From Bayfield, Colorado comes Outpost Campers, an all-new high-end production truck camper company based on Total Composites panel construction. What happens when a top-tier van builder turns its focus to composite campers? Major innovation.
We launched Total Composites in Truck Camper Magazine in September of 2023 and declared the 100-percent composite camper shell supplier to be nothing less than a potential game changer. The concept of importing pre-cut composite camper shells as flat pack kits and offering them through builder-partners was not only remarkably efficient from a distribution perspective, but also potentially disruptive as fully composite truck camper products.
Nine months later, Outpost Campers is about to take the Total Composite concept to the next level. For the past six years, the team behind Outpost Campers has built top-tier Sprinter Vans under the name San Juan Vans. With the introduction of Outpost Campers, the team is not only bringing their entire focus to Total Composite truck camper builds, but also the full weight of their proven design acumen and premium build quality. And where other Total Composite builder-partners have specialized in custom builds, Outpost Campers is launching a full-blooded production truck camper brand.
So what happens when a company that’s been building top-tier Sprinter vans turns their attention to composite truck campers? The answers might surprise you. First, they’re infusing Outpost Campers with the high-end design, material, and components they’re known for, but at an approachable price point that’s guaranteed to make marketplace waves. And second, it turns out the Outpost Campers team are themselves passionate truck campers who have poured their real world truck camping experience into every aspect of their new camper design. This team truly loves truck campers, and it shows.
To learn more about this all-new camper brand and concept, we talked to Taylor Ripp, CEO of Outpost Campers.
Above: The floor plan for the 2024 Outpost 6.5
Outpost 6.5 Specifications
The 2024 Outpost 6.5 is a hard side, non-slide truck camper made for short bed trucks. The width of the 2024 Outpost 6.5 is 134.25”, interior floor length is 76”, and the interior height is 6’5”. The center of gravity is 23.5”.
The Outpost 6.5 has a 20 gallon portable fresh tank, no grey tank, and a portable 5 gallon cassette toilet. It comes standard with an EcoFlow battery system and 200-watts of solar.
Outpost Campers is reporting the base weight of the Outpost 6.5 at 1558 pounds. The base cost of the 2024 Outpost 6.5 starts at $34,995. Click here for an Outpost 6.5 brochure.
Above: Kurt Pattison and Taylor Ripp, Co-Founders of Outpost Campers
Your first venture in the RV and overland space was San Juan Vans. How did you get into building vans?
I grew up in Colorado and I was a professional river guide through my mid-20s. Then I was a wildland firefighter. In both careers, I was out camping and enjoying the wonderful landscape I live in.
Those experiences led me to build a camper van for my own personal camping. I had no budget to purchase a new van, so my only option was to build one. I started in 2017 with a used Ford Econoline that I purchased for $2,000. After people saw my work, they began asking me to build campers for them. That evolved into San Juan Vans.
My campers all had advanced off-grid electrical systems. After the Econoline, I worked on high-roof Ram ProMasters and then 4×4 Mercedes Sprinter vans. That’s when Kurt came in as a partner. He has similar aspirations and is more technical.
The systems just kept getting better and the technology was evolving with us. Eventually, we were building high-end $200,000-plus Mercedes Sprinter vans. That was very different from where we began, but that’s where the market was evolving. We were excited to build such an advanced product.
To circle back to your question, I got into van building through my personal passion for the outdoors, and wanting a van for myself. It all started with one inexpensive van build.
Above: Click to watch the 2024 Outpost 6.5 truck camper video tour
With the announcement of Outpost Campers, you are getting out of the van market and going all-in with truck campers. What led to that decision?
The camper van space blew up in 2020. Over the past four years, we’ve seen a significant rise in the number of competitors including major manufacturers. Since then the demand for camper vans has come down and the van market has been commoditized.
As the demand for vans slowed down, the demand for composite truck campers was growing. As a business that has been building both, our orders have been skewing toward truck campers. We also saw companies like Forest River, Thor, and Winnebago adopting the technologies that we pioneered in our vans. That tipped our decision to focus on truck campers.
How did you get involved with Total Composites truck campers?
Out of curiosity, we went to British Columbia and met Total Composites’ Founder, Andreas Schwall. On that trip, we built a Total Composites truck camper and quickly realized it was an incredible system. The composite construction is truly four-season capable and lightweight. With our experience building high-end adventure vans, we knew we could build a truck camper that’s more affordable with the same capabilities.
