# 312Bh Vs 323Bh



## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

Merry Christmas everyone. We are preparing to purchase our first Outback within the next couple weeks! We have narrowed it down to the 312 or 323 Bunkhouse models with the Diamond package. Having a hard time deciding which one to go with. We like the idea of having access to the bathroom via a separate door in the 312, but we also love the island kitchen and large corner shower in the 323. I don't believe the bathroom in the 323 is accessible with the slides in. Anyone own either of these great floor plans and have perspective on the pros and cons of each?

Thanks!
Rob


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## Jewellfamily (Sep 25, 2010)

RobNKY said:


> Merry Christmas everyone. We are preparing to purchase our first Outback within the next couple weeks! We have narrowed it down to the 312 or 323 Bunkhouse models with the Diamond package. Having a hard time deciding which one to go with. We like the idea of having access to the bathroom via a separate door in the 312, but we also love the island kitchen and large corner shower in the 323. I don't believe the bathroom in the 323 is accessible with the slides in. Anyone own either of these great floor plans and have perspective on the pros and cons of each?
> 
> Thanks!
> Rob


We have the 312 and really like it. The basic specs are similar enough that you can push them out of the way. Both sleep 10, same basic overall layout, both have outdoor kitchen. the 323 is 700lbs heavier and 6" longer than the 312, so probably not really an issue depending on what you are towing with. The pros of the 312 are really going to be the 2nd door to access the bathroom without having to tromp through the camper every time. My wife likes that feature because she is fussy about keeping things clean. We also like the fact that the entertainment center is centered in the front of the living room and you can swivel the TV to watch laying on the bed if you want too. Not a big deal for me as I don't typically watch TV (even if we have full hookups) but my wife likes the option. She spends more time inside reading, TV, and whatever than I do. I basically sleep in it and spend the rest of my time outside. The 312 you can access the bathroom from the outside door even with the slides in. 
The 323 has some cool features I like, but when I hinted around at it, my wife didn't even give it a second look when it didn't have the outside bathroom door. The 323 has the separate pantry where you have to use the wardrobe/pantry for the 312 which would be nice. Also looks like the 323 has 2-3 extra drawers in the island. 323 also has a hard door going into the main sleep area in the front where the 312 has accordion doors. With the slides going out each way in the kitchen area, the 323 is probably going to feel a little bigger inside even though the extra space is taken up by the island, your eye level is above it. The 323 shower is bigger and nicer.
Best advise would be to get in each one and spend some time checking out the details of each one. You'll probably know pretty quick which one strikes your fancy better as they are so similar, but the decision will probably come down to the items noted above.
Good Luck!


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

Jewellfamily said:


> Merry Christmas everyone. We are preparing to purchase our first Outback within the next couple weeks! We have narrowed it down to the 312 or 323 Bunkhouse models with the Diamond package. Having a hard time deciding which one to go with. We like the idea of having access to the bathroom via a separate door in the 312, but we also love the island kitchen and large corner shower in the 323. I don't believe the bathroom in the 323 is accessible with the slides in. Anyone own either of these great floor plans and have perspective on the pros and cons of each?
> 
> Thanks!
> Rob


We have the 312 and really like it. The basic specs are similar enough that you can push them out of the way. Both sleep 10, same basic overall layout, both have outdoor kitchen. the 323 is 700lbs heavier and 6" longer than the 312, so probably not really an issue depending on what you are towing with. The pros of the 312 are really going to be the 2nd door to access the bathroom without having to tromp through the camper every time. My wife likes that feature because she is fussy about keeping things clean. We also like the fact that the entertainment center is centered in the front of the living room and you can swivel the TV to watch laying on the bed if you want too. Not a big deal for me as I don't typically watch TV (even if we have full hookups) but my wife likes the option. She spends more time inside reading, TV, and whatever than I do. I basically sleep in it and spend the rest of my time outside. The 312 you can access the bathroom from the outside door even with the slides in. 
The 323 has some cool features I like, but when I hinted around at it, my wife didn't even give it a second look when it didn't have the outside bathroom door. The 323 has the separate pantry where you have to use the wardrobe/pantry for the 312 which would be nice. Also looks like the 323 has 2-3 extra drawers in the island. 323 also has a hard door going into the main sleep area in the front where the 312 has accordion doors. With the slides going out each way in the kitchen area, the 323 is probably going to feel a little bigger inside even though the extra space is taken up by the island, your eye level is above it. The 323 shower is bigger and nicer.
Best advise would be to get in each one and spend some time checking out the details of each one. You'll probably know pretty quick which one strikes your fancy better as they are so similar, but the decision will probably come down to the items noted above.
Good Luck!
[/quote]


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks Jewell Family for the info. Glad you love your 312bh!! The comparison points you mentioned are the same things we are thinking about. I think the bathroom access without slides extended will end up swaying us to the 312, but hopefully others will chime in with their point of view.

