Modern truck camper for an adventurous family of five?

[MontyMontero]

Any opinions here on a short-list of truck campers for an adventurous family of five?

We thought the answer might be the Scout Kenai https://www.scoutcampers.com/kenai...It sleeps 5-6 with the roof tent, has a smart (i.e. basic / modular) approach to the amenities, and is affordable at approx. $30K. However it lacks air conditioning, and seems to have minimal water storage. Our home is in the desert, so AC seems required.

Some more parameters:

- Need ability to sleep family of five
- Need relatively affordable
- Four season / insulated
- Wife strongly dislikes the "swoops" graphics on most recreation vehicles. She prefers a more modern look, similar to the Scout Kenai.
- Open to the idea of a slide-in truck camper, or more integrated rear camper system
- I will use the truck and camper as my daily vehicle. We also have room in the garage for storing the camper.
- We are avid hikers, rock climbers, skiers, mountain bikers, and off-roaders. I will use the truck camper at the trail-head as a mobile office, so I can sneak in some mountain exercise between (virtual) work obligations.
- We will purchase the appropriate truck, once we select the truck camper. Assuming heavy duty such as 3/4 (2500), or maybe even 3500. The only 1/2 ton to consider seems to be the F-150 with a greater payload package. We can do a short bed or a long bed. Probably prefer a short-bed, for easier off-roading.
- I was looking at ordering a 2021 AWD Ford Transit van, in a high-top / long-version with their adventure package. However the wife prefers a truck camper combo. Plus my sprinter van friends are also trying to talk me into a truck camper combo. The vans are typically too long for off-roading, and a modular / basic van gets cramped with five people.

...This is my first time in this truck camper category! While I grew up with (towable) campers, my personal vehicles have always been mid-sized Japanese 4wd trucks and SUV's. I have owned a 1986 LandCruiser, two 1989 GX470's, two 2006 Monteros, a 2004 4Runner, and a 1999 Tacoma TRD with a camper shell. With your help selecting a truck camper (based on the items listed above), I'll probably move into a RAM or Ford heavy-duty, etc.

HUGE THANKS

 

[Porkchopexpress]

I would think you need something with slide outs or the Kenai with the roof top tent for a family of 5. Either that or reconsider a towable camper?

 

[MTVR]

You're gonna use a full-sized pickup carrying a giant $30K slide-in camper as a daily commuter vehicle?

Why not buy a commuter vehicle to commute in, and an RV to RV in?

Always use the correct tool for the job...

 

[Overdrive]

For a family of 5, I would highly recommend a flatbed with the side door entry. This way, there can be people at the dinette, someone cooking or using the sink, and yet there's room to go in/out of the camper and upper bed without all the "pardon me let me get by you" gyrations of a regular camper.

The "four seasons" requirement points to the Alaskan flatbed. This story has more info than Alaskan's site: https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/2018-alaskan-flatbed-side-entry-camper/

You'd be over your $30K price point, but no doubt the perfect setup IMHO. alaskancampers.com

 

[ben_j_c]

How old (big) are your kids? We have four (2 adults, 2 kids) in a Grandby slide in on a full length F250 and it is tight with the two toddlers. A flatbed full-size truck is probably the best option for something that could potentially be a daily driver and still be comfortable. The scout with the rooftop tent is interesting, going to be really cold up there though come ski season!

You can also take the swoops off with a heat gun if you find a swoopy camper you like!

Also go with the bigger 1 ton truck over the 3/4 ton. With the 3/4 you will always be worrying about GVWR with a camper and gear for 5.

 

[Lance990]

I don't think a truck camper is the right tool for your needs. You should look into an RV for what you want. Any truck camper you buy will seem small in just a few short years and you will want to get rid of it, anyway. If you are not keen on the idea of an RV, then look into an Oztent RV5 or some other large family tent. The Kenai is likely a bad choice for you because it is a minimalist camper. If you cannot live without air conditioning, then you will want a different camper where that is an option. I am a member of a Scout camper group on FB and people come in there all the time complaining that the Kenai does not have AC as an option. Adventurer makes lots of other trucks campers that have that option. The Scout line of campers is designed for people who already have car camping or backpacking gear and just want a hard side camper to sleep in. I sure wouldn't gripe because my Ford Fiesta does not ride like a Lexus when it was never designed to to do so. You are either going to need a bigger RV or a smaller family.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

I'd definitely pull a trailer and take advantage of the extra room. 5 people crammed into a space the size of a truck bed isn't going to be comfortable.

