Another great video... thanks! My wife and I live in a fully-customized 2016 Arctic Fox that we pull with a F350 (SRW). We're about 22,5k lbs going down the road with full fluids. We like our current setup for how we travel, but will likely be upgrading to a twin-screw Super-C in a year or two. Keep up the great content!!!
2017 travato 59K. (Full time/6 1/2 years) The ONLY all weather floor plan in existence! I stopped watching when you got rid of Lance. Did you ever even use the rotisserie grill? I don’t think most people even realize it exists. Never seen any UA-camr use it. I enjoy the large windows running the length of the vehicle. No longer available. Now they just offer a paint scheme to make it look like there are large windows. A lot of vans seem to do the Black paint, fake window thing. I don’t get it.
For me, a senior woman, I prefer my van. All-in-one, easy to get from "house" to "car", and I'm not interested in doing rough back-country, though I do like getting away and boondocking rather than campgrounds. I also chose an older e150, keeping the cost low. As you said, everyone must decide what works best for them, and this works great for me.
I'm a 'barely senior' woman and glad I watched this and read a few comments. I already have the 4x4 truck, but wasn't sure about trading, selling, or what. I think it matters if you are solo, too. The backwoods are fine if you have another person, but can be dangerous in many ways when solo, especially if you have no cell service. Maybe that's where satellite comes in handy. I won't go this year, likely, but in a year, it's a good bet. I have much planning to do to just take care of home base before heading to my goal of Alaska. 🤞
@@MyPronounIsGoddess I agree. I've hiked trails where I live in FL, 2 hours north of Tampa. I was glad to have a very tall man with me on 2 occasions when a man stepped out of the woods right behind us. Two separate trails, trwo different people that came out of no where. There are a LOT of homeless that live in the woods here, just off hiking trails. Not saying they are dangerous, but those 2 incidents have kept me off the trails ever since. I spent all of my life hunting and fishing in the Great North Woods of NH. Bears are less scary than people around here. So much crime!
I’ve owned camper vans and truck campers. One truck camper was hard side and the other one was a popup. Camper vans are easy. They are “motorhomes” and fit the benefits and requirements of any motorhome, but on a smaller scale. Licensing and insurance are basically the same, whatever the size. Yes, DIYs have added complications, but at the end of the day, whichever documents you must complete at your department of licensing to certify it’s “motorhome” designation or if your are required to go through a broker to insure it, it is still a motorhome when all the signatures are done and the fees have been paid. You pay your registration yearly and insurance premium annually or semiannually, which is what you do for all motorhomes. However, there is one omission you’ve made concerning truck campers (well, two, but I’ll get to that shortly). In many states, truck campers are “RVs”. And, your pickup truck is NOT. So, that is TWO titles to pay for at your department of licensing. As for insurance, even if your truck camper is simply “cargo” in your state, there will be two policies for the truck-camper combination, if you choose to insure the camper. From an expense and maintenance perspective, I think this is a negative. You have shown hard side truck campers and popups as if they are the same thing. I am a full timer. I spend several months in a year in the desert southwest. I see very few popups at the boondocking spots. I see hard sides all the time (in fact, I’m looking at two as it type this). Most of us here are very experienced. We have gotten the popup nonsense figured out, either by experience or by the experience of others. The desert is a windy place. The popup truck camper is a TENT. Tent flapping is debilitating, nerve racking. But this doesn’t stop the young popup camperers from going to Baja. It’s just so logical: Small truck, lightweight camper, good fuel economy…. Baja is windy. On the Sea of Cortez air pours down from the States. It’s not horrendous. There’s just enough consecutive days of it to deprive some of adequate sleep. Oh, that constant flapping. It leads to other problems. Just use your imagination. This is why you find popups parked out of the wind, off the beach. It’s grueling. (I park right on the beach in my camper van. The wind just rocks me to sleep.) But, for a weekender, they are golden. Well, for the most part. If your weekend includes sideways rain, your Monday back at work may find you looking at the clock, longing for quitting time. But yeah, cheaper, good fuel economy; it’s practical for a weekender. Hard sides have problems, too: Suck gas, ride quality and handling come to mind. But, there are other downsides. Of those, I think that moisture is a big issue. One advantage of a popup is air circulation. You’re not likely to find mold in the cab over. But given that the hard side cab over is a box surrounded by air on 5 of 6 sides, there is condensation on cold days. Some of the more expensive hard sides have heater ducts in the cab over. It seems like that would prevent moisture buildup. But, that’s more weight and more height. I lived in a hard side for a year. It finally wore me out. I didn’t mind having to exit the vehicle to enter the camper. In fact, l liked it. I had windows on all sides. I was up high, so I could see well…. I was just everything else. My camper van handles great. It’s got everything I need. Moisture is not a problem (but could be if you’re not careful). Camper vans have their problems but nothing like I’ve experienced in my truck campers.
Dustytrailhead; How many small trailers do you see out there? Experienced the truck camper thing in BLM land and fell in love with it - Don't have a truck but i do have a diesel and have since diff, A/T tires, and lifted and have been going out there with my tent setup (places like Moab). SO wants an upgrade like the Tab 320s boondock (15ft lifted teardrop). But thinking about all the places we have stayed only half I could get a trailer down. Need backup camera on it for sure, maybe purpleline trailer mover to get it into tight spots or save me if I need to d/c and move it off the road or something.
I’m don’t disagree with advantages of camper vans but as for my truck camper, I bought it in a state where I didn’t have to pay sales tax. It is not required to be registered in my state and my insurance company insured it as an add on to my truck. Oh yes, and this is the third truck I’ve had using the same camper. I’m currently considering trading trucks again to go back to GMC. I just like OnStar and the fact that when I call them, they know my vehicle, me and can be reached when I’m completely out of cell phone range. My current truck is a Ford. They can only be reached if in cell phone range and don’t know me or vehicle except through vin number. Try memorizing one of those so you can talk to a rep while driving down the road. I could go on but I really appreciate having the ability to modify the vehicle without spending money on a new camper.
As a single retired male, I built out a Ford transit connect. I don't live in it full time, but, have had it on the road for 2-3 months many times. Has water, cassette toilet, single bed, and lithium. Great thing is pretty good gas mileage, not too expensive to build, and don't feel bad when I want to pull over and get a hotel for a few days. Works for me.
I started camping in a camper van about 15 years ago. I discovered how much I loved camping and moved up to a small travel trailer, and then a big travel trailer spending time at many different campgrounds up and down the east coast as a Thousand Trails member. I then discovered how much I enjoyed boondocking on the beaches of Long Island and getting off the beaten path upstate NY. The natural progression was to a truck camper. I now have a Lance truck camper and would never go back to any of the previous campers. Less tolls, more maneuverability, versatility, and the ability to go just about anywhere with true 4WD and ground clearance put truck campers in a league of their own. Plus, as you mentioned, I drop the camper wherever I want and run all sorts of errands in the truck while leaving all the hookups and leveling intact. When I get back home after several months away, I then have a truck to do 'truck things' with. Simply, truck campers ROCK!
After selling my van during the pandemic, I purchased a 2023 FWC hawk model. After only 2 months of use, I have put it up for sale. The popup is definitely not a good fit for me due to the noise from outside, no air conditioner and an indoor shower that is a pain to use. Also, I just don't feel safe without hard walls around me.. When its windy you feel like you're in a tent. I'm in the process of looking at another B class van and the prices are finally dropping drastically.
We’ve had two travel trailers, a popup tent camper, a Class C motor home, and now a Campervan. What works best for us is to be nimble and quick. It took a while to figure that out but we are so happy with our van. We don’t need to plug-in power but if we do it takes us less than 5 minutes to break camp and be on the road. That was what is important to us. To cover a lot of ground in a fast amount of time.
That is kind of why I am leaning towards a Class B also. For all their shortcomings, I know that A. most of the time I will be traveling alone (my wife has zero interest) or just with my daughter and that B. I will me moving around a lot. I have no interest in parking on BLM land for two weeks at a stretch, spending weeks in the same campground, or anything like that. I also have no interest in owning the kind of HD truck that would be close to necessary for the type of towable I would otherwise be interested in. Nimble is key, spending no more than a day or two in each location. Also, should the wife choose to come along on a more hotel-based road trip vacation, we could still use the Class B as a road trip vehicle and be more flexible and comfortable while doing so than in our small SUV. Lastly, I know I cannot convince my wife to move anytime soon and I do not at all like the idea of having to pay to store an RV at some storage place at least 45 minutes away but a Class B I could park in my driveway. However, I know that some people have such restrictive HOAs that they could not even park a modest Class B in their driveway. Fortunately, I do not have that problem.
When I decided I was going to travel after retirement and not maintain a home, I looked at several options. I decided Class A motorhomes were to large to go to most places I wanted and cost to operate were high including at least $75 a night to park in an RV park. So then it came down to three options: Class B, Class C, or Trailer. From a cost perspective, if you already have a tow vehicle, a trailer is going to be cheaper and more manageable depending on size of the trailer. I didn't consider truck camper because they had limited features and you have to exit the truck to get into the camper. I know you have to do the same with a trailer but you get more features like a real bathroom and larger water tanks. I ended up selecting a 22 foot airstream because I wanted the space if this was going to be my only home and figured it would maintain a greater resale value. However, after being on the road for a few months, I realized I needed a larger truck to two it so ended up spending more money. Then after towing for about 8 months, I realized that I was staying less than three days in a particular spot and I was spending a lot of time in tear down, drive, and setup and less in exploring. I have now gone back to purchasing a house as home base, so I don't need a large camping vehicle. I sold my trailer and now building a Class B van. One other factor to consider which isn't my case (being single) is the number of people traveling. Even in a 22 foot airstream, it can be tight fit for two people trying to move around in. My recommendation before looking at any sort of solution is to determine some needs: 1) Number of people traveling 2) Distance you want to travel per day and the type of roads you are going to be on 3) Number of days you want to spend in any particular location and cost to "park" your solution. 4) Number of days your solution will be stored per month and possible cost of storage If you are retired and only moving your motorhome twice a year, a Class A might be the solution If you are only going to use it for two-three weeks out of the year, you might find renting a vehicle is better. If you are like me and want the option to go "off road" and get away from it all then a Class B or truck camper might be the best. There is no single answer for everyone. Explore the total cost of operations for all solutions. It turned out costing me about $4000 a month to be on the road including truck and trailer payments.
I went from a 24' class c to a 2012 F-250 (gasser) with a 2003 Lance truck camper. Wanted to be able to go off road, camp on the beach, etc. The camper was in near perfect condition, the truck was high mileage (223K). Total cost was $17,500.😊 As a 6'4" dude, the queen bed over the cab, and the 6'8" interior were key.
I had a lance 650 on a ram 2500 that I could take any where. My family outgrew it. I trip out on the trendy popularity of the Sprinter van craze. Every time I look inside one I always think a truck camper is such a better option. More room can be less expensive and more versatile
I’m almost 60 and we just started camping with a toy hauler that we use to bring our RXT300 Sea Doo. I really like the versatility of a truck camper, the small size, no pulling a trailer and the ability to disconnect from truck.
Been contemplating options as well to pull our Sea-Doo WakePro 230 (excellent choice with your RXT300!). I'm leaning towards "no" for a Class C (HOA restrictions, afraid to store without fear of stolen catalytic converters, etc) but maybe towards a van and truck camper. I like the van as a replacement for my daily driver and the "grab and go" flexibility. The truck option would be better towing the Sea-Doo, especially on the ramps but doesn't offer as much living space flexibility than a van, IMHO. Definitely a toss up. Best of luck with your search!
To test the water, I purchased a used mini-van and converted it myself. Very affordable, easy to maneuver, easy to find parking spot, good gas mileage, can make it stealthy in urban areas. But can only accommodate 1 person comfortably. Added a diesel heater then allowed me to spend the winter in CO/WY. Haven't try hot weather yet, but I recently purchased a WAVE2 and plan to use it in hot summer. The mini-van work so well for me. Like Russos said, it really depends on the way you plan to use it.
