Truck topper pop-top/canopy camper

[KickinNDishin]

My husband and I are getting a 3/4 ton 6.5' bed duramax '16. We want to get a pop-top topper camper, not a slide-in, because we want to use the truck bed and don't need all the things most slide-ins have. I have seen some brands offer diesel heater (exterior unit) options and solar with big batteries. Both of those would satisfy most of what we want. This is going to turn into a long term Rokslide review. We (me and @sndmn11) are going to the Overland Expo next week to look at all the brands we've been researching.

I want to start this thread to learn what pitfalls you have experienced, what we should look for as far as construction or features that were yes/no, and any questions we should ask these manufacturers, etc. This would be our first "camper" and would open up a lot for our family upland hunting in other states, deer hunting in CO, and summer camping.

Brands that have caught our eye:
Four Wheel Campers Project M
Oru Designs Bruin XL
Lone Peak Overland
Tune M1
Others? This expo will have a lot...

Thanks!



@robby denning

 

[hoooogan]

Hiatus Campers. If you are going to the Loveland Expo, I believe they will be there. Erin (one of the owners) is an awesome person to chat with. I went from camper shell (Leer) to GFC (Go Fast Campers) to Hiatus. Hard walls pop style, a touch on the heavy side but awesome solution for wind and inclimate weather. Solved all the issues I had with the GFC.

 

[sndmn11]

Hiatus Campers. If you are going to the Loveland Expo, I believe they will be there. Erin (one of the owners) is an awesome person to chat with. I went from camper shell (Leer) to GFC (Go Fast Campers) to Hiatus. Hard walls pop style, a touch on the heavy side but awesome solution for wind and inclimate weather. Solved all the issues I had with the GFC.

View attachment 921788

They will be there as well. I assume yours is always on? How is the inside setup?

 

[butcherboy]

I’ve looked into GFC a lot. I like the hardside pop up of that Hiatus though. Another option I have really been interested in is the Jumping Jack trailers. I know you would have to pull a flatbed trailer but I think the design and being able to have an atv or SxS with you is a great option.

 

[yfarm]

AT Overland Aterra XL, available as a full flat bed or pickup bed camper or shell. Rear door can be 2 piece like a topper or camper style. Insulated w/ king bed still allows storage of atv or motorcycle.

AT Overland Equipment Aterra Truck Topper

AT Overland Equipment presents the Aterra Truck Topper.

atoverland.com

 

[elsb0048]

I got an AT Overland Summit back in February. Been happy with it so far for my purposes.

apologize in advance for the essay!

I would say you'll be well served if you can describe to yourself your 90% use case and select features that best support that.

For instance: the wedge works well for me as I do a lot of 1-night trips close to home and a lot of whitewater kayaking. The wedge allows me to leave my bed fully made up and the sleeping platform is on a second set of gas springs to push it up against the roof where many straight pop-ups require disassembling the bed platform for standing space or dropping the roof. Very fast from parking to sleeping. Also pops a a fair bit easier with 100# of kayaks on top.
On the other hand I'm making some fairly significant interior livability sacrifices as far as lounging & hangout space especially with 2 people inside.

The walls on the AT popups are slanted so the walls match the cab of the truck. I chose this somewhat intentionally because I live in WA state where many forest roads are very tight with brush, timber etc and I wanted a relatively compact profile. Again I'm sacrificing livability though compared to something like the project M that has straight vertical sides.

I picked AT overland because the walls are a honeycomb panel rather than just sheet metal and I figured any available insulation is good. No specific experience with any of the competitors to know if it makes a difference though. Have an insulated liner for the pop-up too. I got a solar panel & their propane heater (with thermostat) as well. Have probably 6 nights in the 15-25F range so far with ski hill parking lots and the like and I've been pretty happy with it.

My biggest annoyances so far are small things related to accessories:
- the roof vent fan has an LCD display with a fan speed and temprature readout that is very bright, enough that I've taped over it to get a good nights sleep
- bed platform overlaps the lights in the vent fan and LED's can overheat and melt things if it accidentally gets left on
- I wish I had had some more ambient 'string light' style lights put in during the install for overall interior brightness
- 2nd battery was a last minute decision so it's just sitting strapped in to the truck bed. In the long run I'd like to mount the battery underneath the back seat or maybe in the undercarriage somewhere and then put the control panel for it up on the camper wall so that I don't have to schlep it in and out for truck stuff.

