I’ve been doing research and came across your video. After your review it’s exactly what I’m looking for. Simplicity and longevity. Thanks for the video. I’ll be purchasing one.
I looked at the Go Fast for my Gladiator Rubicon but ended up going with the Alu Cab Canopy Camper. The weight issue was not that bad for the Gladiator Mass Gross Weight. When you remove the tailgate you are looking about total added weight is 500 lbs.
I have one on order and will pick it up in about a month. The GFC fit the bill for me in terms of weight and functionality. I am a bit worried about condensation in cold weather, but the majority of my camping won't be in cold weather so I'll just deal with it. Yeah there are other similar campers like the AluCab or Harker, but in my mind they are too big and too expensive for me. Thanks for this thorough review!
I love that you say up front that your reviews are unpaid and you are not sponsored. That is extremely rare in todays influencer world. I’ve seen TH-camrs sponsored by Magpul or Toyota and such. I'd take a huge sponsorship if I had a chance lol…I don’t blame them at all.
I get offered a lot of sponsorships… but so far none that make sense… either way I want people to know up front if they are hearing a review where I got something for free or am paid or if it is 100% clean. I think it should be disclosed really openly
I own a gfc and he pretty much on everything on point. The biggest pro for me is how well built it is the biggest con is the lack of features. Every single competitor all offers side windows, solar and roof fan as options imo solar and roof fans are necessities and something every manufacturer can easily install. My gfc is for my Tacoma and I just got a tundra and just because of the lack of features I’ll probably go with a competitor if I choose to get a camper for my tundra
Fantastic review. I have a GFC RTT, this is my first season with it, but I echo alot of your sentiments. No, it's not feature rich, but I love that it's built to last. Thanks, love your content!
I have a GFC, and I definitely built it out way more than most GFC's. Because the GFC is only 275lbs, I have enough payload for my GFC camper, Expedition One bumpers, a Victron electrical system, and all my camping gear and toys on my 2020 Ford Ranger. Btw, a diesel heater also solves the condensation issue in cold weather. Cost-wise, I consider the GFC close in price to a RSI Smartcap and a roof top wedge tent, but you can't stand up inside with those. And I agree, weight wise, you can't put a Alu-Cab or a Four Wheel camper on a small truck and have any payload left. But if you never go on narrow, back country jeep trails then just get a bigger truck and go for more comfort. To each their own. You gotta pick what's best for your style camping and budget.
I run a RLD designs canopy on my Colorado and a GFC Superlite. I wanted the ability to remove the RTT because when we go camping, we don’t always go in the RTT. Many times we use our square drop camper and sometimes ground tents depending on what we are doing and where we are camping. You are right cost wise. I am probably in the same amount of money for the canopy and RTT as a GFC camper would have cost. Maybe I just over thought it about the GFC camper and running around with the GFC camper on your truck all of the time is no big deal.
It's really easy to let the GFC's upfront cost sow doubt. But it sounds like you still have good camping options. I wouldn't second guess yourself. Use what you've got until it falls apart! I kept my old mini camper (like a small utilty trailer) for similar reasons. But it's also designed with rear barn doors, so I can get plywood and stuff with it. It's also nice to have when I can bring a buddy along to camp. My wife is welcome to sleep in the GFC with me, but I really don't want to spoon with my guy friends. Lol.
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts with these products. It has been said before that there is no one prefect setup; just what works for what you want to do. I appreciate your approach, humor, and candidness.
I’ve had my V2 on my Tacoma for 2 years now. Many nights and miles on it with my wife and now 2 year old. The ability to stand up in it is a massive benefit. I live in the desert southwest where condensation has been a moderate problem, but everything dries out so fast. My two year old also wakes up as soon as it gets light out. I wish there were some easily removable blackout/insulation options for the roof panel.
I like how basic you kept the GFC. No "June Cleaver" domestication with furniture, lots of tech stuff, water and power system, etc. These GFCs are best used and most relaxing just as really nice car camping rigs. Nice!
"The best tent with the least amount of features." Perfect description of GFC's products. We put a V2 on our 80 series and have had a near identical experience. It suits my style, but the lack of creature features is not for everyone.
I love my GFC but damn they gotta fix the tent material and the vent. It NEEDS venting at the top of the tent...If they redesigned the tent material + added full zip doors, it would make this nearly a 10/10 for my application.
I know what you are talking about as far as adding a top vent,,, when you say "redesign tent material" do you just mean changing the doors and adding vents... or are you having actual issues with the material itself ( I haven't had any issues with material so I was curious). Also I know the straight zip door are a bit odd compared to what is on the market... but I really haven't encountered... what are you running into there?
@@OutdoorAuto mainly from a venting and closing the tent up in bad weather standpoint. I’ve spent 30 nights thus far in the tent this year and a handful last winter. Prior to this set up I ran a CVT MT HOOD. That tent material and venting was superb. When camping in a light drizzle or rainfall, you really can’t properly vent the tent…same goes for winter camping. I run a diesel heater which is the only way you can get by without having the massive build up of condensation and ice. When camping in the snow and it blows, snow and cold air DOES enter the tent since the doors are not a complete full zip. I have also added a indoor/outdoor carpet lining to my roof on the inside which has helped out more I expected. If GFC made changes to the tent design in a way to decrease condensation and keep the elements out, it would be a solid 10/10 for me.
I had to replace my hatch locks after not putting any lube in them last winter, so the froze up, with road salt. Took like 5 minutes each, and cheap to order from GoFast. I love how easy it is to replace parts like that, and no manual needed to do that
Great video. I feel the same way about my GFC. I dislike the locks immensely though. The condensation in cold weather is insane. Whenever I talk about my GFC I tell people for the price point it's the best you can get. Added features add cost. I always mention the negatives as I feel after spending this amount of money people are hesitant to say they've made the less than "perfect" decision and will defend the purchase at all costs. Thanks for the honest review that should help new buyers. Liked and Subscribed.
