Sunset Park RV’s Josh Treat road-tested a forgotten prototype over 11,000 miles, resulting in the non-slide, wet bath Sun Trek 795. What followed were updates to the entire Sun Trek lineup, including optional 48-volt power. Meet the Sun Trek 795!
In 2019, we triple-dog-dared the truck camper industry to spend a weekend camping in their own campers. Why? Because cooking dinner, taking a shower, and climbing into the cabover can reveal things a floor plan on a computer screen won’t.
Which brings us to Josh Treat and a camper sitting in the Sunset Park RV yard. New to truck campers, Josh was digging into the Sun Trek lineup when he found a forgotten prototype. He liked the floor plan enough to ask owner Merle Schmucker for permission to take it out west. Merle agreed, and Josh and his wife, Jenn, hit the road for twenty-six days. No dare necessary.
What followed was more than 11,000 miles through twenty-four states, with stops at nearly one hundred dealerships. Josh asked dealers for honest feedback on the prototype camper and the rest of the Sun Trek lineup. Meanwhile, Josh and Jenn were living in the camper and making notes along the way.
By the time they returned, the prototype had earned enough support to become the Sun Trek 795, and Josh had a list of improvements for his team. Those updates can now be seen across the Sun Trek lineup, from new exterior graphics to aluminum roof trusses and an optional 48-volt power system.
To get the full story behind the Sun Trek 795 and the changes coming to the Sun Trek camper lineup, we spoke with Josh Treat, Regional Sales Manager of Sunset Park RV.
Above: The floor plan for the Sun Trek 795
The 2027 Sun Trek 795 is a hard-side, non-slide, wet bath truck camper designed for short or long bed trucks. The interior floor length of the Sun Trek 795 is 7’11”, the width is 7’8”, and the interior height is 6’7″. The center of gravity is 36″ from the front wall.
The Sun Trek 795 has a 31 gallon fresh water tank, a 30 gallon grey water tank, a 15 gallon black tank, an on-demand water heater, and one 20-pound propane tank.
Sun Trek is reporting the base dry weight of the Sun Trek 795 at 2,101 pounds without options. The base MSRP for the Sun Trek 795 is $40,170 USD.
Request a free Sun Trek brochure
This is your first interview with Truck Magazine. Tell us about your background, and how you joined Sun Trek.
I started in the RV industry in 2017 after a friend of mine suggested that I get into RV sales. I decided to give it a shot, and the rest is history.
I love meeting new people, selling RVs, and traveling the country. The RV industry brought all of that together. I’ve worked for Thor and Forest River and learned a lot from both companies. However, I was spending a lot of time on the road visiting dealers and away from my wife, Jenn, and our family. Eventually, I felt I needed to make a change, so I decided to leave the industry.
That same week, I got a call about an opportunity at Sunset Park RV. When I met with the team, they told me that my wife, Jenn, could travel with me for work. That sold me. I could continue doing what I loved while having Jenn by my side.
I started selling travel trailers for Sunset Park RV, and after a couple of months, they asked me to manage the Sun Trek truck camper line.
Welcome to truck camping! How did the Sun Trek 795 first come to your attention?
My experience was with fifth wheels and travel trailers, so I had a lot to learn about truck campers. I started by digging into each floor plan to understand what was working, what wasn’t, and why.
While reviewing the lineup, I came across a camper sitting in the back of the Sunset Park RV yard. Merle Schmucker, Sunset Park RV’s Founder, explained that it was a prototype that wasn’t going into production. The problem was, I stepped inside and fell in love with it.
It was similar to the Sun Trek 700, but with a north-south bed, more storage in the cabover, a bigger kitchen, and more room to move around.
Sun Trek 795 with north-south bed and cabover storage
We had already discussed the possibility of sending me out west in a truck camper to visit dealers and gather feedback. I suggested to Merle that Jenn and I take the prototype on the trip so we could ask dealers to share their thoughts about the floor plan.
Merle gave me his blessing, the team loaded it onto a Ford F-250, and Jenn and I hit the road.
We love seeing the industry out using their campers. Where did you and Jenn travel, and for how long?
We headed west because truck campers are particularly popular in that region. We covered more than 11,000 miles in twenty-six days, traveled through twenty-four states, and visited nearly one hundred dealerships. It was quite a trip!
The Sun Trek 795 prototype on the road during Josh and Jenn Treat’s trip
Jenn and I were also living in the camper throughout the trip, so we had firsthand feedback of our own. Using it every day helped us identify areas for improvement, from the placement of shelves and outlets to the power system.
“Using it every day helped us identify areas for improvement, from the placement of shelves and outlets to the power system.”
Photos from Josh and Jenn Treat’s road trip with the Sun Trek 795 prototype
One thing we really wanted was the ability to run the air conditioner, microwave, and other equipment without relying on shore power. That experience helped drive the development of our new optional 48-volt power system for 2027, which we’re really excited about.
A 48-volt solar package is a significant addition to the Sun Trek lineup. What equipment does it include?
The package includes at least two 400-watt solar panels, a Victron MultiPlus inverter/charger, and a 48-volt, 100Ah battery. It’s expandable up to 1,200 watts of solar and an additional 100Ah battery for a 200Ah battery bank. Room for additional solar panels depends on the camper’s roof space. The 48-volt system is available as an option on all Sun Trek models.
Optional 48-volt Victron power system in the Sun Trek 795
It also includes a Victron MPPT solar charge controller, SmartShunt, GX controller and touchscreen, a solar disconnect, and a DC-to-DC converter. The MSRP for the optional 48-volt package starts at $8,542.50.
Batteries are not included with the standard system; a 100Ah battery is included when the optional 48-volt lithium system is selected.
What does 100Ah of battery capacity at 48 volts translate to in a 12-volt system?
