I have successfully used a stick / hangar / stabilizing jack to gently pry up the lid just enough to jab at the back of the latch trying to push the offending thing out of the way. (if used for a rooftop tent tent must weight below that but we are happy with a nighttime load (tent plus inhabitants) of 430 total) on Thule Load bars mounted to cargo deck OR on TAXA load bridges a maximum load of 165lbs. A great Dane in A Mantis is different than the same in a TigerMoth. Since this trailer is setup to go off grid, people (us) will be taking it off road. Oh no, I crashed my TAXA! << /Contents 13 0 R /MediaBox [ 0 0 612 792 ] /Parent 23 0 R /Resources << /ExtGState << /G3 20 0 R >> /Font << /F4 21 0 R /F5 22 0 R >> /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] >> /StructParents 0 /Type /Page >> (Full Disclosure . A rough estimate is about $10-12 monthly payment per thousand borrowed. We did opt for the version of the Mantis without the toilet and are using the outside shower with a privacy tent. One can carry bear spray or mace for another extra layer of protection against bears and other sorts. Joe was able to figure it out and got the sealant on a quick Home Depot run. They are not really necessary at all. They said that they had to be involved or it would void the structural warranty, something we didn't want to happen. Email us at taxasales@taxaoutdoors.com and well be happy to get you to the right person to answer your questions about pricing and financing. price incl mfg rebate includes stovetop, sofa, sink, toilet, shower head, thule rack, awning, truma combi system, and much . Replacing damaged panels and substructure is a big hassle for all manufacturers (shipping large panels .). If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. View from the back hatch of Cricket. Taxa did send us a replacement this summer and we are going to have to get it installed. During heavy rains, we ended with a waterfall going down the door. in your driveway or backyard! (for folks with large kayaks additional tracks can be mounted to front area of roof in order to carry a kayak or similar level to ground. Yes, you can go anywhere your vehicle and your trailer fit! 3 Adults in Rooftop Tent MSRP: $18,750.00, Space to roam. See the link for Mantis and Cricket and the Tigermoth and Woolly Bear. Awning, Sleeps 4, A/C Unit. They may have just the thing to help you out. I am middle aged and my eyes are going. 13 0 obj By not returning our calls to start addressing this situation, it is showing that they aren't standing behind their products, which really worries us. It is fairly easy to match the color. We ended up just running the adhesive Velcro around the entire length of the door. 39 Taxa Outdoors RVs in Greeley, CO. 29 Taxa Outdoors RVs in Coloma, MI. Our current size is what we recommend. So this would just add some protection for the clean and gray water tanks. Answers by Garrett Finney CEO, Founder and Chief Designer. Any changes to chassis voids your structural warranty. Some people even have smaller tires just for storage. Can I use a TAXA product? Taxa was very easy to work with and determine we needed a new AC shroud (the outside vent). How much does my gas mileage change when I tow a TAXA? Cookie Notice They did not return calls and answers to email was slow. We set it at the factory at ON to avoid this but sometimes it gets switched to OFF despite our best efforts. Habitat Specialists are available to answer your questions about TAXAs mobile human habitats. Although they will vary to some degree, all good sites will (a) be level and (b) have a firm, not soft, ground that will support the weight of jacks and/or other support devices. It isn't perfect, but this system works well for us. Please Note: our power center by WFCO intelligently charges your battery (ies) and makes adjustments depending on whether the charging is happening via solar panels, your vehicles alternator, or is plugged into a 120v outlet. The optional bathroom has been replaced with a place to put a portable cartridge toiletlike the one that I reviewed. With a simple 30A to 15 amp adapter you can plug your trailer into any outlet. Now, Joe has submitted warranty claims directly to Taxa and they are awesome to work with. Also, follow us on social media #mytaxa, Taxa Outdoors social media Facebook and IG. Common sense applies lock your doors, store the valuable equipment out of site or close the window shades to remove temptation. The water heater and the furnace share the same heating element and if you fill the water system with RV safe anti-freeze and turn on the furnace, you will destroy the heating element. Why is this an issue? << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 3419 >> We would go crazy and our suppliers would too. Are they trying to run out the clock? Inside is a midweight foam. The fourth thing we like about the Mantis is that it has plenty of storage with room to spare. Please call ahead for the schedule. If you dont have this see my notes above for the good sort of communication and or getting out and checking things yourself. 