Good posts everyone! I'll see what the fridge comes with and if I need to upgrade... I like SidecarFlips suggestions. I didn't think about the wireless thermometer....great idea SCF!!! I was just going to stick a regular thermometer inside....now I won't have to open the door to check.....brilliant!!!

Weather is warming up here in the Dakota's and I'm getting excited to get the new truck and truck camper. Won't be ready for about 8 weeks...so the next project will be fabricating a dolly so we can fit it in our storage building. That just might be the next forum question?

Thanks for all your expertise and help!!!

Thanks everyone! Your comments have been really helpful to us! We are interested in boondocking and getting away from the masses when possible so have decided upon the Dometic 6.6 c.f. 2 way that is standard on the Northstar. We have a dual alternator Cummins and will try to configure that so we can more quickly recharge our batteries when driving (larger gauge wire, continuous duty solenoid, fuses to protect everything, etc.)
Nobody....I wish I had your knowledge with 50 years of camping experience...pretty amazing!

Sidecarflip...how do you recommend doing forced air cooling of the evaporator coil? I've read a where folks will add small fans but not sure how to go about doing this.

Thank you all!!!

Thanks Freespool!

That Efoy Fuel Cell that Duncan is using is awesome....but not in my wallet:)

I'm leaning 2 way propane on the fridge....I agree with your KISS philosophy. I'm worried about the compressor fridge being too power hungry. Hope it's the right call.

Bought the truck and now in the final stages of ordering a new Northstar Arrow U:)

I'd like to hear what folks prefer for refrigerators....2 way vs 12 volt compressor. I've read the pros and cons but still not sure which way to go. I'm concerned about the power requirement of the compressor fridge but really like it's performance/safety/ease of use vs. the propane. How much of a solar system do you need (rough estimate) to operate a 6 cu. ft. compressor fridge/freezer and basic electrical needs of camper...LED lights/electric jacks/pump/electronics incl. TV (NO A/C or Microwave).


We have room for 2 group 31 AGMS's for battery storage inside the camper. I can add the factory option of a Zamp 150 watt solar system but not sure how much room will be left over for an additional panel. We do have a Yamaha 2000 for back-up charging if need be. I know we could add our own solar system after purchase and just have them pre-wire it...but hubby is not too excited about this. He is a handy guy but is ready to retire and play:)

I'd like to get a feel for how much solar folks are installing on their roofs and panel size/configuration, etc. I've read Mello Mike's most excellent articles and am still not sure which way to go. Please share what you have done. I'm so grateful for this forum and all the help you have given us newbies!

We decided to go with the Winegard G2 plus sat. antenna. Has anyone else had experience with this and did you do a roof mount, ladder mount or keep it portable? How has it performed?

Thanks!

Ordering up my new Northstar Arrow U and could use some advice. What do folks recommend for TV?
Lot's of options....TV antenna types, Winegard satellite options, etc. We have DirectTV at home and have been happy with this. Northstar will be installing a 12 volt TV for us. What would you recommend we go with and is this something we should install ourselves or have NS do it for us? Hubby has done quite a few satellite installs in houses so if the savings is worth his time...we wouldn't rule out doing the install ourselves. What products work the best and what would you go with if you were in our shoes...er...truck camper:). Thanks for your help!

Thanks jknight611! I really liked the the Adventurer too. Decided to go with the Arrow because the hubby is a tall guy and wanted more cab-over space. So glad to hear you are happy with it. Lots of decisions with a new truck and a new camper so it sure is nice to hear positive comments! We are trying to make the best decisions we can upfront...but admittedly have much to learn.

We are going with the standard 160 watt system installed. Hubby is a handy guy but doesn't want to mess with it. Do you think we should try to upgrade this to a bit more? We do have a Yamaha 2000 generator for back-up but am not excited about running that more than necessary. I don't like being a noisy neighbor and much prefer the quiet myself. We will use it primarily for electronics, lights, TV. We opted out of the microwave to gain the extra storage.

