Truck Camper Magazine invited the entire 2013 Mid-Atlantic Truck Camper Rally to check out a prototype 2013 Chalet TS116 triple-slide truck camper with a washer/dryer. And that was just the beginning.
When we first learned that Don and Pat Rose, the Owners of Chalet RV, had a one-of-a-kind triple-slide prototype with a completely new floor plan, 650 watts of solar, a washer/dryer, and radiant floor heating, we had just one thought in mind.
With fingers crossed, we called the Roses and asked, “Would you guys bring your new prototype to the Mid-Atlantic Truck Camper Rally?” Then we held our breath and waited for a response. Turning blue…
“That sounds like a great idea!” replied Don and Pat. Angela and I quietly inhaled, simultaneously lip-sinking, “No way” at each other, and tried to keep our cool.
Upping the ante, I suggested, “We’ll do a rally review and let everyone take a look at the camper and publish their responses in TCM”. Again, no breathing.
“Let’s do it,” said Don. I think they were as excited about the idea as we were.
To put this into perspective, there were a whole lot of firsts about to happen. Never before had a significant prototype been brought to a rally for direct consumer feedback. Even better, this prototype was bring presented by the owners of the company themselves, who were actually camping in the unit! Truck camper manufacturer owners who camp in their campers, at rallies, and show us a prototype? No way!
Over one hundred people came through the Chalet over a three hour period. What follows are their comments.
Check out our thoughts on this triple-slide truck camper.
“It’s beautiful. I love the windows. I’m a cook, and this is a cook’s kitchen. It’s a dream.” – Doris Bluth
“If you’re not holding the shower door, it snaps shut. This camper has a chair. I would like something with a couch. This camper has a lot of storage. There is a lot of room in the bathroom. I like how you get in the bed on either side. There is lots of room and this is a great camper.” – Gary and Lynn Bell
“It looks like an apartment sized washer/dryer. The fit and finish shows improvement from the older Chalets. This is top notch. The woodwork shows attention to detail. I believe it fits the price point of the camper well. The design is well thought out for the person who would want a washer/dryer on a high-end camper. They should have See Level gauges. They cost about $130.” – John Wells
“It’s good that you have both sides to get into the bed. I like the recliner chair. There is a lot of storage and a washer/dryer. I am impressed.” – Joe Brown
“The stairs getting into the camper are nice. I love the shower door. I like the storage in the back of the camper. There is a lot more storage in this camper than the other TS116s. I love the windows. I wonder what the power draw of radiant floor heating is when you are off the grid camping. Is it an option? There is a very nice use of cabinetry in the overcab. I like the cutting board on the sink. Good placement of the controls.” – Anne Brown
“Really nice design. The recliner is nice. The camper is too big for me for the stuff we do, but it is beautiful inside.” – Skip Bosley
“The heated floor is nice. I would want to get in to the bathroom with the slide-out in.” – Trish Evans
“I thought the washer/dryer would be tiny, but it’s decent sized. I like the color of the woodwork.” – Marylou Wells
“It’s beautiful with lots of space. As a mom I see lots of room for stuff.” – Margaret, Autumn, Joe and Dalton Whitcomb
“My suggestion is to put a better sound system in it. The refrigerator is noisy.” – Gene and Shelly Thomas
“How many gallons of water does it take to wash clothes?” – Sandra Krech
“Like all truck campers, the stoves should be recessed into the counter. You would then have all the counter space you can use. I would want to get in and use the bathroom when the back slide is in.” – Dan Louis
“Love it!” – Louis Zell
“I love the storage and the washer/dryer combo. It’s beautiful! I love the bathroom. This is beautiful. The recliner is so neat. I love the hardwood floors. The radiant heat is nice. It reminds me of being in a really big RV.” – Greg and Rita Tatusko
“I think you need a very heavy duty truck to haul this. The shower is nice.” – Jim and Geni Whitehed
“How can you not like this? The washer/dryer is amazing. It’s like a little home.” – Larry and Joanne Herron