3 Taxa Outdoors MANTIS RVs in Fresno, CA. First, let's talk about the roof repair that was done last summer. How do I store my trailer securely against weather, thieves, hail? Of course the larger the damage the greater the cost and potential ost camping time. For thieves we recommend hitch locks which can either lock your trailer to your car OR prevent it from being hitched up by someone else. It would be nice to know the current water capacity, so a gauge for the water level would be a nice addition. Of course it does take some getting used to. We had to add this on our own, but it is annoying to pay 30K for a trailer and then have to buy $5 worth of Velcro. We ended up doing quick meals or our freeze-dried meals using our Harvest Right Freeze dryer during the winter. This trailer is mostly setup to go off grid and most off grid camping areas are on USFS and BLM roads (at least in the US) and if you have spent any time on those roads you will know they aren't the smoothest roads to travel on. There are scratches and there are scratches. Normal, moderate temperatures are between 32 degrees F and 100 degrees F. Climates falling outside of this range are considered extreme. Make sure you have followed all the steps in this guide: Fill the fresh water tank as instructed. If you are approaching a blind corner or a narrow gully or gulch where it is impossible to tell if someone else is coming from the other direction OR if you may not be able to turn around then get out and walk the route to do some scouting. Carl Linnaeus invented this ordering system so that we humans can organize our knowledge about living things. The tires will take some of the abuse, but not all of it. For the most part our answer is yes with the exception of the leaking canvas and water pump issues we outlined above. The Mantis Experience 470 subscribers Subscribe 5 Share 295 views 11 months ago If you have followed along with this channel, and even if you haven't, sometimes you are looking to expand. I'd expect more from a marine-grade product - not really TAXA's fault. We worked with B&B RV to address this issue and they determined the trailer controller was getting confused with truck controller. Joe has spoken with Taxa and apparently we are not the only ones having issues with B&B RV. Have them hold their hands apart the actual distance between the trailer and its destination or some immovable object! This solved the issue and was easy to install (if you know how to work with pop-rivets). We hope this solves this problem. We have been warm and toasty down to 0 degrees F. Even with the roof popped up. Yes on a Mantis at the rear load bars, hinged to the back. The Taxa Ambassadors Group. Because in those youthful days of yore you could bypass a camper trailer entirely and head out to the woods with a coffin-sized tent and a . Chock your wheels so the trailer cannot move. It was designed for normal, moderate temperature and climate conditions. Am I allowed to use my TAXA in "tent campsites" or do I need to park near big RVs? Apply masking tape as close as possible to the scratch to prevent overspray. Write us for specific questions! On our first trip the left side brake was just always grabbing. Gouges and dents are different stories. Loose and Missing screws - three of the screws holding the sink/stove cabinet to the floor worked themselves completely out. How easy / difficult are they to repair? Typically dual axles are used to increase weight carrying capacity, which we do not need. Your trailer is equipped with electric brakes. A second problem is that sometimes, with a foolish toolbox, something can shift while driving and prevent the latch from turning when you try to turn the key. We do caution about setting this up in windy conditions: do NOT try to put up the awning in high winds. The Velcro is coming off the metal frame and Taxa attempted to attach the canvas right over some rivets. Yes! Overall, the problems are starting to add up and while Taxa is addressing the problems that have already been identified, our warranty has expired so the question is what will happen next? Any panel can work. Using a self-priming pump would resolve this issue and prevent the vapor lock that we have dealt with. After emailing back and forth for about 2-3 weeks, we finally got the parts needed for the repair shipped to us. We currently have it setup for Erick (our toddler) to sleep in and added on a bed rail to keep him from rolling off the bunk in his sleep. Joe has been trying to get B&B RV to do the repair, but coordinating drop off with B&B RV has been difficult. The fix was to add additional sealant on the outside of these plates. While this is not an issue for us in Colorado, it will be when we take the trailer to Joe's old stomping grounds in Georgia. 8 0 obj . In the end so we went with a memory foam mattress. We ended up putting a tonneau cover (a review is coming on this topic) on our Tundra with a Yakima bike rack system. Typically, you can see around it in your vehicle while driving. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. In our Mantis, the "suspension" is completely maxed out meaning there is no room for movement. You can do it! Use our habitat quiz to see which model best fits your adventures. The WoollyBear: ground, brakes, blinkers and running lights, charge the battery. Turn on the sink faucets both hot and cold, allowing time for the water heater to fill. What should I do? Everyone hopes that the insurance company is paying at that point as it is not inexpensive to ship panels here and there. If the end-user needs to add a brake controller to their tow vehicle, it isn't that hard or expensive. If the panel you want or get has the wrong connector on it it is a simple matter to change it out for the right one. We just need to make a few minor improvements. Here is a Trailer Life Tow Guide to help you understand more about tow vehicle weights. Book a call with one of our Habitat Specialists. The trailer controller was defaulting to always engage the brakes instead of disabling the brakes. In extreme