Hard-sided wedge style pop-up camper shell currently in development/testing in the mountains of Wyoming

WY_CC

Member
Bump.

WY_CC- Update?
Ahoy, friends! My sincerest apologies for not catching this bump earlier. I was playing host to a couple groups of out-of-town family escaping to the outdoors of Wyoming, then we got evacuated due to wildfires (thankfully) right after everyone left. We and our neighbors are fortunate to not have sustained any damage, but my thoughts go out those along the west coast that have been less fortunate. 2020 has proved to be a real humdinger so far...

One bright spot for me this year, though has been working through the prototype and production process for the hard sided pop-up. I've been nose to the grinding stone in the background since my last post, and the details for materials, suppliers, and fabrication are coming together well. The principle areas I'm currently focused on are finalizing the material order for the first production unit(s) and testing some retrofits and new materials on the prototype. I'll be assembling the flagship model this fall, and I can't wait to get things rolling full steam!

@joshuag23, I've seen the casa trotter pics and thread links floating around. It's great to see the thought and effort going into simple, effective hard sided pop-ups far and wide. There's so much potential for lightweight composites and modern materials in this area of camper design.

Although we all are working through the various challenges this year has presented, I'd bet we're collectively appreciating the outdoors (and gear that helps us access them) now more than ever. I will check back in during the work week with more details about the material and design updates I'm working towards, but presently I need to go enjoy this Sunday evening outdoors with my wife on our front porch.

All the best!
 

rdraider

Adventurer
WY_CC , I commend you on your ingenuity! I had built something similar out of wood a number of years ago. I wished i had thought of the folding sides like you did! That camper was for a short bed ford 1/2 ton that I am still driving. The camper didn't last because i used inferior plywood from the big box stores. I found a website for those aluminum extrusions you are using and was wondering how they would hold up in this type of use. are you using the trusses and bolts as the main attachment in the frame or is anything welded?
Wishing you the best of luck in this endeavor! I may be coming up with something of my own in my next build.
 

WY_CC

Member
WY_CC , I commend you on your ingenuity! I had built something similar out of wood a number of years ago. I wished i had thought of the folding sides like you did! That camper was for a short bed ford 1/2 ton that I am still driving. The camper didn't last because i used inferior plywood from the big box stores. I found a website for those aluminum extrusions you are using and was wondering how they would hold up in this type of use. are you using the trusses and bolts as the main attachment in the frame or is anything welded?
Wishing you the best of luck in this endeavor! I may be coming up with something of my own in my next build.
Good on you for digging in and starting to put together ideas for your next build! I think you could be well suited considering the standard aluminum extrusions and t-slots. Many of these framing systems were developed for use in manufacturing and industrial environments where they see variable loading, vibration, and other similar stresses to what we're designing around. The right mix of aluminum framing components and fasteners can handle quite a lot!

No welds were used in the construction of the prototype unit, and that is the plan for the production campers as well. The bolted aluminum framing system and bonded composite wall panels work together to handle the loads placed upon the structure. So, in addition to the bolted connections you mentioned, the camper's aluminum exoskeleton is bonded to the composite panel core, greatly increasing its ability to handle dynamic loads and resistance to wracking.

@rdraider, I'm excited to see where your next build leads! Alternatives to plywood are another fun area to explore, and I'm happy to lend any assistance that I can.

@Antwon412, I look forward to discussing the potential for building you a camper as things move into full scale production. Until then, happy adventuring and stay in touch!

Have fun, go play, and be safe, everyone!
 

