The next Escape

[ChuckS]

I saw this Truck with a Casita mounted on the back and thought it could be an Escape.
Chuck

[KarenH]

Here's a similar configuration I ran into a year ago. This guy was getting outfitted for extended trips into South America...

[Donna D.]

Wonder what ever happened to the fella that was asking questions about mounting an Escape 5th wheel on a truck. Hummmmm

[LeonardS]

I like the slick job on the locking wheel well storage area on the Bigfoot version. And the under the truck bed storage that matches. Who knew that diamond plate would match up so well with fiberglass?

[ChuckS]

Here is another Bigfoot. A Escape 5er would be something on a truck.
Chuck

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

A Escape 5er would be something on a truck.

Yes, but it would be very tall, which is one of the issues with these truck-mounted campers. A 5.0 would work better in combination with a lower conventional cab, rather than the forward control cabs shown in these examples. Companies such as Earthroamer make "expedition vehicles" with composite RV bodies - extending over the cab the way a 5.0 would - on trucks with conventional cabs.

Years ago I read about someone who had been using a slide-in truck camper (the usual style with the bed over the cab) on a big old Jeep pickup (J-20) and moved the camper to a forward-cab truck... with the camper entirely behind the cab. This left a big space under the bed area of the camper, which was filled with a storage compartment. This would work with a 5.0, but it would be a very long vehicle, since the 5.0 is much longer than any slide-in pickup truck camper.

[padlin]

FWIW, a 5.0 is pretty much the same as a full size TC, the bigger units are 19'+/-, the biggest (Chalet) can go over 21'.

[LeonardS]

Just checked out the Earthroamer site. Nice, but way pricey!

I think the folks that have put the Bigfoot or Casita on the delivery type truck bed might have about 1/5 as much invested.

Looking over the Bigfoot version, just noticed the swing away handrail for the door. Neat!

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by padlin

FWIW, a 5.0 is pretty much the same as a full size TC, the bigger units are 19'+/-, the biggest (Chalet) can go over 21'.

Wow, didn't realize they had gone that long. There must be a lot of bunk area over the cab... like half the unit length.

Regardless of whether it is a slide-in truck camper or an Escape 5.0, twenty feet of coach behind the cab (even with a short forward control cab) is a significant truck... not a pickup or the relatively short chassis in the examples.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by LeonardS

Just checked out the Earthroamer site. Nice, but way pricey!

I agree... Earthroamer was just an example of configuration. I wouldn't suggest them as an economical choice.

Originally Posted by LeonardS

might have about 1/5 as much invested.

Only if they started with a used truck and probably a used trailer, then built it without counting the cost of their own labour. Those are all, of course, legitimate options.