I didn't expect to get this many comments from upset people. I hope it's obvious I really like this camper. I've got multiple videos about it, and I'm even wearing a shirt with FWC on it in the video. FWC makes a good product. I'm sharing things I think I could have done better or I think FWC could do better based on my personal experience. That may be more or less valid for different people based on a variety of factors. However, I think the context provided might benefit anyone who could make their own decision based on their own situation. At the end of the day, I hope everyone gets out and camps regardless. Happy camping.
You’re spot on in your review of what you don’t like. Four Wheel Campers has rested on their laurels throughout the years and made few if any design and engineering enhancements. Recently they came out with a roof top 12v air conditioning system. In the end it equates to a $12k option. That’s insane. The only option to their insanely overpriced bandaid $5k lift system for the heavier roof is going to be an $800 pole that you must keep in the center of the camper to prop the thing up. I priced a Grandby with air conditioning and a modicum of other options. What I received back was a total final price from the dealer of $63,000. What a joke for this over priced truck tent. And don’t sweat it about upsetting you viewers. You can’t be honest when you’re dealing with blinded fanboys.
I think the main reason is the title. It sets the expectation that there's something wrong with the camper. I was thrown myself. Maybe something like "things to watch out for..." it's obvious you like it. As a matter of fact, you make me want to get one now😊
He did a "what I like" video also! There are negatives and positives with every single camper setup out there. We all have different needs and I think his criticisms are legit!
I read your comment regarding other comments. Initially as I was watching your video I was thinking most of his gripes are strictly related to pop up campers and not FWC. I understood and realized you were simply mixing the two. Thanks for sharing. I understood your points.
A trick I learned: to easily lower the roof (even in windy conditions) simply close all the doors, roof vents (except the vent with a fan) and windows. Turn on the fan to exhaust. Lowering the roof becomes a snap.
there are very few things i don't like about our 4Wcamper - overall I LOVE IT! we're now 78 yrs old - in 2010 we bought a new off-road tacoma and a Fleet (about 50K for both) since then we've spent all but one summer traveling from AZ up to BC, Yukon (twice up the dempster to inuvik), AK (haul road to deadhorse), great bear rainforest, haida gwaii, and small trips in US - 173,000 miles, nearly all on trips with the camper we travel for peace and quiet, wildlife, photography, hiking in remote wild places - not to prove we can conquer nature we don't mind bad weather and cold nights (warm down bags and a tarp arrangement) we don't WANT to stay inside to cook, eat, read - we prefer being outside we have a hammock, cheap bug tent and a little gas grill, and the dinette table is a good backup in really bad weather so we've given the rig some good challenges - here are my negatives: early on we had trouble breaking the latches holding the camper - fixed, not a problem since, but they need tightening after going off road we've had odd problems on/off charging the camper battery - something with the connection w/ the engine it does take time taking the camper off/on the truck for the season, mainly because it's done on our rough dirt driveway i could push up the top in 2010, but needed help later, especially with gas, kayaks, etc on roof - upgraded struts solved problem the 3-way frig has no thermostat, which is a problem when storing food for several days - we eat real food here are my positives: we've camped just about anywhere we wanted, very often in total solitude, totally warm, dry, well fed and well rested we don't have/never needed off road gadgets - tacoma is quite capable, even in tricky places we're small (passenger car status on BC ferries) and simple - and get pretty fair gas miileage i love the bed, tho i do use an egg crate foam pad on top (the old foam pads are very firm) - i can sit up in bed and read my kindle and i love the views storage is minimal, but i pack carefully - on long (3 mo) trips, we use the access cab of the truck for large camera boxes, soft luggage, tools it really only takes us about 15 min to pack up, a bit more if the tarp is up the interior has held up well, looks new except places we've scraped we've never had a leak or crack anywhere in the shell - amazing considering the lurches and huge bumps we've had so... hope this helps folks figure out what they want to do in the outdoors - that's what determines what rig you choose happy camping, and take care of the wilderness
we like yukon even more than alaska; and dempster more than the haul road; if you go up the dempster, plan to stop a night or 2 at tomstone territorial park; we stop at klondike kate's cabins in dawson city for showers and laundry(f@@OnDirt
Great post! Something I'm curious about is dust sealing for roads like the Dempster. Was the unit alright, or were there extra precautions that you needed/devised? Thanks!
