7 Cool Single Slide-Out Truck Campers for Your Overland Adventures

So you’re thinking about buying a truck camper with a single slide-out. Going this route has merit. Not only does the slide-out add a significant amount of living space in a truck camper, but it can also create a more open feel to the interior, a big benefit for rainy days when outdoor activity has been curbed. Not only that, but the slide-out usually adds a sizable amount of storage space to a camper. This extra space is a big win for owners as storage is always at a premium in a truck camper, you can never have enough. Of course, the biggest negative associated with a slide-out is the extra weight. On average you’re looking at an extra 400 pounds per slide-out, which is why you need a one-ton truck at a minimum to haul one. This isn’t a bad thing. When it comes to overlanding, you don’t want to overload your truck. You want to be safe, which is why we surveyed the 7 coolest single slide-out truck campers for your overland adventures. These tiny home campers are the best of the best.

When researching truck campers, it’s important to understand that the dry weight, while important, is only half of the picture. The dry weight doesn’t take into account things like full tanks, batteries, gear, food, and options like air conditioners, awnings, and solar panels that were installed after the camper was built. All of this extra water and gear probably weighs a good 1,000 pounds, so a camper with a dry weight of 3,300 pounds will actually weigh around 4,300 pounds fully loaded. This means you’ll need to have a truck with a payload large enough to handle the fully loaded weight of the camper, plus passengers and anything you have stored in the truck. Unfortunately, some truck camper companies and dealers aren’t honest in divulging this information to customers shopping for a camper. Only the dry weight is often mentioned. Getting the correct information on weights when shopping for a truck camper is paramount. Nothing is more important.

When it comes to overlanding, it’s important to match your camper with the right truck. Yes, staying below the payload rating of your truck is vital, but the wheel setup is important too. Short-bed campers can be hauled on single rear wheel (SRW) trucks, which is ideal, but for heavier, long-bed campers, though, you’ll need to go with a dual rear wheel (DRW) setup, or better yet, super singles. But beware. Dual rear wheels are a liability off-road. Not only do duallys track poorly off-road, but rocks can and will get wedged in between the tires creating flats and other damage. Sure, you can drive a DRW truck off-road, but extra caution and time must be taken to weave your way through rocks and other obstacles that wouldn’t be worthwhile with a SRW truck. Moreover, since dirt roads are often narrower and rockier, this can ultimately cause large chunks of tread to go missing from the outer edge of the tire over time. Yes, dual rear wheel trucks provide superior stability on pavement and provide an extra layer of safety in the event of a rear blowout, but that’s about it. Ultimately, it comes down to the type of roads you intend to take in your rig.

Happily, the 7 single-slide truck campers that made our final cut offer the consumer a wide range of choices. Some are made for short-bed SRW trucks, while others are made for long-bed DRW trucks. Some campers have large, full-wall slide-outs, while others have single slide-outs that are relatively small. Significant differences between the campers are noted here in the individual write-ups. What was the criteria used to determine our rankings? Four things—quality, value, features, and weight. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for a short-bed, slide-out camper with dry-bath, you won’t find one. There are, of course, plenty of single-slide dry-bath campers for long-bed trucks and several are presented here in this article. Remember, you saw this comprehensive, well-researched list here first, well before Internet copycats with nearly identical lists publish theirs. So without further adieu, here are the top 7:

1. Arctic Fox 811

A time-tested classic for short-bed trucks, Northwood Manufacturing debuted the Arctic Fox 811 in 2005, and has been a top seller for the company ever since. The Arctic Fox 811’s listed dry weight is only 2,873 pounds, but don’t let that figure fool you. Including the company’s mandatory Fox Package, which weighs an extra 595 pounds, the dry weight of the Arctic Fox 811 is actually a hefty 3,468 pounds, easily putting this palatial beast at 4,500 pounds fully loaded and probably more. The excessive weight makes sense because the Arctic Fox 811 is built like a tank. The camper features a strong, full walk-on cathedral arched ceiling, 2-inch thick, heavily insulated walls, a large basement, a 20,000 BTU propane fired furnace, two huge 30-pound propane tanks, a 6-gallon DSI water heater, a 45-amp Progressive Dynamics converter/charger with a three-stage Charge Wizard, and a huge, two-way 7-cubic foot refrigerator. Not only is the camper’s floor length generous, at a full 9 feet long, but it also has some of the largest holding tanks in this class with 50 gallons fresh, 38 gallons grey, and 23 gallons black. Even the cabover height is generous at nearly 4 feet. The best options for the Arctic Fox 811 include Torklift’s excellent Fox Landing Step, thermal pane windows, and a 400 watt solar power system. The best of the best. Requires a one-ton truck with the requisite payload. The MSRP of the Arctic Fox 811 is $45,264, making it a terrific value when it comes to both quality and cost. Available at top dealerships nationwide.

