Pop-up Campers Vs. Truck Campers
Not all RVs are the size of a Class A motorhome. Depending on your needs and your preferred style of camping, you might not need all that space, let alone want to pay the substantial price tag. For small families, couples, and individuals, pop-up campers and truck campers might be the best option for a new RV. But how do you decide between the two? We created this short guide to help outline the differences between these two types of camper to offer you some perspective on which one might be best for your family. If you want to see some models for yourself, stop by The Outpost RV located in Middlebury, Indiana. We proudly serve the areas of Goshen, Elkhart, South Bend, and Fort Wayne.
Truck Campers
Truck campers sit in the bed of a truck and often feature a platform that extends over the cab of the truck that may be used as a sleeping platform. You can either leave them in the bed of your truck while camping or park them on the ground and use your truck separately.
Easy to Drive
One of the main benefits of a truck camper is that they’re easy to drive with. With a travel trailer or fifth wheel, the added length and the joint makes cornering complex and reversing extremely difficult. A truck camper might increase the height of your truck by a few inches or a few feet. But since you’ll still be shorter than many big rig trucks, you won’t have to worry much about height. The added weight will make a noticeable difference in power and braking while you drive, but it won’t necessarily make driving more dangerous.
Comfortable
Truck campers are quite cozy because their unique lay out puts all of your needs in one area. Everything from sleeping to cooking to lounging can be done in a small amount of space. This makes truck campers a romantic option for couples. It’s sort of like being in a tent, but with a more comfortable bed, more insulation, and better protection from the elements.
Options
Truck campers come in a multitude of styles and with many different features. Some truck campers features slide outs to add more space for a dining area or water closet. Others feature a full kitchen with a cooktop and refrigerator. Many feature a furnace and air conditioning, giving truck campers excellent climate controllability. The sky’s the limit for options with truck campers.
Pop-up Campers
Pop-up campers represent the smallest end of the travel trailer spectrum. They can range from one bed to three or four beds, depending on the configuration. Their expanding size makes them great for small families, but their soft walls reduce some of their insulating abilities.
Price
Pop-up campers are generally the most affordable campers you will find on the market. Even fully equipped models often come at a fraction of the price of most truck campers. Despite having larger floor plans and axles for driving, they are almost always cheaper than truck campers.
More Room
Many pop-up campers have larger floor plans than their truck camper counterparts. They also feature slide out beds, which add quite a bit of usable space. More room can mean more features. A full kitchen, dinette, dry bathroom, and other features are common for pop-up campers.
Tow & Go
While pop-up campers still must be towed, they’re easy to hook up and their light weight and low profile makes them much easier to tow than larger travel trailer models. Many pop-up campers can be linked to their tow vehicles in a matter of minutes. Then, at camp, it’s easy enough to unhook from the tow vehicle, giving you an unencumbered tow vehicle to use at your leisure.
Hopefully this guide gave you a few ideas about which type of RV might be right for you. Whether you’re interested in the luxurious features of a truck camper or the excellent value of a pop-up camper, the team here at The Outpost RV can help you find the right model. We also help you maintain your investment throughout its life through our excellent parts and service center. Located in Middlebury, Indiana, we proudly serve Goshen, Elkhart, South Bend, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.