Just getting started... Tips

Welcome to the truck camper forum.

We see a posting like this every month and the same best advice, find the camper you want to use/purchase first.

If you are dead set on a 1500/F150, stop here and close this posting. You are not going to meet the goals of long term, more than a weekend, with limited carrying capacity of your truck. Sure, you can do it. But can you do it safely for yourself and others you encounter on the road.

As for extended time off the grid and away from it all, you need to plan backwards. Determine what you want and what to have on your truck and camper, then start going backwards on what is available in a camper and truck.

As an example, a thing I call the TP Factor. When conservative with water use, a person is going to use 17-22 gallons of water a week. So if you times that by 6 people, you have; 132 gallons of needed potable water. At 8.3 lbs per gallons, the weight becomes an important factor as well as where are you going to put that many gallons in a truck camper with only a 35-45 gallon tank. Oh, yeah. The water would weigh; 1,095 lbs, exceeding just the payload capacity of a F150, plus passengers, groceries and gear. Then you add the weight of a Camper; 2,000 to 4,500lb. You will now need to rethink your idea of not considering a 1 ton. Oh, yeah, don't forget 4X4 equipment weight on a vehicle, which is what most desire when considering going off for extended periods of time and boondocking.

b

Tow Vehicle: Go straight to the 1 ton. If you don't want a dually, then 19.5 wheels and tires on a SRW will provide the wheel/tire load capacity. IMO, the SRW is the better option for offroad driving. Just as an example for truck camper/tow vehicles: my first TC was a pop-up and I know of at least 2 other pop-up owners with similar campers. We all had 2500 series trucks and we ALL put on suspension upgrades...with a pop-up.

Truck Camper: Visit as many different brands yourself. Since you live in the Beautiful Pacific Northwest, I recommend you look at the Adventurer/Eagle Cap line. But look at as many different brands yourself and I think you'll quickly find out which one is right for you. I don't think one brand is that much superior to the other. Once you visited and started to narrow down what you think you want for your camper start doing the math. Camper weight + options + water + gear + people = trucks payload. Then you'll know what truck you need!

Rob,
You can make anything work, depending on your tolerance to pain, suffering and over loading. Just look at the wide splay of opinions on here. Most civilians have a hard time accepting the truck's door jam numbers and don't believe those numbers apply to them. After being on here for 10 years, I have seen a lot, but not all, people decide, from bitter experience, that 1 and 2 series trucks are, in the long run, not up to the task. Which brings me to my only advice: Buy more truck than you think you will need. I have never, ever seen anyone on here that thought they bought too much truck. If there is someone, speak up and let us know how it worked out for you.
Off roading places unique stresses on the camper box because of the twisting of the frame underneath. Know how to deal with those stresses. Some truck brands twist more than others. A long bed twists more than a short bed.
Since you are a longtime lurker, you have read plenty of stories about what works and what doensn't. Sooner or later you just have to make that leap of faith and that you are pursuing the right equipment for the job.
jefe
Ours is on the left. Good for two. A BC-er is on the right. Good for 3 or 4 people, depending. Notice how we both took up two parking spaces. Hmmm?

Regardless of what type of rig of you end up with ... um ... a truck camper .... and 6 people! Please, when you get the vehicle and camper, post photos! My 2,800 square foot house is too small for 6 people!

First find the camper you want. Once you do that you can figure out how heavy of a truck you need. I would rule out the f150/1500 trucks right away.