Truck Camper Attic - how much do you use?

[Vic_R]

Ok - "Attic" may be generous, but how much do you use the roof top racks and rear ladder on your truck camper? I was certain I was going to order a ladder and Yakima rails on my new camper, but now I'm having second thoughts on what I would actually put up here???

[Jfet]

I am interested in hearing/seeing how people get their canoe/kayak off of a 11 foot high camper roof as that is the height of our garage pod rack where we plan to store this stuff.

It seems there are a few of you who do keep those items up there, so how easy is it to get down using the built in ladder...or did you rig up something else?

edit: Well, so far this question is directed at Buzzcut and his photo 🙂

[sky_free]

The ladder is a great place to carry skis.

[Farmerjon]

We consider our roof a fragile place and avoid getting on it and we never carry anything on it.
If while away from home we should need to go up to remove anything or need to inspect something. I can usually do it without getting off the ladder. With it at home I use a 12ft step ladder to work around it.

[trailgranny50]

We don't put anything on the roof except our satellite dish on occasion. The ladder carries our chairs and often that's where we set the Tailgater as we can secure it to the ladder. Depends on which direction the truck is pointing.

[silversand]

...we never carry anything on our pop-up roof. Our ladder is used for roof maintenance (membrane and 2 roof hatches) only...

If we ever decided to carry "boats', they (or, it) would be an hypalon-hulled inflatable, packed inside the truck.

This is our decision, for our own reasons/circumstances; YMMV :B

[Buzzcut1]

I carry two Kayaks up on the racks on a regular basis and a cargo box on occasion.

[kerry4951]

Solar panels, an AC unit, and a satellite dome is all I want up there. I do use the ladder for access to the roof for maintenance so the ladder is important to have for me.

[gpascazio]

Use the ladder to get up to the roof to clean my Solar Panels and the roof. Haven't had the need to carry anything there.

[jmckelvy]

I only use the ladder to climb up for cleaning, etc. I have never traveled with anything up there. These things have a high vertical COG. I don't want to do anything to raise it

[KD4UPL]

The camper is already top heavy and back heavy. The last place I would want to add any weight is the top at the back. It seems like a really inconvenient place to put anything anyway. Having to climb 11' in the air to get something doesn't sound good to me.

[tuna_fisher]

Very seldom put anything on the roof, high enough already. The ladder is my hanging place for chairs or blue tote, there is always something there when traveling.