Rob


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Be sure to look at the cargo capacity, especially on the 323. Unless they upgraded the frame, the 323 can only carry about 600lbs of gear after water. That is woefully inadequate for a trailer of that size. Do not trust the Keystone website on this, be sure to look at the actual cargo capacity sticker on the front driver side of the trailer or the sticker on the inside of the entry door.

DAN


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

TwoElkhounds said:


> Be sure to look at the cargo capacity, especially on the 323. Unless they upgraded the frame, the 323 can only carry about 600lbs of gear after water. That is woefully inadequate for a trailer of that size. Do not trust the Keystone website on this, be sure to look at the actual cargo capacity sticker on the front driver side of the trailer or the sticker on the inside of the entry door.
> 
> DAN


Thanks Dan. Excellent point. The first thing I'm going to do, regardless of which floor plan we get, is head straight to the CAT scales and get the real weights for everything. Then I'll know for sure how much we can carry.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

RobNKY said:


> Be sure to look at the cargo capacity, especially on the 323. Unless they upgraded the frame, the 323 can only carry about 600lbs of gear after water. That is woefully inadequate for a trailer of that size. Do not trust the Keystone website on this, be sure to look at the actual cargo capacity sticker on the front driver side of the trailer or the sticker on the inside of the entry door.
> 
> DAN


Thanks Dan. Excellent point. The first thing I'm going to do, regardless of which floor plan we get, is head straight to the CAT scales and get the real weights for everything. Then I'll know for sure how much we can carry.
[/quote]

You need to consider this before you purchase! Once you have the trailer, there is nothing you can do to increase the cargo capacity. I would hate to see you make a purchase, only to find out after the fact that you can't bring anything with you. I do not know your level of experience with trailers, but everyone on this forum will tell you that the stuff you bring weighs far more than you think. You will eat up over 200 lbs of that 600 lb capacity just with essentials such as hitch hardware, batteries, tools, bedding, etc. That will leave you with less than 400 lbs for your gear, clothes, food, toys, etc. Not even close to enough capacity for a trailer of this size. All those beautiful spacious cabinets in your trailer will be empty. You will be eating on paper plates with plastic forks to save weight (don't ask how I know this). Either that, or you will be overloaded.

Look at the stickers on the actual trailer you plan to purchase and see what it says regarding cargo capacity. The values listed will be in kg. If it were me, I would not purchase a trailer with less than 1500lbs (680kgs) cargo without water, preferably 2000 lbs (907kgs) capacity. Our 301BQ has around 1800lbs of cargo capacity and I can tell you we use every bit of it (have you considered the 301BQ?).

I don't want to be a buzz kill, I just want you to know about this issue prior to signing on the dotted line. There are several threads on this very site where people have discovered this after the fact. Several of them specifically deal with the low cargo capacity of the 323.

What Keystone is doing on these larger trailers borders on unethical. They fill the trailers with all sorts of bling to draw people in to the purchase, yet the foundation that they put the trailer on is inadequate for the task. Either the customer will not be able to fully use the trailer as intended, or they will be overloaded putting themselves and others at risk. Don't be distracted by the bling, this is what Keystone is counting on. Look at the foundation first, once you have confirmed it is solid, then you can look at the bling.

DAN


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## therink (May 13, 2010)

TwoElkhounds said:


> Be sure to look at the cargo capacity, especially on the 323. Unless they upgraded the frame, the 323 can only carry about 600lbs of gear after water. That is woefully inadequate for a trailer of that size. Do not trust the Keystone website on this, be sure to look at the actual cargo capacity sticker on the front driver side of the trailer or the sticker on the inside of the entry door.
> 
> DAN


Thanks Dan. Excellent point. The first thing I'm going to do, regardless of which floor plan we get, is head straight to the CAT scales and get the real weights for everything. Then I'll know for sure how much we can carry.
[/quote]

You need to consider this before you purchase! Once you have the trailer, there is nothing you can do to increase the cargo capacity. I would hate to see you make a purchase, only to find out after the fact that you can't bring anything with you. I do not know your level of experience with trailers, but everyone on this forum will tell you that the stuff you bring weighs far more than you think. You will eat up over 200 lbs of that 600 lb capacity just with essentials such as hitch hardware, batteries, tools, bedding, etc. That will leave you with less than 400 lbs for your gear, clothes, food, toys, etc. Not even close to enough capacity for a trailer of this size. All those beautiful spacious cabinets in your trailer will be empty. You will be eating on paper plates with plastic forks to save weight (don't ask how I know this). Either that, or you will be overloaded.

