Truck Camper vs Travel Trailer: A Decade of Finding Our Perfect RV Match

Our journey back into our travel trailer after three months exploring Mexico in our truck camper highlights a unique approach to full-time travel: alternating between two distinct rigs. This decision wasn’t immediate; it’s the culmination of ten years experimenting with different setups. This is the story of how we navigated the Truck Camper Vs Travel Trailer dilemma to find what truly works for us.

We fell in love with our Four Wheel Camper Hawk shell back in 2012. It introduced us to the joy of exploring remote areas via backcountry roads, quickly sparking dreams of full-time life on the road. When we decided to commit, we initially thought we needed significantly more space than the truck camper offered. Yet, parting with the Four Wheel Camper, the heart of our best memories, was unimaginable. This began a decade-long quest, trying four different trailer types before discovering our ideal balance, always prioritizing keeping our cherished truck camper.

Couple swapping gear between a truck camper on a pickup and a travel trailer.

Experiment #1: The Oversized Travel Trailer Trap

The 29′ Avenger Experience

In 2013, embarking on full-time RV living, we bought a 29-foot Avenger travel trailer. The assumption was simple: full-time living required ample square footage and amenities far exceeding our truck camper. We ended up with a trailer so large it felt overwhelming from day one. After just three months, we realized both the timing and the rig were wrong. We sold it.

Large white Avenger travel trailer parked next to a pickup truck.

Why It Didn’t Work

• Too Big: Driving secondary highways and dirt roads, our preferred routes, became stressful. Accessing the types of campsites we loved was nearly impossible. This fundamentally clashed with our travel style.
• Four Wheel Camper Redundant: During a frustrating walk, Mark suggested selling the truck camper as it no longer served a purpose. The thought was jarring, but logical. We realized then that we’d rather sell the trailer than the truck camper.
• Didn’t Feel Like ‘Us’: While nice, it wasn’t suited for the wild camping we craved; it felt designed for established campgrounds and RV parks.

Key Takeaway

A crucial lesson learned from buying new at a dealership: RVs look deceptively normal-sized when surrounded only by other RVs. Seeing our truck next to the trailer for the first time revealed its true, imposing scale. Keep this perspective shift in mind when shopping.

Experiment #2: The Unconventional Utility Trailer

A Temporary Solution Turned Asset

After selling the Avenger, we needed temporary storage before moving back into our rented Colorado house. Mark’s idea: “We need a truck bed trailer with a shell.” He found one on Craigslist, and soon a gentleman delivered it to our Phoenix campsite. We were thrilled; it looked capable and matched our style.

Pickup truck with Four Wheel Camper towing a matching utility trailer on a dirt road.

Benefits for Part-Time Travel & Utility

We paused full-time dreams for three years, instead taking 1-2 month winter trips with the truck camper and utility trailer combo. This setup proved perfect for part-time travel, allowing us to carry more water, propane, gear, and tools in a trailer with decent off-road capability. However, it still didn’t feel right for full-timing.

Multi-Purpose Value

This utility trailer became invaluable. We used it for cross-country moves, home projects, hauling debris, and transporting water. Its versatility cemented its place, and we still own it today.

Experiment #3: Combining Forces – Truck Camper & Casita

The Mali Mish Inspiration & The 17′ Casita

By 2017, we were ready for full-time travel again. We sold the house, initially planning to use the truck camper and utility trailer. Inspired by the @mali.mish family’s setup combining a small travel trailer with a Four Wheel Camper, we pivoted when a 17′ Casita Spirit Deluxe became available locally. For a year, we lived comfortably using the truck camper as our bedroom and the Casita as our living space.

White Casita travel trailer parked in a desert landscape with mountains behind.

What We Loved

• The truck camper had a defined role.
• Two separate living spaces offered flexibility for different schedules.
• The Casita provided excellent shelter from bad weather, a known weakness of the truck camper.
• The Casita’s rear dinette windows offered bright, scenic seating.
• We could cook indoors (our FWC is a shell model requiring outdoor cooking).
• We could access desirable campsites unavailable to the larger 29′ trailer.

View from inside the Casita trailer looking out the rear dinette windows at a desert landscape.

What We Didn’t Love

• Needing to pack up the truck camper (our bedroom) for any errand or activity was inconvenient.
• The Casita’s narrow hallway and low ceilings made it difficult for both of us to move around simultaneously. After a year, the desire for more space grew.
• It had a dinette but lacked a comfortable couch for relaxing.

