looking for suggestions one a good brand of truck camper ,need something lite weight that i can still pull the boat..3/4 ton dodge 6.4 in bed..ill probably be looking for a used one..new to campers and just looking for suggestions, thanks
looking for suggestions one a good brand of truck camper ,need something lite weight that i can still pull the boat..3/4 ton dodge 6.4 in bed..ill probably be looking for a used one..new to campers and just looking for suggestions, thanks
I personally have no experience with truck campers. This guy lives in his, a Northern Lite. I like the idea of molded fiberglass (same as making a boat) because you are not likely to get water damage.
Livin lite also has a light weight that is all aluminum:
"I see dead people"
There are several things to consider.
1- Do you want a hard side or pop up.
The pop up gives you a little better aerodynamics, and a little less weight. Little, not as much as you might think. I like them because it's still like tenting and being outside but with a bed, kitchen, and in mine a full bathroom and AC/furnace when needed. I have an arctic pack and camp in NH all winter with no problems. The hard side is quieter. It is also easier to sleep in if you need to pull over for a nap. Just climb in and go to bed.
2- Size. You will be limited to an 8 or 8 1/2 footer or less due to the short bed truck. No big deal as there are a lot of very nice ones in those sizes.
3- New or used. Used prices have gone up over the last few years but a NICE camper used can still be had for $5-7500-. New run 10-15k up to 65k. Used ones can have a lot of problems depending on the prior owner's care. Leaks from bad seals can be a disaster. If you know what to look for you can find a great used one for decent money.
4- What do you need to be happy vs. what do you want for comforts and will it be just you or a wife/husband and kids. Don't forget if they aren't comfortable you won't have them with you much. I have had 3 pop ups now. 2 very basic with a porta-potty, sink, stove top, and fridge. The beds were "East-west" which means the bed runs sideways to the camper and with 2 people 1 will be crawling over the others. Heavy cotton/duct fabric for the pop up sides. Mildew smells. This one is a Northstar 850SC which is 8 1/2 ft, north/south queen bed (climb straight in, not over each other a queen size) stove, fridge, sink, toilet, shower, furnace, and roof top AC. Electric jacks are a huge plus as well for either type camper. I stand with a remote control and lift camper up or lower it down. Never again with out these.
I bought this 2006 2 years ago for $6900- after spending an entire winter looking at the different brands, models, options, etc. My next one will be a hard side though as it will probably be my last one to get me through my old age. That one will have some slide outs for more space as well.
The sites I spent a lot of time on to make this decision were: Truck Camper Magazine (truckcampermagazine.com) which has thousands of stories, reviews, posts, lessons, etc on these campers; RV.net which has a truck camper blog and is unbelievable, and truckcamperwharehouse.com which is a dealer here in NH. He has several brands new and used with great pictures and descriptions.
Northstar (I own no stock, etc) makes great hard side and pop ups. Their customer service is phenomenal which is part of why I bought this one. I emailed them a question on a Saturday evening and the owner replied Sunday morning.I have called or emailed them several times and got exactly what I needed. Good prices too. No slide outs though.
I think it was almost more fun researching all that than it is to camp. Nah.....
thanks thats some good info.itll probably be just me 90% of the time..looking for something as light as possible because ill also be pulling the boat..ive been kicking this idea around for a couple of years now.i did see tne northstar brand and they look nice but also seen a brand called camp lite and living lite..theres alot of different brands with prices that vary alot..im just trying to figure out what makes one brand better then the other..ex aluminum vs fiberglass. .wood floor , composite or aluminum ..new or used ,i want it to last a long time..i have lil experience with campers..thanks
I did own a 2005 Lance 820 with fiberglass and it served me well I got 12,000 out of it. I then bought a new 2015 Lance 855s. The reason being was the slide out. I also have an Onan genset. On the other one It had a Generac genset. No problems with either brand. I pull a Z119c Ranger boat behind my camper with no problems. My truck is a Ford F-350 and it hauls and tows very well.
Is your truck a a dual or single rear wheel, gas or diesel and what is the rear end ratio?Originally Posted by greendragon
A gun is like a parachute. If you need one, and don't have one, you'll probably never need one again.
"Let's raise up our glasses against evil forces......Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses" - Toby Keith
I've kinda of settled on either a Northstar or a Northern Lite....but tending toward the Northstar 12' STC.
A gun is like a parachute. If you need one, and don't have one, you'll probably never need one again.
"Let's raise up our glasses against evil forces......Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses" - Toby Keith
My truck is F-350 Ford I have a V-10 with 4-10 gears with 10 ply tires witch is load range E.
Knowing whether you will be using the camper off the truck or leaving it on will help guide your choice. There are many brands that you can't use off the truck w/out addtional supports. I had a lance that I could use off the truck. It was an awesome camper and perfect for fishing tournaments since I could drop the camper at the site and use the truck w/out have to break camp. My wife didn't like it though since traveling w/ it wasn't any different then driving in the truck. She wanted something she could move around in while driving. So I sold the camper and got a class C. I've since traded the C on a true B. So fare I really like the B. I do miss the truck camper though.
Camper and boat.jpgOld Hickory.jpgIMG_0467.jpg
Richard Bates
USCG Retired
2010 Bass Cat Puma
2012 250 hp Mercury ProXS
Family Boat - 2011 Key West 189FS w/ Yamaha F115TX
Truck - 2005 GMC 3500 D/A SRW LB CC
RV- 2012 RoadTrek 210 Simplicity (named E-Pod)
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I've owned 3 Lance campers since 1992. No complaints with any of the 3 different models. The models changed as the family changed. I currently have a 2006 1191 with a single slide. It's a BIG camper, sits on a 2001 Dodge 1-ton , and pulls my Gambler with no problems. Lance has a bunch of models and seems to improve them every year. The last one I had was a 915 Lite...hardly knew it was on the truck.
I have a RAM w/ the 6.4 bed and the Cummins. I currently have a Lance 881 with the single slide. It's heavy, but I can drop it at camp when I arrive and not move it until we are ready to head home. That's a big plus and the main reason I have it instead of a motor home or small truck camper. You can use different ramps, explore other bodies of water, and go out in the evenings while your camp remains intact. Camping that doesn't tie your vehicle up is important to me. I had a pop up model (Starcraft Pine Mountain) before. I got 4 miles to the gallon better with it than the Lance, but you cannot use them off the truck plus you must drop the top every time you move the truck. This is not a big deal to go with the light models or motor homes, if you can beach or dock your boat during your trip. That's just somethings I've learned...
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