Name: Lance Dawkins
Location: Vancouver, WA
The Truck: 2019 Toyota Tacoma
Launch Code: 588
Lance Dawkins built his Tacoma + X1 camper for year-round adventure for his growing family. As a member of the mountain rescue team and an outdoor enthusiast, he relies on his setup for everything from post-mission overnights to extended road trips. With a smart storage setup, quick deployment, and all-season comfort, his setup is purpose-built to keep his crew outside longer—no matter the conditions.
Last year alone, they spent over 60 nights on the road, chasing sunsets and making memories. Next stop: Baja!
What upgrades have you made to your truck?
The truck has been re-geared to 4.88’s for extra power. King suspension makes room for 33’s. The front of the truck is guarded by a C4 hybrid bumper with a Smitty 12k hidden winch. Hidden under the hood, an ARB twin provides ample onboard air. The back of the truck sits on heavy duty leafs with floating airbags for leveling.
How have you customized your X1 Camper?
The interior of the camper was built using aluminum extrusion, and is the product of a lot of trial and error to find what works for my family. There’s a small walk way with a removable platform, which creates a great spot for the toddler to sleep. This walkway perfectly fits two “action packers” for removable storage. The rear of the camper has sliding drawers for a small kitchen set up, and a two-stage pullout housing the fridge and stove. There’s a Rig’d swing out in the hitch, which houses the propane for easy access, and a fold down table for more space.
In hidden storage sits a 15 gallon water tank that feeds a tankless propane shower and water faucet. Also hidden away is a second battery, which is fed off the alternator and 600 watts of solar that are mounted to the roof of the X1. This system powers a switched interior lighting system, a Dometic fridge, Starlink, and also a Truma Propane Heater.
What Wild Pursuits do you get up to?
I enjoy a lot of outdoor pursuits, including mountain biking, hunting, hiking, and camping. I’m also a member of a local mountain rescue team, and we spend a lot of late nights up on Mt. St Helens. The X1 gives me a safe and warm place to crash rather than driving home after an all-night mission, and serves as a great base camp.
What do you love most about your setup?
The main thing that I’ve tried to build is something that requires minimal setup/deployment in order to use. It only takes a few moments to get out of the rain, set up for dinner, or close everything up for the night. With a toddler and another kid on the way, this is a big priority for us.
Favorite piece of gear in your camper?
One of our favorite pieces of equipment is currently the Truma heater. With a small toddler in tow, having a place where they can warm up and stay warm when conditions get bad means that we can truly camp in all 4 seasons.
Best unexpected benefit of owning your X1?
This camper helps us maximize the time that we spend outside. We spent over 60 nights in it last year. That’s a lot of sunsets and sunrises!
This X1 has seen some extremely strong winds and has held up like a champ. The most important part of any setup is when you leave the gear behind and enjoy the moment you’ve been chasing. Good gear can help you get to that moment faster!
Do you have a favorite adventure you've taken your camper on?
Being from Portland, I love the extraterrestrial feel of the Southwest. One of my favorite trips in this camper involved traveling down the entire west coast and then touring Arizona and Southern California for a few weeks.
Do you have a bucket list trip?
I am hoping to do a Baja trip in the next year or two!
"This camper helps us maximize the time that we spend outside."
