Wildcat Dry Camping Package

[Wildcat Chris]

Just reviewing this thread again today. Thanks so much for the great input here!

[Rookey]

Hi Chris. Sorry for the late post but this is a very interesting topic. I saw some of your info from an earlier post and wanted to add a couple more.

-Everything being 12v including TV would be great. Artic Fox offers this.
-LED all the way.
-Love the tank sizes already.
-Space for multiple batteries. I currently have 3 grp 31 Lifeline AGMs in the front bay. Unfortunately a little heavy on the pin. Anyway you could locate them a little more centered? Probably a hard thing to do unless they could somehow be located along the frame rails.
-A converter with a good 3-stage charger. I have a Xantrex inverter with a good charger but have found using my little Honda genset is easier. Rather than installing a "whole-house" inverter.
-Please keep Jensen stereo/home enter pkg - hate the other one.
-Currently own a Sabre and love the rack on the back. It does wiggle in the up position but I secure with a bungee. Have carried a tote and burn barrel on it many times.
-High quality tinted windows.

I'm seriously looking at the WC Maxx 30 foot rear kitchen. Love everything about it but the interior didn't turn my DW on. We are looking for a unit 30' or less especially to fit in some of the Calif SPs. Sabre is a great unit but 35' is too big and daughter is going to college. I never see any support on this forum for the West coast factory so please share this with any contacts you might have. Thanks so much.

[Wildcat Chris]

Originally Posted by Rookey

Hi Chris. Sorry for the late post but this is a very interesting topic. I saw some of your info from an earlier post and wanted to add a couple more.

-Everything being 12v including TV would be great. Artic Fox offers this.
-LED all the way.
-Love the tank sizes already.
-Space for multiple batteries. I currently have 3 grp 31 Lifeline AGMs in the front bay. Unfortunately a little heavy on the pin. Anyway you could locate them a little more centered? Probably a hard thing to do unless they could somehow be located along the frame rails.
-A converter with a good 3-stage charger. I have a Xantrex inverter with a good charger but have found using my little Honda genset is easier. Rather than installing a "whole-house" inverter.
-Please keep Jensen stereo/home enter pkg - hate the other one.
-Currently own a Sabre and love the rack on the back. It does wiggle in the up position but I secure with a bungee. Have carried a tote and burn barrel on it many times.
-High quality tinted windows.

I'm seriously looking at the WC Maxx 30 foot rear kitchen. Love everything about it but the interior didn't turn my DW on. We are looking for a unit 30' or less especially to fit in some of the Calif SPs. Sabre is a great unit but 35' is too big and daughter is going to college. I never see any support on this forum for the West coast factory so please share this with any contacts you might have. Thanks so much.

Thanks for this input!

[Wildcat Chris]

Originally Posted by Oakman

My suggestion for dry camping would be a slide out tray or rack on the back of the trailer that would be sturdy enough to carry a generator, a gas can or two, and perhaps a Blue Tote. Sabre has a fold up bike rack option and Cougar has a slide out bike rack option on their fifth wheels that might work for that purpose. Something along those lines for a Wildcat would be great for a dry camping option.

Just an update: Wildcat has been offering a folding bike rack option (like the one on Sabre and many other fifth wheels) since December! I'm hoping to get photos of it up online soon...

[Wildcat Chris]

This thread has been very informative in our design sessions this season. We hope to implement a number of the suggestions for later this fall!

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Wildcat Chris

This thread has been very informative in our design sessions this season. We hope to implement a number of the suggestions for later this fall!

How do we get put onto the waiting list to sit in on these design sessions? :-)

[Wildcat Chris]

Originally Posted by ependydad

How do we get put onto the waiting list to sit in on these design sessions? :-)

Ha! No waiting list -- just sound off here and I bring it into the meetings with me!

[maladosteo]

Chris,
Wow, now I know where all of the great features on my 2014 312 BHX came from! We love it. the LEDs inside and out were a great idea. we are looking forward to do some dry camping when the weather cools off a little more...
I have two small suggestions:
1. install a hitch mirror on the front of the cap to help with hitching up of the fifth wheel.
2. replace the chinese made tires with a good American made tire. the wheels look great on the new trailers, but the tires that come standard are suspect according to the blogs i've read.
thanks!!
Steve

[67redbowtie]

Originally Posted by maladosteo

Chris,
Wow, now I know where all of the great features on my 2014 312 BHX came from! We love it. the LEDs inside and out were a great idea. we are looking forward to do some dry camping when the weather cools off a little more...
I have two small suggestions:
1. install a hitch mirror on the front of the cap to help with hitching up of the fifth wheel.
2. replace the chinese made tires with a good American made tire. the wheels look great on the new trailers, but the tires that come standard are suspect according to the blogs i've read.
thanks!!
Steve

X2 On replacing the Chinese tires!

[Frank1]

Thanks for the responses Chris!