A 100Ah battery at 48 volts provides approximately five kilowatt-hours of energy storage. That’s equivalent to about 400Ah in a 12-volt battery system.
What dealer feedback did you receive about the Sun Trek lineup and the Sun Trek 795 prototype?
Our graphics were one topic that came up repeatedly. We previously had graphics with yellow and orange accents, which received mixed reactions. Based on that feedback, we switched to more classic black-and-white graphics for 2027.
Sun Trek’s updated graphics for 2027
Dealers responded positively to the 795 floor plan, often commenting on how spacious the interior felt. Their feedback reinforced my confidence in the design, and when we returned, Merle gave me the green light to move the Sun Trek 795 into production.
That must have been exciting news. Did Sun Trek make any material or construction changes in the 795?
Yes. We made a significant construction change in the Sun Trek 795 by switching from wood to aluminum roof trusses. Aluminum roof trusses are now standard across the Sun Trek lineup, except for the 550, which will transition in early 2027.
The 795 also has aluminum-framed walls with Azdel on both sides. Previously, we used Azdel only on the exterior side. Combined with our composite floor construction, these materials help us keep the camper’s weight down.
Sun Trek 795 with optional three-burner range and oven
Let’s step inside the camper. Walk us through the Sun Trek 795 kitchen.
The kitchen comes standard with a two-burner cooktop, with an optional three-burner range and oven available.
The Sun Trek 795 features a 4.4-cubic-foot, 12-volt refrigerator with a large separate freezer compartment. We really enjoyed having dedicated freezer space on our trip. Being able to bring frozen food along made cooking on the road more convenient.
The Sun Trek 795 features a sofa rather than a traditional dinette. How did that work for your trip, and does it convert into another sleeping area?
I was a little hesitant about the sofa before our trip, but we ended up really enjoying it. It’s comfortable and has two fold-down cup holders that we used all the time.
The sofa also converts into an additional sleeping area, allowing the Sun Trek 795 to accommodate up to three adults.
Sun Trek 795 sofa in sleeping mode (left) and seating mode (right)
What should buyers know about the Sun Trek 795’s wet bath?
Like the Sun Trek 700, the 795 includes a flush toilet, sink, counter space, built-in shelving, and a mirrored medicine cabinet.
We also upgraded to a glass shower door across the lineup, while keeping the shower curtain for additional privacy. That was one of the improvements we made after using the camper ourselves.
What size tanks does the 795 have, and where are they located?
The Sun Trek 795 has a 31-gallon fresh water tank, a 30-gallon grey tank, and a 15-gallon black tank in the basement. Warm air from the furnace is ducted beneath the floor to help protect the tanks in cold weather.
What furnace and water heater come standard in the Sun Trek 795?
We use the Suburban RV One in the Sun Trek 795. It combines an on-demand water heater and a 19,000-BTU furnace in one compact unit. It runs on propane with 12-volt power for the controls and blower.
Combining the two appliances also saves space and weight, both important in a truck camper. Suburban reports up to a 25-percent smaller footprint and an 11-percent reduction in system weight compared with separate water heater and furnace units.
This is the first time we’ve heard of the Suburban RV One. It sounds like a fantastic space-saving choice for a camper like the 795. How much propane is available?
The 795 features one standard 20-pound vertical propane tank.
What is the standard power system in the Sun Trek 795?
The 795 comes standard with 100 watts of solar. A 190-watt solar setup is available as an upgrade.
Sun Trek 795 interior control panel and solar charge controller
What air conditioners are available for the Sun Trek 795, and can the optional 48-volt system run them off-grid?
We offer an optional 8,000-BTU roof air conditioner and an optional 5,000-BTU sidewall air conditioner on all Sun Trek models. Either can operate off-grid for several hours with our optional 48-volt power package. Actual runtime depends on factors such as outdoor temperature, thermostat settings, battery charge, solar production, and other electrical loads.
What is the base dry weight of the Sun Trek 795?
The base dry weight of the Sun Trek 795 is 2,101 pounds.
What does a fully optioned Sun Trek 795 weigh?
A fully loaded Sun Trek 795 weighs 2,594 pounds.
Which trucks and bed lengths can accommodate the Sun Trek 795?
The Sun Trek 795 is designed for properly equipped three-quarter-ton and one-ton pickup trucks. With a 7-foot-11-inch floor length and a center of gravity 36 inches from the front wall, the 795 will fit both short and long bed trucks.
Sun Trek 795 on a long bed Ford F-250
What is the base MSRP of the Sun Trek 795?
The base MSRP of the Sun Trek 795 is $40,170 USD.
What is the MSRP with all available options, including the 48-volt solar package?
The MSRP of a fully loaded Sun Trek 795 with the optional 48-volt off-grid system is $54,660 USD.
What warranty does Sun Trek offer on the 795?
We offer a one-year manufacturer warranty on the construction of the camper. Individual parts and components carry warranties from their respective manufacturers.
When will the Sun Trek 795 arrive on dealer lots?
The 795 will begin arriving at dealerships later this month.
It’s clear Sun Trek is listening to feedback and taking action. What else can we expect for 2027?
We’ve added backup camera prep to the entire Sun Trek lineup, with wiring already in place for owners who want to install an aftermarket camera system. Jenn and I experienced firsthand how useful a backup camera would have been during our trip.
There’s more coming, including another truck camper model we’re excited to share soon. Each floor plan has a story behind it, and a lot of those stories go back to our trip.
“My main focus is to understand what we can do better. We plan to keep listening and improving.”
I’m planning to get back on the road to visit more dealers in 2027. My main focus is to understand what we can do better. We plan to keep listening and improving.
For more information about Sun Trek, visit sunsettrailers.com. Click here to request a free Sun Trek camper brochure.