Truck camper owner here. I boondock camp from May to Nov every year in the mountain states (CO,WY,UT,ID,MT,SD) so while it's not full time, it is for 6 to 7 months straight at a time. I am about to leave on my 6th year doing this. I own a SRW 2009 F-350 with a Northern Lite 10-2 in it. Costs - I bought my F-350 used. It came out of the oil fields of Texas in 2013 and I paid 25k for it from a dealer that had bought the whole fleet. When I got it, I took it to my diesel mechanic and found it has a blown cylinder. After round and round with the dealer, they agreed to pay for a replacement engine and my mechanic told me that for $2500 more I could replace the Ford 6.4 with a 6.7 Cummins. I did, best decision I ever made. The truck is a beast so I have about 29K total in my truck now with the 6.7 and better shocks, airbags, etc. The camper we bought in 2015 for 42k. (Total 71k in my combined rig/camper) Yes, Northern Lites are expensive but you can't beat the quality and it is super comfortable for two people to live in it..off grid, for months and months at a time. Also, it has the longest warranty in the industry at 6 years and is a true Four Season Camper as it's made in Canada and they know what a winter really is like. For the type of camping I do, a Van just couldn't get to most places. Last year, out for 7 months, I stayed in developed campgrounds 7 days total...everything else was boondocking. The camper is hard sided with no slide outs. If you are thinking of doing off road camping with a camper with slide outs I would think twice. The movement and twisting of the camper going off road will jam your slides and also the weight that slides add to your truck will push it to the max if not over it. One of the things I like about the NL is that it is fiberglass so it's light compared to other TC's out there and its weight is low so when it's in your truck you are not top heavy. I have traveled in the Utah deserts, over dirt mountain passes in every state, mining roads with 1000 ft drop offs, etc and have beaten the NL like a step child..yet after all this time I have not had one major item fail...everything works like the day we bought it. Now I am pretty handy, so I do maintain everything but am impressed at the quality of the NL. I have heard the same thing about the quality of Big Foot campers so that's another option out there. I like the quality of a hard sided camper as opposed to popup. Yes, the Popup will be much lighter but there are drawbacks with this. It requires set up, isn't near as temp efficient, and the fabric will wear out the more you use it. You also get a lower top clearance and if there is one thing that limits where I can go with my current set up it is the height limitations. So far I have only had two instances where I decided not to go down a trail because I thought the low hanging limbs would be a problem so it is something to be aware of. Anyone have any specific questions about the set up or how we do certain things I am happy to answer any questions. I highly recommend getting a camper or van...anything...just get out and enjoy all the great adventures that await you.
My Sportsmobile 4x4 van with Atlas transfer case will go just about anywhere a truck will go. And it's much more functional in my opinion. My 21' 4x4 Chinook is a pleasure to travel in.
You can have a pass through with a truck camper. You remove the back window and remove the window in the camper. There are several types of...gasket would be the best word I guess. But the one we have is inflatable and it makes a seal and cushion.
I'm planning to purchase either a truck camper or a class b when I retire in a few years. I was dead set on a custom built van for a while because I like the idea of being able to pass between the cab and camper without exiting. However, then I thought about the off-road limitations and the high cost of a custom van and that got me to look at truck campers. Now I'm leaning toward a lightly used 3/4 ton truck and a new popup camper. It's a tough choice because there are clear advantages and disadvantages to both, so you have to be willing to compromise either way.
I can relate. I’ve been in a transit van for 3 plus years and I’m now interested to have the better off road capability of a truck camper. It’s so difficult to know whether the trade off of having to go outside the truck to get into the camper is going to be worth it. You really won’t know until you’ve tried it. I love that we don’t have to register and insure the truck camper and the flexibility of taking the camper off and still use the truck to haul stuff as well as ease of serviceability. But since the only 4WD van is a Mercedes (and they’ve switched to AWD, too, in 2023) and that’s even harder to service, the truck option sounds much safer in the case of a breakdown or other unexpected roadside assistance situation in a remote area.
My wife and I have a 2023 Ram 3500 DSL 4x4. As a retired CEO that now flips houses in SoAZ, I use the truck everyday. We bought a FWC Hawk a couple years ago and love it. It has a King size bed, and yes you have to pull over to the side of the road or take an exit if you want to get into the fridge for a beverage or use the potty. But at this stage of our lives, we are not in a hurry to get anywhere, so the five minutes we take to pull over is not a big deal. The Ram and FWC is so much more capable to go literally anywhere that a Class B may not. We have looked at them long and hard and done the research, a breakdown on a MCB vs Ram in terms of finding dealerships nearby to handle the situation is night and day... Say you have a check engine light illuminate on a MCB Sprinter in Moab UT, where do you go? But Moab has a Ram, Chevy and Ford dealership
I HAVE BEEN LIVING AS A FULL-TIME NOMAD IN A TENT AND SMALL CAR FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. I HAVE HAD CONFRONTATIONS WITH RATTLESNAKES, SCORPIONS, AND GRIZZLY BEARS FROM MONTANA TO ARIZONA. IF I HAD THE MONEY, I WOULD CHOOSE A 2023 AWD MERCEDES SPRINTER VAN.
It depends mostly what type of camping your into, after alot of experimentation we got a standard cab, 8' bed 2007 dodge 1500 4x4 with camper shell , put a 4" lift on it and a professional crawl-thru, this setup is perfect for us, the crawl-thru dumps into a pillow top mattress an leaves room for a dc fridge/freezer and room for firewood, we don't camp around others an this truck lets us escape, we camp all over the sierra's (8000' to 10000') also Death Valley an a few beaches in Oregon an Washington. I'm in my mid sixtys an for now this is perfect.
After a couple of travel trailers (towed by a truck) and then a 37' class A we now roll in a B van. Joe hit all the key points. It's a second "car" (daily driver), we can bring friends and family along, if it's just a trip to watch the grandkids at the ball park or a days drive on a family vacation. The front seats rotate to make for a nice living area with air conditioning and heat as needed. We park anywhere and get back on the road without ever going outside. etc etc.. it just works, like having your bedroom, living room and kitchen at your finger tips. That's just us.. not a lot of running room.. my significant other has on occasion mentioned hell's kitchen.
You did a great job explaining the pros and cons of each type of setup. I thought about these too when deciding what to buy. My own orientation is I have little interest in being able to go on 4WD roads, as I really dislike rough roads and "bumpy" driving, and certainly am averse to any type of "technical" routes which not only require a 4WD but also skill at navigating these rougher roads. I do realize that the ability to travel on 4WD routes would greatly expand the number of areas I could access, as well as open up more possibilities of greater solitude. But I so dislike driving on these roads that I am content with not having access to those areas, at least via driving (I do hike or bike in on 4WD roads). That decided, I also felt much more attracted to the larger interior space a van offered. It's not just that you don't have to exit the vehicle to get to the camper, but also that the cab area becomes part of the camper space in a van. I ended up with a Ford Transit medium roof, long wheelbase, and when I turned the passenger seat around and positioned it to face rearward to the cargo/camper area, it's now a comfy armchair in my living area, and I also have a folding table I can put in front of it to use this as a dining area. The living area feels bigger when it includes the cab, and also is illuminated by light coming through the windshield, important when you have a van with no windows in the cargo area. I pass between the cab and the cargo or living area quite a lot. On rainy or windy days in particular, I don't open the sliding side door of the van, and just enter and exit thru the cab. Also, I'm able to use the passenger seat and driver seat to store some items when I'm occupying the living area -- eg a backpack, a bag of clothes -- and this helps keep the living area less cluttered. It would be really annoying to not have access between the cab and camper when wanting to move things back and forth a lot like this. So in many ways, the cab IS part of the camper living space, in a camper van, in a way that you can't do in a truck camper setup. People may not realize the importance of this until spending time camping in the vehicle. There are other benefits too...the camper van has the large side sliding door, when when opened up, makes you feel part of the landscape, with that much of nature right next to your living area. A truck camper lacks this. Even if you have double back doors on the truck camper, it's not likely you can leave the whole space open in front of those, to achieve a big spacious view space, the way you can in a camper van, particularly if you don't block the side door by putting a kitchen counter or sink there as many do. So, I feel that the whole van interior space design is more appealing, particularly when considered in combination with nature outside, than can be accomplished in a truck camper setup.
You never beat the T3 Syncro camper van, gets you everywhere and with the visco cuppling you can switch from 2 to 4 wheel any time. If you get stuck - use the diff lock !
Great summary video. I used to do consulting for people to help them select a good mobile living solution. The first thing I would say is forget about all the bewildering options of different campers, vans etc. I would have them first pencil out how they want to live, where they want to go, what they plan to be doing. And then fit the vehicle to that. Tidbits - used sprinters are generally a poor choice. It's so hard to get service on them almost anywhere in the country, and they get very expensive to fix when they get older/higher mile. When buying a used vehicle of any sort, it's totally worth getting a good independent mechanic inspection. There is something to the safety, especially for single women of being able to go from the back of a camper van to the driver seat when things go very bump in the night. Very rare that that might happen. Although a wireless button with flashing lights and siren on the outside of a vehicle may suffice. For used truck campers or standard motorhomes always look for water intrusions, water likes to get in around the body panels and cause rot inside the walls and floor and often under the bed area. The only truck campers I will buy are Northern light or Bigfoot, they don't have body seams.
Don't forget the ability of a camper van to be more stealthy as compared to a truck camper. I think a converted cargo van can be made to look like a normal cargo van but add a camper on top of a truck and everyone knows that there could be someone sleeping in it. If you want to be able to stealth camp on the streets of a city a converted cargo van is probably the better option in my opinion.
I dont think cargo vans are as stealthy as they used to be. At least when I see a sprinter these days my first thought is "oh thats probably someones camper I wonder if theyre in there now?" While my assumption even just a few short years ago would have been its a work vehicle or moving van or something.
@@sergeantbigmac Just do what Tim M said above. Slap some faux corporate livery on it and you'll be able to park anywhere in a city... It's the perfect urban camouflage.
@@tylisirn It would go a long way for sure, maybe I just watch too much of these van life videos lol. The camper vans have a distinct profile. Like the old Ford Crown Vics back in the day, your 1st thought is Cop even if they dont have lights and a sheriff logo on the side.
Outstanding video. I've been researching this stuff for over a year, but you've made some great comparisons/comments about things that I hadn't considered . And the viewer comments themselves are great additional data as well. Thanks!
Great insight! I Have been living out of my Honda Element for 3 years. Its the perfect size for being solo. I love the idea of something bigger then I think of parking/gas and I always talk myself out of it. So far im loving it its a fantastic platform awd and easy to maneuver.
Terrific, well-thought-out points. As with most things, it depends on one's specific purpose/use case. For me the choice was easy. Some of the newer models of campers have amazing amounts of space, more onboard water storage capacity and seem to have more inside and outside storage than the camper vans we viewed. I ended up with the Arctic Fox 1140. We often tow a horse trailer or ATV trailer, and the suspension on our F350 handles the camper and trailer well. However, the tipping point in favour of truck and camper is that during non-holiday times, the F350 is serving our hobby farm. Hauling hay, transporting equipment, and pulling a flat deck with logs for my little hobbyist sawmill.
I had kicked around multiple options and ultimately decided to go with a Four Wheel Camper, for the same reasons you went with the camper option. I have it on an F250 Tremor, so it is pretty capable offroad.
Great points. I’m full-time In a 2006 Ford E350. I converted it myself and love the fact that I can get in the back without going outside. It’s not a 4X4 but I’ve taken it in some remote places! Love the truck camper idea as well, maybe in the future!
We had a tent, we now have a custom built van from Wilderness Van's, and absolutely love it! It's a 2019 ext159 3500, and just perfect. We don't live it, though I suspect we could if we ever decided to, but it's great for extended travels for sure.
Thank you for posting this. I've been wanting a van for a very long time. I've lived full time in my old blazer and I still have a small cargo trailer I converted years ago. My trailer is stealthy and I've gotten away with parking all over in cities but, one downside is rv parks not accepting a non traditional big name brand camper. My biggest problem is needing a place to store it and a location to store it when I decide to take a break from living in it full time every so often. It's really nice to be able to detach from my truck easily but the stress of somewhere to store it has taken a toll. Even using apps like neighborly are fairly expensive still. When you add that to the cost of rent that has skyrocketed. I've been contemplating selling it and either going with the slide on or a van. All of your talking points are things I've been weighing the pro's and cons to...but the struggle is still real lol. I've never had a slide on before. My other two thoughts are the wear on your trucks suspension, which is one reason why I went with a trailer instead. The other one is bathing abilities and water storage on a slide on?
I have had a truck with just the simple shell on the back where I put an elevated bed, could slide a bale of hay under it and tow my horse in her horse trailer. I also used my old Ford Econoline for traveling - but never built it out. I currently have an old Yukon that I use to haul my cargo trailer - set up as a camper, craft studio and bug-out trailer. I am planning on getting a Ford Transit 350 and will do a simple build and still haul my cargo trailer. I feel safer being able to jump out of bed and into the driver's seat to take off if need be. Since I am going to be doing my own simple build - it won't cost me tons of money. I had thought of getting a truck w/ camper, but my friends told me that it was not very easy to take it off and put it back on, especially alone. Thanks for the comparisons, it helps to re-affirm my choice. Happy Trails.
