Try before you buy

[hedgehopper]

Recently we rented, from CanaDream in Calgary AB, a 2013 Northern Lite 8'11" Sportsman on a brand new Ford F350 SRW diesel.

Before this experience we had looked at Northern Lites and wanted a rear-dinette layout. Long before we completed our one-week rental, we decided that the center-dinette layout of the Sportsman suited us better. And I discovered that I could enjoy driving a vehicle with an automatic transmission. (We have never owned one.)

By the end of the week, we had a long list of what we liked and what we didn't about the camper and the truck. (This pertains to our own preferences and would not necessarily be true for anyone else.)

If you are considering a TC purchase, you might want to try a rental first. It could save you from buying something you later decide you don't like.

[sabconsulting]

Another option for those who have never tried truck camping but have a truck, time and the necessary skills is to buy a cheap old camper for the year to see how they like it. I reckon you would soon learn what you did and did not want / what you could put up with. At the right price you could virtually throw the camper away at the end of the year on the basis that you would be better informed about what 'keeper' truck camper to then buy and avoid making a costly mistake with your first 'expensive' camper.

It is an extension of the principal I used with my camper. I bought it cheaply and didn't spend any money on it for a while until we were happy we liked truck camping, knew what changes I wanted to spend time and money on and knew this particular camper was one I wanted to keep. The variation there was that we fixed up the cheap camper instead of buying a new one (we preferred the layout of the cheap camper to the new ones available locally).

But renting other vehicles has also been very useful in the past.

A fairly large class C convinced us we didn't want anything that awkward to park or negotiate narrow trails with. A tiny 4x4 pop-up truck camper convinced us that we needed something bigger than that, but of the benefits of a rugged 4x4 truck as a base vehicle. Finally the class B convinced us that we would like an interior bathroom with cassette toilet, but weren't bothered about a generator or aircon in the camper, and definitely wanted a fixed bed like our truck camper has. All very useful learning experiences for our next vehicle.

Steve.

[billtex]

Fraserway has done this for years in Canada. This is an arm of AMLRV (Adventurer/Eagle Cap).The rentals are sold off after a year or two (look at the website for pricing),they are likely the largest selling TC brand in Canada.

AMLRV probably sells as many TC's in Canada as Lance does in the US.

That was a great idea renting before buying...it sure helps you understand what you like/dislike about a certain floorplan. It took us owning 2 TC's to figure that out!

Bill

[woodhog]

Canada TC Rental

I see quite a few TC rentals going past here every year, they are all on diesel SWR trucks and nothing fancy for tie downs...

I doubt the renter even knows the weight...

This outfit will not let you put their campers on your truck, also the rental fees are VERY expensive....

They usually have the trucks for sale after about 2 or 3 years..and the campers ...

All the renters I have talked with are from Europe.

[sabconsulting]

Good to see you can do this in Canada. We really wanted to rent a truck camper last year in CO / NM / AZ, but gave up trying to find one and rented a class B instead.

Steve.

[Photomike]

Hedgehopper, a GREAT idea!

Where did you go when you had the unit?

[deltabravo]

I haven't seen any for rent in the 48 states, but I see them a lot when I've been on trips to Canada over the last few years.

As far as Canada rentals, do they provide the truck and camper as a unit?

Can you rent a camper and put on your own truck?

[MORSNOW]

We have plenty of truck camper rentals up here in Alaska. Very common to use four wheel drive, so truck campers it is!

[dadwolf2]

I've never seen a truck camper rental before.