I’ve been meaning to write this for a little while now.. it’s been 3 months I’ve had my camper! Sometimes we let it be too easy for time to slip away in the normality of life..
this article is all text (and long). click here for pictures of my truck camper: markmarano.com/what/truck-camper
Early on, first thoughts of an RV
As a lens-based artist, I desired something that would allow me to travel more easily to create my still images and time-lapse films. I’d gone on adventures in the past, though was limited by a number of factors. Having an RV would allow me to travel freely on long and short trips.
I had been back and forth on if I wanted something for short trips, long trips, or both. I had looked at all sorts of options for RV’s, campers, vans, custom conversions, and wasn’t sure what would work. At first, I was trying to do something with a very minimal budget (under $10K), and my options were pretty limited, especially as I wanted something that was in good condition and reliable (and really preferred something new too!).
A while back, back near the end of 2009 I believe, I was interested in a small Class B RV, such as the Roadtrek vans. I don’t remember my exact thinking back then, though I probably was drawn to them for the small size and ability to go anywhere a van or car could go.
I went to the Florida RV SuperShow in January of 2010 and was overwhelmed with a lot of choices. I intended to go to check out the Class B RV’s and get a feel for those built on smaller cargo vans and those built on the Dodge/Mercedes Sprinter diesel van. I ended up with a lot of information to digest, and a lot more options to consider. I became interested in the Itasca Reyo Class A motorhome that was also built on the Sprinter Chassis. The 25R Reyo floorplan had a very spacious open feel compared to the Roadtreks and other Class B models I saw. I recall at least one Class B+ model that had a pretty good feel in size, feeling much larger than the Class B’s.
A day or two later, I went back to the RV SuperShow, and after wandering about some more and seeing lots of RV’s, including some million dollar motorhomes, I met Gordon White of Truck Camper Magazine near some Lance Truck Campers. He told me a bit about truck campers as an option to be able to go anywhere a pickup truck could go. I became curious and looked at the online magazine to explore options shortly after I got home.
I began looking at more options, and looking at what I could do for less than $10,000 as I had just gone through business failure and had run out of money in 2009, and at the time, didn’t see myself getting lots of money anytime soon. I would have loved to have had a brand new $100K+ RV, though after a while, it did seem a bit of a stretch and I was feeling the urge to be traveling freely right away, so figured I’d look at what I could get to start with.
While exploring what was available, I came across lots of interesting and alternative options, including the Earthroamer, a custom built camper right into a modified Ford F-550 truck. They also modify a Jeep Wrangler with a flip up tent. I discovered the Unicat, custom RV’s built on the large Unimog trucks. Continuing the quest, I discovered the Ursa Minor Vehicles ECamper, a Honda Element that’s been modified with a pop up tent nicely built into the roof (you crawl/climb in through the moonroof), and also the Adventure Trailers Flippac, a tent that’s built into a camper shell on a pickup truck and flips up to look like a conventional tent. I also discovered the Sportsmobile custom vans, and saw they had modified a Ford van into a very capable 4×4 RV.
I began considering what would be best for me. It seemed like there would be some sort of trade off no matter what route I went. Some models cost quite a bit up front. Most vehicles drank up a lot of gas. Only some of the more alternative RV options would give off-road capability. And the most obvious, some would give up a lot of interior living space to be able to fit in a parking spot and be more easily maneuvered. And I still had a limited budget to start with.
At the time (early 2010), I was leaning toward something that would give decent gas mileage so I could travel a lot with it. I desired over 20 mpg on the highway (I know it sounds a little crazy for an RV, though being able to get 40+ mpg on my Honda Civic, I really didn’t want something that got less than 15 mpg on the highway). I was researching some Class B vans I could get used inexpensively. I found one that had a pretty good floorplan – I think it was the Dodge Explorer 230 from the late 90′s / early 2000′s (the van had a more modern look than the really old looking vans of the early/mid 90′s). A lot of smaller RV’s have a floorplan with the bathroom in the middle to break up the space into rooms. While some may like the idea of different rooms, it’s pretty impractical in such a small space, and I really was drawn to something that felt more like one big room (with the bathroom in the back). I also looked at some Class C models that were built on Toyota trucks from the late 80′s / early 90′s, as they could get 20+ miles per gallon (think I heard/read claims in the mid to upper 20s). I rode in one that a guy was selling locally, and though it seemed to be in decent mechanical condition for its age, the interior was pretty old (and my head hit the top of the ceiling in the shower).
I had also come across a couple websites about living out of a van and thought that I could do my own conversion of a van, or a minivan as it’d get better gas mileage. I thought I could take out all the rear seats, and create a box that would hold a mattress and flip up for storage underneath, and I could place a porta-potti and sink in the back (doing some research on what guys have done to create a camper in the back of a pickup truck with either a regular topper/camper shell or with the AT Flippac gave me some ideas of solutions for the sink, etc). I also found some places that would convert the roofs on vans to pop up like the VW Eurovan/Westfalia or the Sportsmobile conversions.
I was leaning in the direction of creating something inexpensive though put the idea on hold as a business partner up in Chicagoland called me up to help him start up a new business..
