Front Runner Outfitters Bought by Dometic

[mitherial]

"DOMETIC ACQUIRES FRONT RUNNER VEHICLE OUTFITTERS"
https://www.dometic.com/en-za/outdoor/za/news/global/dometic-acquires-front-runner-vehicle-outfitters

Interesting --this is actually from back in March, but the first that I've heard of it.
I have not used Dometic's 12-volt coolers (other than seeing them at conventions), but they seem to be well-regarded and reasonably priced (I think I read somewhere that they are now the manufacturing source for ARB's coolers?).

FrontRunner seems to have been thriving in recent years ($35 million in sales is very impressive for what used to be a niche outdoor equipment company)--I hope that this move does not mess things up.

 

[WreckITFrank]

Fun fact, when I chatted with Dometic at a local show not long ago, they said that ARB and others that use them as an OEM have the year prior tech. So any native Dometic cooler uses a newer compressor and relation to model year. So this years ARB cooler is using last years Dometic compressor.

 

[mitherial]

The 12-volt fridge "purists" all (at least used to) swear by Engel (and maybe National Luna's) "Sawafuji Swing" compressor motors. I have an Engel MT45 and the overpriced giant ARB Element, both of which are quite satisfactory (though the ARB is the wrong shape to pack around, being "low and wide" instead of "tall and narrow").

The two biggest risks I see with Dometec buying FR are that (1) they contract their inventory for older vehicles and stop making all of the quirky bolt-on parts for Defenders (be sure to check FR's Europe or ZA sites which have more items than the American site), and (2) that they offshore production and quality suffers (though lower prices would certainly be welcome--my last FR order was serous $$$ ).

 

[Napalm00]

Fun fact, when I chatted with Dometic at a local show not long ago, they said that ARB and others that use them as an OEM have the year prior tech. So any native Dometic cooler uses a newer compressor and relation to model year. So this years ARB cooler is using last years Dometic compressor.

Kinda sounds the the electronics guys in Brooklyn " it's got the Sony guts buddy, good deal!"

 

[javelinadave]

 

[Napalm00]

funny due to accuracy

 

[xplorutah]

I have a Dometic fridge in the FWC. It cools at a rate of about 10 degrees per hour which from what I gather is typical for an RV style fridge. My Engel that I use cools it to temp in about 30 minutes. Not sure why the compressor's used are so different but they are by fridge style from what I understand. I unplugged the Dometic and use the Engel instead, I have history with the Engel and trust it. Besides being top load it holds more.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with the space the Dometic occupies, and where to more permanently place my Engel.

 

[MountainD]

My dometic cfx has been great. At the time, a couple/few years ago when it came out, I believe compressor was most efficient for current draw at set temp which was important to me due to battery draw. Regardless of that, it has been great.