We've seen camper kits for vans, 4x4s and even small crossovers. But pickup truck owners have long been left to shop more expensive, comprehensive campers or build out their trucks themselves. Roadloft has launched a pickup camper package for those who want something simpler and more affordable without going full DIY. The new kit serves as a lounge, dining area, mobile office, kitchenette and bedroom inside the confines of a capped pickup bed. Lightweight materials and multipurpose construction ensure the base truck still looks and maneuvers like a pickup.
Obviously, the pickup truck lacks the extended in-vehicle space of a van or wagon so it's not entirely surprising that the market doesn't offer much in the way of in-truck camper kits. But truck caps (aka camper shells) are a common enough product to make in-bed truck camper hardware a feasible idea. We've seen some awesome pickup shell micro-camping setups on the homemade scene but largely only basic bed platforms on the retail market.
Interestingly, it took a Canadian company to come through with a full-on camper floor plan for the large trucks that dominate US vehicle sales each and every year. Roadloft's kit is designed for full-size trucks with 6.5-foot (2-m) beds like the 2020+ Ford F-150, 2019+ Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, and 2019+ Ram 1500.
Technically, Roadloft says the kit will fit 6-foot beds, which should extend compatibility to long-bed midsize trucks like the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger, but the company suggests measuring out truck models beyond the four specifically mentioned, just to be sure.
The good thing about going with the 6.5-foot bed of a full-size truck is that it packs the length to comfortably sleep all but the tallest adults. Roadloft then supports them with a 48 x 71-in (122 x 180-cm) sleeping platform and folding mattress to make a proper double bed.
Putting a bed inside a pickup is one thing – you could accomplish the same with an inflatable sleeping pad on the bed floor between the wheel wells or a foam mattress atop a set of Decked drawers – but making a pickup box-sized camper floor plan in which you can also spend the day is an impressive feat that Roadloft accomplishes with its kit.
The removable central panels on the bed platform pull out to clear floor space for a day lounge area. Those panels then secure into the frontmost end of the interior bed/bench base to serve as the backrest of a love seat that uses the folded mattresses as cushions. A separate bench just inside the tailgate uses its own cushion to serve as a backless third seat. It's also possible to create a single bed/L-shaped sofa setup that can be left in place on solo camping trips so there's no need to convert between day and night mode.
Each side of the two-seat sofa is flanked by a cabinet unit with a fold-out swivel table that serves as a mobile desk and individual dining table. When folded back up, each table serves as a cover for the integrated storage cubbies that offer space for dry food, personal belongings and other cargo.
There's plenty of other storage space around the Roadloft components as well, including below the sofa bench seats. As the 71-in long bed platform inside a ~78-in pickup bed hints, the kit doesn't extend clean to the front of the pickup box, leaving some empty space for sleeping bags and bedding.
The final section of Roadloft's camper layout is even more flexible than the bedroom/lounge. Two boxes sit on the left and right side of the pickup bed, just inside the tailgate. The low-set driver's side box has a single drawer meant to hold a dual-burner portable camping stove and basic kitchen supplies. Roadloft offers the ultra-slim GSI Pinnacle Pro 2 stove as a very low-profile option that leaves space for other tools and goods.
The taller passenger side box stacks a pair of storage drawers and a cubby for the collapsible sink insert. The latter can be hung on the back or side of the box to create a basin for use with the water canister spout. If that sink system seems a little crude, it's worth noting that there a number of battery-powered faucet solutions that can turn a basic water canister into a smoother, more RV-like kitchen sink supply.
The upper box in that passenger-side stack, which houses the top drawer and sink basin, can be removed and placed outside for use as a standalone outdoor sink, clearing more bed space at night. The space between those two kitchen boxes is meant for storing a refrigerator or cooler (not included) and as the entry point to the lounge.
Given that the Roadloft system is designed to work as a day lounge and not just a flat bed, buyers will probably want to use it below a full- or mid-height pickup shell that stands higher than the cab roof and provides room to sit up. Taller individuals will also want to measure their pickup box walls and shell height to ensure they'll fit comfortably.
For local customers in Quebec, Roadloft offers a mid-height Fibrobec (Spacekap) fiberglass shell that can be fitted with roof rails and carry up to 300 lb (136 kg) of static weight. Canadian and US customers outside Quebec can contact the company to discuss options, if they don't already own their own shell.
What we really like about the Roadloft kit, as compared to a full pickup camper, is that it weighs in just under 126 lb (57 kg( for all structural components. Add that to the 200-lb (91-kg) mid-rise Fibrobec E-Sport shell and you have a complete camper that weighs around 330 lb (150 kg). That's comparable to a lightweight camping topper with built in bed like the Radica Moonlander or Packout but with the inclusion of a sofa dining lounge, more cargo organization and a slide-out kitchen system.
Roadloft delivers that snug, smart camper experience while keeping the base truck as light and nimble as possible – no alcove extending over the cab, rear wall sticking out the tailgate or sidewalls hanging off the bed. The rig maintains the low-profile footprint and look of any of hundreds of thousands of shell-topped pickup trucks already roaming American roadways.
Roadloft added the pickup kit to its lineup of van and crossover camper systems this fall and sells it for US$4,995. The company also offers compatible accessories like the GSI stove, Alpicool fridge, Reliance water container and GSI cookware.
The camper components ship as a flat pack and assemble together without the need for tools or adhesives. Once assembled, the components are designed to install and remove in a matter of minutes, providing full flexibility.
Watch the kit in action in the intro video below.
Source: Roadloft