Fast forward to the end of 2010
I found myself back in Florida and thinking about the RV / traveling vehicle again. I was looking at new vehicles that I could modify the roof on like I previously thought with a minivan. The minivans weren’t too exciting and some had very low ground clearance. I looked briefly at some cargo vans and then got interested in the Toyota FJ Cruiser. The FJ Cruiser is very off-road capable like the Jeep Wrangler. I thought I could modify the roof on it like the Ecamper on the Honda Element and have a pretty good setup. I had considered the Honda Element and did like that it got good gas mileage, though was reading that the AWD system wasn’t too great, and felt a real 4WD system and higher ground clearance would be better so I wouldn’t have to worry about getting stuck if I did end up off road. Plus, the FJ Cruiser just looked cooler too! I loved how it looked like a big toy truck. When I walked up to a bright yellow one at the dealer, it just felt right.
Several weeks (a couple months?) later (I think it was Thanksgiving Day I looked at the FJ in the lot as the dealer was closed), I went to test drive the FJ Cruiser. I was a little disappointed as it was a little hard to see/feel the cars around in the blind spots, and the new ones didn’t come in the bright yellow anymore (the new blue color wasn’t as bright either, losing the original feel I had of it). It was funny, I remember as soon as I sat in the driver’s seat, I got the feeling I didn’t like it. I still went ahead and test drove it, and also looked at a Tacoma though didn’t test drive it just didn’t feel as rugged or exciting as the FJ. (I was also considering some small pop up camper, topper shell, or FlipPac solution as another option. I looked at the AutoHome Maggiolina roof top tents too, though really preferred something built in / customized to make it look more streamlined) On the way back home from test driving the FJ Cruiser, I stopped at the Jeep dealer to look at options there. I remember I was thinking about the Compass / Patriot as they got good gas mileage and the passenger front seat folded down so I could sleep in the back (maybe only in the Patriot). I ended up test driving a Jeep Wrangler and liked the way it drove better than the FJ, though it was rated a little less on gas mileage. I liked the versatility of the Wrangler where half of the hard top roof comes off, the doors are removable, and even the windshield can flip down. It felt pretty adventuresome, though I couldn’t sleep inside it. There was someone (a company I believe) who made a tent that went on the hard top of the Wrangler (like the Earthroamer Wrangler mod), though then it would lose the fun of the front half of the hard top becoming a large sunroof. The salesperson was very helpful and there was a totally different feel at the dealer. It was much more relaxed and they didn’t even negotiate prices (they offered a lower price up front rather than haggling). I learned a little bit about the Subaru models they sold there too. I don’t remember what I was thinking next, perhaps I was feeling at a loss of what to do as I no longer really liked the FJ idea I was really excited about earlier. What I mentioned above plus the guys at the dealer saying I’d void the warranty by modifying the roof really changed my perspective. When thinking about the Tacoma, I was also considering the Mahindra TR20 truck that was supposed to be imported from India in 2011, and was thinking about it as a pretty versatile option. The 2 door model had a 7.5 foot bed on a smaller truck (closer to Tacoma size I’d guess) with a diesel engine that was being said to get 30 mpg.
A little bit later, perhaps another few weeks or couple of months, I was probably doing more research and over-analysis of what to do/get, and thought about the Subaru Outback as a good choice. It could get around 30 mpg, had a good AWD system, and I could sleep in the back if I fold down the rear seats. I thought it’d be good for local adventures if I want to stay out overnight somewhere without having to drive home to sleep, or if I wanted to do some night/star time-lapse photography. Or when traveling to a destination, it’d be more comfortable to sleep in than my Civic! I figured I could get a larger RV later and this could be the tow-behind vehicle. I test drove it and it rode pretty well. At the time, I figured I could save up, and perhaps make a good return investing in silver and put that towards the wagon. Although it was a good vehicle, perhaps a part of me wasn’t terribly excited about the styling and began to think what else could I do with the $30K+ it would cost.
It was around the end of April 2011. I began racking my brain over what I wanted to do. I was looking at all sorts of options. In January at the beginning of the year, either after seeing one at the RV SuperShow or researching more options, I thought I could get a pop-up camper to tow with the FJ Cruiser. I also thought I could get a large RV with storage for an ATV, bike, motorcycle, etc, and have the RV as the main vehicle with an ATV for the off-road capability, though from my research, it doesn’t seem they can be licensed like a motorcycle for on-road use to be able to ride into town from wherever the RV would be parked. I’d seen full size RV’s with garages that could hold a car (such as the Thor Outlaw). I looked at more fuel efficient diesel Class A RV’s, like the Thor/Damon Avanti and the Monaco Vesta. I considered cheap gas-guzzling Class A RV’s like the Winnebago Vista. I put together a spreadsheet to outline the major features/differences between these and various trucks with a pop-up camper, a couple of models by Sportsmobile, and the Tiger by Provan Industries (like a smaller Earthroamer). Based on the little information available on actual real world gas mileage and estimates in some cases, I calculated how much each type of RV would cost to purchase up front and long term to go 100,000 and 200,000 miles (I allowed for the cost of gas to rise too). It was interesting to see how the numbers fell into place. In some instances, the overall cost was a bit less with a gas-guzzling Class A (that got around 8mpg) than with a diesel Class A getting around 14.5 mpg due to the much higher cost of the diesel RV. In some cases, like the Winnebago View and Via models, estimating 15-16 mpg with the diesel fuel did cost less overall than the Vista gas model where I estimated 8mpg), due to the Sprinter-based diesel RV’s costing closer to $100K than $200K like other diesel RVs.
