874 Truck Camper Magazine readers responded to the 2012 Ultimate Truck Camper Survey and the results are fascinating. It’s time to reveal what we truly want in our next truck campers.
The first Truck Camper Magazine Ultimate Truck Camper Survey results are in and we have some truly eye opening results. This survey is sure to have many truck camper manufacturers taking a second look at their camper designs, materials, features, and amenities. For starters, it was interesting just to see how many of each survey, pop-up vs. hard-side, were completed:
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| 204 Completed Surveys – 23.34% | 670 Completed Surveys – 76.66% |
Here are the results of the 2012 Ultimate Truck Camper Survey:
The survey results are listed in the order the survey questions were asked with pop-up truck campers and hard side truck campers shown side-by-side for comparison.
There are a total of fifty-three questions spread out over three parts. To see Part 2 of the survey results, click here. To see Part 3 of the survey results, click here.
1. What weight (fully wet and loaded) would you prefer for your next truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Under 1,000 pounds – 10.78% | N/A |
| 1,000 to 1,500 pounds – 30.39% | Under 1,500 pounds – 4.37% |
| 1,500 to 2,000 pounds – 23.53% | 1,500 to 2,000 pounds – 7.99% |
| 2,000 to 2,500 pounds – 24.51% | 2,000 to 2,500 pounds – 14.93% |
| 2,500 to 3,000 pounds – 4.9% | 2,500 to 3,000 pounds – 17.5% |
| 3,000 to 3,500 pounds – 1.96% | 3,000 to 3,500 pounds – 18.55% |
| More than 3,500 pounds – 0% | 3,500 to 4,000 pounds – 13.27% |
| N/A | 4,000 to 4,500 pounds – 7.24% |
| N/A | 4,500 to 5,000 pounds – 5.88% |
| N/A | 5,000 to 5,500 pounds – 3.47% |
| N/A | 5,500 to 6,000 pounds – 2.26% |
| N/A | More than 6,000 pounds – 0.45% |
| No preference – 3.43% | No preference – 4.07% |
2. What floor length would you prefer for your next truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Short bed: Under 5 feet – 0.49% | N/A |
| Short bed: 5 to 6 feet – 6.86% | N/A |
| Short bed: 6 to 7 feet – 24.02% | Short bed: 6 to 7 feet- 4.37% |
| Short bed: 7 to 8 feet – 19.61% | Short bed: 7 to 8 feet – 9.04% |
| Short bed: 8 feet or longer – 10.78% | Short bed: 8 feet or longer – 13.25% |
| Long bed: 8 to 9 feet – 17.65% | Long bed: 8 to 9 feet – 18.52% |
| Long bed: 9 to 10 feet – 13.24% | Long bed: 9 to 10 feet – 21.39% |
| Long bed: 10 or longer – 5.88% | Long bed: 10 to 11 feet – 15.66% |
| N/A | Long bed: 11 feet or longer – 17.02% |
| No preference – 1.47% | No preference – 0.75% |
3. HARD SIDE ONLY: Would you prefer a camper designed for a pick-up bed or a flat bed for your next hard side truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| N/A | Pick-up bed – 86.57% |
| N/A | Flat bed – 9.26% |
| N/A | No preference – 4.17% |
4. Would you prefer a rear entry door or side entry door for your next truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Rear entry door – 62.0% | Rear entry door – 44.85% |
| Side entry door – 15% | Side entry door – 34.25% |
| No preference – 23% | No preference – 20.89% |
5. Would you prefer a basement model or non-basement model for your next truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Basement model – 33.17% | Basement model – 64.24% |
| Non-basement model – 39.11% | Non-basement model – 18.94% |
| No preference – 27.72% | No preference – 16.82% |
6. POP-UP QUESTION ONLY: Would you prefer a soft-wall pop-up or a hard-wall pop-up for your next pop-up truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Soft-wall pop-up – 40.59% | N/A |
| Hard-wall pop-up – 42.57% | N/A |
| No preference – 16.83% | N/A |
7. POP-UP QUESTION ONLY: What type of pop-up mechanism would you prefer for your next pop-up truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Mechanical pop-up mechanism – 15.27% | N/A |
| Mechanical pop-up mech. w/gas strut assist – 26.11% | N/A |
| Electric pop-up mechanism – 28.57% | N/A |
| Hydraulic pop-up mechanism – 17.24% | N/A |
| No preference – 12.32% | N/A |
8. HARD SIDE ONLY: Would you prefer a non-slide, single-slide, double-slide, or triple-slide floor plan for your next hard side truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| N/A | Non-slide – 38.76% |
| N/A | Single-slide: dinette-slide – 16.59% |
| N/A | Single-slide: full-wall dinette-slide with refrigerator – 16.44% |
| N/A | Double-slide: full-wall dinette-slide with refrigerator and sofa-slide – 9.35% |
| N/A | Double-slide: full-wall dinette-slide with refrigerator and kitchen-slide – 4.52% |
| N/A | Triple-slide: dinette-slide, sofa-slide, and kitchen-slide – 10.71% |
| N/A | No preference – 3.62% |
9. Would you prefer a push-out tent room for your next truck camper purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Yes – 14.85% | Yes – 6.55% |
| No – 66.83% | No – 85.67% |
| No preference – 18.32% | No preference – 7.77% |
10. What frame material would you prefer for the next truck camper that you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Wood frame – 5.42% | Wood frame – 2.9% |
| Aluminum frame – 67% | Aluminum frame – 50% |
| Wood-stuffed aluminum frame – 9.36% | Wood-stuffed aluminum frame- 12.65% |
| N/A | Molded fiberglass shell – 23.63% |
| No preference – 17.73% | No preference – 10.82% |
