Wedge Life

I suppose I could see it being in the way if you were really tall. My wife and I are not big people and young enough to bend over and get in. I can see the merits of the split build for sure!!!

(Don’t tell anyone but I MIGHT list my GFC for sale at the end of the year and buy a Alu-Cab Kahya). Besides price it seems like the ideal solution to what I want in a camper. But of course if I do that I’ll have to sell EVERYTHING and just install the Kahya and be done. So we will see.... it has everything, fridge, heck even a tire swing out. And it’s still a Wedge so I can stay in the Club lol....

 

Nice. It's crazy how much stuff compiles between trips. I try to be as simple as possible, a lot of the stuff I have I dont use on solo trips. But with the wife, I like to have her enjoy as many amenities as possible because she let me spend the coin on it in the first place lol. Plus we do a good amount of camping and play "host" with non-truck/camping friends, which necessitates some of the "extra" gear.

I just would rather not pack differently for each trip and just be prepared for whatever kind of trip, so it all stays in the truck. I think for every trip that I go on (whether its a simple camping trip or wheeling trip), the only things I need to remember to pack are clothes, food, firearm, and inReach. Everything else is good to go.

 

Wedges!
IG @mountainhabit for more!

 

Loving livin the wedge life!
The Drifter makes camping so easy

 

If you drive to Denver I will gladly buy your gfc

 

I'm about 1 1/2 years away from retirement. I've always said I'm travelling to Alaska, Baja, and the other NA "overland" destinations. My original plan was a ARE MX shell, sleeping platform, and 270 awning for the truck. Then the wedge campers started showing up in my searches and I like what I see. The Drifter really checks all the boxes and is one slick setup. Looking at the prices, I'm about halfway there just with the ARE shell. I'm trying to decide if it's really worth it for me. I know I want to do the travelling but I also know my wife has no desire to camp and won't be with me and my grand dreams may be cut short. Any of you started out with a regular shell and made the switch to a wedge? Is it worth it to start out with a Drifter or upgrade from a basic shell if my plans actually develop as I hope?

 

I would just get the Drifter. It's quite usefull beyond just the big trips. I have just a few nights camping in mine but have got many more uses out of like ski tailgaiting, changing room for biking/hiking, etc. It's always there easy to pop up. Worst case, I think it would be easy to sell if you found you weren't using it.

Speaking of wedges:

 

That's a a great Lego wedge! Kit or stuff you had?

I was planning on a shell anyway for secure gear storage in the bed. My sleeping platform would be removable to allow full use of the bed. With the wedge the beds always there and out of my way so less work for me LOL. Flipping it if my plans fall through is always an option.

 

It’s my own design but entirely built from a single set.

 

I would stay with your GFC and look at the Vagabond Goose Gear system or something along those lines instead.

I’ve been in a Khaya a couple of times and I don’t think it’s worth the price and it’s HEAVY. You’ll need some serious suspension work to accommodate it if you don’t want to use it airbags.

 

This really needs to be submitted to that IG #makeitgofast team

 

I was in the same mindset as you (except for the retirement part). Planned on an MX or similar and then started seeing the wedges.

I went straight to the Drifter because I knew as soon as I got a regular shell, every time I climbed inside to go to sleep, or got hit with rain at camp, etc I would be thinking about what I really wanted, and I would regret the MX.
Not to mention, you never get near what you paid for a shell when you go to sell it. And I think the Drifter should hold it's value much better ...not that I plan on selling it.

Edit - To be fair, the Drifter is basically what I always had in my head as the perfect setup, but since it didn't exist yet, and I wasn't going to spend $20k on a dedicated camper (that would also make the truck basically just a dedicated camper), an MX was the best compromise I could see at the time.

 

My wife and I camped out of a cab height ARE shell with a basic platform in the back and a single awning in my Tacoma and in my truck before it. She was never a fan of the limited space especially considering you couldn't sit up in bed. more comparable to a coffin haha. We ended up with a deal on a flippac and the room made all the difference. However that was when the Drifter was barely in a concept stage and there wasn't much on the market for wedge campers that were small/durable enough to handle a beating. The flippac left us more to be desired for true 4 season camping and since picking up our Drifter and camping in it all winter, we haven't looked back. My good friend has a tall canopy and made low two bench style set up and it gets him by but he is already hounding the Vagabond boys for a full sized model

Long story long, you made the point... a new shell built to your specs will already get you half way to a Drifter and provide you with much less. It really comes down to the purpose you want your set up to serve but I think I can say safely that all of the Drifter owners out there would have gone that route from the get go if they had the option.

 

I went from a SnugTop Rebel, which worked great as one person in a 6' bed. However I wanted more space. I upgraded to the Habitat, which I love, but at the same time, I camp in more inclement weather than I originally planned. I love the space, but hate putting it away and the thing turns into a great big sailboat at windy locations rocking back and forth. Ironically though, I'll bet I'm still the fastest at opening and closing the darned thing.

 

I too have a Rebel and have slept in it in the winter snow, desert, and everywhere in between. Its miserable with a platform or even really with just the empty bed. Get a Drifter(or any Wedgie really), by the time it arrives you will forget you even paid for it so it will feel like it was free

 

My previous rig was full size with a cap and my wife and i slept under it many times. While it was functional even a little truck like that Taco is infinitely more comfortable and useful with my GFC on it. For the minimal price increase over a shell just buy a wedge camper. It’s more comfortable easier to use, and certainly vents better.



Only draw back I’ve seen is “stealthing” in a Wedge isn’t so great. No way anyone is looking at your truck popped up and not thinking your camping. If you had a long bed or at least a full size truck that option would still exist.

 

Yep! Long bed stealth sleep is chill...the main reason I went with the LB

 

What would i gain from a goose gear system? What I’d like most is running water/ shower and stuff like that? With the goose system I’d just have a small path in the middle and two stacked drawers on the left and fridge and stove on the right. Be sorta the same thing?

I’m not doubting you i just don’t understand. If there’s a way to increase the “RV” ness of my GFC i might be interested. Trail Kitchens does make a full insert with stove and sink for inside the Decked drawers that looks promising but honestly I’ll prob drop another 5k or more to add all the things we’d like to have. Idk i guess that’s not terrible compared to the cost of the Khaya. I guess I’ll need to see one in person first either way OK4WD isn’t too far a drive for me.

Anyone have a killer water storage system with pump and possibly hot water for a shower?

If I do put in a Khaya I’m going to have a Deaver pack made up.

 

My shower isnt set up with hot water, but I suppose I can always add that later on. Here is my toilet, water tank, and water pump (old pics)



With removable shelf

 

Wait!