Camper Test: Lightweight Truck Camper by Four Wheel Campers

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[TravelswithYoly]

We've owned 15 campers with the last 5 being truck campers. We're totally sold on the truck camper concept. We've looked at 4Wheel campers in researching options and found that when you add up all the ala carte standard items they become as expensive or more so than a conventional hard side truck camper. They also are deceptively heavy once you get the all the required equipment on board. From our experience, a conventional slide in TC with electric jacks can be unloaded in about 10 minutes and loaded in about 20. The soft side material on the pop up, although quite durable, along with the vinyl windows is very susceptible to forming condensation. Over time, YouTubers who travel a lot with theirs report some water intrusion from seam wear. We also have a crew cab and after removing the back seat and laying down a sized sheet of plywood, we have ample storage for extended 8 week excursions (including the EU2000i).


The problem with most pop ups and almost everything in the industry is really uncomfortable dinette seating. They all use 90 degree seat backs to save space and many utilize back cushions as short as 10 inches. They offer no upper back support. I noticed in your video that the seat backs in this camper were adequately tall but I also noticed that when you sat down you relaxed in the natural body reclined position. Since the seat backs are perfectly vertical, the gap between the seat and the base of your spine will cause certain lower back pain if you sit like that for any real length of time. Almost all dinette seating in the RV industry suffers from this cost and space saving compromise. We have been lucky in finding a couple TCs with a natural reclining back couch option for the dinette. For us, this is the most important aspect for making a camper desirable. Also not crazy about an east/west bed orientation.

[weekendtrailblazers]

I like the video but not a fan of the pop up camper. We looked at a couple but didn’t like the small door to get in. Plus every time you want use it you have to put up the pop up. That one your in doesn’t look like it can come off which could be a problem if the truck has problems and needs to come off. It also looks small compared to the truck. I can park our truck camper in any regular parking spot with no problem. Plus if you need to get in while parked you get in from the rear not the side. I hope you look at a regular Truck Camper in your future videos. Thanks! Keep’m coming. Always learn something new from you guys.

[cj]

We love our truck camper so it’s great to see you try one out. Ours is a Northstar nonslide on Ram Megacab SRW 20 inch wheels with a front hitch motorcycle carrier that we haul a Honda Rebel 250 on. We put a low profile hitch carrier in the back... fits perfectly under the camper overhang for hauling firewood and misc. without adding any length. Very easy to unload but trickier to load... we have a few tricks to make loading easier. Comfy to live in and handles all weather extremes with cassette toilet convenience. We also were concerned about the separation between camper and truck vs a van. Turned out to be a non-issue and we like having the 2 separate spaces. Megacab diesel is the way to go.... love love love purring up and down mountain roads and oodles of space.
Love the 4 wheel pop up... very cool. We went a bit bigger for more comfort and the hardtops are much warmer and dryer in some of the extreme cold temps we camp in at times. Tall hubby didn’t like small door on pop ups either but the low profile is a perk. Pros and cons. Will be fun to see what you decide on. BOL on your RV shopping!!!

[maobfh]