After analyzing the data and seeing what would be most cost-effective overall, the best options were a pickup truck with a pop-up camper, the Sportsmobile models, and the Provan Industries Tiger RV, closely followed by the Winnebago View out of more ‘normal’ RV’s. The most cost-effective options were between a pickup truck with a slide-in truck camper and the Sportsmobiles. It would come down to the options on either to get a better estimate. (actually the best in cost-effectiveness was the Subaru Outback but that wouldn’t give me any amenities or room!)
Making the journey
A couple weeks later, I planned out where I could see some pop-up slide-in truck campers, and the Sportsmobile and Tiger. These were the best choices and I hadn’t seen any of them in person! Probably one of the reasons I was driving myself crazy trying to figure it out! I could calculate all I want, but I couldn’t really know until I saw and felt what it was like in person. I had done research on truck campers before, and had decided a pop-up truck camper would be best as it would be more fuel efficient than a hard side truck camper and would give me a lower height to make it easier to park in tight areas like some garages and to drive off-road on trails where branches may be hanging low. I had been interested in the Palomino Bronco B1251SB – it was one of the first pop up campers I’d seen online and had all the basics (I wanted something with a kitchen, shower, and toilet, which some smaller truck campers lacked). I also had read good things about the Four Wheel Campers and saw that the Keystone model also did have the basics, weighed less than the Bronco, and seemed to not be as tall either. The FWC models were also well known for their aluminum flex-frame that could handle off-road conditions. The Tiger seemed pretty nice as the camper was custom built into the truck so you can walk right from the cab to the camper like in most RV’s. The Sportsmobile had the unique Penthouse where the modified van roof would open straight up and you could sleep up there, and they allowed you to choose your own custom layout. (the Four Wheel Campers models can be ordered as a shell to do custom layouts too)
May 19, 2011 I embarked on a journey to check out these options. The stops on the trip fell pretty nicely in relation to each other, all on the way to Joe’s in Chicagoland to work on a new business project. My first two stops were on the east coast of Florida. The first dealer had a used pop-up camper that I only saw from the outside. I got a brochure about the Palomino Bronco though he would have had to order one in. The next RV dealer was only about 30-40 minutes away if I recall. I saw the Palomino Bronco there and got a feel for the size. It did feel small compared to the hard-side Lance campers I had seen, though figured it was because it was a model for a short bed truck. I think most of the time I was leaning toward the Keystone.
I drove to South Carolina to check out the Tiger RV and met the owner of Provan Industries who took me on a tour of the factory when I got there in the morning. I got to see the RV shell in various stages of development and test drove one. The demo model was built on a Chevy or GM 3500 truck. It was my first time driving an RV, and it did feel a little hard to drive especially when trying to look around a sharp corner to turn. The truck it was built on didn’t have the extended cab nor crew cab, so there wasn’t the extra window to look through, and the seat couldn’t go as far back as I would’ve liked without the extra cab. It did feel pretty big to drive it. I have heard that the Chevy/GM trucks do feel more truck-like / harder in their ride – perhaps this attributed to the feel as well. I liked the concept and the finishes in the truck, though it was just too tall. I asked if they’d consider a pop-up model in the future and the answer was a pretty straight no. In the past, they did build the Tiger concept into a van that did pop-up but no longer. The overall cost of the Tiger varies largely depending on the truck options, though starts close to $90K for a gas truck. By the time some options, the SuperCab / Extended Cab, diesel engine, and tax are added, it’s probably closer to a total of $115K. The fuel economy for the gas model was estimated at 12 in the city and 15 on the highway. Diesel Tiger RV’s can get closer to 18-20 mpg on the highway.
Later that day, I drove to North Carolina to Xtreme Campers, Four Wheel Campers’ east coast dealer. I met with Mike and saw the Keystone camper he had there. It felt a lot bigger than the Palomino Bronco. The Keystone is 9ft long, so hangs off the end of the 8ft bed, a little bit past the truck bumper. The layout and lighter colors of the materials helped it feel bright and roomy inside. I had a good feeling about it and felt I could picture myself in it. I talked with Mike about the various options and told him I’d get back to him to get an estimate with all the options I want. I was asking about standing on the roof to set up a camera, or reaching up through an opening like the Fan-tastic Fan (without the fan!), and he suggested a custom hatch as the roof isn’t designed to support all the weight of a person (in one spot; though, it’s rated to support 1000 lbs of snow distributed throughout the entire roof). I also asked about solar panels and details about the camper’s systems. (I’ll come back to the options I choose below)
I drove to Indiana to make one last stop at Sportsmobile to check out their custom vans. The next morning I had a look at a few vans based on the Ford’s and Chevy’s, and also the ones built on the Sprinter. I tried to push up the roof on one of the vans and it was a bit hard for me. I’m not sure if it was the angle I was trying or what, though they did have an electric lift available. I asked some questions about 4×4 capability and layouts. They had a lot of options to choose from plus custom layouts. My choices were really between the Sportsmobile and the FWC Keystone. To get 4×4, they would send the Ford or Chevy van over to Quigley (in Pennsylvania, I believe) for modification. Sportsmobile West out in California could do a more capable modification too. If I recall, they didn’t have anyone to modify the Sprinter van. I had seen a 4×4 modified Sprinter online somewhere, though it seemed that the gas mileage dropped down to 14-15 mpg (and this one may have been a regular van, without the RV conversion inside). On the Sportsmobile website, the average mileage on the Sprinter is 20 or 22 mpg (depending if it’s the extended or regular van). I also read that the Sportsmobile 4×4 mod on the Ford would yield only around 10 mpg in the city and 13 mpg on the highway. The regular Ford and Chevy Sportsmobile vans seemed to give as much as 15-17.5 mpg on the highway and 12 mpg in the city (or 10 mpg if lots of stop and go), averaging about 14-15 mpg for gas V8 engines. The prices on the converted vans vary greatly based on options (especially as you can configure it all yourself). The price examples on their website range from $62K to $76K. With the penthouse roof, tax, and more options, especially the 4×4 conversion, the total would probably be closer to $85K-90K (or more).
