Across from the shower is the built-in 5-cubic-foot refrigerator, you can reach it from the galley in one step. The kitchen itself is relatively large with some counterspace (however, turn around and the dinette table can also be used for food prep) set between the decent sized sink and the twin built-in cooktop burners. There is also a range hood with exhaust and a small microwave above. Cabinets in the kitchen and throughout are hard-wood faced and ample. In fact there are storage spaces crammed into every possible nook of the camper. The dinette table is ideal for two and it’s removable to free up floor space. The dinette seating is also the couch which is also a foldout lay-flat bed space. In a pinch you could sleep four in this unit—but in this space I’d be kicking them out early. Up front the model I tested had an extra long overhang for the bed space. Taking advantage of the fact that half of all new trucks are crew-cabs Trail-Lite offers longer bed space in a stretched frame. This space makes for a large airy queen bed with even enough room for storage lockers on either side. Side windows open and will provide a cross-breeze. Right above is a crank-up roof vent. There are also individual reading lights and easy access. So while breezy, I suspect that sometimes it will be just too hot in that bunk. In that case (as in my tester) a roof- mounted AC unit will tame that beast. Of course heating and cooling is only as good as the insulation in a unit. Travel Lite uses 2x2 wall construction with R7 insulation in the walls and an insulated double plywood floor. Outside the camper uses a combination of moulded gel coat over fibreglass, metal siding, and aluminum rails and edges. Access panels for plug-ins, water inlets (and an outside shower port) and electrical hookups (30 amps) are all lockable, labeled, and easily reached. In fact the grey and black water drains are also handy right at the rear of the unit. I noted that overall it was pretty easy to load and unload the unit. I removed the tailgate from the truck (one plug-in and two safety snaps) and backed under the unit. The camper sits on four support legs. Some units may have powered legs, but mine had manual jacks. The alternative to cranking these up and down by hand is a cordless powerdrill. The techs at McPhails showed me that with the proper attachment in the drill we could load and unload in less than five minutes. The truck was great, the camper looked and felt good too. This was one of those tests where the sun was shining and I wished I didn’t have to go back to dealer—maybe next time I’ll just keep driving for a while.
Driving up mountain trails, or abandoned logging and mining roads, may not be everyone’s cup of tea; however, if you attempted it while towing a trailer—well that probably wouldn’t end well. This is where the truck camper has the advantage. It does not increase the length of the combination; it’s not low to the ground; and riding up on a four-wheel drive truck lets the truck cover virtually the same ground it would if it were empty. Also, with the weight of the camper over the drive wheels (rather than behind it) traction actually increases. The other advantage is that having the RV onboard the truck leaves the hitch free—so it can still tow a trailer. In fact that’s why truck campers are quite popular with horse owners who always trailer to events. However, boats, race trailers— whatever you’d normally tow—is still available to you with an extended hitch receiver. And back to the torque—this truck is rated to tow 12,000 pounds—so while the “sky is not the limit” it’s certainly up there. While I was sitting inside the Trail-Lite I imagined myself coming in from a long day in the bush—happy, but tired and dirty. Looking around I see that every inch of the available space in here is about caring for my weary body. First the full wet bath. With a hard door, it’s a proper toilet, and with a lowered floor pan is also the shower. Full bath means fully covered in plastic panels, so everything can get wet.
TRAVEL LITE 840RS
GREY WATER: 8 gallons BLACK WATER: 5 gallons LPG: 20 pounds FURNACE: 18,000 Btu
DRY WEIGHT: 1,965 pounds FLOOR LENGTH: 8 feet 4 inches FLOOR WIDTH: 47 inches
EXT. WIDTH: 92 inches FRESHWATER: 25 gallons
22 COAST TO COAST FALL 2016
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