Truck Camper that Sleeps 4?

[ZREM]

Hey Expo,

I've started exploring truck campers as a viable option for my family adventures and I'm seeing very few that can sleep 4. It's me, my wife and 2 kiddos (currently 7 & 11). So far I've seen the Supertramp with bunk bed as our only real option. Plan to go see it in real life next week at their facility in CO.

I do not have a truck yet, but would prefer to go no larger than a 2500 and would likely buy something with a 6.5' bed.

Am I missing anything? Are there other options for a family of 4?

Thanks!

 

[Crashidy]

Adventurer and lance both make bunk versions.

 

[AbleGuy]

My first thought for you is to consider an 8 foot camper on the 6 1/2 foot bed. We’ve done that before and if installed properly it doesn’t have to be a problem.

One reason for suggesting this longer rig is because in a short bed camper, the floor space is likely going to be only about 5 feet. That’s not much room for four people to move around in, even if two of them are only small children.

Whatever rig you get, consider doing a family practice run on the ballet required, or synchronized swimming perhaps, when you have four people trying to move around at the same time in such a tiny floor space.

It is doable, but it takes practice.
Good luck

 

[mmp3823]

You might look at Scout truck campers. They offer a Rooftop tent option that allows you to access it from the inside. The camper is made from composite materials and so is lighter than a lot of other options. We are considering going that route and would have the kid sleep in the rooftop tent.

 

[ripperj]

Northstar makes several campers that will easily sleep 4. My Adventurer 8.5 did ok in my 2500 Ram 6’ bed, but does better in my new 3500 8’ bed.
My camper will sleep two adults in the queen cabover, another skinny couple in the pull out dinette and a kid in the fold down bunk over the dinette.

The problem as hinted at above is not about sleeping, it’s where does everyone stand/sit if you are eating/cooking inside in bad weather, or trying to ride out a storm mid day. Any truck camper will get tight quick with more than two people for any extended time in my opinion. (This is my 4th TC) I’m think about a Bigfoot travel trailer just to get more space


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[grindmonkey]

We have a family of 5 in a hallmark cuchara. 2 kids on the dinette and one in the bunk bed above the dinette. Its tight but makes a perfect ski vehicle for us.

Unless you are worried about insurance or registration there really isnt a downside to going to a 3500/350 size. For our uses, the extra space in with a crew can and 8ft bed outweighs the downside or the extra length.

 

[ZREM]

Thanks for all the thoughts, everyone. We did a test run in a 144 Sprinter last year to better understand the space constraints with everyone in the camper, definitely need to do the same in a truck camper before we go that route.

I know I have a hiccup with going to a 3500 platform, not sure exactly why. Just seems overkill. I’ll try to be open minded there. At the end of the day, we won’t be living in this thing, and most trips will be under two weeks. One way or another there will be sacrifices, whether it be space, rig, size, etc.

 

[fourfa]

This sounds a little minimalistic based on your post, but it does have a huge sleeping space:

AT Overland Equipment Habitat Truck Topper

AT Overland Equipment presents the Habitat Truck Topper. Purpose built for overland and adventure travel, the Habitat uses high-quality materials and provides a lightweight, yet robust camping platform for your truck. Designed to fill the void between the traditional topper and slide in camper...

atoverland.com

 

[Porkchopexpress]

You can look at the Outfitter Juno if a pop up is ok

 

[billiebob]

You might look at Scout truck campers. They offer a Rooftop tent option that allows you to access it from the inside. They camper is made form composite materials and so if lighter than a lot of other options. We are considering going that route and would have the kid sleep in the rooftop tent.

I went and looked, WOW I love these and the popup RTT is incredible with kids. Even the price is cool and they are lightweight.

2500/3500 are identical but if you don't need the extra capacity, the 2500 will ride better. Buy whatever spec meets yer needs.

 

[eyemgh]

Hallmark Guanella, but with a bunk. It’s 8’, on a short bed, but the Bowen Customs bed replacement is 8’. The wheelbase is 148”. It’s bigger than the Supertramp, has a real cassette and not a porta potty, and is very good in the winter. I know a guy that had one above the Arctic Circle for 6 weeks.

 

[BlueSkyCamper]

I was faced with the exact same problem - wife and two kids and me in a truck camper. All the campers I looked at had minimal floor space, and only really big heavy ones can sleep 4 comfortably (not good on a 2nd gen Tundra DC 6.5' bed). So I got an All Terrain Camper shell (cougar model, 8') and did my own build with maximum floor space and sleeps 4. I love it, fantastic on the Tundra with E-rated tires and Suomo Springs. As far as I know the popular truck camper companies out there do not build something like this, and I wonder why. They all leave a narrow isle down the middle (unless it is one of the really big campers). My floor space is nearly 4' wide all the way through except about 1 foot at the rear door. All 4 of us can sit at the front dinette comfortably, and we can all lounge in the camper comfortably when it is raining. Weird that nobody makes this.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

I know this is in the pop up section. But would a hard wall with a slide be an option? Thinking the dinette could be made into a bed for two?

Would require a 350 / 3500.

 

[mkish]

I really like the front dinette layout of the typical Alaskan for 4, but again, nobody (else) makes them.

A small 7'-wide hardside is probably the best bet here--something like a Northstar Laredo or the small Lances which can go on a shortbed. Be sure any fold-down bunk will hold an adult because the kids might be that size soon. Check dinette lengths before committing to sleeping on one. My 14 yr old is adult length already. We had to give up on a bathroom in our camper in order to get a dinette long enough to sleep an adult. We've kind of outgrown our 8ft popup as a family of 4 but luckily one kid wants to use a tent now.

If you're willing to get a longbed dually, a whole new world of campers opens up.

 

[Crux]

OEV Camp-X or HBE with gurney bed option?