Why I chose the Four Wheel Campers Keystone
After having a look at the options in person and on paper, I felt that a full size truck and the Keystone would be the best option for me. It was really down to the Sportsmobile or Keystone out of the latest options. I could have considered something like the Winnebago View (or it’s sister, the Itasca Navion) in a more normal RV, though the main considerations I looked at that made my decision were the overall flexibility and versatility as a daily driver and for adventures/travels. One of the most important considerations was the fuel economy and overall cost. I didn’t have a lot saved up when I started (actually, I didn’t have anything in my account when I first started looking!), though I knew 2011 would be bringing in enough income as my business had just gotten a new client with a large project we were beginning. It’s funny actually, all the income I earned with my one business partner last year was right about what my truck and camper cost (within a few hundred dollars).
Anyhow, the cost was an important factor that helped me justify a large purchase. And the on-going cost in gas was important as I’d be more inclined to go further if gas cost less. Another factor was the off-road capability – to be able to go as many places as possible easily. And also in being able to go as many places as possible and easily, the smaller the vehicle, the more easily I could go on smaller trails/roads and park around town. Other considerations were having the amenities I desired and not feeling crammed in a tiny vehicle.
Looking at the options, the truck camper was the best choice. I measured the height of the camper on my truck to be about 91″ (7’7″) to the top of the solar panels, making it much shorter than the Tiger RV (10’6″) or the Winnebago View (10’11″). The Sportsmobile Sprinter is taller at 8′ before the Penthouse roof is added, while the E250/E350 vans are right about 7′ tall before the Penthouse roof is added. With the Penthouse roof installed, they are a few inches taller, and solar panels would add another couple/few inches too, making the Sportsmobiles at least the same height as the truck + camper. The width of the Four Wheel Camper Keystone is 80″ plus 3.5″ for the awning on the side, though the trailer tow mirrors on my truck do stick out a little bit more. The Tiger RV is 87″ wide and the Winnebago View is 90″ wide. For the Sportsmobile options, the Sprinter van (excluding mirrors) is 79.7″ wide and the E250/E350 is 79″ wide. For length on the Sportsmobiles, the Sprinter is 19’4″ or 22’9″ and the E250/E350 is 18’1″ or 19’9″. The Tiger RV is 19′ long with a regular cab (with extended cab, probably closer to 21′), and the Winnebago View is 24’6″ long. Per the Ford specs, my truck without the camper is 250.4″ and the camper hangs out about 6″ past the edge of the bumper, making the overall length about 21’4.4″. I had Mike at Xtreme Campers modify a bike rack to add a step and allow the door to open partially (or all the way if you lean the bikes down), and this does make the truck longer than regular parking spot, though without the bike rack, the truck with camper fits in a normal parking spot. I’m considering selling the custom/modified bike rack (and getting a folding bike to put inside) so I can park in more places when I’m around town (contact me if you’re interested in it). Overall, my truck is the smallest (yes, the Sportsmobiles may have not have been as long as the truck I chose but the Sprinter is taller and I get extra storage space with the SuperCab).
Considering overall fuel economy, I chose one of the best options. The Sportsmobile Sprinters can do better though they are diesel which costs more on average. It does fluctuate, though I estimated diesel costing an average of 15% more than gas (based on what I’ve read). If the Sprinter got 22 mpg, all a gas engine would need to do to perform equally (in terms of cost per mile traveled, based on fuel costs alone) would be 19 mpg. (I’ve heard diesel engines do cost a little more to maintain but am not calculating that right now) The Sportsmobiles with gas engines average around 14-15 mpg, and both the diesel gas engine numbers are without four wheel drive or offroad capability. The overall average of highway and city driving on the Tiger RV is probably no more than 17-18 mpg with the diesel engine, being about 15.5 mpg on a gas engine. The Tiger RV on the gas engine average is around 13-14mpg. My truck is rated for 15 mpg on the city and 21 mpg on the highway.
