Question on Truck Campers

[smcrea]

Hi,

We've had a travel trailer for about 10 years and are now considering downsizing as the kids leave home.

We have a 2015 F350 Diesel pickup and are considering getting a camper.

My wife is leaning towards a B class but I am not keen on the idea as we have a perfectly serviceable truck.

After digging around I found out that my wife worry is not being able to get from the camper into the truck cabin and be able to drive off. I understand that this seems strange after having a travel trailer for so many years 🙂

We heard that some truck campers have a window at the front that would allow you to slip from the camper through the rear sliding window into the truck in an emergency.

Question: is this in fact the case?

If so then which truck campers would have this?

Thanks!

[SidecarFlip]

Like us, our dog would never fit. We aren't flexible anymore (in our late 60's) and our dog isn't overweight (neither are we but he scales at 114 pounds). He ain't no toy poodle.

He does sleep on the floor of the camper when we camp every night. Have to be careful about where you step when going to the potty in the middle of the night.

He's a chow and I'd not want to startle him.

[B-n-B]

As an experiment you and your wife should see if you can even make it from the truck bed into the truck cab using the sliding rear window.

[54suds]

:@

[jimh406]

twy, it’s not up to you to determine someone else’s safety requirements.

Btw, near top of the line TCs and trucks with features/options similar to the nicer Class Bs can easily exceed 100K. TCs are still about the highest cost per sq ft. My truck is no longer my DD so it sits as well. So?

[54suds]

jimh425 wrote:

54suds wrote:
Breezer truck window on many campers its possible to enlarge the campers window also

Can’t really think of a reason to have that window or a convertible truck for me either. 🙂

In any case, no matter how big the window is, you still have to open it. No idea how those open. They don’t look that tall even with models partially inside them.

over the years many have requested pass through information example: ( never happy in Europe) others with large dogs )others with children in states where its legal to have passengers in camper ps they make boots that make connection sealed during use on truck

[jimh406]

54suds wrote:
Breezer truck window on many campers its possible to enlarge the campers window also

Can’t really think of a reason to have that window or a convertible truck for me either. 🙂

In any case, no matter how big the window is, you still have to open it. No idea how those open. They don’t look that tall even with models partially inside them.

[54suds]

Breezer truck window on many campers its possible to enlarge the campers window also

[SidecarFlip]

RoyB wrote:
I've done a whole lot of solo tent camping from the 60s to present time and also done alot of POPUP trailer camping off-grid camping since 2008. Have never had an emergency where I felt I had to climb in my truck and leave in a hurry...

I will say the woods are definitely filling up with folks that look like they may living there. Last year I had a homeless looking guy come up to me and ask for a food handout... Have had them approach me in a WALMART parking lot too...

I am usually armed but have never had to confront anyone... I also have a UDAP bear pepper spray canister hanging by the camper door... This shoots out spray for a good thirty feet or so... This is the same spray the rangers carry on them when in the woods... Wasp spray cans work too...

My wife is definitely more skittish of the dark then I am. I can get in a sleeping bag and roll up against a log anywhere and have a full nights peaceful sleep haha... Used to do the hiking trail camping a lot and sleep under one of these along the trails... I guess I am too ugly to worry about anything happening to me hehe... In my younger days I might spit a chaw in your eyes...


Google image...

I was raised in the country and sleeping out by yourself all night is just another thing that happens I guess... Never know what is going to be sleeping next to you... Had a possum one time under my trail tent cover with me and we both woke up the same time. He was just as startled as I was haha...

I guess if you are really really scared of things that may or may not happen when camping I would probably want to do something else... Camping out under the stars may not be for you...

I am into PLAN B things and usually have a way out of most any mechanical or electrical experience that may come up... Just like MacGyver and his infamous pocket knife haha...

I was camping on one trip in the Smoky Mtns Natl Park at ELKMONT Camp and on the back roll was one little tent and maybe six or seven cars there all with different license plates. I have to admit I did report this to the rangers office and he said yup we are watching them too haha... They were all gone the next morning...

I guess it is wise to always be aware of your surroundings when alone in the woods somewhere hehe...

Roy Ken

Being an Eagle Scout in my younger days, I too spent a lot of nights in the deep woods alone. In fact, to this day, I like being alone sometimes.

When we go camping (wife and I) with the TC, it's usually a remote location (why I bought the TC and 4x4 in the first place and ;like a good scout turned adult, I always have a handgun with me, usually my 44 Smith.

Never had a 'possum cuddle me but I have had a porcupine visit before.

