Front curtain - My unit is an early one with a front curtain. There is a significant gap under the plate at this corner, which was visible due to inadequate caulking allowing me to see under the plate. Get all the latest in TAXA news and offers. I feel like I am doing Alpha product testing for them. A lightweight and durable TAXA habitat lasts a lifetime and requires less vehicle power to tow. There were a number of issues we need to have addressed: leaks in the roof repair Taxa did last summer, major leaks around the door to remove the cassette for the toilet (if you have a toilet) and the water pump won't pump water out of the tank. First, let's talk about the roof repair that was done last summer. We recommend using the no-see-um bug screens. The pump was vapor locked and wasn't self-priming as it was supposed to. The new rivets were not the same "clean" type (flat on one side, smooth bump on the other) - they were replaced with peel rivets, which left an X shape of sharp edges exposed on one side. The heater worked quite well and kept the Mantis warm day and night. Poor/inadequate Caulking: (This was not discovered until after the 2nd trip to the dealer). The problem with doing this is that the spare tire is in the way. They may have provided us a discount on purchasing the items, but have not directly compensated us. It as both an A/C and a heater. It has a shower and a bathroom, technically called a wet bath, where they are combined into a single space. The axle is a Torsion Axle (from Dexter Axle). Battery Installation - My dealer, a major RV dealer, installed mismatched batteries in the trailer, and wired them improperly. The correct adhesive (3M Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive) was not specified in the directions, without this information the technician used the caulk as the adhesive. Here are our initial thoughts on achieving this. The fact that you can still use it with the roof down is a very important benefit of the design. I have wanted a travel trailer for a long time. I'd expect more from a marine-grade product - not really TAXA's fault. The Dometic stove and sink combo. Ndhern podstvkov domy jsou k vidn na mnoha mstech. As far as I know, TAXA is actively working on revising the instructions and the design of the retrofit kit. We have heard of Taxa developing some insulation pads that would go onto the canvas and this would help keep it a bit warmer. 8. The compartment should probably have better separation from the bed. First, let's talk about the roof repair that was done last summer. For the most part our answer is yes with the exception of the leaking canvas and water pump issues we outlined above. We did opt for the version of the Mantis without the toilet and are using the outside shower with a privacy tent. Our solution is on really cold night, we drop the top as we go to bed, this significantly reduces the amount of propane you will go through. How did you reconnect it? Theres no oven, no microwave, the shower is comprised of a fabric curtain you raise/lower to use it, and without that same curtain up, the bathroom is very publicIm pretty comfortable with who I am as a man, but no one wants an audience while taking a dump. Other than that, we have plenty of storage for anything we would need access to while setting up the trailer. On a positive note, in winter the trailer works great!. The articles contain ad links that we may receive compensation for. The Mantis is an 18-foot trailer for four adults that can be stored inside a standard garage. After emailing back and forth for about 2-3 weeks, we finally got the parts needed for the repair shipped to us. We so badly want this that we will probably work with a fabrication company to add this to the trailer once the warranty is expired. It weighs in at 2,972lbs and has a tongue weight of 435lbs. There are some brands that edge out others a bit in initial build qualityLance comes to mind, but in my case, the Lance trailers I considered were 100% heavier and 50% larger, and the same price as the Mantisbut I wanted something I could tow more easily, and at better than 5mpg. We mounted them to Thule rack rails, this avoids drilling holes in the roof and allows for great airflow in around the panels. Plain and simple, they need vast improvements. Well if you pay attention to the Taxa owners Facebook pages, you will see people complaining that after a while you start to have rivets popping. This means that we could turn the current battery storage area into easily accessible storage for food or gear. WebMantis plumbing issues - possible solution. Cheers! Both options have pros and cons. Shortest possible answer: Because its NOT a complete piece of crapola. Ours doesnt seem like it has all the connection components necessary. it is good enough, but for the target audience, a proper "overlanding" top-loader would be better. Cold would turn pump on and off We have yet had to refill the propane tanks and the on-board water has enough capacity for quick showers all weekend. Fridge aside, everything else draws very little power so it an go a long time off the grid. The first thing we noticed were the cushions on the bed in the rear of the trailer. I reconnected the pipes myself and secured the connections. My opinion is: it would be fine to sell the Mantis with a shelf/perch by the door - perhaps designed for a specific model overlanding fridge, but which can accommodate the buyer's choice of fridge - including even a plain Coleman ice-chest. 