2025 TAB320 LITE - Opinions?

Beartooth

What's your opinion of the 2025 TAB320 LITE? No Alde, no Lagun table (for now), no TV or stereo.  Large seat storage, smaller wall mounted storage above bed, and different bed setup.  $25K MSRP.  Gross weight of 2047 lbs (I think).

Sharon_is_SAM

Can’t find this model on the nuCamp website.

Beartooth

See the NuCamp blog.  Also there are YouTube videos, one by PJ and one by Mandi, that review the 320 LITE.

https://nucamprv.com/blog/tab-320-lite-adventure-made-simple-comfort-made-affordable/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LwzsuXP0b8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvFghGkJQKY

Grumpy_G

Almost nailed it . I pretty much never have the back rest up, or put anything in the rear overhead storage except for longer trips, but that gear can be stored elsewhere now. TV typically doesn't have any reception where I go and I never use the radio either. There's phones/hot spots/Starlink/computers for information/entertainment nowadays.

"Almost" because I'd rather have kitchen storage instead of air conditioning (which I have used *once* since owning my trailer), and the overhead storage in the kitchen appears to be way smaller.

Yoshi_TAB

Hi,

I'm sure it will have the Nucamp "quality".  How you travel and/or camp will depend on which features you want.  That is the question you need to ask.  The only attribute that would lean me toward it would be if a lighter weight camper is required.  We travel around the US and Canada at all times of the year and having  AC is the reason we bought a camper with that feature.  Never know when it will be hot or very humid.  Who wants to sweat at night?  (Of course..need to be on shore power).  I think it has a propane forced air heater (not sure).  Check how quiet it is when it runs.  Often in cold weather camping, we can hear other camper's propane heaters "fire  on and off",which personally would bother me.  The quietness of the Alde is great.  We go out for months and never say we don't have enough space. Packing light is a skill learned over a few trips.  I just emptied my TAB for the winter and was "shocked" how much stuff I pulled out of it.   There are plenty of almost new  used '21-'23 320's for  sale at about the same  MSRP, many with nice  owner upgrades included.  That is where I'd be looking.  Good luck in your search.  

rfuss928

The original T@Bs in the US (2004-2009) were very spartan compared to today. The furnace and AC were both options and a water heater was not available.  There was cabinet space for a porta potty if one was purchased.  The delivered weight was ~1700 pounds.
Our 2009 CS was "loaded" with a furnace and AC.  We eventually added the potty and I installed an auto CD/radio.  This was deluxe accommodations for aging long time tent camper travelers.  It was all we wanted for over twelve years.  Elegant simplicity was often our description.
IMO - The 320 Lite is returning to the simpler camper style of the originals.  More like the features of a T@G with more space everywhere.  Too bad a CS version isn't offered...  None the less, a nice expansion of their model offerings.

BillJ70

I've watched the videos and am hopeful the final version will be a winner.  I'll be back in the market for a new camper in a year or so.  I actually posted some comments and suggestions on the video and sent Nucamp a message with some of this.  

Storage:  With our regular 320 (chock full of every feature and option), storage was an issue-- one of the reasons we parted with it.  My number one suggestion was NOT to decrease the size of the front storage box.  The regular 2025 320 has a large box and it looks like they want to put a smaller one on the Lite.  I get cost cutting, but the small box is such a burden-- having to store hoses, cables, camping stuff in the TV (I'd pay a bit extra for the big box).  There's no outside storage on the camper itself, so that front box is very important-- and inside storage is still very limited.  And I do think they could have a touch more storage towards the back (inside).  

Counter vents:  I noticed slots in the kitchen counter-- I'm assuming to vent the A/C (fridge?).  This seems like a recipe for trouble-- with water getting back there. 

A/C:  I think the microwave location is best-- it's the right size, it's up there for cool air to "drop" and it makes the kitchen area more useful (And heck, that's where it used to be.)  That undersink storage is really important for kitchen stuff.