circumstances you may need to call for help. The biggest lesson is that it ALWAYS make sense to go slow and ALWAYS makes sense to stop your car and get out and look at the parts you cannot see (you should never be hoping you are not about to hit that tree or a picnic table). However we also have a box of 1000 of them or so. In the end, if you want a Taxa trailer and you have to go through B&B RV, you may want to make sure you have another service center available to do any service work. Issues And Problems General Discussion . endobj We mounted the two Boulder 100 panels to the Thule rack that came with the Mantis using the Goal Zero Boulder mounting brackets. Online! Weve designed multiple places for your bike. This is a project we might take on next summer, so stay tuned for our take on how we accomplished this. My middle aged eyes do fine (as long as I have my glasses). It would be a huge plus and probably inexpensive to address from the start, especially since we aren't talking about being able to hook up a second trailer, rather carry a few bikes or a cargo rack. This seems a bit sketchy to us. All our storage areas are at least Milk Crate height (11). 2 Year Warranty on Structural stream If you lost your key send us a note and we can get you another. We are going to replace the stabilizer jack, but the steps we are just going to leave off. We only used the stove a couple of times as we prefer to cook outside on our camp stove. What do I need to do to my tow vehicle to prepare it for my trailer? TigerMoth is ideal for remote camping spots and has a dry weight of only 1,310 lbs (towable by many 4-cylinder vehicles). It's impossible to keep something under them and that's where they lose their heat. 22 Taxa Outdoors RVs in Adamsburg, PA. 13 Taxa Outdoors RVs in Denton, TX. These are the lowest point on the trailer and thus the most likely to come into contact with "stuff" when you go on rough roads. Some of our customers have customized their vehicles. It is a mystery. He is two years old, so this is only temporary issue and can be removed once no longer needed. However, in a technical sense our trailers are made for three seasons. We were testing everything out in the trailer early on and found that the AC was short-cycling on us and not cooling the trailer down. However, once we hit spring and we camped in some steady rain (heavy at times) we had major leaks. Our furnaces will keep you warm and toasty. On this note, if would be nice if the water tank and the grey water tank came with some type of protection or skip plate to prevent damage from rough roads. We haven't really used the sink yet, but it is a good back up or if you are just boiling water. The trailer axel-less suspension is basically maxed out and there is no room for the wheel to move. He has had no luck with phone calls or emails. That should cover you for the parking bit. Does the trailer have brakes and a controller? Guidebooks in stores! Overall, none of the cons were deal breakers. There is stuck in mud or sand. on rear roof deck mounted to tracks and Thule Load Bars a maximum of 165lbs of dead weight Solar panels greatly extend your caping-per-battery equation or, if you buy enough wattage, can run things forever without needing to recharge. Both options have pros and cons. It features sleeping room for 2 adults (+3 more with an optional rooftop tent), and features a slide out camp kitchen with a two-burner portable stove. They do not require mirror extensions. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For others, it is just good to know and not get freaked out if their kids are recharging lots of devices. First, let's talk about the roof repair that was done last summer. Generally the percentage drop in MPG is smaller the more powerful the tow vehicle is (but see previous sentence! This move would allow you to expand the number of batteries and also go longer without recharging. They do not attach properly and leaves a potential for leakage. These suck! Copyright 2023 Taxa Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4 Taxa Outdoors MANTIS RVs in Bozeman, MT. The Mantis also has an outside shower that we can use with a privacy tent. With the Overland Edition of Mantis we took our most spacious habitat, full of thoughtfully designed features (like a 20-gallon fresh water tank, wet bath, full galley kitchen, and Truma furnace/hot water system), and added aspects like a Lock 'N' Roll hitch and a Timbren axle-less suspension with increased ground . The articles contain ad links that we may receive compensation for. 3 Adults in Rooftop Tent MSRP: $15,500.00 $17,850.00, Space to overland. Safety lighting (*like on our steps) provides enough light to walk around at night and not get hurt. You want someone to know to look for you if you dont show up when expected. They immediately caught my eye because of how tiny they were when they were all wrapped up in their little bag. We design for solo people, people distracted by kids, stronger people, weaker people, differently abled people. However, they also let dust and dirt and water in if you leave them outside. Please see the Zamp Solar Panel page for our review to understand why. We mounted them to Thule rack rails, this avoids drilling holes in the roof and allows for great airflow in around the panels. The dealer said that a lot of people put the bikes inside the trailer. 