Different yet familiar, the new Trailster Truck Camper from Arizona's Unplug Outdoor Company is yet another spin on the pickup camping topper, a particularly low profile, lightweight spin. The Trailster stands at cab height on the bed like a heavy-duty expedition-grade cap, but rather than the simple fixed body of other caps, it features an integrated fold-out tent ready to sleep the overland crew.
When clamped atop the bed rails and all closed up, the Trailster looks like any other aluminum-bodied pickup cap, quite similar to the Go Fast Platform Topper or Westin EXP Truck Cap. Truth be told, it looks like any metal cap, including stainless steel variants like the RSI SmartCap and Rough Country Truck Bed Cap.
Like those alternatives, it provides full weather protection and lockable security over top the truck bed, protecting all contents. It can also be equipped with front and rear windows for better visibility and a brake light.
Unlike those other truck caps, the Trailster hides a rather big secret, a second function that turns it into something beyond a basic fixed shell. Integrated into the roof is a fold-out hardtop tent that functions similarly to the iKamper Skycamp or Porsche 911 tent. The strut-assisted roof folds sideways to near-vertical position, and the extended floor folds out, pulling up the tent body along with it, to complete the sleeping space. The 7.5-foot (2.3-m) telescoping ladder extends to the ground to support the expanded floor area and, of course, deliver access up to the tent.
The tent itself is crafted from 280-g polyester ripstop blackout canvas with a 2,000-mm waterproof rating. A 2-in (5-cm) memory foam mattress is part of the standard kit, and Unplug also offers a 4-in (10-cm) inflatable mattress as an upgrade. The amount of sleeping space depends on the size of the truck's bed since the Trailster cap is designed to fit precisely, with floor areas ranging between 78 x 48 in (198 x 122 cm) on 5-foot short beds to 84 x 84 in (213 x 213 cm) on 8-foot beds.
Unplug also equips the tent with a heating/AC port for air-blown climate control, an anti-condensation mat below the mattress, and an available winter liner to bolster insulation. A variety of internal pockets and sleeves helps campers stay organized, day and night, and a 12-in tablet sleeve on the ceiling works for watching movies or TV shows.
Outside, the Unplug Trailster includes a pair of T-track roof rails for mounting up racks and accessories and two L tracks on each side for additional mounting flexibility. The rear hatch door opens upward for access into the pickup bed.
The Trailster is similar to the style of roof-integrated fold-out tent we've seen recently on the Tonke VW Buzz camper van and Jeep Wrangler ARTT concept, albeit built into a removable pickup cap instead of the OEM roof. This type of integrated camper design offers a lighter, lower-profile ride than either a pop-up pickup topper or a rooftop tent mounted atop a traditional pickup cap.
The smallest 5-foot-bed Trailster weighs in at 215 lb (96 kg), which is comparable to what some heavy-duty truck caps weigh on their own, no tent included. That's also well lighter than the 300-lb+ (136-kg+) figures we're used to seeing for pop-up pickup camping toppers with above-cab alcoves and comparable to non-alcove camping toppers like the Radica Moonlander and Ovrlnd Bivy.
Compared to a standard fixed, cab-height shell, the Trailster offers much more spacious, dedicated sleeping accommodations than simply throwing a sleeping pad down in the truck bed. Campers also don't have to remove cargo from the pickup bed to make room for sleeping.
We also see a few disadvantages. The framed tent floor is integrated into the upper body of the Trailster cap, lowering the internal height over the pickup bed and decreasing overall cargo volume. The design also eliminates the side hatch doors that other caps include for easy cargo access, particularly helpful in grabbing cargo stored at the front of the truck bed.
The Trailster starts between US$5,500 and $6,500, depending on size, which is cheaper than most pop-up pickup camping toppers we've looked at over the years. Comparing it to a combination of rooftop tent and pickup cap, on the other hand, will ultimately depend on the models being compared, but its pricing certainly falls within the range of options.
Source: Unplug Outdoor Co