fully open, this could be a good entry point with a ladder if you have people sleeping below. GFC has said they are going to make side doors to the tent an option.
5. Three layers windows on the tent windows is a pro. Nice to be able to keep the rain out, but still be able to see out at night when you hear something in camp.
6. Lockable tent area - I haven't seen how this works on the Vagabond, but its a pro, is important and something the GFC team should address if they haven't already.
7. I like that this company was one of the first in the US, if not the first, to build this type of design, and I don't see the GFC as being very similar design wise to the Vagabond. I also don't agree with some guys saying that the GFC is a RTT on a lumber rack - far from it. That type of talk isn't needed when these are both such great options. I would buy either one if the other wasn't available.

I'm sure I'm forgetting solid pros on each, but these came to mind tonight. Both are GREAT designs, but for my use the GFC wins out.

 

Quoted for truth.

#fact

 

but let me tell you how the one i have is the best one.

 

Minivans don’t count!

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hondo-garages-new-thing.516490/page-2#post-16316515

 

Fwiw the Alu Cab has a bulb seal as well and still leaks. I'm bad at articulating this but the seal around the bed side is not what matters - there needs to be some overhang over the near cab portion (like on many fiberglass caps) or silicon needs to be jammed in the hole to seal it since the gap is below the bed caps. Maybe the GFC has found some way around this that I haven't seen.

Like I said if I'm wrong I would love to be proven wrong in concrete and explicit ways.

 

Post it here and put it to bed.

 

Instagram sucks!

 

get to bed grandpa. you got a newspaper to read before sun up

 

Take your bed caps off. That difference in height is because the sides have the plastic bed caps and the front does not. You shouldn't be mounting your camper on top of those. If you do, the plastic from the bed caps is going to wear away the paint and expose raw steel of your bed sides, ask me how I know! (bought a truck with a camper shell that was mounted on the bed rail caps) With the bed caps removed, the entire circumference of the bed is completely flat and easily seal-able with a dual bulb seal like @inv3ctiv3 mentioned. Go a step further and get a set of steel bed rails from @KB Voodoo to reinforce the stock bedsides. There are holes in the top of the bed sides, so its a good idea to cover those with a piece of tape or something before mounting the camper on top of that. I mounted my KB Voodoo rails with double sided foam tape so they dont move around and so they seal up the empty holes in the bed sides. With bed rails, there is still a small 1/8" gap at the front. I added an 1/8" thick piece of aluminum and siliconed between the 3 pieces to make it super flat. The bulb seal sits on this and I have yet to see any dust or water get through below my Flippac (2 years). This is the seal you want:

$40 ESI Ultra Cap Seal 1 1/2" Width x 5/8" Height x 23' Length, EPDM Rubber for Caps Over 200 lbs

https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Width-Height-Length-Rubber/dp/B00MPMBIZW