 

[cuerro viejo]

HowerBuilt | 300lb Roof Lift Capacity | Automatic Pop-Top Camper

Featuring the highest weight lift capacity on the market, our fully-electric pop-top truck camper fleet offers precision engineering, durable construction, and hassle-free operation for everyone.

howerbuilt.com

 

[Howler65]

I've seen a Tune around town here and it looks really nice. I'd also look at Super Pacific...I see them everywhere and have heard good feedback on them.

 

[KickinNDishin]

I’ve looked into GFC a lot. I like the hardside pop up of that Hiatus though. Another option I have really been interested in is the Jumping Jack trailers. I know you would have to pull a flatbed trailer but I think the design and being able to have an atv or SxS with you is a great option.

We've looked at the jumping jack before, I didn't think it was a good fit for us.

 

[KickinNDishin]

I got an AT Overland Summit back in February. Been happy with it so far for my purposes.

apologize in advance for the essay!

I would say you'll be well served if you can describe to yourself your 90% use case and select features that best support that.

For instance: the wedge works well for me as I do a lot of 1-night trips close to home and a lot of whitewater kayaking. The wedge allows me to leave my bed fully made up and the sleeping platform is on a second set of gas springs to push it up against the roof where many straight pop-ups require disassembling the bed platform for standing space or dropping the roof. Very fast from parking to sleeping. Also pops a a fair bit easier with 100# of kayaks on top.
On the other hand I'm making some fairly significant interior livability sacrifices as far as lounging & hangout space especially with 2 people inside.

The walls on the AT popups are slanted so the walls match the cab of the truck. I chose this somewhat intentionally because I live in WA state where many forest roads are very tight with brush, timber etc and I wanted a relatively compact profile. Again I'm sacrificing livability though compared to something like the project M that has straight vertical sides.

I picked AT overland because the walls are a honeycomb panel rather than just sheet metal and I figured any available insulation is good. No specific experience with any of the competitors to know if it makes a difference though. Have an insulated liner for the pop-up too. I got a solar panel & their propane heater (with thermostat) as well. Have probably 6 nights in the 15-25F range so far with ski hill parking lots and the like and I've been pretty happy with it.

My biggest annoyances so far are small things related to accessories:
- the roof vent fan has an LCD display with a fan speed and temprature readout that is very bright, enough that I've taped over it to get a good nights sleep
- bed platform overlaps the lights in the vent fan and LED's can overheat and melt things if it accidentally gets left on
- I wish I had had some more ambient 'string light' style lights put in during the install for overall interior brightness
- 2nd battery was a last minute decision so it's just sitting strapped in to the truck bed. In the long run I'd like to mount the battery underneath the back seat or maybe in the undercarriage somewhere and then put the control panel for it up on the camper wall so that I don't have to schlep it in and out for truck stuff.

View attachment 922122

Thanks for the thorough input. I am generally a one day camper and want the flexibility to get up and go but not freeze.

 

[*zap*]

A good slide in 8s hard to beat for dispersed camping. I had one and would love to find another older unit with no dry rot.
Good luck with your search.

 

[Tahoe1305]

I’ve been looking too but more out of curiosity. Googled those hiatus models and kitted one out. A smooth $27k for a mid size….they look nice though.

I snagged a topper for my truck from Wanderfox a few weeks back. These are Chinese made, but I’m pretty impressed with mine.

They make a pop up topper with a front dormer opening that makes the space awesome. And they are only $7k or so. I was impressed personally….and they are local to Denver.

The Lair!

The WanderFox "Lair" Truck Camper - Our Newest Project! Stocked inventory for F-150 and Tacoma will be available in Golden, CO in July! (We were shooting for May, but the topper side of the business has kept us so busy we have pushed it out a little. Stop by our showroom to check out the camper...

wanderfox.com

 

[mtnbound]

My husband and I are getting a 3/4 ton 6.5' bed duramax '16. We want to get a pop-top topper camper, not a slide-in, because we want to use the truck bed and don't need all the things most slide-ins have. I have seen some brands offer diesel heater (exterior unit) options and solar with big batteries. Both of those would satisfy most of what we want. This is going to turn into a long term Rokslide review. We (me and @sndmn11) are going to the Overland Expo next week to look at all the brands we've been researching.

I want to start this thread to learn what pitfalls you have experienced, what we should look for as far as construction or features that were yes/no, and any questions we should ask these manufacturers, etc. This would be our first "camper" and would open up a lot for our family upland hunting in other states, deer hunting in CO, and summer camping.

Brands that have caught our eye:
Four Wheel Campers Project M
Oru Designs Bruin XL
Lone Peak Overland
Tune M1
Others? This expo will have a lot...

Thanks!



@robby denning

Not a pop up style but I have been looking at Moonlander x.

MOONLANDER X - Best Truck Bed Camper

Explore the outdoors in style with MoonLander X, the ultimate truck bed camper. Lightweight, aerodynamic, and versatile, it’s designed for adventure with a spacious interior, removable lofted bed panels, and unmatched functionality. Perfect for your next journey!

www.radicaproducts.com

 

[hoooogan]

They will be there as well. I assume yours is always on? How is the inside setup?

Yes, my camper stays on full time.

I have a "permanent temporary" plywood storage setup inside that holds all my crap. It's a nice step up as well. Also allows me to sleep downstairs if I needed a "stealth" option or if there was ever someone else that needed shelter. I used to sleep on a shorter version of this before I ventured into the pop-up campers.

 

[sndmn11]

Yes, my camper stays on full time.

I have a "permanent temporary" plywood storage setup inside that holds all my crap. It's a nice step up as well. Also allows me to sleep downstairs if I needed a "stealth" option or if there was ever someone else that needed shelter. I used to sleep on a shorter version of this before I ventured into the pop-up campers.

View attachment 922589

How water right is it?

 

[Legend]

Hiatus Campers. If you are going to the Loveland Expo, I believe they will be there. Erin (one of the owners) is an awesome person to chat with. I went from camper shell (Leer) to GFC (Go Fast Campers) to Hiatus. Hard walls pop style, a touch on the heavy side but awesome solution for wind and inclimate weather. Solved all the issues I had with the GFC.

View attachment 921788

How does this setup do when it comes to keeping dust out? I drive a lot of gravel roads and it seems like dust gets sucked into a topper shell.

 

[KickinNDishin]

Not a pop up style but I have been looking at Moonlander x.

MOONLANDER X - Best Truck Bed Camper

Explore the outdoors in style with MoonLander X, the ultimate truck bed camper. Lightweight, aerodynamic, and versatile, it’s designed for adventure with a spacious interior, removable lofted bed panels, and unmatched functionality. Perfect for your next journey!

www.radicaproducts.com

I have looked at these, but will. Thanks for the info.

 

[hoooogan]

How water right is it?

When it's opened or closed, I haven't had any water intrusion. They are made in the PNW, so they are not new to water tightness. Only chance is when you are opening or closing, when the panels fold. But I would only be concerned if it's storming. The paneling will only be open for maybe 10-15 seconds in that transition.

How does this setup do when it comes to keeping dust out? I drive a lot of gravel roads and it seems like dust gets sucked into a topper shell.

The topper itself is rarely ever the issue. It's just as good as any other topper. The corner where the topper, door and tailgate meet is the main weakness on any topper setup. Do your due diligence to seal the tailgate all the way to the bed rail. Hiatus also has a swing door option that would basically eliminate dust intrusion from the back end. The door frame is bolted in and sealed to the bed and camper.

If you are getting a lot of dust, it sounds like you have air gaps your are not taking care of and the draft is creating negative air pressure. On some truck beds, you can also have air gaps under the bed rail, so look around and fill those gaps. If your truck has bedrail caps on top of the steel, those are also not air tight since they just sit on top of the metal. Seal it all up.

 

[wyosteve]

We were just discussing this style camper/tent today. Can someone explain what the appeal is? To me I see no benefit over a good tent. Also, can't envision having to use a ladder to get in and out, especially if nature calls during the night. Just curious.

 

[elsb0048]

We were just discussing this style camper/tent today. Can someone explain what the appeal is? To me I see no benefit over a good tent. Also, can't envision having to use a ladder to get in and out, especially if nature calls during the night. Just curious.

Most of this style you don't need a ladder for, you climb up through the truck bed. So you get a truck camper without a bottom, the bottom is just your truck bed. Mine has about 24" of standing space between the end of the mattress and the tailgate.

For me the benefit is speed: I used to just camp in the bed of my shell under a regular topper on a cot. I was able to leave my bedding inside and just pull over on the side of the road and sleep.
The pop-up topper adds the ability to stand up inside which is a nice quality of life boost. It also is a huge benefit for organization when it's me and my girlfriend, don't need to shunt shit around to go to bed.

My particular pop-up takes about 30seconds to lift the lid on and climb in to bed.
Saves me from the faffing around of putting a tent up and taking it down, especially in wet weather.
Makes it really smooth if I'm going to leave after work, camp at a trailhead, and then hike in early in the morning. With insulation and the heater mine is also pretty hospitable in the winter: I camp in ski hill parking lots pretty often.