Small camper options for 03 Tacoma

[inu]

Hi everyone, Rob the rookie here.
I have had an 03 Tacoma V6 4x4 since new and since it isn't my daily driver anymore I am thinking about making a "local" expedition truck out of it for up here in BC.
Right now it is bone stock other than a TRD LSD, and I have a canopy on it now which has proven to be really useful, but I started looking at lightweight campers as an option.
I thought I pretty much knew all the options available (4WC, Northern Lite, etc) but for one reason or another (weight/canvas) didn't want to go any of those routes.
Then yesterday I was on the #1 and I saw a "camperette" on a newer Tacoma built by a company called Kenkraft, located in Vernon. Link is at the bottom.
They make light weight, stripped down mini campers (ie the cabover or camperette models) for imports as well as domestic, lightweight as in ~650#!.
They are tied down inside the box (like the 4WC pop tops) and don't protrude much beyond the sides of the truck.
However, they are wood-framed and built like a traditional box camper.
Does anyone have any experience with these on an expedition-style import build?
I am not into rock crawling or anything but I wonder how something like this would hold up to fast logging road driving and drainage ditch twisting.
My goal is to build the truck up with a typical mild Tacoma menu:
Icon front coil overs
Alcan rear springs and Bilsteins and airbags
ARB front bumper
ARB front locker

Any input on this style of camper would be really helpful, btw this is a great website and I'm surprised that I hadn't found it earlier!

Rob

http://www.kenkraft.ca/
Example of a "stubby" I found on CL:

 

[OutbacKamper]

Welcome to Expo Rob! Its nice to see another BC member.

I can't address your question directly since I have no experience with Toyotas. However I have owned a Kenkraft camper and will try to give you some feedback.
My Kenkraft was a 1984 8' stubbie (small cabover) that I purchased in 1996 and sold in 1999. I used it on an F150 short box.
As you know the kenkraft is a very "old school" camper, built from stapled 2x2 lumber with aluminum siding. Therefore, like all campers of this type it is very suseptible to leaks and rot unless it is well maintained and (hopefully) stored in a dry location - so be very careful if buying used. Mine had been fairly well maintained, and had no rot that I noticed, but it had some signs of roof leakage and I think the roof had been reskinned. Also the wood frame was starting to deteriorate where the jacks attached at the corners

Although I don't think this type of camper would stand up to lots of heavy duty off-road use, for a few trips each year on logging roads it would be just fine. I found the biggest drawback was the size of the beds. Both the cabover and dinette beds were really too small to be comfortable for average size adults. There was not enough headroom over the cabover bed, and the dinette bed was too short. So make sure you really test the sleeping arrangements well before buying.

I can highly recommend a 6'10" Northern Lite, which would fit your truck, but I think you are looking for something smaller and lighter.

Good Luck in your search.
Mark

edit: You may find this link interesting if you have not already seen it:
http://thesupercamper.blogspot.com/

 

[inu]

Hi Mark,
Thanks for the input. I'm going to have a look at one on my next trip to the interior in a months' time.
I agree that the wood construction is going to be the weak point, and I'm tossing around the idea of coming up with something myself with the same basic dimensions as the camperette but made of aluminum framing instead of wood.
As for the problems with bed sizing, thanks for the heads' up, I hadn't thought of that.
For the time being I'm thinking about kitting out the canopy for this summer while I figure out which route to go. I think I'm going to get one of these!
http://tinyurl.com/5ssr37

Rob