IU think if the OP wants the accessability of getting in the driver's seat without exiting a unit, he'd better get a class B and stick to established camp grounds. something I don't carer for.

[HadEnough]

guidry wrote:
Where the heck do y’all camp where you’re afraid!? Rain might be the only reason for a pass through but an umbrella or raincoat would solve that. There’s a whole lot of other reasons to look at TC or class C thank being scared.

Not afraid. Just prepared in case of an unforeseen dangerous situation.

I routinely travel in major cities and stay overnight in them. I will also stay out in the middle of nowhere. Staying in very big and crime-ridden cities has actually never been a problem. The only problem I ever had was in Ottawa Canada. A guy tried to break into the back door of the truck camper. But he didn't try very hard. He was just checking to see if it was unlocked or not.

A bigger scare was actually from Homeland Security. They surrounded my truck camper took me outside and questioned me for like an hour. It was pretty nerve-wracking. But all the prepared stuff didn't help of course, since it was the authorities.

I was outside New York City. Apparently some people had been telling them they would be an attack on the city using an RV or something. I was in a park working when they surrounded me and took me out to question me.

[dave17352]

As others have said not much of a option. I have a window big enough and 25 years ago I had a truck camper with a window big enough and my wife did indeed slip back and forth a few times. But she is small and was young at the time:) Not a real option. JMHO I never fit or even tried!

[RoyB]

I've done a whole lot of solo tent camping from the 60s to present time and also done alot of POPUP trailer camping off-grid camping since 2008. Have never had an emergency where I felt I had to climb in my truck and leave in a hurry...

I will say the woods are definitely filling up with folks that look like they may living there. Last year I had a homeless looking guy come up to me and ask for a food handout... Have had them approach me in a WALMART parking lot too...

I am usually armed but have never had to confront anyone... I also have a UDAP bear pepper spray canister hanging by the camper door... This shoots out spray for a good thirty feet or so... This is the same spray the rangers carry on them when in the woods... Wasp spray cans work too...

My wife is definitely more skittish of the dark then I am. I can get in a sleeping bag and roll up against a log anywhere and have a full nights peaceful sleep haha... Used to do the hiking trail camping a lot and sleep under one of these along the trails... I guess I am too ugly to worry about anything happening to me hehe... In my younger days I might spit a chaw in your eyes...


Google image...

I was raised in the country and sleeping out by yourself all night is just another thing that happens I guess... Never know what is going to be sleeping next to you... Had a possum one time under my trail tent cover with me and we both woke up the same time. He was just as startled as I was haha...

I guess if you are really really scared of things that may or may not happen when camping I would probably want to do something else... Camping out under the stars may not be for you...

I am into PLAN B things and usually have a way out of most any mechanical or electrical experience that may come up... Just like MacGyver and his infamous pocket knife haha...

I was camping on one trip in the Smoky Mtns Natl Park at ELKMONT Camp and on the back roll was one little tent and maybe six or seven cars there all with different license plates. I have to admit I did report this to the rangers office and he said yup we are watching them too haha... They were all gone the next morning...

I guess it is wise to always be aware of your surroundings when alone in the woods somewhere hehe...

Roy Ken

[guidry]

Where the heck do y’all camp where you’re afraid!? Rain might be the only reason for a pass through but an umbrella or raincoat would solve that. There’s a whole lot of other reasons to look at TC or class C thank being scared.

[sbryan]

Our dogs go back and forth through the window and in a pinch I probably could but it would be a struggle - the power sliding window on the truck doesn't provide a lot of room to slip through.

[SidecarFlip]

One thing I didn't mention in my post is, I keep my Dometic CR compressor fridge on the backseat of the truck (4 door) and when in the camper, I can reach through the pass through window and get say a frozen ice dream sandwich if I want one. The fridge in the camper is fine for keeping stuff cold but not for hard freezing ice cream or keeping frozen stuff frozen.

That will change this year as I've purchased another compressor freezer fridge from West Marine that will go where my present ammonia fridge is. I'll pull it out and sell it. Works fine, just not as good as a compressor fridge can.

My wife can have the Dometic to use in her van when she goes shopping on a hot day, to keep frozen stuff frozen on the way home. We live 20 miles from the nearest grocery and in the summer, that can take it's toll on frozen groceries.

[Old_Days]

I would show the wife some B vans. My opinion they are smaller than a nice truck camper, and some of them are 80 grand. With a TC you can take it off the truck and use the truck for seeing the sites.