RDinNHand AZ

Active member
I have, just a couple of hours ago, found your posts and joined the forum to allow me to post. Your ideas are exciting and much in keeping with my desires for my next camper. I have a 5’ bed Tacoma and some skills in building. Plans, a materials list, and specialized hardware would be valuable and desirable whether you go into production or not. Every wedge camper builder is currently (winter 2020) backlogged about a year. Essentially a DIY assist is not a serious competitor to production which would be fully subscribed if the manufactured unit could be brought to market for less than the $9,000 base cost of an AT Summit or similar.
I like that camper’s use of a bed that lifts and stores leaving the truck bed fully available. I have developed a LiFePO4 portable power box and have both solar and chest refrigerator along with experience building interior modules for overlanding in my truck and my former van. I currently have a fiberglass topper but camping in that unit is difficult at best. I am 5’6”, enough said? Having a wedge long enough to leave a 2’+ open section at the back for a ladder access to the bed and a full 74”+ bed would be desirable. I have no idea how a “kit” might accommodate, or if it can accommodate, such variabilities.
In my imagination I would move the moonroof to near the rear, enlarge the lower wedge’s framing and narrow the upper framing to allow for a thick mattress (4”?), have the bed lift, add solar to the forward section of the roof making it easy to lift, some windows in the lower section and in the rear wall of the wedge.
I admit that you understand all these possibilities and have considered most of them. You have made decisions and adaptions to adapt this great idea to a viable product for production. I respect that and if a production unit is the only possibility then I am still interested of course.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the possibility of a hard sided wedge camper. Priceless!
 

jwiereng

Active member
Very Nice camper. What provisions have you made for ventilation? Do the alloy extrusions present themselves as a thermal bridge?
 

WY_CC

Member
Very Nice camper. What provisions have you made for ventilation? Do the alloy extrusions present themselves as a thermal bridge?

Thank you @jwiereng and @RDinNHand AZ for your encouragement and questions. It's easy to get stuck down the rabbit hole when chasing little design or production details, and I appreciate being able to step back and engage folks' ideas.

2020 has certainly been a wild year, but I'm grateful for the additional time that it has given me to put the prototype through its paces while working to kickstart manufacturing. I also feel fortunate to have been able to identify best-in-class suppliers whose expertise has facilitated a leap forward in material quality. Supply chains are still largely disrupted, leading to shortages and longer lead times in the near term, but the foundation is being laid for long term partnerships and scaleability.

Here are some highlights of the improvements from prototype to production model, informed by hands-on testing, manufacturer collaboration, and this community's ideas:
  • Ventilation - Two operable windows will be included in base models, one larger in the back wall of the open wedge and one smaller in the camper's door or sidewall. Additional windows, fixed & operable, will be options that can be added during production or as DIY improvements thereafter.
  • Composite panels - The prototype shell utilized 6mm aluminum composite sign panels set into the aluminum extrusions' grooves. The material is easy to work with and source, so it definitely deserves consideration in many DIY projects. However, a .01" aluminum skin and 6mm overall thickness may not provide the level of insulation or durability that many people desire in a camping rig. Following much research, discussion, and sample evaluation, I'm thrilled to be moving over to custom FRP honeycomb panels for the production units. These will provide more sound and thermal insulation, greater resistance to scratches/dings, and increased load capacity.
  • Aluminum exoskeleton - The thicker FRP honeycomb panels on the production units will be inset from and bonded to the aluminum frame vs. the prototype's glazed-in 6mm panels. Whereas the prototype has all of its framing members exposed on the interior of the shell, the production units' frames will function more as an exoskeleton. This will limit the amount of exposed aluminum extrusions inside of the unit and greatly reduce thermal bridging.
  • Skylights - The prototype's skylight has an incredible effect, flooding the camper with natural light and making the space feel bigger. A 6mm 3' wide clear acrylic panel was glazed into the roof's extrusions in between two aluminum composite panels to form the 9' long roof. The method and materials used pose challenges for long term weatherproofing when getting into the weeds of glazing, adhesives, and acrylic's thermal expansion. A 10' FRP honeycomb roof panel will be implemented on the production units, and a skylight(s) can be cut and bonded into the roof panel similar to fixed sunroofs on cars/trucks. The single piece FRP roof panel will allow flexible placement of the skylight(s) and optional roof fan with improved weatherproofing and insulation.
  • Bed configurations - I have appreciated the flexibility of two movable bed panels in the prototype, as it provides various ways to configure the interior space. There's also much to be said for the convenience of a single lifting bed panel, and I plan to support this option for interested customers. A 2' opening at the rear of the camper can be achieved with either configuration for ease of access from the bed of the truck.
There are a myriad of other details under consideration and options being tested, so I'll work to keep y'all updated on developments. Please keep the ideas coming! I'd love to hear more about your interior systems and LiFePO4 power box, @RDinNHand AZ. I've also been working on interior build-out options that I hope to offer as both DIY kits and plans. The prototype has been outfitted with modular benches, lights, a propex heater, 80W solar + batteries. I have applied a lot of the same principles used in the camper structure to the modular bench system, and it has proven to be a straightforward, high value upgrade to the base shell. I'll gather some photos and specs to share in a future post...

