Scout Olympic vs Kenai

PNWExpo

New member
I’ve had a Kenai on order for a number of months now, with a delivery slated for early January. Went down to the local dealer in Portland to look at models that had arrived (all presold) and still like the idea of having one....

Tons of video I shot on Facebook
ScoutCamperOwners

The closet thing I can find on the market are kits or full customs that are much, much more. With that said, they’re not inexpensive either fwiw.
 

svinyard

Active member
Nice pics. I don't have facebook but have seen some of it. Did you get inside of the Yoho? How was the dinette in person (similar dinette as Kenai)? In theory I like that design as it gives us (2 adults and 2 kids) more flexibility to sit down and gear up (ski boots etc) whereas the Olympic was going to be real tight unless the table was removed.

I'm skipping the fridge and the stove, I'd recommend you skip the fridge at least. There is a big thread on that exact fridge here and even after the recall, the details of issues are popping up (latches, electronics). You can get a National Luna fridge from Equipt1 if you get on the list now, they arrive from South Africa in Mid-December.

I'd like to get a Partner Steel 22" Stove...but I'm not sure if that will be too big for the Kenai table area in there. I think the stock stove is 19.5" wide (the black box). I'm sure I could get by with the 18" version from Partner, but 22" definitely gives me more of a traditional cook top. Thoughts? We are out at the coast but hoping to swing by Apache on our way back to the gorge.


I’ve had a Kenai on order for a number of months now, with a delivery slated for early January. Went down to the local dealer in Portland to look at models that had arrived (all presold) and still like the idea of having one....

Tons of video I shot on Facebook
ScoutCamperOwners

The closet thing I can find on the market are kits or full customs that are much, much more. With that said, they’re not inexpensive either fwiw.
 

PNWExpo

New member
Nice pics. I don't have facebook but have seen some of it. Did you get inside of the Yoho? How was the dinette in person (similar dinette as Kenai)? In theory I like that design as it gives us (2 adults and 2 kids) more flexibility to sit down and gear up (ski boots etc) whereas the Olympic was going to be real tight unless the table was removed.

I'm skipping the fridge and the stove, I'd recommend you skip the fridge at least. There is a big thread on that exact fridge here and even after the recall, the details of issues are popping up (latches, electronics). You can get a National Luna fridge from Equipt1 if you get on the list now, they arrive from South Africa in Mid-December.

I'd like to get a Partner Steel 22" Stove...but I'm not sure if that will be too big for the Kenai table area in there. I think the stock stove is 19.5" wide (the black box). I'm sure I could get by with the 18" version from Partner, but 22" definitely gives me more of a traditional cook top. Thoughts? We are out at the coast but hoping to swing by Apache on our way back to the gorge.

Kenai isn’t released?

I was in and through an Olympic, narrow width on the floor, opens up well...

Zero storage...
 

PNWExpo

New member
The tie down system is a miss, ratchets always loosen and making a tie to the factory bed mounts are failure waiting to happen IMO, I’ll need to develop something more robust...

I know I’m brand new to this forum, but having a file size limit on pictures stinks like 2004... ****************.
 

PNWExpo

New member
While I’m critiquing, beds nonexistent. Pretty thin foam, will need to be upgraded and it would have been nice to have doors on the storage areas...
 

PNWExpo

New member
We did end up ordering a Kenai, supposed to arrive in December, and I’ll definitely post pictures of it then. There are a couple walk around videos online for the Olympic, but nothing for the Kenai yet. They also have a fairly active Instagram account with more pictures there.

Unless you need the lower height of a popup, it seems like a no brainer to get the insulated hard side. Supposedly the Olympic they used for the photoshoot had all that extra overlandy stuff mounted onto the panels without much trouble. The newly announced Total Composites camper in a nearby thread is probably also worth considering.

I ordered mine September 16th, I was told January time frame. Would very much like to have it earlier. I’m going through Apache RV, seem like straight shooters And took time to give me a tour of the dozen or so they had on the lot a couple weeks ago.
 

Chorky

Observer
I ordered mine September 16th, I was told January time frame. Would very much like to have it earlier. I’m going through Apache RV, seem like straight shooters And took time to give me a tour of the dozen or so they had on the lot a couple weeks ago.

I recommend being cautious with Apache. Maybe good for sales, but the Everett location kinda screwed my dad on more than on occasion with his 75K Outdoor RV over the last couple years. Without saying details, he told me a few weeks ago he will be learning to do all work on his own from this point forward unless it's warranty coverage. Maybe other Apache locations are better. But I think this can be said for nearly any RV repair shop, sadly.
 

svinyard

Active member
What are the deets? I have to go through Apache, who has been decent for the moment...but I have no experience with them. Fwiw I did talk to their owner Kevin for a long time, that guy was awesome. (he also loves his Olympic a lot). The service stuff is interesting to me as I was thinking of maybe adding in another window to the scouts cabover area perhaps, but I literally have no idea what that would look like or who would install it normally.
 

