Last week we finally decided to find out. Im an active truck camper owner in the United Kingdom. My camper is in use from early March to mid November. Sometimes these are just parking areas where you can get electricity and have the possibility to dump your toilet. Then we switched to a Nissan Navara (Frontier). All appliances are 240-volt and the gas fittings are Australian compliant. Copyright 2007-2022. Those modifications are not cheap out here. Due to our jobs, we only go on short trips, most of which are extended weekends. The main reason I bought a Nissan Navara with a diesel engine and not a petrol engined Frontier, Tacoma, Colorado, or even a F150 were the extra 20% tax on import trucks and the unavailability at the dealers. The frustration of not simply shopping and buying rig makes truck campers difficult to come by. Theres no television in our rig. I drive a 2010 Isuzu DMax, which I think you would call a light truck. I think we have more energy saving measures on our campers. We travel all over the United Kingdom to interesting cities, coastal spots, and to three or four music festivals each year. eurovan camper transporter The only two problems for me are the center of gravity location in my future rig and how to transport the camper to Europe without the truck. We also visited Alaskan Campers and Four Wheel Campers. Additionally, campers have to be made compliant with Australian regulations which is also expensive. The Australian Ultimate extras include a 300-amp hour LiFePo4 battery with its own cell balancing system, a 2,500 watt pure sine wave inverter that automatically maintains 240-power throughout the camper as soon as the mains or shore power is disconnected, which in our case is most of the time. Above: We work the winters in Swedish Lapland, 250 kilometers inside the Arctic Circle. Were active members of DemountableCamperGroup.com and are currently organizing or third annual meet for the end of July. Build quality of the camper is obviously very important and Northern Lite are certainly at the very top of the tree. I drive a four-wheel drive three-liter turbo diesel Toyota Hilux, with a Four Wheel Camper Fleet pop-up. Steffen Klein, Bad Homburg, Germany 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ 79 1999 der Fentje, special made. Most years we also undertake passing through as many as nine European countries and ending up as far south as possible. My vehicle is specially built. Who in the world is reading Truck Camper Magazine? First, most truck camper manufacturers are based in the United States and Canada and do not export. Blake Hooper, Nagoya, Japan No truck yet No camper yet. We use our rig year round and have lots of camping sites to choose from, all within a two hour drive from where we live. If anyone is thinking of coming down under I am more than willing to share what experience I have. foro-overland.es/blog casa-trotter.com/phpBB3/index.php latortuedefelix.fr/forum, We attend events like the following ones. We meet up with our friends at private organized truck camper rallies/meetings from our German Forums all over Germany. Last year we were in Iceland and enjoyed it very much. We have the internet platform where meetings all over Germany are being organized. We bought a removable off-road capable Four Wheel Camper and had it on a Ford Ranger until 2014. The whole electrical system is run through a Redarc Battery Management System that replaces several components normally required for off-grid camping. This is the best idea for flexible travel. Daniela Burck, Witzenhausen, Germany 2009 Ford Ranger 2013 Nordstar (Easy Camper, Sweden), Camp Compact. Andy Peak, Manchester, United Kingdom 2013 Nissan Navara (Frontier) 2008 Skarosser Polar 4.0. When we talk about prices, America is much cheaper. The Tatra Mountains in the south is our local Rocky Mountains and the Bieszczady Mountains is a place where you can meet only wolves or bears. We are a British couple and we live full-time in our truck camper. Im also a member of the thriving Demountable Camper Group. Above: We just had to pull over and take this photo after passing through the rock arch on Andya, Lofoten, Norway! There is an internal 47 liter refrigerator and tons of storage space under the bed. TTIP would have lowered the prices for US cars. We purchased our Northstar Laredo rig in the United States and travelled there for three months before shipping the truck and camper back to New Zealand. My country isnt such the spectacular touristic destination as the Croatian or Montenegros seashore (my recommendation). Thanks to Christian from our community for this time lapse video of our 2016 meeting. Weve traveled through Europe and North Africa in our old Shadow Cruiser. Smart Axle Could Revolutionize Truck Camping. Peter, Tasmania 2010 Isuzu DMax 2015 Klassic Camper, Outback Tracker. The camper is a 2015 Klassic Camper and is called the Outback Tracker. We are keen on mountain biking and fishing. We do not bring much food from home, but like