This post is targeted at those who are considering ordering a Safari Condo Alto. If that doesn’t describe you, this post may not be as interesting as reading about a SpaceX rocket launch or Elon Musk’s “Secret Master Plan”.
Perhaps you read the previous post about my Alto F1743. I thought it would be helpful to describe the factory options I ordered and my reasoning. The company website does not provide an easily accessible list of options nor does it offer a description of them other than an often mysterious name, and I spent a great deal of time puzzling over the list and consulting with other owners online. The options list is mixed in with the standard features list in this PDF document which when we placed our order in 2017 was not up to date nor did it show items that I knew for certain could be special ordered.
Caravan Mover
The most useful option in my opinion is the amazing “Remote Controlled Trailer Mover” (CDN$2,895. I don’t see it listed in the current specifications document I linked to above). It is made by Kronings (Note: as of 2020 it is no longer offered as an option, it appears Kronings has stopped making it. They now offer a very different product that appears to achieve the same result, the Caravan Trolley)
It consists of a small electric motor mounted at the rear of each wheel. The motors are not connected to the axel, instead they control an aluminum drive roller just behind each wheel. The motor can move the drive roller forward to press it firmly against the wheel tread so that it can rotate the wheel on command, and also to the rear so the roller is well away from the wheel while you are towing.
What this Safari Condo video on YouTube to see how easy it is to use to move the trailer around.
When the roller is engaged you use the supplied remote control to move the trailer at about 1mph. It makes moving the trailer into a campsite and positioning it a simple task. It can move the trailer forwards or backwards, right or left, even rotate it 360 degrees. If you don’t get this option you have to learn to back up a trailer with precision. That is not an easily learned skill. With the Caravan Mover there is no need to learn it at all. Count me in!
Fantastic Fan
The “Variable Speed Roof Vent 12V Automatic” option is actually this product, the Fantastic Fan. It offers features the standard Alto fan is missing: a thermostat so you can set it to come on if the inside temperature exceeds a set range, and a moisture sensor so that if the fan vent is rained and it starts to rain it will automatically close, and a remote control. Worth the extra CDN$125!
Air conditioner and heater: a “Heat Pump” does both
The “Heat Pump Air Conditioner” option, a Dometic Cool Cat 10,500BTU unit, requires 120V power (which for most people means you have to be plugged into shore power) and the fan is a bit on the loud side but we decided to get it anyway. It can work well, but like all heat pumps it has its limitations: if the outside air temperature is up into the 90’s it probably won’t cool the air as much as you might like, and at temperatures below freezing it certainly won’t warm the air up into the 70’s. But it will help, a lot! We’ve decided it was worth the CDN$1,395 we paid.
Note that the Alto comes standard with the Truma Combi eco space heater and water heater that can run on electric, electric and propane, or only propane. It works very well. Don’t expect instant hot water; it heats up the fastest using propane, on electric on the maximum setting, “Boost”, it takes a half hour or so to heat up the water tank and that is beyond the capacity of the stock battery. Most Alto owners probably run their heater on propane; I usually run it on electricity.
Microwave
The optional microwave occupies some of the storage space above the kitchen counter, and it’s relatively small, but for the additional CDN$195 we are glad we have it. It also requires 120V power so it requires the optional inverter to run off the stock 12V battery. Because we had aftermarket lithium ion batteries and a 3000W inverter installed as part of our solar system we can use the microwave at any time.
Electric-only fridge
Since the goal was to be 100% electric — no propane! — I got the Dometic 12V fridge that cannot be run on propane. It is CDN$225 less expensive than the fridge that can run on propane or electric. The advantages of the electric-only fridge are that it has slightly more interior capacity (4.1 cu ft vs. 3.7) and you don’t have to be concerned about getting the trailer level to operate it like you do when using propane to power the fridge. With our aftermarket solar/battery system I just leave the fridge on all the time, even when on the road, and don’t worry about it.
Lighting control
We dislike bright lights. When our friends are at our house in the evening they sometimes comment that we “live in a cave”. Safari Condo offers an optional master dimmer control for the interior lights. At CDN$129 it seemed a bit pricey, but it allows you to tone down the lighting intensity. It’s worth it to us.
Awnings: yes there is more than one
Safari Condo sells this awning made by Pahaque for CDN$495, or buy it direct from Pahaque for US$389 plus shipping. It provides a lot of shade and many Alto owners like it. We’ve used it a few times in very hot weather and my spouse is no longer questioning why we bought it. Here it is set up in my front yard.
