Is it common to remove your truck camper at your camp spot?

[ewarnerusa]

Hello. I am a long time TT owner but have been brainstorming about what I might like to do in the future. We 100% boondock off grid in dispersed spots and I like the idea of how much more we would have access to if I wasn't towing the camper but carrying it instead. But is it common/practical to take the camper off your truck at the camp spot and use it while on the ground? I think that would be a very attractive way to do it, freeing the truck up for things we would want to use it for without having to bring the camper with. Thanks.

[WarrenS65]

I've offloaded it in campsites several times. It depended on how long we were staying, whether we wanted to use the truck, and how level and solid the ground.

When off the truck, most campers are easier to get in and out of.

I will say loading and unloading on firm, level ground is much easier than on a slope.

[JoeChiOhki]

I did this fairly regularly for a long time when camping in one spot for several days as the truck got used to launch any boats that were brought along or used for driving around the area without needing to drag the house along.

These days, though, I'm starting to lean more towards using the camper and truck as a modular motorhome option and look into getting a small late 70s-early 80s mini-pickup to use as a towed(toad) for doing the run around work and also to double as the gear trailer (I'm shopping for one)

[ewarnerusa]

A major consideration I have for wanting to remove a slide in camper at a camp spot is that the dispersed boondocking spots we use are first come first serve, use it or lose it situations. If I didn't have a camp set up, the spot could appear available and be taken when I tried to come back to it. I have "reserved" a spot earlier in a week by pitching a tent there and I suppose that could be option for claiming my spot while in use but unattended as well. But my experience is you need to claim your spot during your entire stay or don't expect it to still be there if you left it empty.

[egarant]

stevenal wrote:
Two campers over 24 years, and we've removed it exactly once; to drive the Monument Valley loop without shaking up the beer. Why unpack the camper to pack for the day trip, when everything we might need is already snug in its place? Food, clothing, water, bed (strictly for napping :)), first aid kit, dog gear, swim suits, etc..

And when the boat goes along, launching with the camper on gets easy with practice.

EXACTLY x 2

[specta]

Still, your choice.

[Kayteg1]

specta wrote:

Your choice.

Again, not for everyone.
When parking with 9000 lb and long camper in the city is not practical, you can't leave the dogs in camper park on the street on hot day.
You have to leave it on campground with AC running.

[specta]

That's the beauty of a TC.
Leave it on or take it off.
Your choice.

[Grit_dog]

And that's the beauty of TCs. They can be unloaded and used as base camp, or one has the ability to bring the camper with them with less hassle than a trailer.

Not a single RV out there that isn't a compromise or an advantage in some way shape or form, or situation.

[jaycocreek]

kohldad wrote:
Never have. One of the things we love about truck camping is we always have everything with us all the time. When we go out site seeing for the day we have all of our food, medicine, change of clothes, hiking boots, etc with us. This means we don't have to plan out the day. When we get groceries we don't have to run back to camp to put them up.

Now one thing that does make keeping the camper on the truck easier is we have a small 8' truck camper on a SRW truck. This means we are under our payload and it fits in a standard parking space.

Exactly

[kohldad]

Never have. One of the things we love about truck camping is we always have everything with us all the time. When we go out site seeing for the day we have all of our food, medicine, change of clothes, hiking boots, etc with us. This means we don't have to plan out the day. When we get groceries we don't have to run back to camp to put them up.

Now one thing that does make keeping the camper on the truck easier is we have a small 8' truck camper on a SRW truck. This means we are under our payload and it fits in a standard parking space.

[stevenal]

Two campers over 24 years, and we've removed it exactly once; to drive the Monument Valley loop without shaking up the beer. Why unpack the camper to pack for the day trip, when everything we might need is already snug in its place? Food, clothing, water, bed (strictly for napping :)), first aid kit, dog gear, swim suits, etc..

And when the boat goes along, launching with the camper on gets easy with practice.

[monkey44]

We take it off about half the time, but only if we will be in a CG for several days. We can explore areas easier without it, and it stays connected in the CG if we have services. Sometimes, it depends on the area as well.

[fishingfanatic]

KD4UPL wrote:
I used to take mine off so I could launch and retrieve the boat without it. It's also nice for hauling the kids and their bikes around the campground or whatever. I could take it off in about 15 or 20 minutes. Putting it back on was maybe 30 minutes. It's no big deal.

Do this all the time. Easy if you practice.

[Hardscrabble]

It depends on many things, remote/isolated spots, never a need. When we come to a spot where we will be for a while and want to be able to move easily or if there are height restrictions (like where we are now) and we want to be able to access some remote trailheads, we take it off. Ours is pretty easy to take off and put back on, it is just a cost/benefit analysis. To each their own.

Regards...