Wood Cabinet Doors

[djsamuel]

[quote timestamp="1439924926" source="/post/14311/thread" author="@livinlitepaul"]Just to clarify, yes there will be changes down the road involving cabinetry.  The cabinet frames will still be all aluminum tubing, just the cabinet fronts and stiles will be wood.  pr[/quote]Paul,

Thanks for the answer from LivinLite.  I'm glad to see the increased participation.  

I am concerned about the use of wood in the trailers.  The lack of any wood is really one of the big factors that had me purchase my 21BHS and, in spite of several quality issues, still makes me happy that I did.  I still recommend the Camplite trailers to people, and often feel like a Camplite salesman on the Good Sams forums.  

Are there plans to move away from other unique characteristics of the Camplites; such as aluminum roof, aluminum floor, azdel walls, the windows etc?  Remember, those of us who purchased from Livinlite were willing to pay a significant premium for a reason.  I hope that remains.

Thanks,

Doug

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/14289/thread" timestamp="1439890424" author="@peislander"]Also notice the pic shows windows with conventional pleated blinds --- not the cassette ones that have been used in Camplites to date. Seeing those blinds makes me think they were really trying to show they could build a conventional looking RV just like every other manufacturer. I really hope they don't go that direction. Seems to me they need to talk more with the people who have already bought Camplites and try to understand what made them buy --- then use that info to market to others who will be attracted to those same qualities. [/quote]Yep, those blinds made me cringe. I had something similar on my previous trailer and ripped them out to install vinyl blackout shades. The camplite shades are as close to perfection as I've ever seen. My kids sleep in as long as we want them to thanks to those shades. My only complaint is having to split it to open the window, but it's still worth it.

[livinlitepaul]

[quote source="/post/14327/thread" author="@djsamuel" timestamp="1439945539"][quote source="/post/14311/thread" timestamp="1439924926" author="@livinlitepaul"]Just to clarify, yes there will be changes down the road involving cabinetry.  The cabinet frames will still be all aluminum tubing, just the cabinet fronts and stiles will be wood.  pr[/quote]Paul,

Thanks for the answer from LivinLite.  I'm glad to see the increased participation.  

I am concerned about the use of wood in the trailers.  The lack of any wood is really one of the big factors that had me purchase my 21BHS and, in spite of several quality issues, still makes me happy that I did.  I still recommend the Camplite trailers to people, and often feel like a Camplite salesman on the Good Sams forums.  

Are there plans to move away from other unique characteristics of the Camplites; such as aluminum roof, aluminum floor, azdel walls, the windows etc?  Remember, those of us who purchased from Livinlite were willing to pay a significant premium for a reason.  I hope that remains.

Thanks,

Doug[/quote]Doug,
We would like to thank you for continued support on this forum as well as others.  We do not have plans do move away from the Livin Lite's unique charactistic of all aluminum construction.  We appreciate the feedback we receive from our customers.  After listening to many of our customers we decided to add decroative wood cabinet fronts to our existing all aluminum cabinet frames in our Camplight Trailers.  That being said, the Livin Lite product line is still going to maintain their core beliefs of all aluminum framed construction, which means the continued use of aluminum floors,roof and the placement of Azdel on the interior walls. 


Thanks,
Paul

[djsamuel]

[quote source="/post/14366/thread" timestamp="1440013586" author="@livinlitepaul"][quote source="/post/14327/thread" timestamp="1439945539" author="@djsamuel"]Paul,

Thanks for the answer from LivinLite.  I'm glad to see the increased participation.  

I am concerned about the use of wood in the trailers.  The lack of any wood is really one of the big factors that had me purchase my 21BHS and, in spite of several quality issues, still makes me happy that I did.  I still recommend the Camplite trailers to people, and often feel like a Camplite salesman on the Good Sams forums.  

Are there plans to move away from other unique characteristics of the Camplites; such as aluminum roof, aluminum floor, azdel walls, the windows etc?  Remember, those of us who purchased from Livinlite were willing to pay a significant premium for a reason.  I hope that remains.

