Two major domestic truck camper manufacturers are now offering flatbed truck campers. Northstar has offered their American Hero for full-size trucks since early 2011 and now Four Wheel Campers is offering versions of their Fleet, Hawk, and Grandby models.
The age of available domestic flatbed truck campers is upon us.
The advantages of a of this set-up are clear. You start with a significantly larger floor area opening up a world of design and layout opportunities. Take a look at the floor plans for Northstar’s American Hero and Four Wheel Camper’s Fleet and you’ll see design elements that would be impossible without this approach.
Do you want a rear-wall face-to-face dinette surrounded by windows? How about a mid-camper side-entry? These features are only practical in a flatbed truck camper design.
The main disadvantage is that you lose the standard pickup truck bed that many of us use for moving stuff like mulch or our brother-in-law’s furniture. This can be addressed by using a bed rack like Richard and Karen Parsons’ rig (see below).
Above: The best of both worlds?
This week’s Question of the Week is, “Would you ever consider a flatbed truck and camper combination?”
