1. Off-Road Capabilities: Truck campers in general, both the pickup and flatbed based models, are favorites with owners who plan to take their rigs off-road, do a lot of boondocking, or just enjoy going where more “delicate” motorhomes wouldn’t dare. The four-wheel-drive feature of many trucks lets the truck camper travel through sand, mud, and steep and bumpy conditions that would destroy a typical motorhome, or at least leave it waiting for a tow. 2. Can Tow A Trailer: Truck campers, with their more powerful engines, also are great for towing boats, horse trailers, or utility trailers loaded with motorcycles, ATVs, jet skis, snowmobiles or other “toys” that today’s adventure seekers want to bring along on vacation. 3. Easy to Drive: Truck campers are generally smaller than big motorhomes or fifth-wheel combinations. They have a tighter turning radius and are easier to park since they usually fit in a regular parking space. Gas mileage is likely to be a bit better as well. And the units are easier to store and maintain. 4. Registration and Insurance Savings: Another, often overlooked, advantage of a truck camper is the savings in insurance, registration, and licensing fees. Many, if not most, states consider the camper body itself to be cargo, instead of a typical RV that has to be registered as a separate vehicle. All owners have to do is maintain the license and registration on the truck itself. The same goes for insurance, although some companies will offer a special rider for the truck camper, usually at low cost. 5. Tax Advantages: There may be a tax break involved as well. The IRS waives the $25,000 limit on expensing any vehicle “equipped with a cargo area (either open or enclosed by a cap) of at least 6 feet in interior length that is not readily accessible from the passenger compartment.”

They are secured to the truck bed itself, often with pins or bolts, without cutouts around the wheel wells and the sides of the truck bed. This lower center of gravity makes them more stable, as well, allowing heavy items like water, propane, and batteries to sit lower in the overall design. Some flatbed trucks also have a crew cab so a couple more adults can ride along too. 7. Multiple Uses: You can also remove the camper and use your flatbed truck for work or other activities. Therefore, your flatbed truck can be used in a variety of ways. Truck campers have some “cons” as well. They aren’t ideal for people that need accessible features, due to the higher clearance, and many find that the interior is cramped compared to a big Class A of the sort preferred by full-timers. While pickup campers have traditionally dominated the truck camper field, flatbed campers have become increasingly popular in recent years. The slide-out design necessarily causes the pickup camper to be narrow on the bottom to fit into the truck bed, then balloon out over the truck sides. This design not only limits storage and living space; it may create a top-heavy rig and affect stability.