Big Red is getting older, and one option would be eventually to replace him with another truck for camping. That’s a lot of money, but at some point if I want a truck-camper rig I’ll have to do it. I am not 100 percent set on this — I might go carless for a few years or choose an efficient hybrid touring car — but I have options.

Build My Rig Around a 3/4 ton truck

I think if I were to build another camper rig, I would go with a 3/4 ton truck. The driveline and particularly the suspension components are more durable and better designed for rough roads and have higher clearance than stock trucks. I would have a 4×4 drive, preferably with a manual engage transfer case.

Regular Cab, Long Bed

I thought I would like having an extended cab as I would have back seat for gear and better balance. But I actually don’t like the extended cab as it means more moving gear from the bed to up front and vise versa. I’d rather have more room in the bed for sleeping and storing gear, the back seat in my extended cab only occasionally gets used for passengers, and it’s not that comfortable to boot.

Diesel

I would consider a diesel truck for better performance when loaded down with gear and for the benefit of the diesel engine brake going down those long hills when I travel. Diesel is a more expensive fuel, and diesels require more maintenance, but they tend to maintain their fuel economy even when loaded down. Diesel engines tend to last many more miles and have option of burning biodiesel to further reduce emissions or even adapted to burn fryer oil. A manual transmission would be nice, but they are almost impossible to get, even on a diesel work-truck.

Work Truck

My current truck has the Silverado LT All-American Package which is fine but fancier then I would like. I don’t like carpets or carpeted seats that my current truck has as they get muddy and are hard to clean. Other things, like the temperature control that involves setting a degree temperature is kind of silly and requires more fiddling then neccessary, as are the heated mirrors. And I’d rather have vinyl seats and vinyl floor covering. Air conditioning is nice but not essential, but most trucks have that now. One thing I would pay to option out would be cruise control — I use that non-stop when I’m driving both at low and high-speed driving, to avoid speeding tickets. I don’t think I could survive 30 MPH zones these days without cruise control.

Stay with a Raised Truck Cap with Yakima Racks

I like the Yakima tracks and kayak rack. With the “A” base plates, it also is an easy and secure way to mount solar panels. A long bed would provide enough room to mount two 100-watt solar panels on the roof, doubling the solar input. To make the truck better balanced, in the front of the bed — or maybe along the side rails in front of the wheel wells, I would mount two Group 27 deep cycle batteries, providing additional energy for camp loads. All of the control circuitry – relays, solar controller, inverter, would be mounted in the bed. Not crazy about the quality of ARE caps but I do like their Outdoorsman-side opening windows like my current cap.

Just a camper shell, not a camper

While they do make very fancy campers that people put on their trucks, I am quite happy with an ordinary camper shell, fiberglass or maybe aluminum. The nice thing about a camper shell is they are easy to clean out, and I don’t want fancy bedding or a full kitchen inside the cramped quarters. If I’m out to camp, I’d rather spend the bulk of my time outside — even when it’s cold and rainy, there are still tarps to hang out under, and my propane heater to warm my hands.