Real world advice on truck bed campers

[jstubbs]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year all,

Can anyone here testify their experience with truck bed campers? Looking to hear the good, bad and ugly. How much of a pain are they to load/unload? And how is it driving with them?

I would be downsizing from a 27' high roof 5th wheel that has long been way too much trailer than needed. Just want something smaller and convenient to get out camping and road tripping with + be able to also pull the quads or boat.

Thanks!

[fishunter327]

After doing a 3 year long rebuild of an 1988 8 ft bigfoot truck camper I can say I love using it. The 5th wheel we have stays at home now . I put electric jacks on it this year and is a great bonus for dropping it off at the lake when the truck is needed . Wifey likes the inside toilet for night time and roadside use. I added an outside shower and find it very handy.

[Savage Bacon]

What are you carrying it with?

That's eventylually our plan too. One ton truck and sell the trailer. Right now we're taking 2 trips out west every time. One with the camper and one with the flat deck quad trailer.

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[3blade]

Pretty great for getting into places you wouldn’t want to pull a trailer. Have enough truck, and enough traction, and recovery gear. And make sure your toy trailer isn’t the limiting factor. Good for one, or two people who like each other. Not good for more. If considering it for hunting use, get an insulated/winter rated one.

Driving was great, but we had a (brand new at the time) ‘06 dodge with a 5.9 Cummins, lift kit, and duratracs. I never once unloaded it, never needed to, so I can’t speak to that. I didn’t want to leave my expensive gear around for the more equals to steal/burn back then, and I sure as hell haven’t changed my opinion today.

If you are pulling off maintained roads into reserved, RV hook up sites, I’d bet you’ll wish you kept the space you currently have. Think real hard on how much you’ll actually use the toys. Lot of times downsizing doesnt go as planned, if you are already fine not using them and there is a woman involved.

[Hunter65]

2012 Chev 2500 diesel with a 6'6" box. Carried a 8'11" Slumber Queen, older maybe late 80's early 90's model. Not overly heavy like today's campers. Loading and unloading was straight forward but intimidating as the camper had to be jacked up quite high to get over the tailgate
and into the box. As long as you are on flat level ground loading and unloading is good, anything else becomes tricky. Soft ground can be a problem, use plywood pads or boards under the jack feet. It had hydraulic jacks which were fine but slow. Get quality tie downs, pricey but worth it. With a longer camper and a shortbox, you need to make sure the center of gravity is ahead of the rear axle, which mine was by about an inch. I also pulled a 12' flatdeck with a SXS. Handled very well with no issues. Even when I thought I was too heavy. I put airbags on the truck but didn't need them. I did need a hitch 3' extension to get the hitch past the tailgate, no problems. Sold it and now have a giant toy hauler. For 2 people, I'd go back to a truck camper in a flash (but a roomy trailer is nice).
Make sure the camper is taller than the truck cab. I had one that wasn't and had to build a platform for the truck bed to get the clearance over the cab. Big hassle.

Properly set up, truck campers are awesome.

[ghfalls]

I had one for a few years and loved it. It had electric jacks which made loading and unloading easy. It was an older 9.5’ model and you definitely felt it on a one ton dually. But the beauty of being able to camp wherever you can drive your truck was priceless. I will 100 percent have another one one day. I’d even like to have a little camperette for solo hunting trips. A north south bed is a plus too.

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by ghfalls

I had one for a few years and loved it. It had electric jacks which made loading and unloading easy. It was an older 9.5’ model and you definitely felt it on a one ton dually. But the beauty of being able to camp wherever you can drive your truck was priceless. I will 100 percent have another one one day. I’d even like to have a little camperette for solo hunting trips. A north south bed is a plus too.

Don’t have a cab over but my bumper pull has an east west bed. I second the north south bed as a HUGE plus!!

[jstubbs]

Originally Posted by Savage Bacon

What are you carrying it with?

That's eventylually our plan too. One ton truck and sell the trailer. Right now we're taking 2 trips out west every time. One with the camper and one with the flat deck quad trailer.

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I have a 2000 Ford one ton dually long box. Payload rating is around 4,000 lb iirc. But think I’d almost like to find one that is built for a 3/4 ton. Don’t need anything with a slide. Just bed, dinette, kictehnette, storage and maybe a bathroom are what I’m thinking would be perfect.

I hear you though. Pain in the butt trying to get the toys out camping with the trailer and running b train with a 5th wheel just doesn’t sound up my alley after seeing how cheap most RVs are built. Plus no BC.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Being a bit of a minimalist, I've always liked the smaller sizes, happy with an 8 ft. , all you really need and few places you can't take it. The idea of dragging your house along when you go "camping" seems stupid to this cowboy.