Good idea on the bath fan. I know we will be hanging wet jackets, etc and am looking at how we can get things dried out and also decrease condensation. We are adding the 2nd fantastic fan in the cab-over area just aft of the HEKI. I'm thinking we can draw air in thru that fan and then out thru the fan near the door. Do you think this will be adequate or should we try to get a smaller 3rd fan in the bath? So many decisions:)!

We went with the TV option too. Sure glad to hear that you like that. I had to laugh at your comment
on watching a movie when it's raining and wondering how the tent campers were doing....we've always been the tent campers:)!

Question on the door windows....do you find the lower window helpful? We are getting the rear view camera but still question if we might not like a lower window as well.

Thank you and hope to see you on the road!

Forgot to mention...we decided on a window on the upper door! (thumbs up!)

Thanks Freespool!

We chose Northstar because of Rex and his reputation! It's rare these days to find a company that stands behind what it makes...new or used. I'm willing to give my hard earned money to a company like that!

We really liked the low profile/cassette toilet/KISS philosophy of Northstar. I'm not a fan of any of the truck camper manufacturer interiors...some are better than others...but I sure wish we had more options.
(Yes, I'm a girl:) I'll be doing a few mods to make it more our style and Rex is accommodating us on a few as well.

Good advice on the batteries. We are going AGM's but haven't decided how much to spend yet. I've read that it's best not to go cheap and get something of quailty...but we are also on a big learning curve...so might settle somewhere in the middle.


I am a major fan of both Truck Camper Magazine and Truck Camper Adventures....both are excellent sources of information for anyone interested in TC's.

If you are going bigger....hard to go wrong with either the Host or Northstar 12 footer....both top-notch builds. I'm trying to go as minimal as possible yet still have enough creature comforts to keep it enjoyable for some extended trips for 2 of us. It will be tight quarters and a social experiment for us!
We have thrived in tiny quarters before so we shall see......(part of the excitement:)

I hear ya on the HEKI. We really struggled on that one but in the end decided with the tiny space...we wanted the extra light and open feeling in the cab-over. If it breaks...we will just have to fix it....if it leaks....we will be second-guessing our decision:). Rex is going to install a 2nd Fantastic Fan just aft of the HEKI so we will have both the skylight and the fan in the cab-over area and a 2nd one just as you come in the door by the bath.

We did purchase the Eco-camel shower head (reviewed by Mello Mike on Truck Camper Adventures).
So will give it a go and see how we like it.

Thanks for all of your helpful advice! Folks on this forum have been amazing. I really appreciate all the time spent and thoughtful responses that you have given us. I'm hoping that we can be as helpful to others once we gain some experience and road wisdom!

The adventure begins....

We are finalizing our purchase of a new Northstar Arrow U. It has been an education and we have much more fun learning ahead of us. My thanks to all the helpful advice from folks on this forum. Any Arrow owners out there....and any advice on tweaks or general info. you would like to share? Rex (owner and CEO of Northstar) has been amazingly helpful and accomodating to our requests. I can't say enough good things about him and his company.

We do have a couple of last minute questions...

I was wondering from the collective group what your thoughts are on windows (upper and/or lower) on the entry door? There are some positives...nice to see what's out there...extra light, etc. Also, some negatives...security, potential leaks, etc. I'd like to hear your recommendations from experience.

We are adding an extra fantastic fan in the cabover area...just aft of the HEKI skylight. There is one by the entry door already. We thought this would be be a good idea for extra ventilation....has anyone else done this?

We are going with 2 AGM 31 batteries under the dinette and the 160 watt solar that comes as an option. We also have a nice Yamaha 2000 generator so we will see how this goes. We thought about using 6 volts but in the end have decided to go 31's for a variety of reasons. This is something we can change out down the road if we ever need to.

We are going with the 2 way 6 cu. ft. refrig. that it comes standard and not upgrade to the compressor (all electric fridge). We will be doing lots of traveling in areas where there won't be consistent sun so in the end decided propane was the way to go. I hope we don't regret that decision. A little nervous on the safety of the propane while traveling vs. lot's of folks that do it...controversy. Please chime in on your thoughts from experience if you would like...