to get inspired by the local supplies. In Germany trucks are not so common as they are in the United States. Yes, some folks in Australia and Europe adapt an American truck camper to an alternative truck, but not many undertake the considerable expense and effort. There is a meeting once a year with more than a thousand vehicles in Storndorf, Hessen. pickup wohnkabine kabine willy campers wohnmobil einstiegspreis kompakte wenigen Transporting the two together would have been much easier. Private campgrounds vary from what you would expect at a full service national or state park to a little more than a field or a paved parking lot. Due to my lack of knowledge about United States trucks, I realized only after the purchase that the automatic gearbox and steering were worn. Onsen parking lots (hot springs resorts) are also popular. But once we lift the roof, they are astonished how spacious it is. Frederic Amors Le-Roux, Tarragona, (near Barcelona) Catalonia, Spain 2011 Toyota Hilux 2011 PSI-Azala (Fixed Cell). After some years I was lucky to find almost brand new, slightly damaged german Hymer from insurance companys dealer for one-third of the new price. So I started to dig the truck camper world and Ive been your fan since 2009. B B, NRW, Germany 2014 Nissan Navara KC 2011 Four Wheel Camper Ranger. earthcruiser tonne 6m We do not like commercial campgrounds because they are full of tourists. All in all, I am thrilled with my choice even with the frustration of things that break and getting parts. Often people are very curious and ask to get a view inside. He came out from his RV wearing his ski uniform and with his ski in his hand he went straight to the end of the line to the cashiers desk! Power is supplied by two fixed 90-watt solar panels (180 watts) and further 80-watt portable one, and two 100 amp/hour gel batteries. The Australian Ultimate camper also comes standard with a reverse osmosis water filtering system complete with a 12-liter pressurized holding tank essential when you cant always get clean fresh water. We swam in the clean lakes and had sauna of course! The cost of diesel makes idling at the traffic lights a blood sport. bremach Martin Dover, Poole, Dorset, England 2011 Land Rover Defender 130 2012 Northstar 700DL. Having traveled all over Australia in a working capacity, I know that it offers so much value and diversity for truck camping. We have a very active scene of truck camper owners who gather several times a year at different locations. Gday cobbers. The design suits my Isuzu. My wife and I are lovers of camping, the outdoors, and traveling. It should be four season ready. There is nothing special about truck camping here other than the trucks and campers are mostly much smaller than in the United States. The external power outlets and satellite allows me run my business from anywhere in the country, including Ship Creek which is in the middle of Woop Woop. If you like to visit big cities, you can a find an overnight place in every big town. After seeing truck campers during our holiday in the summer of 2003, we decided that a truck camper would better fit our needs. Still, you can buy two of these with a lazy axle for the price of one American truck. We prefer camping in forests and mountains; Karpaten, Pyrenen, North Scandinavia. We did not want a towable. Garry Davis, Corlette, NSW Australia 2012 Nissan Navara 2012 Northern Lite 8-11SE Australian Ultimate. Perhaps that says more about my age. My dream is to find truck camper owners who are familiar with what all that entails and to swap rigs for two months or more. Our camper copes well with the freezing sub-Arctic temperatures and the northern lights give us a glorious show most nights! Japanese national parks and prefectural parks usually dont have campgrounds. The photos were taken beside the Murray River, on the New South Whales side of the border. I will hopefully be able to afford a truck camper. When we had the first financial opportunity, I bought a small Polish camping trailer. So how is it that Truck Camper Magazine enjoys a vibrant readership from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and beyond? The Japanese folks that are fortunate enough to have enough room to park a RV or live outside the city usually camp at service areas or rest stops near an attraction or private campgrounds. You also can find nice campsites close to a city or in the countryside. It is a fantastic landscape and the people are very nice. As you can see, I have Rieco-Titan electric jacks on board and that allows me to leave the camper and explore the rougher tracks when free camping. Our blog is in Spanish. Im still trying to find something fitting in Europe, but this is almost a dark hole for F150-compatible truck campers. The usual trucks used in USA/Canada such as Ford F350s, Chevy Silverados, and Rams are costing over $150,000 new in Australia. The off-road capability of our truck camper rig allows us to access all our remote national parks and coastal areas. Youre