FAQ of " Slideons" or Truck Campers in North America

FAQs: Slide-ons

What is a slide-on?

Slide-ons come in full-height or pop-top models, with a body built much like a caravan – either a timber or aluminium frame with aluminium or fibreglass cladding or an all-composite body. Then there are the slide-on campers, that are generally more compact than a traditional slide on – and that fold out with a typically canvas roof for the living/sleeping quarters.

Basically, a slide-on is like a mini caravan that sits on the back of your ute. Slide-ons can provide all the mod-cons of a caravan, from air-conditioning to ensuite bathrooms, while a few offer more spacious living quarters via a slide-out feature.

Who makes slide-ons?

Locally made slide-on offerings come from brands such as Beyond, Millard and Sunliner while US brands offered here include Lance Campers, Northstar and Palomino


Slide-on camper brands include Carry Me Camper, Patriot, Trayon, Travelander and Wedgetail, to name just a few.






What can they slide onto?

Most slide-ons are designed for one-tonne utes, although there are larger and heavier slides-ons that suit truck cab/chassis vehicles too.

The beauty of the slide-on is that, for starters, they are usually better bang for your buck than a caravan, which has all the extra cost of the chassis, suspension and wheels thrown in, as well as the cost of extra wiring for taillights and so on.

Speaking of cost, there's no registration fee to pay with a slide-on, while a large caravan can cost up to around $500 in some states. Insurance is cheaper too.

Will you save on fuel?

Yes, you'll save on fuel with a slide-on compared to towing a caravan. While a full-height slide-on can generate just as much wind resistance as a caravan, they are typically much lighter and you don't have the additional rolling resistance from the additional wheelset like you do with a van.

If you do want to tow your toys – a boat or bikes on a trailer, for example – it's a no-brainer with a ute fitted with a slide on. Of course, you have to be realistic about how much weight your trailer adds to the vehicle's Gross Combined Mass with the slide-on fitted– do the calculations before you hitch up your 3500kg trailer boat, because chances are you'd be over-weight.

What about storage?

It's easier to store a slide-on at home than a caravan; it will take up less space and wherever you can back up a ute at home (provided it's fairly level, firm ground and there's not a height issue) you can leave your slide-on there. It's just a matter of dropping the supporting legs, disconnecting the electrical connection to the ute and removing the slide on's securing straps.

It's the same deal at camp – provided you have firm ground to support the slide-on's legs, you can disconnect it from the ute and head off exploring in the ute, without the extra weight and bulk of the slide-on stuck on the back.

What are the downsides to slide-ons?

Where slide-ons are generally not as good as caravans is firstly you need a (usually removable) ladder to get in and out of the slide-on. They can be fiddly, so you can't just pull up and easily jump in like you can with most caravans.

Because the slide-on sits high on the ute, it increases the vehicle's centre of gravity. While it's not a deal breaker, you won't be able to attack corners with the same gusto as you might without the slide-on sitting on the back of the ute.

While there are larger slide-ons, most offer relatively tiny living quarters. If you like plenty of living space, a slide-on is probably not for you.

While the beauty of a slide-on is that it has stabilising legs to remove it from the ute – and to stop the ute wobbling on its tyres at camp – they have to drop down a considerable way to hit the ground. You can either build up your fitness and muscles by using the supplied hand crank, or get yourself a cordless drill and suitable attachment to make life a lot easier.

Some manufacturers (and the aftermarket) offer optional electrically operated jacks, which is an option worth taking. At camp you can level your set up, an option you don't have with stabilising legs.

What sort of ute do you need for a slide-on?

Then there's the matter of what the slide-on will fit onto. You need a ute, and for most slide-ons it'll have to be a one-tonne single-cab or extended cab such as a Ford Ranger or Toyota HiLux. So if you prefer the seating capacity of a dual-cab, you're out of luck. It's a different scenario for slide-on campers – there are compact models that'll sit on the shorter dual-cab tray no worries.

If you're willing to go for a larger cab-chassis, such as an Iveco Daily, Fiat Ducato or Ford Transit, you can solve the seating dilemma as some offer dual-cab models. As they're larger and have better payload, you'll be able to get a larger (typically US-built) slide-on that'll have interior space comparable to a small caravan. The downside is that the vehicle won't be as practical to use as a smaller one-tonne ute when you've removed the slide-on.

Slide-ons might not be for everybody, but they are in many ways a more versatile alternative to a caravan or motorhome. Click here to read some Caravancampingsales reviews of recent slide-on models.