Top 3 Truck Camper Manufacturers (for All Budgets)

Are you looking for a small RV that provides lots of amenities along with camping flexibility? If so, a truck camper may be a perfect fit.

Truck campers sit in the bed of pickup trucks, making it easier to transport versus towing a travel trailer or driving a motorhome. A truck camper also gives you full use of your vehicle while at the campsite or home between RV trips.

Modern truck campers provide all of the features and amenities you find in larger recreational vehicles, including some with slide-outs to expand living space. However, not all truck camper manufacturers deliver high-quality products that are comfortable and efficient.

That’s why this guide lists the top truck camper brands for luxury-level, moderate, and small budgets, with details on their different models.

So, before deciding on the type of RV you want to purchase, take a few minutes to check out what these reputable truck camper manufacturers have to offer!

What Is a Truck Camper RV?

A truck camper, also known as a slide-in camper, is a small recreational vehicle that attaches to the bed of a pickup truck.

Some truck campers are bolted permanently to the truck bed and are stationary models.

A detachable truck camper has extendable support legs so you can drive the truck out from under it, allowing it to stand freely.

People who already own a heavy-duty truck can save money by purchasing an appropriate-weight truck camper if they want an affordable RV option.

While truck campers appear little from the outside, it’s pretty amazing the amenities you’ll find inside, such as queen beds, kitchens, bathrooms, entertainment centers, running water, and lots of storage.

With many truck camper manufacturers designing models with slide-outs and taller and longer profiles, the interior living space is even more comfortable than ever before.

The benefits of owning a truck camper include:

• Many are lower in price versus other RV types
• Less costly and time-consuming to maintain
• Easier to drive versus a motorhome or travel trailer
• Fits into even small campsites
• Compact and easier to store between camping seasons

However, a truck camper does have some drawbacks, which include:

• Taller models can be top-heavy and harder to drive under windy conditions
• Smaller space means less room for gear and guests to spread out
• Need to take extra time when attaching/detaching the unit to ensure stability

How to Know What Size and Type of Truck Camper You Need

The size of the truck camper you purchase will depend on its cargo-carrying capacity.

Also, a truck camper RV must fit within the bed of different types of trucks, but not all models will fit all trucks depending on the length of the bed and spacing between the wheel wells.

Never shop for a truck camper without first measuring your truck bed from:

• Front to back (with and without the tailgate down)
• Side to side (including the distance between the wheel wells
• The height of the bedsides and the height to the top of the cab
• Length of the cab roof (for truck campers with over-cab extensions)

With these dimensions and your truck’s load capacity, you can quickly narrow down which brands and models of truck camper will safely work with your vehicle.

The excellent news is truck camper manufacturers keep up with design changes within the pickup truck industry so that you can find a wide variety of brands, styles, and floor plans that will fit current-year models.

What Features Do the Top Truck Camper Brands Provide?

The best truck camper manufacturers bring these qualities to the table:

• Extremely durable construction and materials
• Thoughtful floor plans with excellent use of space
• Inclusion of amenities RVers appreciate
• Great stability and aerodynamics
• Excellent customer service

Truck campers need to be rock-solid to handle road travel bumps, sways, and vibrations while remaining safely attached to the truck bed.

However, while durable construction is important, it’s equally important to ensure the camper remains lightweight to lessen the burden on the truck’s components and decrease fuel expenditures.

The top truck camper brands use aluminum framing to keep the overall weight down and lessen rot or insect damage. In addition, high-quality brands use Adzel, which is sturdy, rot-free, and super lightweight.

The best truck camper manufacturers have designs that include all the necessary amenities to make camping trips more comfortable. Expect to find an indoor kitchen, bathroom, flexible sleeping capacity, large fridge, and hot water.

You can also find basement storage, an outdoor shower, awning, heating, cooling, solar power systems, and more normally only found on Class A or Class C motorhomes or larger travel trailers and fifth wheels.

To achieve more livable indoor space, many offer models with slide-outs, which changes the game when it comes to truck camper luxury.

Lastly, great truck camper brands stand behind their products by offering friendly customer service that promptly answers questions or deals with issues and multi-year warranties that give buyers peace of mind.

The 3 Best Truck Camper Manufacturers

Now that you know what a truck camper is, take time to compare these three best brands that offer the most value for high, medium, and low budgets:

Host Campers – Best Truck Camper Brand for Big Budgets

If you have an extensive RV budget, Host Campers builds luxury-level handcrafted truck campers in their Bend, Oregon, factory. The company offers a wide range of models featuring slide-outs so that you can find the perfect fit for your truck and camping style.

Host Campers stands out for building each camper to order using the best materials and technicians, enabling you to work with the team to customize your unit for a seamless finished design.

Host Campers delivers these features on all their six truck camper models:

• 8-foot-wide floors
• High-quality, modern interior design
• 100-percent aluminum frame
• One-piece TPO roof
• Vacuum-bonded construction
• Standard 3-year structural warranty

Here are the details on their truck camper models:

MAMMOTH

The four-season Host Mammoth model features three slides and a side entrance, making this camper very spacious yet easy to haul.

The interior is stunning, with high-end finishes, a full kitchen, a bathroom with a separate shower, and a standard queen-size bed in the cabover bunk.

TAHOE SB

The Host Tahoe SB is a four-season camper made for short-bed trucks and features two slide-outs and a rear entry.

The living area has everything you need, with a convertible sofa for the kids, an entertainment center, a compact kitchen, and a roomy bathroom. Adults can stretch out on the queen (with optional king) mattress in the cabover bunk.

