What Truck to buy?

While we're only talking about an 8' popup here, we're also talking about long-distance travel. An F250/2500 type truck will guarantee that you will NEVER feel uncomfortable during the trip.

If you were limiting yourself to short local trips, I would say you could get by with an F150 or 1500. Your load-outs would be much lighter because you wouldn't be taking along weeks' worth of food and clothing. Plus you can tolerate any idiosyncrasies in the driving/handling qualities of the rig for an hour or two. When you have to put up with them for 6-8 hours a day, it can be tiring, leaving you with no energy to enjoy the destination.

Half-tons are great for hauling leaves to the dump.

Half ton trucks just don't make much sense. Realistically, most don't get much better mileage, they aren't much more comfortable, and they are much, much less capable. Used ones have come down in price I don't see much reason for many half ton trucks.

2500 from any manufacturer will have better brakes, suspension and frame than their 1500 version.

I'm a down-to-earth, real world, tell you like it is guy. A half ton can carry the thing. I've carried bigger ones on half tons. But it's gonna suck compared to a 2500 or 3500. It will feel more top heavy and nervous, it won't have the heavy duty drivetrain and suspension, it'll feel like it's working hard all the time instead of feeling like its nothing, just easy cruising. The 1500 isn't gonna get better MPG under a load either.
That makes a big fatigue and stress difference on long drives like you're talking about.

Carrying a camper on a half ton is what you do when you already own the wimpy truck and you're stuck with it and then you get a camper.
There's just no reason to go buy the wrong truck now while you have the choice.

jimh425 wrote:
Not a lot of people here ever say they bought too much truck.

^^^ This...

Seriously, the answer is simple. We humans make it way to difficult. But it does make hundreds and hundreds of threads.

A 2500 series truck should be the bare minimum for a truck camper of any description. A single rear wheel 3500 would be a better choice.
I once had an 8' pop-up Palomino TC. It had no bathroom, no waste tanks, no water heater. I had it on a Dodge 1500 extended cab short bed truck. I was 600 pounds over the GVWR with only me in the cab.
My next camper was an 11' hardside with no slide outs and no basement. I had it on a 3500 SRW reg. cab long bed. I was 1,200 pounds over the GVWR with my wife and dog in the cab with me.
That camper is now on a crew cab dually and it hauls my family of 5. I'm still over the GVWR.
Don't even think about a 1500 for a TC.

Not a lot of people here ever say they bought too much truck.

As big as you can afford because the camper is only the starting weight! You'll never regret the extra load capacity and power in the hills. Plus, for most of us the truck can outlive multiple campers as you find you want something bigger/ better. :)

Good luck!
Bill

Even in my young young days I didn't consider a half ton truck for my '78 Beaver camper. You shouldn't either.