@@kowanut1 The only dust leaks have been around the door seal - very minor. Dust can be an issue for the locks - better put duct tape over them while you drive, and be aware that they put some calcium stuff on the road that really gums up the wheels - really hard to power wash off, feels like tires out of alignment. Have fun, may see you there if you go soon - don't miss tombstone territorial park and Ogilvie lookout (Peel R watershed).
Bundutec makes a pop up truck camper but it actually has a wetbath which is a huge selling point. The shower curtain and catch basin systems are more of an afterthought vs the dedicated wetbath that the bundutec offers.
We've had our 4-Wheel Eagle for about 7 years. I'm a 74 year old woman. I can open up the front of the pop up easily. You just push the board forward instead of up. And we have a solar panel on top. Shower? I just bathe in a very small wash tub. I refuse the inconvenience of driving a trailer. I can easily take my shift driving the 4-wheel.
great point about the wash tub. I think a lot of people make too big of a deal about needing a full shower. My plan is to have a small collapsible tub, heat up a pot of water to a desired temp, and use a spouted cup to pour it over me as I lather up and eventually rinse. Then dump out the wash tub - either on the ground if safe/reasonable to do so or into a designated grey water container for temporary storage until I get to an appropriate dump spot. This also helps me ration water since I'll know exactly how much I'm using (however much I heat up).
@@-ellimist- I use about a gallon and since it is summer when we are out for several days I don't even need to heat it. Check out Oasis Dishwashing and All Purpose soap. It can be used as a body wash and shampoo. We use their laundry soap at home for our laundry to landscape system. The plants do very well with it. Oasis is fine to put on trees in the campground and elsewhere. (The laundry soap cleans very well with only 1/8 cup per load.)
Had my Hawk for 14 years now, used 4 new trucks to haul, number 5 on the way. I am 82 years old and have no problem with roof, always check that latches are released, do at least 2 walk a rounds to make sure. Keep it simple, when exploring I can stop on the trail and camp any time. (very few miles on camper, just like features of new trucks)
Got my 4Wheel camper a couple of months ago .. had a problem at 1st with the turnbuckles and had to use a different forward mount but it's all good now. I did get instant on hot water heater and I have a pop up tent to use for showers or toilet .. I really don't have any problems or dislikes .. I have modified the interior and it would have been good for me to go to their show room .. would have helped me make better decisions. I got the roll over couch thing but promptly removed it and have since done a whole bunch of mini modes to personalized my camper to me! I have the Swift mounted on a 2022 Toyota Tacoma. One thing nice about my rig is I'm getting 16/18 mpg .. I talked to others who tow trailers and their mileage is way down in the 10's and 11's! I do have one complaint and that's my camper is built for a right handed person .. and of course I'm a lefty .. but most others would never notice. LOL 🤠
Dude, do a walk around before you pop the top and before you leave your campsite. I've owned a Hawk for 17 years and it was the best $14,000 I've ever spent. The two issues that I see are that you bought a shell instead of a finished Hawk camper with the indoor shower and you didn't spec your shell very well. I understand that hindsight is always 20/20. The only real issue that you mentioned that is legit is installing and removing the camper but these are issues that you would have with any camper.
Hmm, I'm not clear on how having a finished (non-shell/non-base) FWC model would have eliminated some of his other critiques. For example...His difficulty/inconvenience with the pop-top - how is that any different with the finished Hawk camper? His issue with the fantastic fan - seems that would still be an issue with the finished camper, right? I'm honestly asking since I'm seriously considering either FWC or a non-pop top (either Scout or Kimbo) and interested to hear from current FWC owners!
