I've had my Scout Kenai/Ford F350 combo for almost a year, so I think it's time to write up a review. I spent considerable time considering my options for an expedition/camping vehicle and ultimately ended up here, so it will be good for me to reflect on how it has been. My original thinking behind a truck camper was its versatility in being able to get almost anywhere off road or overlanding, but also have the storage to keep all of my camping gear in one place for ease of use when rounding up the whole family for a quick camping trip. Some of my favorite trips have been stealth camping near the beach to razor clam early the next morning, or other quick weekend trips to the mountain or coast. I wanted something that fit inside the bed of the truck so I can tow my boat behind me with ease.
I appreciated the Scout concept because it was simple and modular. I can design or replace systems as needed without having to tear into the camper. I can move my 12v Iceco fridge in and out as needed, along with the stovetop, lifesaver jerrycan and Goal Zero battery system. I like to camp and be outside, so it offers emergency shelter without frills that would make me feeling like I was dragging a house around with me. There is virtually no maintenance on the unit other thank keeping it clean and inspecting the seals once a year. Winterizing is as simple as taking the jerrycan inside. The solar panel does a good job of keeping it topped off, at least in during the PNW summers. The Goal Zero Yeti 1500X is adequate for a few days without sun, but that's about it. There is charging from the vehicle built in, but it is slow. I've never run out of battery, but it could happen if the sun didn't show for several days and I was staying put in one spot.
It does what I need to do without being a pain to upkeep. I can take it on and off of the truck in 20 minutes or less.
2023 Scout Kenai
Options from factory: removable stovetop, dual rotopax, diesel heater, cassette toilet.
My additions: Iceco 75L fridge, mattress topper
2022 Ford F350
6.2L gas engine, crew cab, long box, FX4 package, 360 cameras, payload= 4,150lbs
The Kenai heavily loaded for camping still comes in around 2,000 lbs, so it has been a comfortable fit on the gas powered SuperDuty, along with a large family and all of our stuff for extended trips away from home. No suspension mods were needed, even when pulling a 20' fishing boat. I like that simplicity.
The camper has been reliable and problem free. I recently got to take a tour of their factory and luckily got to spend some one-on-one time with their head engineer. I was very impressed with the engineering and thought that goes into making these and believe that it was a very good investment. The team that designs and builds these are extremely friendly and passionate about what they do. I've had it on some pretty intense off-road (once by accident in the middle of the night) and it handles it all really well. Coldest temperatures camped was about 20F and the diesel heater keeps it very warm. After wet days of snow play it dries out gear for four people in no time. Issues with condensation get mentioned with the Scout because of the aluminum exoskeleton, but I've had no issues with the standard neoprene tape on the interior corners and sensible venting during cold weather. I took a 2,000 mile trip this summer that took me as far south as Nevada and Utah. While it was a tad warm with no AC, the Scout has good ventilation.
There were some leaking issues with the first two years of production that I believe are completely solved now with the 2023 and newer campers. I believe most of the leaking happened from bad seals and/or perforations in the roof needed for running lights and solar panels. On the newer models there is a light bar instead of running lights and its wiring along with the solar enter the camper in a single spot.
The Ford has been a great truck. I was fortunate to be able to special order the truck with this camper in mind, so they are a good fit. The 6.2L engine is notoriously thirsty, but the hit in MPGs with the camper mounted seems less than a lot of other rigs. The 6.2's are reliable and I'm glad I grabbed one during their last year of production. I get 11-12mpgs all around when I'm all loaded up. I can close the tailgate of the truck easily with the camper inside which gives some nice added security, a clean look and ease when towing. I installed a second 7 pin connector in the bed to easily connect the Scout's running lights. I really like the ratchet system that ties the camper to the truck. I was a little unsure if the stock tiedowns and Scout straps would be sufficient, but it has all been bulletproof and super easy to use. I definitely recommend an 8' box for the Kenai. With a shorter box the tie downs all pull in the same direction, which becomes a bit of a liability. Also having to either keep your tailgate down or remove it is not optimal in my opinion. I love having 360 cameras all functional with the camper in the bed.