Now, I'd be remiss if I didn't throw some visuals into the mix. A photo is worth a thousand words, and y'all have endured plenty of mine if you've read this far:

Dawn Patrol.jpeg


First Light.jpeg


Open Back.jpg
I removed the back wall to test some modifications on the door, and the prototype camper magically transformed into a moving van! Stay tuned for testing a fully operable back wall with inset camper door on the first production unit.

In the meantime, I've received my first batch of FRP honeycomb panels, so work on the flagship unit will soon be underway. 2020 has required a healthy dose of patience bringing a product to market and navigating supply chains, but I'm more excited than ever to forge ahead. The near term focus is finalizing design and production details while building the first production units. Recent developments with supplier and digital fabrication services are also a good step towards providing kit options down the road, so I am keeping the DIY folks in mind as things progress.

Thank you for your support and encouragement this year! 2021 is right around the corner, and I look forward to many more adventures, inspiration, and collaboration in the year to come.

Cheers!
Beau
 

jwiereng

Active member
Thanks for the great reply. Great to hear you’re moving ahead even in these challenging times. Thank you very much for sharing this too notch product. Thanks also for keeping the diy market in mind. Not easy for the diy builder to source the high quality components needed for a high quality results.
 

WY_CC

Member
Have you progressed any further with being able to produce these? Add me to the interested list.

Howdy! I'm still working my way out of hibernation up here in wintery Wyoming, but there's been a lot of activity underfoot finishing up the flagship camper and starting into the next production unit. The camper design's progress from prototype to production model shows immediate improvements in materials, fit and finish, but there are some other cool new tricks that the flagship has up its sleeve. I've only just begun the real-world testing on the unit you see below, so there will be lessons learned and incremental improvements made along the way. At first blush, though, I'm excited by the added utility that the current iteration provides. The prototype did a great job of creating shelter, but I wanted to pursue some ideas that would lend a more open and social atmosphere while also delivering shade.

Shelter:
Siesta Mode.jpg

Shade:
Fiesta Mode.jpg

Buttoned up for the road:
Vamos-Mode.jpeg


Writing you fine folks while drinking coffee and hanging out at the bar with a curious shop dog:
Coffee and ExPo posting.jpg

We were able to break-in the camper's fiesta mode yesterday evening with a good friend that I met through the portal, while we talked campers and watched some migrating elk graze. I have greatly benefited from his ideas along the way as well as all of your collective input and encouragement. Working to bring the camper into production over the past year has been a wild ride, but we're staying the course and looking forward to what lies ahead. The rapid snap back in demand for all types of materials has created global shortages across many industries. There's still plenty of patience and persistence that will be required to keep camper materials flowing! In the meantime, I remain focused on continuing to improve the product and make happy customers. There's still some time needed before we'll be ramping up production and serving a broader geographic range, but I'm excited to continue sharing progress with this community. I have enjoyed lending what small insights I can to different folks working on DIY builds. Keep up the good work, everyone!

Cheers to warmer weather and many camping adventures to come this year!
 

ITTOG

Well-known member
That looks like a cool camper. What material are you using for the hinges in the pop up? How long are the hinges?
 

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