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During our search for the next adventure vehicle, one option that was recommended to us over and over again were flatbed truck campers.
Unlike the Class A, Class B and small Class C motorhomes we’ve lived out of, a lightweight flatbed truck camper is a very different type of recreational vehicle.
For us, the benefits of flatbed truck campers are:
- Small and nimble like a Class B RV
- Go anywhere the truck can go (especially with 4wd)
- Can be less expensive (buy a used truck and a used camper)
- Replace just the camper or just the truck
- Many options and modifications
We ended up buying a pop-up flatbed truck camper, but as you’ll discover below, there are quite a few options to choose from and the list of flatbed truck campers continues to grow.
List of Flatbed Truck Camper Manufacturers
Alaskan Campers
Based in Winlock, Washington. Alaskan Campers designed its first truck camper in the 1950s to travel the Alcan Highway. Now the company manufacturers telescopic campers that slide into most truck beds. You can also work with them on a custom truck camper for a flatbed. This 8.5 foot side entry flatbed Alaskan Campers is on the GMC 3500 4×4.
Website: http://alaskancampers.com
All Terrain Campers
Based in Sacramento, California. All Terrain Campers builds pop-up truck campers with an aluminum frame. There are several models you can choose from depending on the size of your truck or work with them on a custom build.
Website: https://www.allterraincampers.com
AT Overland
Based in Prescott, Arizona. AT Overland recently introduced the Aterra XL Flatbed Camper that will be available starting May 2021. According to their website this lightweight flatbed camper uses a “reinforced thermoplastic honeycomb composite camper design.”
Website: https://atoverland.com/pages/aterra-xl-flatbed-camper
Bahn Camper Works
Based in Hood River, Oregon. Bahn Camper Works builds 100% custom truck campers with shells made with resin-infused fiberglass. These lightweight campers are available for long, short and flatbed trucks.
Website: https://www.bahncamperworks.com
Bison Overland Campers
Based in Okalahoma. Bison Overland Campers makes all aluminum flatbed pop-up campers. According to their website, the 2020 introductory pricing for a shell camper is $20,000.
Website: https://www.bisonoverlandcampers.com/
Bimobil Husky Pick Up Campers
Based in Oberpframmern, Germany. Bimobil builds pick up truck campers and small Class C RVs on a few different chassis. There are three Husky pick up campers models with the Husky 230 built on the Ford Ranger double cab and Toyota Hilux double cab.
Website: https://www.bimobil.com
BunduTecUSA Truck Campers
Based in Iowa. Rory started the company in 2013 after retiring as president of Northstar Campers. BunduTecUSA makes a wide selection of pop top and hard wall truck campers including a custom Bunducamp flatbed truck camper.
Website: https://bundutecusa.com/
Cache Camper Manufacturing
Based in Palmer, Alaska. Cache Camper builds custom campers in addition to selling parts and providing repair services. Most of the photos on their website show custom slide in truck campers, but the company can and will work with customers on a custom flatbed truck camper.
Website: https://www.cachecamper.com
EarthCruiser Overland Vehicles
Based in Bend, Oregon. EarthCruiser makes expedition vehicles for avid outdoor enthusiasts. The company’s latest model is the Terranova, a pop-top flatbed truck camper that can be built on a Ford F350, Ram 3500 or Silverado 3500.
The EXD model was built for a one-ton American truck that can be integrated into the chassis or mounted to a flatbed. We had a chance to tour the EarthCruiser EXD on the Ford chassis and you can watch the video tour below.
The EarthCruiser GZL is a light-weight truck camper made to go in the bed of a truck. While it was not built for a flatbed, customers have the option to build boxes around it for additional storage.
Website: https://earthcruiser.com
Four Wheel Campers
Based in Woodland, California. Four Wheel Campers manufactures lightweight pop-up truck campers that are very popular with the overland community. The Granby, Hawk and Fleet models are available as a flatbed truck camper option. Read about our Four Wheel Camper Hawk Flatbed.
Website: https://fourwheelcampers.com
Hallmark RV
Based in Fort Lupton, Colorado. Hallmark RV currently manufactures pop-up truck campers constructed of pre-formed composite fiberglass. The flatbed models are available in two lengths: 6.5′ and 8.5′.
Website: http://www.hallmarkrv.com/
Nimbl Vehicles
Based in Colfax, California. Be Change LLC purchased XP Camper in 2019 and launched Nimbl Vehicles in 2020. Their first production lightweight truck camper is built on the latest gas version of our Ford F350 Super Duty 4×4. Based on the specs provided by the manufacturer, the transport heigh is 8’9″ with 35″ tires and a 2.5″ lift.
Website: https://nimblvehicles.com/
Overland Explorer Vehicles
Based in Red Deer, AB, Canada. Overland Explorer Vehicles or OEV is a division of LITE Industries. The companies makes composite cabins that can be mounted on a truck chassis. The Camp-HBE 6.75′ is their pop-up truck camper flatbed model designed for the Aluma Tray with a 8′ kick out.
Website: https://overlandex.com
Phoenix Pop-Up Campers
Based in Commerce City, Colorado. Phoenix Pop-Up Campers launched in the 1980s after the family sold the name Four Wheel Campers. Now they manufacturer custom pop-up truck campers with a welded aluminum cage frame. Their flatbed truck camper option can be found under chassis mounted.
Website: http://phoenixpopup.com
Rossmonster Overland
Based in Longmont, Colorado. Rossmonster Overland manufacturers The Baja with a starting base price of $175,000. According to their website, the truck camper is “currently available on F150, F250, Ram 2500 and Chevy or GMC 2500 truck models (2019 or newer) with 6.5 ft beds.” The idea of The Baja is to be a lighter and more compact expedition truck camper that can go where other vehicles can’t.