“I like that you can actually make the bed. I was wondering where they were going to put the washer/dryer. It does not even take up much room. There is lots of space in the cabinets. I love it!” – Leroy and Sheila Gibson
“The washer/dryer is cool! The shower stall is the best for me. It has a shelf to keep your stuff in inside the shower.” – Carl and Cheryl Anderson
“I like it. Like the partition between the bedroom and the galley. It gives you privacy in the back of the camper. It’s very nice.” – John Brokaw
“That’s a guy’s chair. You’d never get the guys out of the camper. There’s frost in the freezer. That’s a nice sink, very nice. I like being able to get in the bed on either side.” – Joanne and Don Kautz
“I really like being able to get on the bed so easily. The aluminum entry steps should stay clean longer. Would the jacks handle the weight of this camper? It’s beautiful. Get your checkbook.” – Cinda and Gary Whistler
“It’s a little overwhelming. I’m taking it all in. The washer/dryer is overkill. I like the rear couch model better. There is tons of storage on the outside of the camper. This is a full timer’s unit.” – Kevin and Marita Kelly
“It has a beautiful bath! I love the island and the big television. Very nice!” – Camilla and Bill Dawson
“I could make this bed. There is a washer/dryer! I thought they were kidding. The floor is gorgeous and warm. Look at the big windows.” – Daryl and Barbara Williams
“The recliner. Wow, Wow, Wow. I don’t have enough good words to say it. It’s awesome. Three slide-outs, oh my goodness.” – Mary Wallace
“Good utilization of space. It looks easy to make up the bed.” – Carl Goode
“It’s too heavy for my truck! It’s nice. There is a lot of counter space and the double sink is nice. You can feel the heat on your feet.” – Janet and Jim Kaley
“It’s nice to have windows on both sides of the overcab. This is almost like a motorhome. The cabinetry is at a good height. I would want a regular oven.” – Carol and Richard Ward
“It’s big for a triple-slide out. You can only get so much in the space.” – Scott O’Bier
“I like the head space in the bedroom, and the power outlets are nice. There is a huge shower. The washer/dryer is a first in truck campers, isn’t it? There is lots of storage under the sink.” – Russell Hooper
“I like the hooks. I like the room in the bathroom. I like that the blue light for the stereo is not in the sleeping area. It’s very nice.” – Bob Gray
“The bed is really nice. For a truck camper, it’s great. I like that the middle part doesn’t turn like on the DS116. I like the upgraded digital thermostat.” – John and Patty Capitulik
“You have to let out the slide to get in the camper. Too many times we have stopped for lunch. You’d have to slide everything out. I like that the dinette is face to face.” – Lanny and Amelia Vrooman
“I like the recliner. I love the bed area. I’d rather have an oven than a washer-dryer.” – James and Sally Wolfe
“Wow! What’s not to like? The floor is nice. I’m glad I took my shoes off. You can just step into the bed. I am impressed.” – Jimmy Eddings
“Man, that’s a bathroom. That bathroom is a bathroom! You could stick two people in the shower, no problem. I love the peninsula. I was wondering where they were going to put the washer/dryer. This would be for full-timing.” – Kim Scott
“Look at all the windows. It’s very bright in the bedroom area. Very nice warm floors.” – Mary and Lou Pomerville
“I love the floors and windows.” – Marianne and Joe Zecca
“It’s well made. The wood looks quality all the way through. It’s bigger than I want. It’s a house on wheels.” – Art and Mabel Davidson
“This is great! It’s nicer than anything I’ve looked at.” – Carol Huber
“This thing is nice.” – Jack Mitchell
“It’s nice. I would rather have a dishwasher than a washer/dryer.” – Jenney and Rob Gallerane
“There is plenty of room. I like the bathroom.” – Doreen and Joe Tamulevicius
“Holy Moley. Seeing this camper was worth the wait. This is not what I was expecting. You can actually make this bed. There really is a washer/dryer. I thought it was a joke. The racks in the shower are great. Nothing should fall out.” – Deirdre Gray
“The bathroom is very nice. They should have an option of a dishwasher instead of washer/dryer. Everything is beautiful. I like the big windows. I would want screens.” – Barry and Carol Schoenwetter
“It’s impressive for a truck camper.” – Harold Sumpter
“I never really dreamed of seeing something like this in a truck camper.” – Harold Sumpter, Sr.