about to find out. The camper is removed from the truck every night unless we are just stopping overnight en-route to somewhere or anywhere. Over the years, I have observed the manufacturers emphasis on smaller and smaller truck campers, so the future for owners in my continent looks better. Im an active truck camper owner in Great Britain. Finding somewhere to pitch up can be difficult. The Australian trucks are all under-powered. Truck campers are a real rarity in the United Kingdom as pickups are not a really common leisure vehicle and mostly used by tradesman. Im very new to truck camping. There are no specific truck camper clubs in Australia that I am aware of. My rig allows a quick and easy set up. They are fixed on the frame with four screws. Once the camper is dropped at the campsite, we head down to the beach with the pickup and boat trailer for a day of fishing. I am a camping enthusiast with a keen interest in growing number of this great concept here in United Kingdom. The hardest part is deciding if you wish to travel the Outback, or lush mountain areas on the mainland, or Tasmania. We do have a few small workshops in Poland trying to satisfy their customers. For them motorhomes are better and more flexible and practical for the family business. We do not drive too much, but most times we drive every day. If camping is allowed, its only backpack tent camping. We like to paint and sketch outdoors, read, volunteer, and house/farm/animal sit. We love the freedom that a small off-road camper gives us because it allows us to explore whats off the beaten track. Its time to vote for your favorite Medium Mods from Julys Iron-Mod contest. We exchanged the original bed with a new flatbed and loaded an adapted Northstar 600SS on it. I am still working full-time so I mostly go on weekend trips for gold detecting in the Golden Triangle in Victoria or trout fishing in the Victorian High Country. We pull a boat trailer carrying a Linder aluminum dinghy, outboard, and fishing gear. This was a big embarkation point for British and American troops during the D-Day landings in World War 2 and there are lots of historical relics in the area from this time. You may contact me at Wander The West forum as Manfred65. Traveling anywhere in Australia is generally safe and people are friendly and approachable, but be prepared if you wish to head to the Outback. Ian King, Auckland, New Zealand 2012 Chevy Silverado HD 2012 Northstar Laredo. Id like to own a RV in the future and a truck camper would be my first choice due to the versatility. Or take the plunge and do it all the desert, beaches, forests, and cities. We would be happy to meet some of you guys in Germany. We asked, Who in the world is reading Truck Camper Magazine? In other words, we asked TCM readers outside the United States and Canada to announce themselves, share their truck camper rig information, and explain truck camping lifestyles. We have a community on the internet, make short trips, and enjoy the outdoors. 95-percent of the trucks here are smallest Nissans, Mitsubishis, with some Ford Rangers, etc. The touristic infrastructure isnt perfectly developed as in western Europe but, in the cities and villages, you will meet friendly people who can help you in everything. Sandy Baltic seashore on the north is a place for lovers of romantic rest in quiet areas, except for in July. Bryan Lawton, Staffordshire, United Kingdom 1997 Daihatsu Four Trak 1994 Renault Hightop Campervan. campers camper windwalker It also has paid caravan parks listed. I enjoy walking in the mountains, going to strange countries, and sightseeing. We bought our Arctic Fox truck camper in Langley, British Columbia, Canada in the autumn of 2003 after a long weekend trip to Vancouver. We do all that is possible to find and sign up owners here at Demountablecampergroup.com and hope people enjoy all the help they need. In fact, we can run the air conditioner for 6 hours off our Lithium Battery and only deplete the battery to 50%. There is a really friendly group (demountablecampergroup.com) that gave us lots of advice when we were considering buying a truck camper. How about a house swap if insurance and licenses can be sorted? I have traveled around Europa, from Scandinavia to Italy, France to Albany and all islands in the Middle-Sea. As the number of midsize pickup trucks are growing fast, the demand for truck campers is growing. The truck has now been converted to right-hand-drive and the camper to 230-volt for Australian conditions. My truck and camper were bought separately in Germany. Richard Zildjian, Northampton, United Kingdom 2008 Toyota Hilux SKarosser (Swedish camper). I think they will be surprised with the sales as there is certainly a huge void in Australia for this type of truck, especially as they have a dealer network in Australia. My conclusion (coming from my earlier one year long stay in your country) is that Americans are the masters in doing everything the most effective, useful, and simple way.