These new composite truck campers are actually better than vans in many respects. Putting a camper on a standard truck that can be worked on anywhere versus a Sprinter that requires a Mercedes dealership is a huge advantage. And the insulation in a Total Composites shell is far superior to any van. That’s why we went into the composite truck camper space. We applied what we learned to make an affordable camper that can go on the same adventures—or better—that a $200,000 van could go on.
That’s quite the statement. When you go camping, do you take a van or a truck camper?
I have a personal truck camper based on a Total Composites build. Even though I build $200,000 vans, that doesn’t mean I can afford them. I also truly believe in the capabilities of the Total Composites platform, and the advantages of a demountable truck and camper rig.
Under San Juan Vans, you’ve been building custom truck campers based on Total Composites shells. Why are you shifting from custom builds to a production model with Outpost Campers?
Custom building comes with inherent challenges. Custom was a great way to get us started in the truck camper space but it’s expensive for the customer. You start from scratch every time which creates a lot of design costs. We needed unique components for every custom camper, so there was no buying power with the vendors. There was no economy of scale. It also required research and development on the fly which meant building campers with some that are always prototypes and not being able to take those lessons to the next camper. In short, building custom was not cost-effective and had inherent compromises.
With our Outpost 6.5, we were able to prototype and then evolve into a production model. We tested designs, saw what worked and what didn’t, and made changes. We were able to adapt and build what we know is a solid design that will be useful for a lot of different people at an attractive price point.
The Outpost price is low enough that it would be hard for someone to DIY a camper with the same amenities and capabilities for less. That comes down to the economy of scale and efficiencies in our build process. We are excited to make this new style of composite truck camper accessible to more people.
Above and below: 3D renderings of the 2024 Outpost 6.5
Tell us about the design and development process of the 6.5.
We have a foundation of knowing what works in an off-grid environment and started our design process with those components. From there we went from our imaginations to paper drawings to CAD to physical prototypes. We took our experience of building vans and custom truck campers and put all the best ideas into practice.
We knew we wanted a propane-free camper and a regenerative off-grid camper that would charge itself from a vehicle or solar. We wanted a built-in refrigerator, a good size sink, a stove, a nice countertop, a dinette, a comfortable cabover bed area, and a cassette toilet system.
During the design process, we really thought about how we use the camper. There were tweaks along the way to improve flow, storage, and functionality. The resulting Outpost 6.5 floor plan was the layout that checked all the boxes and made the most sense.
What trucks are you targeting for the Outpost 6.5?
The target weight was 1,500 pounds dry including the battery system and solar. There is no propane in this unit. You only need to add water and your stuff to the wet weight.
The 6.5 is made to fit a 6’5” bed with the tailgate closed and a 5’5” bed with the tailgate down. As a true slide-in, the 6.5 will also fit long bed trucks.
Above: Outpost weighed their prototype unit at 1,558 pounds
At 1,558 pounds dry, the Outpost 6.5 will payload match with many half-ton trucks and will be a fantastic match to three-quarter and one-ton trucks.
You selected a mix of built-in and removable appliances. Why not go fully modular or built-in?
That came down to what we wanted in a camper. We wanted a real kitchen with real cabinets that have real storage. We decided to go with lightweight powder-coated aluminum cabinetry that’s fixed in the camper. It has a homey feel and provides a lot of storage.
The cooktop is a portable induction unit. You can cook outside or inside using your electrical system.
There is a portable cassette toilet versus a fixed cassette toilet. That decision comes from our own experience. The ability to take the toilet outside when you’re in the middle of nowhere is important. You can also put the toilet outside in a privacy tent.
We are confident in the design and the systems we’ve selected. The base model Outpost 6.5 comes with everything needed to go camping without needing to add any additional options.
The Outpost Campers 6.5 is designed to be an electric truck camper with an optional diesel heater. Why is heat an option?
That’s from two perspectives. First, it keeps the entry cost down. Second, from our experience with composite campers, you don’t need heat unless you’re camping in extreme cold.
I’ve camped in my personal composite camper down to 35 degrees with two adults and a small child. With the R12 insulation provided by the Total Composites shell, body heat keeps the camper in the 60s inside. Sometimes we even open the windows. I’ve only really used the heater in my camper to test it.
