Camper Shell concept for Slate pickup

[KonaKaiKen]

I designed this camper shell. This is a modified and improved version of the one I did several weeks ago and posted on Reddit. The height inside is about 6'-2". The floor space is bigger than a queen size bed.

 

[WV Slateman]

That's pretty cool!

 

[Slatester89]

In the spirit of Slate, build it/sell it for under $500.

b.

 

[kvermeer]

I do have to say that I love the modeling, that clamshell design is a great way to get a large volume of space that stores compactly.

But as someone with a travel trailer, you're going to need some stabilizer jacks and wheel chocks to level and brace the truck, that would be miserable to move about in with just the Slate's suspension.

Also, I've seen a lot of really nice tent setups at the campgrounds we've visited. Mounting the tent on the vehicle rarely makes sense. You can throw one of these in the bed:

and have a 12x20' space with higher ceilings than your living room at home. Or even just one of these which is merely 10x18' with 84" ceilings:

and it costs under $400.

Camping in/on the truck itself doesn't make sense when there's perfectly serviceable ground everywhere. "Car camping" just means moving the tent to your campsite with a car rather than carrying it up the trail on your back or across the lake in a canoe, it doesn't have to mean camping *inside* the car.

 

[KonaKaiKen]

I do have to say that I love the modeling, that clamshell design is a great way to get a large volume of space that stores compactly.

But as someone with a travel trailer, you're going to need some stabilizer jacks and wheel chocks to level and brace the truck, that would be miserable to move about in with just the Slate's suspension.

Also, I've seen a lot of really nice tent setups at the campgrounds we've visited. Mounting the tent on the vehicle rarely makes sense. You can throw one of these in the bed:

and have a 12x20' space with higher ceilings than your living room at home. Or even just one of these which is merely 10x18' with 84" ceilings:

and it costs under $400.

Camping in/on the truck itself doesn't make sense when there's perfectly serviceable ground everywhere. "Car camping" just means moving the tent to your campsite with a car rather than carrying it up the trail on your back or across the lake in a canoe, it doesn't have to mean camping *inside* the car.

The first photo reminds me of my days in the army. Looks similar to a GP Medium.

 

[Sparkie]

I do have to say that I love the modeling, that clamshell design is a great way to get a large volume of space that stores compactly.

But as someone with a travel trailer, you're going to need some stabilizer jacks and wheel chocks to level and brace the truck, that would be miserable to move about in with just the Slate's suspension.

Also, I've seen a lot of really nice tent setups at the campgrounds we've visited. Mounting the tent on the vehicle rarely makes sense. You can throw one of these in the bed:

and have a 12x20' space with higher ceilings than your living room at home. Or even just one of these which is merely 10x18' with 84" ceilings:

and it costs under $400.

Camping in/on the truck itself doesn't make sense when there's perfectly serviceable ground everywhere. "Car camping" just means moving the tent to your campsite with a car rather than carrying it up the trail on your back or across the lake in a canoe, it doesn't have to mean camping *inside* the car.

Or tow a tent trailer if you don't want to sleep at ground level.
Our family has been camping for 30 years. The first 20 were in tents like you have posted. Then for the next ten, my wife found a gently used pop-up tent trailer for sale. I was reluctant, but she insisted it would be a good deal. I had to admit that not fighting with mud slides and washouts during thunderstorms in the middle of the night was a true blessing.

 

[Rocks]

I think I've settled on this one: https://cinchoutdoors.com/pages/air-cruiser
Only 125 lbs.

Bed t-rails and crossbars are all it needs.

 

[KonaKaiKen]

I think I've settled on this one: https://cinchoutdoors.com/pages/air-cruiser
Only 125 lbs.

Bed t-rails and crossbars are all it needs.

Good design.

 

[BCondrey]

I think I've settled on this one: https://cinchoutdoors.com/pages/air-cruiser
Only 125 lbs.

Bed t-rails and crossbars are all it needs.

RTT are popular with Rivians because the vehicles have auto-leveling using the air suspension. They also end up in places where there many not be level room for a big tent, or there may be critters they don't want to be on the ground with. In a campground? Sure, pitch the bog ole tent. In the wayback, there are benefits to being off the ground.

 

[darisb]

I currently truck camp in my F-250. I'm probably going to see the F-250 when I buy the Slate. For me, the real problem with a camper shell in a Slate is it's range. The extra weight of the camping gear and supplies would likely reduce range. You'd have to keep it fairly local or be able to plug the portable charger. I'm not sure how many Level 3 fast chargers there are in rural areas.

 

[Rocks]

Hookups at camp sites are the original charging grid. They just didn't know it at the time. For now I'm holding a 75-mile bingo range in my fantasy trip plans for any out-and-back trips with no charging.

The biggest problem is when the campground only has 30A service with a TT-30 socket. Getting a L2 charger to do 24A on 120V is almost* impossible. With 50A service the 14-50 plug works as expected.

* There's a TT-30 pigtail for the Tesla mobile charger that will set the draw at 24A on 120V, but then you need that pigtail and the Tesla charger. There might be more fire-prone options I haven't explored.

 

[Ferrite]

I currently truck camp in my F-250. I'm probably going to see the F-250 when I buy the Slate. For me, the real problem with a camper shell in a Slate is it's range. The extra weight of the camping gear and supplies would likely reduce range. You'd have to keep it fairly local or be able to plug the portable charger. I'm not sure how many Level 3 fast chargers there are in rural areas.

TL;DW version:

Bed weight is only a small factor in range, but aerodynamics while trailering is the main range killer. An RTT type camper or a shell that is below the roof line will probably not affect range much even if they weigh a thousand pounds, since the bed air is already turbulent when empty. If the camping gear extended above the roofline, you would see additional aerodynamic impacts. Watch the first four minutes and the 11:30 mark for data on efficiency when maxing out bed capacity and trailering with an EV truck

 

[sodamo]

The first photo reminds me of my days in the army. Looks similar to a GP Medium.

Exactly my first thought 😄

 

[Snail]

Awesome concept. Hope it goes somewhere.

@KonaKaiKen - can you point me to where you got the solid model of the Slate? If it’s free to share you could add it to the 3D models category here on the forum too.

Thank you!

 

[KonaKaiKen]

Awesome concept. Hope it goes somewhere.

@KonaKaiKen - can you point me to where you got the solid model of the Slate? If it’s free to share you could add it to the 3D models category here on the forum too.

Thank you!

I'm retired and worked in architecture and industrial design for 30 years. I still like to draw now and then and made these renderings. I have no desire to take the idea any further than just concept. The Slate model I think is this one. It's a big file and messy. I decimated it in Blender and reduced the size by maybe 80%. I tried to clean it up somewhat. Still a sloppy model but it was good enough to make quick renderings in SketchUp. I used the STL file. Slate EV truck