Alaskan brand truck campers--Pros and cons??

They (Alaskan Campers) are heavier than most POP-UPs, because they have all solid sides, not plastic canvas and plastic folding windows in the gap between the roof and the base....

This is huge. The hard sides eliminate mold, mildew, wet fabric/canvas or plastic windows, wind beating aginst the fabric, etc. One other thing not mentioned is that the top goes up and down hydraulically. Simple, efficient, and it works perfectly even with a boat on the boat rack on the roof.

Alaskan campers are not for everybody. They are not especially at home in RV parks; rather they are much more in their element in the wild, boondocking, end of the dirt road at the meadow at 9000 feet, etc. Or camping on the beach or in the ski parking lot in winter. We used ours to support motocross as a place to get out of the weather and have camping amenities. It worked perfectly. And even with the 10 foot model it is not that difficult to tow something behind with an additional minimal stinger length.

Ok, they are heavy... But not VERY heavy.
All thing are relative, admittedly. My 10' CO Alaskan camper is approx 2000 lbs.
My slightly shorter 1998 Northern LITE camper weighs the same.
They (Alaskan Campers) are heavier than most POP-UPs, because they have all solid sides, not plastic canvas and plastic folding windows in the gap between the roof and the base....and that stuff is light wt! Also most pop ups are shorter length than my ten footer.

If I was to start over I would buy a custom FLAT BED Alaskan camper. That provides room for a shower in the base of the camper.
I Like no grey water tank. You can drain the grey water into a 5 gal plastic jerry can and discretely dump it somewhere. Once it goes into a grey water TANK, it must be disposed of PROPERLY.
I also prefer a cassette toilet like in the Alaskan. Not everyone agrees with that one.
I'd also go with the narrow forward dinette like we have, but go with the wider cab over bed like we don't have.
Do your research and look at them. Fly to look at the factory. Read ALL the forums/topics that mention Alaskan camper. I love my Alaskan camper, but I bought it used so not custom for me.
Alaskans are NOT for everyone, but the people they "fit", LOVE THEM.
Bryan at the factory is SUPER to work with, and a straight shooter.
ALL new units are custom ordered by the customer.

We have owned our 2007 8 ft alaskan co for seven years now.We have owned three other hardside truck campers over the years,and I can truthfully say the alaskan is our personal favorite. I also can agree with all the statements in the prior post.Storage was a bit of a problem until I changed to a flat bed and added tool boxes under the wings.The grey water problem was also solved by adding a custom made tank behind the tool box on the left side.The two AGM battery bank is behind the tool box on the passenger side.It is a very heavy camper for its size.We haul ours on a 3500 DRW 4X4 and would agree a three quarter ton would be bare minimum truck needed.The only thing I would change is the absorption ref to the compressor model.realter you may send me a PM if you have any specific questions.
Ramp

We looked at a very nice 2 year old Alaskin back in 2010, I really liked the quality and finish. My wife thought it was nice except it didn’t have a real bath room/ shower and that was a deal killer for her.

A couple of other notes. If you order it they will customize it pretty much anyway you want to. Because of the limitless options you really should know what you want or you might get something that doesn't suit you. Well built. Biggest con is expense as they are basically hand built.

Here is a good review from Truck Camper Magazine.Alaskan Campee

Check to see if the interior height is acceptable to you. I checked one out in Colorado some years back, and found at 6' 4", I couldn't stand up in the unit with the roof raised. An automatic deal killer for me.

I owned one for ten years, sold it for $500 less than purchase price. Almost incredible in todays throw away RVs where they depreciate fifty percent in five years. Other pros are sides that never delam, roof that is not rubber, and basically they are the 'Airstream' of truck pop up campers.

Cons include a moment in time when the top is up and the sides are not in place over the bed area. If the weather or bugs are real bad it can be a minor issue. If you want to purchase one look into the issues of holding tanks and propane storage. They are not light so a three quarter ton or one ton truck works best and they are not cheap as they will tend to flatten your wallet some.

Pro: Very well made and good floor plans.
Con: No gray water tank.