Thank you SO much for saying it.... people feel like they have to defend their purchases way too much... its ok to like a product that isn't perfect. For the Value for your money and they weight the Go Fast is a fantastic product... its not perfect... and its ok for both Truths to exist at the same time... Go Fast deserves lot of credit for being an early innovator... and yes other brands are catching up. Thats a good thing, it will put pressure on the market and we, the consumers will benefit from it.
Thanks for watching and the support... hopefully we can get to 100K some day... My wife says if we get to a million we can build a tunnel to the shop from the house.... 🤷♂️
I love GFC and their product. You got to admit that they do consistency really well. Everyone has the same pros and cons. I will say I prefer the ladder option with two people. But solo I like to utilize the same way you sleep.
I live in montana and would love to buy a GFC but they haven’t innovated at all recently and so many manufacturers have surpassed them. They really need to update their platform desperately
I'm in research mode on getting a GFC. Just weighing pros and cons. Lot of reviews claim water leaking in and quality not good. Not seen that from Topo Toppers, or AT. Good video!
well for starters... water will leak in through your tailgate... so any tent that doesn't replace the tailgate will have dust and water leakage. Just FYI. AT's cost significantly more... like almost double so I would expect some differences there... not really Apples to Apples at all... I like the AT's a lot but I didn't like the setup time and extra weight. What one is best for you just really comes down to what you are trying to accomplish. I would like to test a Topo topper... the look great, the weight is awesome, but the supports and engineering for strength worry me... if that tent gets truly offroaded I am curious how it will hold up.
@OutdoorAuto I have a Tacoma w/ ARE topper so yeah i'm aware of water and dust. Other reviews claim water intursion from front hinge and pooling in the extrusion. Another showed back door not zipping all the way down and other openings in fabric. Like i said just doing research and leaning towards the GFC.
@@minimalistmaximus6476we had a small percentage of units a while back that had some upstairs leaking issues. After a very exhaustive engineering effort we updated a number of components and procedures to eliminate the problem. Every camper we currently produce has these fixes and we update under warranty any camper built without these changes if they have an issue. (I’m with GFC, btw).
@@the_wiley_davis Wiley, I know you are on the forums. The forum community is giving great input and requests for a redesigned v3 tent material. Please please add venting at the top of the tent for the condensation issues along with full zip doors for bad weather conditions. If these changes were implemented it would completely change how the tent feels and acts in the colder climates.
Thanks Gary... still want to get over to your area and go camping with you. If it gets too hot over there come over in my direction and lets go rafting.
This was a super superb video! I would say this is the best review that I Have seen of the GFC PERIOD… Looking forward to seeing you review a four sided upright rooftop tent. That is just as good or better than the GFC tent.
@@OutdoorAuto I was looking at of the James B. Forgive me I cannot remember how to spell the last name, but it sounds French. They do have some very nice upright for walls heavy duty tents that I was thinking of. To be honest with you, I have never owned a rooftop tent, but I am looking for one for my F350 and I'm not impressed with the big box adjustable bed racks frames that would work with my OEM retractable bed cover I just watched a review of the Oru truck bed tent camper that weighs approximately 300 pounds and looks rather nice but the leadtime for building is 8 to 12 weeks and can run as much as $15,000 or more. It’s worth checking out though.
First, I do like that your not spondsered and you paid full price, now you paid almost 9K for a waterfall. I think you would of been better off with a tent and a good one and you still would have a chunk of change for many road trips. Good video and I will give you a like.
this is by far the best review on the GFC I've seen. Saving up money to get one, maybe when V3 comes out I will get one. All other campers look nice, but they all are too heavy as you also have mentioned!
The V2 Pro is now out and addresses some of the issues. But at $8800, a bit more pricey but still seems a great value for a lightweight minimal camper.
Love the review on condensation, helpful tips to ask. Getting a GFC Camper for my 2009 Ford Ranger consider they’re the only ones who make a durable Camper for older model cars and designed to be fitted perfectly. TopoToppers do not make them for my year and model, AT do not make them for my year and model. Plus, they are more expensive than GFC. GFC targeted audience is for the Simple Innovated Mindset. Some people get misconception of it being labeled as just a “Camper” but really GFC advertise it as a “Platform” or “Template” if you will. A platform to build off of! To add-on and utilize the space inside while camping at ease. Plus, being the lightest and durable Platform at a cheaper cost on Market. It is really a Camper that supposed to help you figure out what you want and need for camping. I think it is a great addition to any truck that wants to be able to get off the beaten path. Also, GFC built a Community of GFC Happy Campers where they share information with each other and how they added on and how they customized their own camper. GFC did a really good job of connecting the community and getting them involved within GFC. That is something solely GFC offers that can’t be priced right, it’s priceless friendships that have been created through the GFC community. I don’t know much about GFC but I can’t wait to take the kiddos camping and fishing, while not worried about the setting up the tent thing or mosquitoes thing. And then I have sort of a Birds Eye view in the morning to make sure no bears or anything sniffing around. But thanks for the review, even though you make everything sound negative 😂 still worth the watch for the experience tips.
Could probably make a little rubber cement ball and put it in the base of the channel to hold that weather stripping in, or use some silicone grease (not the spray) in the channel to give it something sticky to cling to.
This is a great video. I am waiting on mine, should be shipping in a few weeks but all the reasons you’re listing are reasons I went with the gfc. I’m switching from a fully kitted out Leitner system and it is heavy, cumbersome and just makes a ton of weird noises on the trail. I really wanted to simplify and lighten things up. There are plenty of ways to add features that the gfc may be lacking, but the beauty of that is that it will be exactly how you want it, nothing more. My other option was the Super Pacific, but I couldn’t not justify the added cost. The extra features were nice but no necessary for what I am trying to accomplish.
