Fresh off their ground-breaking GMAX, Northstar launches the 10X, a ten-foot hard side, wet bath truck camper oozing with innovation nose to storage bumper. Heads up truck camper marketplace. Northstar is on a tear!
There’s an epidemic in our industry of resting on established brands, reputations, and proven floor plans. If the campers are selling—or at least selling in line with the accepted marketplace sentiment—some companies are satisfied to ride things out. No need to make real changes. No drive to take risks. Just keep every product and feature where it is and wait for the good times to return.
Rex Willett, President of Northstar Campers, read the above sentence and thought, “That’s how companies die.” How do I know this? Because he’s been forthright about this belief, and aggressively acting on upon it.
For the past two years, Northstar has launched two new models per year; Northstar GMAX (November, 2024), Northstar Night Hawk (January, 2024), Northstar Wind Bandit (July, 2023), and the massively updated Northstar 650SC (April, 2023). And here we are early in 2025 announcing the all-new Northstar 10X. Is there yet another Northstar camper coming this year? What do you think?
In hindsight, the 10X is the culmination of everything Northstar has learned while developing these new models. Many of the design, material, and technology innovations found in the GMAX, Night Hawk, Wind Bandit, and updated 650SC are on tap in the 10X. Put these innovations together and you have what is arguably the most advanced Northstar truck camper ever made.
To get the backstory and details on the 10X, we talked to Rex Willett, President of Northstar Campers.
The Northstar 10X is a hard side, non-slide, wet bath truck camper made for long trucks. The interior floor length of the Northstar 10X is 10’0”, the width is 7’6”, and the interior height is 6’8″.
The Northstar 10X has a 36 gallon fresh tank, 4 gallon water heater, 4 gallon cassette reservoir, 14 gallon grey tank, and 5.3 gallon cassette black tank. It comes standard with a three 280Ah lithium batteries, 800-watts of solar, and has one twenty-pound exchangeable propane tank.
The base weight of the Northstar 10X is 3,030 pounds. The base MSRP for the 2025 Northstar 10X is $51,520. Click here for a free Northstar brochure.
Above: The Northstar 10X on a Ram 3500, photos courtesy of Northstar Campers
Why did you decide to build a bigger hard side Northstar?
We want to keep moving forward. The new 10X camper is quite different than anything we’ve ever built. I think the electric-propane hybrid approach is going to take a foothold in the marketplace. The 10X is an all-new Northstar floor plan representing our state-of-the-art in hard side campers.
“I think the electric-propane hybrid approach is going to take a foothold in the marketplace.”
If you were going for a bigger Northstar, why not bring back the 12STC?
The 12STC was a success and had a following, but it had to go on a dually. With the 10 foot floor length of the 10X, it’s only three inches longer than the Igloo and probably a little lighter. That means it can go on a modern single rear wheel. Dual rear wheel trucks are routinely going for $75,000 to $100,000. I want the 10X to be for a single rear wheel truck.
The weight of the 10X is 3030 pounds with all standard equipment that normally would be an option. For example, the three lithium batteries are 66 pounds each, so it has 198 pounds of batteries that are already included in the weight. The standard equipment list is quite long on the 10X and all that standard equipment is in the dry weight.
Is the 10X based on an existing or previous Northstar model?
Except for locating the bathroom in the rear passenger’s corner, no. Even the bathroom is a leap forward with a larger design, a bathroom sink, two windows, and a huge amount of storage. I don’t think there’s a camper bathroom out there that has more storage than the one in the 10X. It’s incredible.
The 10X bathroom design creates a bit of exterior and interior storage. Under the bathroom sink on the exterior, there’s lockable storage, and under the counter on the inside is a large storage area for bath towels and the like.
You also have a generator storage door outside. There’s one propane bottle, with space for an extra bottle.
Were there any construction changes for the 10X?
Yes. We moved the fresh water tank into the floor and heated and insulated it. When we put the fresh tank in the 10X, we realized we needed more structural strength to support the floor. We added rectangular 3/16 inch aluminum beams above the tank that go side to side. That stiffened the floor like a rock.
With the water tank under the floor, we were able to put our electrical system in the front cabover step area (where the water tanks typically are in a Northstar). The three 280-amp hour lithium batteries are 66 pounds each, so it’s great to have that weight up front.
We made sure the taller floor didn’t increase the 10X’s overall height. When you raise the center of gravity, it has a significantly impacts it. I didn’t want that.
How tall is the water tank in the 10X?
The fresh tank is only 5 inches tall. The downside is that we can’t use sensors on the tank. The tank just isn’t tall enough for the sensors to work
You can always monitor how much you have in grey, and thus know where you are with fresh. For example, with fourteen gallons of grey, you’ll know your fresh tank is nearly empty when you dump the grey tank the second time.
That may take some getting used to, but owners will get in tune with their tanks over time. I know we rarely look at our tank gauges anymore. Can you explain the concept of the 10X being a “hybrid camper”?