[Wildcat Chris]

Originally Posted by maladosteo

Chris,
Wow, now I know where all of the great features on my 2014 312 BHX came from! We love it. the LEDs inside and out were a great idea. we are looking forward to do some dry camping when the weather cools off a little more...
I have two small suggestions:
1. install a hitch mirror on the front of the cap to help with hitching up of the fifth wheel.
2. replace the chinese made tires with a good American made tire. the wheels look great on the new trailers, but the tires that come standard are suspect according to the blogs i've read.
thanks!!
Steve

Thanks for the suggestions!

A note on the "Chinese made tires": currently, I'm not aware of an American made (USA or Canada) tire that is available to us for our specific tire requirements (ST235/80R16/E). It's a common complaint I hear, but I think there's a lot of misinformation out there as well. There are many US companies that offer their tire brands, but are not manufactured in the US. For instance, Maxxis tires, an RV trailer tire upgrade popular with many consumers, is currently manufactured in Thailand. Does that mean they're inferior? I don't think so -- and neither do many of their fans on this forum. However, judging tires simply by country of origin seems to be a common theme. I would challenge our customers to instead look at the attributes of the specific tires: Wildcat uses standard 16" LRE (Load Range 'E') 10-ply radial tires on custom aluminum wheels. Our current Provider brand tire is available at Discount Tire stores nationwide. Here's a bit more info about our wheels and tires from our supplier, HiSpec: Wheel University - HiSpec Wheel & Tire, Inc. - The Safety Wheel

Thanks again for your input!

[Wildcat Chris]

What percentage of time do you typically spend DRY CAMPING or BOONDOCKING in your Wildcat? It seems that our customers are spending more time "off the grid" than many other brands in the marketplace...

How do you split the time?

[mlhawke]

We are about 70/30, 30% dry camping out west We have a 2013 eXtraLite 32BHX.

[Wildcat Chris]

Every Wildcat now comes standard with a Solar Port that works with the following panel (available from our part department now: 574-206-7615):
FSPP95SA-BL - Solar power - RV Camp Power - Electrical

[1361]

I honestly didn't read through all six pages. But here are my ideas.
1. An area large enough for four, six volt batteries
2. A large quality inverter large enough to run everything except the a/c.
3. A heavy duty charger that a gen could recharge the batts quickly during the louder day time hours.
4. A cold storage area in the floor. Maybe something like in bass boats. Almost like an ice chest, but larger and not as deep. A couple blocks of ice would keep thing cool.
5. Outdoor kitchens on more units. Really all that's needed is a sink, counter and cabinet space with a bumper mounted grill. The fridge and burners aren't needed IMHO.

[Wildcat Chris]

Originally Posted by 1361

I honestly didn't read through all six pages. But here are my ideas.
1. An area large enough for four, six volt batteries
2. A large quality inverter large enough to run everything except the a/c.
3. A heavy duty charger that a gen could recharge the batts quickly during the louder day time hours.
4. A cold storage area in the floor. Maybe something like in bass boats. Almost like an ice chest, but larger and not as deep. A couple blocks of ice would keep thing cool.
5. Outdoor kitchens on more units. Really all that's needed is a sink, counter and cabinet space with a bumper mounted grill. The fridge and burners aren't needed IMHO.

Wildcat definitely has enough room for battery upgrades. The front storage area is very large and relatively open.

The inverter and/or charger discussions are more complex -- we've been looking at this for some time.

I'm not sure where we'd put a "cold storage" area in the floor. Where would you put this? In the pass through?

Outside kitchens continue to be a focus, although your specific needs are different than what others have posted. Most often, in a dry camping discussion, we simply hear for the need to use LP for the cooking surface as a primary goal. Do you feel a water source or sink even more important?

[Gregg Willow]

Originally Posted by Wildcat Chris

Outside kitchens continue to be a focus, although your specific needs are different than what others have posted. Most often, in a dry camping discussion, we simply hear for the need to use LP for the cooking surface as a primary goal. Do you feel a water source or sink even more important?

Some camping friends of mine that have outside kitchens really wish that the refrigerator was an option. They like the sink for cooking and cleaning duties. The two burner stove is not always used but comes in handy once in a while as most people have their camp stove of choice.

We mostly dry camp and no one wants to run their genny's 24 hours a day to keep a 110 refrigerator going. Two of the friends have removed them and used them else where (garage, etc.). One of which created storage for cookware, etc. where the refrigerator was.

[1361]

Originally Posted by Gregg Willow

We mostly dry camp and no one wants to run their genny's 24 hours a day to keep a 110 refrigerator going. Two of the friends have removed them and used them else where (garage, etc.). One of which created storage for cookware, etc. where the refrigerator was.

This is the main issue for me. There great if your plugged in. I "boondock" and would only use a gen for charging batteries or those rare days when the air might be needed.

The cold storage could be a simple insulated box with a bottom drain mounted between the frame rails. Could be as small as just room for a few twelve packs or as large as room permitted. Throw a block of ice in there and it could keep extra stuff cool. I always seem to have an extra case of water or drinks for reloading the ice chest. Seal it up tight from the outside and only have access from the inside.

[Gregg Willow]

Originally Posted by 1361

This is the main issue for me. There great if your plugged in. I "boondock" and would only use a gen for charging batteries or those rare days when the air might be needed.

Exactly!