I really want to see a Super Pacific get stress tested… it weighs more than the GoFast but has much less structural supports… so I’m trying to understand is the GoFast just over engineered on purpose, kind of like a Toyota… so it will last or is the Super Pacific under engineered for hard off-road trails.
@@OutdoorAutoThat’s the other thing that I was worried about. I live in socal so I’m hitting the desert 90% of the time. Nothing but washboard and ruts. There is no real world test out there, just videos of people talking about features. GFC has plenty of real world reviews. I know people that run these down in Baja and just put them to work. So I’m pretty happy with my decision and look forward to putting it to work.
Meh the GFC was just first to market in the lightweight minimalist camper-topper segment so they are benefitting from early market share, and a lot of WoM advertising. It’s not a bad product but it’s not as refined as some of the newer options on the market. I think the best overall right now is the TopoToppers Mesa. Way more customizability, better QC (now that GFC is in full-on production mode), better weather/dust sealing, and $750 cheaper to start. Also for someone that enjoys camping with dogs I just couldn’t get myself to sacrifice on a GFC the lack of a front pass through window and the inability to have factory installed sliding RV screen windows was a dealbreaker for me.
If you get a Topo Topper Mesa with side access doors the price jumps up $1k to $7,900 which is the same as the GFC. From an engineering perspective the design of the GFC canopy looks a bit better and the tent looks like it would have all the same issues the GFC has. I’d pick the company with the reputation to back up its products.
Good review. I have a V1 Superlite. It was not made in USA. I understand the V2 Superlite will be. I will say the GFC customer support has been pretty awesome to me.
@@OutdoorAuto I too am interested in the V2 Superlite and any upgrades. They have some competition now as Freespirit offers a lite weight tent, Aspen Lite at 110 lbs compared to the V1 Superlite at 80 lbs. Of course the price on the Aspen Lite is almost double what I paid for my V1 Superlite with the mattress and ladder.
You should look into getting some moisture absorber bags that you use for closets to hang on the ceiling. Super cheap easy fix for the condensation problem.
You know... that is an interesting idea... I wonder if it can overcome the cold metal though... it seems the almost freezing temperature of the metal is very hard to overcome.
It’s kind of scary they are almost the cheapest options in their class… lots of these toppers are 12-15k and I am even seeing quite a few in $20’s nowadays…. At that point I guess you really do have to live out of your truck. 🤷♂️
Hello, I purchased a GFC and will be doing L/T in my Tundra. I was wondering what you do to keep dust down in between the GFC and the bed with the Bypass tubes coming through the bed?
Thanks for this review. Im thinking this camper on a Power wagon, combined with the Deck system in the bed would be a GREAT Set up!!! ReALLY liking this one for its lightweight and no nonsense approach. I think adding that molly panel on the front would be nice too as long as you dont mind looking the rear view mirror view.The power wagon is really light on payload as well, so thats why I was researchign this particular unit. ONE QUESTION: how well do the side doors and rear doors hold up to windy conditions when the panels are up in the open position?
Excellent review, man!! Last month I checked out some new campers on the market at Overland Expo and came across 4 types of trailers I really like; Here is the list of them and my opinion. Harker Outdoors - I really like the design a little boxy looking for my taste, but the extra shade in the back is cool, but my only concern is when it's window and not so secure when you're camping. Project M - The space is fantastic! But, again, to boxy looking, move your bedding around each time you put away their bed frame, and you're stuck with their accessories mounts, and if you are Ok drilling on their panel, it's ok to mount your own design each time. Super Pacific - Looks calm, very similar to GFC. The only difference is that the window has no bars like the GFC. The one that really stood out to me is the PACKOUT Campers. It's like the mix of what we all want! The really cool thing about that camper is how modular that thing, really well-thought-out design you get the gas strut assisted floors similar to Alu Cab, you get the wide window of Super Pacific, a 3-inch Mattress, and still, you'll be able to leave all your bedding in there even your house pillow, you can also mount your bikes on both sides of the camper, Molle panels everywhere., and the big one for me is its not big box on your bed. Ordering mine next week.
Are you talking about the GoFast Campers? They have sold Thousands and Thousands… out here in the west I probably see several every day… if you add up the cost of an aluminum bed cap and a rooftop tent the go fast is pretty competitive… it’s also one of the cheapest campers on the market. They are mainstream at this point… already
Thanks for the great review - I'm considering one of these at the moment. I currently use SmartCap which I really like for the durability and the fact that it seals out all dust (using positive pressure system). I notice your truck bed is pretty dusty, so I'm assuming this system doesn't seal up very well or do you just camp in dusty places ;) ? Thanks.
My truck bed has huge holes cut in it for the long travel shocks so it is a bad example... you can cut down on dust quite a bit if you do the seals around the tailgate, but to really beat it you basically do the same thing... put in a positive air system. Also make sure and check out the new version of the GFC that just came out... they fixed almost all the issues with it... I was pretty impressed.
I don’t know who needs to hear this but I built a flat platform to sleep in my vehicle with two pieces of wood for less than $35. Or I have a tent that was $200. I know these roof top tents look inviting, but you can go outside without them. 😂 All jest aside, great review. It’s a good tool for certain uses.
Yeah, those are little defused rigid lights I have in the bed. They are mounted to the tracks or the mounting screws on the GoFast. Then I have a switch in the bed that controls them and I run them off a secondary accessory battery. these are the lights - amzn.to/3KOTbOU
You stated that the first version broke really easy. I have been trying to do research to find actual examples of this. I even contacted GFC directly and they said they had not had any issues with this happening yet what you said contradicts this. Do you have any actual evidence or something online where someone shows that the space frame of the version one did break? Please share.
