Truck Camping on the ragged edge

[Less_Stuff]

My new truck and camper.


My old truck and camper in Georgia.


Old truck and camper got about 14 mpg on the highway.

My new truck and camper gets better than 20 mpg.
Present tank full reads 23.2 mpg.


Wow that really opens things up for me!
It still has a 382 mile range, all that and the tank only holds 26 gallons.

Main things I disliked about the old truck and camper.

Whenever we had to camp around most dog owners.
Long cold evenings cooped up in the camper.


Things I may dislike about the new camper.

It sure is small.

Down sizing can open doors. Less money spent on a RV can mean more money for travel.

We have found long cold evenings can be fun in a hotel with a pool and hot tub.

My new rig is small but a night or two in it then a night in a motel can be nice.
We started truck camping that way then went to the Lance. Now smaller again.

Oh yes we tried this Jeep Patriot and tent on top trailer.
Alas it was a lot of work for this old goat.



So now it's just 17.6 feet of total length.



My wife has a dear lady friend who drove the Pan American Highway. She has a husband whose thinking about it.

[Less_Stuff]

billtex wrote:

Ductape wrote:
Too right on your username!

Should be "no stuff"...

Thanks for the suggestion billtex we were in your neck of the woods last fall.
Spent a lovely afternoon near Easton's Beach in Newport. We just had our car so "almost no stuff" would be appropriate. We flew my wife's small kite. That kite has now flown over the West and East coasts of the US.

We want to return, when we got home I picked up my Tin Can Sailor paper it hit me that we had forgotten to stop at Fall River, Massachusetts and Battle Ship cove. Rats!
The USS Kennedy DD850 is on display there. I served on the USS Rupertus DD851 so seeing the Kennedy would have been great. The Kennedy was named for Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts. Yes those Kennedy's.

[DWeikert]

basslbbig wrote:

Deb and Ed M wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
while our camping means spending time around campfire and using RV only for bathroom and sleeping.

I think THIS is the key: TC (and tents and truck shells and probably pop-up trailers) are for "outdoor people" 🙂 If you don't enjoy being outdoors 90% of your awake day, you might like a more home-like RV form?

Ditto this.

It seems TCers are more about the outdoors than people with the rolling houses. IMHO:)

Agreed, but TC owners are also those that prefer someplace to go when spending time outdoors just isn't an option. I camped for a while under the cap on my pickup but one vacation to Yellowstone at a time when the biting black flies were out in force convinced me I needed more than just a cap. I recall pulling over at one spot and in seconds hundreds of flies were on the outside of the truck. The only shelter I had was to sit in the driver's seat or lay down in the bed, and motels in West Yellowstone had no vacancies. Any exposed skin without insect repellent would be found in seconds once leaving the vehicle. Next trip I had the camper and enjoyed the trip immeasurably more.

To the OP, I wish you nothing but the best and sincerely hope your setup meets all your needs. But been there, done that, and I don't expect any extra credit when it's all said and done for not being comfortable, assuming that comfort doesn't limit where I can go with the truck. Hasn't yet...

[Less_Stuff]

When your camper only allows sack time your are really a outdoor person.
Though I do very much enjoy driving through scenic country during the day.

[basslbbig]

Deb and Ed M wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
while our camping means spending time around campfire and using RV only for bathroom and sleeping.

I think THIS is the key: TC (and tents and truck shells and probably pop-up trailers) are for "outdoor people" 🙂 If you don't enjoy being outdoors 90% of your awake day, you might like a more home-like RV form?

Ditto this.

It seems TCers are more about the outdoors than people with the rolling houses. IMHO:)

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Kayteg1 wrote:
while our camping means spending time around campfire and using RV only for bathroom and sleeping.

I think THIS is the key: TC (and tents and truck shells and probably pop-up trailers) are for "outdoor people" 🙂 If you don't enjoy being outdoors 90% of your awake day, you might like a more home-like RV form?

[Kayteg1]

With cabover campers you have lot of variables.
Even I own RV for 25 years, I did not consider campers in the past due cramped space and need for cranking the jacks.
Than lately I saw basement model with full bath, slide and jacks operated by radio remote.
It is like comparing crank phone to cellphone.
Space is smaller than TT, but than I can drive that thing anywhere and beat the traffic on my way, while our camping means spending time around campfire and using RV only for bathroom and sleeping.
No registration fee, no brakes/wheels maintenance.

[billtex]

joeshmoe wrote:


3K lb. plus truck camper hauling is inherently more complicated than towing a TT. That's a fact. Just look at the ongoing threads. Weight, tires, weight, wheels, stability, weight, tires, weight, stability.

None of my immediate friends has or ever had a truck camper. Either class C's or TT's or a truck. When asked why not a TC? Invariably, they've answered either too much work loading/unloading, too much cost or too small for what you pay.