Thank you for your help! We are very grateful and appreciative to all of you!

Thanks guys! I guess I'm a little more confused on this one. Dual Alternators...good idea or bad idea?
I thought it would be good to have the extra juice for charging things while traveling i.e. electronics, extra lights, possible winch someday...etc. Also, thought it might work to help keep the TC batteries charged if I could figure out how to do it. Skyhammer....I'd like to hear more about your set-up. What's the instant heater used for...you must live in cold country....(so do I). Also, if anyone has actually used a dual alternator to re-charge the batteries with a heavier gauge wire to allow faster charging, I'd sure like to learn how you did it. Thanks again for all your helpful advice!

I'm purchasing a new 2017 Ram 3500 CTD and have the option of dual alternator (440 amps). Is there any way to use the truck to charge my truck camper house batteries? I've done a little reading and it sounds like I would need to have a fairly large gauge wire in lieu of the normal 7 pin umbilical in order to efficiently charge them but I'm not sure what else I would need to be able to do this. I will be on the move quite a bit and thought it would work well if I could use the truck to recharge my batteries. I have a Yamaha portable generator (2000 watts) for when I am stationary if need be and plan on being pretty minimal on my energy needs. No microwave, a/c off the genny or shore power infrequently, etc.
Is this possible and how would you recommend installing this. I'm planning on either 2 6 volt AGM's or 2 group 31 AGMs for my house batteries under my dinette bench in the TC.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not very savvy on this stuff...so it's going to be an education!
Thank you for your help!

Thanks Freespool! You always give great advice!
Just curious...what have you been hearing about the Coleman 9K A/C's? We've already got the Yamaha 2000 generator so we need to go with what that will run.

Agree with getting good batteries...we are planning on doing 2 group 31's (6 volts are nice too but we can use the 31's for other purposes if need be.) Not sure what brand yet....always read good things about Trojan's and Lifeline's. Wish Costco carried them...great return policy! Plan on putting them inside under dinette similar to what Mello Mike did. I've learned a lot and really enjoy reading his site Truck Camper Adventures.

We'll definitely include some pics when we get it set up! Thanks buddy!

We are getting close to purchasing our first truck camper! We will be using a 2017 Ram Mega Cab 3500 SRW Cummins. We recently did a tour of Northstar's warehouse in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Rex (owner, CEO and all around good guy) spent almost 4 hours with us giving us the tour and answering our questions. It's hard to find that kind of customer service these days...very impressive! We were able to spend some time in the Laredo and really liked it. My hubby is 6-2 so Rex recommended coming back to check out the Arrow U...they are next on the production schedule.
Any Laredo and Arrow U owners that can tell us what they like and don't like about their TC's? Here are our perceptions so far...with no experience to back it up:)

Arrow pros:

We like the idea of having 5 inches more of ceiling height on the Arrow U. It is also a little wider...7-6" vs 7'. Bath is 3 inches bigger. It's also about 300 pounds heavier when you add the extra propane tank to the Laredo so that each has 2 tanks. Arrow has dedicated lined strorage for our portable Yamaha 2000 generator.

Cons: Heavier, wider, taller....effect on fuel economy, driving comfort with increased weight and wind resistance, etc.....a bit more spendy.

Laredo:

Everything we need but a little tight in the bath and cabover height is really snug. Arrow U has the straight roof line and also 5 inches taller so cabover is taller.

We will be spending a fair amount of time....2-4 month trips...a couple of times/year. Do we go big and more comfortable in the Arrow....or keep it more nimble with the Laredo? Not sure how much difference between the two when it comes down to driving them. We do like camping Forest Service Roads/ BLM land and not so much RV parks. We usually pull some toys (tongue weight less than 300 to 400 pounds).

Thank you for any input and help!
Enjoy the Journey

Thanks Freespool and Towpro! Yeah, I hear ya. Big decision and I really need to get some more information in order to make a good one. I am going to Northstar in Iowa in January and will do a walk-thru of a couple of the truck campers. I don't plan on purchasing the truck until after I'm convinced the camper will work. I'm already shifting from the HEMI to a 1 ton diesel as I plan on traveling in the mountains quite a bit. I test drove the diesel and liked it.

