Loads of pickup campers we've looked at over the years pop upward to expand interior headroom, but far fewer pop out. The all-new Roam Rider SL does both, and it pops outward twice, sliding wings out of both sides to add an additional 20 cubic feet (566 L) of interior space. The sliding continues inside, where amenities slide open and closed rather than occupying finite space permanently. Roam Rider then manages to house a deconstructed part-time kitchen, deployable interior bathroom, L-shaped seating area/solo bed, and RV king-size master bed, all fit atop the 5.5-foot short bed of pickup trucks like the Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra and Chevy Silverado.
When we first saw just how much equipment Roam Rider was shoehorning into a truck bed, we assumed it was working with the 6.5- or 8-foot bed of full-size pickup truck models, maxing out available bed space in order to get everything fitted comfortably. But it made its engineers' lives a little more difficult by basing the SL camper around the 5.5-foot short beds available across the full-size truck segment.
Key to the efficient packaging necessary is the Roam Rider SL's twin-slide construction. When collapsed inward, the slides fill out the unused space inside the camper so the entire camper body rides safely and neatly inside the overall width of the truck. At camp, the slides extend outward in both directions to clear that living space for up to three campers to enjoy.
Unlike in some other side-expanding campers we've looked at, the Roam Rider expansion modules don't hold bedding but instead house critical equipment that would otherwise eat up the limited floor space directly atop the pickup bed. A series of interior slides deploy when said equipment is needed and slide away to clear out cabin space for sitting, dining and sleeping.
Instead of sneaking a tiny kitchen into the front corner or against a sidewall, Roam Rider places all kitchen components on individual slide-outs. The Alpincool dual-zone chest fridge is located atop a slide on the left side of travel, next to a microwave. The sink and induction cooktop slide out from the right side. The portable cooktop unit stores away in a drawer and pops out for use on the expandable worktop/dining table. Campers will need to slide out appliances on an as-needed basis or they might get squeezed right out of space, but that seems a small price to pay for more elbow room when not cooking.
Once the meal is prepared, the four-seat sofa and expandable tabletop provide indoor space to dine. At night, the lounge area transforms into a single bed measuring 31 x 59 in (79 x 150 cm) , clearly sized for a child under 5 feet (1.5 m), not a full adult.
The adult bed is located up in the alcove, but you have to continue sliding to enjoy the full thing. It retracts to clear sitting space over the dinette, then slides out at night into full 79 x 70-in (201 x 178-cm) form, sleeping a couple quite comfortably.
Believe it or not, there's also a bathroom lurking inside, though it's a part-time soft-curtained design. The entryway features a shower floor, and the ceiling above has an integrated track with curtain hangers for holding the privacy curtain in place. The shower sprayer hookup and controls are located against the wall near the sink, and the camper even delivers hot showers by way of a 1,500-W water heater piped to the 91-L fresh water tank.
Surprisingly, there's no indication of a slide-out toilet, but Roam Rider SL owners could easily bring their own self-contained portable and store it in one of the lower cabinets or on the floor for use inside the privacy curtain.
The SL is built from aluminum and fiberglass, insulated with XPS foam. Even the fabric around its pop-up roof is insulated, and a 17,500-BTU diesel heater ensures the interior remains comfortable in the cold. A 7,500-BTU air conditioner takes over in hotter weather. Roam Rider has also wired in a solid off-grid electrical system with 400-Ah LFP battery, 3,000-W inverter and 320 watts of solar.
The SL weighs in at 1,180 lb (535 kg) empty, according to Texas-based Roam Rider, making it a lightweight and highly versatile truck camping option. Prices start at US$29,995.
Sources: Roam Rider and Outback RV of Texas