I really like the electric heat capabilities we showcased in the GMAX. That stated, I’m not 100 percent convinced electric heat is enough if it’s 10 degrees out. Having both propane and electric heat allows you to use electric heat in the cooler temperatures, and use propane heat in the coldest temperatures.
I tested the 10X on a super cold day last week. We had a high of 3 degrees and I ran the electric heater only to see what it would do. At the end of the day, it maintained the heat in the camper at 61 degrees strictly using the electric Heat Storm.
You can also use them in combination. For example, set the 20K BTU propane furnace at 65 and the electric heater at 70. If the electric heat isn’t keeping up, the propane heat will kick in. One advantage of electric heat is that it’s dry, all but eliminating condensation. And it’s not affected by elevation.
What make and model of lithium batteries are you using?
We are using 840 amp hours of Eco-Worthy LifePO4 batteries. I’ve talked to a number of Northstar customers who are battery experts. That’s why the 10X has a battery shunt that monitors the battery bank condition on an app. With the app, you can see how they’re charging, and collect data.
Why did you opt for such a large battery bank for the 10X?
I didn’t want the battery bank to be nominal. I don’t want you to cook for an hour and be out of power. We have the space and the buying power to get a large lithium bank in the 10X at a good cost.
With lithium, you want overcharge protection, high-temperature protection, short-circuit protection, and cold protection. We have those protections in place.
Why did you decide to include a Renogy 3,000-watt inverter with the 10X?
The 10X has a 45 amp converter and a 45 amp battery charger. The power converter powers two outlets, one at either end of the counter. The Renogy 3000-watt inverter powers all the other outlets and has 25 amps of available power.
The 10X has the capabilities of whatever you want to do. You can be in the middle of Montana feeding off the sun powering your air conditioning.
The new Torklift storage bumper with pull-down steps is a show stopper. Tell us about the design and development of the bumper system.
We’ve been using Torklift-designed bumpers with a single swing-down step for many years. Trucks keep getting taller and taller. To accommodate this change, Torklift designed a two-step pull-down system. It’s fantastic.
On the production model, we’ll have the slide-out handle instead of the assist handle. It comes out 40 inches from the camper—like a guard rail. It’s quite strong and doesn’t get in the way.
The grip coating on the steps isn’t a sticker—it’s part of the surface. If you scratch it, you can literally heat it and move the coating into the scratch. The coating is thicker and stronger than any grip material we’ve ever seen.
The camper can also be ordered with a single-step bumper for a lower cost if a customer doesn’t care for the standard double-step. Or you can eliminate the bumper altogether and go with Torklift’s Stow ’N Go scissor steps. We want to meet the consumer’s needs when it comes to the importance of entering and exiting the camper while also meeting their towing needs or requirements.
How big is the bumper storage?
You can fit your Torklift Fastguns inside when you take your camper off your truck. Of course, people will use this space for all kinds of things; brooms, short flagpoles, and more.
The bathroom is a completely fresh design for Northstar. There’s a bathroom sink and two windows! Tell us about the 10X bathroom design.
The two windows bring fresh air, ambiance, light, and cross ventilation. This will allow the bathroom to dry quickly when the windows are open. Two windows give the bathroom a very different feel. The bathroom also has a half-inch plastic countertop, a stainless sink, and an all-aluminum medicine cabinet with storage inside.
I’m in my 60s, and I don’t want to forget my Motrin and blood pressure meds. In my lake trailer, I put a medicine cabinet in the bathroom. I leave stuff in there. It makes it convenient. With the big medicine cabinet in the 10X, you can leave medicine where you need it.
Is it technically a dry or wet bath?
It’s a wet bath, but you could make it a dry bath with a shower curtain. We put in a water-saving shower head. The sink also has its own pull-out single lever faucet which is nice.
We were able to make the bathroom bigger by making the dinette six feet in length and using the extra nine inches in the bathroom to incorporate the bathroom counter and sink. Folks are going to do a double-take when they see how big the 10X bathroom is. And the countertop is huge and very functional.
The kitchen is enormous. Tell us about the design of the kitchen and why you opted for this sink size and location.
My sink at home has a lower grate and a top roll-out grate which is so convenient. We wanted that same feel in the camper. You can wash and rinse there easily.
It includes a caldron for vegetables and a cutting board.
It doesn’t get better for a sink offering in a truck camper. I’m hoping that it appeals to people who can see how functional and easy to use.
Another stand-out kitchen feature is what you don’t see—a cooktop and oven. Where are these features?
I’m not a big lover of ovens now that there are combination air fryer/microwave/convection ovens. These units are compact, cook efficiently, and allow us to have a much greater open work area to prepare meals.
The 10X has the same two-burner electric cooktop that’s in the GMAX. It has 1200-watt and 900-watt burners. You can also opt for an induction model.
In the pilot model, the storage for the cooktop is to the right of the air fryer/microwave. For the production models, we made the top drawer adjustment bigger so the cook stove could fit in that top drawer.
The 10X also has a 10 cubic foot 12-volt refrigerator with tons of food storage. The six-foot countertop is Acacia wood. You could literally lie down on the kitchen countertop it’s so long. Acacia is incredibly durable, resistant to moisture, and low maintenance.