Which camper might be BEST FOR YOU…a key point that you raised. I would also add that a lot also depends on your floor plan. A truck camper floor plan will often have more volume and feel much larger than an equivalent van. Some vans have more focus on sleeping and room under the bed….others more like a small home with an enclosed bathroom and small eating area; the latter is pretty much the way truck campers are set up. Agree that truck campers are typically better off road, but remember than they are tall and so not quite nimble off road given higher center of gravity plus tree branches can be an issue (much less so if a pop up truck camper, but not the most common). Most vans will go on minor forest roads easily enough and of course are great on roads. If you want that off road capability most of the time a truck camper likely the best choice. Great video…no perfect choice. We went with a Promaster based van (extended version) and love it…but mostly stay in parks (paved or gravel roads)….still love the thought of a truck camper for a bit more room and a bit more off road chops but in truth that need would be rarely used by us. Always a hard call as you said!
I figured a GMC 3500HD with an Alaskan pop up 8 footer at about $125,000 brand new for both. I'd put a 55 gallon fuel tank in place of the stock one. They come with air and heat and I think I could outfit a pump system for water near lakes and rivers. A Pleasure way Rekon is around $180,000 and very cool but far more money and not nearly as capable.
We picked the Pleasureway Ontour 2.2 because it is built on the Transit 350 Chasis. I am 6’5* and need its 6’6” ceiling and 79” big bed. I can also fit in the bathroom which I could not in our previous 2 RVs without taking the door off. Duallys give us great CCC too.
Both are nice. Having had both, there is more room in a full sized truck camper than in a van. You can always take a truck camper off and use the truck (you aren't going to haul twenty bags of manure in your van!) Trucks, as a general rule, have more clearance for going off road. Van's get better mileage, and are typically better appointed. Overall they will probably be cheaper because you are buying one thing rather than two. Van's are easier to drive, more car like.
Excellent video. We had a ram 1500 + Travel Trailer. We wanted more flexibility and to go more nimble. For a family of 4, we could not find a truck camper that would fit all of us comfortably and be light enough for the Ram 1500. We also did not want to get a bigger truck (1500 was more than enough). We ended up with the Winnebago Solis - it has 4 seats and a pop top. Perfect for a family of 4. We love it and won’t even consider going for a pickup or towable again. Does everything great, usable as a daily drive, fits everywhere, easy to drive. Just perfect
We've had two truck campers; a Four Wheel and a Hallmark, both pop-ups, and they served us well. As you noted, the camper will go wherever the truck will go, which is very convenient. But as we've gotten older (early 70s), comfort has become more of an issue. And that is why we have on order a Winnebago EKKO. Not exactly a van, but close enough. We enjoy your channel... always interesting and informative. Thanks.
@@larrycox6614 Yep... no question. The EKKO is expensive. Fortunately, we placed our order several months ago when the price was considerably lower. But there is also the "can't take it with you" factor. I guess I could croak with money in the bank, but what fun would that be?
Your points about servicing a camper van (which is close to the restored Roadtrek we currently have) are spot-on. We've had numerous issues getting service where someone didn't have a beefy-enough lift or a tall enough service bay, especially in smaller towns. Ours weighs just under 10k lbs. BTW we do get to our favorite off-road sites after having it lifted and bigger wheels and tires, but it's only 2WD so some situations are just too dicey.
One advantage of the pop up truck camper is it will fit in a regular garage. So when not in use, its easy to store at home. There is no perfect set up: travel trailer, motorhome, fifth wheel, pickup camper, all have advantages and limitations.
Off road capability pushed me to a truck with a pop up camper. It has 35” tires, winch and 1,000 ft/lbs of torque that will get you into some cool spots. If I was sticking to pavement, I would go with a van.
Great video. Thank you so much! Wife and I have a two year old FWC Hawk now on a '23 Ram 3500with the Cummins DSL, stock with factory air suspension. We often contemplate buying a Revel or Storyteller, but we both find the sleeping space (which is so important to us as we are both tall) is confining. Our Hawk has a the king bed and plenty of space. We also contemplate the fact that in AZ we'll have to pay taxes, registration and insurance on a van that we use a few to many times a year. The fact that we can store our FWC in the garage and mount and go in an hour or two works for us. That said, we are seriously considering a new flat bed FWC with the Norweld tray. As that model has much more flexibility in living space. We both enjoy the capability the Ram 3500 4X4 gives us in going literally anywhere, the fact that we have to exit the truck and enter the camper in inclement weather is not a big deal. As not full timers, yet part timers, the Ram and FWC is perfect.
Great vid as always! So pro. I've also done both, hard side TC and pop up on a Ford F250 6.0 4x LB, and now a Transit AWD. I've found that the Van being only 8k lbs ish (and having everything we need) is so nice compared to the 10k++ lbs with the TC. Sand, rocky whatever. The truck just felt so much heavier, and did make a huge difference in the sand. With that and not being able to go in the cabin on the road, for us the Van is the way.
We have a 2018 Bundutec USA “Free” model on a 2008 F350 4x4. We have just enough room for our family of 5 to sleep but forces us outside during the day. We love it.
We have two campers. We use our truck camper when we go on long trips. Last year passing through Salem Massachusetts we were able to find a parking spot and explore the city. When in Cape Canaveral we took the camper off and drove around with our truck. We also have a Winnebago travel trailer that we use when our stays are closer to home and we want to be more comfortable.
I'm just looking right now, but I'm a skier and a boater. So for me, it's a no-brainer, the camper on the back of a truck gives me everything I need to do. Four-wheel-driving in the snow. And I can tow my boat behind during the summer months. I also like the idea that I can leave my home behind at a campground and drive my truck around for the week. Camper that I'm most interested in is made by Host. It has three slide outs and is bigger than any of the other campers and easily twice the size of a van.
Reading below indicates some good points. We didn't get into camping until our late 50's so prefer comfort but also mobility. Priorities for us are a large table to work on and sometimes entertain with and a decent size bathroom and kitchen. Since we drive on average an hour or two a day, we like to access the bathroom while driving.... well at least for the passenger. A popup is definitely out for the excellent reasons mentioned by Dusty. I really prefer the big table in back that converts into a bed vs the small one in front where you turn the chairs around. It may take 5 minutes to convert but gives you soooooo much more usable space, especially if the van is wide enough to put the beds sideways. Unfortunately they seem to have gone out of favor.
Another great video Joe. I’m currently traveling in a Nissan 2500 high top. A bit smaller than some of the others due to the front end, good reliability and warranty. Built it out to fit my needs when traveling, I have noticed that selling a DIY van is tricky compared to a factory built.
VW Camper van vintage 1986, occasional use short trips with a home base, climate is very tame and I could always run to home if really bad weather hit. I am a camper van person, my younger brother is a truck camper guy, I can take 5 people with me and he can only take 3, when we are not in camping mode.
You are 100% right whatever works best for you. After much back and forth my wife and I decided on a Supertramp slide in truck bed camper. For it go anywhere capability. We have absolutely zero regrets. Works great for us.
Love this comparison video! I currently have a quick bed platform set up in my truck with a hi top Leer canopy. It works great for 3 to 5 day trips with what does not fit in my 2 slider drawers under bed being stored in the back seat area of the cab. Plan to travel more extended and this really gives me a lot to think about.
Great info. Lots to think about. We're currently in an Airstream Basecamp 20X. I think eventually I'd love for us to try a truck camper. I want to go deep into BLM and national forest land to photograph. While the Basecamp has great clearance, I'd love to be more mobile and mobile more quickly.
My first camper was a pull behind, I didn’t like pulling anything. Now I have a older truck camper and it’s ok. I’m still considering buying a class b sometime soon.
We have had two campers on two pickups. We pull a flat bed trailer with a 1952 M38 Jeep on it to back road events through out the summer and fall in Wyoming , South Dakota and Colorado. I set the camper off in the winter and use the pickup as a daily driver. Both camper pickup combinations were purchased used.
Love truck camper platform. Have a Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins with an Arctic Fox 1150 with a dry bath. Arctic Fox is super comfortable with a toilet, shower, oven, stove top, fridge, freezer, queen bed. Has large holding tanks, 2 30lb propane tanks, generator, AC, and solar panels. The 2 batteries are full by 10:00 AM. I can drop the camper at the site if I want to get up early to go do stuff while she sleeps in. Can't 4 wheel in a rig this big but it does fine on forest service roads. When at home I have use of the dually.
Grew up camping in a truck camper with my family. My wife snd I thought about buying a sprinter but found the price to be crazy high. I own a ole 2006 Chevy Silverado crew cab that still runs great. Now we’re thinking about buying a camper to fit our truck bed.
THE question ... We opted for a Hawk Four Wheel Pop Up Camper, which by the looks of you video, seems to be the winner in pop up campers. What we didn't know is the issues with the whole 1500, 2500, 3500 classes of trucks... We have a Tundra TRD and thought, yes, a TRD can do it all. Nope. A TRD is rated at 1300 pounds or so. Our fully loaded Hawk with every single option should really be on a 3500 (pick your manufacture). Bigger shocks, leaf springs (Emu) make no difference. It's a system question and every single component that makes up the delta from the ball joints to the drive shaft and on and on. It's the entire system vs select 'upgrades'... Upgrades are a bandaid if you will. So we now need to buy a 3500 (it will be a Dodge it that matters to anyone) at 60-90K. All that said, I'd still want a tow behind super light weight trailer for all of our gear regardless of a van or a truck ... climbing, skis, 2 bikes each for my wife and I, etc. A camper has the same bring along problem if you do a lot of other activities. Also, with all that said, a truck can get you into much more remote places. Which does not answer the question!!
we LOVE our off-road Tacoma/4wheel camper - bought both in 2010 and have spent all but 3 full summers traveling in northern canada and alaska - that truck goes ANYWHERE - up the dempster twice, the dalton once, haida gwaii, bella coola - always good food and a good bed - all in beautiful places with few/no people - thx for your videos, guys
Definitely a "it depends" discussion. I have no intention of being totally full time in a camper and the main reason I want one (and started watching these videos years ago) was to have a vehicle to go on mtn bike trips. While I love trucks (and have owned many), the #1 requirement for me is being able to transport my bikes (more than one) inside. Secure and out of the weather - since my bikes cost more than many of the cars I've bought. Then I want an inside shower and toilet - because where I often go to ride isn't conducive to having a shower outside. And I often ride when it's cold, so the idea of showering outside in near (or below) freezing temperatures doesn't sound like fun either. All of this keeps sending me back to building a van, since so far no RV manufacturer has designed a floorplan that meets my needs (even the Ekko isn't quite what I need, although it's close). Do I want to do a DIY build? Hoenstly, no... I'd rather be out doing rather than building. But so far the DIY route is the only route I've seen that will work for me.
Interesting and informative. Ive been RVing since 1986 and have owned about everything but a 5th wheel. While I currently have travel trailer, I've owned a couple of truck campers and liklely will go back to one someday. One aspect i think was not totally correct, was the pass thru. We installed a large boot and had seatbelts in the camper too. We passed food/beverages, and even people all the time. It was not all that pricey to do. However in todays litigious society, i think this option is less common. I also liked the room we had, but then we had an 8 foot bed truck with an overhang truck-camper.
We road trip more than stay in one place to camp. For years we traveled in our trusty Subaru Outback. We'd stay out all day then find a motel to stay for the night. One time we rented a Promaster cargo van from Enterprise and rigged it ourselves for a few hundred bucks and went on a week long roadtrip. It was so much fun and we spent the night at a truck stop, a Walmart, a Cracker Barrel, boondocked in Yuma and stayed two nights in a State Park south of Tucson. I never wanted to go home! Long story short, we were pretty set on getting a van, but was concerned about limitations on roads and being nimble. We started looking at Pop ups, but then came across a crazy thing called a Moonlander! Basically its a cross between a truck shell and a truck camper. Its kind of weird, but will be just right for us I think. All we need is a bed and enough room for a pee pot for me so i don't have to go outside in the middle of the night! 😂
I enjoyed this video, although it is one year old. I followed you more when you used to drive the flatbed truck camper. We have a 1998 RoadTrek Popular 19 with a Dodge Ram 350, and we love it. All wood, no plastic, and now about 100k miles. we bought it for $15,000 and it's in great shape. When not camping we do use it occasionally for errands. It's just a van, and one can park it on the street. In the past, we have had pop-up camper tent trailers (StarCraft), and before that, large tents - they were great when our kids were young. In future, we may want a Truck + camper, but having all in one is great, and one doesn't have to leave the van to do anything if the weather is bad. It's just me and my wife. One of our sons borrowed it and had a great time with his wife and 7 year old daughter, as the 3rd seat turns into a bed. In my perfect world, I'd love a 'brand new' 1978 GMC CamperVan with the 3 axles. We don't go off road, but they don't make them any more. The 2000 Airstream Argosy is also very nice. Well, thanks. - Dr Dave Menke (retired professor), Tucson, Arizona.
