The ninth annual Truck Camper Magazine reader survey results are in. Here are the straight facts directly from our readership, including answers to new and updated questions. Let’s get to it.
This year Truck Camper Magazine launched an all-new website featuring many of the requests we learned about from our annual surveys. After the website launch, we also published answers to common questions submitted in the annual surveys with the new Frequently Asked Questions section. Chances are most of the questions you have for Truck Camper Magazine are answered there, but we will be looking for new FAQ questions to answer in this year’s results.
Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. The following reader survey will be carefully evaluated, compared to past reader surveys, and re-examined as content and other decisions are made in the future. We are honored by your readership and can’t wait to continue making Truck Camper Magazine better. We are listening.
The Results
The following percentages were calculated by dividing the responses for each question by the total number of survey responses. A small number of surveys were not completely filled out resulting in percentages that do not always add up to 100 percent.
1. What is your gender?
Male – 86.7%
Female – 13.3%
2. What is your age?
29 years old or younger – 0.8%
30 – 39 years old – 3.3%
40 – 49 years old – 7.8%
50 – 59 years old – 27.9%
60 – 69 years old – 43.0%
70 – 79 years old – 15.7%
80 years old or older – 1.5%
3. Are you a Truck Camper Magazine free email alert subscriber?
Yes – 91.9%
No – 8.1%
4. What device(s) do you use to read Truck Camper Magazine? Please check all that apply.
Desktop Computer – 41.4%
Laptop Computer – 61.8%
Smartphone – 44.5%
Tablet – 45.1%
5. What is the primary device that you use to read Truck Camper Magazine? Please select one.
Desktop Computer – 25.3%
Laptop Computer – 37.3%
Smartphone – 15.9%
Tablet – 21.4%
6. What social media do you use? Please check all that apply.
Facebook – 53.1%
YouTube – 13.9%
Pinterest – 3.6%
Twitter – 2.9%
7. In the past year, have you used the Truck Camper Magazine Request Info feature?
Yes – 27.9%
No – 72.1%
8. If you answered yes, what have you used the Truck Camper Magazine Request Info feature for? Please check all that apply.
I requested one or more brochures. – 77.3%
I requested local dealer information. – 37.3%
I requested one or more price quotes. – 10.4%
9. Which types of Truck Camper Magazine content do you find most interesting? Please check all that apply.
Maintenance Articles – 73.6%
Destination Articles on Specific Locations – 72.4%
Truck Camping Lifestyle Stories – 63.5%
Truck Camper Reviews – 59.8%
Monthly Mod Contest – 59.0%
Off-Road and Expedition Stories – 58.1%
New Truck Camper Gear Announcements – 57.4%
TCM Project Camper Articles – 56.2%
New Truck Camper Announcements – 55.0%
Truck Camper Gear Reviews – 51.7%
Question Of The Week Responses – 50.1%
Photo Gallery – 49.7%
Component and Appliance Installation Stories – 48.1%
Factory Tour Stories – 42.2%
Truck Camper Gear Guide – 39.9%
Model Year Upgrade Articles – 36.5%
Truck Camper Buyers Guide – 35.1%
TCM Calendar Contest – 31.7%
Newbie Corner Articles – 30.5%
HD Videos – 24.9%
Rally Announcements and Updates – 22.7%
RV Show Listings – 21.5%
Dealer Inventory Section and Updates – 16.0%
10. Which of the following reasons are the most important to you when choosing a truck camper over another form of RV. Please check all that apply.
Ability to go anywhere a pickup truck can go – 94.4%
Superior maneuverability of a truck camper – 79.3%
Boondocking / dry camping where you want for free – 74.0%
The ability to tow a boat, trailer, horses, ATVs, toys, etc. – 60.9%
Saving on registration and insurance – 39.9%
Possible Use as Family Emergency Vehicle – 34.3%
Saving on maintenance – 28.2%
Saving on fuel – 23.1%
Saving on storage – 20.1%
Saving on depreciation – 11.8%
11. What do you tow, or plan to tow, with your truck camping rig? Please check all that apply.
A boat – 38.3%
None – I do not tow – 30.0%
Utility trailer – 26.9%
Off-road vehicles / ATVs – 22.6%
Automobile – Car, Jeep, or SUV – 16.3%
Motorcycle – 16.1%
Snowmobiles / snow machines – 4.3%
Horse trailer – 3.8%
Other watercraft / jet skis – 3.8%
Racecar Trailer – 3.4%
Travel Trailer – 3.1%
Farm Tractor – 2.3%
Other: Airplane, BBQ Smoker, Cannon, etc. – 1.2%
12. Do you currently own a truck camper?
Yes – 79.9%
No – 20.1%
13. How likely are you to purchase a truck camper in 2016?
Definitely going to make a purchase – 6.8%
Likely going to make a purchase – 11.7%
Not likely going to make a purchase – 81.5%
14. How likely are you to purchase truck camper gear in 2016? Truck camper gear includes turnbuckles, tie-downs, suspension enhancement equipment, camper jacks, aluminum storage beds, and towing systems.
