The truck camper is known for being one of the most versatile RVs on the market. Their ability to go just about anywhere is unmatched, and these vehicles range from a minimal pop-up to luxury cab overs with multiple slides. Truck Campers also allow you to roam without the stress of towing a trailer or managing a massive RV.

Many of these campers’ designs focus on aerodynamics, making traveling with your truck camper similar to a drive around town in your unloaded truck. If backing into tight campsites, squeezing into a parking spot, or sharing the highway with fast-moving vehicles make you uncomfortable, then a truck camper may be just what you need.

What Exactly Is a Truck Camper?

A truck camper is a camper that fits in the bed of your truck. It’s often called a slide-in camper because it slides in and out of the truck bed. You’ll secure this camper to your truck frame or bed for travel. In addition, you can often remove it while at your destination.

Like many RVs, truck bed campers can be simple with limited features or elaborate with all the comforts of home and everything in between.

Simpler versions are lightweight, pop-up styles with a solid base that transitions to an extended soft wall canvas. When fully extended, it will look somewhat like a tent and be tall enough to stand in.

On more elaborate units, you’ll find slide-outs, full dry bathrooms, and kitchens. Both styles often feature a cab-over, where the camper extends over the cab of the truck.

The Benefits of Truck Campers

A truck camper can camp almost anywhere, which is a significant benefit. It will usually add height to your truck, but only minimal length (and often none at all). It’s highly versatile and great for those that like going off the beaten path. People often use them for bridging the gap between RVing and full-blown Overlanding.

A secondary benefit is that it becomes one with your truck. There are no other tires to consider, like with a tow behind. You aren’t worried about tail swing or sway as you navigate to your destination.

The ease of parking is one benefit that many overlook. Most truck bed campers can park in standard parking spaces. So overnights at a parking lot or truck stop are simple! When making long trips across the country, it’s nice to pull into a regular parking spot. You can jump in your truck camper for a short few hours of sleep with minimal, if any, setup.

How Much Do Truck Campers Cost?

With vastly different camper styles, features, and materials come varied price points. It all comes down to the features, size, and quality build you want. A small lightweight pop-up is wildly different from a three-slide, feature-heavy unit.

You can typically snag a basic truck camper for as low as $8,000. You could pay upwards of $60,000 for a premium truck bed camper on the higher end.

Can You Put Lithium Batteries In A Truck Camper?

Absolutely! Truck campers highlight some of the most significant benefits of switching from lead-acid batteries to lithium-ion batteries in an RV. With their limited and smaller storage/battery compartment space, lithium significantly increases the energy capacity for these RVs.

Where other RVs may add on more solar panels to their roof for more silent power generation, truck campers don’t typically have this luxury. These smaller roofs max out at a couple of hundred watts of solar panel capacity. This means upgrading the energy storage in the space available is your best bet for increasing off-grid exploration.

While lead-acid batteries typically last about two years, Battle Born Batteries can easily provide the average user with over ten years of use.

Our batteries can also supply two to three times more power than a lead-acid battery. This allows you to stay off the grid longer without having to hassle with that noisy generator. You can also charge Battle Born Lithium Batteries up to five times faster than a standard lead-acid battery.

Now you can put your battery anxieties to rest and focus on your next truck camper adventure!

Be sure to check out our customer truck camper installs below by Mortons on the Move and This Is Nomadic for inspiration on upgrading your truck camper battery build!

Also, check out the Go North series on Amazon Prime to see our batteries power a truck camper all the way to Alaska and the Arctic Ocean.

Are Truck Campers Worth It?

Truck campers are worth it if they fit into your travel style. If you like going off-road and prefer to travel small, they’re ideal.

One of the most important aspects of a travel lifestyle (whether you’re a weekender or full-timer) is knowing what matters to you. If you like to “get out there and stay out there” as we do, a truck camper might be the perfect rig for you!