Quickup Camper

[Scott Brady]

Interesting solution. This was posted on exp. campers by outbackcamper, but I thought it would be good for some discussion here:

I like the all-weather nature of the solution and hard-sides. It would be good to see one up close to determin how robust it is.

Quickup Camper (http://quickupcamper.com/)

http://quickupcamper.com/gfx/foldout.jpg

http://quickupcamper.com/gfx/sidecutout4.jpg

[CLynn85]

Pretty neat concept, wonder how well it'll catch on?

[OutbacKamper]

...wonder how well it'll catch on?

Well it seems like there is just the one prototype that has been around since at least 2002, if not earlier. So I would say that it has not attracted too much interest from potential manuacturers. While I really like the general concept, the market for this type of very compact camper is probably pretty limited and the profit margins must be pretty slim. I think most people prefer the huge overweight campers with queen size beds, showers, satellite dishes etc, etc, etc. Those ,like many on this site, who appreciate more compact and basic facilites for camping typically don't have or want a full size long box truck.

Too bad, beacause I think the concept has potential.

Cheers
Mark

[elcoyote]

Reminds me of the A-Liner. I wonder how well the seals hold up under repeated use and bed tweaking.

[kcowyo]

Reminded me of the A Liner too. Their website doesn't show that they are making it anymore though. Sounds like it didn't go over very well.

I thought it looked rather awkward on a truck when closed and frustrating with its sloped roof, when opened. I was considering one when I first started looking at slide in options, but then I read a nicely detailed review of the A Liner Truck Cabin (http://www.koransky.com/aliner/)here, and decided it was not for me.

The Quickup roof lines are a much better compromise for a hard side, slide-in offering.

[elcoyote]

Thanks. That confirmed my suspicions about the seals.

[jcbrandon]

I saw the Quickup camper prototype up close and talked with the inventor over the weekend. Pretty interesting bit of kit. I think it has great potential for expedition-type-folk. But that market may not be big enough to make it profitable.

The whole thing only weighs about 600 pounds. It's made of a foam and carbon-fiber composite, like a racing yacht. The interior (as built) is basic but way more comfortable than a tent. And you could configure it any way you want.

I think someone who knows the specialty RV market, and already has a solid business, could take it on and make money with it. But creating a business around it might be too much to expect.

The inventor was talking about his struggles in selling the concept to the truck maufacturer (Ford, in this case). I think he isn't considering the much larger potential market as an accessory for people who already own a pickup.

In any case, an interesting idea. And an even more interesting fellow. The inventor is Jay Baldwin. He is a big fan of Buckminster Fuller and wrote the book "Bucky Works: Buckminster Fuller's ideas for Today (http://www.amazon.com/Bucky-Works-Buckminster-Fullers-Ideas/dp/0471198129)."

[Martinjmpr]

Looks very heavy and awkward to me (and almost as ugly as a flip-pac.) It also looks like it would have very limited utility when the truck was not being used as a camper. I'm guessing it is/was expensive, too.

I just don't see the market for something like this. It's still too small to satisfy the queen bed/satellite TV/full shower requirements of a luxury traveler, and it's way too big/heavy/complicated/expensive to appeal to a cheap SOB/Adventure traveler like me. :D

Like the Wildernest or the Flip-Pac this falls in between the target markets making this very much a niche market product.

[VikingVince]

(and almost as ugly as a flip-pac.) .


HEY...you gotta explain that one!...LOL :hehe:

Seriously, I am curious...no problem here with personal differences in taste!...but I think the flippac is a great design....(I guess the Earthroamer folk thought so as well) :-)

Regarding this unit, I hadn't seen it before...nice try at a hard-sided pop-up. Chalet RV has introduced a hard-sided popup truck camper (the Oregon Camper -only one in that industry) but I don't know how well it's been received, plus it's wide, heavy, and not really well suited for offroading. www.chaletrv.com
I'd prefer a small, light, well designed hard-sided popup...wouldn't a nida-core popup be feasible? Anyway, this one looks good when it's closed, but when it's open it's definitely uglier than a flippac!:D :D

[Kermit]

I'd prefer a small, light, well designed hard-sided popup...wouldn't a nida-core popup be feasible? Anyway, this one looks good when it's closed, but when it's open it's definitely uglier than a flippac!:D :D


Too bad trays aren't popular in the States. If yawl can find beauty in a simple box, I know I do. :) Vince it shouldn't too hard to make one like this out of Nida-Core. I have been thinking of putting a tray on my Tacoma, use tool boxes as the sides with the Wildernest on top.

I really like this one. Slide on/Flippac/Wildernest. Looks roomy inside.

http://www.trayon.com/

http://trayon.com/gallery/19.jpg

http://trayon.com/gallery/10.jpg

[VikingVince]

Vince it shouldn't too hard to make one like this out of Nida-Core.


Probably not...but what I meant was that the popup sides would be nida-core as well, resulting in a low profile, completely hardsided camper. Or maybe you were suggesting replacing the popup canvas with nida-core.