The first one wasn’t a space frame it was welded. It cracked at the joints for some people. I didn’t have one so no I dont personally have proof. Also I didn’t say it breaks easily… they just had issues there… if it never broke then why did they re-design it? Arb tells me their compressor never clogs and RCI tells me their brackets never fail too when you call them 🤷♂️
I'm just trying to do some research. I have seen both the version 1 and version 2 in person and I'm trying to make a decision. You said "those broke really easy". This is on your video starting at about 8 minutes 40 seconds.
Science tells me there is a simple way to attach a few strips of nylon cord on a piece of gorilla tape to create condensation funnels that then route droplets to the tent perimeter. Heck…the company could literally mold it into that plastic honeycomb. I think I’d rather enjoy the challenge of gorilla tape/cord funnels/ridge channels to see what works best
Do you think people don't understand that it can have a ladder... like every other tent, if they want? Maybe Go Fast doesn't advertise that enough.... 🤷♂️
@@OutdoorAuto I was mainly talking about the small space in the cabin to enter tent. Another downside to the side ladder is most people are lazy and don’t want to store something else 😂🤣 but like you said in the video. Know what you’re paying for 🤙🏽🤙🏽
Respectfully dude, the roof is not made of aluminum, which is metal. If it was aluminum it could not be transparent. The roof is made of Plascore polypropylene honeycomb panel.
Respectfully a big portion of the roof… and what makes it strong IS made of Aluminum… “An extruded aluminum load halo surrounds the Topper's roof, distributing loads to the space frame. And the white roof itself is made from a one-inch-thick honeycomb composite panel, which reflects solar radiation, while providing an insulating air gap.” But sure thanks for the correction…
@@OutdoorAuto I'm responding to 7:08 -- the part of the video where you touch the white honeycomb panel and call it an aluminum honeycomb panel. It's not aluminum and I'd hate for people to get the wrong impression. I'm a fellow GFC owner btw.
At a whopping $7,700 for the full setup, that's a hard pass for me. Even if this could accommodate a roof rack, that's such an excessively overpriced setup that could be accomplished with similarly plain yet durable products for half the price. Serviceability is nice on the tent, but they're definitely not even close to the only company that make one. I guess you could argue that this is the absolute LIGHTEST you could get for a topper/tent combo, but I'd be willing to bet that's still debatable, and if it isn't, I guarantee this is a situation where the next-best is only marginally worse for significantly cheaper.
One way I look at it is this is basically a nice truck bed topper and a nice RTT.... Toppers like this (for example the RSI) cost $4000 and tents like this cost anywhere from 3- $4000.... so the price range isn''t that far fetched... the thing that cost the most is all the Billet parts... which of course are what make this tent unique and much stronger. So I would say the price for the product and the materials it is made out of makes sense. There will definitely be people that make ones cheaper... but I would bet those will not be stronger. 🤷♂️
@@cmc9823True. I think the GFC is one of the less expensive options out there for something like this. I think many, if not all, things in the overland market are price inflated.
What do you guys think? Would you buy a Go Fast Camper or are you looking at something else?
I’ve been doing research and came across your video. After your review it’s exactly what I’m looking for. Simplicity and longevity. Thanks for the video. I’ll be purchasing one.
I think a FWC project M would be the way to go
I looked at the Go Fast for my Gladiator Rubicon but ended up going with the Alu Cab Canopy Camper. The weight issue was not that bad for the Gladiator Mass Gross Weight. When you remove the tailgate you are looking about total added weight is 500 lbs.
Big fan of ur channel… question, thoughts on security? As in, is it ez to break in to? Would you place valuables and walk away without worry? Thanks!
I have one on order and will pick it up in about a month. The GFC fit the bill for me in terms of weight and functionality. I am a bit worried about condensation in cold weather, but the majority of my camping won't be in cold weather so I'll just deal with it. Yeah there are other similar campers like the AluCab or Harker, but in my mind they are too big and too expensive for me. Thanks for this thorough review!
V2 owner here. Agree with the review. The GFC does all the things I wan't - super minimal, keeps truck truck, does the job well for a fair price.
I love that you say up front that your reviews are unpaid and you are not sponsored.
That is extremely rare in todays influencer world. I’ve seen TH-camrs sponsored by Magpul or Toyota and such. I'd take a huge sponsorship if I had a chance lol…I don’t blame them at all.
I get offered a lot of sponsorships… but so far none that make sense… either way I want people to know up front if they are hearing a review where I got something for free or am paid or if it is 100% clean. I think it should be disclosed really openly
I own a gfc and he pretty much on everything on point. The biggest pro for me is how well built it is the biggest con is the lack of features. Every single competitor all offers side windows, solar and roof fan as options imo solar and roof fans are necessities and something every manufacturer can easily install. My gfc is for my Tacoma and I just got a tundra and just because of the lack of features I’ll probably go with a competitor if I choose to get a camper for my tundra
Interesting... super curious what you go with. Let's know what you think of watever you go with.
You sound like more of a glamper rather than a camper. That stuff is nice and all but definitely not a necessity.
Fantastic review. I have a GFC RTT, this is my first season with it, but I echo alot of your sentiments. No, it's not feature rich, but I love that it's built to last. Thanks, love your content!
Hey thanks for watching... glad to see there are others that feel about it the same way as me.