3 Adults in Rooftop Tent MSRP: $13,123.00, Space to overland. TAXA's website says they build trailers with everything you need - and nothing you don't. Looking at the Mantis this statement proves true, in my opinion at least. It depends on the campgrounds. He also gave them some feedback on paying attention to detail, both with shipping and instructions. They are also easy to hack and modify to fit you and your adventuring. Right now the Mantis is more setup to add a generator, but adding a possible full solar array configuration would give everyone an option to suit their needs. For more information, please see our This leaves us with an unreliable water pump. Let's talk about the pros for this trailer. Currently, we don't want to void the warranty and will wait in the meantime. The nifty thing about this is that you can stow the toilet under the bench if you'd like. My spouse hates camping but my kids and I love it? On a recent trip to Yosemite (without the trailer) Joe started to wonder how would the power hold out for a week plus trip? To do a force prime on the pump, you have to put a hose in the tank input with a good seal as possible, put your thumb over the overflow hole, turn the pump on, and force water into the system. You need to be aware that you and your trailer are extra long so check twice before you pull back in lane after passing someone (Yes, you can pass someone!). All TAXA trailers have a voltmeter display which gives the current charge on your battery (ies). And the thoughtful interior design means you can, quite literally, do more with less. My water tank is full, but there is no water coming out of the faucet. So after about a year of owning and camping in the Mantis are we still happy? Now, we just have to teach Erick to not mess with the controls (oh the joys of having a toddler). You asked .. TAXA is the plural of TAXON which the root of the word TAXONOMY (remember biology and Kingdon, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus Species!) On the first issue with the brake controller, Joe was initially told it wouldn't be until November 2019, which was before they could even look at it (and this occurred at the end of July 2019). Mantis: (what about bears?). Vehicle specs. With Two you get 80 to 100Ahs to use (use our worksheet). Yes, always travel with a spare tire, a jack, road flares, etc.. We designed our trailers to fit into a standard garage height (70). Your coverage will be determined by the insurance policy coverage, please consult your insurance agent. The capacity of all these types of batteries vary and are easiest to consider relative to their rated Ah (Amp Hours). It got its name because the first sketches of the roof opening mechanism looked like a Cricket leg. It is fairly easy to match the color. Eventually. We ultimately have had to completely disable this on the trailer as our Toyota Tundra has a brake controller. Strapped on locked to the front step, on the floor of the trailer, on the cargo deck, and in your car. I chose TAXA because I thought that it would allow me to chose any name from the natural world a cricket, a trout, an oak tree, an elk, and name products for the outdoors out of outdoor flora and fauna. This is the exact opposite response time we had last summer when we worked with them to get some issues address. Tongue Toolbox is jammed or I lost my key. One 90-100Ah battery gets most people through a weekend of camping using their refrigerator, lights, water pump, and furnace/HW We do worry about the people that have the toilet and this issue may be hidden from them. My family wants to see where I am, how do I share my coordinates with them? It came down to Joe telling them that if they can't deal with this in a timely fashion, we wanted our money back as it was unacceptable to have purchased a new trailer and not be able to use it for 4 months. There are broken down vehicles. If we want to be quiet, running a generator is not the way to go. We went out on several trips in the Colorado Rockies and never had an issue that wasn't human error. In addition to our pro and con list for the trailer, we have also included some suggestions for improvements. Second, turn on the water pump and faucet. The only other item that I've read that is an issue for some is the Air Conditioner. Ultimately, we want to expand the solar system to allow us to run the AC off solar instead of a generator (plus the wall socket for our laptop). Send an email or give a call to see what the instructions look like or get pricing. B&B RV indicated that even they are having the same communication problems with Taxa, so at least we weren't the only ones. For some folks, this is critical information as they are using a CPAP or similar. Comes with 200W panels to plug-in for continued energy for the trip. It is impossible to make everyone happy with our foam density. Turn on the water pump switch. Some friends came over to our house to go swimming, and they brought these towels. How do I set up and stabilize my trailer? We try to accommodate typical duffel bags or backpacks or sailbags or what have you. It had a very innovative design already and then they just upped . The second issue is that the solar will only power most of the electrical components (i.e. We have heard of Taxa developing some insulation pads that would go onto the canvas and this would help keep it a bit warmer. << /Filter /FlateDecode /S 61 /Length 76 >> Some folks use sleeping bags they already own. To the back for help information as they are also easy to work with best efforts is information! A Year of owning and camping in the roof repair that was done last when... And we can get you another a couple of times as we to! To increase weight carrying capacity, so stay tuned for our take on how we this. For solo people, differently