We also purchased what Pahaque calls a Trailer Visor that is designed specifically for the Alto. My spouse approves of it. 🙂 Easier to set up, but not as stable in a breeze as the larger awning. I have not seen it listed on Safari Condo’s options list. It is US$349 direct from Pahaque, which oddly is very close to what their much larger Alto awning sells for.
Items not shown on Safari Condo’s options list; you have to ask
I can’t explain why, but there are quite a few optional items that are not listed but that Safari Condo will do if you ask. Here’s what we got:
- Replaced the F-series door with the round porthole style window with the R-series style door with the screened openable half-height window (see the photos just above). The F-series door has a full height interior screen for maximum ventilation. Based on the fact that we occasionally walk right into the sliding glass door screens in our house, we decided that was not optimal for us. The R-series door seemed safer. 😉
- Instead of the standard 13” wheels, you can get 15″ wheels with Michelin Premier 205-65 R15 tires, which are passenger car tires that provide a smoother ride than the stock 13” Goodyear trailer tires.
- Added a 12V outlet on the front wall below the dinette table
- Added a 12V outlet on the starboard exterior wall in addition to the standard 120 volt outlet (visible in the photo just above)
- Added an external light on the port side of the trailer (to match the standard exterior light on the starboard side, visible in the photo just above). Have yet to use that added external light, but it would be handy when arriving at a campsite at night and connecting to shore power and the water supply.
- External hatch cover for the aft port side storage compartment, allows access from the outside for the storage area that is under the aft port side bench seat. Cost CDN$150. We leave the sleeping area made up all the time, so that added hatch cover is very helpful. It looks just like the aft hatch cover in the photo just above.
- Memory foam in the rear sleeping area cushions. Well worth the CDN$350 cost. The standard foam in the cushions was too firm for us.
- Keder rail on the port side so we can use the Pahaque Trailer Visor awning on that side (Keder rail is standard on the starboard side). Cost was CDN$175. Keder rail is a small metal tube, partially open, into which you slide Keder cord which is sewn into one side of the awning, thereby “attaching” the edge of the awing to the trailer roof.
Requests we had that Safari Condo would not implement
We didn’t get all the special requests we wanted. The biggest one for us was adding a small window in the port side wall to let light into the bathroom. We like natural light. The bathroom space is small and very dark until you turn the ceiling light on, which is very bright and not dimmable. But Safari Condo would not add a window in the bathroom wall, nor would they explain why they wouldn’t do it. It did not appear to be due to a concern about structural integrity or some wiring passing through that area.
We were amused to discover, a few months after we took delivery of our F1743, that some F2114 owners had requested a bathroom window and Safari Condo added it to their trailers. The F2114 bathroom location and size is the same as the F1743 and the exterior wall material is identical. So why was our bathroom window request refused just months earlier? I have no idea.
We also asked for all the external hatch covers and doors to be keyed identically (the Alto comes with 4 different keys!) but that isn’t possible, likely because the various pieces of hardware come from multiple manufacturers.
There were some minor countertop modifications we asked for but Safari Condo declined. The gap you have to slide through to sit in the port side dinette seat is just 7.25”. It’s a good thing we are both slender people and we can fit through, but we thought it would be nice if it was a few inches wider. We requested that the aft corners of the dinette be modified to a different radius, but no luck.
We also thought it would better for the sleeping area if the short section of kitchen countertop that overhangs the port side aft bench could be hinged so it could drop down. Again, no luck.
And speaking of the sleeping area…Safari Condo describes the F1743 aft sleeping space, which measures 81” (side to side) by 60” (front to back) as “King size”. Not in the real world, where a King size bed is 76” wide by 80” long. In the F1743, unless you are less than 5 ft tall, you have to sleep oriented side to side in the trailer, meaning the width of your bed is 60”. That’s Queen size.
Overall we are thrilled with our Alto!
We had never owned an RV or a camper trailer before. We waited 16 months after ordering to take delivery. We thought we would like camping with an Alto, but we are enjoying it even more than we imagined! It’s an ideal size for the two of us, it’s easy to tow, it’s very comfortable, and beautifully made. It doesn’t really feel like camping at all; it’s “glamping”.
Next: Flexible solar panels: how NOT to buy them for your Alto
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After looking and looking and looking….at all of the US made campers, I cannot understand why none of them follow a sensible floor plan like the new Safari Condo F21 or the F17. I’m also shocked at the lack of build quality on everything I’ve seen. Couple that with leaf spring suspension and ball bearing hubs? I paused when the salesman said that. I said “you mean like from the 1940’s?”. I’ve started looking past the decor, in my mind I’m thinking I would just “remodel”. Airstreams appear to fit what I’m after, but they lack some serious practical input. To sleep 4, you have to go to a 25ft monster. I just want a simple, well thought out, sleeps 4, well built, with the ability to camp a few days without hookups (larger water tanks, more onboard power). But it appears all the US makers do is add space, pop-outs, lazy boy chairs, & a bunch of stuff I see no benefit in. Meanwhile people are paying $150k for Sprinter Vans with less of the wasteful amenities. There is clearly a big hole in the US RV/Camper Trailer market. I’ve seriously considered digging up an old Canned Ham 19ft and paying to have it custom re-built. It would serve better than anything made by the typical US makers.
