Everything you need to know about truck camping's practical middle ground and the best investment you'll make for your truck this year. Your Quest For the Best starts here!
In This Guide
A wedge camper is a revolutionary way for truck campers to get out and explore, combining versatility and modularity, with a design that seamlessly fits your adventure lifestyle
With lots of wedge camper options on the market, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Each brand and model offers unique features, configurations, and benefits, making it hard to know where to start. This guide here to help simplify the process and cut through the noise so you can focus on what really matters and find the perfect wedge camper for your adventures.
What is a Wedge Camper?
The wedge camper is the ultimate multi-tool of the truck camping world. More spacious than a standalone canopy and far less payload than a slide-in, the wedge and lightweight pop-up campers represent the practical middle ground of vehicle supported adventure. There are some tradeoffs to be sure, but these campers still hold on to the best traits of truck camping: Simple setup, options for four-season comfort, and a fraction of the weight and price of traditional slide-in options, these campers are light enough for off-roading and every day driving while still being exceedingly comfortable and capable in the backcountry.
What truck owners love about wedge campers
Light Weight - Weights range between 275 - 450 lbs. increasing your truck's fuel efficiency and maneuverability, compared to heavier traditional campers.
Quick & Simple Setup
The simple design means most wedge campers can be popped up in just a minute or two, with minimal hassle, compared to many rooftop tent designs.
Efficient Interior Use Of Space
Compared to a standalone rooftop tent, wedge campers offer a full standing height space that can be expanded to a full hangout space in your truckbed.
Secure Gear Storage
Wedge campers provide a weather-proof mobile storage locker to keep your gear safe and out of sight when closed.
Capability For Towing
The low-weight and small footprint of wedge campers makes towing a pull behind boat or camping easier, especially on mid-sized trucks.
"I love how I can still use my truck as a truck and its so modular that I can have variations of my camping setup depending on seasons."
How to Find The Perfect Wedge Camper (For YOU)
So you're convinced the versatility of a wedge camper is right for your truck? Great!
A quick google search for 'wedge camper' will reveal dozens of brands, each making various claims to be the best. Here's some tips to get yourself started on the buying journey towards the wedge camper that will serve your needs best.
3 Wedge Camper Shopping Tips
With any big purchase it's best to come prepared with a plan. No two people camp exactly the same, so getting your priorities lined up ahead time will set you and your family up to buy the perfect camper for you.
1. Determine Your Priorities:
- How do you plan to use it? Extended road trips or mainly weekend getaways?
- What weather and conditions do you intend to use it in?
- Do you use your truck as a daily driver or as a dedicated adventure rig?
- Is it just you using your wedge camper, or will you have others camping with you?
2. Set Your Budget:
Total Camper Cost:
- What is the base wedge camper price and what add-ons will you want to include to get the most out of your adventures?
Don't Forget To Include Taxes, Shipping & Installation:
- Once you get past the initial wedge camper price, what other costs may be added to the final tally like Taxes, Shipping, or Installation fees? Some states have sales tax to tack on, others don't so consider that in your budge calculations.
Interested in Financing?
- To keep payments flexible some brands offer financing. Be sure to ask questions and understand what you're signing up for beforehand.
3. Do Your Research:
Search Online:
- Watch YouTube Videos, Read Google reviews, peruse the websites of all the various wedge camper brands, and browse through online forums or Reddit to do your initial research about other owners' experiences with specific brands.
Tour Campers In-Person:
- Before you buy there's no substitute for touring a wedge camper in-person. Visit a local dealer, attend an event , or coordinate with an owner of a camper nearby for a hands on tour. Actually experiencing the camper in real life is the most reliable way to see how well built it is and visualize yourself using it.
Pro Tip: Create A Spreadsheet
As you research different wedge campers, create a spreadsheet in Excel or Google Sheets with details from each company, so you can directly compare the features that matter most to you.
Features To Look For In a Wedge Camper
As you're doing research watching videos, scouring forums, and touring campers, there's some important aspects of a wedge camper to focus on. Let's dive in!
1. Build Quality & Engineering:
When it comes to finding a wedge camper that performs well in adventurous conditions over the long-term, the engineering & fabrication methods the builder uses may be the single most important factor. The best wedge campers will have undergone years of field testing and thorough design revisions to land on a road-ready camper, in a variety of outdoor conditions.
- How is the camper frame fabricated & assembled?
- Does it use aerospace-grade materials and modern fabrication methods?
- In addition to the hard components, the soft-sided tent is a major component that, when it works well keeps you protected from wind rain and snow.
- How long has the design been in the field and what revisions have been made to it improve it over the years.
2. Weather Resistance
How your wedge camper performs in bad weather should be a top priority, as water intrusion can quickly turn a comfortable adventure into a miserable experience and potentially damage your gear. A well-designed camper should be a durable shelter in all conditions, especially during extended stays in wet weather.
Key weather features of a wedge camper:
- Strategic water management design that channels moisture away from entry points and sleeping areas.
- High-quality marine-grade materials for the tent canvas, with proven performance in sustained rainfall.
- Proper venting to mitigate condensation that can be even worse when the conditions are damp.
