I recently viewed a video made by a gentleman enjoying a solo camping trip in what most would describe as 'winter wonderland'. As I watched the video, I began to total the cost of the gear he used on this particular trip. None of it was exotic or unusual in any way, yet the sum was staggering.
A used, good condition 2018 Tacoma sells for about 30k. This may vary by options and market. His truck had the longer wheelbase and 6' bed. A new 2025 variant of this truck costs double this amount.
A few after market modifications had been made, again nothing outrageous, by any means: larger tires, a small lift, a snorkel, upgraded suspension, front bumper and winch, some driving lights Maxtrax, rock slider/side steps, a small roof rack with storage bins, and so on. While you can run the gamut on price here, even middle-of-the-road parts aren't cheap these days. You could easily put 5k - 20k into these mods. Let's be conservative and say 10 grand was spent over several years to get the truck where it is today.
The factory bed had been replaced by an aluminum flat bed with built-in storage. Sitting atop it was a slide in camper from a well-known manufacturer. These two items in new condition, cost 60 grand. The bed was nicer than the camper, IMO, but the camper was 'complete' in that it had an interior; it wasn't just a shell or a topper sitting on the bed rails. Inside were cabinets, a microwave, a cassette toilet, a queen bed and a diesel-fired heater.
Finally, what I call traditional vehicle-based camping gear, a propane stove, folding chairs, hatchet or saw, sleeping bag, backpack and hiking gear, jerry cans, head lamp, or flashlight, recovery gear, some basic tools and so on, were all used on this particular trip. Let's say this stuff was accumulated over time and that the owner has $2000 in all of it. So, we won't included it in the total.
Sub-Total: $100,000
If you were to purchase a new Tacoma, the flat bed and camper above, modify the truck with all the goodies and then some, packing up your camper with a few thousand dollars worth of gear along the way, which is quite easy to do these days, you could easily have $130 - 150,000 in this setup.
I configured a TRD Off Road with a few options and the MSRP was nearly 60 grand. If you have attended SEMA recently or even an OvEx show, you will know that few people leave trucks stock these days, even when well-equipped from the factory and that tens of thousands of dollars in modifications can be done if your check book or credit card allow for it.
What do you get for your 130k? A reasonably capable, mid-sized pickup truck with a mediocre-quality 6' x 6' (floor) camper on the back. As this slide in camper has fabric sides, you are basically sleeping in a nice tent. I have been to enough shows/events to know this type of build is quite common, so I am not really surprised. I supposed, I've never taken the time to do the sums on it all. It's nearly laughable what you get for a dollar these days.
Of course you can make all kinds of arguments for and against this setup, use the truck as a DD, remove the camper when it isn't in use, etc., That isn't the purpose of this thread, to determine the practicality or value of the build. I've been car and truck camping since I was a toddler and that was a while back now. I've even done some wilderness back packing. In this activity, you walk to a remote camp site with everything that you need to live for a few days, in a bag that you carry with you while you are walking. ;-)
Happy Trails
A used, good condition 2018 Tacoma sells for about 30k. This may vary by options and market. His truck had the longer wheelbase and 6' bed. A new 2025 variant of this truck costs double this amount.
A few after market modifications had been made, again nothing outrageous, by any means: larger tires, a small lift, a snorkel, upgraded suspension, front bumper and winch, some driving lights Maxtrax, rock slider/side steps, a small roof rack with storage bins, and so on. While you can run the gamut on price here, even middle-of-the-road parts aren't cheap these days. You could easily put 5k - 20k into these mods. Let's be conservative and say 10 grand was spent over several years to get the truck where it is today.
The factory bed had been replaced by an aluminum flat bed with built-in storage. Sitting atop it was a slide in camper from a well-known manufacturer. These two items in new condition, cost 60 grand. The bed was nicer than the camper, IMO, but the camper was 'complete' in that it had an interior; it wasn't just a shell or a topper sitting on the bed rails. Inside were cabinets, a microwave, a cassette toilet, a queen bed and a diesel-fired heater.
Finally, what I call traditional vehicle-based camping gear, a propane stove, folding chairs, hatchet or saw, sleeping bag, backpack and hiking gear, jerry cans, head lamp, or flashlight, recovery gear, some basic tools and so on, were all used on this particular trip. Let's say this stuff was accumulated over time and that the owner has $2000 in all of it. So, we won't included it in the total.
Sub-Total: $100,000
If you were to purchase a new Tacoma, the flat bed and camper above, modify the truck with all the goodies and then some, packing up your camper with a few thousand dollars worth of gear along the way, which is quite easy to do these days, you could easily have $130 - 150,000 in this setup.
I configured a TRD Off Road with a few options and the MSRP was nearly 60 grand. If you have attended SEMA recently or even an OvEx show, you will know that few people leave trucks stock these days, even when well-equipped from the factory and that tens of thousands of dollars in modifications can be done if your check book or credit card allow for it.
What do you get for your 130k? A reasonably capable, mid-sized pickup truck with a mediocre-quality 6' x 6' (floor) camper on the back. As this slide in camper has fabric sides, you are basically sleeping in a nice tent. I have been to enough shows/events to know this type of build is quite common, so I am not really surprised. I supposed, I've never taken the time to do the sums on it all. It's nearly laughable what you get for a dollar these days.
Of course you can make all kinds of arguments for and against this setup, use the truck as a DD, remove the camper when it isn't in use, etc., That isn't the purpose of this thread, to determine the practicality or value of the build. I've been car and truck camping since I was a toddler and that was a while back now. I've even done some wilderness back packing. In this activity, you walk to a remote camp site with everything that you need to live for a few days, in a bag that you carry with you while you are walking. ;-)
Happy Trails
