Truck Camper Recommendations. Asking for a friend. Please help.

[Hourless Life]

So this isn't for me, but for a good friend looking to get into the overland lifestyle (and possibly join OB) he's really good people. He reached out to me asking for recommendations on truck campers. I haven't a clue and don't plan to get one. But I know that there's plenty of knowledgeable folks on here.

So here's what he sent. Any advice I can pass his way is appreciated:

"Still in the planning stages, but thinking starting with a f250 or 350 with a diesel engine. Putting a lift on it with AT tires, then a truck camper. So it would be overland style. Like a Earth Roamer, but of course without that 800k price tag, We like to fish so i am thinking of how we can travel and take a boat
With us sometimes, and this may be the answer. I would love to do this with the Jeep but the towing capacity is pathetic on the Jeeps."

Any thoughts or advice to send his way?

Thanks in advance.

Eric

 

[Boostpowered]

By camper do you mean a slide in? Or Do you mean a cap or topper like leer etc? If cap topper does he want soft or hardshell? If a slide in does he want solid or pop up?

 

[MidOH]

250 can only be gas engine, unless you buy a tiny pop up camper like an FWC Hawk.

For SRW gas 250 or diesel 350, I recommend a Bundutec Bunduvry, or a Capris Retreat.

For Earthroamer like? I recommend an F550 4wd CC with a simple cargo box. Convert the box into a camper. Boxes can be found used for under $3000. Total composites makes box kits with prefabbed panels, window openings, door, and corners. Just glue together. Expect over $10,000.

 

[Hourless Life]

250 can only be gas engine, unless you buy a tiny pop up camper like an FWC Hawk.

For SRW gas 250 or diesel 350, I recommend a Bundutec Bunduvry, or a Capris Retreat.

For Earthroamer like? I recommend an F550 4wd CC with a simple cargo box. Convert the box into a camper. Boxes can be found used for under $3000. Total composites makes box kits with prefabbed panels, window openings, door, and corners. Just glue together. Expect over $10,000.

Thanks for taking the time to share that. It's all gibberish to me, but I'm sure my friend will understand. I'll send it his way. Appreciate you. ~ Eric

 

[Hourless Life]

By camper do you mean a slide in? Or Do you mean a cap or topper like leer etc? If cap topper does he want soft or hardshell? If a slide in does he want solid or pop up?

Great questions. I'm going to guess that he means a slide in full on camper type thing.

Honestly I don't know what he's looking for. I know he wants to go fishing and go off grid for extended periods of time. He has money, but he's not a spendthrift. So I'm guessing he wouldn't mind paying for the right truck camper. This isn't my wheelhouse. I'm a Jeeper with an RTT that travels fulltime. I've never even looked into this. So I'm just hoping for some suggestions from folks who know about this stuff to send his way. Thanks!

Eric

 

[Autism Family Travels]

Lance campers make awesome slide in campers for trucks. Have a look at them. When I get my mitts on the f150 I am working on getting I am getting a Lance for the back of it.

 

[RoarinRow]

If he doesn't mind crawling into a truck camper, then a camper shell would be good. Otherwise if he wants to be able to stand up, then the slide in style would be better or more functional/comfortable.

 

[M Rose]

Arctic Fox campers made by Northwood Manufacturing are awesome slide in true 4 season campers. If I were looking for a slide in camper I would be getting one.
Your friend’s idea to use the pickup and camper for his fishing setup is a solid idea, one my grand father did for years before he switched to a motorhome to pull his boat and s10 (depending upon fishing or hunting).

250 can only be gas engine, unless you buy a tiny pop up camper like an FWC Hawk.

For SRW gas 250 or diesel 350, I recommend a Bundutec Bunduvry, or a Capris Retreat.

For Earthroamer like? I recommend an F550 4wd CC with a simple cargo box. Convert the box into a camper. Boxes can be found used for under $3000. Total composites makes box kits with prefabbed panels, window openings, door, and corners. Just glue together. Expect over $10,000.

since when is a Ford F-250 gas only? According to Ford.com, the F250 still has the 6.7 Powerstroke

 

[MidOH]

Not what I meant. Lol. A diesel F250 has over 1000 pounds less cargo capacity than a gas truck.

Every 250 on the lot where I bought mine was derated to 10, 000# GVWR. My gasser has a 3100# capacity. The diesels only had 1900#! So in this example, a diesel F250 can't haul any of the Arctic Fox campers.

If you have to go diesel with a camper, go 350+. You'll need the extra GVWR room on your sticker. Gas 250's are ok, avoid diesel 250's as best possible.

 

[trikebubble]

I would start by figuring out where he wants to go, like how far off the beaten path and how far up and down and into the mountains, etc. If he is going to be doing any decent off-roading thru tight spots, or 4Lo crawling type situations then I can't see any traditional consumer hard-sided camper working effectively over the long haul .

