Are you the owner of a Toyota Tundra and looking to head out into the great outdoors with a stylish and functional camper? Lucky for you, there are an endless variety of campers that you can purchase to go along with your truck. Known for being the ultimate off-road rig and having unwavering reliability, the Tundra is the prime off-roading truck on today’s market, and there are many camper choices to complement it.
Whether you like to take your camping adventures into the boonies, far from any electrical hookup or cell phone signal, or you’re more of a road cruiser just looking for the classic RV adventure, you’re bound to find an option that’ll work with your Tundra.
Let’s check out five of the top truck campers that are most compatible with a Toyota Tundra, and compare the features offered by each.
Contents
Is a Toyota Tundra a Good Truck for Campers?
Compared to other trucks, we can’t hide the fact that the Tundra slightly underperforms in key areas. First off, despite its beefy, powerful look, the Tundra has a lesser tow capacity than most of its competitors. While you’re still able to sufficiently tow most small to medium-sized campers, the Tundra can’t handle bigger rigs.
Gas mileage is also a serious downside of the Tundra as well as the ticket price of purchasing a new one. With this price, however, comes maximum interior comfort that isn’t found with other brands.
Where the Tundra truly shines, is offroading. Designed for maximum durability, the Tundra can handle whatever nature has to throw at it. From steep, rocky climbs to washed-out roads and snow, Toyota makes a quality vehicle that can handle it all. This go-anywhere mentality makes the Tundra best suited for truck camper setups that allow maximum movability.
Toyota Tundra Camper Specifications
When looking to purchase a camper for any truck, the specifications of the vehicle must be considered first. After all, the last thing you want is to be rocking a camper that is simply too heavy for your truck, leading to safety malfunctions and damage down the line. Here are some specs from the 2022 Toyota Tundra SR5 4dr Double Cab SB:
- MSRP: $40,755
- Engine Type: Gasoline
- Cylinders: V6
- Combined Average MPG: 20
- Horsepower: 389 HP @ 5,200 rpm
- Torque: 479 lb-ft @ 2,400 rpm
- Max Towing Capacity: 12,000 lbs.
- Max Payload Capacity: 1,940 lbs.
Travel Trailer versus Truck Camper
When it comes to the Tundra, a truck camper is the best RV option. Toyota Tundras are made for offroading, and a tow-behind travel trailer will simply not be able to keep up. If you’re just planning on going from RV park to RV park, you can absolutely invest in a regular travel trailer, just keep in mind the limited towing capacity. While the vast majority of travel trailers will be towable by the Tundra, fifth wheels will likely be off-limits because of their extra load.
The Best Campers for Toyota Tundra Trucks
At first glance, the Toyota Tundra seems to be a bulky truck with a high payload capacity. Unfortunately, this isn’t necessarily the case. The Tundra is a standard 1/2 ton truck just like the Ford F-150 or Ram 1500, so your truck camper choices will have to be limited.
When looking for a truck camper to pair with your Tundra, you’ll need to make sure that it’s designed for 1/2-ton trucks. Most campers are made with a 3/4 ton truck in mind, and these campers can seriously outweigh the Tundra’s capabilities.
Great news though! There are an endless variety of pop-up and even hard shell campers that will seamlessly fit the standard bed of your Tundra, while still coming in below the weight limit.
Four Wheel Camper Models – Hawk
The Four Wheel Camper has always been the leading short-bed truck camper company since its inception in 1972. They have always prioritized making a truck camper that has the lowest weight possible, and the smallest overall footprint. Since 2016, Four Wheel Campers have reimagined their business model, and now are one of the primary choices when it comes to a Toyota Tundra camper.
Their Hawk model in particular is precisely designed to slide into a 6 and 6.5 ft. truck bed length, making it a flawless match for the Tundra. The Hawk model features a slide-out cabover bed, as well as multiple dinette configurations. The fully equipped Four Wheel camper version includes everything you need for a successful camping trip such as a propane-powered stove, sink, grey tank, and a refrigerator.
MSRP (Fully Loaded Camper): $25,625
Dry Weight: 1,100 pounds
Height Down (Including Vent): 60 inches
Adult Sleeping Capacity: 3-4 People
Fresh Water Capacity: 20 gallons
Interior Headroom: 6’6’’
Lance 650 Truck Campers
Lance has been in the truck camper industry since 1965. They’re often regarded as the premier truck camper selection, and for good reason. While most of their campers come in larger sizes for 3/4 ton and 1-ton trucks, their 650 model has long been a staple of the 1/2 ton truck camper industry. As you can see, the Lance does come in slightly over the Tundra’s weight capacity, but many users have reported success with using auxiliary features like airbags to stabilize the additional weight.