2. Lance 855s

The undisputed heavyweight of the industry, Lance Campers continues to sell more truck campers than any other company in the world. Over the years, Lance designers worked hard to make their campers lighter and more durable and their efforts have paid off in a big way. Built for short-bed trucks, and shown here wrapped as the Altimeter, the Lance 855s weighs only 2,857 pounds dry, which puts the camper around 4,000 pounds wet and loaded, well within the payload ratings of most short-bed, SRW one-ton trucks, even those with a diesel. The camper’s 8-foot 11-inch floorplan features a gorgeous interior with dark, cherry stained cabinets, a large wet bath with a bathroom sink, a small kitchen with a three-way 5-cubic foot refrigerator, a north-south queen-size bed, and a cozy leather dinette. We’re also big fans of Lance’s new exterior mountain graphics, the exterior one-piece TPO nose cap, which gives the camper a sleek and aerodynamic look, and Lance’s new Easy Charge battery charging center, and the excellent Truma Aventa 13,500 BTU air conditioner. Popular options include a 100 watt solar power system, side and rear awnings, a dual battery compartment, keyless entry with key FOB, and Lance’s excellent roof rack system. Easily, one of the coolest single slide-out truck campers for your overland adventures. Unfortunately, tank capacities are a bit on the light side with only 30 gallons fresh, 20 gallons grey, and 25 gallons black. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a comparatively light camper to haul on a SRW one-ton, the Lance 855s is probably your best bet. The MSRP for the Lance 855s is $55,101. Available at top dealerships nationwide.

3. Rugged Mountain 12SE

Idaho-based Rugged Mountain started out as a tiny house builder, branched out into travel trailers in 2014, and launched a successful truck camper lineup in late 2016. This is a very good thing because Rugged Mountain builds a cutting-edge truck camper with luxurious interiors. Built for long-bed DRW trucks, the 12SE features with a solid wood frame, painted beadboard walls, hard wood cabinets, and a full walk-on crowned TPO roof. The 11-foot 9-inch layout includes a large cabover with a north-south queen size bed, a kitchen and dry-bath on the driver side with a large 87 x 43-inch dinette/refrigerator slide-out on the passenger side. The holding tank sizes are excellent too with 33 gallons fresh, 38 gallons grey, and 24 gallons black. The four-season camper features loads of interior storage, an 8 cubic foot refrigerator, a one-piece fiberglass front cap, Rieco-Titan remote controlled jacks, a 13,500 BTU air conditioner, an 84-inch slide-out fishing pole drawer, and a microwave oven. We’re big fans of the spacious dry bath featuring a 34-inch neo-angle shower corner sink with storage and the Palisades shower walls. The best Rugged Mountain options include lithium battery packages, large solar power systems, and a 3,000 watt inverter to run everything off-grid. Easily, one of the 7 coolest single slide-out truck campers for your overland adventures, the Rugged Mountain 12SE weighs only 4,592 pounds, putting it well with the payload ratings of most long-bed, one-ton duallys. The MSRP for the base model of the Rugged Mountain 12SE is $64,500.

4. Northwood Arctic Fox 990

Another top notch entry from our friends at Northwood Manufacturing, the Arctic Fox 990 offers a surprising amount of living space for a single-slide truck camper. Rugged and well-built, the 3,605-pound camper features a full walk-on cathedral arched ceiling, 2-inch thick heavily insulated walls, a large passenger side dinette/refrigerator slide-out, a 20,000 BTU furnace, a 6-gallon DSI water heater, a 45-amp converter-charger, and a huge two-way 8-cubic foot refrigerator. Not only is the 990’s floor length generous at 9-feet 10-inches, but it also has some of the largest holding tanks for a single-slide camper with 59 gallons fresh, 39 gallons grey, and 43 gallons black. Can sleep up to five people. The big pros of the four-season camper include the dual battery compartment, the dual 30-pound LP tanks, the molded fiberglass wet-bath, the comprehensive systems monitor, heated holding tanks, and an extra-long storage tray. The best options for the Arctic Fox 990 include Torklift’s excellent Fox Landing Step, thermal pane windows, Onan’s new 2500 QG LP ultra-quiet generator, and a 400 watt solar power system. Built for long-bed, one-ton trucks, but due to its sheer weight, should probably be mounted on a DRW truck with the requisite payload. The MSRP of the Arctic Fox 990 is $49,017, making it a superb value when it comes to both quality and cost. Available at top dealerships nationwide.

