we have our dog up there too and I found it is easier putting him in at the back standing on the tailgate vs using the ladder. For some reason he gets a little freaked out going up the ladder. I have an awning and the shoes will set on that pretty easy. we have a carpet/welcome mat at the bottom of the ladder and swap shoes out for flip flops before going up.
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Great idea, never thought about that approach. Thanks
I think it all comes down to your specific use-case and ideal comfort.
We live in Colorado and have been avid backpackers, Jeepers, etc. For us, this was a huge step forward in camping comfort and convenience as we camp 20+ nights a year. The GFC makes camping so easy, we could see ourselves doubling that.
The quality seems very high (we are only two weeks in). I think most concerns expressed on the forums are people bitching for the sake of bitching, instead of admitting that this was not the product for them. It is not an RV. It is a tough, lightweight camper/RTT/Topper hybrid that can actually handle the stress of off-roading. It gives you the flexibility to have something you can escape the weather in, stand up in, relax in, with a mattress (that I find to be perfect BTW). All without compromising your truck.
The only thing that has somewhat surprised me… Is that my wife tends to get up 1-2 times a night to use the restroom and removing the tile, climbing down, and unlatching the tailgate is a little bit of a process. However, there are two solutions: 1. Mantis Claw/ladder 2. Cassette toilet in the bed for nighttime emergencies on cold nights would be very nice for my wife. I was originally anti-ladder, but clearly it would make these nighttime trips easier/faster.
If you’re not already camping remotely regularly… Than maybe this product is not for you as there are other options. However, if you off-road/overland/camp a lot… This is a fantastic product.
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green with garage envy
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I don’t like the tent in the V1 version 2 or whatever I got. From photos, I believe that issue is fixed. I didn’t like the anxiety of exploding hinges; also fixed.
I think it would be too easy to break into, is my biggest dislike. Also dislike the aerodynamics.
If you’re not camping enough to justify the cost, it doesn’t really matter what people like or dislike. In two years–from the tent alone–I’ve gotten my money’s worth, the rest is gravy.
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I thoroughly enjoy my GFC. I do wish they would have access points in the space frame to run wiring and a fan option to reduce condensation. That said, bang for your buck, you can not beat a GFC. IMO best on the market.
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When you “replaced” the existing sleeping pad, were you able to completely remove all padding and just have a platform to put your exped on? Is it a Megamat Duo? (I have one of those and was already leaning towards using that… but might consider getting a single so I can leave one panel open all the time (when sleeping alone.)
Yes and yes. I removed the entire front pad cover and all and the other foam pieces. I kept the cloth covers with the handles to make moving the square pieces of honeycomb. The megamat Duo does fit and you can deflate and close the camper. It pushes out some on the perimeter so I took to folding it lengthwise. But, the pad self inflates overtime, even with the valves closed. This eventually pushed up the honeycomb roof up, bowing it some in the middle. I now remove the Exped if I’m not planning to camp.
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The locks SUCK. It takes several minutes of fidgeting the key to get it into the lock. It really sucks when it’s cold and raining and I’m out there trying to lock/unlock the camper. IMO, they should be recalled and replaced.
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The mattress is a bit firm. I tossed a 2" memory foam on the top and it’s fine with that.
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If I park on a slight downhill the water sheets off the camper (when it’s raining) and hits my windows a few inches from the top of the doors. This means when I open the driver’s door to get in or out it pours into the cab.
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+1 on the locks. They are low security wafer tumblers and prone to failure regardless of proper maintenance. I’m in the process of getting one replaced under warranty now. I did inquire if there were better options available from Southco, but it sounds like there is not. I would happily pay for a replacement kit if it were available.
Everything else about this camper has exceeded my expectations. It’s an outstanding product.
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I also can’t fit my new (to me) truck into my garage with the GFC. What is also unexpected but is cool is the amount of people (mostly dudes) checking the GFC out. So when you get it, expect a lot of people asking you about it and be ready to pop it open and let people check it out.
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@jgates Actually…nothing. I picked up my V2 in March and have slept in it @ 18x since. I’m in CO and haven’t tested in the snow yet but plenty of high winds and rain. I love it.