I'll be sure and find out the payload for whatever I get serious about and will make sure the tires are rated for what I need. I know the bigger cab, 4x4 and diesel actually decrease my payload so I will heed your advice and be careful with the truck purchase. I'm trying to keep it as small a package as I can get by with and still having the basic comforts. I like the Northstar reputation and they are closest to where I live if I do need things tweaked or repaired. The only thing I didn't like about the Liberty is the fresh and gray water tank capacities but I think I can work around that as I usually tow a small enclosed trailer that can haul extra supplies.

I'm trying a couple of other trucks out this next week. I've always been a Chevy girl but I did like the Cummins diesel on the Ram. Keeping an open mind...

Hauling my toys (Can Am commander, motorcycle, kayaks) and a boat on occasion are my priorities and I much prefer the path less traveled. I've looked at trailers/toyhaulers of all kinds.....I like being a little more nimble with the truck camper even at the loss of space and some creature comforts.

Good advice on Mello Mike! I've already been reading quite a few of the stories on Truck Camper Adventures....love it! His Northstar Laredo is another possibility but I sure like the idea of the not having to have a stinger with the Liberty. Not much difference in price though so I may have to upsize if the Liberty is just too small. The Arrow is another nice unit but a tad wider...not a deal breaker.

Thanks again for your input! I greatly appreciate it!

I'm looking at purchasing a new Ram 3500 Mega Cab SRW short box with the 6.4 HEMI. I'm planning on putting a Northstar Liberty on this truck. I can pretty much order anything at this stage. I'm a total greenhorn on this stuff so would appreciate some advice. What options would you recommend....axle ratio, tires, air ride suspension, etc

Anyone else have a similar set-up? Thanks!

I'm planning on purchasing a Northstar Liberty. If you could choose your perfect setup...which truck would you buy for this camper? I want to go crew cab, 4x4 and short-box SRW would be preferred as it will also be a daily driver. I know I'm giving up some payload on these options. I've looked at Dodge Megacabs, Chevy/GMC and Ford Crew-cabs and like them all. i know I will need to go with a 3/4 to 1 ton truck but my options where I live are way better with a 3/4 ton truck. I know the Liberty is lighter than many hardtop TC's but just not sure which way to go. Also, what axle ratio's are best, suspension upgrades, and fuel types (diesel vs. gas) and tires. I'm looking at both used and brand spankin new trucks(ouch$)...2015 thru 2017. My style of camping is more Forest Service Road/BLM land with the occasional stay in a nice place with more amenities.
Chime in and let me know your favorite set up would be. Thanks everyone!

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and would love some advice. Two fun questions to contemplate :

My hubby and I are retiring in 1 year and would like to purchase a new truck and a good used truck camper. We have done lots of tent camping are comfortable in tight quarters. We like toys (motorcycles, boat, UTV's and kayaks) so have decided a truck camper is the way to go. We also like the idea of something a little better at handling forest service roads, and BLM camping areas. So here is the million dollar question (okay...hopefully, not that much)...if you had a budget of say 50 to 100K for both truck and camper...what would you buy and where would you buy it. We live in the Dakotas and truck camper dealers are non-existent in our neck of the woods. Northstar is in Iowa so that is one brand that is a consideration. We can travel anywhere to purchase though so all options are on the table. We are fans of a low-profile hardtop, 4 season option with no slides and wet bath/cassette toilet as we tend to camp in some cool temps. Lighter the better. I'm already checking on RV web sites, Ebay, Craigslist but not many options where we live so will probably be traveling to find something suitable.

Next question: If you had 4 months to travel in Jan-April....where would you go? We have camped a lot in the summer/spring and early fall (very chilly)....but never the winter months. South will be the direction but SE, South Central or SW to start off our adventure. What are your favorite places for this time of year?

I'm a fan of learning from folks with experience so if you have the time...we are all ears!

Thanks!!!