The 650 is the only 1/2-ton truck camper that features a full wet bath complete with a shower, toilet, and black tank for dumping. The camper features a side-style dinette and a cabover Delux queen-size bed for maximum comfort.
MSRP: $19,995
Dry Weight: 2061 pounds
Height (Including Vent): 97 inches
Adult Sleeping Capacity: 3
Fresh Water Capacity: 22 gallons
Interior Headroom: 81 inches
GoFast Campers XL Platform
The Go Fast Campers XL Platform is a pop-top camper designed for the Tundra driver looking for a convenient way to tent camp, while still utilizing the space the truck provides. This setup requires a modified bed rack that allows the camper to be mounted on top of the truck bed, rather than sliding in.
Go Fast Campers allow for maximum flexibility while camping. All of the side panels that come with the camper are removable and customizable, meaning you can enjoy a multitude of setups at any time. This flexibility also allows you to still use the bed of the truck for hauling anything you may need below.
MSRP: $8,200
Dry Weight: Less than 300 pounds
Interior Headroom: 5 feet
Adult Sleeping Capacity: 2 people
Cirrus 620 Truck Camper
The Cirrus 620 is a futuristic-themed, sleek truck camper that is only designed for 1/2-ton trucks. This makes it the perfect option for the Toyota Tundra. For the small size of this camper, it comes packed with many deluxe options found only in larger truck campers. There is a full queen-size mattress cabover bed, as well as an additional sleeping option with the convertible dinette folded down.
Included in the camper is a hideaway portable toilet (no black tanks), a sink, stove, and fridge. The only thing that does not come included is a shower, but with so many public and natural options around, this is hardly an issue.
MSRP: $38,458
Base Model Dry Weight: 1493 pounds
Overall Height: 8’2’’
Interior Headroom: 6’4’’
Adult Sleeping Capacity: 3
Palomino RV Backpack Edition SS 550
Palomino has long been a competitor in the truck camper industry and is well known for its lightweight pop-up campers. The backpack edition is specifically designed with 1/2 ton trucks in mind, making it a prime selection for the Toyota Tundra. Much like the other campers, the Palomino Backpack features a queen-size mattress, dinette area, and a kitchen sink, stove, and fridge for all of your cooking needs.
This camper does not include a cassette toilet, making it one of the more basic truck camper options. With a basic setup, however, comes a more budget-friendly price. Compared to other Toyota Tundra camper models, the Palomino RV Backpack Edition is extremely affordable for what you get within. It’s also an incredibly lightweight camper, meaning the Tundra will have zero issues hauling it everywhere you want to take it.
MSRP: Around $21,000
Base Model Dry Weight: 1,594 pounds
Overall Height (Folded Down): 6 feet
Interior Height (Popped Up): 7 feet
Fresh Water Capacity: 15 gallons
Adult Sleeping Capacity: 3
Where to Purchase a Toyota Tundra Truck Camper?
As expected, due to the specific sizing requirements of a Toyota Tundra, finding the campers that have been outlined in this article can be a challenge. Buying one used is nearly impossible, as the owners of these trendy setups rarely sell them. While Four Wheel campers and Palominos are easier to find used because of their age, the more modern models on this list must be purchased new.
Going to a truck camper dealership may seem like the best option for selecting a truck camper, but even these can have slim pickings. Your best bet is to purchase from the manufacturer directly, although this can often mean extensive waitlists. These are all very popular campers with very high demand, and you should be prepared to wait months (or even up to a year) to have yours made. Be patient and plan ahead!
Conclusion: Which Truck Camper is Right for Your Tundra?
While camper choices may be slimmer for a Tundra than other trucks on the market, you can rest assured that there are still a variety of options. If you prefer a fully equipped luxury camper for your Tundra, the Lance 650 or Cirrus is the best option. Looking for a primitive experience that still allows you to use your truck? The GoFast XL platform will be your best friend. If you’re somewhere in the middle like most Tundra owners, Four Wheel camper models and Palomino will fit the bill.
No matter what style of camping you prefer, you’ll have no problem finding a camper to go with your Tundra. So with that, get out into the outdoors and enjoy your new setup!