On the left end of the countertop is a 60-amp Renogy controller, and the distribution power. That controls the power distribution to inverted outlets.
Why are there two windows in the kitchen area?
I wanted more light and ventilation. There’s six feet of visibility on the kitchen side. That’s a lot of natural light. It’s really nice to have great views out both sides of the unit while working in the kitchen or sitting in the dinette.
I could have installed a bigger window, but the shades would become difficult to use. I don’t think they’d work well in the long haul. If someone doesn’t want two windows, we can delete one, or they can just pull up the shade of either window at will.
What type of windows are standard on the Northstar 10X?
They are the same Eurovision windows we’ve been using for about five years now.
The 10X also has a lot of ceiling lights—22 in total. Why so many lights?
I don’t think there’s ever been a Northstar with this many lights. Besides the 22 ceiling lights, there are five LED lights strips that are controllable with a dimmer switch. We have a Skyview insulated vent that’s a replacement for the Heki. It has a better latch system and it’s lighted. We put that on a dimmer switch as well.
Then, you have the three outside patio lights, controlled with a switch at each light or an interior master switch to turn them all on or off. You have the LED lights facing down under the wings on the camper for nice ambient lighting. If I want my privacy in a truck stop or if I go elk hunting in Wyoming, I want the shades up and decent light where I need it and want it. The 10X doesn’t have dark areas inside the camper or outside the camper.
The dimmer switches are glowlit. You hold your finger on the switches to dim or brighten. If you want to turn a light on or off, reach up and touch it.
What appliances did you choose for the furnace and water heater?
We are using a Suburban 20K BTU furnace and a Suburban four gallon auto ignition water heater. We test all of the furnaces and water heaters before we ship our campers. We have about two water heaters each year that will fail the pressure test. In five years, do you know how many warranty claims I’ve had on a water heater? Zero. Nada. None. They just perform, and if needed, parts and knowledge are readily available and accessible all across the country.
Does the 10X get the same 10 cubic foot 12-volt refrigerator as the Night Hawk?
Yes, we’re using the same Furrion unit that I’m using in the Night Hawk. There are no exterior vents on the roof or the sidewall to maintain or worry about.
What air conditioner did you choose for the 10X, and why?
It’s a Freonic air conditioner. In September it was 85 to 90 degrees out and it did well. And it’s got a remarkably low 2.08 amp draw. It’s so quiet and a game changer to have the air conditioning being able to run constantly. It’s great for leaving your furry friends in comfort at all times no matter where you are.
What are the tank sizes of the 2025 Northstar 10X?
The Northstar 10X has 36 gallons of fresh, 14 gallons of grey, and 5 gallons of black.
I did get a clean-out port down by the floor to clean out the fresh tank. When you store it, you can leave it open and let it air out. I thought it was imperative to keep that feature.
What is the base weight for the 2025 Northstar 10X?
The base weight is 3,030 pounds. If you want to add a 10 foot awning, it’s an additional 55 pounds. I have the weights of all of the options listed on NorthstarCampers.com. I will also send you a Northstar 10X PDF that your readers can print out for pricing on standard equipment, options, and accessories.
What options are available for the 2025 Northstar 10X?
The options are a rear Fiamma awning, side awnings, digital backup camera, and a digital LED TV. If you want, you can get a roof air conditioner instead of the lower air conditioner. You can also delete things. For example, if you delete the two-step bumper, you are going to get a $1,500 credit.
Where is the center of gravity on the 2025 Northstar 10X?
The center of gravity is 44” from the front wall.
What is the MSRP for the 2025 Northstar 10X with standard build features?
It’s $51,500. Yes, it’s over $50,000, but look at all the standard equipment! Electric jacks, Torklift storage bumper, 800 watts of solar, 840 amp hours of batteries, and air fryer/convection microwave are all standard! The standard equipment list is long on the 10X. All of the standard equipment is included in the dry weight.
“Electric jacks, Torklift storage bumper, 800 watts of solar, 840 amp hours of batteries, and air fryer/convection microwave are all standard!”
How about a fully loaded Northstar 10X?
A fully loaded Northstar 10X is still under $55,000.
We always like to remind our readers about the warranty offered by Northstar Campers. What is your warranty?
Northstar Campers have a two-year structural warranty. The appliances have their own separate warranties.
When will the Northstar 10X be available at dealerships?
The 10X will start rolling off the line toward the end of February and be at our dealerships nationwide by the end of March and April.
Is there anything else you’d like to add about the Northstar 10X, or any other news or teasers from Northstar Campers?
I’m getting ready to redo the Northstar Liberty. Currently, it has a three cubic foot refrigerator, 20 gallon fresh tank, and one big battery. Putting a tank under the floor, we can put in 36 gallons of fresh water and a 10 cubic foot refrigerator. We’re also going to triple the battery capacity.
There will be nothing like it in that short bed truck category. It should be available in early June as a 2026 model entry. Stay tuned!
For more information about Northstar Campers, visit northstarcampers.com. Click here to request a free Northstar brochure.