I purchased a Ram cargo van 8 years ago. We sold our R-Pod trailer last year. This year’s project is to use the cargo van in place of that really nice trailer (we had no place practical to keep it). So, I purchased a pavilion style 10 x 10 tent for the living and dining space. The van is for sleeping and storage. The Ram cargo van has the same insulated ceiling and formed plastic walls as the Grand Caravan. The van keeps us warm overnight and very quiet! We have 200 watt solar panels and power station for the fridge and induction cooktop and lighting. So far we love the economy and ease of setup. This is a flexible, spacious and cheap way to go as another option. By the way, the van was not modified so I use it for hauling bikes and building materials too.
This was a super useful video! I had never really considered a truck camper until you layed out the benefits like you did. I really like the versatility need for service, and registration/taxing on the camper.
We've had a Forest River A frame pop up, Tab 400, and now a 1995 Lance travel trailer, our truck is an Ford F150, 2018. Our Lance is a 2019. As we age we are considering a class B van, except they are very expensive, we're early 70's, but very active, hiking on the AT, biking, and running. But time marches on and we know that a simpler rig might be better.
I've owned 4 truck campers and one campervan. Overall I feel the truck campers are a better value at a wider pricepoint. Currently I have an F350 dually, 8'bed, diesel and a Bigfoot 2500 model 10'6, that's a hard side all fiberglass higher end camper. Favorite features? I Like my dedicated bed, booth seating, storage and dry bath. Staying out a month is easy.
We decided a van was better for us. We don’t really go offroad. We have a dog, which would preclude us ripping out the back seats of the truck. I like having easy access to a toilet. We use it in winter, so a pop-top would be out of the question. We bought a 1998 Roadtrek Popular 190 for ~$20k CAD. We’ve put in another $10k to get it in good shape. The 5.2 V8 is bombproof, and we still get 17 L/100km. We’re really happy with the purchase.
Solo retired female here. I was on the road in all the western states in my 'camper' minivan, as a nomad, from Jan 2021 through November 2021. Just a simple 2019 Dodge grand caravan that I called my MiniRV. (that I still have and love!) I averaged 23 MPG, gasoline, paid $18K for it in Nov 2020. I set it up with a 'no build' build. It was DEFinitely a learning curve but I had an absolute blast, could afford it, and now it's almost paid for and I have some Million Dollar Memories! So what you say is so true; Find the one that's right for you and Go For It! Love your videos, learned so much about the different classes and especially the terms used. Thank you!
I started with a small C as my daily driver and loved it. My HOA did not. So I switched to a B, thinking that would be a good compromise. (Didn't appease the HOA...I ended up moving eventually). I learned that even though the B was smaller inside, I still had quite a bit of storage, easier to access, and even larger fresh water holding tank! The B had less road noise, too, and slightly better ride. It was tight for two people's worth of stuff. But it was great for me solo. My current set up is a 3/4 ton truck and truck camper. I have not camped yet. But I love the versatility and better "off road" ability with a truck. Some places I go are down two tracks or just living on the beach through the winter. I feel much better with the truck for this. I have not gotten the camper back onto the truck yet. It is intimidating... and it was not easy to get it off. I hope with practice I will be able to put it on and off readily.
The bottom line is, whatever works best for you and your needs. It goes the same with camping out of your vehicle or camping in a ground tent or a rooftop tent. People have different needs but it’s kind of the same thing. A ground tent you can leave behind and travel around in your vehicle during the day. A rooftop tent you have to pack everything away every time you wanna leave. A lot of times I sleep inside my truck so I don’t have to set up or break down anything but there are times that I wish I had more room.. I love these discussions. But like I said in the beginning everybody has different needs. I use a ground tent, a tent cot, and I sleep inside my vehicle. But one of these days I do dream of a stand up van.
One of the biggest issues for us is the HEIGHT of the entry in the vehicle - we were unable to safely navigate in/out of the truck camper due to old knee injuries - an F350 DRW bed height is higher than you think!
I was looking for someone to mention this. The floor height of a camper on a pickup bed must be at least 18" higher than a van. That and the steep, narrow stairs make getting in and out a chore. I do see the advantage of being able to unload the bed and have the truck available for local trave. I have a friend who has the unload/reload process down to less than 10 min. (probably quicker than the trailer guys can unhitch and set up). Oddly, while the Russos touted this advantage, they also said in 2 years they never did it.
Oh, good point, I’m 66 with recent knee issues. My preference is still tent camping and somehow I’ve still managed to pitch the tent by myself but I’m aware that will change. I’m not planning on living in it but definitely go exploring, camping for months at a time. I love off roading and getting to more remote areas but I agree that a truck’s height will be an issue, not only for me but my dog, I can just see myself picking up my 70 lbs pit bull to get inside. I should research more into vans. Thanks for pointing this out.
My wife and I have a toy hauler for camping. I pull it with a Ram 3500, and we can put our RZR in the toy hauler. Having a 24' trailer is nice because we have a huge bathroom with a shower, and it's not a wet bath. Yes it's not as agile as putting a camper on the truck but it's nice having the extra space, A/C and heater.
We had a 30 foot trailer with a slide. We traveled the United States, Canada and Baja Mexico. To much to pull around tight places. We have the same truck 2002 F350 7.3 Dually with a 2008 Lance 1181 with a slude. Love it
I have a 4x4 F350 with an AT Habitat camper. I’ve been using it heavily for 5 years and it’s fully built out to accommodate my family of four. My wife preferred a camper van, but given she doesn’t like camping/traveling I bought the truck. I confirmed we’d just rent a camper van if she wants to make a special trip some day. I use my truck as designed, regularly doing off road, remote based trips that camper vans wouldn’t dare attempt. It’s important to be honest about what you’re gonna actually do before committing. These can be expensive ventures.
Excellent video Joe.. I have always wondered what was thee 'Perfect' set-up is. Conclusion is, there isn't one, just what fits most of one's need. Thanks and happy trails.
Ram 2500 4x4 diesel 4 door with FWC HAWK. I like to hike and fly fish and explore BLM and NFS Lands. Having this setup allows me to go to backcountry trails with rough, off-camber roads (keeping in mind it’s not a lifted Jeep!). I’ve backpacked and truck camped most of my life and it was time to camp with some creature comforts. I’ve pulled trailers and fifth wheels and did not want to tow. I looked at Vans and see the positive in those vehicles, and may make that switch if I stop backcountry travel.
I camp in a 88 4x4 GMC Suburban, can’t stand up, but it’s huge inside, I have not built it out yet, but em slowly working on it. I think I would have to go with your Leo set up, but the van life looks really cool. Just wanna be able to go anywhere. Like my burban, thanks for sharing. Love the Russos.
Interesting. I thought sure you'd choose the truck/camper. Good points, something to think about. I will note what may be the elephant in the room: you now have a home base. I think that changes the dynamics quite a bit.
We did a 2 week trip in Tassie with a camper van, and that pretty much put me against them. Great for hanging out in during the day in a parking lot, but terrible on a dirt road and I didn't care to sleep inside. I've slept in tents for recreation all my life and sleeping in a van isolates you from the outside world far too much. I haven't tried the popup truck camper yet, but think that would be far better for adventures off the beaten track. I still think the vans are cool, though.
I have camped in a class b, a bumper pull toyhauler and a Lance 10 foot camper on a Ford F250 V10. The toyhauler was amazing for dirt bikes and a family of 4. When I got into side by side OHVs the truck and camper was great for 2 people. My truck has barely over 100k on the odo. I got the truck and camper for 17,000 bucks.
For the past 6 years I have lived in a 3 person backpacker's tent X15--12 have been destroyed by weather; 1 by theft; and 1 by a grizzly bear in Montana. If I had a choice, I would choose an all wheel drive Sprinter Van.
We bought a used 2014 LTV Serenity 24CB. We love it. It fit our budget and the way we camp. It can sleep 4 when we need and the 2 of us no problem. Sierra Maple interior and gray seats. Love, Love, Love it! thanks!
I had both, since I am 18 so long time ago, I live van life for years, I need a truck for my Fifthwheel, so own a pickup since then for truck campers. 4 of those, if I didn’t need the 4x4 I go back to van. The best is to have both 😄 Have a nice Summer 🏖
❤ I took a 2 month road trip in a Toyota Highlander last year and still camp out of it solo. I have a power box and an electric cooler for comfort. I like your non answer. Depends on you. You make me want a truck camper because I want to go up dirt roads.
Thank you for doing this video--the timing is perfect. We have been debating getting a van. We have owned a truck camper--a Lance 1030 and a Ram 3500 DRW--for almost three years. We are weekend campers and due to our jobs we really can't take long trips. The argument we told ourselves about buying something that could handle rough roads really hasn't been put to use due to our limited time. I haven't learned to drive it yet, so I'm not much help to my husband on driving longer distances. We never take the camper off the truck, so if we were going to a destination where we would want to sightsee, we either don't, or we break camp and take the camper with us. We see pros and cons to both a van and a truck camper. We decided we're going to take our 2023 camping trips as planned in our truck camper, and really think about if we want to keep it or sell it in the off season and get a camper van or perhaps a Super B. We're not at all interested in a trailer, fifth wheel, Class C or an A. A Super B is even pushing the limits.
I do wish that there were more of the campers that have a pass through to trucks, but if I had to choose one, it would probably be the van for more comfort and flexibility(and for a family of three or more).I hope that you guys have a nice St. Patrick's Day!🤗🍀
I've had motorhome, trailer, & a massive camper on 4door dually F350 Currently Im using my 2018 Crosstrek that I can sleep comfortably in w my 2 Rotties. We do allot of backpacking hikes sleeping in 2 man tent or hammock w dogs attached to run line under the hammock I'm undecided on what overland rig to get. Full size truck flatbed w 4wheel pop-up or Tacoma/ Colorado (Helix would b sweet) adding a canopy w wedge pop-up tent that I can build out. Chevys elec truck has really peaked my interest. Having all that engine room for storage, extra batteries, tanks,... would b sweet The biggest con I have w 4wheel campers is the lack of a pass thru. Being solo female having that added security of pass thru is important to me
All valid points. With the pups, I don't think any person is going to bother you but you may run into animals. We never had any issues in the two years we lived out of our FWC
@@Weretherussos I've never had any issues w wildlife w my dogs. Have had few close calls throughout the years w unruly dogs that people had off leash. My dogs r highly trained in ambulatory service & protection. Rotties make excellent pack & carting dogs due to their strength. They have scared off people at night who get to close to car when we've pulled over for the night. They love winter & water adventures. Have 7 day paddle board trip planned this summer going down Buffalo River AR. Had some nice trails not far from river see waterfalls. My Crosstrek does pretty good getting me most places, but like u, need the 4x4 to get me everywhere. Keep thinking about 4x4 E van, so bad on gas. Chevy elec truck seems pretty cool. A 4x4 w an engine at each tire, should b a game changer. Stay safe!
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In this video, we share some of the reasons why we switched from a camper van to a truck camper ua-cam.com/video/As3nwZPBHGE/v-deo.html
Another great video... thanks! My wife and I live in a fully-customized 2016 Arctic Fox that we pull with a F350 (SRW). We're about 22,5k lbs going down the road with full fluids. We like our current setup for how we travel, but will likely be upgrading to a twin-screw Super-C in a year or two. Keep up the great content!!!
Love the raccoon tee where can I get this. Also looking at trunk campers this is great!
2017 travato 59K. (Full time/6 1/2 years)
The ONLY all weather floor plan in existence!
I stopped watching when you got rid of Lance.
Did you ever even use the rotisserie grill?
I don’t think most people even realize it exists. Never seen any UA-camr use it.
I enjoy the large windows running the length of the vehicle. No longer available.
Now they just offer a paint scheme to make it look like there are large windows.
A lot of vans seem to do the Black paint, fake window thing. I don’t get it.
😊😅😅😅 14:51 @@CaseyCannady
you look like Jeff Bezos
For me, a senior woman, I prefer my van. All-in-one, easy to get from "house" to "car", and I'm not interested in doing rough back-country, though I do like getting away and boondocking rather than campgrounds. I also chose an older e150, keeping the cost low. As you said, everyone must decide what works best for them, and this works great for me.
Exactly - so happy you found something that's just right for you.
