Twenty-twenty wasn't a great year for most of us, but it did prove a good one for RVs. In an era that made other forms of travel difficult or unattractive, the RV enjoyed sudden stardom. And despite the cancellation of many RV industry trade shows, the segment also welcomed a wide variety of new product launches. Truck campers were one segment that received a big boost from new innovations.
Unlike the typical camper van or large motorhome, pickup bed campers and chassis-mounted truck campers have the advantage of riding atop a rugged, off-road-capable truck right out of the gate — perfect for escaping the crowds and societal headaches of life back in town. Here are the coolest truck campers and camper trucks we looked at in 2020.
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![The original Scout Yoho]()
Tacoma-size modular pickup camper debuts as the market's lightest
June 17, 2020The new Scout Yoho camper debuts as the lightest hard-sided pickup camper in the industry. Like Scout's Olympic camper, the Yoho has a modular indoor/outdoor interior based on flexible equipment like a removable power station and available gas stove. -
![Lorinser goes beyond a basic restoration, turning this Puch 230 GE into a full mini-motorhome]()
Puch G-Class mini-RV trots the globe as a literal Swiss Army camper
April 16, 2020Usually "Swiss Army camper" denotes a multifunctional camping vehicle, but the Lorinser Puch 230 GE gives it a more literal meaning. After finishing its Swiss military career, this particular G-Wagen has become a worldly two-person adventure camper. -
![Hiatus Campers has created a simple, lightweight pop-up truck topper with hard walls]()
Hiatus truck camper unfolds into roomy hard-walled penthouse
May 11, 2020The latest take on the pickup truck camper hails from Hiatus Campers. Instead of the common pop-up wedge with fabric sidewalls, the Hiatus Camper's full-length, high-rising pop-top relies on hard folding sidewall panels that lift up in seconds. -
![EarthCruiser renders a preview of the new Extreme Cruiser]()
Solarized Land Cruiser 4x4 camper could be the Outback's sweetest rig
April 22, 2020Two famed "Cruisers" will collide in a new Extreme expedition vehicle. EarthCruiser Australia will put a wedge-top camper atop a Toyota chassis, combining the Land Cruiser's legendary capability with a cozy living cabin and solar power system. -
![With the Cirrus 620, nuCamp presents a pickup camper optimized for popular half-ton trucks]()
Cirrus 620 pickup camper turns Ford F-150 into cozy micro-home
December 04, 2020America loves pickup trucks, especially half-ton pickups. But pickup campers often exceed half-ton truck payloads. NuCamp fixes the issue with its Cirrus 620, a fully equipped 4-season camper light enough for half-tons. -
![Talus brings cooking, electricity, water and cargo storage to the backcountry with its pickup-bed camper boxes]()
Talus off-road camper trailer loses the wheels, rides in a pickup bed
August 19, 2020Part mini pickup camper, part wheel-less off-road camping trailer and all truck-ready camper-in-a-box, the Talus VenturePack is a new off-grid camping alternative. The rugged drawer system brings the kitchen, power and water to your truck of choice. -
![An Easter Safari Concept that comes a little late: the EcoDiesel-powered Gladiator Farout]()
Jeep builds the Gladiator into a proper 4x4 micro-RV concept
August 14, 2020The Easter Jeep Safari was canceled this year, but that hasn't stopped Jeep from building up concept off-roaders. The Gladiator Farout arrives as a 4x4 micro-camper with full-blown living module, efficient turbo-diesel engine and off-road upgrades. -
![Drop on a GT Roof, and the L200 becomes a truck camper]()
Mitsubishi creates inflatable pickup camper for outdoors lovers
October 19, 2020Mitsubishi Motors Germany is giving its L200 pickup a little more outdoor cred with several different packages and accessories for campers and hunters. The resulting L200 expedition trucks are the type of builds that are usually just one-off concepts. -
![The Kenai is the largest in Scout's all-new three-model pickup camper lineup]()
Scout's lightweight, modular HD pickup camper brings the bathroom
August 27, 2020Scout Campers introduced the Olympic and Yoho pickup campers over the past few months and completes its lineup with the Kenai. The company's largest unit still keeps it lightweight, inviting campers to spend more time outdoors with a modular build.
With lightweight materials and construction techniques, smart digital technologies, and evolving forms, feature sets and functions finding a foothold in the market, truck campers are advancing far beyond the bulky, low-tech white boxes of old. As RVs continue enjoying their time as a top travel trend, we suspect 2021 will see more of that innovation come to light.