Above: The dinette has a big double pane Arctic Tern window
The Outpost 6.5 is an air-tight insulated space with double pane Arctic Tern windows. It’s tight and well-insulated. If you are using it in sub-zero temps, you will want a heat source, but it doesn’t take much to heat these campers.
Above: The Espar diesel heater installed on a 2024 Outpost 6.5
Tell us about the Espar diesel heater and why it was the right choice for the Outpost 6.5.
Diesel heaters are ubiquitous in the camper van space, and we have a lot of experience with them. We came up with an external mount self-contained unit including a custom molded diesel tank that’s housed in an aluminum box with the Espar heater that can be installed on the rear wall of the camper. Since it’s outside of the unit, it compromises no precious interior space, and it’s totally safe.
The Espar unit is made in Germany. We have used their heaters for years. It’s not the cheapest diesel heater on the market, but we chose it for its performance, reliability, efficiency, and high altitude capability at 13,000 feet. The altitude capability is an important pro for diesel heaters versus propane heaters.
Above: The standard EcoFlow Power Hub installed in a 2024 Outpost 6.5
The electrical system in the Outpost 6.5 is a 166 Ah 12 volt integrated system and battery bank by EcoFlow. Tell us about the EcoFlow Power Hub system and why you selected it for the Outpost 6.5.
There are a few reasons. The most impressive aspect of the EcoFlow Power Hub system is the design. We first saw the Power Hub a year and a half ago at Overland Expo and it blew my mind. It took all of the separate components we typically install and combined them into one compact unit. That’s a big deal in a 6’5” truck camper.
The EcoFlow Power Hub has a 3,600 watt inverter, a 2,400 watt converter charger, 50-amp alternator charging, and two solar controllers; one for rooftop solar, and another for a plug-in portable panel. By choosing the EcoFlow Power Hub, these features are standard in every 6.5.
Above: The EcoFlow Power Hub control monitor
The EcoFlow Power Hub also has an elegant control console that works over WiFi or Bluetooth so you can view everything from your phone. The Eco Flow has a five-year warranty. It’s also serviceable by the user. A screwdriver can replace the whole Power Hub.
All connections have unique ports that are impossible to plug incorrectly. There’s also the option to expand your power stations because the Power Hub can take multiple batteries. We provide a 2kW battery standard, and you can add more. It’s all plug-and-play, so it’s very easy for the end user to expand their battery bank.
Finally, the Power Hub is a 48-volt system which has many advantages including how compact it allows the main component to be. I believe the entire RV and overland space will be moving to 48-volts in the future.
You mentioned that the Outpost 6.5 has aluminum cabinetry. Why did you choose aluminum cabinetry?
We chose aluminum for weight and durability. These aluminum cabinets are going to last a lifetime. We partnered with a company in the US that specializes in aluminum cabinets and the quality is incredible.
The cabinets are TIG welded, including the drawer boxes. There are no fasteners holding the cabinets or drawers together. They are not going to come apart.
What brand of camper jacks are you using for the Outpost?
We are using the Total Composite manual jack system by Expedition Upfitter. They are not quick-release, but they are removable. Our camper jacks are included in our standard price because they are necessary to use a truck camper.
We are considering an upgrade to electric jacks which would be a straight swap over with a Rieco-Titan system. If someone wants Rieco-Titan electric jacks, they’re an option.
You selected Arctic Tern doors and four-season windows for the Outpost. Tell us why you selected Arctic Tern.
Arctic Tern thermal pane acrylic windows are thermally efficient and include a screen assembly. As a push-out design, you can have them open in the rain and bad weather. They are also specifically designed for composite campers and have a high-quality design. The Arctic Tern windows are more expensive, but they’re an awesome product for this application.
Everybody who sees the Arctic Tern Wildlands door loves it, and many people are retrofitting them onto other brands of truck campers for their performance and utility. It has a break away screen and a two-catch locking assembly. Just like other Arctic Tern products, the door is high quality and works well with composite campers.
Where is the storage in the Outpost?
There’s storage in the aluminum overhead cabinetry on both sides. There is a large cabinet above the refrigerator and below the kitchenette.
There’s a large drawer for pots, pans, and the portable induction unit. There are also two smaller drawers for silverware and cooking utensils.