My wife and I have a Hawk model camper that we got delivered about 2 years ago. We got a lot of options that we throughly enjoy. Having water with a shower, is good thing to have. The newest version has the underbed storage, and a lifting system available. We have rear mounted a/c, and really like it. But the new rooftop system has a lot of advantages. I hop to see you at the Oregon owner's rally in June.
Hey! What is the status of your channel? Liked your stuff…. You’re a Jersey Guy and have the Velocity Blue Tremor! I’m the same on both. Hope all is well.
I got a used one, 1988, pretty rough and 5 grand and need 3500 in repairs. This explains the cracked frame, exactly the same latch, someone opened it. I was wondering what happened. I added flat bar on the side, much better. I do love it, mine has water and outside shower, a must for me. Mines a Grandby. 4 of us can get out of the cold and watch a movie, eat.
FWCs are a good option if you don't have a 3/4 ton truck. Even though the FWCs are relatively light, they could make them even lighter by using different materials. I used to have one on my Toyota Tacoma in 2000. I liked it, as it did what it's supposed to do very well. Oh, if you want a shower, get an RV or stay in a hotel.
I had the same issue. If i remember right, i used teflon tape on the threads before reassembling to keep them from rattling loose. Fell off every couple weeks before fixed and has been years now.
Yep. It just makes the bolt that holds it in place have a tighter fit and not rattle loose over time. Here i used Teflon tape because I wasn’t sure how loctite might work/get stuck on plastic. I use teflon tape to make a nylock style connection sometimes when torque is not critical or is want a loose fit that wont come undone.
I’m considering a project M topper/camper- only interior is the slide out bed- and just thinking about I’d just use it for weekend getaway- but permanently leave it attached to truck bed. .. kind of a fancy topper model??
I may have considered the model M myself if it was an option back when I bought this. I’m happy I have this though, I feel like it’s a little cleaner and easier to heat than a model M would be.
I'm considering a Swift for my Frontier but a lot of FWC's features/options are definitely outdated/overpriced. I want a full featured camper, which is very expensive from FWC, but they still have outdated suburban furnace and barely adequate power system. Even one with no options at all would be at least $25k and it would need a lot of aftermarket upgrades to be fully functional off-grid. They just seem way overpriced.
I feel like if they did a real overall, put diesel heaters in them with lithium and good solar standard then they'd sell that much more of them. Unfortunately they way upsell some of those options and then it really gets expensive.
I got a Swift two months ago and I have a lithium Ion battery setup with a solar panel .. I also have a propane furnace and a instant on hot water heater. I looked for a very long time before making my choice. I have it installed on a 2022 Toyota Tacoma short bed .. Don't know why anybody would want a diesel heater unless you already run it in your rig .. stinks!
@@sonny1597 Most of that stuff is new to FWC. They just started offering more modern equipment a few months ago, but their option prices are absurd, even worse than before.
I have a similar video with a few similar issues with my Project M. Overall I do love mine but there are a LOT of things they could do better for the price.
Im considering getting on of these to take my two boys on fishing trips and pulling a trailer to haul atvs. Do you think it will be big enough for the three of us? Thanks
Anyone know of the Tune Outdoor M1 truck topper? It is very similar in terms of space when comparing to Project M (square pop top, not wedge). Its a little pricier than a Project M but it does look pretty good.
I usually save up my vacation to do one or two week long trips out west each year. Then I explore closer to home during holidays. I'm fortunate I get federal holidays off.