If you hadn’t purchased the Alto, what else were you considering?
Anyhow, thanks for posting all of this information regarding your Alto. Now I just need to see what their current turnaround time is for an F21. And how long it will take to drive from Sacramento to pick it up!
Curious, did you have to pay import taxes when you purchased yours? Any other wrinkles, financial or otherwise, associated with purchasing a Canadian product for US use?
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hello,
After 13 month wait, expecting (fingers crossed) to pick up our f2414! Considering adding a small ceiling fan to distribute called air and heat and create a breeze in the interior. Any opinions out there on this addition appreciated
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Hi Chris. Mounting a ceiling fan in an Alto seems problematic to me unless everyone who uses the trailer is less than 5 ft tall. And you will have to run power to it somehow.
I have a small Zippy fan that I can sit on the table or the kitchen counter. It’s a bit noisy but can be useful. See https://www.vornado.com/shop/circulators-fans/personal-compact/zippi-personal-fan
I find that I rarely use it. I set the Alto ceiling vent fan on low and that gives good airflow through the cabin.
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Chris, I am heading over to Safari condo this June to order a F2414, last I checked the delivery dates stand to Summer 2025 currently. So curious if you can share your build sheet or mods. I am in the process of biulding out my wish list. So far: Truma Aventa roof mounted AC (hoping they can do that), Shower mizer, also hoping to find a suitable all in one microwave (microwave, convect, air fry)..Thanks, PierreH
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Hi Geoff,
Thanks for your post. We clearly think alike when it comes to travel trailers. If you want to sleep 4 comfortably then the F2114 seems like the best choice as long as 2 of the 4 are children who are okay sharing a sleeping area that is 60” x 81” (queen size bed). The F1743 dining table converts to a 36” x 81” bed; suitable for two very small children, I suppose.
Before I knew about the Safari Condo Alto trailers, I had never given a moment’s thought to owning a camper of any kind. Maybe that was because none of the campers I was aware of appealed to me and they all seemed technologically behind the times. But once I discovered the Alto, quite by chance, I could not get it out of my mind. After a few weeks rolling the idea around in my mind, I shared my thoughts, and the safaricondo.com website, with my spouse and she instantly got excited about the idea.
I think the current Safari Condo wait time for an Alto is about a year. It’s worth it. We had no difficulty with our purchase. We paid no Canadian sales tax because the Alto was marked “for export”, and there is no US “import” tax (at least not in February 2018). The Alto dealership will provide you with the necessary paperwork to present to US customs at the border. Of course when we registered the Alto trailer in California we paid sales tax on the purchase price, just like you would when registering a new car.
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Geoff
How did you get the option without the logo stickers. SC makes a great product but the logo needs an update. I’d rather not have it.
Tips?
RAW
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Simple: I asked Safari Condo not to put any of the logo stickers on my Alto. So they didn’t. 🙂
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Hi Barry,
Just got off the phone with Alto and will be purchasing a 1743 (one year wait). They do now have
options to have a foldable countertop for the bed area (200 bucks).
The question I have for you is the 15″ rims. They told me that it can only come with a “low profile”
tire. As we plan to do a lot of traveling….gravel roads as well, what kind of tires are on your rims.?
It makes sense to go with the 15″, but they said if I use anything besides the low profile tire, the tires
would hit the wheel well. Right now I’m going with the 13″. Your thoughts.?
Love what you wrote and will look into that visor for the entrance. Has it been up in rain?
Thanx for getting back to me…
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Hi Shelly. Congratulations on your Alto order! I am amused that a foldable kitchen countertop is now available as an option. I am amused that some items we asked for but were told were not possible —a window in the bathroom, foldable kitchen countertop — are now available. 🙂
Regarding the 15” wheels, we have the Michelin Premier 205-65 R15 tires that the factory installed on that size wheel (I do not know if Safari Condo still uses that particular tire, however). I have no complaints about them after several thousand miles of use. There is one odd thing about them; even when fully inflated at the maximum PSI of 45, visually they appear to be underinflated. People often comment to me “I think you need some air in your tires” and I have to inform them that I check them regular and keep them at the maximum pressure as stated on the sidewall. I think the standard tires that come on the 13” wheels are specifically for trailer use and I suspect they have stiffer sidewalls.