Interior Tour Video
Exterior Tour Video
I hope this is a helpful write up for anyone looking at one of these campers. Let me know if you have any questions.
I appreciated the Scout concept because it was simple and modular. I can design or replace systems as needed without having to tear into the camper. I can move my 12v Iceco fridge in and out as needed, along with the stovetop, lifesaver jerrycan and Goal Zero battery system. I like to camp and be outside, so it offers emergency shelter without frills that would make me feeling like I was dragging a house around with me. There is virtually no maintenance on the unit other thank keeping it clean and inspecting the seals once a year. Winterizing is as simple as taking the jerrycan inside. The solar panel does a good job of keeping it topped off, at least in during the PNW summers. The Goal Zero Yeti 1500X is adequate for a few days without sun, but that's about it. There is charging from the vehicle built in, but it is slow. I've never run out of battery, but it could happen if the sun didn't show for several days and I was staying put in one spot.
It does what I need to do without being a pain to upkeep. I can take it on and off of the truck in 20 minutes or less.
2023 Scout Kenai
Options from factory: removable stovetop, dual rotopax, diesel heater, cassette toilet.
My additions: Iceco 75L fridge, mattress topper
2022 Ford F350
6.2L gas engine, crew cab, long box, FX4 package, 360 cameras, payload= 4,150lbs
The Kenai heavily loaded for camping still comes in around 2,000 lbs, so it has been a comfortable fit on the gas powered SuperDuty, along with a large family and all of our stuff for extended trips away from home. No suspension mods were needed, even when pulling a 20' fishing boat. I like that simplicity.
The camper has been reliable and problem free. I recently got to take a tour of their factory and luckily got to spend some one-on-one time with their head engineer. I was very impressed with the engineering and thought that goes into making these and believe that it was a very good investment. The team that designs and builds these are extremely friendly and passionate about what they do. I've had it on some pretty intense off-road (once by accident in the middle of the night) and it handles it all really well. Coldest temperatures camped was about 20F and the diesel heater keeps it very warm. After wet days of snow play it dries out gear for four people in no time. Issues with condensation get mentioned with the Scout because of the aluminum exoskeleton, but I've had no issues with the standard neoprene tape on the interior corners and sensible venting during cold weather. I took a 2,000 mile trip this summer that took me as far south as Nevada and Utah. While it was a tad warm with no AC, the Scout has good ventilation.
There were some leaking issues with the first two years of production that I believe are completely solved now with the 2023 and newer campers. I believe most of the leaking happened from bad seals and/or perforations in the roof needed for running lights and solar panels. On the newer models there is a light bar instead of running lights and its wiring along with the solar enter the camper in a single spot.
The Ford has been a great truck. I was fortunate to be able to special order the truck with this camper in mind, so they are a good fit. The 6.2L engine is notoriously thirsty, but the hit in MPGs with the camper mounted seems less than a lot of other rigs. The 6.2's are reliable and I'm glad I grabbed one during their last year of production. I get 11-12mpgs all around when I'm all loaded up. I can close the tailgate of the truck easily with the camper inside which gives some nice added security, a clean look and ease when towing. I installed a second 7 pin connector in the bed to easily connect the Scout's running lights. I really like the ratchet system that ties the camper to the truck. I was a little unsure if the stock tiedowns and Scout straps would be sufficient, but it has all been bulletproof and super easy to use. I definitely recommend an 8' box for the Kenai. With a shorter box the tie downs all pull in the same direction, which becomes a bit of a liability. Also having to either keep your tailgate down or remove it is not optimal in my opinion. I love having 360 cameras all functional with the camper in the bed.
Interior Tour Video
Exterior Tour Video
I hope this is a helpful write up for anyone looking at one of these campers. Let me know if you have any questions.