Definitely going to make a purchase – 21.8%
Likely going to make a purchase – 36.4%
Not likely to make a purchase – 41.8%
15. Do you plan on attending a RV show in 2016?
Yes – 54.1%
No – 45.9%
16. Do you plan on attending a truck camper rally in 2015?
Yes – 23.9%
No – 76.1%
17. Have you ever recommended Truck Camper Magazine to family, friends or acquaintances?
Yes – 76.2%
No – 23.8%
18. Have the truck camper and gear reviews in Truck Camper Magazine helped inform your purchasing decisions?
Yes – 88.1%
No – 11.9%
19. What actions have you taken as a result of something you saw on Truck Camper Magazine? Please check all that apply.
Visited a sponsor’s website – 82.2%
Contacted a sponsor by email – 43.0%
Visited a sponsor’s dealership – 32.0%
Visited a sponsor at a RV show – 29.0%
Contacted a sponsor by phone – 25.9%
Visited a sponsor’s factory – 11.0%
Contacted a sponsor by regular mail – 1.2%
20. What print magazines do you subscribe to?
None, I do not subscribe to print magazines. 24.7%
Trailer Life – 24.6%
American Rifleman – 18.4%
Consumer Reports – 15.5%
National Geographic – 9.4%
Motorhome Magazine – 9.0%
4 Wheel and Off-Road – 8.1%
Backpacker – 7.9%
Alaska – 7.7%
Field and Stream – 7.7%
Popular Mechanics – 7.7%
Handyman – 7.5%
Guns and Ammo – 7.4%
Highways – 7.3%
Diesel Power – 6.9%
Car and Driver – 5.7%
Outdoor Life – 5.7%
Boating – 5.6%
Mother Earth News – 5.5%
Woodworking – 5.4%
Sunset -5.0%
Smithsonian Magazine – 4.7%
Truck Trend – 4.0%
Outdoor Photographer – 3.8%
Money – 3.7%
Popular Science – 3.7%
Turbo Diesel Register – 3.6%
Wood – 3.6%
JP Magazine – 3.5%
Arizona Highways – 3.2%
Overland Journal – 3.2%
RV Lifestyles – 2.9%
Motortrend – 2.8%
Road and Track – 2.6%
Rider – 1.9%
Wired – 1.8%
Men’s Health – 1.7%
Scientific American – 1.2%
Truckin – 1.1%
Sports Illustrated – 1.0%
21. What television shows and networks do you watch?
History Channel – 57.0%
Discovery Channel – 53.0%
National Geographic Channel – 39.7%
Big Bang Theory – 34.5%
American Pickers – 32.5%
Weather Channel – 31.6%
HGTV – 30.1%
Fox News – 29.1%
PBS – 29.0%
NCIS – 28.5%
60 Minutes – 28.1%
Travel Channel – 27.2%
Outdoor Channel – 22.3%
Blue Bloods – 20.0%
ESPN – 20.0%
Food Network – 18.0%
NASCAR – 16.9%
Downton Abbey – 15.6%
Gold Rush – 14.8%
The Blacklist – 14.3%
CSI – 14.0%
Military Channel – 13.6%
Velocity Channel – 13.4%
Top Gear – 11.2%
Bones – 10.0%
Duck Dynasty – 9.4%
CNBC – 7.1%
SPEED Network – 7.1%
Does not watch television – 5.5%
Homeland – 4.2%
22. What websites do you most frequent?
Amazon.com – 60.9%
Craigslist.org – 41.3%
Facebook.com – 39.7%
Google.com – 37.4%
YouTube.com – 37.4%
CampingWorld.com – 34.3%
eBay.com – 30.8%
Cabelas.com – 27.7%
Weather.com – 26.4%
RV.net – 25.3%
TruckCamperForums.com – 21.3%
Yahoo.com – 19.2%
RVTrader.com – 17.2%
GoodSamClub.com – 15.9%
FoxNews.com – 15.0%
LanceOwners.org – 14.1%
ExpeditionPortal.com – 10.6%
BassPro.com – 10.1%
WanderTheWest.com – 9.8%
NATCOA.com – 7.9%
CNN.com – 7.5%
Northern-Lite.org – 7.4%
ESPN.com – 5.9%
irv2.com – 5.8%
DieselTruckResource.com – 5.1%
Escapees.com – 4.9%
TurboDieselRegister – 4.5%
ADVrider.com – 3.7%
KIJIJI.com – 3.9%
PickupTruck.com – 3.3%
EagleCapOwners.com – 2.9%
23. What do like about Truck Camper Magazine and what would you like changed?
Click here to read the comments.