Chorky

Observer
It was more on the service side - i think his experience with sales was fine aside form the sales folks not even understanding how all of the systems actually worked. But many things. So his trailer had an initial leak of the window seal from being a brand new trailer. The shop, instead of removing the window and replacing the butyl tape like you should, just calked some silicone over the top of it. His main slideout, when fully out, left a 2" gap at the top, striaght from the factory. It took the shop several weeks to understand that was even a problem - at first they told my dad that is normal, which it is not... After forcing the issue, they finally adjusted the slide, so that the seal, when fully out, was actually sealing. They also were not even sure how the solar from the factory worked, or what the battery disconnect actually did - so my dad had to call and have a long conversation with the factory, who also couldn't seem to explain or provide a wiring diagram. So he reverted again to have the shop spend several hours with a DVM testing wires to see how it was actualy wired and what did what and when. Which is super poor quality for a 'high quality' company. Recently, my dad was simply going to have his trailer winterized and maintained. Apparently, over a week later the shop didn't even know they had his trailer and totally forgot. So they rushed the process in one day and now the concern of if they even did winterize, or pack wheel bearings, is in question. Additionally, I can't remember the details, but one aspect of a standard winterizing was not even completed - i think it might have been draining the water heater? So clearly they didn't even do the job he paid for. Needless to say he has zero trust in them now and is worried for when he actually has a legit problem that he cant fix himself. - and at almost $80,000...these things are just not acceptable.

But this is not an abnormality. One of the RV dealers in Tacoma, where I got my little trailer, I had to do a warranty repair on the hot water heater. They removed the entire heater, which was not necessary, and left it outside, with a gaping hole over a weekend apparently. WHen I got it back, there was rat $&^! and piss everywhere... This is my full time home, so, I spent many hours sanitizing everything, washing dishes, cleaning seats, etc... WHen I went to the dealer to talk with the manager, his response - oh well sometimes that happens. Even though you know rats carry disease. And yes, I'm a tad bitter ha. Its difficult to trust people these days it seems.

I would like to hope that incidence is just relating to my dad, who can be a pushover sometimes and not stand up for what is wrong. But, it seems to be a pretty consistent theme these days. So I would say, what you can do yourself, do. And select carefully what you have others do. Sad to say....
 

PNWExpo

New member
I recommend being cautious with Apache. Maybe good for sales, but the Everett location kinda screwed my dad on more than on occasion with his 75K Outdoor RV over the last couple years. Without saying details, he told me a few weeks ago he will be learning to do all work on his own from this point forward unless it's warranty coverage. Maybe other Apache locations are better. But I think this can be said for nearly any RV repair shop, sadly.

Understood...
 

PNWExpo

New member
It was more on the service side - i think his experience with sales was fine aside form the sales folks not even understanding how all of the systems actually worked. But many things. So his trailer had an initial leak of the window seal from being a brand new trailer. The shop, instead of removing the window and replacing the butyl tape like you should, just calked some silicone over the top of it. His main slideout, when fully out, left a 2" gap at the top, striaght from the factory. It took the shop several weeks to understand that was even a problem - at first they told my dad that is normal, which it is not... After forcing the issue, they finally adjusted the slide, so that the seal, when fully out, was actually sealing. They also were not even sure how the solar from the factory worked, or what the battery disconnect actually did - so my dad had to call and have a long conversation with the factory, who also couldn't seem to explain or provide a wiring diagram. So he reverted again to have the shop spend several hours with a DVM testing wires to see how it was actualy wired and what did what and when. Which is super poor quality for a 'high quality' company. Recently, my dad was simply going to have his trailer winterized and maintained. Apparently, over a week later the shop didn't even know they had his trailer and totally forgot. So they rushed the process in one day and now the concern of if they even did winterize, or pack wheel bearings, is in question. Additionally, I can't remember the details, but one aspect of a standard winterizing was not even completed - i think it might have been draining the water heater? So clearly they didn't even do the job he paid for. Needless to say he has zero trust in them now and is worried for when he actually has a legit problem that he cant fix himself. - and at almost $80,000...these things are just not acceptable.

But this is not an abnormality. One of the RV dealers in Tacoma, where I got my little trailer, I had to do a warranty repair on the hot water heater. They removed the entire heater, which was not necessary, and left it outside, with a gaping hole over a weekend apparently. WHen I got it back, there was rat $&^! and piss everywhere... This is my full time home, so, I spent many hours sanitizing everything, washing dishes, cleaning seats, etc... WHen I went to the dealer to talk with the manager, his response - oh well sometimes that happens. Even though you know rats carry disease. And yes, I'm a tad bitter ha. Its difficult to trust people these days it seems.

I would like to hope that incidence is just relating to my dad, who can be a pushover sometimes and not stand up for what is wrong. But, it seems to be a pretty consistent theme these days. So I would say, what you can do yourself, do. And select carefully what you have others do. Sad to say....

One of the largest features on these campers is there shouldn’t be much to fail, fingers crossed. Worst comes to worst I’m an hour south of the factory...
 
Last edited:

GeorgeHayduke

Active member
One of the largest features on these campers is there shouldn’t be much to fail, fingers crossed.

After having gone through the experience of regular RV systems constantly failing, I'm really looking forward to this aspect.

There's also a great video of the Yoho that just went up on Scout's instagram. The interior is basically the same as the Kenai forward of the wardrobe/mudroom so it should answer a lot of questions. They go out of their way to talk about the walls being structural so it sounds like mounting things is very doable.
 

Chorky

Observer
cout's instagram. The interior is basically the same as the Kenai forward of the wardrobe/mudroom so it should answer a lot of questions. They go out of their way to talk about the walls being structura

I'm waiting to see more pics and videos of the Kenai, and some reviews people have - but I am seriously considering this as an option for full time housing. It is nice that it's a blank slate essentially, composite, and can be modified to suit individual needs.
 

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