Never owned a TC or been on an extended camping/rving adventure. Three years out from retirement. Single Joe, just me in this deal. I think I want to sell my house and buy a truck and truck camper and explore the west for a year or so. Come back and buy a house and re-establish my home base and go from there. Before I do all that I'm thinking what if I buy the truck and TC now. If I could try it out now, it would make future planning much easier knowing if this is what I think it is.I work from home so all I need is internet access to do my job. I can easily rent out my house as a vacation house when I'm gone.Local company would handle all of it. Good demand where I live.I know I could rent a TC now but am not sure a quick get away would really give me the feedback to determine if this is what I really want to do. Hard to get away from work for more than a few days.If I can work around the internet issue and buy a used rig that I can sell at close to what I bought, it may be worthwhile to give it a go and then I'll know for sure. Maybe a two or three month stay. The vacation rental is usually a few days at a time, so very easy to come back early or stay longer.What ya'll think about this brainstorm?

"I know I could rent a TC now but am not sure a quick get away would really give me the feedback to determine if this is what I really want to do"I disagree! Rent for a couple of long weekends. Then you can proceed or move in another direction. The size of the rental will tell you bigger, smaller or about right.

If you have a truck, it would be easier to brainstorm. I think you should go West, and buy a used TC. Then, either sell it or keep it. First decision, what kind of truck do you want long term?

I think Lwiddis is right. Easiest solution is to just rent one for a long weekend. Go from there. I have a 1/2 ton Silverado, but I have spent many hours researching varies TC topics including payloads, I know I might as well have a Prius. I do know I want a pop-up since it's only me. That puts me into a 3/4 ton as I would not want any mods to make it work. Plus my truck has 205k miles, do not want to take that on a long trip even if I could.

The truck camper rentals come with lot of limitation and are not cheap. I figure it out decades ago to shop for new toy, or new vehicle when I don't really need it. This way you have a chance to run into exceptional deal, like my aluminium frame, slide camper for $4500. Being self-employed and willing to travel sure helps. Good luck on your shopping.

I would try and rent one first and go out for a few days vs. jumping in and buying a used truck/rig or some combination of both. My reasoning...While it may look like a blast, you are still, for all intents and purposes, living in a box in the back of a pickup. Yes, the TC's have slide outs, and indoor plumbing, but it is still going to be less room than an average bedroom.1) Go out and try it first in a non-hookup (boondocking) area. This would give you the experience of having to use Water/Power Management. Use too much water or battery and you will have to break camp to get more water or find a charging point for your batteries (Read up on Solar power on this, lots of good information out there)2) See if you can sleep in the bed with no problems. While some have Full size and bigger beds, not all do - my 1991 Six-Pac model 78S for instance has a 3/4 Full bed. They can get a bit claustrophobic feeling at times. One person probably not so much, but if you are one who likes to stretch out, find one with a big sleeping area. Especially if you are planning on Living in it for a year or more.3) The kitchen area - cooking on the stove in a TC is different than cooking on a full size stove at home. Most have 2 or 3 burners, some have an oven. Some even have a microwave (but unless you have a genset built in or have a generator you can haul around, don't plan on using it much if at all). Cooking on these stoves is possible. But the sizes of your pots and pans will have to be smaller than what you may use at home. Also remember, you have to have storage for all of these items (we store ours in the oven with padding in between for protection). Note: The generator (portable or built-in) requires fuel, Either gas or propane. Which means you will have electricity as long as you have fuel for them. You will have to either go get more, or carry extra if you are staying put for a while.4) The Fridge - While some can be fairly big having separate freezer and fridge compartments, some are not that big (mine is only 3.2 cu. ft. - A Dometic 2310). Which is actually about the size of a largish cooler. Space can be at a premium, this will help you determine what you need and what you don't. While on fridges, there are two types that are generally being used - Absorption Fridges (the propane type) and the DanFoss Compressor type. The first can be run 3 ways...Propane, 120v, and 12v. Propane is great, as long as you have propane. remember you will be using that propane with the stove, water heater, and camper heater. Usually, you can get by for quite a while this way. 120v electric will run your fridge forever, if you have a place to plug in. 12v on an absorption fridge is not a good idea, it can drain your battery(ies) in a few hours if left to run continuously. The Dan Foss compressor fridges are used in boats and in commercial over the road trucks. The compressor is extremely efficient, and can cool down quickly on minimal power (compared to the Absorption type). The prices on them are a bit higher, but if you have a good solar set up, you can run the fridge almost indefinitely.5) The bathroom - While my camper doesn't have a bathroom, many of the large TC's do. They are toilet/sink/shower combos where everything inside gets wet, or you have a small basin area to stand in and a curtain to keep the water off the cabinets. Imagine taking a shower in a phone booth. If you are like me, (6ft./ 250 lbs) it can be a bit of a squeeze. Also, showers are quick. Campers generally have 5 to 6 gallon water heaters. And not to mention, the whole water conservation thing...Taking a few 6 gallon showers can cut pretty deep into your capacity.That is just some of the things that came to me...I am sure that there are others here who have 10 times the knowledge and experience that I have. If you are serious about this...Rent a camper for an extended weekend. See how you like it. Then, go to some dealerships (if you have one close by, I live in Phoenix, you can throw a stick and hit half a dozen RV places) and crawl inside a camper. Sit in it...Crawl up in the bed, act like you are cooking, Sit (Notice I said SIT) on the toilet to test one for size...If you are seriously considering living in a Box in a Pickup Bed, make sure it is something for you first.