I have had truck campers over the years, and I find them very comfortable. Mostly because of the cabover bed. Also, when I think about it, most cabover campers have all the amenities that you normally get only in ClassC’s and Class A’s. There are a few things in particular that Would discourage me from buying that particular model you are trying. First, the lack of an inverter. Initially, I puzzled over why they would omit something so critical. I suspect, as solar is becoming more standard, people are using the Plug and Play packages like Renogy, Jackery and Yeti(?) where their solar panels plug into their box which contains the battery, charge controller, inverter and monitors all in a single box. They are solid products and you don’t need to go back to school to understand solar or pay a large install fee. So if, in the box where you store the plug for a landline, you also find that the system is solar ready then they were thinking. Secondly, the camper is lying on a flat bed. And it shows. This eliminates the ease is pulling out from under the camper and running around town without dragging it with you. So why not buy a Class C and enjoy even more space and storage. If the camper can be bought alone, or is not typically sold already mounted on a flatbed, then you need a flatbed to use it. A pickup truck is a very handy vehicle to own but a flatbed? No, unless you haul very specific and unusual items, a flatbed is very limited in usefulness. I admit (readily) that a flatbed is very versatile as a base unit for so many things, a wrecker, electrical truck, welder truck, dump truck, a wench or cherry-picker. But how can you put a camper on with other very heavy and large equipment mounted on the truck? No, I would want something that mounted on a pickup or another type of affordable and multi-use residential vehicle. Third, though you like them, I am not a fan of pop ups. I would like to have a vehicle that allows me to stand up straight without making camp. While you raise the roof quickly from inside, you will invite hassles raising the roof in a regular parking spot on 42nd in Manhattan or Hollywood Blvd in LA. I will also admit to some prejudice against the insulating potential of canvas vs. insulated fiberglass. And I have a ridiculous dislike of the curve at the lower rear of the camper exterior. You lose that much storage and/or floor real estate plus several inches above. And it seems to scream ‘I am a box bolted (I hope) to a flatbed’. It is (in my eyes) something unattractive that serves no real purpose. But a slide in camper that can be hauled by a standard mid sized pickup is very attractive. Unfortunately, I have never seen one that is wheelchair accessible. Thanks for the walkthrough! And (just in case I haven’t put you to sleep already), I have a couple of handheld 12V plugs with a built in inverter and 110 plug. If only a few items, like the hot pot, need AC these would be very affordable fixes. And I use cast iron on electric stoves all the time. Cast iron is wonderful because they distribute the heat evenly, require significantly less heat once the pot/pan/skillet is hot than regular cookware and reduce the incidence of chronic anemia. But they will do this if you heat them on an electric or gas or wood stove, on a fire or even with a flame thrower ( though if that is your only source of heat, use a Dutch Oven or find a way to heat from below the pot) with similar results. That’s my seventy cents worth.

[michaelwade]

Hi Russos, Really enjoyed your review. I'm from Australia and I have a Trayon Camper on the back of my Mazda diesel 4WD BT50 Crew Cab Tray Back Ute. My setup is pretty similar to what you reviewed here. I use it for off road outback travel. I love it's light weight and the fact you can put it in a normal parking space and not have to tow anything. I can go places in my rig that other campers would never dream of going. For my next rig I think I wouldn't get a pop top and I would get the ability to go from the camper to the driving compartment without having to get out of the camper.


I'm really interested in what the camper builder community does with the CyberTruck when it comes out. I see a lot of potential in the CyberTruck as a Camper platform:- long range, tough, built in 120V/240V, built in compressor, amazing adjustable ground clearance, ability to solar charge when parked up remotely for a long period...I did a render of what I think a CyberCamper might look like. If you go to Flickr Creative Commons and search "CyberCamper" you can see what I'm imagining.

[alicemazzucco]

I have a fifth wheel we did have just a pull along but with my two kids and two dogs we needed a big one now just need little one I'm praying for a nice medium size driver we love love camping can't wait to start again and I'm hopeful that when we go we will be able to teach our son about everything and ANYWARE we go pluse home schooling on the Rd he loves out doors he's so so smart he actually built a mud but when he was 9 he is 12 he actually learned from watching YouTube and books, can't wait hope u guys find a camper just right for u guys good luck

[kevnrob]

We had a pop-up truck camper, an Outfitter. Lived in it for 7 months one time. Good unit but it just was not the rig for us. One thing was that low door. I really cranked my head and neck a few times. Once I cranked it so bad I thought I had severely injured my neck. Also, the mechanics of the roof raising apparatus gave us a lot of trouble.
We were quite happy the day we got rid of our pop-up truck camper.

The perfect rig for us is our home-built Sprinter.

[sonotech]

I like the ease of being able to drive the truck but I personally couldnt go without a toilet or shower. Many do, with gym memberships and using campgrounds. I hope your shoulder is healing nicely now. Can wait to hear your decison.