Look at the stickers on the actual trailer you plan to purchase and see what it says regarding cargo capacity. The values listed will be in kg. If it were me, I would not purchase a trailer with less than 1500lbs (680kgs) cargo without water, preferably 2000 lbs (907kgs) capacity. Our 301BQ has around 1800lbs of cargo capacity and I can tell you we use every bit of it (have you considered the 301BQ?).

I don't want to be a buzz kill, I just want you to know about this issue prior to signing on the dotted line. There are several threads on this very site where people have discovered this after the fact. Several of them specifically deal with the low cargo capacity of the 323.

What Keystone is doing on these larger trailers borders on unethical. They fill the trailers with all sorts of bling to draw people in to the purchase, yet the foundation that they put the trailer on is inadequate for the task. Either the customer will not be able to fully use the trailer as intended, or they will be overloaded putting themselves and others at risk. Don't be distracted by the bling, this is what Keystone is counting on. Look at the foundation first, once you have confirmed it is solid, then you can look at the bling.

DAN
[/quote]

I second what Dan is saying. The cargo weight limit on my 340fbh fiver is 1800 lbs. Loaded up for my family of 4, I took it to the scale and found out I had 1700 lbs of cargo on board. This is not packing heavy, just the stuff we use, drink, eat, wear plus bikes, outdoor gear, tools, etc. I was amazed how stuff adds up. If I found out I only had 800 lbs cargo capacity, I would be SOL and very upset that I did not do my homework. 
Steve


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks guys. I do appreciate the caution on carrying capacity. My prior trailer experience was with a high wall pop-up, which weighed close to 4,000 pounds. We sold it last summer, and this will be our first big league travel trailer, but I'm not a total newbie. The dealer is quoting the 312Bh cargo capacity at about 1,400 pounds while the 323Bh at only 965. This is an argument in favor of the 312Bh in my book.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

therink said:


> I second what Dan is saying. The cargo weight limit on my 340fbh fiver is 1800 lbs. Loaded up for my family of 4, I took it to the scale and found out I had 1700 lbs of cargo on board. This is not packing heavy, just the stuff we use, drink, eat, wear plus bikes, outdoor gear, tools, etc. I was amazed how stuff adds up. If I found out I only had 800 lbs cargo capacity, I would be SOL and very upset that I did not do my homework.
> Steve


It is not even only your gear, think about potential upgrades you may want to make. On my trailer, I upgraded to the larger AC, installed two Fantastic vent fans, added a ladder on the back, installed 4 golf cart batteries on the tongue, installed a TV in the bedroom, another TV in the bunkhouse, upgraded the stock living room TV to a much larger version, put a cargo bin on the back of the trailer, added slide out drawers in the cabinets, installed an inverter, added back up lights, installed additional outlets and circuits, added wifi antenna and booster, etc. All of this is now part of the trailer, not really even gear. All was necessary for us to be able to use the trailer as we wanted. All of it subtracts from the cargo capacity of the trailer. So, factor this in with essentials and a 600 lb cargo capacity and you barely have enough capacity left for beer and liquer.

Again, I would never buy a trailer with less than 1500lbs cargo capacity.

DAN


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

And Dan, we actually did look at the 301BQ. Really love the private rear bedroom which is relatively spacious. Wife really wants a separate room for the kids with lots of storage and another sofa. But, this is a great floor plan and worth another look when we go back to the dealer.


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## Todd&Regan (Jul 1, 2010)

That's a tough decision. My wife and looked at both 3 months ago when we were shopping for a new Outback. We ended up purchasing a 301BQ due to the floorplan being suitable for our needs, and because it is shorter and lighter than than a 312 and 323.......I tow with an F-150. Plus the 301BQ has a pretty generous cargo carrying capacity of about 2000LBS. If you will be towing with a 3/4 or 1 ton truck, trailer weight won't be an issue. We liked both the 312 and 323, but my wife liked the 323 a little more because of the island kitchen. As far as cargo carrying capacity, there is only about a 185 pound difference between the two. Good luck with your decision, and welcome to Outbackers!