We have both a TC and TT...I totally disagree with that. Our TT is an AirStream-the "Cadillac" of TT's!
I would choose the TC any day; much easier to travel with, more flexible, less stress (no extra tires/wheels/axles/etc.
DW likes the AS...so it stays.

We use the TC ~ 50 nights/yr.
The AS ~ 20 nights/yr.
You do the math.

Kind of dubious your friends make statements like "too much work..." if they have never owned one...what's up with that?

sleepy...your are on top of your game this thread. Cracking me up!

[billtex]

Ductape wrote:
Too right on your username!

Should be "no stuff"...

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Less Stuff wrote:


We live in the Pacific Northwest and I can't think of any state or federal campground that won't allow a tent. Now there are some in Wyoming and one in Yellowstone that won't allow tents because of bears.

A truck with a topper or shell and no fabric sides would be allowed.

My wife and I started RVing in a truck topper she never complained but I think she liked the idea of every other night in a hotel.

Good luck what every you choose a trip west can be great fun.

Thanks! I had been looking at some private parks, due to the ability to erect a tent in an RV site. The state/federal parks tend to put a tent on a pad site; if we end up with the TC (I hope!) - then will they let us park in the "tents only" section? Maybe? Maybe not? (Which was already discussed in another thread)

My son-in-law transferred to Portland 3 years ago; and having seen pictures of the family hikes, etc - I'm really excited about exploring a place we have not visited yet! (I'm just sorry there's been so many fires obscuring the beautiful scenery, which is why we're now choosing a more coastal route)

[Less_Stuff]

Deb and Ed M wrote:
I'm facing this myself.... 3 week trip to the Pacific Northwest planned, every day a new place. *I* want to take the pop-up TC; Ed wants to hotel it and put a shell on the truck. I bought a nice 6-person tent, because I'm determined to camp at least part of the time - you can't find hotels in the scenic places where we can camp. Next weekend we'll do a long weekend in the TC so he can see what a lovely experience it can be 😉 I'm not sure what is fueling his hesitation.....

Of course, not knowing if I'm in a tent or an RV makes a LOT of difference in making reservations. Some places will allow tents in RV sites - some won't. And a stunning amount of parks won't allow tents at all. Not sure if it's due to rowdies, or bears?

We live in the Pacific Northwest and I can't think of any state or federal campground that won't allow a tent. Now there are some in Wyoming and one in Yellowstone that won't allow tents because of bears.

A truck with a topper or shell and no fabric sides would be allowed.

My wife and I started RVing in a truck topper she never complained but I think she liked the idea of every other night in a hotel.

Good luck what every you choose a trip west can be great fun.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

I'm facing this myself.... 3 week trip to the Pacific Northwest planned, every day a new place. *I* want to take the pop-up TC; Ed wants to hotel it and put a shell on the truck. I bought a nice 6-person tent, because I'm determined to camp at least part of the time - you can't find hotels in the scenic places where we can camp. Next weekend we'll do a long weekend in the TC so he can see what a lovely experience it can be 😉 I'm not sure what is fueling his hesitation.....

Of course, not knowing if I'm in a tent or an RV makes a LOT of difference in making reservations. Some places will allow tents in RV sites - some won't. And a stunning amount of parks won't allow tents at all. Not sure if it's due to rowdies, or bears?

[Less_Stuff]

> Truck Campers
This forum is focused on truck campers: the versatile slide-in RV.


My topper was slid-on! The bed platform and carpet were slid- in!
It is used for Recreation and it is on a truck!

If you don't like me please don't read my posts!

I did mention something about the edge of truck camping after all.

[Kayteg1]

The "stay on the topic" point of view is stupid IMHO.
Would it be really apply, all new topics would end on repl #1 saying "do a search or move to other section"
We all evolve in our lives and it is hard to draw a solid line.
I started RVing with Class C and family of 4 to move to ClassA with family of 5 to travel trailers and boat to truck camper when me and wife got left with 3 dogs.
I am confused where should I post as I still own my Prevost conversion, but use Fleetwood camper for vacations.

[Less_Stuff]

campn4walleye wrote:

.......
You hit it...we're too soft now to camp in the truck or in a tent. Our backs can't take a cot anymore and I hate to cook in the wind and rain. Face it, I'm spoiled.
...... :B

Have fun in your travels.

Let me tell you about spoiled.
In good weather and wonderful places we'll camp
But hotels are wonderful in bad weather and when in or around cities.
Cooking is not done without the wife doing it. I know enough to not want to poison myself.

Thanks we've had fun and hope to have more. Travel is a delight.

[Naio]

Wow, I can't believe people are being rude to the OP. He seems like a nice guy.