[Kermit]

Or maybe you were suggesting replacing the popup canvas with nida-core.


Yep, That is what I like about the Wildernest, the soft top, big screens. Very airy. I try to park with a "view" so I can look out from the bed. ;)

I am sure a nida-core FWC type shell could be made also.

[Martinjmpr]

HEY...you gotta explain that one!...LOL :hehe:

Seriously, I am curious...no problem here with personal differences in taste!...but I think the flippac is a great design....(I guess the Earthroamer folk thought so as well) :-)

At least the Wildernest made some attempt to conform with the shape of the truck. The Flip-Pac is all straight lines, even on the sides. It ends up looking like something that Billy Bob fabricated with plywood.

The thing to remember is that a shell that mods into a camper still needs to be able to function as a shell when you aren't camping.

I think a simpler idea like a basic fiberglass shell with a pop-up roof would still be a better solution than what's out there but apparently that's a minority view, so I'll probably end up with a high-rise shell instead. Still a compromise but not as expensive nor as complex as some of these other ideas.

[VikingVince]

At least the Wildernest made some attempt to conform with the shape of the truck. The Flip-Pac is all straight lines, even on the sides. It ends up looking like something that Billy Bob fabricated with plywood.

Maybe we're getting a little off-topic here but I guess it's related. Unless they're into camping/offroading like we are and know the product, the vast majority of people I've talked to think the flippac is just a regular truck shell. Interesting reaction though...the straight sides of the flippac have never bothered me...different stroked for different folks. :-)


The thing to remember is that a shell that mods into a camper still needs to be able to function as a shell when you aren't camping.
.

?????...That's exactly how the flippac functions. With a flippac, the interior of the truck bed functions the same as a shell when you're not camping. (with all the same amount of space as a shell).

[Kermit]

Vince you could do something like this out of Nida-Core...just less bulbus, and more angular. Don't the Aussies have the coolest rigs? I think the tray systems are the way to go, very modular. Slide on the camper for weekend/weeek excursions, then have just the tray for hauling during the regular work week. Could do a plain topper shell, if your needs require it, or heck I'll bet you could slide on a Jacuzzi for tailgate parties...now that would be cool!

Oh and by the way, I like the Quick Up camper, simple design, doesn't look like a camper when down.

http://www.innovan.com.au/ There are a bunch of videos in there, showing how it works, plus action footage, you can see how the vehicle handles the load.

http://www.innovan.com.au/img/gallery/quick/17.jpg


http://www.innovan.com.au/img/gallery/quick/16.jpg

[OutbacKamper]

The Innovan is a great design, but this one would be easier to replicate in nidacore:
http://www.highrise.com.au/Gallery/images/gal08.jpg
http://www.highrise.com.au/

Cheers
Mark

[Martinjmpr]

?????...That's exactly how the flippac functions. With a flippac, the interior of the truck bed functions the same as a shell when you're not camping. (with all the same amount of space as a shell).

The Flip-pac, yes but I don't know about this Quickup camper. No windows would make it harder to see and I wonder how much the "hardware" intrudes into the usable space of the shell. Plus it looks like it's very heavy.

[Kermit]

The Flip-pac, yes but I don't know about this Quickup camper. No windows would make it harder to see and I wonder how much the "hardware" intrudes into the usable space of the shell. Plus it looks like it's very heavy.

Don't really need side windows for regular driving...(use your side mirriors!:D)

Only 800 lbs, dry, I like it, looks sorta 70's modular, or IKEAish when up.

Is it even for sale? I can't find any prices on it, looks like it was just an architect project. I'll e-mail the guy.

Looks like alot windows when up, this dude looks happy. Heck of alot of interior space when open.

http://quickupcamper.com/gfx/jbinside.jpg

[Martinjmpr]

Uh, "only" 800lbs?

My shell and all the crap I carried with me to Utah didn't weigh half that much.

[Kermit]

Uh, "only" 800lbs?

My shell and all the crap I carried with me to Utah didn't weigh half that much.


I don't think 800 lbs is too bad, it what a FWC roughly weighs. My Wildernest is what, around 350? I am sure if I built the interior with a stove, fridge, cabinets, etc. It would be near the 800 pound mark.

Different strokes for different folks. If I had a choice between the Quick Up and a FWC, I think I would go for the Quick Up because of the low profile. Which I would compare those two together, instead of compairing it to a Wildernest or Flip-Pac.

[mhiscox]

Kermit wrote:

Is it even for sale? I can't find any prices on it, looks like it was just an architect project. I'll e-mail the guy.

Thanks for doing so, Kermit; let us know what you learn, though it sounds from the earlier posts like the inventor hasn't got anyone to make it. (Anyone know where the guy is located?)

I kinda like it, too. Low, reasonably light and goes in a stock truck. It is what it is, but it let's you bed down inside hard surfaces without compromising the truck too much. Might be nice if you could actually buy one.