“It looks like a miniature apartment. I like all the woodwork and the amount of storage, which is good.” – Michelle Humphress
“Man oh man. Neat floor. Talk about roomy. It’s hard to believe it is a truck camper.” – Doug Colfer
“This is a camper? A truck camper? That’s a nice bathroom. I could give Guinness, my dog, a bath in there. That washer/dryer is slick. You would need a monster truck to haul this, though.” – Andy Spedden
“I don’t think I would be in the market for anything this large. Some people would love it. Some of these ideas could be carried over to smaller units.” – Allan Riley
“Where are the window screens? That’s a comfortable chair. The washer/dryer doesn’t take up too much space.” – Jim and Cathy Crisfulli
“It’s still a one butt kitchen. The radiant floor heat is very nice. I like that you can enter the bed from both sides and that it’s a low entrance to the bed.” – Denzil Tice
“I love the bathroom. I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s a cool camper.” – Jeff Jump
“Nice big shower. I like that the bathroom is in the back. I would put a counter and more storage where the recliner is.” – Gail Riley
“I like how the bed is easy to get to. I like the storage. I would like them to somehow make access to the bathroom when the slide is in. I like the recliner and the hard wood floors as carpet gets dirty so fast. I also like the windows.” – Larry and Janet Snyder
“It’s good for campground camping, but not so much for the beach.” – Mike Layton
“It’s overkill. It looks nice, but it’s not for me. I like how big the windows are in the overcab.” – Bruce Scott
“Is this a truck camper? You’ve got to be kidding me. I love the floors and the nice size shower.” – The McQuaids
“The peninsula takes up too much floor space. Other than the washer/dryer and recliner, everything else is in the DS116 model. It’s very nice.” – Larry Rathburn
Sylvia and Millard Vannoy
“It looks easy to make the bed. Pure luxury with the coffee pot next to the recliner.” – Lynn Carreiro
“One wouldn’t know this was a truck camper. This is the most spectacular truck camper I’ve been in. I think the more you live in your camper, the more you want these things. If you’re going to be a full-timer, this is a amazing.” – Fred Patterson
“It’s got all the comforts of home. The washer/dryer is nice.” – Chris and Craig Dukes
“It’s beautiful! I love the hardwood floors.” – Amy Westland
“It’s a plastic toilet. It would be nice if they got rid of all of the wood in the unit. It looks like an Earthbound trailer. The Evergreen Element does not have any wood, and it’s high-end. They have seams outside where they don’t need them and I see four seams in the ceiling. Maybe they’re there for service reasons.” – Roy Garland
“This is lovely. It’s big. I do like the size of the windows because it gives you a good panoramic view.” – Linda Bosley
“The bigger bathroom is the best thing. I like that you can get in the bedroom overcab easily. My husband will like the recliner chair.” – Linda Ross
“Overall, I really like it. In the chair I could sit and read. It’s also a good place to watch television. I would like to be able to get into the bathroom with the slide-out in.” – John Ross
“I like the chair. This is nice. It is really beefy. Could you put a hydraulic lift under the bed to have storage under the bed since there is a lot of head room in the overcab? The window is huge! I would like the dinette to be deeper. I would like the medicine chest better if it was not so deep. You could bump your head on it.” – Kay Goode
“Look at the floor. It’s nice. Oh my goodness. Look at the washer/dryer.” – Ed and Connie Spertzel
“It looks like a fifth wheel. I don’t like that when the slide-outs are in that you can’t get in the camper. The slide comes into the bath so you can’t go to the bathroom. It’s a beautiful camper.” – Flo and Carl Christianson