I have a GFC, and I definitely built it out way more than most GFC's. Because the GFC is only 275lbs, I have enough payload for my GFC camper, Expedition One bumpers, a Victron electrical system, and all my camping gear and toys on my 2020 Ford Ranger. Btw, a diesel heater also solves the condensation issue in cold weather. Cost-wise, I consider the GFC close in price to a RSI Smartcap and a roof top wedge tent, but you can't stand up inside with those. And I agree, weight wise, you can't put a Alu-Cab or a Four Wheel camper on a small truck and have any payload left. But if you never go on narrow, back country jeep trails then just get a bigger truck and go for more comfort. To each their own. You gotta pick what's best for your style camping and budget.
Agree 💯
I run a RLD designs canopy on my Colorado and a GFC Superlite. I wanted the ability to remove the RTT because when we go camping, we don’t always go in the RTT. Many times we use our square drop camper and sometimes ground tents depending on what we are doing and where we are camping. You are right cost wise. I am probably in the same amount of money for the canopy and RTT as a GFC camper would have cost. Maybe I just over thought it about the GFC camper and running around with the GFC camper on your truck all of the time is no big deal.
It's really easy to let the GFC's upfront cost sow doubt. But it sounds like you still have good camping options. I wouldn't second guess yourself. Use what you've got until it falls apart!
I kept my old mini camper (like a small utilty trailer) for similar reasons. But it's also designed with rear barn doors, so I can get plywood and stuff with it. It's also nice to have when I can bring a buddy along to camp. My wife is welcome to sleep in the GFC with me, but I really don't want to spoon with my guy friends. Lol.
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts with these products.
It has been said before that there is no one prefect setup; just what works for what you want to do.
I appreciate your approach, humor, and candidness.
I’ve had my V2 on my Tacoma for 2 years now. Many nights and miles on it with my wife and now 2 year old. The ability to stand up in it is a massive benefit. I live in the desert southwest where condensation has been a moderate problem, but everything dries out so fast. My two year old also wakes up as soon as it gets light out. I wish there were some easily removable blackout/insulation options for the roof panel.
I went with Super Pacific and am super happy with it. It costs a lot more but IMO super worth it. And the Xped mattress it comes with is fantastic.
I use an Xped Mattress on Multi day Rafting trips. I love those things.
The super pacific is just really ugly and has a lot of gimmicky features imo. But I think each rtt has its own market
I like how basic you kept the GFC. No "June Cleaver" domestication with furniture, lots of tech stuff, water and power system, etc. These GFCs are best used and most relaxing just as really nice car camping rigs. Nice!
"The best tent with the least amount of features." Perfect description of GFC's products. We put a V2 on our 80 series and have had a near identical experience. It suits my style, but the lack of creature features is not for everyone.
I love my GFC but damn they gotta fix the tent material and the vent. It NEEDS venting at the top of the tent...If they redesigned the tent material + added full zip doors, it would make this nearly a 10/10 for my application.
I know what you are talking about as far as adding a top vent,,, when you say "redesign tent material" do you just mean changing the doors and adding vents... or are you having actual issues with the material itself ( I haven't had any issues with material so I was curious). Also I know the straight zip door are a bit odd compared to what is on the market... but I really haven't encountered... what are you running into there?
@@OutdoorAuto mainly from a venting and closing the tent up in bad weather standpoint. I’ve spent 30 nights thus far in the tent this year and a handful last winter. Prior to this set up I ran a CVT MT HOOD. That tent material and venting was superb. When camping in a light drizzle or rainfall, you really can’t properly vent the tent…same goes for winter camping. I run a diesel heater which is the only way you can get by without having the massive build up of condensation and ice. When camping in the snow and it blows, snow and cold air DOES enter the tent since the doors are not a complete full zip.
I have also added a indoor/outdoor carpet lining to my roof on the inside which has helped out more I expected. If GFC made changes to the tent design in a way to decrease condensation and keep the elements out, it would be a solid 10/10 for me.
I had to replace my hatch locks after not putting any lube in them last winter, so the froze up, with road salt. Took like 5 minutes each, and cheap to order from GoFast. I love how easy it is to replace parts like that, and no manual needed to do that
Great video. I feel the same way about my GFC. I dislike the locks immensely though. The condensation in cold weather is insane. Whenever I talk about my GFC I tell people for the price point it's the best you can get. Added features add cost. I always mention the negatives as I feel after spending this amount of money people are hesitant to say they've made the less than "perfect" decision and will defend the purchase at all costs.
Thanks for the honest review that should help new buyers. Liked and Subscribed.
Thank you SO much for saying it.... people feel like they have to defend their purchases way too much... its ok to like a product that isn't perfect. For the Value for your money and they weight the Go Fast is a fantastic product... its not perfect... and its ok for both Truths to exist at the same time... Go Fast deserves lot of credit for being an early innovator... and yes other brands are catching up. Thats a good thing, it will put pressure on the market and we, the consumers will benefit from it.
Heard from another type of wedge camper that all the locks are the same, meaning someone with a similar canopy can use his keys & steal your stuff.
@@CanadianCampPurr because the type of people spending $8k on truck campers are the type of people to go around stealing from people’s cars. 🤔
Once again this channel delivers. This channel is underrated and mark my words it will hit 100Ks of subscribers
Thanks for watching and the support... hopefully we can get to 100K some day... My wife says if we get to a million we can build a tunnel to the shop from the house.... 🤷♂️
@@OutdoorAuto hahaha that’s enough motivation right there haha.
I love GFC and their product. You got to admit that they do consistency really well. Everyone has the same pros and cons. I will say I prefer the ladder option with two people. But solo I like to utilize the same way you sleep.
GoFast has perfected their supply chain and production.... they have that nailed.
Def agree about “ Best with the least”!