Pause for a Different Lifestyle

Throughout our year in the Casita, a job offer for Mark in Idaho lingered. Though uncertain, the pull was strong. In 2018, we bought a house, sold the Casita, and explored a new, aviation-centered lifestyle.

Experiment #4: Finding the Sweet Spot – The Toy Hauler

The Desire for Indoor-Outdoor Integration

The 2020 pandemic lockdown reignited our desire for the road. This time, we knew what we wanted: an RV that better connected our living space with the outdoors, addressing a common dislike we had for feeling closed off in traditional RVs. The answer was a toy hauler. Toy haulers feature a large rear opening, typically a ramp for ATVs. We saw a different potential.

The 21′ Desert Fox Toy Hauler Advantage

Our toy hauler’s ramp door transformed into a deck. Installing a full-size residential screen door allowed us to truly bring the outdoors in – a game-changer.

Desert Fox toy hauler with rear ramp down as a deck, screen door visible, parked in a desert campsite.

Adapting Travel Style: Slowing Down

Experience taught us that constant movement leads to burnout. We adopted a slower pace, staying 1-2 weeks per location. The toy hauler’s larger holding tanks supported this extended off-grid time.

Side view of the Desert Fox toy hauler setup at a scenic campsite near cliffs.

Gaining Confidence with a Larger Rig

If the first trailer represented “We Didn’t Know What We Didn’t Know,” this was “We Know What We Know.” By now, ~700 nights in our truck camper had built substantial knowledge and an extensive catalog of campsites. This confidence allowed Mark to take the toy hauler to places we wouldn’t have attempted with the first trailer.

The Four Wheel Camper’s New Role

With the toy hauler, the FWC wasn’t used simultaneously. Instead, we’d store the toy hauler when a truck camper adventure called. This proved surprisingly easy. An unexpected perk: the FWC became guest accommodation when we were in the toy hauler, allowing friends and family to visit and share our lifestyle.

Perfecting the Dual-Rig Strategy: Enter Baja

The Ideal Setup for Baja Exploration

For years, we dreamed of camping in Baja California, speculating the truck camper/utility trailer combo would be perfect for its beaches and backcountry. We staged the utility trailer in Arizona storage and, in 2022, embarked on our first Baja trip. It was, indeed, the perfect rig for that specific mission. Swapping rigs in and out of storage became our annual winter routine in 2023 and 2024.

Truck with Four Wheel Camper and towed utility trailer parked on a sandy Baja beach near the ocean.

Truck Camper vs Travel Trailer: The Best of Both Worlds

Why Two Rigs Work For Us

Alternating setups provides the best of both worlds. Life in a compact truck camper versus a spacious travel trailer (our toy hauler) offers vastly different road experiences. The truck camper facilitates constant exploration, deep backcountry access, and spontaneous detours. The travel trailer encourages slowing down, truly getting to know areas, and dedicating time to work and projects alongside travel.

What the Truck Camper Offers

• Off-road capability: Accessing remote places needing high clearance and 4WD.
• Mobility: Easy navigation on narrow streets, tight parking lots, and shoulderless roads.
• Simplicity: Quick setup/teardown and fewer systems to maintain or break.
• Adventure: The unique feeling of a go-anywhere home on wheels.

What the Toy Hauler (Travel Trailer Type) Offers

• Comfort: A refuge from harsh weather (a major factor dictating truck camper travel).
• Capacity: Larger tanks for longer stays between dumping and refilling.
• Amenities: A full kitchen and bathroom.
• Workspace: Comfortable setup for two people working full-time remotely (essential for our photography business).

Conclusion: Embracing Flexibility in RV Life

We’ve lived full-time on the road with our toy hauler and truck camper combination since 2020, with no plans to settle down. Our success hinges on two key elements: slowing down for most of the year (1-2 weeks per camp) in the travel trailer, and maintaining the truck camper for a distinctly different style of adventurous travel for the remaining part of the year.

This balance keeps us engaged, comfortable, and satisfied. There’s no single “right” way to live the RV life. Our decade-long journey through the Truck Camper Vs Travel Trailer debate led us to embrace flexibility rather than committing to just one style. Hopefully, sharing our experiments helps you consider what setup best aligns with your own travel dreams and priorities.