Todd


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

RobNKY said:


> And Dan, we actually did look at the 301BQ. Really love the private rear bedroom which is relatively spacious. Wife really wants a separate room for the kids with lots of storage and another sofa. But, this is a great floor plan and worth another look when we go back to the dealer.


The room for the kids is realy nice on the 312 and the 323, no denying that. Our kids are a little older so not much of an issue for us. As for cargo, the 301BQ has tons of cargo space, especially outside. As I recall the 323 and 312 suffer in outdoor storage space. You will never regret having a lot of outdoor storage space. Also, tons of cargo space is not of much use if the trailer cargo capacity does not allow you to fill up all the spaces. This alone would push me to the 312 or 301BQ.

Good luck on your decision.

DAN


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

BTW - You did not mention where you intend to purchase from? By you screen name, can we assume you are from Kentucky? If so, I would look at purchasing from Holman's RV in Cincinatti Ohio. They have the lowest prices you will ever find on Outback's, well worth a drive from Kentucky. You can at least use their prices as leverage with your local dealer.

I live in eastern upstate New York and bought from Holman's, about a 12 hour drive for me. Saved many thousands of dollars, even after considering the time and diesel. So even if you are not from Kentucky, it still may pay for you.

Just another piece of advice.

Good luck.

DAN


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

Dan-yes we are in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. Have been working with a salesman at Holman's in Batavia for a few weeks. I can't say enough good things about Holman's. Not only are their prices great, they have been extremely helpful and patient with us. Our salesman is top notch on customer service. He responds within an hour or two to any emails I send him even on his day off. Has never been pushy or tried to rush us into a decision. He also introduced us to the Holman family when we were there recently. They are very transparent on pricing. I took our pop-up in a couple times for service, and I felt their service department was very good as well. I feel very fortunate to have such a strong Outback dealer within 30 minutes of my front door.

Now, you've really got us taking another look at the 301BQ. Hmmm...this is going to be a hard decision.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Think about that nice, large private master bedroom on the 301BQ with the wood door. Maybe you could find something useful to do with that area.


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

I'm not sure what this says about me, but that was already on my list of "pros" for this floor plan! I think momma is going to want the big outdoor kitchen though.



TwoElkhounds said:


> Think about that nice, large private master bedroom on the 301BQ with the wood door. Maybe you could find something useful to do with that area.


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## Todd&Regan (Jul 1, 2010)

Just want to add a comment to my prior post, even if I had a bigger truck, I would still have selected the 301BQ. My wife and love the large rear master bedroom and the quad bunkhouse in the front for the kids. The salesman at Holman's might try to push you into a 312 or 323 since they have plenty of those on their lot and no 301's....except for the used one.


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## Todd&Regan (Jul 1, 2010)

TwoElkhounds said:


> Think about that nice, large private master bedroom on the 301BQ with the wood door. Maybe you could find something useful to do with that area.


LOL!!!! The DW and I can't wait to finally get out in our new 301BQ......and yes, try out that large private master bedroom!


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

Todd&Regan said:


> Think about that nice, large private master bedroom on the 301BQ with the wood door. Maybe you could find something useful to do with that area.


LOL!!!! The DW and I can't wait to finally get out in our new 301BQ......and yes, try out that large private master bedroom!
[/quote]

For you guys with the 301, do you regret not having the big outdoor kitchen? what kind of access do you have inside with the slides full retracted. decisions, decisions


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

RobNKY said:


> For you guys with the 301, do you regret not having the big outdoor kitchen? what kind of access do you have inside with the slides full retracted. decisions, decisions


We create our own outdoor kitchen. Here is our standard setup we use. All the stoves and grills run off of the trailer propane. We only use the Outback kitchen stove if we need overflow burners.





When our neighbor the chef comes camping with us, we add a few more burners for him.



As for the fridge, it is of little use to us as we mostly dry camp. It only runs on electrical, no hookups, no outdoor fridge. It is still usefull for storing drinks and such, but we just use a cooler for that. Beer out of a cooler tastes better anyway.

When the slides are retracted, you cannot walk to the back of the trailer. You have to put the slide out a bit to get into the bathroom, maybe a foot or so depending on your girth. Not a big deal.

