New Happier Camper cabinet doors? NO

[chabang]

So I checked out a 2021 HC1 model today and saw the new cabinet doors. Apparently the weathered gray finish is too heavy for the cabinet doors so they replaced them with this unbelievably cheap and tacky sliding plastic. For a camper with a base price of 30K?

[Jon in AZ]

I've honestly never seen a photo or description what they were using before.

Less for more seems to be the way of things these days. I just had to replace an inexpensive Walmart floor lamp. Bought one that appeared identical in design to the old one, and I was shocked at how much they had cheapened the product in 8 years or so. Of course it's one thing in a $10 floor lamp and another altogether in a $30k premium trailer.

Register your concern with HC- they do seem to listen to their customers. If the previous material had issues because of its weight, perhaps a suggestion for an alternative material would at least be heard. I know their mantra is no wood, but bamboo panels would look really nice. Personally I wouldn't have a problem with the right plastic if it were rigid and thick enough for frequent use and textured to minimize scratches.

[chabang]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I've honestly never seen a photo or description what they were using before.
.

This is a pic that shows what the previous upper cabinet doors that latched shut looked like.

[Jon in AZ]

Did they say what problems they had with them?

[chabang]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Did they say what problems they had with them?

The saleswoman said the weather gray finish was too heavy for cabinet doors. The tan bamboo finish can still be used as a door I guess but I don't like that color.

[Alex Adams]

Originally Posted by chabang

So I checked out a 2021 HC1 model today and saw the new cabinet doors. Apparently the weathered gray finish is too heavy for the cabinet doors so they replaced them with this unbelievably cheap and tacky sliding plastic. For a camper with a base price of 30K?

Maybe it is polycarbonate and not cheap plastic. Some people would prefer clear doors so they can see what is inside without having to go around and open all the cabinets.

[Jon in AZ]

Guess I'm not understanding why the finish would matter, unless it was a different material altogether. The curved, flush-fitted doors definitely look better.

[Gerry]

in my Casita, I rebuilt all my cupboard doors and even the bathroom door, out of cedar wood. Unfortunalty I can not put pictures on here for some reason now!

[Mikmay]

Happier Camper changed the style of their doors from hinged doors to sliders as they changed their cabinets from simple cutouts of the fg to full integrated fg cabinets inside and out ,a much cleaner and solid finish but they needed to use a thinner product to not lose as much interior space .No supplier makes a finished material that meets the needs of HC accept the poly doors or the bamboo and the poly doors actually cost more than the bamboo to make

[Glenn Baglo]

Saves money on hinges, knobs, latches, struts. Just drill a finger hole in a piece of plastic.

[Mikmay]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Saves money on hinges, knobs, latches, struts. Just drill a finger hole in a piece of plastic.

Yes less on hinges and latches ,HC did not use struts or knobs but the new system is considerably more with the aluminum track and all fg interior .HC will never downgrade or cut corners to save cost .

[Mikmay]

[QUOTE=Mikmay;809578]Yes less on hinges and latches ,HC did not use struts or knobs but the new system is considerably more with the aluminum track and all fg interior .HC will never downgrade or cut corners to save cost even the doors are molded out to give more room and not a simple cut plastic

[Mikmay]

Originally Posted by chabang

So I checked out a 2021 HC1 model today and saw the new cabinet doors. Apparently the weathered gray finish is too heavy for the cabinet doors so they replaced them with this unbelievably cheap and tacky sliding plastic. For a camper with a base price of 30K?

Sorry Chabang that the new door system did not meet your expectations but I can assure you that this was a carefully designed process to give a HC owner another option that will probably outlast any other door and also give you a little insight to what is inside the cabinets and are definitely not cheap.you also can still match with the weathered gray beam wood on all other doors and tabletops if bamboo is not to your liking . There are many RV manufacturers that will give you what you are looking for but probably be built out of particle board and may last half the life of the Camper if they don’t go out of style first.Good luck with you search and hope you find what you are looking for.

[Raz]

No matter what trailer you buy, there will always be something that doesn't suit you. You can either learn to live with it or spend money to change it. There are alot of things that would stop me from buying a particular trailer. Cabinet doors isn't one of them. Lets face it, cars are worse! I've yet to figure out why I must buy bigger tires, fog lights, and a moon roof to get heated mirrors.

[Mikmay]

Just noticed Chabang that you are in Georgia so I am assuming you checked out the new trailer at the Third Door which is also a HC showroom ,the trailer you saw was the first trailer with that door system and is just the prototype of that system and has the 1/8 th poly ,all new doors will have 1/4 Polly doors with further modifications to the shape.thanks though for the feedback as it does help HC in their decision making .

[chabang]

Originally Posted by Mikmay

Just noticed Chabang that you are in Georgia so I am assuming you checked out the new trailer at the Third Door which is also a HC showroom ,the trailer you saw was the first trailer with that door system and is just the prototype of that system and has the 1/8 th poly ,all new doors will have 1/4 Polly doors with further modifications to the shape.thanks though for the feedback as it does help HC in their decision making .

Hi, yes I saw it at the Third Door. I love the HC1, it checks almost all of my boxes, and it has moved to the top of my list for several reasons but I was very disappointed at the new cabinet doors. I understand the reasoning but honestly, they just look cheap in a very expensive camper. I've been brainstorming how to try to hide them. Do you know if they can easily be removed and reinstalled? Maybe I could wallpaper them? Adhere seagrass cloth or something? If I find a finish that is the same width/weight, would HC use it instead of the poly door? Also, I don't like the holes now present in the doors since it invites insects/pests that couldn't get into the cabinets before.

[thrifty bill]

Fwiw on longevity: my pure crap particle board cabinet doors on my 44 year old Trillium are still doing just fine. I did replace two lower cabinet doors that had delamination. So I wouldn’t necessarily knock the old ones. All the upper cabinet doors, the closet door and the drawer fronts are still the originals. This on a trailer that was neglected for most of its life.

Do I like particle board door fronts? Obviously not.

[Mikmay]

Originally Posted by chabang

Hi, yes I saw it at the Third Door. I love the HC1, it checks almost all of my boxes, and it has moved to the top of my list for several reasons but I was very disappointed at the new cabinet doors. I understand the reasoning but honestly, they just look cheap in a very expensive camper. I've been brainstorming how to try to hide them. Do you know if they can easily be removed and reinstalled? Maybe I could wallpaper them? Adhere seagrass cloth or something? If I find a finish that is the same width/weight, would HC use it instead of the poly door? Also, I don't like the holes now present in the doors since it invites insects/pests that couldn't get into the cabinets before.

Thanks again Chabang for your input . The trailer cabinets you had seen are just the prototype and HC will still be testing other materials to see if there is a better alternative. I don’t think there would be much difference between the older style doors and the new ones for pest infiltration but there may be a possibility for a handle insert that would work with the new style door.