I live in montana and would love to buy a GFC but they haven’t innovated at all recently and so many manufacturers have surpassed them. They really need to update their platform desperately
Their are definitely a lot of companies following in their footsteps
I'm in research mode on getting a GFC. Just weighing pros and cons. Lot of reviews claim water leaking in and quality not good. Not seen that from Topo Toppers, or AT. Good video!
well for starters... water will leak in through your tailgate... so any tent that doesn't replace the tailgate will have dust and water leakage. Just FYI. AT's cost significantly more... like almost double so I would expect some differences there... not really Apples to Apples at all... I like the AT's a lot but I didn't like the setup time and extra weight. What one is best for you just really comes down to what you are trying to accomplish. I would like to test a Topo topper... the look great, the weight is awesome, but the supports and engineering for strength worry me... if that tent gets truly offroaded I am curious how it will hold up.
@OutdoorAuto I have a Tacoma w/ ARE topper so yeah i'm aware of water and dust. Other reviews claim water intursion from front hinge and pooling in the extrusion. Another showed back door not zipping all the way down and other openings in fabric. Like i said just doing research and leaning towards the GFC.
@@minimalistmaximus6476we had a small percentage of units a while back that had some upstairs leaking issues. After a very exhaustive engineering effort we updated a number of components and procedures to eliminate the problem. Every camper we currently produce has these fixes and we update under warranty any camper built without these changes if they have an issue. (I’m with GFC, btw).
Take a look at Super Pacific. After a bunch of research that's what I put on my 3rd gen DCSB and I absolutely love it.
@@the_wiley_davis Wiley, I know you are on the forums. The forum community is giving great input and requests for a redesigned v3 tent material. Please please add venting at the top of the tent for the condensation issues along with full zip doors for bad weather conditions. If these changes were implemented it would completely change how the tent feels and acts in the colder climates.
Best Gear Reviewer on YT ; keep it up Nate!
Thanks Gary... still want to get over to your area and go camping with you. If it gets too hot over there come over in my direction and lets go rafting.
@@OutdoorAuto absolutely! that would be so much fun!
Great review...best one I've seen. Honest review by someone who has used the product...thanks
This was a super superb video! I would say this is the best review that I Have seen of the GFC PERIOD…
Looking forward to seeing you review a four sided upright rooftop tent. That is just as good or better than the GFC tent.
Thanks Joe... Any particular Four sided uprights you are looking at?
@@OutdoorAuto I was looking at of the James B. Forgive me I cannot remember how to spell the last name, but it sounds French. They do have some very nice upright for walls heavy duty tents that I was thinking of.
To be honest with you, I have never owned a rooftop tent, but I am looking for one for my F350 and I'm not impressed with the big box adjustable bed racks frames that would work with my OEM retractable bed cover
I just watched a review of the Oru truck bed tent camper that weighs approximately 300 pounds and looks rather nice but the leadtime for building is 8 to 12 weeks and can run as much as $15,000 or more. It’s worth checking out though.
regarding the weatherstrip that works its way down: just add a dap of silicone at the tip and that will hold it in place for like ever
and i want one
First, I do like that your not spondsered and you paid full price, now you paid almost 9K for a waterfall. I think you would of been better off with a tent and a good one and you still would have a chunk of change for many road trips. Good video and I will give you a like.
this is by far the best review on the GFC I've seen. Saving up money to get one, maybe when V3 comes out I will get one. All other campers look nice, but they all are too heavy as you also have mentioned!
The V2 Pro is now out and addresses some of the issues. But at $8800, a bit more pricey but still seems a great value for a lightweight minimal camper.
Love the review on condensation, helpful tips to ask. Getting a GFC Camper for my 2009 Ford Ranger consider they’re the only ones who make a durable Camper for older model cars and designed to be fitted perfectly. TopoToppers do not make them for my year and model, AT do not make them for my year and model. Plus, they are more expensive than GFC. GFC targeted audience is for the Simple Innovated Mindset. Some people get misconception of it being labeled as just a “Camper” but really GFC advertise it as a “Platform” or “Template” if you will. A platform to build off of! To add-on and utilize the space inside while camping at ease. Plus, being the lightest and durable Platform at a cheaper cost on Market. It is really a Camper that supposed to help you figure out what you want and need for camping. I think it is a great addition to any truck that wants to be able to get off the beaten path. Also, GFC built a Community of GFC Happy Campers where they share information with each other and how they added on and how they customized their own camper. GFC did a really good job of connecting the community and getting them involved within GFC. That is something solely GFC offers that can’t be priced right, it’s priceless friendships that have been created through the GFC community. I don’t know much about GFC but I can’t wait to take the kiddos camping and fishing, while not worried about the setting up the tent thing or mosquitoes thing. And then I have sort of a Birds Eye view in the morning to make sure no bears or anything sniffing around. But thanks for the review, even though you make everything sound negative 😂 still worth the watch for the experience tips.
Could probably make a little rubber cement ball and put it in the base of the channel to hold that weather stripping in, or use some silicone grease (not the spray) in the channel to give it something sticky to cling to.
Yeah, that would definitely do it... honestly I probably just need to take the camper off and re-seat it... I have just been too lazy to do it so far.
@@OutdoorAutoNot matter how light, taking any topper/canopy/camper off of your truck is easier said than done.
This is a great video. I am waiting on mine, should be shipping in a few weeks but all the reasons you’re listing are reasons I went with the gfc. I’m switching from a fully kitted out Leitner system and it is heavy, cumbersome and just makes a ton of weird noises on the trail. I really wanted to simplify and lighten things up. There are plenty of ways to add features that the gfc may be lacking, but the beauty of that is that it will be exactly how you want it, nothing more. My other option was the Super Pacific, but I couldn’t not justify the added cost. The extra features were nice but no necessary for what I am trying to accomplish.
I really want to see a Super Pacific get stress tested… it weighs more than the GoFast but has much less structural supports… so I’m trying to understand is the GoFast just over engineered on purpose, kind of like a Toyota… so it will last or is the Super Pacific under engineered for hard off-road trails.
