RU-vid Travel Geeks! Gary & Therese (and Luna) here. We like to travel and explore - and get a kick out of doing it for cheap. We've found the trips we enjoy the most don't have crowds, allow pets, and don't require paying for a campsite. These vlogs are intended to show how you can explore some cool places in the same way. This channel started with the remodel of our Travel Trailer (Linda) in April 2021, and will continue to be a vlog of outdoor recreation & traveling - on a budget and in the least touristy way.
December 2022 Update: We will begin living out of a Travel Trailer FULL TIME starting December 18th
Second time watching this video! Your channel should be so much bigger the video editing was great and hilarious at times especially that math bit lol!
Hey there, this was a great video for me as I've been going back and forth between deciding on getting a travel trailer or truck camper for my first rig. I travel with my wife and two medium sized dogs but we currently have a sedan and things get pretty cramped on a roadtrip. While we have a driveway and space for a trailer, I'm not into the idea of towing anything, having to deal with it on the highway, planning ahead for where we would park, or trying to get through some sketchy trails with a trailer. I'm very interested in picking up a truck and slide in camper on the used market but have been researching for over a year and am having trouble on deciding on a truck to buy. From my research, I believe I need to get at least a 3/4 ton (F250) or something bigger to handle the large payload of something like a Palamino or Lance camper. There's an abundance of older F250s and F350s around me but many of them are rusty with rotted frames. On top of that, I'm having trouble with researching which model years have the least problematic engines of the ones that are within my budget. I don't think you mentioned what specific truck you ended up getting but would you mind sharing which model you chose, how many miles it had on it, the type of engine, and approximately how much you ended up paying for it? Did you choose the truck first or the camper first? Did you have to modify the truck in any way to accommodate the camper - suspension upgrades, weight reduction, etc. I'm sorry I'm asking so many detailed questions, I tried looking through some of your other videos but didn't see any specifics on what I'm asking about. Thanks in advance and I hope you two are happy and well!
We bought a 2001 F150 5.4L Triton V8 for about $5000, 140k miles; 20/20 hindsight we needed a bigger truck, like a 250 or 350. We bought the truck first and camper 2nd. We quickly realized what you now know which is that most campers are too heavy for a 1/2 ton truck, this Camper was 1200lb dry and we were def overweight with gear but it held up. I upgraded the front suspension Bilstein B6 4600 , and added Torklift A7310 Stable load to the rear leaf springs. I would recommend going with a 3/4 Ton+ truck, with airbags in the rear to level, beefed up tires that can handle the weight too. It's a long arduous process picking the right truck, mods, and rig. But whatever works best for you and your situation is the right choice. Hope this helped!
I have a 21 foot tow behind. The more I use it, the more I say, "that's a lot of work"! Towing it slows me to 60mph or less because of the handling at higher speeds changes the safety. I have considered getting a truck bed camper to see if it is easier. Thanks for your video. I am not convinced yet to switch.
Great video! Just sold out pop up trailer for many of the same reasons and picking up my new lightweight truck camper made by OVRLND CAMPERS next week. Can't wait!
I loved this video - Nicely done! I've been very fortunate to visit Seguin many times over the years. It's a truly special place. I also had the great pleasure to meet "Scuba Steve" and "Christmas Carol" on a few of my visits - they've been some of my favorite caretakers on the Island. Looking forward to seeing your "Recreation" videos. Thanks.
You're giving up a lot moving to a truck camper. A bathroom alone is a big plus. The ability to easily unhook and leave the load behind anytime.you still have to store a truck camper. They are also a heavy load on a truck. Just some thoughts.😊
You're definitely right, it's always a sliding list of pros and cons. It really depends on who wants to comprise on what, and what the priorities are. For us being able to go where a tow behind cant outweighed having a bathroom. But for others, the bathroom may be a non-negotiable. The best rig is the one that works for your situation!
Hello, I am thinking and researching these popular truck campers and the trucks that haul them with no problems. I currently have a ram 1500 5.7 but from the research I might need a 3 quarter ton any thoughts. By the way nice video. Love Colorado
I agree, the research all points to a 3/4 ton or more, though our Palomino was about 1200 dry we were definitely overweight in the F150. It still worked but who knows for how long before it caused a problem. I like to be safe so our next rig might be a 250 or 350 size truck.