There’s floor storage in the five-inch basement area. You access this storage from the inside via floor hatches. We were able to maintain the 6’5” standing height inside the camper even with the storage inside the floor.
What else is in the basement area?
In addition to the floor storage, the basement contains the electrical system and the fresh water tank which are housed in the dinette bench nearest the cabover.
What brand and size refrigerator did you select for the Outpost?
The refrigerator is a 12-volt model made by Indel B. Indel B is made by the same company that makes Isotherm and features the same energy-efficient Secop compressor as an Isotherm.
We chose the Indel B Cruise CR86 refrigerator because it fits well in our layout. It’s an 86-liter refrigerator, so it’s comparable to the units we’ve used in our vans. We have never had a single issue with Indel B units. We like them for their energy efficiency, size, and track record.
It’s nice to have an upright refrigerator versus a cooler style. We did test the cooler-style refrigerators during our prototyping, but it wasn’t the direction we wanted to go.
Talk to us about how you spec’d the electrical system and sized the battery bank in the 6.5 to handle the considerable power demands of the induction cooktop.
For your basic cooking, our standard battery system will work fine for weekend campers. If you are a camper who goes out for longer durations, you will probably want the optional larger battery bank, and two hundred more watts of solar.
Above: An EcoFlow Power Hub battery
Two hundred watts of solar comes standard, but you can get four hundred watts on the roof. A four hundred watt portable panel can also be added for a total of eight hundred watts of solar on the 6.5.
The induction cooktop is the only included appliance that will require the inverter. If you’re making dinner with the induction, it may use nine to ten percent of your battery bank. You can regenerate that with solar, driving, or plugging into shore power. From our van owners’ experiences, our standard battery bank and system are more than adequate.
“In our opinion, the size of the battery bank isn’t as important as your ability to recharge it. A dead battery is a dead battery, regardless of size.”
In our opinion, the size of the battery bank isn’t as important as your ability to recharge it. A dead battery is a dead battery, regardless of size. That’s where having solar infrastructure helps you stay off-grid longer, along with the 50-amps of charge you are getting while you’re driving your truck.
That’s a very important point, “The size of the battery bank isn’t as important as your ability to recharge it.” Are there fresh and grey tanks in the Outpost?
There’s a twenty-gallon fresh tank. It’s what we’ve used in vans for years. From customer feedback, less than twenty gallons is not enough. That was the minimum we had to hit. We chose a twenty-gallon tank based on space, weight, and adequate water supply.
The 6.5 does not have a grey tank. It’s a direct discharge with a side drain point. That’s a compromise that you have with a small camper.
Is there a storage space for the removable cassette toilet in the Outpost 6.5?
Yes. There’s a wrap-around bench seat with a section that juts out from the closet area. The cassette toilet storage area is in the bench. It’s totally usable inside the bench. The lid pops out and there’s a breakaway piece. That’s a design that we’ve been using for years in our vans.
Originally, we were going to have a fixed cassette toilet with a swivel toilet. Then we realized that the portable toilet has the same five gallon black tank capacity and you can move it outside. We chose the versatility of the removable version.
Tell us about the recommended entry step system for the 2024 Outpost 6.5.
We will have a selection of step systems at Outpost Campers to accommodate different truck and camper set-ups, and customer preferences. Some trucks now have built-in steps in their tailgates. For customers that don’t have that feature, or prefer to remove their tailgates, we recommend the Easy Hitch Step, but it doesn’t work for every scenario.
What tie-down and turnbuckle system are you using for the Outpost 6.5?
We have the option to do an internal ratchet system or a Torklift system. We have the internal ratchet system engineered into every model, but the Torklift system is also an option that works with the included tie down points.
Above: The Nomadic X2 48-Volt Air Conditioner is an option on the Outpost 6.5
You offer several options; the Espar diesel heater ($2,500), an additional 200-watt solar panel ($375), camper jack extensions ($75), an extra battery ($1,749), a DC powered air conditioner ($3,495), an Arctic Tern Wildlands door cover ($150), and a 400-watt folding solar panel ($769). What air conditioner are you offering?
It’s the Nomadic X2 48-volt air conditioner. The Nomadic X2 is a lightweight and low-profile unit designed to run on DC battery power. All Outpost Campers will come pre-wired for an air conditioner. It’s a swap for the Maxxair fan.
