Is a truck camper right for me?

[GBEngineer]

How did you all figure out if a truck camper was for you before you bought one. I have owned a 5th wheel and enjoyed it but it was limiting in the places I could take it. I really like the idea of the truck camper because it can be taken almost anywhere and I can tow with it. My biggest concern is the size. I have a 3 children along with my wife and I. I am not sure how we will all sleep in the camper. I am not to worried about living space. We typically spend most of our time outside while camping. Sleeping is another matter. I know many of the Lance campers have a shelf above the dinette for a small child to sleep in. I don't think my wife will go for that.

I figure my wife and I in the bed over the cab. 2 kids on the dinette bed. Where do I put the 3rd? If I got a camper with a slide out would there be room for one to sleep on the floor? I saw a Lance camper on Craigslist that had a fold down bed in the back. That might work. I have never physically seen one and don't know how big they are or how much weight they can support. Can they hold 2 kids? My other concern with this feature is that it looks like a tent camper kind of thing and I am guessing would not be good in cold weather.

I really wish I could rent one to try out before buying. I saw Cruise America rents a little F-150 TC but I know that won't work for us. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Matt

[Fisher_Bill]

We also have a TC because of boat and trailer towing, our camper is quite large and like mentioned above can go from 4600#-5200# in a hurry.

You have pretty much the same truck I do and our camper has a folding bunk above the dinette so we could do 3 small kids.

But now that my 3 granddaughters are 11-17, no way but they have not had an interest in camping so it's just the dog on her pillow under the dinette.

My wife is having a hard time in the smaller space so I see a 5ver in our near future...

[Grit_dog]

Since you have a newer dually your options are many. You can handle with ease all but the biggest double slide monster campers.
Find one where the dinette bed is long enough to accommodate 2 tall kids and bonus if you have the upper fold down bunk for the smallest kid. That's how I'd roll with a TC and 3 kids.
U shaped dinette may be the ticket with 5 bodies at the table.
4 of us fit fine in the camper in my sig.
Presumably you're spending most of the time outside anyway.

[delosholly]

You do not need a super large or expensive TC to fit what you need.

Our 2013 Livin Lite model 10.0 non-slide TC originally came with the cabover queen bed, fold-down bunk above the bench seating area, and another, larger fold-up bunk where the bench seating is. We can haul this with our RAM 2500 SWD gas with no problems (but we have now done major mods to the original unit to fit our two-person needs).

The Model 10.0 with all the beds open still has every feature useful except the seating area (comes with a folding table). The bathroom is small, but does the job. I do not know if newer models still have all these options, but you could find a good used one. And since the 2013 versions are totally non-wood, you would not have to worry about rot, plus with all of those people, they are easier to clean-out after a trip.

[billtex]

Welcome to TC forum.
Sounds like your style of camping/travel is well suited to a TC. You will likely need a larger one, some have bunks (Adventurer) some have tents that pop out, and many have a bank over the dinette.
We frequently travel with 5...if it's our Son and crew they sometimes go in a tent, but I have also done trips with 5 Adults. Yeah it gets tight, but we're camping-everyone is happy!
It depends on your expectations for space, we are more outside Folks (hiking, biking, yaks, etc). The TC has been the best option for us.
You can rent them as noted, maybe a bigger one in Canada? Not sure...
Best thing is to go to a TC rally and/or dealer and look around.
TC's Rock!

Good luck, Bill

[dave17352]

The truck camper in my signature would work fine for 5. As long as it was one child probably 8 and under and the other two were 12 or under. The overhead works fine for small children. Mine has a net that makes it impossible to fall out of. Fun for little kids. But if you have 3 big kids then the tent is a must in my opinion. That's the route we have taken with older kids. My TC has 45 gal fresh and 45 gallons of holding tank capacity. That will hold out for a couple days if you are careful. We took a trip once with 5. Mom Dad and three kids. From Nebraska to California and back. It was in a much smaller TC a lance squire lite for a shortbox truck. Mom Dad and one child slept on the queen overhead and the twins about 8 or so at the time slept on the dinette bed.
We had 12 gal of fresh water and a ten gallon black tank and a 4 gallon grey tank. It was cramped as heck but we survived and had fun!! But if you go the TC route I suggest a large one the difference in space and holding tanks is great . JMHO

We also had a Class C for several years. That was superior to a TC for the traveling. Everybody is comfortable all the while traveling. Something else to consider. A truck camper is great for two.

[KD4UPL]

I have a family of 4 in an 11' non-slide TC. I haul it on an '05 Chevy dually, exact same truck as yours. With the family, camper, and gear the truck weighs in around 13,000. The GVWR is 11,400. That's about all I'd want to put on that truck. I'm not over my tire weight or the axle weight but it's really close.
I have a TC because I tow a boat. If not for that I wouldn't have one, they're small and expensive. It was fine when it was just my wife and I but with the boys it's tight. My wife wants another child. The day that one's born is the day the TC goes up for sale. We'll just get a TT and make 2 trips to the lake or take 2 vehicles. Doing the math on the gas it's still less expensive than a TC.

[kayakin]

We often took our 2 kids and their 2 friends camping with a Shadow Cruiser popup truck camper. The girls would sleep on the dinette, the boys in the front of the truck. In Yellowstone, a tent with just 6-10 year old boys was not an option for us. We generally cooked and ate outside.
The choice being sleeping up front or not going? Never a question and we would go probably 6 times a summer.

The next rig was a Nash 21.5 fifth wheel and as hard as it was to haul, we loaded kayaks in it and traveled all over the country.

Now the kids are gone and we are back to a TC.

