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Old 04-12-2015, 09:19 PM   #1
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Columbus Bunkhouse vs Cedar Creek Silverback Bunkhouse

We are a family of 4 considering full time camping. We are considering these two models. We really like both. Any thoughts?
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Old 04-12-2015, 09:35 PM   #2
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We are a family of 4 considering full time camping. We are considering these two models. We really like both. Any thoughts?

While neither are really suitable as a "full time", the overall quality of Cedar Creek is superior to the Columbus.
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Old 04-12-2015, 09:49 PM   #3
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Can you give me some feedback on why you feel they are not suitable for FT?
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Old 04-12-2015, 11:05 PM   #4
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I think the Columbus warrant specific excludes full-time use. Not sure about the CC.
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Old 04-13-2015, 12:41 PM   #5
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Cedar creek 37bh

We have the CC Silverback 37BH We love the room Quality wise it is the best We pull with Silverado 3500HD
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Old 04-13-2015, 02:45 PM   #6
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x2 on the Cedar Creek - don't know if the warranty specifically prohibits full time use but Cedar Creeks and Cardinals are the top 5th Wheels used by a lot of Mostly & Full time RV'ers we know.
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Old 04-13-2015, 08:39 PM   #7
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We have the CC Silverback 37BH We love the room Quality wise it is the best We pull with Silverado 3500HD
Anything you would change with your CC? Any must haves if we order from the factory?
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Old 04-13-2015, 08:52 PM   #8
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Can you give me some feedback on why you feel they are not suitable for FT?

Are you planning on traveling extensively or sedentary?
Is the bunkhouse a must or just needs to sleep 4?
For full-timing, I would look at a used Mobile Suites. If going Forest River, a 2013 or 2014 Trilogy, that has fiberglass roof, radius sidewalls, residential fridge, but be careful, they went to standard box construction in late 2014…rubber roof, etc. Redwood would be my third choice.
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Old 04-13-2015, 08:57 PM   #9
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We do a lot of camping in temperatures near freezing. We love the double pane windows in our 2015 CC Silverback and would not order an RV without them. Although heavier, you don't get the nuisance condensation on them. My wife loves to cook and finds the convection microwave just great. Good luck with your choice!

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Old 04-13-2015, 09:28 PM   #10
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Are you planning on traveling extensively or sedentary?
Is the bunkhouse a must or just needs to sleep 4?
For full-timing, I would look at a used Mobile Suites. If going Forest River, a 2013 or 2014 Trilogy, that has fiberglass roof, radius sidewalls, residential fridge, but be careful, they went to standard box construction in late 2014…rubber roof, etc. Redwood would be my third choice.
We would be traveling a good bit. Maybe 1-2 a month.
We like the bunkhouse so our kids have their own space. We homeschool already so it would be great for them to have room to get away.
I will look into those you recommended. There is so much to consider and they all end up looking the same after a while.
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Old 04-13-2015, 09:46 PM   #11
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My Cousin bought a new Columbus last year and had issues with self leveling jacks, air conditioners and other irritants. Her best friend got same and had same issues. They have not been happy full timers. Friends AC has been in shop 5 weeks. We have Cedar Creek and quality difference is obvious. Decorations can be deceiving, you'll never get quality without cost!!!
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Old 04-14-2015, 06:49 AM   #12
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We would be traveling a good bit. Maybe 1-2 a month.
We like the bunkhouse so our kids have their own space. We homeschool already so it would be great for them to have room to get away.
I will look into those you recommended. There is so much to consider and they all end up looking the same after a while.


It is tough, but if you look very carefully at the smallest of details, the true quality picture will show itself. Plastics (fixtures etc.,) are great for reducing weight, however are not ideal on durability. Not to over generalize it, but weight matters. The better built fifth wheels tend to weigh more. However, you can tow any of those mentioned with a 1 ton.
We traded a 2013 Columbus 320 for a 2013 Trilogy 3650 RL and love it. While it is a notch down from a Mobile Suites, it was also a lot less money. IMO, stay away from anything Columbus for full-timing.
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Old 04-14-2015, 07:28 PM   #13
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Sorry but I feel just the opposite, The CC was not as nice on the inside and was heavier. While they both have options for dual pane windows, The Columbus we bought has been trouble free and we love it, we also have the convection / microwave oven (standard) and we felt we got more "standard options" with the Columbus. While both are nice units, we felt our money went a lot further with our 320RS plus we loved the size of the shower and floating island. I do believe that both units are really not intended to be severe cold weather units, there are several owners on the FB Columbus page who do FT in the winter up north.
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