RVs for Autumn, part 1: Cooler weather beckons angler, hunter Jimmy Smith in his truck camper

Share

As summer fades into autumn, chilly mornings are ideal for hunting, fishing, or walking in the woods. Whatever your outdoor passion, a good quality Recreation Vehicle makes any adventure more comfortable at the end of a long day exploring.

JimmySmithNorthernLite_JulianneGCraneFor lifelong angler and hunter Jimmy Smith getting “up close and personal with the great outdoors,” is a top priority.

“Many times I have followed a gravel road that meandered onto a track that soon resembled a foot path. My truck and camper can easily handle narrow forest service roads and access rough areas for remote camping,” said the longtime Oregon RVer.

Smith chose a rugged four-season, light-weight fiberglass 10.2-foot Classic Northern Lite slide-in camper for his 2001 F-350 Ford four-wheel drive truck. “It gets me to where I want to camp—far into the woods, away from the sounds of civilization.”

Avid outdoor enthusiasts have long been fans of slide-in campers because they can go anywhere a truck can and, at the same time, leave the bumper free to tow a boat, ATV or horse trailer. Once at a base camp, the camper can be easily off loaded and the truck used independently.

The Northern Lite’s two-piece, molded clamshell construction is similar to a boat and makes for a sturdy and weather tight set up. By eliminating the multiple seams, along with the wood and aluminum framing found on conventional truck campers,it is lighter by 15-20-percent. It can easily carry everything one needs for comfortable camping including a full kitchen, bathroom with shower, and over-cab north-south queen bed. Smith’s camper’s dry weight is 2,360 pounds.

According to GoRVing.com, a recreation vehicle industry marketing group, sizes of slide-in campers, range from 8 to 20 feet, with selling prices for new units average between $6,000 and $55,000; some models have the capacity to sleep up to six friendly people.

Part 2 of a 5-part series on ‘RVs for Autumn’ will feature Ron and Sharon Vail talking about why they selected their small, towable travel trailer for back country camping.

Julianne G. Crane

Photo: Lifelong angler and hunter Jimmy Smith of Oregon selected a 10.2-foot four-season slide-in truck camper by Northern Lite because it is ideal for negotiating narrow forest service roads and accessing remote camping areas. (Julianne G. Crane)

Share
More from Julianne G Crane

Campground hosts at Glacier National Park

Share Tweet Kay and Al Aguilar of Pueblo, Colorado, are in their...
Read More

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *