From the Driver's Seat: Ready for Anything, Anywhere
Updated: Aug 29
We did the research and the Supertramp Flagship LT mounted onto a GMC 3500HD was the end result.
We picked up the GMC in October. We wanted to have it for a few months before we headed out. This would allow us to become familiar with the changes GM made and to make sure everything was working properly while still near the dealership. The camper will be finished in December. Supertramp Campers (STC) are headquartered and built in Golden, Colorado.
We reached Golden, Colorado a day prior to our pickup appointment. The next morning the great crew at STC did their thing! They installed their proprietary mounting hardware to the frame of our truck. During this time we were given a tour of their factory. They build every component of the shell, and sew the insulation and fabric in house. With reference to outsourced components, like the Truma heating system and Fantastic Fans, STC chooses the highest quality available. The tour was both informative and very impressive. The co-owner of the company kindly brought us to downtown Golden so we could grab a coffee and see a few sights while the STC team finished the installation.
Upon our return, we did a walk-through to get familiar with components and features. They then pulled our GMC/STC combination out of the bay. It was a great moment. The next day we transferred our belongings, which were brought to Colorado in the bed of our truck and stored in our hotel room. This was quite a bit more time consuming than expected. Items needed on a daily basis received priority storage over items we would need in the future.
The next day we headed out for our first night in our new home. We didn't travel far due to the time, but found a nice spot in a State Park outside of Denver. Everything is new to us at this point, and we were far from having any kind of routine for setting up for the night. I was surprised the next morning when I realized that it was quite cold in the camper, even though it only dipped into the upper 30s. I was very concerned as we were planning on much colder nights on a regular basis. After double checking that we set the thermostat correctly and trouble shooting multiple ideas, we found the problem. I never opened the heat vents! Not one! It cannot heat without airflow. To be honest, I felt foolish. I must note that we have never been cold in the STC since, and have been in temperatures as low as -15 degrees.
With the STC loaded down, our GMC handled it perfectly. There was no noticeable reduction in the rear suspension travel or height. Wind resistance was minimal and fuel mileage, suprisingly, was only marginally lower. After calculating the fuel mileage with the camper installed, the fuel mileage was only reduced by 1-2 mile per gallon (on a calm day).
If you encountered a stiff head wind, it could be reduced by 4 miles per gallon. I expected to have more of a reduction in fuel mileage, so I was very pleased.
When we received our first dispatch to transport a travel trailer to Ashland, Virginia, I had concerns that fuel mileage would suffer greatly. I was again pleasantly surprised when I did my calculations. With the STC mounted on the truck and the travel trailer attached, my fuel mileage was reduced by 2-3 miles per gallon or 4-5 miles per gallon when traveling in the West Virginia mountains. Again, I was surprised by my findings and, quite frankly, impressed with the truck's performance.
Another concern was how the travel trailer would "behave" behind the GMC/STC combination, both on calm and windy days. Much to my surprise, the travel trailer seemed to tow better! My thoughts are that the combination GMC/STC creates a slip stream for the travel trailer, both on calm and moderately windy days.
Both the GMC and the STC have impressed. I feel this is the perfect combination for what we need. My concerns and reservations about the equipment we chose for our new chapter have been put to rest. We are ready for anything, anywhere!
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