Does this make sense? | Good Sam Community

sonuvabug
Explorer
Jun 19, 2017
Lwiddis wrote:
"I know I could rent a TC now but am not sure a quick get away would really give me the feedback to determine if this is what I really want to do"

I disagree! Rent for a couple of long weekends. Then you can proceed or move in another direction. The size of the rental will tell you bigger, smaller or about right.

Good advice here. It'll also steer you towards what kind of amenities you want/need in an RV. We started with a Class C ... and the upgraded to a TC. Both very different ... both have their place.
lonegunman
Explorer
Jun 16, 2017
I thought about buying a truck camper for years. When I bought my truck in 2011 it was with a TC in mind. Four years later, I parted with a deuce and a half and a few other toys and used the money to buy an Arctic Fox 865. My wife was skeptical to say the least.

She loves it as much as I do. I took a new job this year, my last gig before retirement in five or six years so we haven't got out this year. I look at the camper and dream of the open road.

I have a five day and an eight day adventure coming up this summer and a 12 day mule deer trip in the fall. We are going to get a few weekends in as well. My work has be living in the middle of hundreds of miles of recreational wilderness, when campers by the dozen are driving into the woods, I'm heading home.

Buy a bigger truck, if you go with a new or slightly used two year old truck, make sure it is camper ready. An F-250 with camper package is an F-350 and they are within a few hundred dollars of one another, buy the bigger truck.

If you are fit enough to use one, bring a bike and helmet. Even if you don't think you will need one. It is handy as heck to be able to peddle a couple of miles to a nearby town or store for goods and a meal on occasion. Why dismount your camp site needlessly?

We have used an occasional Cabela's or Wal-Mart parking lot while traveling. Depending on the neighbors they are usually nice places to get a nights sleep on the way to where you want to be. Keep an eye out for interesting places to stay. In the middle of nowhere Wisconsin the American Legion had a camp ground on a small lake, it was awesome. In Libby, Montana you can camp int he Fireman's Memorial Park for 10 bucks, it was nice.

A truck camper can fit in hundreds of places a school bus sized camper, towing a jeep will never manage. I never really worry about overflowing tanks. There are dump stations all over the place, nearly every Petro, Love's or other decent sized truck stop has one. We have found them in many small towns and at rest stops in Washinton state.

Do as much research as you can stand. We spent a day going to the 678 different RV peddlers in our area and looked at every brand and model we could find. We eventually got a deal on our Arctic Fox that priced it within the retail range of many lower end brands, with far more options and much higher quality.
3_tons
Explorer III
Jun 16, 2017
MN Ben wrote:
I think it is a great idea. Many have this dream, few do it. Go for it and don't look back!