@@OutdoorAutoThat’s the other thing that I was worried about. I live in socal so I’m hitting the desert 90% of the time. Nothing but washboard and ruts. There is no real world test out there, just videos of people talking about features. GFC has plenty of real world reviews. I know people that run these down in Baja and just put them to work. So I’m pretty happy with my decision and look forward to putting it to work.
Dude... I'm 62 and I can _easily_ push and pull myself up!!! ;)
I want to be like you.
Meh the GFC was just first to market in the lightweight minimalist camper-topper segment so they are benefitting from early market share, and a lot of WoM advertising. It’s not a bad product but it’s not as refined as some of the newer options on the market.
I think the best overall right now is the TopoToppers Mesa. Way more customizability, better QC (now that GFC is in full-on production mode), better weather/dust sealing, and $750 cheaper to start. Also for someone that enjoys camping with dogs I just couldn’t get myself to sacrifice on a GFC the lack of a front pass through window and the inability to have factory installed sliding RV screen windows was a dealbreaker for me.
If you get a Topo Topper Mesa with side access doors the price jumps up $1k to $7,900 which is the same as the GFC. From an engineering perspective the design of the GFC canopy looks a bit better and the tent looks like it would have all the same issues the GFC has. I’d pick the company with the reputation to back up its products.
Sugru is a good product to fill the holes where the top of the tailgate sits and holds in the gasket in place.
Great video. I expect the improvements on the V2 Pro probably address some of the negatives.
Good review. I have a V1 Superlite. It was not made in USA. I understand the V2 Superlite will be. I will say the GFC customer support has been pretty awesome to me.
I am pretty curious about the new superlite... light RTT are desperately needed.
@@OutdoorAuto I too am interested in the V2 Superlite and any upgrades. They have some competition now as Freespirit offers a lite weight tent, Aspen Lite at 110 lbs compared to the V1 Superlite at 80 lbs. Of course the price on the Aspen Lite is almost double what I paid for my V1 Superlite with the mattress and ladder.
Thanks for the review, this was exactly what I was looking for in a review. Can’t wait to buy one of these
They are a killer product especially if you know exactly what you are getting and why.
You should look into getting some moisture absorber bags that you use for closets to hang on the ceiling. Super cheap easy fix for the condensation problem.
You know... that is an interesting idea... I wonder if it can overcome the cold metal though... it seems the almost freezing temperature of the metal is very hard to overcome.
New subscriber. Thanks to the venture2roam shoutout. Great video. I considered the GFC but went with the rsi instead.
We have used the RSI on a guide truck in Baja… they are great. Seems to have held up really well. Big fan of Will and Venture to Roam too.
Really like the Go Broke Fast Campers.
It’s kind of scary they are almost the cheapest options in their class… lots of these toppers are 12-15k and I am even seeing quite a few in $20’s nowadays…. At that point I guess you really do have to live out of your truck. 🤷♂️
Hello, I purchased a GFC and will be doing L/T in my Tundra. I was wondering what you do to keep dust down in between the GFC and the bed with the Bypass tubes coming through the bed?
Solid info as always. Thanks!
Hopefully it was helpful to someone. Thanks for watching
When I build one out in SoCal with delivery and tax it’s over 10K!!! 😮
Great review. We are in the market. ❤
needs some Kingpin Equipped lights!!! : )
Thanks for this review. Im thinking this camper on a Power wagon, combined with the Deck system in the bed would be a GREAT Set up!!! ReALLY liking this one for its lightweight and no nonsense approach. I think adding that molly panel on the front would be nice too as long as you dont mind looking the rear view mirror view.The power wagon is really light on payload as well, so thats why I was researchign this particular unit. ONE QUESTION: how well do the side doors and rear doors hold up to windy conditions when the panels are up in the open position?
No issues with wind at all… occasionally I forget to close one and have driven down the freeway… still don’t flap around.
Have Decked drawers and a GFC in/on my Tacoma. What a combo! You won’t regret either
Excellent review, man!! Last month I checked out some new campers on the market at Overland Expo and came across 4 types of trailers I really like; Here is the list of them and my opinion.
Harker Outdoors - I really like the design a little boxy looking for my taste, but the extra shade in the back is cool, but my only concern is when it's window and not so secure when you're camping.
Project M - The space is fantastic! But, again, to boxy looking, move your bedding around each time you put away their bed frame, and you're stuck with their accessories mounts, and if you are Ok drilling on their panel, it's ok to mount your own design each time.
Super Pacific - Looks calm, very similar to GFC. The only difference is that the window has no bars like the GFC.
The one that really stood out to me is the PACKOUT Campers. It's like the mix of what we all want! The really cool thing about that camper is how modular that thing, really well-thought-out design
you get the gas strut assisted floors similar to Alu Cab, you get the wide window of Super Pacific, a 3-inch Mattress, and still, you'll be able to leave all your bedding in there even your house pillow, you can also mount your bikes on both sides of the camper, Molle panels everywhere., and the big one for me is its not big box on your bed. Ordering mine next week.
I'm curious to know if they have made a version 2 of this camper that might address some of your cons. Topo toppers are interesting to me as well.
The version I am reviewing is the version 2... that is covered in the video in several areas, in a lot of detail... Maybe you missed the 2nd half?
I’d love to hear your opinion of the Lone Peak Camper if you ever get a chance to spend some time around one
I bet he’d say it’s too heavy
I’d say that the majority of the ones that will be sold will go to reviewers. I just priced one and the cost is outrageous. Very nice review though.
