Looking for a new Truck Camper. Need advise please!

We have a short bed truck and 8'6" Lance 165, We went looking at a dealer near us, we looked at the Lance 825. Much to like in that model, we especially the bathroom and counter space. If you have not looked at it, its worth a look

mellow wrote:
Just saying Hi from a fellow Shadow Cruiser owner, we are few and far between these days. I find it tight in the 11 foot model, I can't imagine with the short bed version how tight it is. I am looking to upgrade as well to something with a slide or two.

We Love our Shadow cruiser. But, she developed a leak years ago and after repair after repair she is literally falling apart at the seams
:( As for the room it is more important for us to fit anywhere we want. I found a camper that is exactly what we both want but seems expensive.
http://www.hostcampers.com/subs/campers/camper_chinook_mp.html

and then this one except we like the face to face table better
http://travellitecampers.com/truck-campers/travel-lite-840sbr-series/

bobsha wrote:
Thanks for all the input. I think the first thing we should do is get a new bigger truck. 350/3500 That will open the door to many more options.

It can be frustrating to sort through all of the floorplan, storage and options issues. However, common wisdom is to purchase the truck camper you really need/want first. Only then will you know and be able to match the right truck that can safely carry your new TC.

We went the other way ... bought the truck first thinking we knew what was what and ended up having to scramble to do the necessary undertruck modifications to safely (if not legally) carry our TC.

If you're not in a hurry, take your time and be patient. The right TC solution will present itself to you. In the meantime, good luck and hang in there.

Just saying Hi from a fellow Shadow Cruiser owner, we are few and far between these days. I find it tight in the 11 foot model, I can't imagine with the short bed version how tight it is. I am looking to upgrade as well to something with a slide or two.

Thanks for all the input. I think the first thing we should do is get a new bigger truck. 350/3500 That will open the door to many more options.

JimK-NY wrote:
Bob, for a truck camper shopper you may not realize how lucky you are to live on Long Island. Bill Penney owns Eastend Campers in Southhold and a few years ago opened a major facility in New Hampshire called Truck Camper Warehouse. Bill is a truck camper enthusiast and has been selling truck campers for many years. He is a straight shooter and will give you good advice and a reasonable price. We bought a used camper from him and he put it in like new condition, made the modifications we wanted and handled a couple of issues that occurred after the purchase. The old facility at Southhold is worth a quick visit, but I would recommend setting up an appointment and visiting the NH facility. BTW, Bill is a big supporter of Northstar campers and after several years owning one, so am I. You will also want to buy at NH. No sales tax.

We went there and he had 3 TC's.They were all locked. and noone around. I remember years ago going there and they had a bunch of TC's in the back. They were all open and you could look at a bunch at one time. Oh well, Maybe we will take a ride to NH in the winter.

Yukoners wrote:
I understand your wanting to stick with the shortbox since we traded up from our shortbox to a full longbox crewcab to accommodate our Arctic Fox. It's way more truck lol:(
Here is one suggestion for you to look at for shortbox starting at 1990 lbs from the factory:
Wolf Creek 840
The video is pretty good.
Best of luck!

I have that TC....it is 3500 lbs wet and can hit 4k loaded.

To first answer your specific question about where to put stuff in a short bed camper:

We travel with an 855S (short bed camper) with two adults and two children, so space is at a premium. A few things we did to maximize space are:

- Added an additional shelf inside the 2 forward-most cabinets in the cabover. The new shelves created a great place for socks and underwear.
- Put a "Sportrack" storage box on the roof. Perfect for carrying chairs, a tent, shovel, small bucket and, most importantly, dirty laundry.
- Bought two bamboo storage cubbies at Costco, measuring 9.75-in tall, 27.5-in long, 6.8-in deep, with three separate compartments. They fit great on the drivers side of the cabover. In addition, they are stackable and I secure them with a bungee cord when on the road. We primarily use them for the kids clothes.
- Finally, installed a hanging shoe rack on the lower section of the screen door. This was a tremendous help in organizing our shoes and keeping them out of the way.

When we upgraded our truck about four years ago, we briefly discussed a long bed. However, the combo of the truck and camper would never fit in our driveway, plus if and when we take that step, it would be to a dually. So, for us, the short bed really fits our needs and current limitations.

I agree with others - definitely go straight to a one-ton (350/3500). Once you're shelling out the money for a truck, the price difference between a 3/4 and 1-ton is negligible and well worth it! I cannot not begin to tell you, how incredible our truck performs carrying the camper. High winds, cross winds, curvy roads, uphill, downhill - all very effortless, with great handling. And, we're running stock!

Good luck with your shopping.

I understand your wanting to stick with the shortbox since we traded up from our shortbox to a full longbox crewcab to accommodate our Arctic Fox. It's way more truck lol:(
Here is one suggestion for you to look at for shortbox starting at 1990 lbs from the factory:
Wolf Creek 840
The video is pretty good.
Best of luck!

Bob, for a truck camper shopper you may not realize how lucky you are to live on Long Island. Bill Penney owns Eastend Campers in Southhold and a few years ago opened a major facility in New Hampshire called Truck Camper Warehouse. Bill is a truck camper enthusiast and has been selling truck campers for many years. He is a straight shooter and will give you good advice and a reasonable price. We bought a used camper from him and he put it in like new condition, made the modifications we wanted and handled a couple of issues that occurred after the purchase. The old facility at Southhold is worth a quick visit, but I would recommend setting up an appointment and visiting the NH facility. BTW, Bill is a big supporter of Northstar campers and after several years owning one, so am I. You will also want to buy at NH. No sales tax.