Thanks,

Doug[/quote]Doug,
We would like to thank you for continued support on this forum as well as others.  We do not have plans do move away from the Livin Lite's unique charactistic of all aluminum construction.  We appreciate the feedback we receive from our customers.  After listening to many of our customers we decided to add decroative wood cabinet fronts to our existing all aluminum cabinet frames in our Camplight Trailers.  That being said, the Livin Lite product line is still going to maintain their core beliefs of all aluminum framed construction, which means the continued use of aluminum floors,roof and the placement of Azdel on the interior walls. 


Thanks,
Paul
[/quote]Thanks Paul.  You will be preserving the main characteristics that make the Camplites unique.  The biggest complaint from non-owners I've heard, is that the interior "looks too utilitarian".  I can see how the wood doors will help that.  However, as someone here suggested, it would be great if the existing doors can be kept as an option.  I will say I like the current doors, especially the latches.  The latches are one of the things that sold my wife on the Camplites.  

Thanks again for the reply.

Doug

[joanne]

[quote source="/post/14371/thread" timestamp="1440028146" author="@djsamuel"] The biggest complaint from non-owners I've heard, is that the interior "looks too utilitarian".  I can see how the wood doors will help that.  However, as someone here suggested, it would be great if the existing doors can be kept as an option.  I will say I like the current doors, especially the latches.  The latches are one of the things that sold my wife on the Camplites.  

Thanks again for the reply.

Doug

[/quote]I've described the utilitarian look as  'like a meat locker' and 'like the inside of an ambulance' .

But - that utilitarian, functional design with all aluminum cabinets, decent mechanical latches, the excellently designed blinds and windows, and the structural aluminum floor are what sold me on the camper and convinced me to pay way on the high end of the price scale.

As long as aluminum + azdel interior is kept as an option, and as long as I can custom order, I'll keep salivating over what someday will be a new truck and Camplite truck camper.  If I'm forced into god awful 1970's flocked, fluffy, fuzzy interiors and vinyl or wood floors, I'll buy from someone else.

-Mike

[hogtyd]

The aluminum cabinets and doors were not a selling point for me initially, but now that I've had my CL for awhile, I wouldn't want to give them up if I were to buy a new CL in the future.  I also appreciate the absence of particle board and formaldehyde odors.

Graham

[peislander]

[quote timestamp="1439766218" author="@leslie" source="/post/14243/thread"]
Go ahead and order your Camplite customized, and see if the factory will do it.[/quote]Leslie -- your combination of woodgrain walls & aluminum cabinet skins sounds really cool. Cabin chic! Do you have a picture you can post? I'm guessing that if more people knew that was possible -- it would be popular -- and potentially sell more Camplites. I can imagine that scheme would be particularly popular with the truck camper crowd. 

[leslie]

[quote source="/post/14243/thread" timestamp="1439766218" author="@leslie"]Go ahead and order your Camplite customized, and see if the factory will do it.

Leslie -- your combination of woodgrain walls & aluminum cabinet skins sounds really cool. Cabin chic! Do you have a picture you can post? I'm guessing that if more people knew that was possible -- it would be popular -- and potentially sell more Camplites. I can imagine that scheme would be particularly popular with the truck camper crowd. [/quote]


There are pictures of my Camplite posted in this section, Camplite Travel Trailers, titled Finally! Our custom Camplite! The last post in that thread was mine in November, 2014. I took those pictures the first weekend we had the trailer. I do a much better job now of putting away the tip-out bunk!

[peislander]

Thanks Leslie -- >> [a href="http://livinlite.proboards.com/thread/549/finally-custom-camplite?page=3"]I found your pics here.[/a] << Yours is the opposite of ours! You are the yin to our yang! Together we bring balance & harmony to the Camplite world.  8-)  In ours we have the wood grain on all that you have aluminum & we have aluminum where you have wood grain. I think both your yin & our yang look better than the either the current standard or the planned wood-covered-cabinet approach. Ours predates the use of black-painted aluminum trims. 