Agree, I lived in mine for almost 6 mos while our out of state house was being built - worked perfectly, I'd easily do it again...

3 tons
MN_Ben
Explorer
Jun 15, 2017
I think it is a great idea. Many have this dream, few do it. Go for it and don't look back!
NRALIFR
Explorer
Jun 15, 2017
Be aware that there are a FEW campers with slides that are fully accessible without putting the slide out. They seem to be pretty rare lately, but if a TC is only sliding the dinette out, you can probably use it with the slide in. If it has more than one slide, or is sliding the fridge and/or galley, those slides are deeper and leave very little room to move around when they are in.

:):)
breeves2245
Explorer
Jun 15, 2017
JimK-NY - it's funny, I never considered anything but a pop up but your remarks below got me to thinking about a few things I had not considered.

1. No slides, no popups. You want a camper that is fully functional if you pull to the side of the road to use the bathroom, fix a meal or take a nap. You want to be able to park and not look like you are camping. That way you can stay virtually anywhere.

Step one - I'll visit the rigs at the TC rally next month. If that gives me encouragement then on to Step Two - rent one for a long weekend. Many thanks for the feedback.

And thanks a lot Jim, you just added even more hours to the thousands I've spent already to re-think the pop up deal. I'm a research hound, so I love it.
Jack_Hart
Explorer II
Jun 15, 2017
JimK-NY wrote:
Jack Hart wrote:
....

If you're really curious, rent. After a few weeks of dealing with pump outs, propane, leaking plumbing, being trapped in a small space when the weather sucks, cramped or outdoor showers, micro-waved food, insects, dead batteries, etc., etc. you may decide a TC isn't for you. On the other hand, you may love it.

I cannot begin to understand why anyone would post something as discouraging as this. I bought a camper that was several years old. I have used it for 7 years including 2 years full time.

It's called being realistic. A TC is not for everyone, and certainly not for the faint of heart. There will be problems (just read this forum for a comprehensive list of issues TCers have to deal with) and it's not the most economical way to go. My point being that unless you enjoy the special experiences that a TC makes possible, the downsides may outweigh the benefits. The OP has posted previous threads that make it clear that he has issues with travel and being away from home.

Do a little research before you jump in with a judgement.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 15, 2017
All that talk about how inconvienent it is, I don't understand.
I spent 10 days in ours, by myself. At the end of 10 days I just ran out of water and had just filled the gray tank. It mustn't have been empty when I started. Cook meals, took a (short) shower every day etc. if you get one with big tanks, a week between dumping/filling w water is easy. Not like you don't run out of water and dump the poo in any other rv.
If you're unhooked and need water Ina remote area, you can haul water to it cheap and easy in your PICKUP Truck. Overall they're pretty handy.
If it didn't need the benches, table and bunk, I'd figure out how to get a couch or chair in it instead. That's the only sucky feature is no where real comfortable to sit.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 15, 2017
Go for it man. Just you means a lot of room in the camper. Unless you're a city slicker or indoor cat, a TC on a pickup will get you further into the back country than any other reasonably priced full feature rv.
If your sticking to the streets and don't think big pickup trucks are cool then get a class C. Honestly they're more room in a similar size package and a lot more room if you get a bigger one and no more difficult to navigate around than a TC.

If you want to tow, drive in snow and/or have the option of not driving your "house" all the time without towing another car, a TC will do that.
If you're staying somewhere for a period of time, you can ditch the camper and have a normal vehicle to drive around.
Every RV is a compromise, none do it all. Pick what fits what you want to do the best.
NRALIFR
Explorer
Jun 15, 2017
JimK-NY wrote:
................
Get 4 weeks of underwear and T shirts, etc. Those items take very little space and do cut back on Laundromat visits. ..............

Absolutely! A months worth of underwear is only like 8-10 pair, right? I can fit that in a shoebox. :W

Seriously though, I'm glad I never asked for anyone's advice before I bought my first truck camper over 30 years ago. Nobody I knew had one, so I made up my own mind.

Know thyself, and make your decision.

:):)