How efficient is the Nomadic X2?
It only pulls about 500-watts on eco mode. It’s not the most powerful air conditioner, but it’s more than enough for our well-insulated campers. We have tested it and it has performed above our expectations.
What is included in the base dry weight of the Outpost 6.5?
That base weight of 1,558 pounds includes 200-watts of solar, a 2,000-watt lithium battery system, a touch screen control panel, aluminum cabinetry, manual camper jacks, Arctic Tern doors and windows, a Maxxair fan, in-floor storage, an Indel B 86L 12 volt refrigerator, an induction cooktop, a stainless steel sink, a 20 gallon fresh tank, bamboo countertops, a queen mattress, a convertible dinette, and a removable cassette toilet. Our campers are truly ready to go camping with standard features.
What’s the weight of a fully loaded Outpost 6.5?
If you add in an air conditioner (44 pounds), an extra battery (37.7 pounds), an extra solar panel (25 pounds), a heater (26 pounds) and camper jacks (91 pounds), you would be at 1,782 pounds.
Above: Note the roll bar on the left showing the 23.5 inch center of gravity
Where is the center of gravity on the Outpost 6.5?
It’s 23.5 inches from the front wall.
Above: Check out the 3D walkthrough of the Outpost 6.5
Where can someone physically see an Outpost 6.5?
You can always come to our facility in Bayfield, Colorado. We will be at the Great American RV Show in Colorado Springs, Colorado from August 1-3, 2024, Overland Expo Mountain West in Loveland, Colorado from August 23-25, 2024, and the Four Corners Folk Festival in Pagosa Springs, Colorado from August 30-September 1, 2024. All of those events will have an Outpost 6.5 on display. We will be posting more expos and shows on our website soon.
Once the first 6.5 units are built, we are taking it on tour around the country. We’ll be announcing the locations on our website and on social media.
“Once the first 6.5 units are built, we are taking it on tour around the country. We’ll be announcing the locations on our website and on social media.”
What’s Outpost Camper’s warranty?
Outpost Campers have a one-year warranty on everything. Some of the components have longer warranties like EcoFlow’s 5 year warranty.
If an Outpost Camper owner has a warranty issue, how will that be handled?
If you can’t come to our facility, we will ship parts directly to you and assist you remotely. Everything in the 6.5 is very serviceable and we can walk you through things. We can also find a reputable service center in the area and work with you that way.
What is the base price of the Outpost truck camper?
It’s $34,995.
You’re taking $1,000 refundable deposits to reserve a camper. How does the ordering process work?
You can go to our website and make a deposit to reserve one of the first models. That secures your place in line. It’s totally refundable.
When will the first 2024 Outpost 6.5 campers be ready for delivery to customers?
We’re expecting the first units to be delivered this month. We will build and deliver twenty to thirty units before the end of the year. We’re aiming to build one hundred next year.
Will you be debuting additional models in the future or are you focusing exclusively on the 6.5?
Right now we are mastering the production line for the 6.5. Once that’s dialed in, we’ll add a long bed model for 2025. That model payload will match three-quarter ton and bigger trucks and include a full wet bath.
“We’ll add a long bed model for 2025. That model payload will match three-quarter ton and bigger trucks and include a full wet bath.”
How about flatbeds? Total Composites offers flatbed shells.
Flatbeds are on our radar, but they’re not a priority right now. What we’ve found is that flatbeds are a high-friction process for the customer. There are many more steps involved in assembling a flatbed rig. It’s not nearly as accessible as a truck camper that fits a traditional truck bed.
What is your vision for Outpost Campers five years from now?
Right now we are investing in a larger property to eventually increase camper production to 200 or even 300 campers per year. We will build upon our economy of scale and refine our process. We will continue to push the envelope as time and the market allows.
Is there anything about the Outpost Campers or the 6.5 that you would like to add?
One thing deep in our DNA is that we build the campers we want to use. We got into this industry by building campers for ourselves. That’s where all of this was born. It’s coming from a place of passion and enjoying the outdoors. Our campers are designed to be tools for joyful experiences in nature. That’s coming from us. That’s the heart of our company.
For more information about Outpost Campers, visit their website at outpost-campers.com.
For more information about Outpost Campers, please fill out the form below.