Personally speaking, I love my pop-up camper. I can go pretty much to 99% of the places with it, that I could without. It is hardy and tough as nails, has a full aluminum frame and none of that sh!te cabinetry or framing that regular campers do. We have taken this camper places it has no place being, and it has provided us with a warm dry queen size bed, hot and cold running water, a place to keep beer cold and a thing to heat food up, and a furnace.... all when we get there.

 

[Road]

I agree, the BundutecUSA slide ins are awesome. I know the company well from having their awning products and have been to their place in Iowa a few times.


Also of possible interest to your friend are the @HallmarkTruckCampers. I have a good friend who writes about trucks, campers, SEMA, etc who has one he loves. Though his is a flatbed, he has written about and Hallmark has slide-ins:


Hope he finds what they're after. It pays to take your time and research the hell out of it all, climbing over, in and under rigs as much as possible before choosing.


.

Roaddude - On the Road In North America - ROADDUDE

Roaddude - Traveling Photographer/Writer/Artist On the Road In North America. Gear, reviews, people, places, and culture.

roaddude.com

 

[M Rose]

Not what I meant. Lol. A diesel F250 has over 1000 pounds less cargo capacity than a gas truck.

Every 250 on the lot where I bought mine was derated to 10, 000# GVWR. My gasser has a 3100# capacity. The diesels only had 1900#! So in this example, a diesel F250 can't haul any of the Arctic Fox campers.

If you have to go diesel with a camper, go 350+. You'll need the extra GVWR room on your sticker. Gas 250's are ok, avoid diesel 250's as best possible.

Not what I meant. Lol. A diesel F250 has over 1000 pounds less cargo capacity than a gas truck.

Every 250 on the lot where I bought mine was derated to 10, 000# GVWR. My gasser has a 3100# capacity. The diesels only had 1900#! So in this example, a diesel F250 can't haul any of the Arctic Fox campers.

If you have to go diesel with a camper, go 350+. You'll need the extra GVWR room on your sticker. Gas 250's are ok, avoid diesel 250's as best possible.

I’m not finding any of this information looking at both brochures and actuall trucks on the Ford Lot. Is the #3100 capacity on the front axle only? I’m just trying to understand how a 250 diesel is rated less than gas, when the whole point of going diesel over gas is for the hauling and towing capacities. Also what had me wondering is because Arctic Fox claim to fame is being able to be used in a 1/2 ton truck.

 

[MidOH]

250's are almost always rated at 10,000# GVWR for licensing and insurance purposes. 10,000 minus the weight of the truck, equals 3100# for a gas crew cab truck. My truck weighs 6900#. Expect diesel trucks to weigh over 8000#.

The diesel engine weighs at least 800# more than gas. Then add dual alternators, dual batteries, emissions controls, etc. etc. Diesels aren't light and fit XL's usually, either. All those TV's, butt massagers, and assorted nonsense in the Lariat weigh something. Weigh a lot.

So even if a properly geared diesel can tow more, it can't haul more, because it's simply too fat.

Your actual cargo varies based on options. The brochure ratings are a rough estimate. So if you order a truck, make sure that it has plenty of wiggle room. Because it might be heavier than expected.

I didn't spot anything lighter than 2600# on Arctic Fox's site. That's too much weight for any F250 IMO. And well over the diesel F250's cargo capacity. Diesel F250 with the smallest Arctic Fox camper is going to be at least 8000+2600=10,600# empty. Nope, that's not going to work.

 

[MidOH]

This is my sticker from my F350 work truck. Rated at 9800# GVWR at the top of the sticker. Lower than most 350's so that truck can pass up scales and likely reduced insurance costs. I think 350's are usually 11,500 GVWR for SRW's, and up to 12,500 for a dually.

A civvy truck should have another sticker showing trucks empty actual weight at the factory, and maybe actual ''cargo capacity''. Being that this truck came from the commercial plant, we had to weigh it ourselves.

It's unlikely that you'll ever exceed axle or tire weight specs without first violating the trucks GVWR spec.

Safe bet that I'm over that. Keep in mind that your trucks weight also includes a trailers tongue weight, if you tow.

Even if you go with a 350, I'd avoid a camper+truck combined weight over 11,000# on a SRW truck. With just one set of regular rear tires, handling suffers, and those trucks are no longer fun to drive with that much weight. Go DRW 350, or F550 for more weight than that. Being too top heavy sucks for overlanding, much more than regular camping.

 

[M Rose]

@MidOH thank you for this discussion. I am trying to learn stuff that I thought I already knew and understood but now am unsure.

what exactly is the GVRW? How is it calculated?

What is max Payload? How is max payload calculated?

