cab truck with a Four Wheel camper. The Subaru was great, but eventually you kinda want a bed. I was spending 50 to 80 nights a year in my car and was doing this in every season as well as needed off road capabilities for those long approach desert rock climbs. I had a look around for what the best options were, Sprinters, Sportsmobiles and truck campers and came to the conclusion that 4 wheel drive is a must and it had to be an everyday driver.
What fit the bill, the Four Wheel camper on a Double Cab, Long Bed Toyota Tacoma. The camper weighs in at just over 500 lbs and with an extra leaf spring the truck stays pretty level even with another 500 lbs of gear. You can sleep incognito in the Walmart parking lot with the roof down or pop it up for a fairly luxurious night by mountain guide standards.
On the interior I went with a fairly stripped down model due to the conditions that I would be using the camper in. The furnace was the main add and coupled with the thermal package which really helps on cold nights. I have slept in -30ºF and stayed plenty warm. The thermal package also helps the camper stay more cool in the daytime.
When carrying bikes the Yakima Swingdaddy 4 is the way to go. It swings out to allow access to the camper and carries your bike and a few buddies bikes.
The off road performance has been fairly exceptional. The camper hangs on and I have only had a few problems with brackets breaking when I take something a little fast. These are easily replaced and I just keep a few on hand.
The Tacoma is pretty comfortable for drives across the country. The double cab makes it easy for 4 to be transported and plenty of room for extra luggage for 2 or less. I have an Ipad mounted right above the gear shift for easy access to music, navigation and those mountain weather reports.
Life on the road can be pretty fun, and a nice rig makes it all the better!
