Mid Size Truck Campers

[Msfitoy]

I remember buying a brand new Casita 21ft camper trailer with full bath + galley for less than $15k delivered...wish I'd never sold it...

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[Jhbryaniv]

This guy is just starting up production, but it looks like a good starting price point...

https://www.lonepeakoverland.com/products/lone-peak-camper

Its not glamorous, but as far as overland taxes go, it's cheap at ~6k.

My problem is the pricing during this "I want to overland boom" of the past few years.

It is basically a bed rack combined with a RTT - something that generally cost about $2500 for the combination. Yes I understand there is a lot more raw material involved, but some of these price tags are a little silly. Ranging all the way up to $20,000 for bare bones models.

I think GFC makes some affordable clam shell style campers for under $10,000.

I imagine the mark up on these products is astronomical.

Lets use some common sense, you can get a full blown compact travel trailer, which involves a lot more labor and raw material, fit and finish, which is way more square footage, for the same price or less.

Gfc is very proud of their products...

 

[Jason B]

Yeah, use a slide in at your own risk. From the manual"

Load Carrying - Using a Slide-In Camper
USING A SLIDE-IN CAMPER

We do not recommend using your pickup for carrying a slide-in camper.

 

[Jhbryaniv]

Yeah, use a slide in at your own risk. From the manual"

Load Carrying - Using a Slide-In Camper
USING A SLIDE-IN CAMPER

We do not recommend using your pickup for carrying a slide-in camper.

Geeezzzz, not the manual, again.

What do they know.

?

 

[Friday yet?]

Of course, it would have to be super lightweight, built like a Bruder, and just about free.

Count me in!

 

[BryanJay]

I’m on the same page about being able to stand upright.

It would be great if some company out there made a square drop, no taller than cab or topper height, with a hard-sided “slide out” that goes straight up or a hard-sided clam shell style roof, hinged at one end. There are some soft-sided pop-ups and clam shell trailers out there but I’m not a fan of the fabric sides (noise, wind, water, etc.). I saw a hard-sided fold-up, peaked roof model online but it was…meh.

Of course, it would have to be super lightweight, built like a Bruder, and just about free.

I had an A-frame hard side pop-up fir a few years. On the plus side it was definitely tall enough to stand easily inside, and a bit more “solid” than a tent trailer, and was pretty easy to tow - it was pretty light and the Ranger is just tall enough to see over top of the trailer. A couple of big minuses - storage sucked because you couldn‘t hang anything on any of the walls, and with all of those joints at the folding walls / roof panels it was next to impossible to get a perfect weather seal. With all of the drafts, camping in the northern Rockies in October could be a lesson in hypothermia.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

I had an A-frame hard side pop-up fir a few years. On the plus side it was definitely tall enough to stand easily inside, and a bit more “solid” than a tent trailer, and was pretty easy to tow - it was pretty light and the Ranger is just tall enough to see over top of the trailer. A couple of big minuses - storage sucked because you couldn‘t hang anything on any of the walls, and with all of those joints at the folding walls / roof panels it was next to impossible to get a perfect weather seal. With all of the drafts, camping in the northern Rockies in October could be a lesson in hypothermia.

I camped in RMH one summer and it was cold enough then. I can only imagine.

 

[mtbikernate]

Or roll your own...

https://weeroll.com/product/nomad-8/

Ooooooo, I like those. I've seen a couple of their offroad campers on the road, but didn't know they did the "cargo style" ones, too. Maybe those are new-ish since I last looked.

I've had my eye on a "cargo trailer conversion" for quite some time, but the wife was a hard no on me doing a buildout. These check a lot of very nice boxes so that most of the things I'd need to do were interior. And could move a LOT of the extras in my current Hiker over to this to save some money.

Hiker Trailer? They used to have a starter around $5k...not so much anymore...

Yeah, Hiker stopped selling their "highway basic" model some years ago. You can still get a fairly stripped-down trailer from them, but it still comes with a handful of options from the "highway deluxe" model line. Base price of a 5x8 highway is about $6k. You can also delete features if you choose, they still offer a high level of customization.

 

[Msfitoy]

Ooooooo, I like those. I've seen a couple of their offroad campers on the road, but didn't know they did the "cargo style" ones, too. Maybe those are new-ish since I last looked.

I've had my eye on a "cargo trailer conversion" for quite some time, but the wife was a hard no on me doing a buildout. These check a lot of very nice boxes so that most of the things I'd need to do were interior. And could move a LOT of the extras in my current Hiker over to this to save some money.



Yeah, Hiker stopped selling their "highway basic" model some years ago. You can still get a fairly stripped-down trailer from them, but it still comes with a handful of options from the "highway deluxe" model line. Base price of a 5x8 highway is about $6k. You can also delete features if you choose, they still offer a high level of customization.

Oh they've had cargo trailers for years...tandem axles too...

 

[GhostStrykre]

digging up an old thread but just sharing this low cost option:

jump to about 8:56 in the video if the link doesn't do it automatically.

lots of expansion opportunity. i could absolutely get my dual sport and some coolers on the lower section and then sleep up top at night. really solid option for people wanting to keep things inexpensive. which is honestly a must for anyone who tricked themselves into thinking motorcycles were a cheap(er) hobby.

 

[JohnnyO]

Capri Camper has a mid-size truck unit. Weight is in range but if it's me I still get Firestone airbags or Roadmaster Active Suspension.

www.capricamper.com

 

[OFC Ranger]

I guess I ended up being a bit of a hypocrite in this thread. lol

My Alu-cab Khaya basic ended up costing me $22,000 (after delivery/taxes/install) before suspension upgrades.

Edit: I should clarify that does count a few extras, like my aluminum ARB awning, brackets, misc, etc etc

 

[GhostStrykre]

I guess I ended up being a bit of a hypocrite in this thread. lol

My Alu-cab Khaya basic ended up costing me $22,000 (after delivery/taxes/install) before suspension upgrades.

no shame. I’d love to just go minimalist but ultimately my wife and dog wanna tag along. It has me looking at those intech toy haulers on an earlier post. Go figure, only the big one has a toilet, and costs $37k. At least it’s in spec for the Ranger tho!

 

[Brianj67]

We had a VW Westfalia for 12 years and like a truck camper there are pros and cons. Packing up to go get food or to drive to a trailhead to name a couple cons. You are also very limited as to what toys you can bring along. We tow a T@B 320 and can bring bikes, kayaks and lots of other stuff along as well. When it's time to head paddling or for a ride/hike it's no issue.

What I do miss about the van and what a truck camper would replicate is easy nomadic travelling. Drive, tour, stop and camp, repeat. That's a lot of fun as well.

 

[MXGOLF]

We had a VW Westfalia for 12 years and like a truck camper there are pros and cons. Packing up to go get food or to drive to a trailhead to name a couple cons. You are also very limited as to what toys you can bring along. We tow a T@B 320 and can bring bikes, kayaks and lots of other stuff along as well. When it's time to head paddling or for a ride/hike it's no issue.

What I do miss about the van and what a truck camper would replicate is easy nomadic travelling. Drive, tour, stop and camp, repeat. That's a lot of fun as well.

I was looking a the Nu Camp but am 6'1" tall and need to be able to stand up in my camper. I like my Fleetwood Tent trailer for that reason plus it has two solar panels and two batteries and two propane tanks. I can go off the grid for a while. The only thing I don't like about it is if it's crappy rainy weather when it's time to move on then it's not fun tearing down the Tent Trailer. It was only $10,000 back in 2019.

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