Are you talking about the GoFast Campers? They have sold Thousands and Thousands… out here in the west I probably see several every day… if you add up the cost of an aluminum bed cap and a rooftop tent the go fast is pretty competitive… it’s also one of the cheapest campers on the market. They are mainstream at this point… already
Thanks for the great review - I'm considering one of these at the moment. I currently use SmartCap which I really like for the durability and the fact that it seals out all dust (using positive pressure system). I notice your truck bed is pretty dusty, so I'm assuming this system doesn't seal up very well or do you just camp in dusty places ;) ? Thanks.
My truck bed has huge holes cut in it for the long travel shocks so it is a bad example... you can cut down on dust quite a bit if you do the seals around the tailgate, but to really beat it you basically do the same thing... put in a positive air system. Also make sure and check out the new version of the GFC that just came out... they fixed almost all the issues with it... I was pretty impressed.
How does the tent to do in that classic baja wind? Flapping?
What would you say are the best go fast competitors price wise?
3:00 new v2 pro solves these issues finally
I saw that… the V2Pro looks like it solved a lot
What is the max height of a sleeper? Looks short up there
I don’t know who needs to hear this but I built a flat platform to sleep in my vehicle with two pieces of wood for less than $35. Or I have a tent that was $200. I know these roof top tents look inviting, but you can go outside without them. 😂
All jest aside, great review. It’s a good tool for certain uses.
Sell this and continue this series for the next year with like a lonepeak or similar
I would love to test a few more… it’s hard though… cause I actively use my truck for trips and right now it is getting pretty dialed.
The v2 pro solves most of the problems here.
I feel like till they can make it modular where tent can come off ill pass. Id like to take off tent to save some mpg.
Can you share your bed light setup ? TY
Yeah, those are little defused rigid lights I have in the bed. They are mounted to the tracks or the mounting screws on the GoFast. Then I have a switch in the bed that controls them and I run them off a secondary accessory battery. these are the lights - amzn.to/3KOTbOU
Great info. Thx
You stated that the first version broke really easy. I have been trying to do research to find actual examples of this. I even contacted GFC directly and they said they had not had any issues with this happening yet what you said contradicts this. Do you have any actual evidence or something online where someone shows that the space frame of the version one did break? Please share.
The first one wasn’t a space frame it was welded. It cracked at the joints for some people. I didn’t have one so no I dont personally have proof. Also I didn’t say it breaks easily… they just had issues there… if it never broke then why did they re-design it? Arb tells me their compressor never clogs and RCI tells me their brackets never fail too when you call them 🤷♂️
I'm just trying to do some research. I have seen both the version 1 and version 2 in person and I'm trying to make a decision.
You said "those broke really easy". This is on your video starting at about 8 minutes 40 seconds.
Science tells me there is a simple way to attach a few strips of nylon cord on a piece of gorilla tape to create condensation funnels that then route droplets to the tent perimeter. Heck…the company could literally mold it into that plastic honeycomb. I think I’d rather enjoy the challenge of gorilla tape/cord funnels/ridge channels to see what works best
Why can't these guys get the water issue? This seems to be a theme in the industry.
I love ur videos
You went to Belgrade without me 😢
I would never do that.
One of the basic questions that no one ever answers in these types of videos is how much does it cost?!.
Pro fixed many of these things....RAD!
They really listened to feedback... I am stocked on the pro... they did a great job.
So many better options....yucca cap, dirtbox, alu cab..........
a lot of people are thrown off by the way they have to enter the bed area and those damn poles..
if it wasn't 8500$ i might consider one
Do you think people don't understand that it can have a ladder... like every other tent, if they want? Maybe Go Fast doesn't advertise that enough.... 🤷♂️
@@OutdoorAuto I was mainly talking about the small space in the cabin to enter tent. Another downside to the side ladder is most people are lazy and don’t want to store something else 😂🤣 but like you said in the video. Know what you’re paying for 🤙🏽🤙🏽
Respectfully dude, the roof is not made of aluminum, which is metal. If it was aluminum it could not be transparent. The roof is made of Plascore polypropylene honeycomb panel.
Respectfully a big portion of the roof… and what makes it strong IS made of Aluminum… “An extruded aluminum load halo surrounds the Topper's roof, distributing loads to the space frame. And the white roof itself is made from a one-inch-thick honeycomb composite panel, which reflects solar radiation, while providing an insulating air gap.” But sure thanks for the correction…
@@OutdoorAuto I'm responding to 7:08 -- the part of the video where you touch the white honeycomb panel and call it an aluminum honeycomb panel. It's not aluminum and I'd hate for people to get the wrong impression. I'm a fellow GFC owner btw.
At a whopping $7,700 for the full setup, that's a hard pass for me. Even if this could accommodate a roof rack, that's such an excessively overpriced setup that could be accomplished with similarly plain yet durable products for half the price. Serviceability is nice on the tent, but they're definitely not even close to the only company that make one. I guess you could argue that this is the absolute LIGHTEST you could get for a topper/tent combo, but I'd be willing to bet that's still debatable, and if it isn't, I guarantee this is a situation where the next-best is only marginally worse for significantly cheaper.
One way I look at it is this is basically a nice truck bed topper and a nice RTT.... Toppers like this (for example the RSI) cost $4000 and tents like this cost anywhere from 3- $4000.... so the price range isn''t that far fetched... the thing that cost the most is all the Billet parts... which of course are what make this tent unique and much stronger. So I would say the price for the product and the materials it is made out of makes sense. There will definitely be people that make ones cheaper... but I would bet those will not be stronger. 🤷♂️
That price is INSANE for what it is...
@@socaloutdoors7355 I feel like everything is crazy expensive nowadays.
People calling the go fast expensive clearly haven’t shopped around in this segment.
@@cmc9823True. I think the GFC is one of the less expensive options out there for something like this. I think many, if not all, things in the overland market are price inflated.
Pinch the end of the channel and it won’t slide down. 😁