Newbie Looking for Advice

[PGriffiths]

Hi Everyone,

I've recently had a friend visit and on the back of his truck was a pick-up camper (pop-up style). I had never really looked into them until then and I immediately fell in love with the model!

I'm looking for a camper that I can take across the US on an extended road trip. Something that will offer a slightly lower profile than other units and something that doesn't involve a trailer/towing. A truck camper seems to fit this bill nicely. I would use this as my primary residence for the duration of the trip (likely up to 6 months or more).

I have a few questions that I hope some folks here can help me with (I apologize if these are elsewhere in the forums or are too basic!)

1) Where do I start? - Are there particular brands/models that are better than others, pros/cons of each?

2) I own a 2003 Chevy S10, 6' bed. - Is this enough truck for a pop-up camper or would I need a full size?

3) Shopping for a used camper(doubt I could afford new). - What are some things to look for? What are some things to avoid? Are there things on a camper that can't be fixed/replaced?

4) Reliability/longevity - Are truck campers good for a while? As stated in the previous question, I will need to buy used so I want to make sure whatever I buy will still meet my needs.

5) Anything else? Are there things you wish you knew when you started into the truck camper world that you know now? Any experience or suggestions about anything truck camper related would be really helpful and appreciated. I have very little experience with campers in general so I apologize for my ignorance here.

Thank you all for the help!

[Lwiddis]

A 2003 Chevy S10...15 years old. Mileage and payload are? Age and weight limit of tires? Engine and transmission?

[csh_2088]

I am researching buying a truck camper myself and from what I can tell Hallmark seems to be the most popular pop up camper. Outfitters, Northstar, Phoenix and Palomino also get good reviews.

Check your truck to see what the payload is. If it's under 2000 pounds you will probably have to get a 3/4 ton truck unless you get one of the smaller pop ups.