Truck Camping / Dirt biking West coast and BC

[jaffa]

Hi There!

I have decided to sell everything and move from (Australia) to Canada and plan on taking a few months off to ride dirt bikes (enduro), hike and when the season turns start snow boarding.

After a bit of research I think that a 4x4 truck camper with a towbar (see " ultimate MX hauler" I cant post links ) would suit me nicely.

I do have a few questions for the brains trust though.

Has anyone had any experience with the truck camper and similar hitch setup? I am aware that I will need to be careful with my chosen camper and I am leaning more towards campers that do not overhang the tail gate to ensure that the bike can be lowered and the door be opened.

Is it feasible to camp out in BC Ski resort parking lots (and drive between them) in Dec/Jan? I am aware that some winterizing will be required and I am mostly looking at hard body with furnace (non popup) so that the. Is there a particular brand that is more insulated than others? In terms of creature comforts a crapper and shower are a must as I will be living out of it pretty much full time.

As noted above I have just moved from Australia so I am not too familiar with the US/Canadian car market. I have had good experiences with Toyota's back up (Hilux's) and was looking at long bed 4x4 tundra but I am open to suggestions. I have no real need for passenger space as its just me and my girlfriend. If someone could point me in the direction of reliable years/makes/models. I am trying to avoid huge repair bills and depreciation more than anything else.

My budget is around 17K for both truck and camper I am currently in CA and was wondering if it is worth purchasing in the states rather than Canada? Or is importing vehicles not worth the hassle?

From what I have read it is better to purchase the camper first then find a truck to suit? How much ($$) modification would a standard truck is require ?(mounting points, airbags, electrical etc)

My budget is flexible here more than anything I am just trying to avoid depreciation I am not too bothered with the initial outlay.

Thanks for your help here guys and girls as noted above I am pretty green but keen to learn so if you have any resources please just point them my way

Cheers

 

[Roger M.]

Check out the (new and used) truck and camper prices for B.C. here to start:

http://www.usedvictoria.com/
https://vancouver.craigslist.ca/search/rva

Your budget might not accommodate a truck and camper purchase in B.C.
Two popular hard-side brands (both made in B.C.) are Bigfoot and Northern Lite. Both offer somewhat of a cold weather package.

Camping in ski resort parking lots is a no-go at most of the bigger hills. You may have better luck at the smaller hills that don't have accommodations to sell.
For example, if folks could camp in the Whistler or Blackcomb parking lots, they'd fill them up in short order, much to dismay of the day users of the ski hills!
Most of the big hills have transient parking that must empty each night, specifically to avoid overnighters.

Local RCMP are pretty tuned into "stealth" camping in B.C. ski towns, they tend to pick up on campers quite quickly. Many B.C. ski towns (or B.C. towns in general) have local bylaws that prevent on-street overnight parking of RV's (at least with you inside).

Depending on what region of the Province you're in, distances to dispersed or off-grid camping vary widely.
In Whistler you'll drive for quite a distance to find off-grid camping spots, whereas in some of the South Eastern B.C. ski towns, off-grid means right outside of town.

 

[Lance990]

Lots of question in your post. The used TC market is plentiful in the states but you will need a truck before you can take delivery on a used TC. I'm a Ford man but Chevy and Dodge make good trucks, too. Depending on the weight of a TC you can't go wrong with a DRW 1-ton 4x4 truck, otherwise you'll end up spending the difference upgrading a 3/4 ton SRW truck suspension. You really need DRW to haul a hard side truck camper that weighs more than 2,000 lbs. You'll be glad you have it, trust me. Definitely look for a truck with the factory camper package. It makes a difference.

Lance makes great campers. I have a Lance 990 that is well insulated. I barely need the furnace in winter time. I love the Northern Lite truck campers but they are too pricey for me, even the used ones. Take your time and check for water leaks and damage on any used TC you may look at. A built in propane generator is very handy along with as much solar as you can put on the roof. Get several batteries, you'll need them in cold weather.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with!

 

[boxcar1]

Wow . A bunch of opinions here .
You don't need a DRW . In fact they are pretty poor runners in deep snow. The rear wheels tend to pack up.
At $17, 000, I would be looking for gas not diesel.
I recommend a 4wd - Pick your brand ( I am a huge Ford fan ).
Don't even think about the Tundra. They are not camper capable. No Toyota / Nissan 's are. Nor are they cheap on this side of the big blue.
Okanagan , IMHO , may be the best reasonably priced used campers made in Canada.
Generally they are well built and insulated for the Canadian environment.
Check Craigslist , they show up in BC all the time.
Realize though , used camper buyers need to be hyper vigilant when buying a camper from a historically wet environment.........
What you want to do with your budget is doable if you are a good shopper.
$ 9,000 will buy you a decent used truck, $4,000 for the camper leaves enough for a good duel sport and hauling system.
You'd have better luck boon docking ski resorts in the USA though. We are a lot more lenient on this side of the border.

 

[LilPoppa]

I see campers at the ski hills in the Kootenays all the time, man. This one dude stayed at our ski hill all winter in (I think) a Bigfoot. I don't think you'll have a problem there.

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

I think your budget is more than doable. A friend who is traveling around the country promoting her business picked up a great 1996 Ford F250 extra-cab Powerstroke diesel w/175,000 miles for $7,500 and a cool, old and funky, but dry and spacious camper for $1,500 (both in Texas).

 

[jaffa]

thanks for the posts guys, sorry I have been offline.

Yep after checking the payload on the tundras they are definitely out.

I have been scouring CL, Kiji and I will add used.ca to my list.

I have shorted listed a few but in particular I am looking at a extended cab 02 GMC 2500 with the 6L vortec (4x4) (200,000 KM) with a 9"6 Kodiak camper. The camper is advertised for 6500 CAD (which seems OK considering its pretty clean) but the they are after around 12500 for the truck which seems excessive. I'd post links but it appears since I am new I am not allowed to post links.

As noted the budget can go up by 10-20% depreciation is the monster I am trying to battle here.


Anyways appreciate the feedback guys!

 

[redthies]

I'm a bit late to join in here, but I've lived (and was born in) BC ski towns and have owned a bunch of different types of truck campers over the years. The only ski areas likely to be a problem free camping at, are the local Vancouver mountains (Grouse, Seymour, Cypress), Whistler, Sun Peaks, Silver Star and Big White. That said, a bunch of those offer legal camping options, and some (including Whistler) have places you can camp for free within a short (10-15 mins) drive out of town. I camp in Whistler 4 nights a week and have a variety of spots. PM me if you need info.

As for camper choices, a newer Northern Lite is king. No question. But, they hold their value INCREDIBLY well. I just factory ordered a new '17 9-6, and looked at an '11 10-2 while at the dealer. You can get a new one as cheap as $38,000 depending on options, and the '11 was going for $37,000! So both are a lot more than the budget you describe, but also show how little they depreciate.

For your truck choices, definitely go with a 3500 4x4. The campers you are looking at in the size you want are HEAVY. If you want to use the plumbing at all in a BC winter, you are going to need a model with a heated "basement" and/or heated tanks. This will add money and weight.

Importing a truck and camper to Canada is not a huge deal, it just takes a few days, some paperwork and about $100 USD for a broker. I've brought multiple trucks and RVs across. Again, PM me on here and I'll talk y through it if you like. Trucks are going to be WAY cheaper in Ca than they are here. Like half price for a similar unit. The time of year is in your favor though for buying a camper as people tend to not want to store them over the winter if they are even remotely thinking of selling.

Good luck with your search. Let me know if I can help!