We are a family of 4 and while my boys are only 8 & 5, they are growing. We need a lot of portability for mountain biking, fishing and overnight ski trips etc across the west and BC. Need something portable that isn't super heavy/massive, fits us for the minimal time we are inside...but would still work well for overnighting at the ski resort parking lot the night before. At the moment I have a 2005 F250 4x4 and am considering putting some money into a slide-in camper but am open to other solutions as well if they exist. A trailer won't work and I want to tow a light drift boat once in a while and use a bike rack. Not wanting to spend more than 30k$-ish, which still seems like a lot.
I've looked at traditional slide-in campers but despite their size and weight, they are extremely limited for 4 people even if just for sleeping. The fold out dinette stuff is pretty lame/tight. Bunks are really small. Slide out Artic Fox 811 is like 4k pounds (Crazy heavy) and still not much of a sleeper and still made out of wood framing etc iirc. I've seen the 4x4 Sprinter's modded out with the top that raises up into a loft for kids. They were cool but VERY tight still and the professionally made ones were around 150k$ new.
The only thing that seems geared towards this is Scout campers with their Roost tent, sleeps 6 (tight) and light weight. I'm fine with going with one of those but wanted to see if there is a better option I'm just not familiar with.
I've looked at traditional slide-in campers but despite their size and weight, they are extremely limited for 4 people even if just for sleeping. The fold out dinette stuff is pretty lame/tight. Bunks are really small. Slide out Artic Fox 811 is like 4k pounds (Crazy heavy) and still not much of a sleeper and still made out of wood framing etc iirc. I've seen the 4x4 Sprinter's modded out with the top that raises up into a loft for kids. They were cool but VERY tight still and the professionally made ones were around 150k$ new.
The only thing that seems geared towards this is Scout campers with their Roost tent, sleeps 6 (tight) and light weight. I'm fine with going with one of those but wanted to see if there is a better option I'm just not familiar with.
. The Scout Kenai drops tomorrow and should be interesting. I got inside of their little Olympic one and it was incredible. It easily slept 4 (the roof top tent is so nice, made down in Georgia too) but if you were hanging out inside of it with 4 people...not really that great for any extended time. Which is fine, because we aren't camping just to hangout inside of a camper...but there will be times when we want too (like at Ski resort). Apparently the 8ft Scout Kenai fits 4 a fair amount better with some extra amenities (cassette toilet, storage etc) and can "kind of" work for some 1/2 trucks, though I wouldn't.