[Nova]

If you've already got a 1 ton dually you are off to a good start. It is hard to beat a Bigfoot or Northern Lite. Just be aware that while they are much less prone to water issues, they still do have issues. Particularly around compartments. These days finding a good deal can be a bit tough, they jumped a fair bit in price during COVID. I still see the odd deal out there but they sell quick. If you're intent on going this route I would suggest you get your truck set up with the tie downs now, buy some Torklift AnchorGuard or FastGuns and be ready to pounce when you find what you are looking for.

Ease of loading and unloading is helped a lot with the right equipment and a bit of practice. The aforementioned FastGuns pop off really quick. Electric jacks are super efficient. Wireless electric is even better. Unloading is really quick, not much more than 5 minutes. Loading can vary, ground conditions are the biggest factor. I would say on the fast side I could have it loaded in under 15 minutes, some days might stretch closer to a half hour if there are ground issues.

As far as driving, I think it is pretty much what you'd expect it to be. 50km/h cross winds definitely aren't fun. Headwinds kill fuel mileage in a hurry. I try to cut back to 80km/h when I can do it without burdening other traffic (quiet highways with clear sightlines for passing), makes a huge difference in my fuel mileage. I went from a single axle to tandem boat trailer this year and it is amazing how much it cleaned up the ride.

[Dean2]

Make sure the one you buy has electric jacks set wide enough to load into a Dually. Not all of them will without modifications to the jack mounting plates.

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Being a bit of a minimalist, I've always liked the smaller sizes, happy with an 8 ft. , all you really need and few places you can't take it. The idea of dragging your house along when you go "camping" seems stupid to this cowboy.

I just shake my head at some of these monstrosity 5'th wheels going down the road. I can't help but to think someone is camping all wrong. But that's just me.

[bat119]

Had an 8' on a 3/4 ton used it a lot for hunting and fishing

Pro's
freedom to sleep anywhere perfect for overnighters
pull over for a hot lunch when traveling
Pull a boat

Con's
unloading the unit
Launching a boat is very difficult
the furnace was loud like a 747 kicking in
If you need to take your truck somewhere while camping you have to break camp
Not much room for storage lawn chairs were a problem

While I liked it the wife didn't sold it bought a a pull behind

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by does it ALL outdoors

I just shake my head at some of these monstrosity 5'th wheels going down the road. I can't help but to think someone is camping all wrong. But that's just me.

I can't believe folks need more than a lean-to and a Buffalo robe. I can't help but think someone is camping all wrong. But that's just me.

With respect to launching a boat, a ball hitch on the front makes launching and recovery very slick and easy. Works especially well if you have a longer than your box camper.

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by does it ALL outdoors

I just shake my head at some of these monstrosity 5'th wheels going down the road. I can't help but to think someone is camping all wrong. But that's just me.

What is the right way to camp?
I worry that maybe I've never done it right.
This is so embarrassing...

[Stinky Buffalo]

My hunting buddy and I use one for hunting. It’s a Falcon that he inherited from his parents.

It’s an 8-foot older one, with a pretty good setup. No bathroom, which keeps things simple and gives us enough room inside. Comfy for two big guys and hunting/winter gear.

He uses it with his wife and two teenage kids and it works for them. A lot really depends on expectations of comfort.

For solo hunting, even a camperette would work for me, but I do like a bit more comfort on longer outings.

[ctd]

I have been running a Adventure 910 Fws for a number of years now. It has electric jacks and I had the jack extenders but gave them away to a friend with a dually.
I had a 03 Reg Cab Dodge long box3/4 ton, then a 05 quad cab 1 ton and now a 2012 quad cab long box 1 ton both SRW.
Pay attention to your weights. I went from a fully loaded truck and trailer with 250lbs extra on the rear axle and 100-150lbs front to being maxed on the rear axle when fully loaded for hunting season. Not a big deal for the most part if your tires are rated for the weight at these trucks use the same axles for SRW and DRW. But if your going into BC and get pulled in things will suck.

If I am travelling a far distance I will leave my water tank empty until I get close to where I was heading. I ensure my torsion bars on the trailer are set up properly to take some weight off the rear axle.

I don't really have much to complain about, put it in the back of the truck, load the jeep and quad on the trailer and head off to the woods or vacation.

I get into a few areas my friends wont or cant reasonably bring their tow behinds into.
Getting into and out of the camper can be pain, especially if you have a few drinks, it was sleeting out and the steps are icy.

Make sure you get one with a decent sized fridge and freezer.

Otherwise I dont think you will regret it unless you want lots of space for people and gear.

[fishnguy]

No experience with it, but I just wanted to say it is quite a shock for me to find out from this thread that a camper like that can have a washroom in it. I had no idea. I have never used any type of camper at all (tent kind of a guy/family), so…

I can say that I used to have a neighbour who has one. He would throw that in the bed, strap his bike (as in motorcycle) to the front of the truck, hook his boat at the back and off he went for a couple/few weeks in the summer. Looked super convenient and all a guy would ever need, really.