Host Tahoe SB Truck Camper (Video)

EVEREST

The Host Everest features three slide-outs, more sleeping capacity, a U-shaped convertible dinette, and tons of standard and optional equipment that will make any length camping trip, in any season, a joy.

TAHOE LB

The Host Tahoe LB is made for long-bed trucks and features two slide-outs, a rear entry, and a super-efficient floor plan featuring a spacious kitchen area, a huge dining area, and a couch that converts to a bed for extra guests.

CASCADE

The Host Cascade features two slide-outs and a queen bed in the cabover. This model is ideal for solo or couple RVers, who want the comfort of a recliner to relax, plus a spacious L-shaped dinette for meals, work, or games.

Host Cascade Truck Camper (Video)

YUKON

The Host Yukon features a bright and roomy interior, with three slides making the most of every inch. The rear theater seating and dinette/couch with adjustable table make this the ideal truck camper for RVers who love to entertain friends while traveling.

Yukon Truck Camper (Video)

Lance Camper – Best Mid-Range Price Truck Camper Brand

Lance Camper is very well known for its truck campers, with a huge customer base that highly recommends the brand.

Lance has nine models which include these features and many more:

• Four-season insulation
• Propane generators
• Backup cameras
• One-piece molded countertops
• Custom-molded holding tanks
• Exterior wash station
• High-gloss fiberglass exteriors with one-piece front caps
• Aluminum frame and Azdel construction

The company website is helpful with what trucks are compatible with each model.

For example, if you click on the Dodge and 1/2 Ton tabs, only compatible truck campers will display, making it easy to narrow down your choices. They also have a Truck Camper Compatibility Guide to ensure the perfect match.

Here are the details on their truck camper models:

LANCE 650

The Lance 650 is deceivingly spacious for a no-slideout camper for short-bed trucks. Inside, you’ll find a queen bed, convertible U-shaped dinette, wet bath, and kitchen with microwave. Plenty of storage and an entertainment center round out the amenities.

Lance 650 Truck Camper (Video)

LANCE 825

The Lance 825 for short-beds has a spacious interior with comforts you want, like a kitchen with all the appliances, a wet bath, and a queen bed. With the option to increase sleeping capacity up to five, this model is an excellent choice for small family camping trips.

Lance 825 Truck Camper (Video)

LANCE 850

The Lance 850 ramps up the size and amenities on this model with ducted heat, a roof rack, more cabinets and storage, insulated and heated holding tanks, and much more. This model works for both short and long-bed trucks.

Lance 850 Truck Camper (Video)

LANCE 855S

The Lance 855S for short-bed trucks opens up the space with a deep slide-out holding the booth dinette that converts to sleeping quarters for extra guests. The wet bath is roomy, and the kitchen layout is very user-friendly.

Lance 855S Truck Camper (Video)

LANCE 865

The Lance 865 for short-bed trucks features a more refined interior design that includes everything you need for any length of camping trip. The kids will fight to sleep in the overhead cabinet bunk above the convertible dinette.

Lance 865 Truck Camper (Video)

LANCE 960

The Lance 960 for long-bed trucks enlarges the kitchen, adds more closet space, and swaps out the dinette for individual seating with adjustable tables. The wet bath and extra storage make this camper ideal for solo- or couple-RVers.

LANCE 975

The Lance 975 for long-bed trucks places the refrigerator and booth dinette into a deep slide to open up the rest of the interior, allowing room for a bathroom with a separate shower. The rear corner kitchen is ideal for campsite cooking.

Lance 975 Truck Camper (Video)

LANCE 1062

The Lance 1062 for long beds features two slide-outs for a bright and roomy interior. Enjoy a full bathroom in the rear of the camper, extra storage surrounding the cabover bed, and a dinette that becomes a bed for two. The floor is raised, allowing room for a huge exterior slide-out drawer for camping supplies.

LANCE 1172

The Lance 1172 is the largest long-bed model and features a side and rear slide-out for the most interior living space. This model has a couch with a table, a full bathroom, and an L-shaped kitchen across from the booth dinette. Step up to the cabover bunk to stretch out on the queen-size mattress or hang clothes behind the mirrored closet doors.

Lance 1172 Truck Camper (Video)

Capri Camper

Capri Camper gives RVers two budget-friendly truck campers for those looking for a super-well-built yet no-nonsense camping option. You can purchase a model to fit an 8′ long bed, 6.5′ short bed, and 5.5′ short bed, plus the Cowboy has an option for a mid-size truck.

Capri delivers these features on both models:

• Dedicated battery system with charger
• Heavy foam mattresses
• Fantastic Fan
• Retractable strap system built-in
• 30-amp power plug
• Dual exterior 110v outlets
• 110v outlets, 12v outlet, USB charging ports

Here are the details for each model:

Capri Camper (Video)

RETREAT

The Retreat features a cabover design for more interior space, with gorgeous wood slat walls. The unit comes with a shower only, but there’s room to add a cassette toilet in the stall for camping convenience.

COWBOY

The Capri Cowboy features a compact yet well-crafted unit that does not have a cabover. You can purchase this model to fit an 8′ long bed, 6.5′ short bed, 5.5′ short bed, or mid-size truck. The sink, stovetop burners, and other options will make this unit more comfortable but will add to the price.

Final Thoughts

I’ve found truck campers to be an affordable and flexible way to enjoy the advantages of RV camping with less stress.

Truck campers are fantastic for weekend adventures and long-distance trips because you can fit them into even the smallest campsites on and off-grid.

I hope this guide on the best truck camper manufacturers helps you pick the perfect brand and model for your outdoor escapades!