RV builders make it tough to pick your first rig. When an outdoorsy couple from Northern California wanted to make the leap from a simple A-frame pop-up tent to a “real” RV, the choices seemed endless. Trying to choose between a truck camper versus trailer or motorhome was agonizing, but here’s why Ari and Kim Shapiro finally committed to a brand new 2017 Arctic Fox 990 truck camper.
How do you decide on the right RV for you? Image: A. Shapiro
The Shapiros were dazzled by all the RV choices available today. Between the new models at RV shows and bargains found on Craigslist, the options seemed endless. Their RV comparison spreadsheet helped winnow down the prospects but committing was still hard. “When I had the money saved up and was really serious, I’d say I spent 5 months of driving my wife crazy with reading, talking, spreadsheets and driving to see rigs,” says Ari.
Truck campers can fit in a residential driveway. Image: A. Shapiro
The couple’s decision proved that buying your first real RV doesn’t have to be a lifetime commitment. Everyone’s needs and desires change through the years. The couple knew this, so when comparing RV models, they first considered their current life stage.
“I don’t think there is one perfect RV solution. We wanted a fifth wheel because I still feel they are the best all-round RV platform out there. But we decided on a truck camper as the right platform for our current stage of life, new empty nesters but not yet ready to retire,” says Ari.
How they picked the best RV (for now)
Their Arctic Fox truck camper perfectly suits them at this point in time because truck campers can do things like:
- Go anywhere. “We plan on boondocking a lot and our preferred campgrounds don’t typically have hookups or accommodations for large rigs,” explains Ari.
- Haul toys. Ari, Kim and their son Connor love motorcycling and kayaking.
- Fit in a driveway. The couple wanted to avoid paying California’s high RV storage fees.
As anyone who has researched truck campers versus trailers already knows, the price difference between the two is quite small. “I almost bought a 27′ fifth wheel,” says Ari. “It’s hard not to lean that way especially when a truck camper costs almost as much as a nice fiver. But ultimately, the biggest deciding factor was the size and ability to get places larger rigs just can’t go. The truck camper is the right choice for us now.”
Ari and Kim Shapiro buy their first truck camper. Image: A. Shapiro.
Once they pinpointed the type of RV they zeroed in on the Arctic Fox made by Northwood. The four-season design seemed perfect for their year-round camping style.
“We have a few friends that have owned Arctic Fox and other rigs. Hands down those who had experience with Arctic Fox would buy them again,” he says. The only problem with wanting one was finding a good used one. They searched everywhere and eventually discovered that Arctic Fox truck camper owners use their RVs – a lot.
Buying a brand new Arctic Fox was inevitable because the used campers they discovered in their search were worn out and beat-up.
Today their new RV is gleaming in the driveway, begging the couple to head out on a summer adventure. They’ll break it in by taking a few long weekend trips, then eventually head out on longer journeys.
“We are planning a trip to Alaska in the not too distant future as well as a few, week or multi-week trips along the West Coast and possibly east to Colorado,” Ari says.
Rene Agredano and her husband, Jim Nelson, became full-time RVers in 2007 and have been touring the country ever since. In her blog, Rene chronicles the ins and outs of the full-timing life and brings readers along to meet the fascinating people and amazing places they visit on the road. Her road trip adventures are chronicled in her blog at LiveWorkDream.com.
Art and Kim, Good Job, My wife and I started with a Truck Camper and still have one (2006 Lance 1181). We kept the Truck Camper to use for winter, get into small area’s and for quick weekend trips…..We also have a 43ft Toy Hauler that we use for Month Long trips, with the family, dogs and Side by Side ATV. We have added a lot of things, so we can use our truck camper for a lot of things, we added a class 5 hitch, so we can pull a Car Trailer, a small mini cooper car or a small boat and trailer. After starting with a tent, and then a Truck Camper, we have enjoyed the trips and you will too…
truck camper more desirable for me than ANY kind of trailer as i don’t like the latter due to many problems associated with them … but truck campers are also a no-no for me because there’s usually no direct access from the driver section to the back section in any of them!
Just post your rig height in the driver’s position. Another plus is you avoid the trailer speed limits in CA and OR.
I prefer my teardrop trailer (home-built), because – (1) It’s just my wife and me, (2) it is small enough and light enough to haul behind both my pickup or my car, (3) It is small enough that I can park it in very small camping area’s under trees, or where any of the full-sized RV’s, travel trailers, 5th wheels, and large pickup campers can’t even think to get into or under. (4) It’s a whole lot dryer, warmer and cozier than a tent or a Pop-Up camping trailer (5) It’s easier and faster to set up than a Pop-up Camp trailer. (6) It’s easier to push around by hand if I need to jockey it around or move it a short distance on level ground. (7) I built it myself, and I know it is more sturdy and solidly built and will outlast any Factory Manufactured RV or Trailer. – Disadvantages? (1) No built-in bathroom or toilet facilities. (2) You can’t stand up inside of it. (3) No indoor kitchen (it’s a built in open air Galley under a rear raise-up hatch). (No built in fresh water, or waste water holding tanks. – But who cares, the pros outweigh the cons. Besides now that my wife has slept in it, I have a hard time trying to pry her out of it even when back at home, she loves sleeping in it, and threatens to go sleep in it every-time we have a small argument. LOL 🙂
I too prefer my home-built teardrop-trailer as everything you said about the tear-drop trailer is true. Including trying to pry my wife out of it because she too loves to sleep in ours as well. In fact she prefers our tear-drop over our 23 ft fully self-contained factory built travel trailer, and so do I.