For me personally the access is perfect both via the bed and with the ladder. I prefer the bed as I have a “half” flight deck and it lets me sit, get prepped and stand up with head room to then get situated up top.
When I’m with my wife or kids it’s simply, “you go first.”
We typically set up the ladder (and I just got the mantis claw which is AWESOME) for middle of the night relief if we’ve been poppin’ tops.
I have a Tacoma and read about the “rain dripping into your open crew cab door” and was like, big deal. So while I have experienced this and it sucks, I knew going in so can’t consider it “unexpected.” I think I’ll invest in the gutters 
I have been very pleased with the product. No regrets and it has allowed me to quickly and efficiently adventure more
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Thanks, the ability to “quickly and efficiently adventure more” is what keeps bringing me back to the camper, but I’m leaning more towards the RTT or Superlite just so I have the flexibility to have a chaser trailer with the tent on that when I want. But having this perspective, and embracing the ladder vs bed seems like good plan. In a gladiator, I noticed that my non-lifted truck still has a higher tailgate to climb up onto than the Tacoma w/ a 2" lift I saw at the GFC booth at Expo Rocky Mtn West… so maybe it’s a bit more tedious. I have a full drawer setup I built but it was created with the intent of pulling drawers out to make a bed… if I go with the camper then i suppose it’d be worth a redesign.
I need to start plotting finding camping spots. I suppose it deserves another thread (or just me searching) to see how people are finding their camping spots and how spontaneous it is. Method to that madness would likely get me camping more, even with my current setup.
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Getting inside through a panel is the best and easiest of ways. I was very critical of GFC right out of the gate because of a few issues I had with my canopy. Now with that said, I was never a big camper and I still fit it because I liked the idea. Now I camp a lot during the fall/winter and early spring months. Because there are no people outside then and camping has become a great Bobbie for my lady and I. Also 3 pups.
Hands down the WORST unexpected thing is the condensation. I had a pretty good idea that there would be some as all tents do but this is a new level. We get woken up by drips raining down from the honeycomb ceiling… I am excited to try and solve this problem and have read through some suggestions but will ideally post my “solution” when done this winter. This is a small thing that makes a BIG difference in a camping experience when you are in the rig for more than a night or 2. Besides this and some water intrusion while driving is been pretty darn cool of a “camper” rig that still drives like a truck with a topper on it.
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I’ve had my camper for my F150 for about 6 months now and I use is a lot for fishing and hunting here in MT. What I’ve discovered this hunting season is the difficulty getting in and out (I’m 6’0" and past 50yr) plus the excessive dust. The dust is annoying when I’m trying to live in it for extended amount of time in the mountains. I think its a great product but it has it’s specific purpose if you live in the southern states near the beach or desert. In the Rockies and as cold as it gets in the winter here I’m starting to look into a 4 season slide-in.
Make sure you have someone who can build your interior cabinets to make it more convenient and additional wiring because you’ll find out quickly organization and other things like lighting would be nice. Also, get a ladder to make it easier to access the bed from the outside. Good luck.
I’ve had my camper for two weeks, and it has been a trying process to get the unit (check out my story and build here 2014 Ram Big Horn - Build out as I wait)
The previous poster is correct, it has its specific purpose and you have to be prepared for that. I’m a tinkerer and handy in woodwork (albeit novice), but an expert at electronics and wiring. If you’re looking for a turnkey solution this is not for you.
Earlier this week I spoke with GFC, surprisingly considering their customer service is terrible at best, and they are firm that this unit is NOT meant to be waterproof/dustproof. To achieve that you need to make alterations. This was explained to me in the sense that every customer has different expectations. Which actually makes sense. Now…some people have had great experiences with GFC and their customer service, I’ve just been one of the unfortunate ones. Also, a bit of an exception since I had to get my unit shipped to Canada. Another issue I have with this product is that it is clearly built for GFC, not the customer. Do searches on here and you will find a great deal of customers wanting window options, ventilation options, color options…all of which GFC will state don’t fit “their” vision or production abilities. But the last time I checked, I bought this unit for me and if I want a window on the side regardless of weight and cost…let me choose.
