Planning Alaska trip- Pop up Camper or RTT? General planning.

[phsycle]

You’re starting in Canada and heading to AK. This will be a one-time trip.

Personally, I would in no way spend $10-15k just for this. With bringing comforts in mind, I’d keep it simple:
- High roof shell. One where you can sit up in comfortably. Great for stealth camping.
- Simple platform bed, 3” memory foam topper, with drawers underneath.
- A small light tent for those days you want to be in a tent instead.

Done.

 

[McCarthy]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I either want to go basic with the shell and a sleeping platform, or get a TT.

HMmmm

 

[fitt]

We bought our 2000 SunLite XL for $2800 then did a lot of upgrades to make it work for us. Then sold it after our trip for $4500!! WE broke even on the camper even after all the mods, and selling it this past fall instead of waiting for spring when I'm sure we could have gotten more.

 

[Rippin'AV]

Have you considered just a nice shell with a hardtop roof top tent on it like the James Baroud? There are also the decked storage drawers for the bed which make a good sleeping platform or base for some gear storage inside the shell. I’d rather be without a trailer so you can go over 55 mph.

 

[shooter112]

I have pop up truck camper and love it. The hard shell truck campers are nice but I wouldn't have one for various reasons. Check out the Rv for sale websites for a good used one if you already have a large enough truck.

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

I doubt you lose much money, if any, on a used pop up truck camper if you turn around and sell it within one year. So I think stating a $15K "cost" is incorrect unless you plan on keeping it forever. I bet you will be out less money than what it would cost for a truck topper.

 

[texasnielsen]

If I recall correctly you said you were going to Prudue Bay in Sept.

Having moved to AK in 1980 and then spending the next twenty years of my life there I can attest to the following:

The Haul Road is a place where I hated tenting that time of the year (hunting) due to the temperature, wind and moisture issues. Think of moisture as in the kind that is white. Think wind as in anywhere else in the Country the weather peeps would be besides themselves ranting about gale force winds. And lastly temps that were practically tee-shirt weather during the day (I was wearing a backpack) and freezing your nuts off after sunset.

All that to say that if it were I going back there in a 1/2 ton truck now it would not be in anything less that a pop-up truck camper. Purchase a quality one, use it and sell it. The demand in the secondary market is high and I doubt very seriously you will see much depreciation if you take care of it (you didn't expect the trip to be for free, right?)

A heater, a dry bed, the other benefits of the pop-up and limited negative affects of wind on the soft sides of the pop-up cannot be achieved with an RTT to any equivalency IMO. (I have a Mombasa RTT with an annex room right now on an off-road trailer and I wouldn't dream of using it on this part of AK's highway system that time of year. Strictly due to comfort; not product quality.

Best of luck with your planning and safe travels.

 

[McCarthy]

Thanks for the info. I live in Northern BC, so I have somewhat of an idea of weather, obviously not quite like AK though.

 

[texasnielsen]

Thanks for the info. I live in Northern BC, so I have somewhat of an idea of weather, obviously not quite like AK though.

Heck McCarthy, you know exactly what to expect. If this is one of those "one in a ...." don't do it on the cheap if you can afford not to. Better to have memories of the beauty and grandeur of the travels versus "remember how miserable we were!"..

BTW, BC is one of my favorite Provinces visited. Haven't seen the Atlantic Seaboard of your fine Country yet. On the bucket list for retirement (which is why I am currently drooling over in another thread on EP regarding an ambulance conversion!)

Anyways, if you're in northern BC (how far south of Watson Lake, YT are you?) you know how crazy September weather in the northern latitudes it can be. Unless you're on the Coast, norethern BC Fall = Interior/Northern Fall in AK in my book. Cold is cold, eh?

Happy planning. Looking forward to reading about your adventure next Fall.

 

[Conrad1972]

My daughter and I drove from Wisconsin to Alaska last summer. We took a modified Tacoma and a pop-up camper trailer. I think people get too hung up on what they are taking instead of the trip. In the end the pop-up was great, we could set and travel without it. It was an inexpensive purchase, less then $1000. I put another $1000 total into new mattresses, and a 12volt fridge/freezer, it was a trip of a lifetime.

 

[lyoungjcmo]

My wife and I did a 5 month Alaska trip about 10 years ago. If I were to do it again I think I would use a shell on the back of the pickup and make a sleeping platform. You could put a roof top carrier on to carry some extra gear. The truck camper was too much in our opinion and the frost heaves practically pulled out the attachment chains. Also it made it difficult to get on the back roads that were rougher cause it bounced too much. The camper shell allows you to save money on lodging and yet you could spend every second or third night in a motel as you desire. Just my opinion. There is very little setup to a camper shell, you just need to make sure you have good netting to keep the mosquitoes out.
Larry

 

[leviathan907]

AK

I would steer clear of the rtt like somebody else had said, you will be experiencing some wet nasty cold weather especially in September up north. It kind of depends on how much comfort that you need. If you don't need too much comfort I would buy a caravan camper thats a good 8 inches over cab height and build a sleeping platform in the back with a good pull out cook set up and still have room for gear. you'll definitely want some canopies attached to the shell so the rain and snow won't be falling overhead 24/7. And definitely invest in a mr. buddy heater 5 gallon propane tank and a huge sleeping bag. And if you need more comfort and not worried about carrying kayaks on top or something, get the four wheel camper use it and then SELL IT TO ME when your trip is over!!! I was born and raised in Alaska so if you have any questions feel free to pm me, I lived in Homer so pretty far south of where you're going but still I've been all over the state. Enjoy you're trip!