New member here with a bunch of questions.

[Arktikos]

Hi, brand new here and have lots of questions about TC's. I have so many I am probably going to break it down into a few posts. First a little about me. I am living in Alaska for almost 60 years now, and am not new to RV'ing. Most of my experience was with a 26' travel trailer, and a 29' class C although I have owned TC's in the past it was so long ago I don't know if my experiences with them are still valid.

So my situation now is that we are retired (finally!), sold our tired old Coachman 29' last year and the wife and I want to try going with a used pickup camper for boondocking around Alaska, and the western provinces and territories of Canada. We have a 2006 Chev 2500HD ext cab that we are getting ready to drive out to the Pac N.W. next week to look for a well used (but not too used up)camper to bring back.

My initial questions are: Where are the best places (regions, states cities etc) to start looking? We have found quite a few on Craigslist and the listings seem to be more than a few months ago when we began looking so that has been encouraging.
Another question, can we, as US citizens buy a TC in Canada, and what if any duty will we have to pay when we declare it at the border? The reasons I am thinking about Canada is the exchange rate is favorable and the prices seem quite reasonable. For instance I saw a nice looking Bigfoot in B.C. that was priced within our budget which is pretty remarkable considering what those sell for up here!
Well I have lots more questions but will save for another post.
Thanks!
Dave

[bcbouy]

i've been researching buying a tc in the us and bringing it across the border.you will get jammed up at the border,and if you get nailed trying to sneak one through,it'll cost you,alot.the tax man wants his pound of flesh and he will get it one way or another.

[Reddog1]

If license and such are not required in Alaska, why would you pay any tax in Canada? If you buy from a private party, why would you pay sales tax?

I do not frequently travel to Canada, but have been there at least 6 times, with two different TCs. At the border, coming or going, I have not ever been questioned as to when or where I bought my TC.

I bought my TC in California, and had I bought it from a dealer, I would have had to pay sales tax. Through the years, I have had over 7 TC, all purchased from private parties. I pay cash, they give me a receipt. I do not call the tax board and ask if I can pay the state sales tax. If I buy something at a yard sale I do not ask if I can pay sales tax.

If you buy a TC in Canada and take it to a state where it is considered cargo, why would you ask if you can pay tax on it? Have I missed something here?

Wayne

[concord32]

http://www.searchcraigslist.org/

Buy alot of things off craiglist. This link will allow you to search all of craiglist at once. Hope this helps.

[Bigfootchevy]

Buying in Canada will safe you a lot of money today. I believe if you buy in Alberta you also don't pay any taxes.

Bigfoots are excellent campers. From experience I suggest you look for a Bigfoot 1500 Camper because it is lighter than the 2500 Bigfoot. I overloaded my rear tires with the 2500 on my 2008 3/4 ton Chevy Crew Cab.

Paul

[trailgranny50]

We're in that older but not dead age group also. We bought an old 1990 Shadow Cruiser hard side camper last year for cheap $2,700 because it was available, family, and what we could afford at the time. We're in Oklahoma and truck campers are like hens teeth. We also had a truck camper many moons ago and had 28' 5hr previously. DH has worn out body syndrome from 50+ years as a brick mason so climbing into the bed room took some thought. We carry a 9" Wally World step stool for that last step down from the cab over bed, much easier. Decided if it gets too hard he can sleep on dinette bed and we can go a little longer. There are any number of step solutions for entry. We modified a cargo tray for the receiver hitch to incorporate one solid and one flip up step, generator, gas and water storage for not a lot of money and is real stable, hated the scissor steps. We also added AC that camper was actually already wired for, new Fantastic fan in bathroom and a host of other things as we could afford them. The Honda 2000 bought on Ebay used only one time for WAY less than retail. It runs everything fine except no AC and microwave at the SAME time. Minor deal. The AC is high effiency and low power usage. Altogether maybe a $5,000 investment in a camper that has no leaks or rot. It's 9.5' and just right for or 8' bed and tow with only an 18" receiver length. We have a dually so hauling it has never been a problem without modifications other than fresh tires. The weight of our camper is not what many of the newer are, especially with slides. Would have loved the space just not the weight or price even well used. Like everyone says just shop around and go over any prospect with a fine tooth comb.... then do it again primed and test everything. There are good deals out there. Happy hunting and camping. Welcome

[Arktikos]

Thanks for the welcome and help everyone! you have given me some good ideas and things I hadn't even thought about yet. I am going to start another post soon with more questions about setting up the truck once I get down there, at least well enough to get our TC back home to AK.