I'm a 'barely senior' woman and glad I watched this and read a few comments. I already have the 4x4 truck, but wasn't sure about trading, selling, or what. I think it matters if you are solo, too. The backwoods are fine if you have another person, but can be dangerous in many ways when solo, especially if you have no cell service. Maybe that's where satellite comes in handy. I won't go this year, likely, but in a year, it's a good bet. I have much planning to do to just take care of home base before heading to my goal of Alaska. 🤞
Agree
@@MyPronounIsGoddess I agree. I've hiked trails where I live in FL, 2 hours north of Tampa. I was glad to have a very tall man with me on 2 occasions when a man stepped out of the woods right behind us. Two separate trails, trwo different people that came out of no where. There are a LOT of homeless that live in the woods here, just off hiking trails. Not saying they are dangerous, but those 2 incidents have kept me off the trails ever since. I spent all of my life hunting and fishing in the Great North Woods of NH. Bears are less scary than people around here. So much crime!
@@MyPronounIsGoddess I couldn't agree more. On everything.
I’ve owned camper vans and truck campers. One truck camper was hard side and the other one was a popup. Camper vans are easy. They are “motorhomes” and fit the benefits and requirements of any motorhome, but on a smaller scale. Licensing and insurance are basically the same, whatever the size. Yes, DIYs have added complications, but at the end of the day, whichever documents you must complete at your department of licensing to certify it’s “motorhome” designation or if your are required to go through a broker to insure it, it is still a motorhome when all the signatures are done and the fees have been paid. You pay your registration yearly and insurance premium annually or semiannually, which is what you do for all motorhomes.
However, there is one omission you’ve made concerning truck campers (well, two, but I’ll get to that shortly). In many states, truck campers are “RVs”. And, your pickup truck is NOT. So, that is TWO titles to pay for at your department of licensing. As for insurance, even if your truck camper is simply “cargo” in your state, there will be two policies for the truck-camper combination, if you choose to insure the camper. From an expense and maintenance perspective, I think this is a negative.
You have shown hard side truck campers and popups as if they are the same thing. I am a full timer. I spend several months in a year in the desert southwest. I see very few popups at the boondocking spots. I see hard sides all the time (in fact, I’m looking at two as it type this). Most of us here are very experienced. We have gotten the popup nonsense figured out, either by experience or by the experience of others. The desert is a windy place. The popup truck camper is a TENT. Tent flapping is debilitating, nerve racking. But this doesn’t stop the young popup camperers from going to Baja. It’s just so logical: Small truck, lightweight camper, good fuel economy…. Baja is windy. On the Sea of Cortez air pours down from the States. It’s not horrendous. There’s just enough consecutive days of it to deprive some of adequate sleep. Oh, that constant flapping. It leads to other problems. Just use your imagination. This is why you find popups parked out of the wind, off the beach. It’s grueling. (I park right on the beach in my camper van. The wind just rocks me to sleep.)
But, for a weekender, they are golden. Well, for the most part. If your weekend includes sideways rain, your Monday back at work may find you looking at the clock, longing for quitting time. But yeah, cheaper, good fuel economy; it’s practical for a weekender.
Hard sides have problems, too: Suck gas, ride quality and handling come to mind. But, there are other downsides. Of those, I think that moisture is a big issue. One advantage of a popup is air circulation. You’re not likely to find mold in the cab over. But given that the hard side cab over is a box surrounded by air on 5 of 6 sides, there is condensation on cold days. Some of the more expensive hard sides have heater ducts in the cab over. It seems like that would prevent moisture buildup. But, that’s more weight and more height.
I lived in a hard side for a year. It finally wore me out. I didn’t mind having to exit the vehicle to enter the camper. In fact, l liked it. I had windows on all sides. I was up high, so I could see well…. I was just everything else.
My camper van handles great. It’s got everything I need. Moisture is not a problem (but could be if you’re not careful). Camper vans have their problems but nothing like I’ve experienced in my truck campers.
the voice of experience always speaks the loudest. well said.
Interesting and informative. Thanks. Just considering truck campers for their longevity and ability to buy a newer truck if necessary down the road
Dustytrailhead; How many small trailers do you see out there? Experienced the truck camper thing in BLM land and fell in love with it - Don't have a truck but i do have a diesel and have since diff, A/T tires, and lifted and have been going out there with my tent setup (places like Moab). SO wants an upgrade like the Tab 320s boondock (15ft lifted teardrop). But thinking about all the places we have stayed only half I could get a trailer down. Need backup camera on it for sure, maybe purpleline trailer mover to get it into tight spots or save me if I need to d/c and move it off the road or something.
I’m don’t disagree with advantages of camper vans but as for my truck camper, I bought it in a state where I didn’t have to pay sales tax. It is not required to be registered in my state and my insurance company insured it as an add on to my truck. Oh yes, and this is the third truck I’ve had using the same camper. I’m currently considering trading trucks again to go back to GMC. I just like OnStar and the fact that when I call them, they know my vehicle, me and can be reached when I’m completely out of cell phone range. My current truck is a Ford. They can only be reached if in cell phone range and don’t know me or vehicle except through vin number. Try memorizing one of those so you can talk to a rep while driving down the road. I could go on but I really appreciate having the ability to modify the vehicle without spending money on a new camper.
@@randtapscott3980what state are you in?
As a single retired male, I built out a Ford transit connect. I don't live in it full time, but, have had it on the road for 2-3 months many times. Has water, cassette toilet, single bed, and lithium. Great thing is pretty good gas mileage, not too expensive to build, and don't feel bad when I want to pull over and get a hotel for a few days. Works for me.
I started camping in a camper van about 15 years ago. I discovered how much I loved camping and moved up to a small travel trailer, and then a big travel trailer spending time at many different campgrounds up and down the east coast as a Thousand Trails member. I then discovered how much I enjoyed boondocking on the beaches of Long Island and getting off the beaten path upstate NY. The natural progression was to a truck camper. I now have a Lance truck camper and would never go back to any of the previous campers. Less tolls, more maneuverability, versatility, and the ability to go just about anywhere with true 4WD and ground clearance put truck campers in a league of their own. Plus, as you mentioned, I drop the camper wherever I want and run all sorts of errands in the truck while leaving all the hookups and leveling intact. When I get back home after several months away, I then have a truck to do 'truck things' with. Simply, truck campers ROCK!
Ditto! Ours is a '99 Lance 1120 on a 2018 F-350. Still rockin' along. ❤
I need help finding one.
What about your shower ?toilets ?
After selling my van during the pandemic, I purchased a 2023 FWC hawk model. After only 2 months of use, I have put it up for sale. The popup is definitely not a good fit for me due to the noise from outside, no air conditioner and an indoor shower that is a pain to use. Also, I just don't feel safe without hard walls around me.. When its windy you feel like you're in a tent.
I'm in the process of looking at another B class van and the prices are finally dropping drastically.
We’ve had two travel trailers, a popup tent camper, a Class C motor home, and now a Campervan. What works best for us is to be nimble and quick. It took a while to figure that out but we are so happy with our van. We don’t need to plug-in power but if we do it takes us less than 5 minutes to break camp and be on the road. That was what is important to us. To cover a lot of ground in a fast amount of time.
That is kind of why I am leaning towards a Class B also. For all their shortcomings, I know that A. most of the time I will be traveling alone (my wife has zero interest) or just with my daughter and that B. I will me moving around a lot. I have no interest in parking on BLM land for two weeks at a stretch, spending weeks in the same campground, or anything like that. I also have no interest in owning the kind of HD truck that would be close to necessary for the type of towable I would otherwise be interested in. Nimble is key, spending no more than a day or two in each location. Also, should the wife choose to come along on a more hotel-based road trip vacation, we could still use the Class B as a road trip vehicle and be more flexible and comfortable while doing so than in our small SUV. Lastly, I know I cannot convince my wife to move anytime soon and I do not at all like the idea of having to pay to store an RV at some storage place at least 45 minutes away but a Class B I could park in my driveway. However, I know that some people have such restrictive HOAs that they could not even park a modest Class B in their driveway. Fortunately, I do not have that problem.
When I decided I was going to travel after retirement and not maintain a home, I looked at several options. I decided Class A motorhomes were to large to go to most places I wanted and cost to operate were high including at least $75 a night to park in an RV park. So then it came down to three options: Class B, Class C, or Trailer. From a cost perspective, if you already have a tow vehicle, a trailer is going to be cheaper and more manageable depending on size of the trailer. I didn't consider truck camper because they had limited features and you have to exit the truck to get into the camper. I know you have to do the same with a trailer but you get more features like a real bathroom and larger water tanks. I ended up selecting a 22 foot airstream because I wanted the space if this was going to be my only home and figured it would maintain a greater resale value. However, after being on the road for a few months, I realized I needed a larger truck to two it so ended up spending more money. Then after towing for about 8 months, I realized that I was staying less than three days in a particular spot and I was spending a lot of time in tear down, drive, and setup and less in exploring. I have now gone back to purchasing a house as home base, so I don't need a large camping vehicle. I sold my trailer and now building a Class B van.
One other factor to consider which isn't my case (being single) is the number of people traveling. Even in a 22 foot airstream, it can be tight fit for two people trying to move around in. My recommendation before looking at any sort of solution is to determine some needs:
1) Number of people traveling
2) Distance you want to travel per day and the type of roads you are going to be on
3) Number of days you want to spend in any particular location and cost to "park" your solution.
4) Number of days your solution will be stored per month and possible cost of storage
If you are retired and only moving your motorhome twice a year, a Class A might be the solution
If you are only going to use it for two-three weeks out of the year, you might find renting a vehicle is better.
If you are like me and want the option to go "off road" and get away from it all then a Class B or truck camper might be the best.
There is no single answer for everyone. Explore the total cost of operations for all solutions. It turned out costing me about $4000 a month to be on the road including truck and trailer payments.
I went from a 24' class c to a 2012 F-250 (gasser) with a 2003 Lance truck camper. Wanted to be able to go off road, camp on the beach, etc. The camper was in near perfect condition, the truck was high mileage (223K). Total cost was $17,500.😊
As a 6'4" dude, the queen bed over the cab, and the 6'8" interior were key.
I had a lance 650 on a ram 2500 that I could take any where. My family outgrew it. I trip out on the trendy popularity of the Sprinter van craze. Every time I look inside one I always think a truck camper is such a better option. More room can be less expensive and more versatile
After 4 years full time, I still love my Ford F350 and Capri truck camper.
We considered one of those...very cool!
I’m almost 60 and we just started camping with a toy hauler that we use to bring our RXT300 Sea Doo. I really like the versatility of a truck camper, the small size, no pulling a trailer and the ability to disconnect from truck.
Been contemplating options as well to pull our Sea-Doo WakePro 230 (excellent choice with your RXT300!). I'm leaning towards "no" for a Class C (HOA restrictions, afraid to store without fear of stolen catalytic converters, etc) but maybe towards a van and truck camper. I like the van as a replacement for my daily driver and the "grab and go" flexibility. The truck option would be better towing the Sea-Doo, especially on the ramps but doesn't offer as much living space flexibility than a van, IMHO. Definitely a toss up. Best of luck with your search!
To test the water, I purchased a used mini-van and converted it myself. Very affordable, easy to maneuver, easy to find parking spot, good gas mileage, can make it stealthy in urban areas. But can only accommodate 1 person comfortably. Added a diesel heater then allowed me to spend the winter in CO/WY. Haven't try hot weather yet, but I recently purchased a WAVE2 and plan to use it in hot summer. The mini-van work so well for me. Like Russos said, it really depends on the way you plan to use it.
Truck camper owner here. I boondock camp from May to Nov every year in the mountain states (CO,WY,UT,ID,MT,SD) so while it's not full time, it is for 6 to 7 months straight at a time. I am about to leave on my 6th year doing this. I own a SRW 2009 F-350 with a Northern Lite 10-2 in it. Costs - I bought my F-350 used. It came out of the oil fields of Texas in 2013 and I paid 25k for it from a dealer that had bought the whole fleet. When I got it, I took it to my diesel mechanic and found it has a blown cylinder. After round and round with the dealer, they agreed to pay for a replacement engine and my mechanic told me that for $2500 more I could replace the Ford 6.4 with a 6.7 Cummins. I did, best decision I ever made. The truck is a beast so I have about 29K total in my truck now with the 6.7 and better shocks, airbags, etc. The camper we bought in 2015 for 42k. (Total 71k in my combined rig/camper) Yes, Northern Lites are expensive but you can't beat the quality and it is super comfortable for two people to live in it..off grid, for months and months at a time. Also, it has the longest warranty in the industry at 6 years and is a true Four Season Camper as it's made in Canada and they know what a winter really is like. For the type of camping I do, a Van just couldn't get to most places. Last year, out for 7 months, I stayed in developed campgrounds 7 days total...everything else was boondocking. The camper is hard sided with no slide outs. If you are thinking of doing off road camping with a camper with slide outs I would think twice. The movement and twisting of the camper going off road will jam your slides and also the weight that slides add to your truck will push it to the max if not over it. One of the things I like about the NL is that it is fiberglass so it's light compared to other TC's out there and its weight is low so when it's in your truck you are not top heavy. I have traveled in the Utah deserts, over dirt mountain passes in every state, mining roads with 1000 ft drop offs, etc and have beaten the NL like a step child..yet after all this time I have not had one major item fail...everything works like the day we bought it. Now I am pretty handy, so I do maintain everything but am impressed at the quality of the NL. I have heard the same thing about the quality of Big Foot campers so that's another option out there. I like the quality of a hard sided camper as opposed to popup. Yes, the Popup will be much lighter but there are drawbacks with this. It requires set up, isn't near as temp efficient, and the fabric will wear out the more you use it. You also get a lower top clearance and if there is one thing that limits where I can go with my current set up it is the height limitations. So far I have only had two instances where I decided not to go down a trail because I thought the low hanging limbs would be a problem so it is something to be aware of. Anyone have any specific questions about the set up or how we do certain things I am happy to answer any questions. I highly recommend getting a camper or van...anything...just get out and enjoy all the great adventures that await you.
