From the Driver's Seat: Picking the Right Truck Camper
After months of deliberation the truck camper we chose for our journey was the Supertramp Flagship LT.
The main reasons were as follows:
Weight - In my occupation of delivering travel trailers I had to keep the truck and camper combination weight as low as possible, so it wouldn't limit me on the weight/size of travel trailer I could tow.
Wind Resistance - Since we were planning on traveling to and/or through every state, wind can play a huge factor. Since the Supertramp Camper ("STC") is a pop-up, wind resistance is greatly reduced and fuel mileage increases.
Mounting to Truck - STC offers a proprietary mounting system which attaches directly to the frame of the truck. It is a heavy duty system designed for off-road applications.
Quality - This will be our one and only home for years to come. The fit and finish are top notch. STC constructs their campers with an insulated composite shell much like a boat. This keeps weight down and condensation in check.
Livability - STC designs their campers like no others. There is plenty of space for two adults to be very comfortable, spending days (and nights) at a time in the camper. The bathroom/shower work as intended, as does the stove and refrigerator. The two included propane tanks work perfectly for us. When you run out of propane in one tank, you switch to the other. By refilling thereafter, you never run out of propane.
Other Considerations / Options - When we purchased the camper, one battery came standard and you could install up to four batteries. We chose two. Like I mentioned earlier, weight was the deciding factor. The solar panels recharge our batteries in approximately 4-5 hours on sunny days. If it is raining or snowing, we can hold out for three days without charging. If we are driving, the truck will charge the batteries within a few hours. If we are plugged in, they stay fully charged. STC also offers a few options which we chose not to install. First is an air conditioner. We prefer to disburse camp as much as possible and wanted two fans to circulate the air. Again, weight was a consideration. Another option is a 360 degree awning. It is a very nice setup, but it does mount on the side of the camper, which makes the camper 6 inches wider. This would have made our camper too close for being over-width in certain states when hauling commercially.
As of this post, our STC has exceeded our expectations. The quality is top notch. All systems and accessories have performed. STC staff have always been available to answer questions or give advice when needed.
We have experienced all types of weather from -15 degrees (Feels Like Temperature of -25!) to 104 degrees. The STC has held up to it's expectations. Winds that have exceeded 60 mph (thanks Kansas!) had the unit rocking! But STC was unscathed. The STC Flagship LT is not the least expensive camper on the market, but I believe we made the right choice. It was worth every penny!
Feel free to leave questions or comments.
Stay tuned for next week's post: Picking the Right Truck.
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