In actual driving, using the on-board computer to calculate mileage at various speeds, I’ve seen 20-22 mpg with cruise control at a constant 50 mph with the camper, gear, and water. I just saw an average over 23 mpg a couple days ago driving at a constant 50 mph with cruise control, windows closed and A/C off on I-4 westbound near/into Tampa – this was with 3/4 tank of gas, gear/clothes/food/books/etc, the bike on the rack a couple/few feet behind the camper, and around 3/4 tank full of water. Driving around town in Tampa Bay (north of Clearwater, with stoplights), it varies on how many stoplights there are. I’d say the average is probably somewhat close to the 15 mpg the truck is rated for, though really depends on how many times I’m coming to a complete stop and taking off again. It could be less on very short trips with more stops, though does go up on longer trips or with less stops. The overall average in the first 5000 miles of driving the truck with the camper on, including highway driving at different speeds, driving around town, driving on dirt roads (a couple/few times in 4×4), driving on some hills up in the Carolinas/Georgia, etc is right about 17.7 mpg. Overall, I’d say the numbers are pretty good for a heavy duty truck with camper on a gas engine – especially the highway numbers when I’m not driving against the wind or going up huge hills! Mileage does drop a bit at faster speeds. When I first got the camper and was driving back to Florida on the interstate, I did a couple tests at 70 mph, and got 14.0 and 14.5 mpg. At 60 mph, I got between 18.8 and 20.3 mpg depending if the back window was closed or open, and if the A/C was on or off. At other times in the trip, I got 17.7 and 18.1 mpg at 60mph – perhaps the wind or slight hills had changed. At 55 mph, I got between 19mpg and 20mpg. I did a short test on a smaller road at 40mph and got 27.1 mpg! Going a little further got me 26.5 and 26.8 mpg at 40mph. It does vary though on a number of factors and would with other RV’s too, especially if they are taller or wider. I have seen 13 mpg on a short local trip of a few miles. It seems that I can expect overall mileage to go up a bit with age too.
The pop up camper is noticeable on the truck, though is much smaller than a hard side camper, and I could drive the truck around as daily driver if I desire (though being free to work from wherever I desire, I don’t have a commute).
I also liked the versatility for my photography, especially with the hatch that Mike mentioned. Being able to open the hatch (right over the bed, above the cab) and sit or stand to set up a camera is pretty nice. On other RV’s, I would have to climb a ladder up the back to the roof to set up and take down gear. While being able to sit up on the roof would be nice, it wouldn’t be too fun if it started to rain and I had to climb up to grab my gear. With the custom hatch installed, I can just reach up, grab the camera and close the hatch in a matter of seconds. This is also very convenient if there are bugs around. I’ve had some get in through the hatch, though it’s been more of me leaving the hatch open longer. If I had to climb up a ladder to the roof, I could be fighting bugs the whole time on the way up and on the roof. The hatch is also nice to wake up in the middle of the night and look up at the stars, or just look up at the sky during the day.
Camper options and features
Being custom built, I could choose the options on the camper. I got a low-power 12v/110v compressor fridge, the furnace with thermostat, hot water heater with electric start (with outside + inside shower), the screen door, fan-tastic fan (in the back of the camper), front opening window, awning, auxiliary battery system with 2 batteries + separator, the small driver’s side window, gas strut lift assist system, and the arctic pack. Also, Mike had Four Wheel Campers custom install the Heki roof hatch. When the camper got back to Xtreme Campers, they installed 2 130W Sharp solar panels and the charge controller. The total for the camper including all the above options, installation on the truck, tax, and freight was just over $27K. The Keystone model base price was around $14K before the options, delivery, tax, etc.
A few weeks later, I went back to Xtreme Campers to install a Xantrex Pure Sine Wave power inverter, plumbing for the sink to drain down near the back of the truck (rather than out the side of the camper), and modify a Yakima bike rack so it sits far enough behind the door so it can open with enough room to climb in (or the bike rack drops down and the door can open all the way) and build a step onto the modified bike rack.
Essentially, I’ve got all the basics. The electrical system is run by the two batteries that charge either via solar power or the truck (when it’s running). I can also plug in to a standard outlet if I desire, though have only plugged in a couple of times. The kitchen has two burners, and a sink with hot and cold water. The burners, hot water, and furnace are run by propane. The furnace is nice in that the thermostat turns it on and off throughout the night automatically so it doesn’t get too hot and saves propane gas.
There is a Thetford cassette toilet built into the camper that can be dumped into any regular toilet (rather than hooking a sewage line up at a campground or dump station). I’m going to replace the toilet with a compost toilet so dumping will be less frequent and easier. With a compost toilet you can let it sit for a long time without dumping it and it will compost / break down further and be easier to dispose of. When composting is over, the compost material can be used as a fertilizer on plants (it’s not recommended for a garden of plants you’ll eat). Two compost toilets I’m looking at are the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet and the Sun-Mar Mobile Excel Composting Toilet.
There’s a shower I can set up in the back of the camper. I’ve only used it once, the morning after I got the camper. When I used it, the water did drain a little slowly out the bottom of the shower tray, though it may have been because I was parked on a slight incline. I’ll have to try it again – I’ve only been at a campgrounds a total of four nights or so, and thought it’d be easier to use the shower at the campground than set it up. I’ll try it again sometime I’m sure. It may be easier to set it up than to carry in my stuff into the campground shower (I’m a bit particular about not touching the walls/shelves in a public shower and showering with sandals on. The same thinking for getting a compost toilet too – the less I have to be in a public restroom, the better. I’d like to be completely free of external necessities if possible. Who knows, maybe I’ll come up with a rain-collection and filtration system so I don’t need to go to a campground or store for water..)