We started out with a 21′ TT to live in for 18 months while WE buildt our house. We traded it for a water source heatpump. (Good Trade for us at the time).
We have gone tent camping then a pop up which some camp grounds at Hilton Head SC don’t allow.
We later bought a used class A. Loved the room and it was comfortable. The winds of oklahoma took off the roof and awning. We are slowly putting it back together.
We also have a Palamino Mustang 1000 truck camper. It is the right size, comfortable with all the things that you need to travel. We loved goning up the Grand Tetons mountain roads.
The only negative is the overhead bed. It’s hard for old folks to get in out of.
Other than that we love it
We bought a used (2016) Host truck camper on a commercial flat bed truck with tons of storage. We lucked out by getting one in pristine condition and tons of after market upgrades. We’re in the process of doing some interior customization at which point, we’ll sell everything and take off. We totally agree that a truck camper is the best choice for boondocking and being able to go anywhere. Good luck.
We’ve owned 4 pull behinds, from small to large and 5 truck campers from small to large and after 13 years and well over 100,000 miles we’ll take a truck camper over a pull behind any and every day. So many benefits to the TC ….
– Freedom and Ease …. so easy to deal with compared to a travel trailer. Setting up and tearing down in a fraction of the time. Freedom to camp almost anywhere including tents sites if necessary. Ability to traverse narrow and twisty roads leading to nice secluded camping.
– Having the ability to make a U-turn easily and park in almost any parking space is blissful. Most importantly, as a videographer, is the ability to pull off the road at a moment’s notice to grab that spontaneous shot of that gorgeous waterfall ….. just can’t do that with a pull behind.
– No typical tire, wheel bearing, axle maintenance which is continuous and substantial with pull behinds.
– In most states, no title fees, no registration or tag fees as well as cheaper insurance.
– Less cost traveling cross country as toll roads are cheaper (charge per axle) and especially ferries since they charge by the linear foot of your rig.
– Easy to stay at friend’s houses when visiting as many communities have laws against parking travel trailers on the streets in residential areas.
– In most cases, better fuel economy.
– Truck campers also have better resale value relatively speaking.
You made the right decision for a trip to Alaska. We did it with our 37’ 5th wheel and ended up with over $2000 damage to our suspension and ruined 2 tires….and I take it slow. Cracked windshields we’re an issue for motor homes. Congrats!
I’ve been all over the spectrum. As a full-timer it’s been a journey to discover what works for me. Started with a gas motorhome, then a diesel pusher with all the bells and whistles. The motorhomes were too bulky and costly to maintain, plus I decided that I didn’t want my home to have its own engine and drive train. I wanted more flexibility so I got a truck camper (Lance 1172). Lived in that for almost a year and decided it was too cramped for me and the dogs, not to mention a pain getting it on and off the truck. My focus now is on simplicity. I have a 27′ fiberglass TT with no slides, no motorized awnings, no generator, no special towing equipment (any capable truck will do), just simple and and low maintenance. Added solar for boondocking. It’s more livable than a truck camper with an acceptable trade-off in flexibility, and definitely more maneuverable than a diesel pusher with a car in tow.
I would like a truck camper but the price…wow. An instant $80,000 or more like almost 100K. And the gas…..gulp gulp. I realize all pick ups are gas hogs, but I need to somehow get 15mpg if possible. Yes ,the diesels get that, but the cost per gallon kills that. Any suggestions? I’m searching for a Class B+ 6 cylinder.
So, my selection of RV type was based on my activities. Most of my excursions are centered around fly fishing on rivers and streams. When I go, I ususally bring an inflatable 2-person raft for floating the larger rivers, 2 pairs of waders, a cooler for drinks, a Yamaha 2400i generator for those times (most often) I camp off the grid, gas for the generator and assorted miscellaneous camping items. Here’s why I like my tow behind: 1. If I had a fifth wheel, I would loose the use of my capped truck bed, making transport of those items more cumbersome; (2) when I arrive, I disconnect my Lance 1880, set up camp and go fishing using my tow vehicle (tv)…maybe 5-20 miles upriver; (3) the camper features a 6 cu. ft. fridge/freezer which is large enough for 5-6 day stay; (4) the fresh water tank is 36 gallons (including hot water tank) which lasts 5-6 days with conservative water use…I’d like it to be a little larger, maybe on my next TT; (5) the shower is NOT a wet bath…personal preference…(6) I have a Thule rack on my tow vehicle’s cap which I use when transporting my canoes…often 2…for those occasions when my wife and I travel to various paddling destinations, so, like when I fish, I just disconnect and we’re ready to go with the canoes, paddles, pfd’s and cooler on or in the TV; (7) the rack (crossbars) stay on for the camping/fishing/paddling season so I mount a Titan rod rack that allows me to keep my 9 & 10 foot fly rod’s (it takes 3 rods) rigged and ready to go. I could go on, but these are the basics that went into my selection. I store the TT when not in use on my own property, so that’s not an issue. The license fee is minimal as is the insurance. So my choice is all based on what I do AFTER I get to the campground! Hope this is helpful to someone.
Geez my comment got deleted before I could post. I am considering getting an A class but a smaller one 26-28 ft. Because I like the indoor space and from the outside does not appear to be any longer or taller than a C class. I was told by a salesman that A class are not as fuel efficient as C classes because of the window which to me seems more aerodynamic than a C class. I would like to boondock and stay at all the major parks. I will pulling a Honda CRV. Will be hitting the mountains also. Any advice from this novice group would be greatly appreciated. I will also be full time rv’ing for at least 2 years. Pros cons and anything in between. Thank you.