Good place to start. Do a lot of reading on the Internet. There are several truck camper websites: Truck Camper Adventure, Wander the West, and the truck camper forum on RV Net are several of the many. To search for used the fastest way to cover all of Craigslist is to use SearchTempest.com. Just search for truck camper under recreation vehicles and you can search by state and or within so many miles of your zip.

We kept our fifth wheel, but use our truck camper more often for both to get off the beaten track, but also to head West for a couple months each year. We are in Northeast TN.

 

 

Im paddling the same waters, Handy. Have me a TH but now that the quads are gone, i hate to think about lugging it around anymore. Got a 10 day venture to mammoth in 2wks and with both my family and bro's family jumping ship(just me and bro now), wish i had a TC. Thinking of tenting it so i dont have to tow...really dign TC's though. Problem is, ive made some good coin on renting the TH, so to give that up would bite a big one

 

I've always had a TC, for like 35 years now, even when we had the 5er's and the Moho. It's hard to beat the versatility of them. We completely rebuilt our S&S in 2011 and are planning on some new mods to make it better for us. We did 3,700 miles and 5 weeks in it one summer, as long as you can use the outdoors its great, but in bad weather it kinda sucks and isn't very comfy for long periods indoors. I think we will get a small 5er again for longer trips now, but we will ALWAYS have a TC.

 

Another that went from a large toy hauler to a truck camper.
we got a HUGE triple slide Eagle Cap 1200. Other than the weight its awesome. Had two kids and two adults and never felt crowded. Even loaded up for two+ weeks on the road- two 7yo boys can pack a lot of toys!
we did Bryce and grand canyon puls a lot more over two weeks last month.
never had a reservation, only once did we have a problem finding a place, two places wher full and the third only had a couple small sites. and even then it wasn't a big deal because we e could fit anywhere.
this was staying in a campground every night.
Did the same last year going to Yellowstone.
could spend extra days anywhere we wanted, or skip a location (110 degrees is too hot for me) without worries of paying for a site we didn't get too.
with a TC the chances of finding a spot at a state campground is high.
We love to not have plans other then heading a certain direction. If weather goes bad at the last minute, it's not a problem, we just adjust to a new direction.
the other part is being able to take unplanned side trips while traveling. I could go on and on about all the gems we found by taking a side road because we didn't have to worry if the road was friendly to long, tall trailers.
When we started looking we found a lot of rotted campers. Be careful. A lot of sellers either don't know, or are trying to hide wood rot.
also, sit in the camper at think about where people will get dressed, shower, sleep, cook, play games or watch TV. Is there room to sit down when everyone else is sleeping? Will everyone to to go to bed and get up at the same rime? Can you cook with others in the camper? Where will you store clean and dirty clothes when on the road for several weeks?

 

Man, those Eagle Caps are huge! I think we could almost put two of our Hallmarks in one. I think I heard a bowling alley is an option.

You're right about the take-it-anywhere advantage of truck campers. There's always a space somewhere and there are so many interesting places we could never get into with our fivers. We still use our fiver for the two months we stay perched in Florida in the winter, but everything else is about our truck camper.

 

I would love to get a Host Mammoth....but it would kill Red. I'd have to get a Super-Duty or a 550 to haul it.

 

Uou can only get the bowling alley option if you don't get the hot tub, you cant get both.
the more we use our 1200 the more I like it.
I was sold on the 1165 triple slide, it has the full bath, but very little storage.
the 1200 looks like a wet bath, but when the pocket door is closed it's a nice size, and a LARGE (for a camper) closet right there. Very easy to shower and dress. And lots of fears and cabinets.
The other thing is with an entrance on each side of the king bed there is more privacy than most campers, and no crawling over rack other to get in and out of bed. Helpful for us as I am early to bed and to get up. Wife stays up late and sleeps in.
lots of option when it comes to truck campers, small and light weight, but "cozy" to multi l
slide behemoths that fell like a mid sized 5th wheel.