11. What siding material would you prefer for next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Aluminum siding – 22.28% | Aluminum siding – 10.7% |
| Fiberglass filon siding – 29.7% | Fiberglass filon siding – 40.06% |
| Molded fiberglass shell – 25.25% | Molded fiberglass shell – 39.14% |
| No preference – 22.77% | No preference – 10.09% |
12. What size fresh water tank would you prefer for the next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Under 10 gallons – 8.82% | Under 10 gallons – 2.41% |
| 10 to 20 gallons – 29.41% | 10 to 20 gallons – 10.84% |
| 20 to 30 gallons – 29.9% | 20 to 30 gallons – 22.59% |
| 30 to 40 gallons – 20.59% | 30 to 40 gallons – 32.53% |
| 40 gallons or more – 6.37% | 40 to 50 gallons – 17.92% |
| N/A | 50 gallons or more – 12.35% |
| None. I do not want a fresh water holding tank. – 1.96% | None. I do not want a fresh water holding tank. – 0% |
| No preference – 2.45% | No preference – 1.2% |
13. What size grey water tank would you prefer for the next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Under 10 gallons – 17.33% | Under 10 gallons – 4.7% |
| 10 to 20 gallons – 39.11% | 10 to 20 gallons – 21.82% |
| 20 to 30 gallons – 16.34% | 20 to 30 gallons – 33.03% |
| 30 or more – 4.95% | 30 to 40 gallons – 24.09% |
| N/A | 40 to 50 gallons – 10% |
| N/A | 50 gallons or more – 3.18% |
| None. I do not want a grey water holding tank. – 16.34% | None. I do not want a grey water holding tank. – 2.12% |
| No preference – 5.45% | No preference – 1.06% |
14. What size black water tank would you prefer for the next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Under 10 gallons – 26.96% | Under 10 gallons – 7.58% |
| 10 to 20 gallons – 25% | 10 to 20 gallons – 26.21% |
| 20 to 30 gallons – 7.84% | 20 to 30 gallons – 32.42% |
| 30 gallons or more – 2.45% | 30 to 40 gallons – 18.18% |
| N/A | 40 to 50 gallons – 5.76% |
| N/A | 50 gallons or more – 2.12% |
| None. I do not want a black water holding tank. – 32.84% | None. I do not want a black water holding tank. 6.36% |
| No preference – 4.41% | No preference – 1.36% |
15. What propane tank capacity would you prefer for the next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| One 10 pound tank – 7.84% | One 10 pound tank – 2.42% |
| Two 10 pound tanks – 23.04% | Two 10 pound tanks – 16.64% |
| One 20 pound tank – 25.98% | One 20 pound tank – 7.11% |
| Two 20 pound tanks – 27.45% | Two 20 pound tanks – 48.71% |
| One thirty pound tank – 7.84% | One thirty pound tank – 1.66% |
| Two thirty pound tanks – 1.96% | Two thirty pound tanks – 21.48% |
| None. I don’t want propane tanks. – 3.43% | None. I don’t want propane tanks. – 0.76% |
| No preference – 2.45% | No preference – 1.21% |
16. What battery holding capacity would you prefer for the next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| One battery – 24.62% | One battery – 10.5% |
| Two batteries – 60.3% | Two batteries – 72.45% |
| More than two batteries – 11.56% | More than two batteries – 15.37% |
| None. I do not want a battery. – 1.01% | None. I do not want a battery. – 0% |
| No preference – 2.51% | No preference – 1.22% |
17. What type of camper jack system would you prefer for the next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Tri-pod camper jacks – 3.52% | Tri-pod camper jacks – 0.91% |
| Mechanical camper jacks – 26.63% | Mechanical camper jacks – 4.38% |
| Hydraulic camper jacks – 6.53% | Hydraulic camper jacks – 3.02% |
| Wired electric camper jacks – 14.57% | Wired electric camper jacks – 20.24% |
| Wireless remote electric jacks – 39.2% | Wireless remote electric jacks – 67.98% |
| No preference – 9.55% | No preference – 3.47% |
18. What type of entry step system would you prefer for the next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Scissor steps – 30.65% | Scissor steps – 24.54% |
| Bumper steps – 38.69% | Bumper steps – 53.22% |
| No preference – 30.65% | No preference – 22.24% |
19. Would you prefer a permanently attached shore power cord or a detachable shore power cord for the next truck camper you purchase?
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Permanently attached cord – 18.81% | Permanently attached cord – 32.16% |
| Detachable cord – 61.88% | Detachable cord – 51.98% |
| No preference – 19.31% | No preference – 15.85% |
20. What exterior amenities would you prefer for the next truck camper you purchase? Please check all of the amenities that you would prefer.
| POP-UP CAMPER | HARD SIDE CAMPER |
| Exterior LED lighting – 87.5% | Exterior LED lighting – 89.86% |
| Ladder for roof access – 55% | Ladder for roof access -87.59% |
| Roof rack – 51.5% | Roof rack – 57.94% |
| Outside shower – 66% | Outside shower – 65.81% |
| Sewer hose compartment – 55% | Sewer hose compartment – 88.5% |
| Entry assist handle – 73% | Entry assist handle – 86.54% |
| Cable television connection – 40% | Cable television connection – 67.17% |
| Exterior propane connection – 50.5% | Exterior propane connection – 57.94% |
| Black tank flush – 39.5% | Black tank flush – 73.98% |
| N/A | Slide-out topper awning(s) – 47.96% |
| Side awning – 51.5% | Side awning – 66.57% |
| Rear awning – 42% | Rear awning – 64.45% |
To continue to Part 2 of the survey results, click here. To see Part 3 of the survey results, click here.