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Thank you Barry…Very helpful…especially about the tires….Yeah, I’ve seen those low profile tires
and think the same thing about “do you need more air.”
I did place my order and also getting the rear camera. Its wireless. I got it just to know what’s behind
me when traveling. Also might help when backing in to campsite when traveling solo.
All the best and again you’ve been very helpful. Keep enjoying the Alto and camping, Shelly
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Geoff (& Shelly)-
Shelly, which did you go with… 13” or 15”?
I too am concerned driving low profile tire on gravel road and many pot holes…. but I have heard the 15” are better for breaking. Hmmmm
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Thank you for all your info and mods of your Alto 1743.
We picked up ours back this January in BC and love it so far! Ours was their Demo model (which we purchased mid summer of ’18), which is great because when we found out it was an 18 month wait to get a new one, five months seemed like nothing! Lots of upgrades on the demo too, 15″ wheels, micro, solar, bike rack, and HVAC.
I ordered another rear hatch for the port side (but haven’t installed yet) and now that I know that a bathroom window is an option, I’ll be calling the factory for one of those too.
We also wish the counter over the bed hinged, but even if I can source hardware (and figure out some way of reinforcing the cabinet for where the, I’m assuming here, one end of the foldable support would rest), cutting the countertop in place cleanly, because it butts right up to the window frame and trailer “skin”, is going to be an interesting project! While removing the entire countertop for that cut might be possible, I don’t want to go there.
I also plan on modifying the dinette table. We’re not big people either, but I’ve already started to peel the veneer off the cupboard edge over the fridge from squeezing into the seat. A good factory mod would be an aluminum edge here to protect it, similar but smaller, than the one that comes stock on the rear corner of the bathroom. I’m going to Gorilla glue some aluminum angle stock on there to protect the cabinet door from further wear.
I removed all the outside decals too (which on a hot day came off easily). I have nothing against snails, but I’d prefer anything I own not sport huge cartoonish logos!
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Hi Jeremy,
Always good to hear from another happy Alto owner! Will be interested to hear how your dinette table modification goes.
Barry
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Hi Barry, We are very interested in the Alto F2114, however I could not find the heating and cooling information on the website. Also, since we are sometimes in areas that can drop to about 25 degrees at night, how good is the insulation?
Thanks,
Linda
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Hello Linda, Sorry to say the insulation in the alto trailers is negligible.
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Ken, I agree. But I believe that Safari Condo says the Alto is a “3 season” trailer and not designed for winter use.
For nights that go down to 25F I think the Alto heater can keep the trailer reasonably warm if you are using propane. If you are at a site with electricity maybe the heater set to electric might be sufficient, but I’m not sure.
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Hey Barry, so glad I found your webpage…like you, I find it very odd that the Safari Condo people don’t list their optional features. Just wondering if you know whether they offer a composting toilet option instead of flush?
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No composting toilet option that I am aware of.
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are any windows openable? what about ventilation besides the small back window by the bed and the fan above the kitchen? can you get a screen door or screen windows for opening the windows.?
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Rick, all the windows in my F1743 open and are screened, including in the door.
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And I added a small ceiling vent fan in the bathroom, which is not an option available from Safari Condo. See https://electrictravels.blog/2018/09/13/improving-the-already-impressive-alto-trailer/
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Safari Condo doesn’t make it easy to figure out what options are available, you have to check this PDF https://safaricondo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/fiches_safari_condo-ALto-ANG_2021.pdf
I don’t see a composting toilet listed.
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“The F2114 bathroom location and size is the same as the F1743 and the exterior wall material is identical. So why was our bathroom window request refused just months earlier? I have no idea.”
Probably because they didn’t have the TOOLING needed to make that mod an efficient, no-brain production step, namely a template they could slap down over the port side wall to guide the router cut. Without a template, laying out and cutting would be very time consuming and then somebody would still screw it up, making the wall a piece of scrap. I bet these walls aren’t cheap.
If so, they introduced the option in the F2114 because they had developed a template for it. Potentially the same template would work for both F2114 and F2314 since both walls have straight horizontal upper chords in that vicinity. The F1743 wall is curved throughout.
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To PierreH: based on the current Alto spec sheet at https://safaricondo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/fiches_safari_condo-ALto-ANG_avril_2023.pdf it appears that there is an optional roof mounted AC unit for the F2414 but not for any other Alto models. As for a combo microwave/oven, I don’t see anything on the spec sheet. It would likely require more power than a 2000W inverter (which is an option) could handle and the existing space for the microwave it tiny. I would not expect Safari Condo to be able to meet that request.
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