TCM EXCLUSIVE: 2010 Four Wheel Camper Classic

Tom Hanagan, President of Four Wheel Campers, introduces the Classic and takes us back to when Four Wheel Campers were even lighter and simpler. ... ... ...












PHOTO CREDIT: Bill Johnson, www.mrjohnson.org.


From the ground up, Four Wheel Campers are purpose built products.  More often than not, a Four Wheel Camper is matched with a four-wheel drive Toyota Tacoma or Tundra and then disappears to tackle deep Jeep trails most truck camper rigs couldn't dream about.  Far away from other people and in the presence of some of the most beautiful places on Earth, the Four Wheel Camper owner has achieved the moments they hunger for.  Just look at the above photograph and ask yourself, "Would I like a few moments up there?"  If the answer is yes, you might secretly be a Four Wheel Camper candidate.  Your secret is safe with us.

Today Four Wheel Campers is introducing what might seem to many of us to be an oxymoron; a simpler, lighter Four Wheel Camper.  But aren't Four Wheel Campers already the most simple and lightweight production line campers available?  Well, yes, and no.  As you're about to read, even Four Wheel Campers has been swept up in the temptations to improve their products with more and more features and ammenities.  With the Classic, they get back to their roots and produce a lean, but just as mean, off-road and off-the-grid truck camping solution.

Four Wheel Camper Classic Comparison Chart:

Interview with Tom Hanagan, President, Four Wheel Campers:

TCM: What is the origin of the Four Wheel Camper Classic?

Tom: Over the past nine years, we have made tremendous upgrades and improvements to our Four Wheel Camper products.  Everything from a stronger lightweight aluminum frame to the interior materials and amenities have been brought to a much higher level and standard.  In every way, the Four Wheel Camper of today is the best camper we’ve ever built.

As we made these changes, a number of customers expressed an interest in a more basic version of our campers.  These are folks who are looking for the most basic, simple, and lightweight version of a Four Wheel  Camper possible.  They still want a genuine Four Wheel Camper, just without the amenities that have become standard features in recent years.

For these customers, we are debuting the Four Wheel Camper Classic.  It has all the quality of the modern camper, just simpler, lighter, and more basic.  

TCM: What are the specific differences between your standard model and your new Classic model?

Tom: A variety of the design elements in the construction of the camper are more of a standard grade as found in the Four Wheel of a number of years ago, rather than the premium grade of the current build.  The most obvious is the entry door.  In the Standard we use a radius corner one piece upper frame, whereas in the Classic, we use a square corner door.  Another obvious example is the couch.  In the Standard, the customer has a choice of a roll-over bench seat or dinette seating; in the Classic, only the fold out bench seat is available.

TCM: Are there differences between the Standard and the Classic other than the door and the couch?

Tom: Yes, there are, but they’re less obvious.  For example, the water tank in the Classic is only seventeen gallons, versus twenty-two in the Standard.  The battery is a sealed no maintenance in the Classic, versus a Deka absorbed glass mat (gel cell) in the Standard.  There are also differences in the water supply system, shore power electrical system, fluorescent lighting, marker lights, fabrics, and cabinetry color.  The breakdown chart above shows the differences.

TCM: It seems like you went through the whole Four Wheel Camper product line and kicked the materials and amenities up a few notches over the last nine years.  Then, for the Classic, you went back through the whole camper and took the materials and amenities back one notch.

Tom: To a degree, yes, but the Classic is still a very high quality product and every bit a Four Wheel camper.  Before Celeste and I bought the company in 2001, the prior owners made efforts to use very inexpensive materials, such as fabrics, headliner, windows, and electrical parts.  The Classic uses simpler and more basic components, but better quality than the old style product of ten years ago.

As well as upgrading materials, we learned the most reliable source of sewing and fabric handling is to do all sewing and fabric acquisition in house.  We set up our own sewing shop, and hired an exceptionally capable and experienced marine industry craftsman to replace the subcontract shop that was providing variable quality upholstery and pop up flexible fabric product.  In the process, we went back to the original Four Wheel product that had no exterior flaps on the windows, dissected the construction, and learned how to make a better window with no storm flaps on the outside.  The performance, meaning no leaks, has been superb, and the response from our owners has been exceptionally positive.

There are features either standard or available on the Standard Four Wheel camper that are not available on the Classic.  These include such items as the pressurized water system, water heater, shore power converter, and LED marker lights.

TCM: What are the differences in cost and weight between and Classic and Standard?

Tom: The Classic is about $1400 less than the Standard model.  The Four Wheel Classic Eagle is $8,995 base versus $10,395 for the Standard.  The goal of simplicity has resulted in a significantly lower entry price than the Standard  models.  The Classic Eagle model also weighs about one hundred pounds less.

TCM: Is every Four Wheel Camper model available as a Classic?

Tom: Yes.

TCM: Does the consumer get the same warranty with the Classic?

Tom: Of course.  The Classic has the same warranty as all of our products.  The Classic has the lightest weight and simplest design of any Four Wheel Camper, yet retains all of the durability and comfort Four Wheel campers are known for.


For more information about Four Wheel Campers go to www.fourwheelcampers.com.