
If, for example, the winch currently on your truck won’t be able to handle the added girth of your camper, things may not go so well when you encounter particular rough roads. The final note on these campers is that they need to enhance your off-road capability and not take away from it. It will be useful in comparing the interior size of these truck campers. In some cases, you may have to convert to get a proper cubic foot measurement.

That will require multiplying interior height by width and by length. Still, the cubic foot measurement of a truck camper will help you get a better idea of how much space you have inside.
#TRUCK CAMPER BOONDOCKING FULL#
Some of you may require a full galley kitchen and others may enjoy the project of setting up your own outdoor camping kitchen. Head room is essential for taller individuals and gear storage is imperative for avid recreation enthusiasts, regardless of your specific passion. Still, when we’re talking about off-roading, we’re more concerned about what a truck camper company deems most important in a truck camper floor plan. The Lance company is actually one of the few out there that makes a model with a slide-out on one side. While it’s harder to find the best truck campers with a slide-out these days, it’s not entirely impossible. There is a lot of nuance to living off the grid and relying on energy from the sun, so we recommend checking out this forum on installing solar for truck campers. Higher wattages aren’t always better, especially if the rig isn’t equipped with enough battery capacity to store that energy. So you should also look at things like solar power, battery capacity, and tank capacities when comparing your options.Ī 30-gallon freshwater tank sounds like a lot on paper, but you need to do the math to understand if it’s actually going to provide enough freshwater for the kinds of road trips you’re hoping to take.Īdditionally, look at the watt ratings for the equipment on the campers you’re interested in. The point of off-road overland vehicles, after all, is to cover more terrain without having to stop at a dump station or plug into electricity. You may have to sacrifice livability and you may not be able to bring as much camping gear in a pop-up vehicle. These overland rigs maintain a low profile so you can explore more remote terrain without gouging a massive hole in your wallet. The major advantage of a pop-top truck camper comes in fuel economy. Hard-sided models require less setup time when you reach your destination and they also tend to include more spacious floor plan options. More importantly, you should consider whether a hard-sided off-roading camper or a pop-up truck camper makes more sense for you. Still, some vehicles may be able to handle a heavier off-roading camper made of steel or other metals. DesignĪluminum is the most common material used in the construction of pickup truck campers these days because it is lightweight and reasonably durable. Take the time to calculate your maximum payload capacity before you settle on an off-road truck camper.

Here’s a great resource that lists out common truck models and distinguishes which of those categories they fall into.įor our purposes today, we simply want to remind you that your truck needs to be able to handle the bulk of your rig as well as any camping gear you load into it.

These distinctions refer to your vehicle’s payload capacity. This is where that half-ton, 3/4-ton, and one-ton distinctions come into play.
#TRUCK CAMPER BOONDOCKING MANUAL#
Consult your truck’s manual to find your maximum payload capacity. Payload CapacityĪfter you’ve narrowed down your choices to find a truck camper that will fit in the bed of your truck, you’ll need to make sure it doesn’t weigh too much. A Ford F-150 pickup truck, for example, may have slightly different tie-down points than a half-ton Toyota Tundra. Then, you must look at the system used to secure the camper to your truck. In this process, you must ensure there’s enough space in your truck for your overland camper. The dimensions of your truck bed will dictate which camper models are compatible with your rig. The most logical place to start is to find a truck camper that will fit the bed of your truck. So let’s go over the important criteria that will help you choose the right truck camper for your Overlanding style. Because you’re likely to make a significant investment in your next adventure vehicle, doing your proper due diligence is essential. Although a truck camper is more compact than most other recreational vehicles, it often isn’t reflected in their price tags.