My Sportsmobile 4x4 van with Atlas transfer case will go just about anywhere a truck will go. And it's much more functional in my opinion. My 21' 4x4 Chinook is a pleasure to travel in.
You can have a pass through with a truck camper. You remove the back window and remove the window in the camper. There are several types of...gasket would be the best word I guess. But the one we have is inflatable and it makes a seal and cushion.
Yes. My parents had one. It was smallish, so kids could fit. My dad could if he wanted, but usually just used the door.
😂@@brucegunn6396
4:15.
I'm planning to purchase either a truck camper or a class b when I retire in a few years. I was dead set on a custom built van for a while because I like the idea of being able to pass between the cab and camper without exiting. However, then I thought about the off-road limitations and the high cost of a custom van and that got me to look at truck campers. Now I'm leaning toward a lightly used 3/4 ton truck and a new popup camper. It's a tough choice because there are clear advantages and disadvantages to both, so you have to be willing to compromise either way.
I can relate. I’ve been in a transit van for 3 plus years and I’m now interested to have the better off road capability of a truck camper. It’s so difficult to know whether the trade off of having to go outside the truck to get into the camper is going to be worth it. You really won’t know until you’ve tried it. I love that we don’t have to register and insure the truck camper and the flexibility of taking the camper off and still use the truck to haul stuff as well as ease of serviceability. But since the only 4WD van is a Mercedes (and they’ve switched to AWD, too, in 2023) and that’s even harder to service, the truck option sounds much safer in the case of a breakdown or other unexpected roadside assistance situation in a remote area.
My wife and I have a 2023 Ram 3500 DSL 4x4. As a retired CEO that now flips houses in SoAZ, I use the truck everyday. We bought a FWC Hawk a couple years ago and love it. It has a King size bed, and yes you have to pull over to the side of the road or take an exit if you want to get into the fridge for a beverage or use the potty. But at this stage of our lives, we are not in a hurry to get anywhere, so the five minutes we take to pull over is not a big deal. The Ram and FWC is so much more capable to go literally anywhere that a Class B may not. We have looked at them long and hard and done the research, a breakdown on a MCB vs Ram in terms of finding dealerships nearby to handle the situation is night and day... Say you have a check engine light illuminate on a MCB Sprinter in Moab UT, where do you go? But Moab has a Ram, Chevy and Ford dealership
I HAVE BEEN LIVING AS A FULL-TIME NOMAD IN A TENT AND SMALL CAR FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. I HAVE HAD CONFRONTATIONS WITH RATTLESNAKES, SCORPIONS, AND GRIZZLY BEARS FROM MONTANA TO ARIZONA. IF I HAD THE MONEY, I WOULD CHOOSE A 2023 AWD MERCEDES SPRINTER VAN.
It depends mostly what type of camping your into, after alot of experimentation we got a standard cab, 8' bed 2007 dodge 1500 4x4 with camper shell , put a 4" lift on it and a professional crawl-thru, this setup is perfect for us, the crawl-thru dumps into a pillow top mattress an leaves room for a dc fridge/freezer and room for firewood, we don't camp around others an this truck lets us escape, we camp all over the sierra's (8000' to 10000') also Death Valley an a few beaches in Oregon an Washington. I'm in my mid sixtys an for now this is perfect.
After a couple of travel trailers (towed by a truck) and then a 37' class A we now roll in a B van. Joe hit all the key points. It's a second "car" (daily driver), we can bring friends and family along, if it's just a trip to watch the grandkids at the ball park or a days drive on a family vacation. The front seats rotate to make for a nice living area with air conditioning and heat as needed. We park anywhere and get back on the road without ever going outside. etc etc.. it just works, like having your bedroom, living room and kitchen at your finger tips. That's just us.. not a lot of running room.. my significant other has on occasion mentioned hell's kitchen.
You did a great job explaining the pros and cons of each type of setup. I thought about these too when deciding what to buy. My own orientation is I have little interest in being able to go on 4WD roads, as I really dislike rough roads and "bumpy" driving, and certainly am averse to any type of "technical" routes which not only require a 4WD but also skill at navigating these rougher roads. I do realize that the ability to travel on 4WD routes would greatly expand the number of areas I could access, as well as open up more possibilities of greater solitude. But I so dislike driving on these roads that I am content with not having access to those areas, at least via driving (I do hike or bike in on 4WD roads).
That decided, I also felt much more attracted to the larger interior space a van offered. It's not just that you don't have to exit the vehicle to get to the camper, but also that the cab area becomes part of the camper space in a van. I ended up with a Ford Transit medium roof, long wheelbase, and when I turned the passenger seat around and positioned it to face rearward to the cargo/camper area, it's now a comfy armchair in my living area, and I also have a folding table I can put in front of it to use this as a dining area. The living area feels bigger when it includes the cab, and also is illuminated by light coming through the windshield, important when you have a van with no windows in the cargo area.
I pass between the cab and the cargo or living area quite a lot. On rainy or windy days in particular, I don't open the sliding side door of the van, and just enter and exit thru the cab. Also, I'm able to use the passenger seat and driver seat to store some items when I'm occupying the living area -- eg a backpack, a bag of clothes -- and this helps keep the living area less cluttered. It would be really annoying to not have access between the cab and camper when wanting to move things back and forth a lot like this. So in many ways, the cab IS part of the camper living space, in a camper van, in a way that you can't do in a truck camper setup. People may not realize the importance of this until spending time camping in the vehicle.
There are other benefits too...the camper van has the large side sliding door, when when opened up, makes you feel part of the landscape, with that much of nature right next to your living area. A truck camper lacks this. Even if you have double back doors on the truck camper, it's not likely you can leave the whole space open in front of those, to achieve a big spacious view space, the way you can in a camper van, particularly if you don't block the side door by putting a kitchen counter or sink there as many do. So, I feel that the whole van interior space design is more appealing, particularly when considered in combination with nature outside, than can be accomplished in a truck camper setup.
You never beat the T3 Syncro camper van, gets you everywhere and with the visco cuppling you can switch from 2 to 4 wheel any time. If you get stuck - use the diff lock !
Great summary video. I used to do consulting for people to help them select a good mobile living solution. The first thing I would say is forget about all the bewildering options of different campers, vans etc. I would have them first pencil out how they want to live, where they want to go, what they plan to be doing. And then fit the vehicle to that. Tidbits - used sprinters are generally a poor choice. It's so hard to get service on them almost anywhere in the country, and they get very expensive to fix when they get older/higher mile. When buying a used vehicle of any sort, it's totally worth getting a good independent mechanic inspection. There is something to the safety, especially for single women of being able to go from the back of a camper van to the driver seat when things go very bump in the night.
Very rare that that might happen. Although a wireless button with flashing lights and siren on the outside of a vehicle may suffice. For used truck campers or standard motorhomes always look for water intrusions, water likes to get in around the body panels and cause rot inside the walls and floor and often under the bed area. The only truck campers I will buy are Northern light or Bigfoot, they don't have body seams.
Don't forget the ability of a camper van to be more stealthy as compared to a truck camper. I think a converted cargo van can be made to look like a normal cargo van but add a camper on top of a truck and everyone knows that there could be someone sleeping in it. If you want to be able to stealth camp on the streets of a city a converted cargo van is probably the better option in my opinion.
I mean, you can always just not respond to someone knocking. They wont know if someone is actually in there lol
Kinda want to get a cargo van and wrap it like an amazon delivery van
I dont think cargo vans are as stealthy as they used to be. At least when I see a sprinter these days my first thought is "oh thats probably someones camper I wonder if theyre in there now?" While my assumption even just a few short years ago would have been its a work vehicle or moving van or something.
@@sergeantbigmac Just do what Tim M said above. Slap some faux corporate livery on it and you'll be able to park anywhere in a city... It's the perfect urban camouflage.
@@tylisirn It would go a long way for sure, maybe I just watch too much of these van life videos lol. The camper vans have a distinct profile. Like the old Ford Crown Vics back in the day, your 1st thought is Cop even if they dont have lights and a sheriff logo on the side.
Outstanding video. I've been researching this stuff for over a year, but you've made some great comparisons/comments about things that I hadn't considered
. And the viewer comments themselves are great additional data as well. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Great insight! I Have been living out of my Honda Element for 3 years. Its the perfect size for being solo. I love the idea of something bigger then I think of parking/gas and I always talk myself out of it. So far im loving it its a fantastic platform awd and easy to maneuver.
Well said!
As a solo woman, I prefer the van. I need to be able to get to the driver seat in emergency situations.
Terrific, well-thought-out points.
As with most things, it depends on one's specific purpose/use case.
For me the choice was easy. Some of the newer models of campers have amazing amounts of space, more onboard water storage capacity and seem to have more inside and outside storage than the camper vans we viewed. I ended up with the Arctic Fox 1140.
We often tow a horse trailer or ATV trailer, and the suspension on our F350 handles the camper and trailer well.
However, the tipping point in favour of truck and camper is that during non-holiday times, the F350 is serving our hobby farm. Hauling hay, transporting equipment, and pulling a flat deck with logs for my little hobbyist sawmill.
I had kicked around multiple options and ultimately decided to go with a Four Wheel Camper, for the same reasons you went with the camper option. I have it on an F250 Tremor, so it is pretty capable offroad.
Those are cool trucks! Enjoy
Great points. I’m full-time In a 2006 Ford E350. I converted it myself and love the fact that I can get in the back without going outside. It’s not a 4X4 but I’ve taken it in some remote places! Love the truck camper idea as well, maybe in the future!
That is awesome!
I had a '63 Econoline that I absolutely loved. A van is what I'm looking for.
Great points here Joe. We went with a truck camper (Northstar 850SC pop up and RAM 2500 4x4). Currently full timing and loving the setup.
We had a tent, we now have a custom built van from Wilderness Van's, and absolutely love it! It's a 2019 ext159 3500, and just perfect. We don't live it, though I suspect we could if we ever decided to, but it's great for extended travels for sure.
Thank you for posting this. I've been wanting a van for a very long time. I've lived full time in my old blazer and I still have a small cargo trailer I converted years ago. My trailer is stealthy and I've gotten away with parking all over in cities but, one downside is rv parks not accepting a non traditional big name brand camper. My biggest problem is needing a place to store it and a location to store it when I decide to take a break from living in it full time every so often. It's really nice to be able to detach from my truck easily but the stress of somewhere to store it has taken a toll. Even using apps like neighborly are fairly expensive still. When you add that to the cost of rent that has skyrocketed. I've been contemplating selling it and either going with the slide on or a van. All of your talking points are things I've been weighing the pro's and cons to...but the struggle is still real lol. I've never had a slide on before. My other two thoughts are the wear on your trucks suspension, which is one reason why I went with a trailer instead. The other one is bathing abilities and water storage on a slide on?
I have had a truck with just the simple shell on the back where I put an elevated bed, could slide a bale of hay under it and tow my horse in her horse trailer. I also used my old Ford Econoline for traveling - but never built it out. I currently have an old Yukon that I use to haul my cargo trailer - set up as a camper, craft studio and bug-out trailer. I am planning on getting a Ford Transit 350 and will do a simple build and still haul my cargo trailer. I feel safer being able to jump out of bed and into the driver's seat to take off if need be. Since I am going to be doing my own simple build - it won't cost me tons of money. I had thought of getting a truck w/ camper, but my friends told me that it was not very easy to take it off and put it back on, especially alone. Thanks for the comparisons, it helps to re-affirm my choice. Happy Trails.
