How does this work?

The big advantage to the TC for us is everything is always with us. Since everything is stored in it's travel spot unless we are using it, we don't have any setup/teardown time so taking the TC to run errands is so easy. We don't even put the jacks down, sometimes just a couple of boards to level.

TCing at least for us is about the journey just as much as the destination. We just completed a 71 night trip covering 9,000 miles from the east coast to Badlands, Yellowstone, Beartooth Highway, and home. Most nights were just one night except for a few weekends and the July 4th weekend where we spent 3 nights in one campground. When we go out for sight seeing, we have our own bathroom, all the goodies for snacks, chairs to sit and enjoy the view, and a place to wait on the sunset if we want. A number of our campsites were on the side of a 2 lane gravel road or even a dirt road that took 4wd to get up the side of the mountain.

Our travel style may not fit you and you may be the type that wants to haul a boat and need to unload the camper for launching/retrieving each day. I know some folks who do that. Only different requirement is to make sure the camper is properly supported per the manufacturers requirements.

That's what makes a truck camper the most versatile camper out there, so many ways it can be used.

With variety of campers and variety of driving skills, there is no 1 answer that will cover them all.
I can drop my 5000lb camper in 3 minutes, while loading takes me 6-10 minutes.
Not only way easier to find parking spot for dually alone when you go to see the area, but my dogs love going from 5 steps to 2.
Not even saying that in some parks I drove 18% grades. Don't think I would go there with camper, unless I would prepare extra straps to hold it.

I'm seeing as I'm a little less mobile as I was, I keep in on more and have lunch, coffee,etc.. in camper more. This is my 5th time out this year(53 days) with 11 more days on this trip. I do EVERYTHING in my camper this year because of the covid epidemic, only using outdoor showers,and my own outside shower. I don't seem to mind taking the TC everywhere as much as I use to, not committed this way.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I can't say I have ever seen a TC "unload" at any campground. Maybe if you were going to stay for a week or more.

TCs (that I know of) don't have a black water tank and some (most ? all?) have external gray water so about the only thing you have to disconnect is power and pack up any loose items before running on a side trip.

? Our Eagle Cap carries 50 gal fresh and 35/35 waste tanks. Almost as big as our AirStream (55 gals fresh).
We can stay off grid for a week no problem. And that is showering daily.

We seldom off load as we like to have our “stuff” with us (lunch, bathroom, pot o’ coffee). It’s really no problem either way, but usually just keep the TC loaded.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I can't say I have ever seen a TC "unload" at any campground. Maybe if you were going to stay for a week or more.

TCs (that I know of) don't have a black water tank and some (most ? all?) have external gray water so about the only thing you have to disconnect is power and pack up any loose items before running on a side trip.

Has your wife seen a modern day truck camper? Sounds like some of the posters on this forum are completely unfamiliar with them as well. No waste tanks indeed!
Check out the Eagle Cap 1200, the Lance 1172, and the Host Mammoth. Triple slide outs, fire places, recliners, island kitchens, etc.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I can't say I have ever seen a TC "unload" at any campground. Maybe if you were going to stay for a week or more.

TCs (that I know of) don't have a black water tank and some (most ? all?) have external gray water so about the only thing you have to disconnect is power and pack up any loose items before running on a side trip.

Outside of small water/bathroomless 'popup' campers most modern campers have fresh/grey and black water tanks and utilize a "full hook up" (power+water+sewer) camp site connections.

Much like any RV, to take the camper with you for short trips/shopping you'd have to put away and secure anything you got out INSIDE the camper along with disconnecting and putting away the two hoses and power cord.

Often it is much easier to simply 'drop' the camper at the site and reload when it comes time to go home (or elsewhere).

While LOADING a camper can at times be challenging, unloading is usually fairly quick and easy to do.

NOTE: I did stay once at a campground where the manager had a fit because I unloaded. (no, I won't go into the conversation about how it is little to no different to unhooking a trailer)


- Mark0.

My camper is really a tight fit so loading and unloading is a difficult process. In addition I load up the space between the camper and wheel wells with dirty laundry, tools, shoes and boots, etc. I also seal the gaps between the truck and the camper. That helps keep out critters and also helps with insulation. Finally, one of the main reasons for a truck campers is the ability to have your camper with you. Even if I am coming back to the same campground at the end of the day, having the camper with me is a great convenience for meals, for taking naps, for having everything you might need with you.

Mine stays on the truck and when we travel or go looking around,we have everything with us,especially if we find a new spot..

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I can't say I have ever seen a TC "unload" at any campground. Maybe if you were going to stay for a week or more.

TCs (that I know of) don't have a black water tank and some (most ? all?) have external gray water so about the only thing you have to disconnect is power and pack up any loose items before running on a side trip.

So you’re Admittedly completely uninformed about TCs ... so why respond?

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I can't say I have ever seen a TC "unload" at any campground. Maybe if you were going to stay for a week or more.

TCs (that I know of) don't have a black water tank and some (most ? all?) have external gray water so about the only thing you have to disconnect is power and pack up any loose items before running on a side trip.

I don't know of many that don't have both blk and gry water tanks..

If we're at a spot for more than two days, it comes off. Lot's of reasons to drop it, not many to keep it on.