Host Mammoth or Lance 1172

[laj]

Bedlam: just curious, if one wanted could you buy a 5500, then order a 4500 p/u box and mount it on the 5500? seems like if the same wb it should bolt right on.

[Bedlam]

Ram and GM do not make a 4500 or 5500 pickup but there are upfitters that modify a pickup bed to fit chassis cab. Ford sells a F450 pickup with bed but also has a F450 chassis cab - Again the pickup beds do to fit chassis cabs without some modification.


Chassis cabs have straight frame rails from the cab back to the rear and these frames are narrower than on a pickup so the DRW fits better in the rear. The good part about chassis cabs is that the rear frames are pretty standardized among the big three makers, so utility, dump or flatbeds fit pretty much on any of them with the same cab to axle distance.

[laj]

thanks Bedlam, kinda what i thought.

[Gammel]

The problem with Ford chassis cabs is the top trim is the Lariat and there are few options available like adaptive cruise or lane keeping. I’ve gotten to like those a lot!

[Bedlam]

I work with tech daily but my trucks have always been the bottom trim line XL or Tradesman models without bells and whistles. I feel I have a better chance of fixing things and keeping them running by keeping the complexity down. I guess I don't appreciate the tech that is being added to everything in our lives if I don't see value it adds, so I treat it as an unwelcome liability at inflated cost.

[laj]

exactly. all i want is a/c, tilt, cruise, pw, dl, pm. that for me is enough. now if i could just get a man. trans.

[ElliottM]

Originally Posted by Ssgritton

Decided on the Host Mammoth, after going in EC, Lance, Artic Fox I kept coming back to the Host, I just like the layout. It would be cool if the mammoth came with two recliners where the small couch is in the back or just a single and end table option like the Cascade.

We like the Cascade floor plan and recliners but having to climb over each other pulled me away from that. I also did not like no awning over the doorway, I live in Oregon enough said.

Well just completing our build sheet, moving forward.

My wife and I would love to get your (anyone's) feedback on the Mammoth, now that you've had it a while. We liked much about the Mammoth, but we couldn't get past the raised commode (my DW is 5'4" and couldn't touch the floor while sitting on the commode), the fact that the commode is also very prominent in your sightline when entering the camper, and the tiny shower with its flimsy door. We own a '15 Lance 1172 today but are considering an Eagle Cap 1165 due to those concerns about the Mammoth.

[Ssgritton]

To answer your question we have had our Host for almost a year and love it. The bathroom door is not flimsy and the camper looks normal when it is closed so no one has direct line of sight, it looks clasy as people have told us. The toilet is rasied but you can put your feet on the ledge or on the floor so it works for any size person. Here are the things we love:

1. Adjustable table - up, down, left and right. In the day a coffie table night dinner table.
2. Slide out storage compartment is huge, I can put anything down there.
3. The three slide outs and the mechanics behind them, it takes 5 seconds to open all three slides at one time.
4. Fireplace, it keeps the camper warm in mild winter conditions
5. Double entry to bed, his and hers with a king size bed
6. Being able to customize, like a larger compartment for my Honda 2200 gen
7. Large fridge, most we looked at where smaller than Host
8. How many campers can you walk into the bathroom close the door and have a ton of room to do what ever, just go in one and you will see what I'm talking about.

List goes on and on

[Wildman4x4]

Ssgritton,
Thanks for the feedback. Host is at the top of my WANT list of campers.

[ElliottM]

Ssgritton,

Thanks for the info. It sounds like we should give the Mammoth another look.

[NJKen]

How many Host owners haul with an F350 crew cab dually? Preferably the Mammoth or the Everest.

[NJKen]

What don't you like about your Lance 1172? I currently own a 2020 Lance 995 and I'm considering trading up to an 1172 or a Host Everest.

[laj]

if i was willing to spend the money i wouldn’t even consider a new lance against a host.

[ElliottM]

Originally Posted by NJKen

What don't you like about your Lance 1172? I currently own a 2020 Lance 995 and I'm considering trading up to an 1172 or a Host Everest.

I'm not sure if your message was intended for me, but I will give you my feedback. We actually liked our Lance 1172 quite a lot, but there were some things that bugged us enough to cause us to look elsewhere:
- How high the bed is above the main floor, which was compounded by a very tall mattress we bought to replace the uncomfortable stock mattress
- The tall mattress blocked the clothing shelves by the bed
- The loveseat didn't recline, which was fine for my shorter wife, but jacknifed me
- The refrigerator is not convenient to the work area in the kitchen, and it's opposite the bathroom
- We were running into occasional problems with the Schwintek slide-out motors

So, in February, we looked at the Host Mammoth (and Everest) and the Eagle Cap 1165 (and 1200) to compare against our Lance 1172. At the time we decided to keep the Lance. However, about 12 hours after my previous post, our Lance 1172 caught fire and burned itself, our truck, and our house (including my wife's Mini Cooper in the garage) down. The fire investigator believes it started in the refrigerator, but I don't know that they found conclusive proof of the fire's source.

We hesitated to immediately replace the camper, as the idea of dealing with another fire has us very concerned, but we really enjoy camping and traveling. We found a replacement Ford F-450, and just two days ago brought home a 2020 Eagle Cap 1165. We still have Schwintek slide-outs to deal with, but in the end we really liked the 1165 much better than the 1200 and the two Host models. Hopefully this camper doesn't decide to self-immolate...