5. Lance 975

Another top-selling, single-slide model from our friends at Lance Campers, this one for long-bed one-tons or higher. The Lance 975 weighs 3,394 pounds dry, which puts the camper at around 4,400 pounds wet and loaded, well within the payload ratings of most one-ton DRW trucks, even those with a diesel. If the Lance 975’s weight seems low, you’re right. This was the company’s intent all along—to produce a full-wall slide-out camper with a dry-bath, that was well below the weight of the competition. The camper’s 10-foot 4-inch floorplan features a north-south queen-size bed, a dinette/7 cubic foot refrigerator super slide on the driver side and a kitchen and dry bath located on the opposite side. If boondocking is your modis operandi, then you love the 975’s large holding tanks with 45 gallons fresh, 30 gallons grey, and 26 gallons black. The camper features loads of storage both inside and out and includes the new “Lance Locker.” We love Lance’s new exterior mountain graphics, the exterior one-piece TPO nose cap, which gives the camper a sleek and aerodynamic look, the new Easy Charge battery charging center, and the excellent Truma Aventa 13,500 BTU air conditioner. Popular options of the Lance 975 include a 100 watt solar power system, Onan’s new 2500 QG LP ultra-quiet generator, side and rear awnings, a dual battery compartment, keyless entry with key FOB, and Lance’s excellent roof rack system. Easily, one of the 7 coolest single slide-out truck campers for your overland adventures. The MSRP for the Lance 855s is $59,322. Available at top dealerships nationwide.

6. Rugged Mountain Denali 1S Flatbed

Idaho-based Rugged Mountain has taken the industry by storm with a number of high-quality truck campers, including the Denali 1S, the only flatbed model in this survey. Like all Rugged Mountain campers, the Denali 1S features real wood paneling, painted beadboard walls, hard wood cabinets, a one-piece molded fiberglass front cap, and a full walk-on TPO crowned roof. The four-season flatbed also offers the largest holding tanks in the industry with 80 gallons fresh, 77 gallons grey, and 35 gallons black. While the Denali 1S is a BIG camper, it’s incredibly well-balanced and handles exceptionally well on the road with all of the holding tanks loaded forward. Standards for the 4,950-pound camper include a one-piece fiberglass front cap, Rieco Titan remote controlled jacks, a massive exterior slideout storage drawer, dual 20-pound LP tanks, smooth white interior wall paneling, crown molding and baseboards, acrylic windows with built-in screens and blackout shades, Corian countertops, an 8 cubic foot refrigerator freezer, and more. While the camper’s size and accommodations are impressive alone, what puts the Denali 1S over the top is the camper’s electrical system which boasts 1,080 amp hours of lithium batteries, a 1,050 watt solar power system, and a 3,000 watt inverter that can run the camper’s 13,500 BTU air conditioner. Without a doubt, one the 7 coolest single slide-out truck campers for your overland adventures. Due to the camper’s weight, you’ll probably want to go with either a F-450/4500 or a F-550/5500 truck outfitted with a heavy-duty flatbed like the one offered by StableCamper. The list price for Rugged Mountain Denali 1S is $69,875.

7. Arctic Fox 1150

Another winner from our friends at Oregon-based Northwood Manufacturing, the Arctic Fox 1150 offers the most living space for a single-slide truck camper. The 3,605-pound camper features a rugged aluminum frame, a Corona treated fiberglass exterior, 2-inch thick high density foam block insulation, and Northwood Manufacturing’s new one-piece aerodynamic nose cap. The 1150’s layout features a large north-south cabover, a kitchen and bathroom (wet-bath or dry-bath) on the driver side, and a super-size dinette/refrigerator/ward slide-out on the passenger side. Standards include a 20,000 BTU furnace, a 6-gallon DSI water heater, a 45-amp converter-charger, and a huge two-way 8-cubic foot refrigerator. Not only is the 1150’s floor length generous at 11-feet 4-inches, but it also has some of the largest holding tanks for a single-slide camper with 59 gallons fresh, 35 gallons grey, and 43 gallons black, perfect for boondocking. The big pros of the four-season camper include the dual battery compartment, the dual 30-pound LP tanks, the molded fiberglass wet-bath, the comprehensive systems monitor, heated holding tanks, and the extra-long storage tray. The best options for the Arctic Fox 1150 include the excellent Coleman Mach 10 air conditioner, the Fox Landing Step, thermal pane windows, Onan’s new 2500 QG LP ultra-quiet generator, and a 400 watt solar power system. The dry bath can even be ordered at no additional charge. Built for long-bed, one-ton trucks, but due to its sheer weight, should probably be mounted on a DRW truck with the requisite payload. The MSRP of the Arctic Fox 1150 is $50,393, making it an excellent value when it comes to both quality and cost. Available at top dealerships nationwide.