Ford Maverick-Ready Camper Weighs Just 634 Pounds and Sleeps Two
Who needs an RV when you can have a tiny fuel-efficient camper?
Not everyone wants (or can afford) a gargantuan camper like an Earthroamer. If the point of camping is to get away from the everyday, to simplify, then the smallest solution is likely the one that'll work best. And it's hard to get much smaller than the Scout Tuktut, a minuscule 634-pound camper that's perfect for pickup trucks like the Ford Maverick.
Designed to fit midsize or smaller pickups, the Tuktut achieves its minimal weight using a combination of an aluminum exoskeleton and composite paneling. It's around half the weight of some similarly sized campers, making it more suited to use on the lightest-duty trucks like the Ford Maverick. It won't eat up much of the Maverick hybrid's 1,500-pound payload capacity, leaving room for passengers or gear—and it might not even ruin its fuel economy either.
While the camper can wedge safely into the Maverick's 54-inch bed, it's less clear if it fits the smaller 48-inch bed of the Hyundai Santa Cruz. However, it may also work on the back of an imported kei truck, many of which have six-foot beds and payload ratings of around 770 pounds. This camper would probably push a kei truck to its limit, reducing its top speed and gas mileage, though it'd make for one of the cheapest campers you could get on the U.S. market.
Despite the Tuktut's weight, it's neither too tight inside nor lacking utility. Its ceiling is 74.5 inches (or six-foot-two), while its 69-inch sleeper berth can be optioned with bed extensions to more than comfortably fit two. Other options include Goose Gear modular storage, or bed runners to assist in unloading after getting home.
The Scout Tuktut isn't out yet, but the company says it'll be available starting Q3 at a starting price of $16,500. A quick look at competing campers that fit midsize trucks shows that to be a competitive price and at half the weight of similar campers. Bed-mounted tents are still a far more affordable option, but they don't offer the security a camper does—and that counts if you're in bear country.
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