Beds:  After having the regular 320, I think 2 twin beds would be better (similar to the 360).  I can live with the queen if it stays, but I think the twins are more flexible and make pre-bed and morning routines simpler.  And, getting to the underseat storage with the queen bed made is impossible.  

Again, I really like the look of this simplified version, but there's a point where it's so sparse that you wonder what you are paying 25K for, especially when just over 30K gets you a lot more features.  For us, we are attracted to the simplicity-- and hope that the storage space doesn't suffer too much.  

And by the way, please please please make the Maxxfan 7500 the default fan in all T@b campers!!

Cherokee

It's sad that a striped down Trailer in 2024/25 has a foretasted price about the same of what I payed for my top of the line model in 2019. But that's the RV industry today.The prototype videos showed a window style AC below the sink with no provision to exhaust hot air from the condenser. I agree that the old location is best - but that would preclude the microwave option that only works on shore power. How they solve this in the production version will determine a lot.     

Shastaber

Well put BillJ70!!

BillJ70

Thanks @Shastaber!  Something @Yoshi_TAB pointed out-- and something I hadn't thought of was the noise from the propane heater turning off/on.  I suppose that could be an annoyance if there are folks in tents around.  I still think it's worth it though for simplicity sake.  There will be some trade-offs and compromises for sure.  

Sharon_is_SAM

How about the furnace vents blowing over the bed?

BillJ70

Yeah, @Sharon_is_SAM it does appear that there's only one vent near the floor on the prototype.  Perhaps there will be more in the final production, but with heat rising, I'm assuming you'll get enough warmth from the one (and we can assume they are testing this out).  If they went with twin beds, it would might allow for better airflow at night.

I will say that from a simplicity standpoint, not having as much ducting seems, well, simpler. It also makes it easier to keep your thermostat up on the wall and unaffected by a nearby vent (an issue that the standard model has with the Air8 and the nearby vent - and thus the remote thermostat). 

rcarlson1957

Few observations from what I've seen so far. 

Plus
 
1. Lower price - Probably add more friends added to our wonderful NuCamp community - a great thing!
2. Simplified HVAC. Easier for both user maintenance and user replacement. Use of window A/C under sink may make it more efficient than previous models with window A/C. 
3. Simpler design - less to go wrong. 
4. Blank canvas for mods (are you listening Leonard Kiel? )

Minus

1. No adjustable split back. We use it often when reading, watching TV or eating inside. We always leave ours in twin bed mode. 
2. Window A/C in hot weather. Our 2018 struggles in 100 degree weather even though done every mod to help it out. Maybe having it under the sink will fix that. 

Personally, what would work for me is something like this in a clamshell with a counter/dresser in the front. I always cook outside and clothes storage is always an issue between our camper and the TV. Having a blank canvas makes it easy to mod. 

Marceline

BillJ70 said:

Thanks @Shastaber!  Something @Yoshi_TAB pointed out-- and something I hadn't thought of was the noise from the propane heater turning off/on.  I suppose that could be an annoyance if there are folks in tents around.  I still think it's worth it though for simplicity sake.  There will be some trade-offs and compromises for sure.  

I have a pre-Alde 2013 T@B CSS. The furnace does make a little bit of noise when it lights up. The advantage of the furnace is that it heats up the cabin extremely quickly. When camping in cold weather (40s or lower) my strategy is to get the trailer pretty toasty warm when I’m getting ready for bed, and then I turn the thermostat way down before going to sleep. That keeps the whoosh of the furnace lighting to a minimum. 

EasternJL

Good list @BillJ70.  I'm with you on the storage part.  The under-seat storage is nice, but you no longer have the overhead cabinets (at the back).  And on the outside, you no longer have the front platform that you could add containers (or tool boxes like we did), so the smaller storage container is not great.  Would probably be a deal breaker for us--- especially at that price.