 

[MidOH]

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, is what the engineers and the DOT says is safe for your truck to weigh. That's truck+cargo+passengers+tongue weight.

Be extra careful here. Sometimes GVWR specs are completely made up and dangerously over estimated. Half ton trucks are notorious for that. The tow rating war in that segment means that an F150 is completely overrated. Whatever a 150 is rated for, divide that in half.

Note that the Hwy patrol cops usually allow passengers to exit the vehicle for weighing, if they stop you and use portable scales. You can pay an extra $107 and have the GVWR artificially lowered to reduce licensing fees and insurance. Once your GVWR sticker is applied to the truck, it's permanent. You can add spring to a F250 to turn it into a F350, but it'll never ever have the F350's sticker. Why do we care? Liability, insurance coverage, civil suits, and overzealous county mounties. But generally, overloaded trucks do handle poorly. Especially braking as they lose front grip.

Payload, is GVWR minus actual truck weight.

Tow rating isn't even on a sticker. Have to look that up in the brochure.

 

[M Rose]

Ok so that’s what I thought those all were.
So A 2020 F250 6.2L diesel has a GVRW of 14,000 lbs and weighs 7,538 which gives a payload of 6462 lbs.
Same truck with gas has a GVRW of 14,000 lbs and weighs 6,824 lbs which give a max payload of
7,176 lbs
The difference is only 700 lbs

the Heaviest Arctic Fox camper is 3358 lbs which is half that of the Diesel Payload.
I also understand all these weights are dry, meaning no gas, propane, water, waste, and other supplies.

water weighs 8.2 lbs/gallon.
The Arctic Fox 1150 has a fresh water and grey capacity of apx 100 gallons. If both were full that would be 820 lbs. Black tank holds 43 gallons which is apx 688 lbs. LPG 60 lbs. Diesel weighs 3.22 lbs/gallon so the F250 with a 39 gallon tank is caring around apx 105 lbs.
so total wet weight is 820 + 688 + 60 + 105 + 3358 =5031 Lbs which is still 1431 lbs under the max payload. Now add the truck to the equation and get a total of 12569 which is still 1431 lbs under total GVRW.
Am I understanding all of this correctly?

 

[Wallygator]

I would look at the new 7.3 liter Ford gas F250. For the camper the new Four Wheel Camper Project M top is going to be very versatile. Also the new tops from AT Overland look the same. These style of tops allow your truck to be used as a truck when needed and still have a comfortable place to sleep at all times. Of course probably not as luxurious as a dedicated camper but way more versatile. Most people already have everything needed for camping.

Project M | Four Wheel Campers

AT Overland Releases Atlas Camper Shell - Expedition Portal

 

[MidOH]

Ok so that’s what I thought those all were.
So A 2020 F250 6.2L diesel has a GVRW of 14,000 lbs and weighs 7,538 which gives a payload of 6462 lbs.
Same truck with gas has a GVRW of 14,000 lbs and weighs 6,824 lbs which give a max payload of
7,176 lbs
The difference is only 700 lbs

the Heaviest Arctic Fox camper is 3358 lbs which is half that of the Diesel Payload.
I also understand all these weights are dry, meaning no gas, propane, water, waste, and other supplies.

water weighs 8.2 lbs/gallon.
The Arctic Fox 1150 has a fresh water and grey capacity of apx 100 gallons. If both were full that would be 820 lbs. Black tank holds 43 gallons which is apx 688 lbs. LPG 60 lbs. Diesel weighs 3.22 lbs/gallon so the F250 with a 39 gallon tank is caring around apx 105 lbs.
so total wet weight is 820 + 688 + 60 + 105 + 3358 =5031 Lbs which is still 1431 lbs under the max payload. Now add the truck to the equation and get a total of 12569 which is still 1431 lbs under total GVRW.
Am I understanding all of this correctly?

I think you've got it now. But I've never seen a single wheel truck with a 14,000# GVWR. That sounds like a tow rating.

My Dodge Cummins is around that, but it's a dually 3500.

https://www.cjponyparts.com/resources/truck-sizes

 

[MidOH]

I would look at the new 7.3 liter Ford gas F250. For the camper the new Four Wheel Camper Project M top is going to be very versatile. Also the new tops from AT Overland look the same. These style of tops allow your truck to be used as a truck when needed and still have a comfortable place to sleep at all times. Of course probably not as luxurious as a dedicated camper but way more versatile. Most people already have everything needed for camping.

Project M | Four Wheel Campers

AT Overland Releases Atlas Camper Shell - Expedition Portal

I'd love to travel with an FWC Hawk. But the condensation is a pita, and the rear wall mounted AC unit is completely hillbilly.

I need a hardside with rooftop AC. Hard shower, indoors.