The refrigerator holds a good amount of food. It’s 3 cubic feet I believe. It’s been pretty full once but I haven’t used it enough nor cooked to really know how well it’ll work, though I’m pretty sure it will be more than enough space. There’s a table I can set up to work or eat on that works pretty well. It’d be nice if I didn’t have to grab the table and pole every time I wanted to use it — maybe one day, I’ll build a mechanism where the table folds down along the bottom part of the couch. The couch is a good size. I’ve sat in the camper with a friend once and we had enough room to talk and work. The back of the couch can fold over and become a bed, which is nice if I want to ‘boondock’ and sleep overnight somewhere discretely. If I don’t pop up the top, I can still roll over the couch and sleep, if I’m in a parking lot or on the street in a town and don’t want to attract attention. At a quick glance, it’ll look just like a truck parked on the side of the road. Yes, up close it does say Four Wheel Campers on it and there are the water/electrical hookups on the side, though it is more discrete than popping up the tent. Though, I have slept on the side of the road or even near homes with the roof popped up with no disturbances. It all depends on where you’re going. The Sprinter or van based RV’s may have an advantage here by looking less like an RV or camper (as long as you don’t pop up the Penthouse top in the Sportsmobile!), though most of where I’ll be sleeping will be out in nature and places where it’ll be fine to pop up the top.
There isn’t tons of storage but I’ve cut back on most of my material possessions and find there to be enough room to hold everything I need. I’m still working out where to place things to make them as easily accessible as possible so I won’t have to pull things out of the way to find what I’m looking for. I also chose the SuperCab on the truck so I’d have plenty more room to store stuff there rather than stepping over it on the floor of the camper (I try to keep the floor as empty as possible so it’s easier to get around).
What else did I miss? The windows are nice and when they’re all open and the back door is open, there’s plenty of airflow available if there’s a breeze. I’ve only had to use the fan once. There is plenty of light with the lights in the camper. I’d like to install some dimmer rope lights to create a more ambient feel inside. I sometimes light a salt rock candle and that gives a nice glow inside. The awning is pretty nice though I’ve only used it a couple of times so far. The bed above the cab can pull out to a queen size, or stay closed/smaller (with a couple of cushions removed) as a full size.
Why I chose a Ford F-150 for the camper
I liked the versatility of the camper and planned on keeping it a long time. When ordering the camper, I had the option of saying whether or not to get the jack brackets and the mechanical camper jacks. I liked the way camper looked without the jack brackets though that meant it wouldn’t be as easy to switch the camper from one truck to another. I could also order the camper either as universal model to fit any full size truck (with 8 foot bed) or have it specifically tweaked for a given truck.
I really preferred a new truck and new camper, though if I could only get one new, I’d go with the camper. I could start with a used truck and upgrade later. After considering this and looking at trucks, I really didn’t want to spend around $15K for a decent truck with extended cab and 4×4 when new trucks started close to $18K with the summer cash rebates being offered. I figured I might as well get a basic truck even if it’s 4×2 and the entry level with no options than get a used truck. Then after that, I thought I really ought to just get the truck that I really want than get something and have to change it later, especially after finding out I could tweak the camper to have it fit the specific truck a little better. So, I started looking at truck options and ended up putting together another (more complex) spreadsheet so I could visualize and sort the different options. I put together all the specs of full size trucks from all the manufacturers. I color coded them by the payload capacity, changed fonts, font sizes, bold, etc, for if they were 4×4 or 4×2, extended/supercab, diesel/gas, etc. I rode over to look at the trucks at one point when I was trying to figure out what to do. After having the numbers in front of me and an idea of what I needed for the camper (I had previously made another spreadsheet to add up the weight of all my belongings and the camper options), I decided to go check out the trucks and talk to someone at the dealers.
I went to the Ford dealer first and test drove a couple of F-150′s. The first one was the wrong one without EcoBoost and I did notice when we got in the EcoBoost truck, it had more of a desire to back out when I first got in it. I ended up talking to the sales person and manager, and describing what I want to do with the truck and camper, and asking questions about wiring, payload, etc. (the camper didn’t end up needing any specific wiring built into the truck as they install it when installing the camper) After going over the numbers of how much payload capacity I need, it sounded like the EcoBoost engine with the 8-foot bed would work as that combo came with a Heavy Duty package with a greater payload capacity. These F-150 combos had a greater payload capacity than some of the F-250 Super Duty trucks! (that diesel engine adds a lot of weight) I liked the options and finish available in the truck, though decided to go check out some other trucks.
I went to the Chevy dealer and described what I was looking for, and was asking about the payload capacity, as the 1500 series trucks with extended cab and 4×4 were only rated for 1512 lbs in payload, though adding up the gross axle weight ratings, it seemed that the trucks could carry more than 2000 lbs. I asked if it was okay to measure it like this (as long as the weight were distributed properly on the truck) or if I’d have to go with a 2500 truck. They said I’d have to go with the rated payload capacity, so I looked at the 2500 trucks which would give me 3129 lbs of payload capacity with the Extended Cab and 4×4. After we walked out to look at the trucks, they had a hard time finding the exact truck at any Chevy dealer, though did end up finding one in the fleet stock I believe. They gave me a quote/estimate though didn’t offer me a test drive so I thanked the salesperson and manager and left.