3 Adults in Rooftop Tent MSRP: $18,750.00, Space to roam. He is two years old, so this is only temporary issue and can be removed once no longer needed. Then the water apparently became trapped inside the roof gasket ran to the rear, pooling up before dripping into the rear fabric panel - it was like a bladder full of water! Curiosity is our map. *The companies whose products we review have not paid us to provide the feedback. While this setup works, it is not our preference. These suck! When you use that RV the first time, youre going to have to come back with a list of at least 20 things that need to be fixed, and were going to make more money off that, and the other return trips, than when we sold it to you! The right materials are paramount when solving the integrated design challenge of light weight, durability, performance and sustainability. As Joe worked on this review during the summer of 2020 he spent over 2 weeks attempting to contact a Taxa tech (multiple emails and calls over a 2 week period) and never received a reply. This ended up working very well as the heat from the stove helped heat the inside of the trailer. Why did I buy this trailer? This is only a temporary solution as we have had prime the pump on a few occasions. Shower Plumbing - Shower drain and pee trap were installed dry, without the proper gaskets or plumbers putty. Available for $31,800 for the Cricket and $46,200 for the Mantis from TAXA Outdoors. This failed within a week and lead to the canvas sides completely detaching from the body of the trailer when the roof was raised. Whats more, TAXA fitted the Mantis with an 8,000 BTU AC specifically optimized to cool the cabin. They said that they had to be involved or it would void the structural warranty, something we didn't want to happen. While this is relatively easy to address (we keep extra rivets and a manual rivet gun in our trailer tool kit) it honestly shouldn't be happening on a regular basis. The only down side is there was not a hanger to hang the shower head on while we were using it. When we bought our Mantis, we couldnt wait to go camping in it. An adult sleeping on the top/front bunk? For the most part this repair was a significant improvement. We are still trying to figure out the best location of all of our stuff. This means that the issue is somewhere in the water system and based on our research it would appear the pump is vapor locked. Please see the Zamp Solar Panel page for our review to understand why. We opted not to get a toilet in our Taxa Mantis, but the unit still had the door that would be used to remove the cassette so you could empty it. During heavy rains, we ended with a waterfall going down the door. We looked at it and there is a gap that is getting bigger over time. Since we don't use this door it can't really be user error. HICONSUMPTION is reader-supported. The Mantis performed GREAT over the winter. The general rule of any product development is pick two: Good, fast, cheap. The sales department was very prompt with their communication and returned calls and emails very quickly. Where we ran into clearance problems was on a USFS road with lots of built in whoop-de-does (built in humps that divert water run off). 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. Schedule an appointment with a habitat expert. Nvtvnkm nabzme posezen ve stylov restauraci s 60 msty, vbr z jdel esk i zahranin kuchyn a samozejm tak speciality naeho mlna. Then we can drive the trailer onto the blocks to get the trailer relatively level side to side. All of the corners had the Velcro coming off, both on the long sides and over the rivets. Given the constraints around the installation in the Mantis a through-wall unit would have been a superior choice as these are designed to have only a small portion or just the rear of the nit exposed to the outside. Sleeps 4+ Adults MSRP: $46,057.00 $44,057.00, The go-anywhere basecamp youve dreamed of. Bomar compartment doors - mine are deforming slightly after 15 months, I've had one replaced. To get around this, a solar controller is required to be added to the trailer. And Ill cover my continued experiences honestly, whether they get better or worse. During heavy rains, we ended with a waterfall going down the door. I don't work for Taxa, but I like their products so far . TAXA Outdoors mobile habitats feature rugged and stylish materials both inside and out, that look great, are gentle on the planet, and stand up to the elements, journey after incredible journey. 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. If we want to be quiet, running a generator is not the way to go. Incorrect rivets were used on the interior trim pieces. Go do your homework, internet reviews/videos, then lots of tours. We do this to provide the best equipment for our owners adventures and experiences. 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