BTW, this is a great thread. It's very cool to see the different examples of what designers can come up with without requiring a dedicated chassis. Keep 'em comin'.

Mike Hiscox
'77/'95 UNIMOG 416 DoKa Expedition Camper (for sale)
2005 mid/tall 2500 Sprinter Expedition Camper

[Christian P.]

I am pretty sure I saw this camper (and the owner) at the Maker's Fair in San Mateo last year.

[Kermit]

E-mail sent...

[VikingVince]

Thanks Mark...I hadn't seen this before. It's virtually exactly what I had in mind and it's not overpriced with a base price of $29K Australian. Now why can't someone make that in theUSA in that same price range? I guess there's no reason one couldn't ship a flatbed American truck (alleviates all emission issues) to Australia and have one put on...and then do an Australian trip while you're there! I can't imagine there would be any issues with bringing it back to the USA, other than paying duty on it...right?
Or maybe you could just ship one to the USA.



The Innovan is a great design, but this one would be easier to replicate in nidacore:
http://www.highrise.com.au/Gallery/images/gal08.jpg
http://www.highrise.com.au/

Cheers
Mark

[mhiscox]

Well, I frittered away part of the afternoon googling stuff about the Quickup Camper and the inventor, J. Baldwin. He's done a whole bunch of stuff; there's a Wikipedia article detailing his accomplishments at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Baldwin

As was said, an interesting fellow. Way more famous than most of us will ever be, and very revered as a clever person with revolutionary ideas.

Which, I suspect, is part of the problem. It's clear from what I read that Mr. Baldwin sees the Quickup Camper as a means of revolutionizing the RV industry and getting us out of those giant non-aerodynamic truck campers. He also thinks that a lot of the problems with getting the Quickup to market have to do with the lack of vision on the part of big manufacturers, along with their sensible desire to not obsolete their current products. (Indeed, he began Real Big, working to get Ford to market it; Ford gave him the F150 and space at the 2001 SEMA show, but that's as far as it went.)

Thus, I doubt that it'll attract his interest much if one of us approaches him with a plan to make twenty of them for lean and mean expedition camper rigs. And that's a shame, 'cuz the more I think about the size, reasonable weight and other advantages, the more I think it could be a pretty trick solution.

I trust Mr. Baldwin won't mind if I link to a few additional photos of the Quickup from the Inhabit.com website.

http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/kwikup2.jpg

http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/kwikup.jpg

http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/kwikup4.jpg

Mike Hiscox
'77/'95 UNIMOG 416 DoKa Expedition Camper (for sale)
2005 mid/tall 2500 Sprinter Expedition Camper

[Kermit]

J. Baldwin was born the son of an engineer. Baldwin has said that, at 18, he heard Buckminster Fuller....

That explains alot. Thanks for the link mhiscox.

[OutbacKamper]

Thanks Mark...I hadn't seen this before. It's virtually exactly what I had in mind and it's not overpriced with a base price of $29K Australian. Now why can't someone make that in theUSA in that same price range? I guess there's no reason one couldn't ship a flatbed American truck (alleviates all emission issues) to Australia and have one put on...and then do an Australian trip while you're there! I can't imagine there would be any issues with bringing it back to the USA, other than paying duty on it...right?
Or maybe you could just ship one to the USA.

Vince;
I visited the factory and talked to the owner/inventor for several hours in 2006. I was quite seriously trying to get him to allow me to build the tray back highrise model under license for the North American market (with various modifications to suit our conditions). He had already sold the rights to Kimberly to build a modified version of the highrise trailer design (called the Kimberly Karavan). He was in negotiation with another person from North America who was interested in importing the tray back model as is. For various reasons this would not be practical IMHO.
To make a long story short....He was too busy building the existing models, for the Oz market, to bother with any kind of North American deal.
The great thing about the tray back model is that it could easily be put on a trailer (very much like the Innovan):
http://www.innovan.com.au/img/gallery/intext/20.jpg

Cheers
Mark

[jcbrandon]

I am pretty sure I saw this camper (and the owner) at the Maker's Fair in San Mateo last year.

That's where I saw it, and him, this past weekend. At the Maker Faire, in San Mateo.

The Quickup is a hand-built prototype. He is looking for investors or other opportunities to take it to market.

Try spinning up flickr.com and search for "Quickup Maker Faire".

[ZR2nit]

I just watched every video on the INNOVAN. That thing is awesome. It really is to bad things like that are not made in the USA. I mean I laughed at it when I first saw it and thought "whatever there no way in hell I would own one of those!!!" Well I'm here to say that if it wasn't for my brother being in a wheelchair and the fact that we need a camper with a bit more room I would buy one of those things in a heartbeat if it was available in the U.S.

That thing is completely awesome and very innovative. I congratulate all the U.S manufactures of offroad campers but to be honest "WE" meaning Americans are way behind the said "power curve" when it comes to offroad campers."