Today Four Wheel Campers announced a host of substantial upgrades and options for their popular line of off-road truck campers. We’re on our second Four Wheel Camper - the Hawk UTE flatbed - which we’ve had for almost three years. Our first FWC was a slide-in Raven model, which we used for over a year before upgrading to the Hawk UTE. In this post I’ll cover each one of the new options and offer my thoughts on whether they are must-haves ro just nice to haves. I’ll also share a few changes I hope to see Four Wheel Campers embrace at some point…hopefully in the near future. Let’s dive in.
Standard Lithium Batteries - MUST HAVE - Upgrade Cost: $1,295 - $6,695
Both of our FWC campers came with AGM batteries from the factory. They were…eh. Even dual AGM’s with 320 watts of solar failed to keep up with our power demands. Admittedly, we are heavy power users. After going through two sets of AGM batteries in our Hawk UTE over a two year period, we made the decision to do a full lithium upgrade using 200 ah of Battleborn Batteries and Victron components. It wasn’t cheap, but it truly has been a gamechanger. That word gets thrown around a lot but in this case, it’s accurate. The lowest I’ve seen our battery level is 74%, and that is without limiting our power usage. For a full breakdown of our power system, check out this post: Should You Upgrade Your Overland Camper or Van to a Lithium Power System
FWC now includes one 135ah lithium battery as standard on all campers with the exception of Project M, with the option to upgrade to two or even three 135ah batteries. This is huge. HUGE. Along with the lithium power systems, Four Wheel Campers has also upgraded all of the wiring, which has been a weak spot in the past.
Roof Mounted Solar Panels - MUST HAVE - Upgrade Cost: $2,195 - $4,275
Some might argue that solar panels are not a must-have, but in my experience they absolutely are. Unless you drive a lot in between campsites you will have no way to top off your batteries without solar. Roof mounted solar panels go everywhere your rig does and don’t take up any additional internal storage, unlike portable panels. Lithium batteries charge significantly faster than AGM batteries, and solar panels will help to keep your batteries topped off. How much solar you need depends on a few variables, i.e. how many batteries you have, your average battery draw, environmental considerations, etc.
Truma Varioheat Furnace - NICE TO HAVE - Upgrade Cost: $1,100
This is a bigger deal than you might think. Four Wheel Campers has had major issues with their heaters for several years. The heaters in both of our campers failed after a short time, and in our Hawk UTE we invested in a Propex heater as a replacement for the factory model. It has functioned flawlessly for over two years. Truma Varioheat furnaces have a stellar industry reputation, and I’m thrilled to see Four Wheel Campers moving to this model. Do you need a heater? Only you can answer that but I will tell you that waking up to a toasty warm camper when the outside temperature is hovering in the single digits is a luxury that, once experienced, kind of changes your perspective.
Truma AquaGo Comfort Water Heater - NICE TO HAVE - Upgrade Cost: $1,225
Our first Four Wheel Camper didn’t have hot water. Our Hawk UTE does. For us, it was a must-have but I understand that for some, it may not be necessary. Washing greasy dishes with cold water has poor results. Splashing ice cold water on your face in the morning may be energizing, but not pleasant. Previous FWC’s used a standard hot water heater. We’ve never had an issue with ours, and I actually like that having a water heater with a tank allows us to carry more than 20 gallons of water. But, the Truma AquaGo Comfort is an on-demand hot water heater that, like the Varioheat, has proven itself as a reliable option for many years. Four Wheel Campers made a good decision to use it in their new campers.
Electric Roof Lift (Two Options) - NICE TO HAVE - Upgrade Cost: $825 - $4,995
For some, this might be a must-have. Longer camper roofs are heavy and not everyone will have the strength to manually lift them into place. There are two options for the electric roof lift; an internal or external linear actuators. The internal option can be retrofitted to older campers and is $825. The external actuators cannot be retrofitted, and they cost $4,995. Unfortunately, the external actuators don’t do away with the roof clips, which really would have been nice. I’m not too sure about this one. I see the utility of it, but I’m not convinced that it’s worth the significant additional expense (at least for us). Also, the external actuators are mounted on the sides of the camper, where they may be prone to damage from trees, rocks, etc. Also, the external actuators are placed such that they partially block the view from the soft side windows. The internal actuator is a little more cumbersome but not exposed to the elements, and costs about six times less than the external actuators. If you want a FWC camper but can’t lift the roof manually, at least now you have this as an option.