If it was me, I'd get a "bunk house" model with 2-3 slide outs. You can get them light enough to be pulled by a 1/2 ton...which means you're not trying to daily drive a larger, less fuel efficient truck to work.

 

[MTVR]

The problem with threads like this, is that the OP's stated goals span a range of vehicle needs that is too wide to be met by one vehicle, and what happens, is that the vehicle suggested ends up being bad at everything.

In order to transport five people in a pickup, you would need a 4-door crew-cab version. And in order to carry a camper big enough for five people, it would need to be a one-ton long-bed dually. And a one-ton crew-cab 4x4 long-bed dually is not only an utterly absurd choice for commuting (with or without a giant camper), it's also not going to be capable of "off-roading" any more than state campgrounds.

And even then, he'll only be able to access campgrounds with well-trimmed trees. Let's face it, consumer-grade campers struggle to even keep rainwater out for any length of time- getting tangled up with an overhead tree branch on a trail in the dark, could reduce his camper to a pile of debris on the ground behind him. Heck, duallies lose their fiberglass fenders on public roads- they're gonna be even harder to keep on the truck once you're off the interstate.

A MUCH better solution, would be something like an Audi A4 Allroad station wagon, which will get around 30 mpg, provide dignified and comfortable transportation for five people, even in the snow (because of the all wheel drive), fits in normal-sized garages and parking spaces, and it can tow a travel trailer MUCH bigger and more comfortable than the slide-in camper he's considering, with a narrower overall width and a much lower overall height (less risk of tree damage).

 

[Porkchopexpress]

I agree about a towable. If you want to camp on fire trails, there are off road style trailers with a bit more ground clearance. Maybe a Taxa Mantis with a bunk bed if one of the kids is small enough to sleep with mom and dad.
An off road capable camper for 5 with air conditioning on a 30K plus truck budget is a tall order.

 

[MTVR]

Assuming heavy duty such as 3/4 (2500), or maybe even 3500. The only 1/2 ton to consider seems to be the F-150 with a greater payload package. We can do a short bed or a long bed.

I'll probably move into a RAM or Ford heavy-duty...

FWIW, 2500 and 3500 pickups are not even remotely "heavy duty"- they are LIGHT duty.

Medium-duty trucks would be things like 550/5500, 650/6500, and 750/7500 chassis cabs.

Heavy-duty trucks would be things that are bigger than that. For example, our RV, with it's 62,200 pound GVWR and 15-ton (30,000 pound) cargo capacity, is a heavy-duty truck.

 

[deserteagle56]

Family of 5 in a truck camper? You are dreaming!

As someone said in a post above - you are talking 5 people in a space 8' long. I've owned a truck camper for 25+ years now. Below is my current setup. Just the wife and 1 kid at first - and even that was crowded if it was raining outside or too cold. It could be done with 5 people but most of those people would have to stay in bed - and it would get old really fast. A truck camper carries only a limited amount of water - and the holding tanks hold only so much. Offroading? Remember, a full-size truck camper on the truck is close to 13 feet high. Any road not perfectly level and you'll be in danger of rolling it - I went from single rear wheel to dual rear wheel just because of the extra stability. And at 13 feet high, there had better not be any trees near the road because the camper body is actually very fragile - even a small limb will cause a lot of damage.

My recommendation for a crew of 5 is a travel trailer. Park it at your destination and use the tow vehicle to explore.

 

[MTVR]

Yeah- put a porta-potty in the bed of a pickup truck with your family of five, and see how many are going to be comfortable taking a dump.

Then imagine enclosing that airspace with walls and a ceiling, and ask yourself if that's going to make it better or worse...

 

[BrittanyHighland]

Just want to applaud you for looking for ways to get your kids outdoors and into more adventure. Choosing the right vehicle is a big decision, and I suggest you don't rush it. Do you have any local overland groups or overland shops you can check out? I wouldn't say five in a truck camper is impossible, but you'll have to really want it, and understand the drawbacks to using it as your daily driver.

When my son was born, we lived in a 40-foot RV. Then we lived out a Jeep Wrangler with a roof top tent, then a 25-foot RV, and now we're about to move the three of us into a Gladiator with an Alu-Cab Canopy Camper. But there's no way we could tolerate this kind of downsizing if we hadn't already been traveling small for 7 years, gradually going smaller and smaller.

 

[MTVR]

Here- this fuel-efficient 5-passenger AWD hybrid will tow almost 5,000 pounds, has almost 700 horsepower, and will do almost 200 mph:

 

[Crux]

It's doable. This family of 5 is in a truck camper.

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