Which camper might be BEST FOR YOU…a key point that you raised. I would also add that a lot also depends on your floor plan. A truck camper floor plan will often have more volume and feel much larger than an equivalent van. Some vans have more focus on sleeping and room under the bed….others more like a small home with an enclosed bathroom and small eating area; the latter is pretty much the way truck campers are set up. Agree that truck campers are typically better off road, but remember than they are tall and so not quite nimble off road given higher center of gravity plus tree branches can be an issue (much less so if a pop up truck camper, but not the most common). Most vans will go on minor forest roads easily enough and of course are great on roads. If you want that off road capability most of the time a truck camper likely the best choice. Great video…no perfect choice. We went with a Promaster based van (extended version) and love it…but mostly stay in parks (paved or gravel roads)….still love the thought of a truck camper for a bit more room and a bit more off road chops but in truth that need would be rarely used by us. Always a hard call as you said!
Thank you Gordon - I think a lot of people miss the "for you" part.
I figured a GMC 3500HD with an Alaskan pop up 8 footer at about $125,000 brand new for both. I'd put a 55 gallon fuel tank in place of the stock one. They come with air and heat and I think I could outfit a pump system for water near lakes and rivers.
A Pleasure way Rekon is around $180,000 and very cool but far more money and not nearly as capable.
We picked the Pleasureway Ontour 2.2 because it is built on the Transit 350 Chasis. I am 6’5* and need its 6’6” ceiling and 79” big bed. I can also fit in the bathroom which I could not in our previous 2 RVs without taking the door off. Duallys give us great CCC too.
Both are nice. Having had both, there is more room in a full sized truck camper than in a van. You can always take a truck camper off and use the truck (you aren't going to haul twenty bags of manure in your van!) Trucks, as a general rule, have more clearance for going off road.
Van's get better mileage, and are typically better appointed. Overall they will probably be cheaper because you are buying one thing rather than two. Van's are easier to drive, more car like.
I think this is the best video I have seen on the topic. Well articulated and straight to the point no bluff. Well done
Thank you!
I think I would want direct access from the living quarters to the driving seat….. great all round info, Joe and Kait!
Truck camper is a lover , full of excitements . Campervan is a wife , calm & comfortable
So if the campervan is a wife, it means it leaves you moneyless? ))))
Excellent video. We had a ram 1500 + Travel Trailer. We wanted more flexibility and to go more nimble. For a family of 4, we could not find a truck camper that would fit all of us comfortably and be light enough for the Ram 1500. We also did not want to get a bigger truck (1500 was more than enough). We ended up with the Winnebago Solis - it has 4 seats and a pop top. Perfect for a family of 4. We love it and won’t even consider going for a pickup or towable again. Does everything great, usable as a daily drive, fits everywhere, easy to drive. Just perfect
We've had two truck campers; a Four Wheel and a Hallmark, both pop-ups, and they served us well. As you noted, the camper will go wherever the truck will go, which is very convenient. But as we've gotten older (early 70s), comfort has become more of an issue. And that is why we have on order a Winnebago EKKO. Not exactly a van, but close enough.
We enjoy your channel... always interesting and informative. Thanks.
I hear ya loud and clear, Bill!
Breaking the bank on that one, I hope you’re not leaving that thing in the driveway!
I hear ya on the requirements, but at $200k, that would vaporize my financial requirement. I sincerely hope you enjoy it for many years
@@larrycox6614 Yep... no question. The EKKO is expensive. Fortunately, we placed our order several months ago when the price was considerably lower. But there is also the "can't take it with you" factor. I guess I could croak with money in the bank, but what fun would that be?
Your points about servicing a camper van (which is close to the restored Roadtrek we currently have) are spot-on. We've had numerous issues getting service where someone didn't have a beefy-enough lift or a tall enough service bay, especially in smaller towns. Ours weighs just under 10k lbs. BTW we do get to our favorite off-road sites after having it lifted and bigger wheels and tires, but it's only 2WD so some situations are just too dicey.
One advantage of the pop up truck camper is it will fit in a regular garage. So when not in use, its easy to store at home. There is no perfect set up: travel trailer, motorhome, fifth wheel, pickup camper, all have advantages and limitations.
Off road capability pushed me to a truck with a pop up camper. It has 35” tires, winch and 1,000 ft/lbs of torque that will get you into some cool spots. If I was sticking to pavement, I would go with a van.
Great video. Thank you so much! Wife and I have a two year old FWC Hawk now on a '23 Ram 3500with the Cummins DSL, stock with factory air suspension. We often contemplate buying a Revel or Storyteller, but we both find the sleeping space (which is so important to us as we are both tall) is confining. Our Hawk has a the king bed and plenty of space. We also contemplate the fact that in AZ we'll have to pay taxes, registration and insurance on a van that we use a few to many times a year. The fact that we can store our FWC in the garage and mount and go in an hour or two works for us. That said, we are seriously considering a new flat bed FWC with the Norweld tray. As that model has much more flexibility in living space. We both enjoy the capability the Ram 3500 4X4 gives us in going literally anywhere, the fact that we have to exit the truck and enter the camper in inclement weather is not a big deal. As not full timers, yet part timers, the Ram and FWC is perfect.
I wanted a campervan but more space and better insulation, so we went with a WGO Ekko!
Love the thing. Already 16k miles in.
“Starting at $215,551*” Me moving on to the next option.
Great vid as always! So pro.
I've also done both, hard side TC and pop up on a Ford F250 6.0 4x LB, and now a Transit AWD.
I've found that the Van being only 8k lbs ish (and having everything we need) is so nice compared to the 10k++ lbs with the TC. Sand, rocky whatever. The truck just felt so much heavier, and did make a huge difference in the sand.
With that and not being able to go in the cabin on the road, for us the Van is the way.
We have a 2018 Bundutec USA “Free” model on a 2008 F350 4x4. We have just enough room for our family of 5 to sleep but forces us outside during the day. We love it.
We have two campers. We use our truck camper when we go on long trips. Last year passing through Salem Massachusetts we were able to find a parking spot and explore the city. When in Cape Canaveral we took the camper off and drove around with our truck. We also have a Winnebago travel trailer that we use when our stays are closer to home and we want to be more comfortable.
Thanks for sharing!
I'm just looking right now, but I'm a skier and a boater. So for me, it's a no-brainer, the camper on the back of a truck gives me everything I need to do. Four-wheel-driving in the snow. And I can tow my boat behind during the summer months. I also like the idea that I can leave my home behind at a campground and drive my truck around for the week. Camper that I'm most interested in is made by Host. It has three slide outs and is bigger than any of the other campers and easily twice the size of a van.
We have an old 2006 sprinter fixed up for camping , we pull a 20-foot travel trailer (2020) .
With this setup, it's kinda the best for us
Funny, in Brazil we also have vansfrom Renault, Citroen, Toyota, Ducato and even less known brands, the american market for vans is small.
Reading below indicates some good points. We didn't get into camping until our late 50's so prefer comfort but also mobility. Priorities for us are a large table to work on and sometimes entertain with and a decent size bathroom and kitchen. Since we drive on average an hour or two a day, we like to access the bathroom while driving.... well at least for the passenger. A popup is definitely out for the excellent reasons mentioned by Dusty. I really prefer the big table in back that converts into a bed vs the small one in front where you turn the chairs around. It may take 5 minutes to convert but gives you soooooo much more usable space, especially if the van is wide enough to put the beds sideways. Unfortunately they seem to have gone out of favor.
Another great video Joe. I’m currently traveling in a Nissan 2500 high top. A bit smaller than some of the others due to the front end, good reliability and warranty. Built it out to fit my needs when traveling, I have noticed that selling a DIY van is tricky compared to a factory built.
Too bad Nissan cancelled this, and never made a lwb hightop.
VW Camper van vintage 1986, occasional use short trips with a home base, climate is very tame and I could always run to home if really bad weather hit. I am a camper van person, my younger brother is a truck camper guy, I can take 5 people with me and he can only take 3, when we are not in camping mode.
You are 100% right whatever works best for you. After much back and forth my wife and I decided on a Supertramp slide in truck bed camper. For it go anywhere capability. We have absolutely zero regrets. Works great for us.
Love this comparison video! I currently have a quick bed platform set up in my truck with a hi top Leer canopy. It works great for 3 to 5 day trips with what does not fit in my 2 slider drawers under bed being stored in the back seat area of the cab. Plan to travel more extended and this really gives me a lot to think about.
Great info. Lots to think about. We're currently in an Airstream Basecamp 20X. I think eventually I'd love for us to try a truck camper. I want to go deep into BLM and national forest land to photograph. While the Basecamp has great clearance, I'd love to be more mobile and mobile more quickly.
My first camper was a pull behind, I didn’t like pulling anything. Now I have a older truck camper and it’s ok. I’m still considering buying a class b sometime soon.
We have had two campers on two pickups. We pull a flat bed trailer with a 1952 M38 Jeep on it to back road events through out the summer and fall in Wyoming , South Dakota and Colorado. I set the camper off in the winter and use the pickup as a daily driver. Both camper pickup combinations were purchased used.
Thanks for sharing
Love truck camper platform. Have a Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins with an Arctic Fox 1150 with a dry bath. Arctic Fox is super comfortable with a toilet, shower, oven, stove top, fridge, freezer, queen bed. Has large holding tanks, 2 30lb propane tanks, generator, AC, and solar panels. The 2 batteries are full by 10:00 AM. I can drop the camper at the site if I want to get up early to go do stuff while she sleeps in. Can't 4 wheel in a rig this big but it does fine on forest service roads. When at home I have use of the dually.
Grew up camping in a truck camper with my family. My wife snd I thought about buying a sprinter but found the price to be crazy high.
I own a ole 2006 Chevy Silverado crew cab that still runs great. Now we’re thinking about buying a camper to fit our truck bed.
I bought a Four wheel camper project M, I am now building out the inside, I absolutely LOVE it!!
THE question ... We opted for a Hawk Four Wheel Pop Up Camper, which by the looks of you video, seems to be the winner in pop up campers. What we didn't know is the issues with the whole 1500, 2500, 3500 classes of trucks... We have a Tundra TRD and thought, yes, a TRD can do it all. Nope. A TRD is rated at 1300 pounds or so. Our fully loaded Hawk with every single option should really be on a 3500 (pick your manufacture). Bigger shocks, leaf springs (Emu) make no difference. It's a system question and every single component that makes up the delta from the ball joints to the drive shaft and on and on. It's the entire system vs select 'upgrades'... Upgrades are a bandaid if you will. So we now need to buy a 3500 (it will be a Dodge it that matters to anyone) at 60-90K.
All that said, I'd still want a tow behind super light weight trailer for all of our gear regardless of a van or a truck ... climbing, skis, 2 bikes each for my wife and I, etc. A camper has the same bring along problem if you do a lot of other activities. Also, with all that said, a truck can get you into much more remote places. Which does not answer the question!!
we LOVE our off-road Tacoma/4wheel camper - bought both in 2010 and have spent all but 3 full summers traveling in northern canada and alaska - that truck goes ANYWHERE - up the dempster twice, the dalton once, haida gwaii, bella coola - always good food and a good bed - all in beautiful places with few/no people - thx for your videos, guys
Great to hear!
Definitely a "it depends" discussion. I have no intention of being totally full time in a camper and the main reason I want one (and started watching these videos years ago) was to have a vehicle to go on mtn bike trips. While I love trucks (and have owned many), the #1 requirement for me is being able to transport my bikes (more than one) inside. Secure and out of the weather - since my bikes cost more than many of the cars I've bought. Then I want an inside shower and toilet - because where I often go to ride isn't conducive to having a shower outside. And I often ride when it's cold, so the idea of showering outside in near (or below) freezing temperatures doesn't sound like fun either. All of this keeps sending me back to building a van, since so far no RV manufacturer has designed a floorplan that meets my needs (even the Ekko isn't quite what I need, although it's close).
Do I want to do a DIY build? Hoenstly, no... I'd rather be out doing rather than building. But so far the DIY route is the only route I've seen that will work for me.
Interesting and informative.
Ive been RVing since 1986 and have owned about everything but a 5th wheel.
While I currently have travel trailer, I've owned a couple of truck campers and liklely will go back to one someday.
One aspect i think was not totally correct, was the pass thru. We installed a large boot and had seatbelts in the camper too. We passed food/beverages, and even people all the time. It was not all that pricey to do. However in todays litigious society, i think this option is less common.
I also liked the room we had, but then we had an 8 foot bed truck with an overhang truck-camper.
We road trip more than stay in one place to camp. For years we traveled in our trusty Subaru Outback. We'd stay out all day then find a motel to stay for the night.
One time we rented a Promaster cargo van from Enterprise and rigged it ourselves for a few hundred bucks and went on a week long roadtrip. It was so much fun and we spent the night at a truck stop, a Walmart, a Cracker Barrel, boondocked in Yuma and stayed two nights in a State Park south of Tucson.
I never wanted to go home!
