Are pop-up campers more popular than hard-side purely due to how they look when mounted on a truck?

[simple]

This discussion is more relevant to full size trucks. Pop-up canopies are definitely the solution for a Tacoma. Hard-side campers in this discussion refers to Scout and Total Composites style light weight shells with minimal buildouts.

I started a thread asking about camper fuel economy and height but it is not getting much traction. Pop-up campers seem to be more popular than hard-side with the overland crowd and I honestly don't know why. Hard-side in my opinion offers a more functional setup for 4 season use, has less moving parts (lower cost, more durable). I suspect it is all about how a pop-up looks on a truck.

Link to thread on fuel economy. Shoot from the hip it looks like 1-2mpg difference between popup and hard-side.

Pop-up versus hard-side height and fuel economy survey

I'm curious to hear what the panel has to say about a couple of real world metrics for these two styles of campers. I can't be the only one wondering. LOL How much reduction in gas mileage have you seen with the addition of a camper (please specify vehicle and camper)? What is your overall...

www.expeditionportal.com

How many pop-up builds under 7ft and are parked in a standard garage? The difference in height being an estimated 24" between pop-up and hard-side. How often is this overhead clearance a factor off-road?

Center of gravity is a concern for off-road but I don't see any difference between hard-side and pop-up. Modern hard-side shells are extremely light so CG is more about the buildout details.

Hard-side offers a full height door vs pop-up's Hobbit door.

How much does an added 24" of height diminish fuel economy? Any blocky shape will kill the already not so great aerodynamics of a pickup truck. I'm guessing the 8" profile of a pop-up does not offer much better fuel economy.

Camper marketing is not a factor since it's almost non existent so there must be an inherent aesthetic appeal to the looks of a vehicle with a lower profile camper.

 

[Nailhead]

Honestly, I never gave esthetics much thought as they relate to the popup-vs-full-height debate; I just wanted a camper low enough to snag on as few overhanging branches as possible.

Maybe I don't actually have a place at the table here, since I do enjoy a full-height door.

 

[Groverland]

Just yesterday I needed to find a parking spot and there was no street parking available. There was, however, a free parking garage with 8' clearance that I was easily able to utilize with my pop-up camper(on a Tacoma). Not sure how much height difference there is on a full-size?

Yes I realize the question is more about off-road, but since these campers live on many of our trucks full-time I feel it's a valid point.

 

[Victorian]

I did a couple of trips lately with and without the flatbed camper on our F150. The fuel economy didn't change much as long as you are not going 70 miles/hour. Most highways I'm taking are all around 55-65m/hour. In that range the camper doesn't make a huge difference.
In terms of height clearance to branches etc: You certainly want to be more aware pulling into a parking lot with trees or parking on the side of the road with road signs nearby. Any regular road is fine. Typical delivery trucks/garbage trucks are taller and have taken care of the tree trimming In the back country, it's more more important to not be wider than your truck! Otherwise you pin strip the crap out of your camper. This is at least the case here in the pacific north west.

Aside from the thermal insulation (no condensation vs pop up) I really like the full size entry door and everything set up ready to take a rest, use bathroom etc vs a pop up that needs to be set up. It's the small things like getting to the fridge, making sandwich that makes a fixed side camper so great.

 

[JaSAn]

My 2¢: Grandby on 2012 Ram 2500 4X4, standard cab, 8 ft box.
Front and side area.

I have seen a number of full size campers on their side in strong side winds in prairie states.​

Even more huddled under overpasses and behind wind blocking hills.​

I sleep with top down in strong winds (less rocking).​

Never had a hard side; I loose < 2 mpg with pop up camper on.

I think that the reduced frontal and rear area should result in savings.​

Reduced height is important to me for traveling on unmaintained roads in forested areas and parking ramps.​

CG should be a little higher in hard side but mostly depends on what is carried high inside the camper.
'Hobbit door' hasn't been a problem for me.

A little Japanese bow as going in or out solves the problem.​

In 9 years haven't hit my head once.​

Biggest issues for me:

Welded aluminum frame vs. sticks and staples (my Grandby is 46 years old).​

Weight: mine is 1300 lbs provisioned for 2 weeks boondocking. I'm under GVWR.​

 

[tacollie]

For us it's tree branches. A lot of the back roads we travel are really narrow. The less yes are dragging the better.

I think pop ups are marginally better for fuel economy. Not enough that it should be a deciding factor.

I'm 5'9"and she's 5'7"so the hobbit door isn't an issue. If you are keeping the tailgate the full door might be nice otherwise I think it's not relevant.

