Story and photos by Howard J Elmer

Truck campers occupy a special niche within the RVing family. Their very design exists because of the pickup truck; and that’s the first thing you need if you want one.

So while the “why” of a truck camper is obvious to those looking for one, its other attributes require a bit more discussion. This thought (for me) arises because of the size and weight restrictions inherent in these piggyback RVs. Frankly, for the money, a comparable travel trailer will give you way more space and floorplan options; but then, if you have or/are considering a truck camper, you’ve already thought of the unique features that this type of unit offers. For everyone else, here they are:

1. Rough country access. Your truck has 4WD and rugged tires; it also has good ground clearance and a suspension that is built for off-road travel. So, if your truck can get in there – well then so can your truck camper.
2. The right truck camper does not impede your ability to tow a trailer. This is one of the reasons that these campers are popular with the horsey crowd – as they tow their animals to places and events where having accommodation on site is a definite benefit.
3. With the right lift kit, the truck camper takes just a few minutes more to unload than the time required to uncouple a trailer.
4. Like a trailer or fifth-wheel, when you trade in your truck you don’t have to change up your camper – it continues to serve regardless of what new pickup hauls it.

The unit I went out to test is built by Palomino, which is now part of the Forest River Company. They have been building a variety of RVs for 50 years – 2018 being the anniversary of that milestone. As for truck campers, they have been in that market for at least the past 30 years, building a variety of units that will fit anything from a mid-size Chevy Colorado up to a Ram 3500 HD. With a wide range of models and floorplans, they have something to suit most every truck and the experience to make it work.

For my purposes I decided to test a design, the 1802, which is built to fit a 1500-series. Or as we old guys like to say – a half-ton. The truck I chose to put under this camper is the 2018 Ford F-150 with a 6.5-ft bed. It’s a SuperCrew cab and is powered by the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine, ten-speed transmission and two-speed 4WD.

So let’s deal with the obvious first. Space in a truck camper is always going to be at a premium. To maximize it, weight has to be kept down. In the case of this Palomino, it uses its nose to boldly announce how it does that – Real-Lite. A brand name and a message.

The 1802 has a fully aluminum welded frame covered by laminated walls and a Super Flex membrane roof. It also uses frameless windows to save weight. Meanwhile, inside, the design is functional and clean – as is the floorplan. The galley is the focal point on the left. The counter shares space with the built-in two burner stove and the sink (with cover) and the high-neck faucet. The six-cubic-foot refrigerator is built into the adjacent cabinet. Cupboards (open and closed) and closets take up all the space above, below and beside the galley. You could easily reach anything you needed while standing at this counter – handy and organized.

Opposite is the dining/sitting area. It’s an L-shaped couch of sorts. The table is easily removed from the fixed floor position when not in use, or lowered to make up the second bed in the camper. This space also has cupboards built-in above the window. With windows on either side, the interior is nice and bright.

Interestingly, none of these fixtures cramps the interior. I attribute this impression to a domed ceiling and good headroom in the unit (6 ft. 6 in. clear). Even the roof-mounted air conditioner doesn’t intrude into the headspace very much. The bunk in this camper is accessed by stepping up onto a wide carpeted step that would be easy to find, even in the dark – whether going up or down.

The toilet is behind a hard door in the right hand rear corner. It’s surprisingly roomy. In fact, the 1802 provides space for everything you’ll need and in a layout that does not feel cramped. The only obvious omission is the shower (in this unit). Its outside, behind a utility door.

One of the features on my tester was a powered four-post lift system. So, while truck campers don’t come off that often, I really liked how easy it was to use this powered one. It came with a remote control that lifted at once or let you actuate each leg individually. As opposed to hand cranking, I’d recommend it.

I mentioned, earlier in the story, that one of the advantages of a truck camper is rough-country access. For this, 4WD is a must. However I want to point out that this truck, in addition to the normal two-speed transfer case, also had an electronically locking rear differential. The day of my test, the ground was very wet and muddy and as the weight of the camper settled on its back, the truck sank, alarmingly. However being able to lock both the rear wheels while in 4WD HI really made a difference, traction-wise. Just a thought if you’re mulling over ticking that box on the order form, regardless of the brand.

As most truck owners know, pickups come with a variety of cabs, wheelbases and cargo bed lengths. I mention this because with truck campers, what truck you have really makes a big difference in what you can buy.

So, to start with, if you already own a pickup, you need to know two things. One – The cargo bed length (with tailgate up). Two – The registered payload. This weight is found on a sticker on the inside of the driver’s door jamb. Note: payload is the weight of everything supported by the truck. That includes people and cargo – not just what’s in the bed.

Beware the manufacturing advertising hype that starts with *Maximum Payload is… *  Very few trucks, of any brand, can carry Max Payload. Why? Because Max Payload is always found on the lightest (curb weight) version of a truck model. So, a two-door, regular cab, 2WD will always carry the most weight. But stats show that less than 5 percent of buyers would choose a truck like this.

If you have (or are looking to buy) a Crew Cab 4WD truck, the extra weight of that steel and added components is subtracted from the Max Payload figure – and that can be as much as 600-800 pounds. Always check the doorjamb – it tells the truth.

As for towed weight – the camper doesn’t really impact the tow limit of the truck. With only one caution. The tongue weight of your trailer (around 10 percent of the trailer weight) is transferred to the truck and as such should be factored in to the payload total.

One last note. Some truck campers, depending on size and design, require the tailgate to be removed. Not so with this Palomino; it utilizes the length of the tailgate as part of its support platform. Past that, I realized as I was walking around it, the integrated step that Ford offers in the tailgate can still be pulled out and makes for an excellent step up into the unit.  This of course wasn’t a design intention – just a happy accident. Good to know if you happen to own one of Henry’s trucks with this feature.

 

Specifications:

Total Exterior Length:                     15’4”

Total Exterior Width:                       7’

Floor Length:                                    9’

Exterior Height w/ladder:               7’7”

Interior Height:                                 6’6”

Fresh Water:                                      31 gal

Black Water:                                     4 gal

Grey Water:                                       N/A

Cab-over Bed Size:                          60×74-in.

LPGas                                                 20 lb

Dinette Bed Size:                             40×73-in.

Center of Gravity:                            38 in.

Camper weight:                                776 kg (1,710 lb)

MSRP $30,357.00 as tested.

Test unit supplied courtesy of Camp-Out RV, Stratford, ON