Now from the 4 seasons side, I SPECIFICALLY bought this unit for a winter base camp ski touring and doing professional avalanche training. This unit is light, and enables me to still pull my sled trailer into places I probably shouldn’t go (don’t ask me how I became an expert on truck chains) That being said, I held no expectation that this was going to be a posh deluxe accommodation. But…it is hands down a better setup than a ground tent or truck canopy camping. For this reason I’m stoked on my setup.
I’m still baffled why people choose to use ‘Lil Buddies’ and then complain about condensation; but to each their own. Get a diesel heater and be done with it. Not only does it keep things warm, it’s a dry heat that can help dry gear. But again, if you’re not mechanically inclined than a buddy heater may be better.
At the end of the day, if you’re thinking about one of these units, do your research. They’re all a gamble and all have their pro’s and cons. I think I saw in another post that the OP has actually decided to go topper/RTT combo…but this is an entertaining exercise for those that own one. I know for myself I had a spreadsheet and their was a great deal of debate over which company to go with. I chose GFC because of this forum, the ability to purchase build spots, and they were willing to sell to Canadian customers.
AT overland didn’t even grace me with a response, Super Pacific said unless I could come down and and get the unit they would not take my order (COVID has stopped that), and the wife put a stop on the $24000CAD price tag on a 4wc Hawk shell to which I was literally about to sign the order form and pay the deposit, and the Project-M has this stupid shelf around the sides which was annoying to me.
I am definitely not a GFC fanboy, as you can see since I removed my branding, but I will continue to use this unit and share my experience to anyone that is interested. In the end, it looks F-ING badass!
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While I’ve only had my GFC for about three weeks now and am slowly building it out to fit my needs… I don’t have much, if any concerns or unexpected issues but I will say this, @GFC, get your shit together when it comes to customer service. You do a great job of riding the Hype machine but when its time to follow through, its almost as if you’re pushing vaporware. As someone who’s heavily involved in the business world, that model is not sustainable at all and will be your downfall eventually and thats something I do not want to see happen at all.
Only real complaints I have is that I have literally brand new locks and they’re impossible to open on the rear so unfortunately, I’ve resorted to opening the side panel and popping the latches on the rear panel just to open them because they will not unlock, no matter what. This is concerning because the side panels are getting harder and harder to unlock now and eventually, none of them are going to be usable at all
@GFC, listen to your existing customers instead of pushing products onto prospective customers so hard, this’ll pay off dividends in the long run as word of mouth marketing and support is exponentially more long lasting than a slick website. you mentioned in a video somewhere that you’ve somewhat recently brought on 40 employees… Are any of them front of house? if not, seriously consider investing in that, or you’ll probably end up with an entire community with an awesome product yet ready to chase you with pitchforks.
TL:DR: Great product, I love it and would buy another one in a heartbeat but customer service and the locks are shitty and needs to be addressed ASAP
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I wanted to type up a quick response, I received a phone call and an email from Calder at GFC Customer Service and the latches are being taken care of.
I appreciate the outreach and am already looking forward to making an awesome product that much better where everything is working the way it should be.
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Guess I’ll chime in here.
My biggest surprise and disappointment after ordering was how uncomfortable the mattress is for me. I realize it works for others but for my taste it’s hard as a rock. I thought with this type of setup I’d get a pretty nice comfy mattress. I have a mattress topper now sitting on top of the panels. I really do not like that I’ve given up the flexibility to easily move the panels around.
The hinge failures was the the only other thing for me. My camper is in the low 420s. Luckily, I never had a failure. I basically never used the side doors. I was disappointed that there was never any room in the PITs for proactive replacements but I get it. However, I was recently able to get my hinges replaced at a shop here in Denver. The shop did a great job and was fully covered by GFC.
My camper so far has had virtually no issues, so take this with a grain of salt, but customer support has always been great for me. Prompt and courteous responses, and being able to get the hinges replaced locally was awesome.
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