Scott here, (you never provided your name)...I am an owner of a two year old Hawk model and I TOTALLY disagree with you. I thought your video was off point and a couple of your gripes/hates were your own fault. First, you selected one fan, I selected two, but if you left a window partially open (with the screen) you would enjoy cross ventilation. Next, I'm over 60 years old and very fit, you appear to be fit an in your 30's. The effort to pop up the roof is effortless as well as the pop down. I would never want a top heavy, wind catcher fixed roof camper. As far as your Pop Up process, let's be honest, you or someone forgot to unlatch a buckle. Not FWC's fault. Your fault. I do a double walk around before pop up and pop down. I suggest you do the same. Be responsible and don't blame the manufacturer. You speak about the mounting process, I think you are absolutely wrong. I am a house flipper in SOAZ and use my 2023 Ram 3500 for work every day. When we decide to take the FWC out for a couple weeks up north, it is an easy process, we have the rig installed and tied down in 20' minutes, which allows us to pull our RZR if we want to. Obviously the water fill and loading the fridge and other takes a bit more time. Bottom line, the mount and un-mount process is easy and painless. Next, I contemplated the Revel, Storyteller and many others before purchasing my FWC. The FWC incorporates lightweight and durable materials in the interior that my wife and I have found to be easy to clean, durable, and timeless in fit and finish as well as workmanship and quality. As far as the shower, that's on you. We selected the outdoor shower and have mounted a 23 Zero shower enclosure to the driver side of our rig and it is an absolute pleasure, even in cold climates the FWC water heater is AMAZING. All in all, I totally disagree with your assessment of the FWC! Don't complain about buying a stripped down model when the Hawk was just a bit more, that's on you. Furthermore, the staff at FWC in SoCal are AWESOME, Rob and Brian are within minutes of advice and answers. In closing, as a You Tuber, should always endevour to give a fair and unbiased review, which this video did not. Best regards Scott
You might want to listen to the video again Scott. I clearly said I was highlight things "I wish I did differently OR things I wish FWC did differently". Not just things the manufacturer could change. A lot of this video is me talking about how I could have optioned it differently. It probably doesn't need to be explained that it's not the manufacturers fault I optioned it wrong but rather, providing context to someone making their own purchase who may learn from my personal mistakes. I literally said in the video that forgetting the latch was "my fault". I've made a few videos about this camper, a general review recommending it, a video about all my favorite things with this camper, and this one. I didn't share my opinion of it's weaknesses (whether my fault or FWCs) then I'd be biased.
Mr. ?, I watched the video several times, and I did in fact note that you took accountability for your (or someone else's) mistake in forgetting a latch as well as your purchase options. But, the very FACT that you titled your video with "5 Things I HATE about my Four Wheel Camper", your words, not mine. The title of your video is what the RU-vid search algorithm uses to serve up videos to users. And, OBTW, you all capped 'HATE', really? You also disparage FWC interior materials. Like I said in my comment above, I've researched several sprinter based rigs and B-plus from the Revel, Storyteller, MAV, Thor and others, I've even rented a Black Series 17' tow behind trailer and have found the FWC to have impeccable quality, material and fit and finish. I'll stop here and lastly digress on your title of HATE, everyone knows that RU-vidrs monetize their content through RU-vid. Catchy titles help drive views, in this particular instance at the expense of the Brand and it's hard working and proud team that build, market and service the product, you should think twice about that on your next 'HATE' video. There are plenty of products and brands out there that are substandard and worthless, FWC is NOT one of them. You owe it to the brand and it's staff to either take down the video or make a public retraction video to own up to your statements. Do the right thing...
Hey man, you seem personally really invested in the brand. If you work at FWC or something please PM me and we can talk. I disagree with your assessment of the title. I used the same titling that other RU-vid videos use to help viewers better reach the content they are looking for. Again, I started the video by saying hate is a strong work but rather here is things I wish I did differently or I wish FWC did differently. I also don’t think I disparaged FWC or made anything up. All my viewpoints are my own perspective and add context for any viewer whether or not they agree with my assessment. I still own, enjoy, and recommend the camper. Im not going to delete your comments or anything; I’ll leave them on here to provide even more context for viewers. I’m happy you enjoy your old hawk and I’d probably even wave to you if I passed you driving mine. Happy camping.
Mr ?, I don't work for FWC or have any connection other than a proud owner. As I stated in my first comment, I flip houses in SOAZ (as well as a retired CEO of an off-road brand). I understand your POV, mine is different, and that's ok. I always wave or high five to FWC owners I see on the road. And just to be cheeky, you won't ''pass' me. I'll be in the dark gray 2023 Cummins DSL 3500 Ram and the black and silver smooth side Hawk, maybe pulling a RZR Turbo S. Happy Thanksgiving...
