Roseann and I have owned our share of vehicles incorporating all the overlanding “mod cons,” as the Brits would say: Four Wheel Campers with internal showers, water heaters, dinettes, queen-size beds, fridge and sink, etc. Our HZJ75 Troop Carrier likewise has a pop-top with bed, cabinets, stove, fridge, pressure water, a 270-degree awning . . .
Last August and September, however, when we traveled to Alaska in part to do research for my second novel, we couldn’t drive up due to the continued border closure with Canada. Instead, we flew to Fairbanks with a lightweight camping outfit and rented a Suburban. And on a trip up the Dalton Highway we rediscovered the joys of basic camping. We slept (very comfortably) in the back of the vehicle in sleeping bags on top of Thermarests. We used a small single-burner stove for cooking, and we carried a 10x10-foot silnylon tarp for shade and rain protection. We did miss having a fridge, but otherwise the simplicity, and freedom from numerous complex infrastructure systems, had its own kind of attraction.
Thus, after buying a cool old cabin in Fairbanks and purchasing a 2014 Tundra for an Alaska vehicle, we decided (for the moment, at least!) to stay simple with this one. We bought a “Double Cab,” in Toyota speak—actually more like an extended extracab with a 6.5-foot bed—so we can sleep in the back. In the interests of fuel economy we installed an A.R.E. cab-height fiberglass shell, which still offers plenty of sit-up headroom. Further enhancements will be evaluated on an as-needed-or-desired basis.
One thing we didn’t want to do without was that fridge. Even in Alaska, the freedom from the ice-refill chore is a blessing. (Try buying ice along the 400 miles of the Dalton. Go ahead.) But in keeping with our semi-minimalist philosophy, we didn’t want an 80-liter National Luna with separate freezer compartment. All we wanted was room to keep beer and white wine cold, along with milk and cream, fresh vegetables, and meat. I wanted it to fit behind the driver’s seat of the Tundra with the 2/3 back seat flipped up. And I didn’t want to spend $2,000.
I found exactly what I wanted at Dometic. I’ve been paying more and more attention to the company in the last couple of years, as they’ve been introducing an avalanche of outstandingly well-designed new products, from fridges to chairs and tables and a clever water-carrying system, all of which actually stand out in a marketplace overfilled with undistinguished offerings.
The CFX3-35 is in many ways a throwback to the early days of the Engel, even though it supports a Bluetooth capability I’ll never use. The flat, step-onable lid incorporates a simple lifting latch—lift the latch and lift the lid. It opens lengthwise and lengthwise only. The spring-loaded handles also serve as tie-down points—no need for an optional kit. The display is clear and the controls make the owner’s manual redundant. An interior LED illuminates better than most interior lights I’ve used.
I drilled and bolted suitably strong tie-downs to the rear seat bases in the Tundra, using my favorite all-around tie-down loops: the comically named Canyon Dancer strap rings. (I did a real torture test of these here years ago. Forget the outdated links and just Google them if you want some. I keep a dozen at a time on hand because I’m always finding applications for them.)
To ensure the fridge remained powered without endangering starting capability, I installed a Genesis dual-battery kit, which fits entirely within the stock battery placement of any 2008-2021 Tundra. Look for a review soon.
On my subsequent 4,000-mile drive to Fairbanks (solo; Roseann was teaching a field arts class in Wyoming) with a cargo trailer full of household goods, the Dometic did just what it’s supposed to. I had cold beer or wine each night, cold cream for coffee and cold milk for cereal in the morning, and cold cold-cuts for lunch. Luxurious. (Speaking of luxurious, I slept in the back of the truck in one of Born Outdoor’s Badger Beds, about which much more later. In fact I’m still sleeping in it while I sort out the cabin.)
At under $1,000, I think the Dometic CFX3-35 is a solid buy. The line of course includes many other sizes, along with dual-zone units if you desire freezing capability along with refrigeration.
Dometic is here.