DAN


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## W5CI (Apr 21, 2009)

I cant believe you guys carry so much stuff, a case of beer and a case of cokes and sone snack food, some bed clothes and away we go, never have put any water in the fresh water tank. and dont forget the Tailgater satelite antenna. good Luck with your Purchase


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## Todd&Regan (Jul 1, 2010)

For us the big outdoor kitchen is not a big deal. The outdoor two stove burners work well for cooking eggs, sausage and other foods that would stink up the inside of the camper. A cooler works well for drinks to save of space in the fridge. As far as space with the slides retracted, like most other campers the 301BQ has very little space. But you can still get to the front bunks easily, and the master bedroom through the rear door.


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

We ended up buying a 2014 312BH Diamond Edition today in the Truffle decor! Bought from Eddie Holmberg at Holman's and it could not have been a better buying experience. Highly recommend Holman's and Eddie.

The unit we bought does have solid sliding doors in the front bedroom. I think this is a change from prior year models of this floor plan.

A huge thank you to the forum for all the information and perspective during our pre-decision making process!

Happy New Year!

Rob


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## Todd&Regan (Jul 1, 2010)

Congratulations and enjoy your new Outback!!!


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Congratulations on the new Outback!! The Diamond Package looks nice, very jealous!

Now you are all set up to join us at the Cedar Point rally next June/July! Just sayin.....


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

TwoElkhounds said:


> Congratulations on the new Outback!! The Diamond Package looks nice, very jealous!
> 
> Now you are all set up to join us at the Cedar Point rally next June/July! Just sayin.....


We really wanted to attend the rally, but have a trip planned already to Mt. Rushmore for the same week.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

RobNKY said:


> Congratulations on the new Outback!! The Diamond Package looks nice, very jealous!
> 
> Now you are all set up to join us at the Cedar Point rally next June/July! Just sayin.....


We really wanted to attend the rally, but have a trip planned already to Mt. Rushmore for the same week.








[/quote]

Mount Rushmore is a great trip. Hopefully you are going to see the Badlands and Yellowstone as well?

We will also be going to Cedar Point at the end of August, if interested. We are CP junkies and go several times a year. If you or your kids like roller coasters, there is no better place on earth.

DAN


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## RobNKY (Sep 3, 2013)

TwoElkhounds said:


> Congratulations on the new Outback!! The Diamond Package looks nice, very jealous!
> 
> Now you are all set up to join us at the Cedar Point rally next June/July! Just sayin.....


We really wanted to attend the rally, but have a trip planned already to Mt. Rushmore for the same week.








[/quote]

Mount Rushmore is a great trip. Hopefully you are going to see the Badlands and Yellowstone as well?

We will also be going to Cedar Point at the end of August, if interested. We are CP junkies and go several times a year. If you or your kids like roller coasters, there is no better place on earth.

DAN
[/quote]

I do like coasters. We went to CP a few years ago but kids were too young to ride much. Would love it now. We go to Kings Island here in Cincy a few times a year -- you need to come ride Banshee next year! The Mt Rushmore trip is with my sons Boy Scout troop, so we don't control the itinerary. Unfortunately Yellowstone is not on the agenda, so we'll have to go again!

Rob


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## Matt T. (Mar 27, 2010)

We are also deciding between the 323bh and the 312. I will say the sticker on the trailers say the weight is calculated with a full water tank and empty black and grey tanks. Still, the cargo capacity of the 323bh is concerning.



TwoElkhounds said:


> And Dan, we actually did look at the 301BQ. Really love the private rear bedroom which is relatively spacious. Wife really wants a separate room for the kids with lots of storage and another sofa. But, this is a great floor plan and worth another look when we go back to the dealer.


The room for the kids is realy nice on the 312 and the 323, no denying that. Our kids are a little older so not much of an issue for us. As for cargo, the 301BQ has tons of cargo space, especially outside. As I recall the 323 and 312 suffer in outdoor storage space. You will never regret having a lot of outdoor storage space. Also, tons of cargo space is not of much use if the trailer cargo capacity does not allow you to fill up all the spaces. This alone would push me to the 312 or 301BQ.

Good luck on your decision.

DAN
[/quote]


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## ARzark (Aug 9, 2005)

We're about to pull the trigger (potentially) on our 3rd Outback. Have not seen it up close and in person yet but the 323 is our top choice. Now that I see this info concerning actual weight capacity, well.... That won't work for us. It's been a while since I have been around here. Glad to see the helpful and valuable Outbacker info once again. Thanks!


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## Bishopss (Sep 9, 2014)

We love our 323. The outdoor kitchen can't be beat. The TV swivel inside and second TV in the bunk house is ideal. Weight is not an issue.

We bungie the bathroom door open to the closed master bed door for access to the bath and master when the large slide is closed.


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