I drove to the Toyota dealer right up the road (all the dealers were within a mile two of each other on the same road). I spoke with a guy there and described what I wanted to do with the truck. They only had two Tundras in stock. I asked the same question about how to calculate the true carrying capacity of the truck, and while the salesperson described the extra towing capacity of the Tundra (and it being closer to a 3/4 ton truck), he didn’t really have the answer and would have to look it up, though I knew, like the Chevy 1500, it wasn’t going to have as much capacity as the F-150. The double cab Tundra with 4×4 was only rated at 1540 lbs in payload. The regular cab 4×4 model would have been able to carry 2020 lbs though was only rated for 13 mpg city and 17 mpg city with the larger V8 engine.
I then went over the Dodge dealer and spoke with the guy there for a long time. He gave me tons of information and was a real truck enthusiast. The Ram 1500 truck didn’t have much payload capacity so I’d have to go with a 2500 truck. The 4×4 regular cab was only rated to carry 1540 lbs and get 13 mpg and 18 mpg. The 4×4 regular cab Ram 2500 truck was rated for 2650 lbs and the 4×4 crew cab 2500 was rated for 2450 lbs. Unlike the Chevy or Toyota salespeople, the salesperson asked me if I wanted to drive anything after he chatted for a long time. I declined at the time as I knew I wasn’t going to go with the Ram truck (I was already leaning toward the F-150 after seeing it the day or two before, and the 4×4 F-150 SuperCab had practically the same capacity as the 4×4 Ram 2500 crew cab while being rated at 15/21 mpg). It would have been neat to see how the diesel truck rode though he was talking up the gas truck being better as a daily driver and I was a bit tired after going to 3 car dealers in a row.
I didn’t look at the Nissan as the Titan didn’t offer an 8 foot bed.
So I basically chose the F-150 for the most capacity and fuel efficiency in a 1/2 ton truck. The 3/4 tons aren’t officially rated for fuel efficiency, though based upon what I’d heard, it seemed that the gas trucks would only average around 15 mpg overall, maybe average 17 mpg at most. The diesels could do a little better than gas but I didn’t have actual numbers for either and I really preferred gas over diesel because I’d imagine it’d be easier to find if I’m in remote locations and running low on gas (yes I know I could plan ahead, but the whole point of the truck camper was to be free to wander about and not have to plan). The gas is also one one of the considerations of why I chose the truck camper option rather than a diesel Sprinter-based RV. I did like the idea of getting biodiesel fuel though it’s not as easy to find and I’ve heard it’s not as easy to get the oil from restaurants and create it on your own anymore.
I custom ordered the F-150 with the following options (some of these were parts of the packages): XLT trimline, SuperCab, 8′ box, 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine, Electronic 6-Speed Automatic Transmission with Tow/Haul mode, 4×4, 3.73 Limited Slip Axle Ratio, Heavy-Duty Payload Package, Power Equipment Group, Max Trailer Tow Package – Power Mirrors, XLT Plus Package, XLT Convenience Package, Blue Flame Metallic color, Fog Lamps, SecuriCode Keyless Entry Keypad on Driver’s door, Rear Window Defroster, Power Sliding Rear Window w/Privacy Tint, Black Manual Telescoping Trailer Tow Mirrors w/Power Glass (includes Heat, Turn Signal & Puddle Lamps), Black Platform Running Boards, 17″ 7-Lug Aluminum Wheels, Pale Adobe Interior, Cruise Control, Electronic Shift-on-the-Fly, All Weather Rubber Floor Mats, Color-Coordinated Carpet w/Carpeted Floor Mats, Trailer Brake Controller, AM/FM Stereo with Single=Disc CD Player, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, SYNC In-car Connectivity System, Cloth Bucket Seats with Center Console, Molded Splash Guards, and a Chrome Bug Shield. I also got a rubber bed mat later, and switched the front bumper piece that held the license plate out for a smooth one to make it look nicer as Florida doesn’t require a front license plate. I got the Treatment: Environmental Paint, Surface Rust and Rust Perforation Protection with Interior Fabric / Vinyl Protection against Stains, Punctures, Rips, Tears, and Burns and an Underbody Coating for Sound. I got the Extended Warranty, Tire Warranty, and Vehicle Sentry Protection. With all the options, tax, delivery, etc, the total for the truck was a little over $40K. It was great when I decided I wanted to order the truck, I had done some research about invoice prices and what cars/trucks usually sell for and had brought a printout with me from truecar.com with the exact specs I ordered. After they put in the computer, they came back to me with a number that was less than what was on my printout. I didn’t even bother negotiating! They said because I was ordering the truck and waiting, they could give me a great deal. It was nice as there were cash rebates going on in the summer when i ordered the truck and my final price included an additional private cash rebate Ford had mailed to me. I put down nearly 50% as I wanted to lower the payment and they were able to give me a better interest rate. I’ll be paying off the truck within the first six months to year of the loan, and will end up paying only a few hundred dollars in interest.