[Photomike]

Some good advice so far, my experience was this. Bought a Northern Lite camper for me and the two boys and hoping that the wife would want to come along. Traveled a lot with the two boys - me in overhead bunk, one boy on the table/bed and one that slept on the floor. Floor was as comfortable as any bed and the boys would fight over being able to sleep there. Worked great BUT limited movement at night.

Wife does not like coming with because of whatever is the most convenient excuse for the day so that is not a problem.

Did a trip with the ENTIRE family to the coast (me, wife, 2 daughters, 2 boys and the dog) We brought a tent and me and one of the boys got kicked out to the tent. Worked good but it was CROWDED for driving and sleeping.

Another year one of the daughters wanted to come with so bought a tent trailer. WOW talk about a lot of space when they are opened up!! Only issue with the tent trailer was setting up/ taking down and it did not have a heater so a couple nights it was cold! Sold tent trailer for more than I paid for it - IF it had a furnace I would have kept it as it was amazing how big it was when set up. Wife would not sleep in it as it was not hard sided but honestly in the spring/summer and fall it was amazing and talk about easy to pull!!

So I am at the point now that the two girls and one boy are on their own and it is only me and my one boy that goes camping, the TCer is perfect now.

A lot depends on the age of the kids and how long you think they will be around. Some of the big TCers are amazing, more usable room than other Rv's in my opinion. Looked at a few class A's and they may have floor space but really not a lot have lots of beds.

[COboondocker]

we have an outfitter juno 10 and love it. it could easily sleep your family of 5 and it won't put you over your max payload. as others have said if you get a double or triple slide type camper it really won't open up that much territory that you couldn't access in a fifth wheel.

the outfitter is a popup so it's (relatively) lightweight and lower profile. it has a dinette bed that is 6'2" long, an optional pullout bed above the dinette and a tent room that fold out the back of the camper that could sleep two more kids. i posted tons of pictures in a thread here if you're curious

[ticki2]

In the glove box is a label with option codes , it should list a cargo weight . That's a start .

[Bedlam]

TC's have the following advantages:
1. Can use truck and leave the camper behind unlike a motor home
2. Can tow greater weight than most Class C and some Class A motor home
3. Can have 4wd and higher chassis clearance than a motor home
4. Can upgrade truck and camper independently of each other
5. Can tow additional toys along or take off without the kids and toys

If these advantages don't pull you toward one, you would be better off with a motor home or trailer.

Your era truck probably has a low GVWR compared to trucks ten years newer. However, your rear axle capacity is really the limiting factor on the camper you choose. I'm guessing your rear axle weight unloaded is something over 3000 lbs and it has roughly 10,000 lb OEM rating from AAM. This leaves you with 7000 lbs for camper, hitch weight, people and gear. Expect that you will add 1000 lbs to your camper's listed dry weight by the time batteries, fluids and gear are added. Staying with a camper that is listed under 4000 lbs dry is about the limit of your truck while still giving you sufficient reserve to not have to weigh everything and everyone on each trip. If you want stay under GVWR, you are probably looking at a 2000 lb camper which just would not do for your size family.

I suggest the kids sleep in a converted enclosed trailer. Dad and Mom can get a good night's sleep in the camper with bathroom close by, but the kids still have access. Most meals will have to be outside or in the enclosed trailer due to tight seating. Think of the truck camper as the master bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and office and the trailer as kids room, family room, dining room and toy garage.

[GBEngineer]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I noticed from some of the responses that my signature did not adequately describe my truck so I updated it. I have a 2004 Chevy 3500 DRW with the Duramax Diesel engine. How heavy a camper can I put on my truck? I know how to figure out the weight of trailer I can haul but don't know about the weight of camper I can carry.

Sounds like most don't think a family of 5 in a TC is a good idea. I don't think my kids would be to excited about sleeping in a tent on their own and I definitely don't want to sleep in one with them. Towing a small enclosed trailer might work buy then I could not tow other toys which was one of the things I liked about the camper.

I can see this is not going to be an easy decision. The TCs are very expensive so I don't want to buy on and then figure out it is not for me. I imagine I would loose a fair amount selling it if it doesn't work out for us. Thanks again for you advice. If anyone could give me some guidance in figuring out how heavy a camper I can carry I would appreciate it.

Matt

[Vinsil]

We do it.

Had a monster triple slide fiver, TT, converted enclosed trailer, a TC, to toyhauler and now back in a non slide TC. We have three boys, 11, 8 and 5 turning 6 soon.

We value accessibility over a large Rv living space. We boondock most of the time as well and get off the paved path. The TC makes the most sense especially since we tow toys!

For us, we needed the swing down bunk overhead. We actually put our oldest up there but he's getting too big at this point. We specifically bought a mid bath model so we can use the floor space for sleeping (planning on the boys getting too big for the bunk.) But I'll be able to put my middle up there now. Mid bath allows everyone to use the bathroom even with a floor sleeper. My TC holds 43 gallons of fresh water. We use a pop up outdoor shower to bath with, don't use the wet bath as it would fill up the grey water storage quick with five people showering.


Lots of compromises. We basically sleep and eat breakfast in the TC, spend most time outdoors. I think this summer we might give the older two an option for the tent if they choose....it is an adventure and seeing cool stuff, not about the 50" TV and fireplace in our friends new toyhauler (I'm still laughing about that).

My truck needed mods but works great. If I had to have a dual wheel truck and a triple slide TC....id look at smaller MH's at that point.

[DutchmenSport]

How about 3 kids in the overhead bunk and Mom and Dad on the dinette! I slept with my sisters till I was about 10 and they were 15 and 16. (didn't like it, but we did it!)