Extended Cabover and Underbed Storage - NICE TO HAVE - Upgrade Cost: $1,995
I was tempted to call this one a must-have. For us, it is. But, it may not be for all FWC owners. We spend a lot of time in our camper, and we carry hiking, mountain biking, photography and camping gear for three people plus a dog. If you need the storage, you need it. The extended cabover also means the bed covers less of the countertop when it’s slid out.
Roof Mounted Air Conditions - NICE TO HAVE - Upgrade Cost: $4,995
This is definitely a nice-to-have, but certainly not necessary unless you spend the majority of your time camping in extremely hot climates. We’ve used our Hawk UTE in temperatures in the 90’s. With both roof vents open and one fan set to exhaust, with the other blowing air in, and all windows open, it was reasonably comfortable inside. If you option the air conditioner Four Wheel Campers requires you to also purchase dual batteries and an electric roof lift. Perhaps more important, the air conditioner will only run on battery power for a limited amount of time. Air conditioners are a very high draw appliance and they will quickly deplete your batteries. Four Wheel Campers recommends that the camper be plugged into shore power when using the air conditioner for an extended period of time.
Quilted Thermal Liner - NICE TO HAVE - Upgrade Cost: $1,275
We recently upgraded our thermal liner to this new quilted version. We haven’t used it yet but are about to spend two weeks in the camper exploring Arizona. Initial impressions are positive. It’s certainly got an all-around more premium look and feel to it. It comes with window coverings for all the glass windows, too. Installation is simple and you can still put the top down with the thermal liner in place.
Standard Flush Mount Sink and Stove - STANDARD
A flush mount sink and stove are now standard. Also, the stove has been upgraded. I think this is fantastic. They look better and when not in use, you’ve got more counter space.
What Would I Like to See Four Wheel Campers Do Next?
My wish list is relatively short.
Double pane acrylic awning style windows - This would do away with curtains, allow for less thermal transfer and, for those of us who use our rigs in rough environments, aren’t going to shatter when impacted by tree branches, rocks, etc.
Windows at front and rear of soft side fabric - I’m not sure how this could be accomplished with the conventional roof lift as the lift panels cover most of the front fabric but on the electric roof with external actuators, it looks like it would be possible.
Roof clips - Be gone with you, roof clips! They’re unsightly, delay deployment of the roof and, if you forget to unclip one, will damage your roof.
Composite construction - This one is huge. I fully understand that Four Wheel Campers has built their brand on aluminum frames and skins. But, there are so many new overland campers constructed of composite materials that offer far better insulation, strength, durability and virtually no thermal bridging. With Four Wheel Campers legendary reputation and loyal customer base, it is my opinion that a composite FWC camper would catapult the company to new heights.
External access to internal storage - On the Four Wheel Camper flatbed models, you’ve got storage under the dinette seats. It’s a large space and we love it, but it can only be accessed from inside the camper. I would be thrilled to be able to access it from outside, too. I dunno, maybe I’m just lazy? But, having access to all of our mountain biking gear without going into the camper would be amazing.
More Information About 2024 Four Wheel Campers Upgrades
Truck Camper magazine has a great interview with Stan Kennedy, Four Wheel Camper’s Brand Champion, about the new upgrades. Solid insight into their thought process on all of these new upgrades.
Four Wheel Campers Feature Launch Video
Four Wheel Campers YouTube Channel
Well folks, there you have it. My thoughts on the new Four Wheel Campers upgrades. It really seems like they came out swinging this time, and have an eye on the future. These upgrades aren’t for everybody, but they’re a giant step forward and something tells me the masterminds at FWC aren’t going to sit around on their hands. I’m curious to hear what you think about all the new features. Drop a comment and let me know what you think!