Weighing in just over 900 lb (408 kg), the new Scout Yoho camper debuts as the claimed lightest hard-sided pickup camper in the industry. Like Scout's Olympic camper, the Yoho features a modular indoor/outdoor interior based around flexible equipment like a removable power station and indoor/outdoor gas stove. Dropping more than 200 lb (91 kg) as compared to the larger Olympic, it fits its way atop popular midsize pickup platforms like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado, promising a nice mix of nimble off-road handling and warm, cozy camping.
In the hard-sided pickup camper market, not to be confused with the pop-up camper or topper markets, anything under 2,000 lb (907 kg) or so can be considered lightweight. Once you get down around 1,000 lb (454 kg), you're in ultralight territory with very few competitors. The 1,133-lb (514-kg) Scout Olympic is already quite lightweight itself, but it outweighs at least one hard-sided camper we've looked at in the past: the 930-lb (422-kg) aluminum-skinned Kimbo Camper. Not only does the new 913-lb (414-kg) Yoho come in nearly 17 lb lighter than the Kimbo, it sleeps twice as many people.
Of course, when it comes to truck campers, weight isn't simply a bragging right – it's directly related to the size/type of truck that owners can slide below and the amount of mass (people and cargo) they can load up in the cab of said truck. So while the Olympic is firmly for full-size pickups like the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado and Toyota Tundra, the Yoho slims down enough for midsize trucks, making it an attractive option for those that prefer smaller truck footprints for more maneuverable off-roading. As such, the Yoho pairs nicely with the Toyota Tacoma, one of the, if not the, most popular overlanding platform in the US.
Along with 220 lb (100 kg) of weight, the Yoho loses about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) of interior floor length and a full 8 in (20 cm) of overall width as compared to the Olympic. That, of course, means a smaller, snugger interior. The layout is quite similar, but everything shrinks a little, right down to the size of the available refrigerator.
The floor plan includes a 54 x 72-in (137 x 183-cm) alcove double bed. In place of the Olympic's dual-bench vis-a-vis dinette, Scout swings in an L-shaped dining lounge that converts over to two single beds at night, completing the four-sleeper set-up.
Since the dining bench takes up the entire passenger-side wall, Scout moves the refrigerator over to the driver's side, right next to the kitchen block. The space here only allows room for an optional 45-L Dometic CFX3 Wi-Fi-equipped fridge/freezer, instead of a 75-L model. The kitchen still includes a rectangular sink basin with lid, an 18.5-L LifeSaver Jerrycan with spray wand feeding it. The countertop space can be used to support the available indoor/outdoor gas cooktop.
The Yoho shares most its standard features with the Olympic, starting with the Goal Zero Yeti 1000 power station with built-in 1-kWh lithium battery, inverter, and 110V electrical sockets and USB ports. This power station is a more flexible indoor/outdoor solution than a hard-wired structural electrical system. A 160-W Renogy solar panel on the roof helps to keep the Yeti charged. Also included are a moon roof with shade, interior LED strip lighting, and exterior solar LED lights.
The Yoho includes a large gear locker on the passenger side for storage. It loses the slide-out worktop available on the Olympic, so owners will need to bring their own table if they want to use the gas stove under the sky and stars.
The Yoho shares the Olympic's four-season, zero-wood composite panel and aluminum exoskeleton construction. The options list includes a Dickinson Marine Newport 4.5 propane fireplace, Dometic portable toilet and Rhino Rack 270-degree awning.
We're a little surprised the Yoho's $19,240 base price comes so close to the $19,980 Olympic, as we would have expected the smaller size to cut a few more dollars off the price tag. But we suppose the standard features are nearly identical, leaving Scout to woo Yoho buyers with the impressively low weight and compatibility with popular midsize trucks versus the larger size and extra available add-ons of the Olympic. The aforementioned Kimbo Camper now starts at $19,999, for comparison.
Source: Scout Campers