- Robust weatherstripping at all connection points where the shell meets the truck bed.
3. Accessories & Add-ons
After your install, it's likely that you may want to add some cool upgrades to get more out of your wedge camper down the line. Some things you just don't see yourself needing until you've taken the camper on a few trips.
- Popular accessories include organization, storage, lighting, electronics, hardware.
- Each company offers different accessories, some more well thought out than others. Be sure to look at the full eco-system of accessories each company offers, how well made. While there are plenty of DIY solutions out there, there's no replacement for having well designed add-ons that are designed specifically for your camper.
4. Camper Weight
The weight of the wedge camper is an important factor and can affect both your vehicle's performance and your driving experience. Your truck's payload capacity should comfortably accommodate the camper's weight, plus your gear and passengers. Fortunately there's lots of lightweight wedge camper options and it's part of what makes the category so popular.
- Lighter campers generally mean better fuel economy and less stress on your truck's suspension and braking systems.
- Consider your priorities when evaluating weight - while lightweight design matters, certain features like more space or better insulation might be worth the extra pounds, if they help you have a better camping trip.
Research The Company Behind The Camper
Equally important to the camper itself is the company behind the product. The right manufacturer offers more than just a product; they provide responsive customer service, a reliable warranty, and continued innovation with new accessories that all contribute to higher long-term resale value and a better overall ownership experience.
1. Brand Reputation
If you're serious about a wedge camper purchase, chances are you've heard of a few of the bigger brands out there. The reputation of a camper company can tell you a lot about build quality, customer service, long-term reliability, even how they treat their employees.
- Read about the experiences of owners on forums, social media, and Facebook Groups. - Keep an eye out for recurring feedback about specific issues around durability and how companies support their customers.
- Contact current owners and ask about their experiences, both with the camper and company's support. Most camper owners are happy to share their story.
- How long has the company been in business? What kind of online reviews do they have? All of these are factors in how trustworthy and reliable the camper will be.
2. Customer Service
Great customer service be a difference maker when you're shopping for your wedge camper. From getting your questions answered before you buy, to troubleshooting or warranty support after, having customer support along the way can offer peace of mind and elevate your experience with your camper. Reputable brands will offer stellar customer service throughout the life of your camper.
Things to look for:
- How is the service when you call or email?
- When you talk with other camper owners what do they have to say about their customer service experience? This will tell you everything you need to know about what you can expect from them.
3. Ratings And Reviews
Google reviews and customer testimonials are tangible ways for you to get an idea of how each camper performs in the field, from real users. Individual reviews can offer campers' personal experiences, but patterns in users feedback are also helpful to look for. Are there consistent complaints around build quality or customer service? Are people happy with their warranty support? Are people generally pleased with their experience? Conversely, a low number or absence of Google reviews can also tell you something about the company and product.
4. Owner Community
Want to share your adventures with others? When it comes to the adventure seeker mindset, a strong sense of community can transform a product into lifestyle, both for newbies and veterans alike.
- Does the camper you're buying have a strong group of owners behind it?
- Resources like user forums, Facebook Groups, Ambassador programs, or local user groups can serve as to rally around. Having a community of like-minded adventurers who are happy to offer tips and tricks or even meetup for shared camping trip can truly expand lifestyle.
- A thriving community can also contribute to the 'hive-mind' mentality of solving problems, or coming up with fresh ideas for new products and accessories.
5. What Is The Warranty?
Any wedge camper is a significant investment, so having a rock-solid warranty behind your purchase can give you added peace of mind, if something goes wrong along the way.
- A strong warranty can also be an indication of the manufacturer's confidence in their craftsmanship and materials.
- Familiarize yourself with the terms of the camper's warranty before you buy, so you can understand exactly what's covered, (such as manufacturing defects in the tent, or frame) and what isn't (like routine wear and tear).
Pro Tip: Contact Customer Service
Call or Email the company directly before buying. How responsive they are to your questions will tell you a lot about the customer service you can expect from them long-term.
When and where will you get your wedge camper?
We're all accustomed to an Amazon Prime kind of world, with unlimited availability and 2-day free shipping. But buying a camper works a bit differently. When you purchase a wedge camper they are commonly 'built-to-order', with production & assembly starting only after you place your order. Here's a few things to consider when shopping around.
1. Lead Times
- Most manufacturers have a lead time between placing your order and picking up your camper. Each company is different, so if you have a specific trip or season you're planning for that could be a factor worth considering. Some manufacturers may even have in-stock inventory to speed things up.
2. Install Location
- If you're looking to have your camper installed directly by the manufacturer how far away you live is also important to consider. Shipping and delivery or local dealers may be available, but will come with an added cost. Having your camper installed in a state without any added sales tax, like Oregon and Montana, could justify the extra travel for installation.
What's Next?
If you're a truck owner looking to transform your reliable daily driver into a nimble adventure base camp, a wedge camper is a great way to do it. When it comes to buying a the perfect camper for you, narrow down your priorities and thoroughly research the options. Putting the time in up-front will save you headaches (and money) in the long-run and give you confidence in your investment in living the adventurous life you've dreamt of.