[bettebuchheit]

We’ve had several small truck campers through the years and thoroughly enjoyed the ability to go off grid (we had a 4-wheel drive truck). Numerous times I would sit in the cab on cool/windy days and read or use my iPad. My husband would be in the camper watching a sporting event. The truck campers more then met our needs for years. We recently changed to a small Class C and love it but there are times I miss our truck camper. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[mohawk]

You can get 370 watt solar panels, get two of them and 4 lithium batteries, mppt, breaker, correct (Amp) fuse box. I am getting them. Just go online and order it. Get monopolymer cells. Solar Inverter/Converter pack.

[BoomBoomGodwon]

By far of all the campers, vans and RV’s y’all have drove, that truck camper fits the Russo’s the best!! Versatile, capable, and different. Like the back hitch set up that can haul your dirt bike. Get that one please!!

[mstakenagain]

We got an Eagle Four-Wheel Camper 3 1/2 years ago. It is a partial shell model that we put on our Nissan Frontier. We have a couch, a heater, solar, fan, and of course, the bed. (A table comes with it that is stored behind the couch back.) We planned to cook and eat outside as we prefer to eat and cook outside. We have a small shelf opposite side of the couch. When it was extremely windy a couple of times, we were able to cook and eat inside. We are serious, long-time meditators, so we enjoy the couch and no shelf side of the camper for that. If you click on the peacock icon, I show some of the small improvements we made to the camper.

[karenpolansky]

I’m pretty sure because of the time lag that you’re already probably in your next rig, but I feel compelled to say this anyway. While I live fulltime in 19 feet and I love the idea of a truck camper for you, I’m not sold that this model is for fulltime living. I would not go with something that has a collapsible roof and a vinyl material roof. This will always be your weak point. As well, because you love cooking with your Instant Pot, your roof will take on those smells very easily. Damp areas like the Pacific Northwest will also be something that will destroy this rooftop with potential mould issues. Just ask anyone who has a pop top trailer. That being said, each option has their pros and cons no matter your price point. I wish you good luck with whatever you choose.

[mikestansberry]

Dropping and leaving a camper is a lot easier to say than it is to do. People selling them act like it’s easy, if you aren’t precise you can do damage. The flatbed would be a lot better than a slide in. Been there done that. Found I would take the Honda Civic places I wouldn’t take a 4WD F250 with a 9’ Lance with all the extra stuff they say you need. I had a lesser brand popup camper on the same truck and it would go anywhere the truck would but it still was a pain to take on and off. M

[cathieleslie]

We went with Hallmark and love it. Moved up from a camper shell and consider it luxury. We travel with 2 medium size dogs and they have their space and we have ours.

[j.patrickmoore]

The movable table is definitely a great thing. I saw the corner of the kitchen next to it and thought how much I didn't like having that side of the table as "mine" in our former trailers.

[flybyairplane]

WTR, Somehow I missed this RAM P/up which has the same unit which you own. I guess that was the shakedown trip. Before you decided., cheers 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[alliejr]

I love the 100% 12V system. Just add something like a Jackery or Anker PowerHouse to run that “one” appliance you only use occasionally.

[careaboutnature]

Interesting camper. A lot of Pros; but, still some Cons. When my husband and I were deciding whether to live on West or East Coast of Florida. We visited both coasts and priced out houses on both coasts. We used a T chart with Pros and Cons on each place. We thought for sure we were going to chose the West Coast. But, turns out the west coast had more Cons than Pros. We were surprised at how many Cons there were. We ended on the East Coast. We are glad we did the T chart; it ended up helping us significantly in making our decision.
Good luck as you make your decision on a new Camper. I loved this series of all your Camper Trials. It is with anticipation as we wait to hear what your final decision will be. Which camper home you finally chose???

[cioccbike]

That is what I’ve always wanted. No one shoe fits everyone, but that shoe fits me. I didn’t realize these can be mounted on a flatbed. Not sure I’d go that route, as I’d want to use my truck as a work truck as well to haul things in when not camping. I’d be surprised if you got one of these, as there are a lot of options for truck campers and you’ve done hardly any shopping for them. Class B RV’s appear to be your area of expertise. Doesn’t matter. The objective is to enjoy the outdoors. These vehicles are just a means to that end.