Our truck/popup is 8'10". Our Friends F250 is 3"shorter than ours and they are almost 11' tall with their hard side Bison.

 

[mkish]

I think they all look dopey. Hardsides maybe have more of the grandpa vibe but I don't think any of them are sexy.

I can push my Northstar popup into my garage on a dolly (can't do that with a hardside...not MY garage). I can't drive my popup into my garage though.

My popup is big enough for 4. If I had a hardside that sleeps 4, my truck would be overweight. (My truck is pretty much stock as it came from the factory. I don't want a bigger truck, or to have to count every ounce.)

Few hardsides are as narrow as most popups, so in GENERAL, a popup is skinnier which many people find handy. (I'm not super off-roadsy, but I like the visibility and easier parking enough that if I did ever get a hardside, I'd stick with one of the 7' wide models.) But of course you'd look at specs on anything you buy.

Hardsides are kind of claustrophobia-inducing. My popup is all windows alllllll around.

I suspect it's easier to get the canoe on the popup than it would on a hardside.


Hardsides absolutely do have better builtin storage and thus require less juggling of things to set up and break down camp and uhhhh I had a second thing but already forgot it. You can sit up in bed?

 

[waltermitty]

I did not overlook the fact that the soft walled pop up topper does not trigger "camper" or "RV" registration and taxes here in WA state. It was no more than Leer et al, with a floating lid. I may perform a true overland venture but mostly will be light on/off road ventures. So the lightweight topper with extendable top is perfect for me.

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

Our existing vehicle has a pop up over the north-south bed only.

There are pros and cons.
In hot weather with little wind, the ventilation works very well. In strong winds the flapping of the vinyl is unacceptable at night. The head height over the bed is standing room. Thermal insulation is zero.
I would never put a pop top over the main living area.
The loss of storage is too great and the view to the outside if standing is destroyed.
I am currently building another vehicle. The pop top over the bed will be solid sandwich panel with large windows. I reckon it will be about the same weight but with better insulation and it will catch a few more trees. Additional fuel consumption will be negligible.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[97heavyweight]

I have a Tacoma with a pop up and I sit at 7'6" and I can say that our here in the PNW I have been on many trails where if I was an inch higher I wouldn't fit. Then again i also like ot do more technical trails and when off camber having a pop up prevents me from hitting trees or rocks on the sides of the trails.

 

[simple]

I should have been more clear about the hard-side specification. The most apples to apples would be something like a total composites slide in with custom low CG interior build out and then maybe a Scout or similar. Big lumbering old school hang off the back bombers with everything but the kitchen sink stored in the upper cabinets, grey water tanks, basement etc. isn't a fair comparison.

 

[rruff]

The most apples to apples would be something like a total composites slide in with custom low CG interior build out and then maybe a Scout or similar.

You can make hardsides light and avoid storing things high, so CG isn't much different. Aero drag is almost always worse, but I made mine more aero shaped than anything you can buy. Width is 80", same as the rest of the truck.

For me it's mostly tree branches issues vs ease of use, quiet, insulation, simplicity. I addressed that by hopefully making mine strong enough to knock branches out of the way, and I don't have solar panels on the roof. I could if I protected them well with edge guards, but I think if I mounted a panel, I'd put it on the hood. I have 24v deployable panels which are more versatile anyway, although I get no charge unless I'm parked and camping... might get a DC-DC charger for that.

 

[mkish]

There is a pretty good apple-to-apple comparison available for at least one line--but not with the more off-roady makes. Compare Northstar's 7'-wide Laredo and 850SC models. For years (decades?) they were the same except one is a hardside.

NS's narrow hardsides are pretty nimble as far as hardsides go--no basement, no slides, etc.--but they're still bulkier and heavier than their popups, which are in turn pretty cushy for popups.

 

[ramblinChet]

The only reason I purchased an AEV Prospector and FWC Grandby is so I would be able to use those hashtags on Twitter.

Someday I may opt for a hardside but right now I enjoy squeezing back into tight and/or overgrown places. Someone earlier mentioned barely clearing overhead branches and I have found myself in the same circumstances several times. Pinstripes are no big deal and as long as you move slowly and there are no big branches I can squeeze through some tight spots.

Another consideration is do you desire to live inside, outside, or somewhere in between? In my FWC it seems I am somewhere in between most of the time since it's part hardside and part tent. For now, I like the additional connection with the outdoors even when I am inside.

 

[Sparse Gray Hackle]

Esthetics have nothing to do with it, it’s purely access to tight dispersed areas that drove my choice for a full size pop up. The added benefits are lighter weight, no sway, and reduced wind age.