[Gaetan]

Arkitkos
If the big foot you wrote about is in fair condition at $4, it is a gift to me northernlite and bigfoot are the TC who maintain their value because of the type of construction,
If the bigfoot is a 1500 serie you will have no problem handeling it with you pickup
If it is a 2500 serie they are heavier, you will have to check the capacity of your pickup.
You can go on previous post and see what owners had to say.
My pickup has no problem with the northernlite it is a charm on the road And i love it camping just any where.
Wecome to the TC world and good luck finding your TC
Gaetan

[JumboJet]

Get a set of Torklift StableLoads or Air bags for the Chevy. My son has a 2006 with the Duramax diesel engine and he carries a Lance 820. He added the air bags and like them real well. His is a short bed.

[bcbouy]

with spring right around the corner you should start to see more used campers for sale,so don't be too hasty pulling the trigger.we're considering a new one in the next few weeks.cabellas has a really good shower enclosure for a reasonable price. the wife and i have been using ours for 4 years now.keeps the wind out and you can put an outside shower nozzle thru the side window of it.works good if you go with a shower delete unit.our current pop up is huge inside without the bathroom.check some of the bc dealers for trade ins.

[Oldtymeflyr]

To buy a camper check craigslist for the area that you intend to shop. Also, try RV trader. I think the key in a purchase is to buy a very new clean rig or a rig that is down right dirt cheap but everything still works. Since your wife will be with you it must pass the sniff test. Make sure everything works and look for leaks. Test and retest. Make a deal that includes the setup, it can be expensive, it does not have to be as expensive as a recent post in this forum, that I would suggest you visit.

You should have an idea of what you are looking for.

You do not need a 3xxx or 4xxx series truck for a hard side TC. If you are looking for slides etc. then maybe a dually. Their are suspension aids for a reason.

Good luck.

[Arktikos]

jefe 4x4 wrote:
Artikos,
Welcome to the forum. It is a wild and crazy bunch here with no shortage of opinion on what you should do. There is consensus on a few things:
1. If you are planning on using your GM 2500HD as a camper carrier, your options are more limited than if you had a 3 or 4 series truck. Another thing: is it a short bed or a long bed? If short, your options are further limited on models that will fit. Don't let that deter you if that is the case. We are stuck with a 2 series truck and a short bed camper that we REALLY enjoy and have gotten used to; especially good for boondocking.
Other even more tangible questions are:
1. How are your knees, back, and general health? That may be a leading question, but you must face it realistically. If either of you have physically limited motation, a camper may not be the right choice. Why? a. The set of wobbly steps you must climb every single time you enter. b. The two big steps to get up to the bed and out of in the middle of the night. This is the built-in limiter for TC-ing.
2. If you are physically large, be sure to try out the 'fit' in the tiny WC they call a bathroom. Go thru all the motions. Lay on the bed. Open all cabinets to see how facile they work. I have an acquaintance who TC's a small hardside and he is 6'7". This is not a marriage made in heaven, but he makes it work. It's still 5 quarts in a 4 quart jar.
3. To set up a camper for boondocking requires some alternate think. Get a TC with large tanks. Solar Power is good for boondocking. 4WD is desirable. If you can swing it, a pop top camper will slink between and under the trees easier than a hardside. A hardside is quieter with nothing to set up. A hardside is easier to 'stealth camp' in cities. We've done that a lot, using Tioga George's and BKA's techniques. Getting a truck camper set up for boondocking has more to do with the truck than the actual camper.
4. One more intangible is: how is your tolerance to small spaces? Claustrophobia? Some people cannot take the 'closed in' feel with a truck camper. Jeanie and I love going into 'the cave', (or love's grotto) with most of the windows blocked out. If i were to recommend a TC for a short bed, 2 series truck, brand new, it would be the Lance 865. They cram a lot of cozy features into that space, and it can be taken off-road. Our's is an earlier version of the 865. But, there are many good brands to peruse. If you decide on something, be sure to make a very complete inspection for leaks, bad finish, poor workmanship, all systems go.
Let us know how it goes.
regards, as always, jefe

Thanks for your reply..
To answer your questions, Our Chevrolet 2500 is new to us, actually we just bought it and haven't yet brought it home. It is a 4x4, 8' box and has 75,000 miles on it. Seems to have good stiff springs and plenty of power, but I do share your concern for camper weight. I would prefer something shorter, even if we forgo the shower or even toilet as a good porta potty works well for us! Besides it is much easier to find an outhouse or outher facility where a porta potty can be dumped and I just know those small tanks in a TC will fill up way too fast.