Good luck and happy new year, stubbs!

[~altiplano~]

I'm in the market for a truck camper this year. Considering a new generation minimalist composite build - either Total Composites or Scout Kenai. I have a F350 SRW with a 4K payload, but going with a sub 1500lbs or sub 1000lbs camper even is appealing to me.

[jstubbs]

Thanks for all the great insights, advice and anecdotes.

Some quick questions:

-Does anyone run a rubber bed mat under their camper? I saw this is highly recommended to help the camper from wanting to slide around in the box but wondering if it makes enough difference

-My truck already has the camper bars installed, no idea what the brand is (front ones are there chrome bars and I’ve never seen others like it, rears are the typical steel metal square tubes)—are most of the turnbuckle tiedowns that connect the bars to the camper universal? Does it matter much if a guy just used his own chain and turnbuckle rather than something store bought?

-Any recommendations for tires? Truck desperately needs new rubber before I can load anything on it. Don’t think I’ll do a ton of off highway use but wouldn’t mind having something with a little meat in the event I do.

Been eyeing up a model in Calgary that looks pretty much exactly what I’m looking for (even has the jack extensions for a dually—thanks for the great advice on that Dean). Trying to get everything in order so I can drive down and take it home if I end up liking it.

[calgarychef]

I got one last spring on a whim, it’s a late 80’s model and I thought I’d have to fix lots of stuff in it. To my surprise everything worked! I had to run a new pet waterline as the old stuff had frozen and split. Other than that no issues at all.
Driving down the road is so much nicer than hauling a trailer and when I get sleepy a nap in a real bed isn’t far away. Be sure to get good tie downs, I went to trailer town in Calgary and they fixed me up. Mine is quite light and easy to carry with the 3/4 ton, your truck is going to be a big deciding factor.

I spent almost 5 months living in the camper this summer. Don’t expect to cook and wash dishes easily. I didn’t use the toilet even once, they’re really cramped. For one person campers are perfect. My buddy and I hunt out of his Bigfoot, it’s way bigger than my camper but my truck would never carry that big beast of a camper. Choose your truck well, mines a short box, that’s very limiting.

[Duramaximos]

Originally Posted by jstubbs

Thanks for all the great insights, advice and anecdotes.



Some quick questions:



-Does anyone run a rubber bed mat under their camper? I saw this is highly recommended to help the camper from wanting to slide around in the box but wondering if it makes enough difference



-My truck already has the camper bars installed, no idea what the brand is (front ones are there chrome bars and I’ve never seen others like it, rears are the typical steel metal square tubes)—are most of the turnbuckle tiedowns that connect the bars to the camper universal? Does it matter much if a guy just used his own chain and turnbuckle rather than something store bought?



-Any recommendations for tires? Truck desperately needs new rubber before I can load anything on it. Don’t think I’ll do a ton of off highway use but wouldn’t mind having something with a little meat in the event I do.



Been eyeing up a model in Calgary that looks pretty much exactly what I’m looking for (even has the jack extensions for a dually—thanks for the great advice on that Dean). Trying to get everything in order so I can drive down and take it home if I end up liking it.

Yes, a rubber mat is highly recommended. Some manufacturers insist on it for warranty purposes.

No, you cannot use chain and rigid turn buckle. You need to use purpose built turnbuckles that are spring loaded and tuned for approximately 200 pounds of force.

Michelin LTX have served me very well for my truck and camper setup, but very little offroad use.

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[CanuckShooter]

Originally Posted by jstubbs

Thanks for all the great insights, advice and anecdotes.

Some quick questions:

-Does anyone run a rubber bed mat under their camper? I saw this is highly recommended to help the camper from wanting to slide around in the box but wondering if it makes enough difference

-My truck already has the camper bars installed, no idea what the brand is (front ones are there chrome bars and I’ve never seen others like it, rears are the typical steel metal square tubes)—are most of the turnbuckle tiedowns that connect the bars to the camper universal? Does it matter much if a guy just used his own chain and turnbuckle rather than something store bought?

-Any recommendations for tires? Truck desperately needs new rubber before I can load anything on it. Don’t think I’ll do a ton of off highway use but wouldn’t mind having something with a little meat in the event I do.

Been eyeing up a model in Calgary that looks pretty much exactly what I’m looking for (even has the jack extensions for a dually—thanks for the great advice on that Dean). Trying to get everything in order so I can drive down and take it home if I end up liking it.

I never had a mat under my campers and didn't have any issues, a bigger issue is the camper sliding around [mostly side to side] and you can fix that with some homemade centering guides. Front and back. It's the sliding around that could potentially do some damage to the camper undercarriage.

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/...de-in-campers/

We drove the truck and camper over some really rough ground, probably a few places we had no business going. I wouldn't have a truck camper on without centering guides.



Tires? Nokian 10 ply.....