Long story short, we were pretty set on getting a van, but was concerned about limitations on roads and being nimble. We started looking at Pop ups, but then came across a crazy thing called a Moonlander! Basically its a cross between a truck shell and a truck camper. Its kind of weird, but will be just right for us I think. All we need is a bed and enough room for a pee pot for me so i don't have to go outside in the middle of the night! 😂
I enjoyed this video, although it is one year old. I followed you more when you used to drive the flatbed truck camper. We have a 1998 RoadTrek Popular 19 with a Dodge Ram 350, and we love it. All wood, no plastic, and now about 100k miles. we bought it for $15,000 and it's in great shape. When not camping we do use it occasionally for errands. It's just a van, and one can park it on the street. In the past, we have had pop-up camper tent trailers (StarCraft), and before that, large tents - they were great when our kids were young. In future, we may want a Truck + camper, but having all in one is great, and one doesn't have to leave the van to do anything if the weather is bad. It's just me and my wife. One of our sons borrowed it and had a great time with his wife and 7 year old daughter, as the 3rd seat turns into a bed. In my perfect world, I'd love a 'brand new' 1978 GMC CamperVan with the 3 axles. We don't go off road, but they don't make them any more. The 2000 Airstream Argosy is also very nice. Well, thanks. - Dr Dave Menke (retired professor), Tucson, Arizona.
Those old GMC camper’s are cool. We’ve seen a few restored that look pretty nice but hard to find parts for them.
I purchased a Ram cargo van 8 years ago. We sold our R-Pod trailer last year. This year’s project is to use the cargo van in place of that really nice trailer (we had no place practical to keep it). So, I purchased a pavilion style 10 x 10 tent for the living and dining space. The van is for sleeping and storage. The Ram cargo van has the same insulated ceiling and formed plastic walls as the Grand Caravan. The van keeps us warm overnight and very quiet! We have 200 watt solar panels and power station for the fridge and induction cooktop and lighting. So far we love the economy and ease of setup. This is a flexible, spacious and cheap way to go as another option. By the way, the van was not modified so I use it for hauling bikes and building materials too.
That’s great - thanks for sharing
This was a super useful video! I had never really considered a truck camper until you layed out the benefits like you did. I really like the versatility need for service, and registration/taxing on the camper.
Glad it was helpful!
We've had a Forest River A frame pop up, Tab 400, and now a 1995 Lance travel trailer, our truck is an Ford F150, 2018. Our Lance is a 2019. As we age we are considering a class B van, except they are very expensive, we're early 70's, but very active, hiking on the AT, biking, and running. But time marches on and we know that a simpler rig might be better.
I've owned 4 truck campers and one campervan. Overall I feel the truck campers are a better value at a wider pricepoint. Currently I have an F350 dually, 8'bed, diesel and a Bigfoot 2500 model 10'6, that's a hard side all fiberglass higher end camper. Favorite features? I Like my dedicated bed, booth seating, storage and dry bath. Staying out a month is easy.
We decided a van was better for us. We don’t really go offroad. We have a dog, which would preclude us ripping out the back seats of the truck. I like having easy access to a toilet. We use it in winter, so a pop-top would be out of the question. We bought a 1998 Roadtrek Popular 190 for ~$20k CAD. We’ve put in another $10k to get it in good shape. The 5.2 V8 is bombproof, and we still get 17 L/100km. We’re really happy with the purchase.
That’s great to hear!
Solo retired female here. I was on the road in all the western states in my 'camper' minivan, as a nomad, from Jan 2021 through November 2021. Just a simple 2019 Dodge grand caravan that I called my MiniRV. (that I still have and love!) I averaged 23 MPG, gasoline, paid $18K for it in Nov 2020. I set it up with a 'no build' build. It was DEFinitely a learning curve but I had an absolute blast, could afford it, and now it's almost paid for and I have some Million Dollar Memories! So what you say is so true; Find the one that's right for you and Go For It! Love your videos, learned so much about the different classes and especially the terms used. Thank you!
You’re very welcome and so happy you had such an amazing time in the right van for you
I started with a small C as my daily driver and loved it. My HOA did not. So I switched to a B, thinking that would be a good compromise. (Didn't appease the HOA...I ended up moving eventually). I learned that even though the B was smaller inside, I still had quite a bit of storage, easier to access, and even larger fresh water holding tank! The B had less road noise, too, and slightly better ride. It was tight for two people's worth of stuff. But it was great for me solo.
My current set up is a 3/4 ton truck and truck camper. I have not camped yet. But I love the versatility and better "off road" ability with a truck. Some places I go are down two tracks or just living on the beach through the winter. I feel much better with the truck for this. I have not gotten the camper back onto the truck yet. It is intimidating... and it was not easy to get it off. I hope with practice I will be able to put it on and off readily.
The bottom line is, whatever works best for you and your needs. It goes the same with camping out of your vehicle or camping in a ground tent or a rooftop tent. People have different needs but it’s kind of the same thing. A ground tent you can leave behind and travel around in your vehicle during the day. A rooftop tent you have to pack everything away every time you wanna leave. A lot of times I sleep inside my truck so I don’t have to set up or break down anything but there are times that I wish I had more room.. I love these discussions. But like I said in the beginning everybody has different needs. I use a ground tent, a tent cot, and I sleep inside my vehicle. But one of these days I do dream of a stand up van.
One of the biggest issues for us is the HEIGHT of the entry in the vehicle - we were unable to safely navigate in/out of the truck camper due to old knee injuries - an F350 DRW bed height is higher than you think!
I was looking for someone to mention this. The floor height of a camper on a pickup bed must be at least 18" higher than a van. That and the steep, narrow stairs make getting in and out a chore. I do see the advantage of being able to unload the bed and have the truck available for local trave. I have a friend who has the unload/reload process down to less than 10 min. (probably quicker than the trailer guys can unhitch and set up). Oddly, while the Russos touted this advantage, they also said in 2 years they never did it.
Oh, good point, I’m 66 with recent knee issues. My preference is still tent camping and somehow I’ve still managed to pitch the tent by myself but I’m aware that will change. I’m not planning on living in it but definitely go exploring, camping for months at a time. I love off roading and getting to more remote areas but I agree that a truck’s height will be an issue, not only for me but my dog, I can just see myself picking up my 70 lbs pit bull to get inside. I should research more into vans. Thanks for pointing this out.
My wife and I have a toy hauler for camping. I pull it with a Ram 3500, and we can put our RZR in the toy hauler. Having a 24' trailer is nice because we have a huge bathroom with a shower, and it's not a wet bath.
Yes it's not as agile as putting a camper on the truck but it's nice having the extra space, A/C and heater.
We had a 30 foot trailer with a slide. We traveled the United States, Canada and Baja Mexico. To much to pull around tight places. We have the same truck 2002 F350 7.3 Dually with a 2008 Lance 1181 with a slude. Love it
I have a 4x4 F350 with an AT Habitat camper. I’ve been using it heavily for 5 years and it’s fully built out to accommodate my family of four. My wife preferred a camper van, but given she doesn’t like camping/traveling I bought the truck. I confirmed we’d just rent a camper van if she wants to make a special trip some day. I use my truck as designed, regularly doing off road, remote based trips that camper vans wouldn’t dare attempt. It’s important to be honest about what you’re gonna actually do before committing. These can be expensive ventures.
I’ve had vans , motor homes , truck campers and travel trailers and at the end of the day travel trailer for the win
Excellent video Joe.. I have always wondered what was thee 'Perfect' set-up is. Conclusion is, there isn't one, just what fits most of one's need. Thanks and happy trails.
You’re welcome
Ram 2500 4x4 diesel 4 door with FWC HAWK. I like to hike and fly fish and explore BLM and NFS Lands. Having this setup allows me to go to backcountry trails with rough, off-camber roads (keeping in mind it’s not a lifted Jeep!). I’ve backpacked and truck camped most of my life and it was time to camp with some creature comforts. I’ve pulled trailers and fifth wheels and did not want to tow. I looked at Vans and see the positive in those vehicles, and may make that switch if I stop backcountry travel.
I camp in a 88 4x4 GMC Suburban, can’t stand up, but it’s huge inside, I have not built it out yet, but em slowly working on it. I think I would have to go with your Leo set up, but the van life looks really cool. Just wanna be able to go anywhere. Like my burban, thanks for sharing. Love the Russos.
Interesting. I thought sure you'd choose the truck/camper. Good points, something to think about. I will note what may be the elephant in the room: you now have a home base. I think that changes the dynamics quite a bit.
We did a 2 week trip in Tassie with a camper van, and that pretty much put me against them. Great for hanging out in during the day in a parking lot, but terrible on a dirt road and I didn't care to sleep inside. I've slept in tents for recreation all my life and sleeping in a van isolates you from the outside world far too much. I haven't tried the popup truck camper yet, but think that would be far better for adventures off the beaten track. I still think the vans are cool, though.
I have camped in a class b, a bumper pull toyhauler and a Lance 10 foot camper on a Ford F250 V10. The toyhauler was amazing for dirt bikes and a family of 4. When I got into side by side OHVs the truck and camper was great for 2 people. My truck has barely over 100k on the odo. I got the truck and camper for 17,000 bucks.
My camper van is a Chevy Express Quigley 4x4. It works well for me and my dog and it’s a beast off-road.
I have had both and I’d much prefer the van.
For the past 6 years I have lived in a 3 person backpacker's tent X15--12 have been destroyed by weather; 1 by theft; and 1 by a grizzly bear in Montana. If I had a choice, I would choose an all wheel drive Sprinter Van.
We bought a used 2014 LTV Serenity 24CB. We love it. It fit our budget and the way we camp. It can sleep 4 when we need and the 2 of us no problem. Sierra Maple interior and gray seats. Love, Love, Love it! thanks!
I had both, since I am 18 so long time ago, I live van life for years, I need a truck for my Fifthwheel, so own a pickup since then for truck campers. 4 of those, if I didn’t need the 4x4 I go back to van. The best is to have both 😄 Have a nice Summer 🏖
❤ I took a 2 month road trip in a Toyota Highlander last year and still camp out of it solo. I have a power box and an electric cooler for comfort. I like your non answer. Depends on you. You make me want a truck camper because I want to go up dirt roads.
Thank you for doing this video--the timing is perfect. We have been debating getting a van. We have owned a truck camper--a Lance 1030 and a Ram 3500 DRW--for almost three years. We are weekend campers and due to our jobs we really can't take long trips. The argument we told ourselves about buying something that could handle rough roads really hasn't been put to use due to our limited time. I haven't learned to drive it yet, so I'm not much help to my husband on driving longer distances. We never take the camper off the truck, so if we were going to a destination where we would want to sightsee, we either don't, or we break camp and take the camper with us. We see pros and cons to both a van and a truck camper. We decided we're going to take our 2023 camping trips as planned in our truck camper, and really think about if we want to keep it or sell it in the off season and get a camper van or perhaps a Super B. We're not at all interested in a trailer, fifth wheel, Class C or an A. A Super B is even pushing the limits.
That all makes sense. Enjoy this years camping!
I do wish that there were more of the campers that have a pass through to trucks, but if I had to choose one, it would probably be the van for more comfort and flexibility(and for a family of three or more).I hope that you guys have a nice St. Patrick's Day!🤗🍀
I've had motorhome, trailer, & a massive camper on 4door dually F350
Currently Im using my 2018 Crosstrek that I can sleep comfortably in w my 2 Rotties. We do allot of backpacking hikes sleeping in 2 man tent or hammock w dogs attached to run line under the hammock
I'm undecided on what overland rig to get. Full size truck flatbed w 4wheel pop-up or Tacoma/ Colorado (Helix would b sweet) adding a canopy w wedge pop-up tent that I can build out.
Chevys elec truck has really peaked my interest. Having all that engine room for storage, extra batteries, tanks,... would b sweet
The biggest con I have w 4wheel campers is the lack of a pass thru. Being solo female having that added security of pass thru is important to me
All valid points. With the pups, I don't think any person is going to bother you but you may run into animals. We never had any issues in the two years we lived out of our FWC
@@Weretherussos I've never had any issues w wildlife w my dogs. Have had few close calls throughout the years w unruly dogs that people had off leash. My dogs r highly trained in ambulatory service & protection. Rotties make excellent pack & carting dogs due to their strength. They have scared off people at night who get to close to car when we've pulled over for the night.
They love winter & water adventures. Have 7 day paddle board trip planned this summer going down Buffalo River AR. Had some nice trails not far from river see waterfalls. My Crosstrek does pretty good getting me most places, but like u, need the 4x4 to get me everywhere. Keep thinking about 4x4 E van, so bad on gas. Chevy elec truck seems pretty cool. A 4x4 w an engine at each tire, should b a game changer.
Stay safe!
Personally, towing a small trailer is easy and once you park and set-up camp, you have a truck to drive and explore the area.