Eh I don’t know. I’m going full time camp life and I know for certain I’m going to get tired of the space issue alone. Tow behind tandem axle under 20ft is perfect. Fits in most camp sites, you can easily store it at most storage unit parking spots for 100 a month, and the best part, even a gas 3/4 ton can pull a decent size travel trailer, whereas your payload is massively restricted when you fully load a bed camper. You need a minimum of a 1 ton with a payload around 3500+ which is extremely expensive compared to a 3/4 ton gasser. But hey. That’s just me. I play drums in my trailer in the middle of no where. I couldn’t do that in a truck camper.
They used to force teens to work there for free from Hyde school as punishment. They would make them do horribly painful workouts and isolate them for periods of time on seguin. See Hyde School survivors
What's the fuel mileage with the truck camper? I too am considering making a switch from a trailer to a slide in pop up style camper, but really wondering about MPG's. Also, is your travel times now more consistent with GPS times or are they still like 40% longer?
Have had both got small tt leaves pick up bed avaible for generator fire wood propane tank also can go 4 wheeling without beating camper to death ps 77 DAV been RV camping for 55 years 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🪖
You didn’t mention the bathroom situation. That truck campers like the one you guys have does t have a toilet or shower. You have to have have an outside shower and a cassette toilet. Unlike your travel trailer has a toilet shower combo.
That's not that big a deal. Adding an outdoor shower is pretty easy. And as one experienced camper traveler has stated, there are bathrooms everywhere. Even primitive campsites have pit toilets and you can always bring along a portable unit for really dire situations (or a shovel).
Hello Gary, Therese and Luna! Beautiful campsite! We will be hitting the road soon in our pop-up truck camper for fulltime exploring! Can't wait to explore Utah! We really enjoy checking out fellow RU-vidrs... Really enjoyed the adventure - looking forward to more! 💙Terry and Terri
Very nice job. I recommend to put rubber washers against the wall of the truck camper to avoid moisture getting inside. You will be surprise how water can get into any little opening, This is from my own experience.
I had that EXACT same trailer. 84’ Komfort Lite 15. Paid $1500 for it in 1994. First RV my wife and I owned. Still kinda regret selling it. We went from that to a 20’ to a 25’. I still have the 25’. Looking at living out of it soon I hope. Still looking for a pc of property. I actually still have the frames for both 20’ footers and am wanting to make a box trailer out of one, and a custom cabin-like trailer for extended or out of state deer hunts. I bought a “cowboy camper” for the back of my 83’ F350. I’m redoing that. It’ll be what I take for my coastal trip to try it out. I like both. I’m a contractor so I’m use to towing a trailer. From about a year before we bought the Komfort Lite we always lived in houses so we always had a drive way to park trailers. But the best thing about a camper is the ability to just shut the door and go, no hooking up. I use to tow our Komfort with my 86’ Toyota 4x4 (22R, standard tranny) with its shell. I liked being able to set up camp and drive all over, and if I ran out of time I always had my trail pack loaded in the back. I could just set up and sleep wherever I stopped. Anyway, enough rambling…..I like so many things about both. Great vid. Thank you.
I am also considering purchasing an RV for me and my husband to travel in as I do travel nursing contracts across the country. If you rent out a place for the contract like an apartment or airbnb, do you just keep the truck camper on all the time? I am wondering if we will have any issues or get in trouble for having the truck camper in the back while we are staying in a city or parked on the street. Also, with a truck camper, can you "park" it at an RV park to stay out of and still have your truck seperate?
Hey @alexiswhetstone8681 so we do keep the camper on at all times but we've never had an issue doing that from a legal standpoint parking on the street. Some place have rules about staying in the camper while parked on the street.. that's another discussion. Additionally I am almost 100% sure you can stay in your truck camper at an RV park, as far as they are concerned you are just renting a space, as long as it's suited to your size and hook ups you should be set! Def call ahead and speak with the park if you have a concern though, they will be the best resource.
Owning vehicles California "blows sand." There are no good options to owning RV's when being in a apartment in a big city in California. That is why I moved to Arizona. You get the most "bang for the buck" (cost per square foot) with old trailers.