Health wise we are doing good for our age. We both hike daily and my wife goes to exercise class several times a week while I have my own exercise class with the splitting maul right at the woodpile!
As for the size restrictions, I am fairly big, 6'-2" but think I would be fine. As for claustrophobia I think we will be fine as we sometimes go overnight camping in our 20' boat and that thing has a really tiny cabin and when the wind and waves are hitting it sometimes it feels like sleeping in a washing machine! We have also been doing some tent camping, but I don't really care for sleeping on the ground. Also the bears being around make me get less than a restful nights sleep. The same concerns go for a tent camper or a pop top camper. I like having a more solid wall between us and the wilds!

I like your setup in the photo. Our 2500 doesn't have the ground clearance that your Dodge has, but we are not planning on really getting very far off road with ours. In Alaska you can get far into the wilderness and not be really offroading. The flip side is that it is tougher to get a rig off road here without getting buried up past the axles in muck, something that went out with me in my 20's! Not like the great open deserts that you are probably used to..

We have a little 1000 watt Honda gen that I plan to take on our excursions, and a solar panel or 2 might be in our plans as well. I keep thinking for the boonies having an outside showerhead would make more sense than devoting a good piece of the camper to a bathroom. Not sure if my wife shares this sentiment however! Actually the last camper I owned 25 years ago had a bathroom that I used justfor storage.
Thanks again for your insight!

[jefe_4x4]

Artikos,
Welcome to the forum. It is a wild and crazy bunch here with no shortage of opinion on what you should do. There is consensus on a few things:
1. If you are planning on using your GM 2500HD as a camper carrier, your options are more limited than if you had a 3 or 4 series truck. Another thing: is it a short bed or a long bed? If short, your options are further limited on models that will fit. Don't let that deter you if that is the case. We are stuck with a 2 series truck and a short bed camper that we REALLY enjoy and have gotten used to; especially good for boondocking.
Other even more tangible questions are:
1. How are your knees, back, and general health? That may be a leading question, but you must face it realistically. If either of you have physically limited motation, a camper may not be the right choice. Why? a. The set of wobbly steps you must climb every single time you enter. b. The two big steps to get up to the bed and out of in the middle of the night. This is the built-in limiter for TC-ing.
2. If you are physically large, be sure to try out the 'fit' in the tiny WC they call a bathroom. Go thru all the motions. Lay on the bed. Open all cabinets to see how facile they work. I have an acquaintance who TC's a small hardside and he is 6'7". This is not a marriage made in heaven, but he makes it work. It's still 5 quarts in a 4 quart jar.
3. To set up a camper for boondocking requires some alternate think. Get a TC with large tanks. Solar Power is good for boondocking. 4WD is desirable. If you can swing it, a pop top camper will slink between and under the trees easier than a hardside. A hardside is quieter with nothing to set up. A hardside is easier to 'stealth camp' in cities. We've done that a lot, using Tioga George's and BKA's techniques. Getting a truck camper set up for boondocking has more to do with the truck than the actual camper.
4. One more intangible is: how is your tolerance to small spaces? Claustrophobia? Some people cannot take the 'closed in' feel with a truck camper. Jeanie and I love going into 'the cave', (or love's grotto) with most of the windows blocked out. If i were to recommend a TC for a short bed, 2 series truck, brand new, it would be the Lance 865. They cram a lot of cozy features into that space, and it can be taken off-road. Our's is an earlier version of the 865. But, there are many good brands to peruse. If you decide on something, be sure to make a very complete inspection for leaks, bad finish, poor workmanship, all systems go.
Let us know how it goes.
regards, as always, jefe
at the big Indian Cave in Death Valley N.P. last week:

[Arktikos]

rutzbeck wrote:
Hey I live in Haines, Ak I have a Bigfoot and love it. I would call the border for the question about import cost. My guess if you stay in Canada for enough days it won't be much. There isn't any tax or licenses for a camper in Alaska. I bought my Bigfoot in Juneau but they certainly don't come up very often.

Hey, small world! We live in Haines too!
How do you like your Bigfoot? The one I saw was in lower BC along the way to WA and it was around $4K CND if memory serves. That is about our price range for now. See if my wife likes campers before spending more for a better one.

[rutzbeck]

Hey I live in Haines, Ak I have a Bigfoot and love it. I would call the border for the question about import cost. My guess if you stay in Canada for enough days it won't be much. There isn't any tax or licenses for a camper in Alaska. I bought my Bigfoot in Juneau but they certainly don't come up very often.

[trail-explorer]

Arktikos wrote:

Another question, can we, as US citizens buy a TC in Canada, and what if any duty will we have to pay when we declare it at the border?

THe Alaska Dept of Licensing / Dept of motor vehicles should be able to give you all the details about what taxes, duties, license fees would nee paid on a unit purchases in Canada, eh.