Website: https://www.rossmonsteroverland.com
Tommy Campers
Based in Australia with an office Elizabeth, Colorado. This father and son duo aim to “build the fastest and easiest slide on camper available” to fit any size UTE tray.
Website: https://www.tommycampers.com.au/
TruckHouse BCT
Based in Sparks, Nevada. TruckHouse was founded in 2019 with the goal to “make the dream of living a go-anywhere, do-anything lifestyle possible.” The BCT is a mid-sized expedition vehicle built on the Toyota Tacoma platform with a starting price of $325,000.
Website: https://www.truckhouse.co/
New and Innovative Truck Bed Campers
While these campers are not (yet) designed for a flatbed, they are worth checking out.
Hiatus Campers
Based in Issaquah, Washington. Erin and Tyler of Hiatus Campers have designed a hard-sided pop-up camper that is lightweight and customizable.
Website: https://www.hiatuscampers.com
Kimbo Campers
Based in Bellingham, Washington. Mark King is manufacturing aluminum shell truck campers designed for mid and full-size trucks with a short bed.
Website: https://www.kimboliving.com
Scout Campers
Based in Yakima, Washington. Scout Campers is part of Adventurer Manufacturing. This truck camper manufacturer is building “simplistic, lightweight, and versatile truck campers that allow people to travel more freely and self-sufficiently off-the-grid.”
Website: https://www.scoutcampers.com/
Slide-In or Flatbed Truck Camper?
Many people have asked us about the pros and cons of a lightweight flatbed truck camper vs a slide-in truck camper. In this video, we share our thoughts and compare the two types of lightweight truck campers.
I want a Pop Up Campershell for a Dodge 8ft bed that I can mount onto toolboxes on each side.( no bottom needed) and I’m not looking for a selfcontained model,aluminum frame that is considered a light weight Camper.
Just curious, if money were no object would you have gone with the Sportsmobile?
Hi,
We’re stuck between a truck camper and a van. We’ve done a lot of tent camping, pop up trailer and small travel trailer camping. We live in the SE where it’s hot and humid a big part of the year. There doesn’t seem to be many AC options in a pop-up truck camper and we worry about the heat and constant humidity when camping and when stored. You’ve done both, how do you get by without AC?
Thanks, enjoying your content.
Hey Brandon, we tend to follow the weather and try to avoid extremes of hot or cold. If/when we do end up somewhere it’s super hot, we might get an AirBNB and take a few days off from the camper to enjoy the A/C. Four Wheel Campers does offer an A/C option on a few of their slide in campers and some of the other manufacturers do as well.
Need to know: if you have had any experience with
the Alaskan truck camper (hard-sided), please
give your opinion. Am very interested, but would
like to have some input from a non-salesperson!
Thank you
Hey Ann, we have not have any experience with that brand. Have you checked out some of the different Alaskan Camper owners forums?
Been over to see the Dynamo, absolutely wow, they’re taking a long time to build, but the innovation and quality are amazing. One look at the wiring they have going in and you see the difference, it’s all yacht materials and installation. Their flatbed is incredible, they built the bed for the F350 as well.
I like how flatbeds are small and nimble. I want one for the long hauling trip I am doing next month. It’d be nice to find a used one for now but a new one could make the haul a lot easier.
My wife & I looking for side door flatbed camper. we went to factory for four wheel campers this week & can buy want we would like for $40k. Looking for a nice used one up to $20K. Anyone know of anything? We tow horses so have trailer for extra “stuff” so we are pretty flexible on what we can find. Just needs to be “nice” & side entry for flatbed. thanks
Hi, We’re just getting started, but check out what we do on Facebook- Dynamo TCX Truck Campers. All riveted aircraft aluminum construction, and our goals are to be the lightest in weight, and most durable campers built. Flatbed campers under 1500 pounds, and the goal for endurance is to have them last 100 years from the wood and steel free aerospace technology we build with. 4 units in process right now- one is an 8′ X 10′ flatbed on spec!
Absolutely love that you have moved from the behemoth RV that you guys started out in to the flatbed off-road capable rig. Much better! The original rig more suitable to 70 somethings who sold the house and spend the winter in FL. Also impressed you are still on the road full time. Keep on truckin’ and stay safe!
Hey Cathy, the Class A RV worked for us at the time especially RVing with two large dogs. Our needs have certainly changed and one of the reasons we have switched campers a few times. You stay safe as well!
Hello Joe. I didn’t see this yet on your site or mentioned in the videos I’ve watched, but where did you get the flatbed work done? If I have a non-flatbed truck that needs the conversion, where do I go? Thanks! Ryan
Hey Ryan – we got our flatbed through Four Wheel Campers and they did the install when they installed the camper. They are a distributer for Norweld (the flatbed we got is the 7′ Weekender Deluxe) but I don’t know if you can just purchase a flatbed from there. That said, when we first started looking, we found utility trailer dealerships that sell and install flatbeds so you may want to give a few a call.
For heat, what are your thoughts on an Espar heater?
We’ve used them and prefer the Truma or a simple propane furnace. While we like the fact that the Espar runs directly off the tank of the vehicle, we’ve had issues with them at elevation and they tend to be quite loud in comparison.
For conserving propane, I’ve seen a couple of videos where people prefer the Olympian Wave 3 “indoor safe” portable propane heater to the Buddy or Little Buddy propane heaters. I would guess in a class B, the Wave 3 has an advantage because it can be set as low as 1600 BTU. Although, one guy got a defective one and it set off his propane alarm.
Thanks
Think about using only one fuel source. Our truck runs on diesel and the air/water heater and cooktop in the camper are all Webasto diesel fired units. Having to stop for diesel and then looking for a propane source is a PITA. Our life is very simple now.