With the twin turbo EcoBoost and Heavy Duty Package, my F-150 is like a mini Super Duty truck! It has plenty of power when I need it – it’s pretty fast even with the camper on it, and is more fuel efficient than other trucks with comparable specs. The cruise control is really nice, especially when descending hills – with tow/haul mode on or off, it will downshift to maintain speed. Even with cruise control off, it will downshift to maintain speed on a grade. The transmission is nice as I can turn off the top gears in regular drive mode. If I hit the – button, I can tell it to stay only in gears 1-5; hitting it again tells it to stay in gears 1-4, etc. Shift on the Fly into 4×4 is pretty nice too. I’m fortunate XLT was the highest trim line available with an 8 foot bed on the F-150, so I didn’t have to consider spending extra on the higher end trim lines that offer wood and leather interiors.
Etc
Another reason for choosing a truck camper over a dedicated RV vehicle is that we live in a world with a lot of unknowns, and it’d be easier to have two separate pieces to sell if I decided to in the future. Lots of people need trucks, and the Four Wheel Campers hold up really well in resale it seems. I wanted to be more flexible as newer fuels are developed. And if a new system is developed, it’d be possible that a standard vehicle like a truck could be easily upgraded with a new engine. A regular RV or even a van based model might be a little more difficult to upgrade. And if whatever new fuel systems develop can’t be implemented into older vehicles, I could always sell the truck and get a new truck to put the camper on.
Another interesting option I encountered at some point in early research that I didn’t seriously consider (as I forgot about it or there wasn’t a dealer on the east coast), is the XPCamper – it’s halfway between the Tiger RV and a truck camper. It’s a camper that sits on a flatbed truck that pops up.
A couple of other interesting websites/events to check out for more adventure vehicle information are the Expedition Portal Forum and the Overland Expo.
Conclusion / ..
I hope this has been useful for someone. I’ve spent all day typing it and haven’t gone back to edit it, so apologize if there are any parts that could sound better. I may have missed parts of the journey to get an RV, though the most important thing is to follow your heart’s desire and do what you’re going to enjoy. I allowed myself to get caught up in a lot of analysis for over a year (nearly a year and a half) before making my decision. Decide and make it happen! The only way you’ll know for sure if it will work for you is by trying it! I’ve spent some time tweaking little things like how I’ll do stuff, where I’ll keep stuff, deciding I needed a power inverter, that my bike rack and toilet need to be switched, etc, though it’s all part of the journey!
The truck camper is freedom! Freedom to go wherever I desire. My home and office on wheels will be pretty liberating when I go exploring on long journeys. Come spring, I’ll be making a trip up north and out west, and I may not want to come back!
I’ve already thought of what else I could do to expand on the truck camper and add more adventure to it. I’d like to get folding boat (the Portabote) and a powered parachute/paraglider so I can also wander by water and air, and add more perspectives to my lens-based art. The folding boat could mount onto the side of the truck, and the powered paraglider could possibly fit inside the SuperCab. I plan on removing the back seat to allow more storage space. Though first, I’ll pay off the truck loan before acquiring either of these. It’s not too far off. I am very grateful for being able to make this happen! It’s been a dream for a while, and now to actualize it is exciting! Back in 2005, I was going to move to Chicagoland, though thought if those plans fell through, I’d go out west (as I had gone to California, Nevada, and Arizona in 2003, and Oregon and Washington in 2004 and 2005 and discovered some amazing places to explore and photograph). I ended up in Chicagoland instead of making a road trip out west and had some interesting experiences along the way. Though now, I’ve created some freedom in my world and all I’ll need is food, water, and gas. The rest will be in my truck. I’ve minimized my material possessions that I could carry everything I own in the truck and camper if I wanted to, or I could easily part with most things if I chose to.
The exciting part is to embrace the adventure and enjoy every moment of it! Do whatever it takes, it’ll be worth it. If you don’t have tons of money, you don’t need to get all the options. You can get a used truck, or maybe even find a truck that’s practically free, and get a used camper or a smaller model than the Keystone. The Four Wheel Camper models are available as empty shell models for around $7K. It is totally doable, no matter where you’re at! All you have to do is decide, follow the plan/path/ideas you feel inspired to follow, and allow it to happen!
I admit, as the weeks passed by in the summer after I had placed the order for the truck and camper, I did feel a little scared, not knowing if I was going to be able to really make it happen, especially as the client was taking a little while to pay us, though the payments came from the client, and I was able to put down more than I anticipated for the truck (I had to pay cash for the camper as I was denied financing through the RV credit company I tried). If the whole idea sounds like a stretch but in your heart your really want to do it (or for any dream/goal in life really), look at where you’re really at from all angles. Keep looking until you start to see or feel a way to make it happen. Follow that. It may mean cutting back spending on something else, or selling something you have. I barely spent any money the entire summer as I was saving up for the truck and camper. Part of the time I didn’t feel too great not being able to spend anything and did feel pretty limited (especially after selling my car and not having transportation for a few weeks until my truck was ready), though by living through the whole experience and being able to come out with the truck and camper, I can say it was well worth it. Look at most of your personal belongings – do you really, really need 90% of them?
Experiences far outweigh accumulation of material possessions. Do what you can to be free to have more experiences.
Be versatile. Be free. Embrace life. Enjoy the adventure.