 

[whoofit]

As we are in the middle of a 8 day loop through the Catskill mountains, down through PA then up through CT, we have shown our "all Azdel" 16DB to three couples. All of them were the same. The men liked the utilitarian look and the women wished for wood cabinetry.

So, I see this wood cabinetry thing as a net gain for LivinLite. The guys are still gonna choose CampLite for the bones of the structure and the woman will be more apt to allow CampLite into their world.

LivinLite....making lifelong marriages possible....

Oh, and to add, I like those wood cabinet pics posted above. Could this mean I am in touch with my feminine side? Where is Dr. Phil when you need him!

[kycamper]

Our first trailer had all wood cabinets. They were real solid oak doors and plywood. I have built many cabinets in my past and found myself remodeling the ones that came from the factory. That being said, when I discovered LivinLite on the internet, I was VERY impressed with the idea of full piano hinges and great latches on the cabinet doors. Full piano hinges, for those who might not know, are very expensive compared to european hinges. They have an advantage of, if installed correctly, not ever " sagging ", thus needing adjustment. They are also VERY TIME CONSUMING to install. Therein lies the reasoning, I think, for the change to wooden doors. Easier and less expensive to install. If LivinLite changes to wood as noted here, it will just make my trailer worth more if I ever choose to sell it.
P.S. the window screen units were also a BIG selling point to us, although I fear they might not last the test of time. We have been camping for about eight weeks in Maine, and we LOVE our "Palace".

Hope the factory realizes that they had a very special "niche" in the market. I could have easily purchased a Lance.

HAPPY TRAILS

[furpod]

Hate to say it, wife and I spent a couple hours yesterday looking at Surveyors and Ceder Creeks and such. I am not going to pay double the money for the same old wood pieces. We wanted a CL BECAUSE of the all AL build and ability to customize.

[leslie]

Hate to say it, wife and I spent a couple hours yesterday looking at Surveyors and Ceder Creeks and such. I am not going to pay double the money for the same old wood pieces. We wanted a CL BECAUSE of the all AL build and ability to customize.

I think furpod is smart to be doing this. I was looking at Aerolites before I decided to go with a Camplite. I looked at the wood cabinets in the Aerolites, and then I looked at the aluminum cabinets in the Camplites. Even though the aluminum cabinets had to be custom-ordered, I went with Camplite and paid more.

If I were looking today, and saw wood cabinets in Camplites, I would buy an Aerolite. For what I paid for my Camplite, I could buy 3 Aerolites. That would mean less money out of my pocket if I just use the Aerolite until the wood wore out, and then replace it with another Aerolite.

As things are right now, there is a lot of diversity in the RV market, with LL having its own niche.  If Thor LL decides to go more "mainstream" with its offerings, then there will be diminished choice in the market for the buyers.

[aggie79]

This is disappointing to hear that the CL is closing the doors on customization.  I am not opposed to wood cabinets but just don't care for the cheesy styling of generic RV cabinetry.   It looks like I may have to go back to "plan A", before I discovered CL, which is to convert an all aluminum cargo trailer into a travel trailer.

[djsamuel]

Let's be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater here. While I much prefer the current cabinet doors and think it is important to keep them as an option, we don't want to forget the other even more important characteristics of the Camplites. If you soend some time reading posts on the Good Sam forums, you will read endless accounts of rotting floors, rotting roof trusses, torn and leaking rubber roofs, axles loaded right to or over their capacity, unbelievable dry weights, overloaded tires, black, grey and freshwater tanks falling out, and more. The overall design and construction of the Camplites makes them impervious to rot,less effected by leaks, lightweight,  great to tow, and extremely tough. Would I purchase another Camplite even if it had wood doors? Probably since the other characteristics are of even higher importance to me. However, I think the current doors are much better, especially the latches and would be disappointed to see that disappear.  The question is, will they gain more sales than they lose with this change.  Hopefully we will.always have the option on the doors.