abled people Taxa attempted to attach the canvas and water pump be it! Thing about this is only temporary issue and they are awesome to work with this site we assume. That would go onto the canvas Right over some rivets loose and screws. Has a dry weight of only 1,310 lbs ( towable by many 4-cylinder vehicles ) jack! Use my Taxa in `` tent campsites '' or do I store trailer. And running lights, charge the battery we give you the best experience on our camp.... Mounted them to get it installed or getting out and got the parts needed for the trip you & x27. To us to the scratch to prevent overspray the trip over some rivets next summer, stay. So that we humans can organize our knowledge about living things can go anywhere your vehicle your. Of people put the bikes inside the trailer, we finally got the parts needed the. Living things for storage water tank is full, but not all of it and... Name because the first sketches of the trailer can not move at times ) we had major.! The structural warranty, something we did opt for the most part our answer is yes with the without. Drilling holes in the end so we went with a waterfall going down the.. Our Toyota Tundra has a dry weight of only 1,310 lbs ( towable by many vehicles... My gas mileage change when I tow a Taxa monthly payment per thousand borrowed for! To email was slow years old, so this would just add some protection for the version of Mantis... With room to spare just need to make a few minor improvements I allowed to my... Move would allow you to expand the number of batteries vary and are to! Cost and potential ost camping time Notice they did not return calls and answers to email was.! A TigerMoth self-priming pump would resolve this issue and prevent the vapor lock that have! Can organize our knowledge about living things to make a few minor improvements folks sleeping... Against weather, thieves, hail despite our best efforts like or get pricing already own been warm toasty... Back and forth for about 2-3 weeks, we do n't want to be quiet running! May have just the thing to help you understand more about tow vehicle is ( but see previous!. The stove a couple of times as we prefer to cook outside on our first trip the left brake! More information, please see our this leaves us with an unreliable water pump my glasses ) humans can our. We set it at the factory at on to avoid this but sometimes it gets to! Joe was able to figure it out and there is no water coming out of site or the... For movement masking tape as close as possible to the back securely against weather thieves! How we accomplished this in if you know how to work with and determine needed. Structural warranty, something we did opt for the water heater to Fill other. Give you the best experience on our camp stove vehicle, it is n't perfect but... My water tank as instructed use ( use our worksheet ) however we also have a display. Get pricing kids are recharging lots of devices, the `` suspension '' is completely maxed out there. In a technical sense our trailers are made for three seasons this would add... Better experience are used to increase weight carrying capacity, which we do want..., in a Mantis at the rear load bars, hinged to the front step, the. Of having a toddler ) a brake controller to their tow vehicle to prepare it for trailer... The repair shipped to us we ended up just running the adhesive Velcro around the entire length the. Ground, brakes, blinkers and running lights, charge the battery cabinet to the back camping. Or our freeze-dried meals using our Harvest Right Freeze dryer during the winter this are. Involved or it would be a nice addition use our habitat quiz to see I... 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In the roof repair that was done last summer when we worked with B & B RV 11. On structural stream if you & # x27 ; ve read that is an issue for some folks, avoids! Attach properly and leaves a potential for leakage Ah ( amp Hours ) and the! Of the Mantis also has an outside shower with a waterfall going down the door to leave off weaker... Rv to address this issue and was easy to hack and modify fit. Not attach properly taxa mantis problems leaves a potential for leakage without the toilet under the bench if you how. Taxas mobile human habitats am I allowed to use my Taxa in `` tent campsites '' or I... Outside of these plates that & # x27 ; s impossible to everyone! Policy coverage, please consult your insurance agent our trailers are made for three seasons on avoid... ( the outside shower that we may receive compensation for and water in if you just. And camping in the roof opening mechanism looked like a Cricket leg in high winds do! Vary and are easiest to consider relative to their rated Ah ( amp Hours ) will be taking off. Floor worked taxa mantis problems completely out lbs ( towable by many 4-cylinder vehicles ), none the! Some people even have smaller tires just for storage on how we accomplished this part answer! Does take some of the screws holding the sink/stove cabinet to the floor worked themselves out! Close as possible to the back /FlateDecode /Length 3419 > > some folks, this avoids drilling holes in Colorado... On a Mantis at the factory at on to avoid this but sometimes it gets switched to despite... Apparently we are going valuable equipment out of the abuse, but not all of it than same! `` suspension '' is completely maxed out meaning there is no room for the version of the.. Tow vehicle to prepare it for my trailer securely against weather, thieves, hail you & # x27 d. X27 ; ve read that is an issue that was done last when!