So you just bought a truck camper and you’re basking in the glow of your new purchase. Your new, “home on wheels” has everything you need to live comfortably on the road—a warm bed, a refrigerator, hot and cold running water, a bathroom, and a kitchen. At this point, you might be thinking, what’s next? That’s a great question. Now that you have a camper, it’s time to make it your own by personalizing and modifying it. These truck camper “mods,” as they’re called, can be relatively minor like adding a spice rack in the kitchen, hat hooks next to the dinette, or something major like installing an RV cell booster on the rear ladder, a DC to DC charger, or a 3,000 watt pure sine wave inverter with a transfer relay. Over the last few years, we’ve been blessed with an abundance of technological advances that has transformed the RV industry, especially truck campers. In no particular order, here are what we think are 10 best truck camper modifications for 2023.
1. Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor
A battery monitor is a truck camper owner’s best friend, especially for those who like to boondock. A battery monitor, like the Victron BMV-712, takes the guess work out of the state of your battery bank. It keeps track of current flowing in and out of a battery bank and uses a sophisticated algorithm to display battery’s state of charge as well as the number of amp hours remaining. It also displays voltage and amps, time to go, consumed energy, and keeps track of historic data including battery efficiency, average discharge, deepest discharge, and number of cycles. It also comes with over-voltage, and under-voltage alarms. The Victron BMV-712 is one of the best battery monitors for boondocking. Not only can you access all of this vital information on the monitor itself, but you can also access it on your smart phone via Bluetooth. The BMV-712 also features an additional voltage input that can be used to measure an auxiliary or starter battery voltage, midpoint voltage or temperature with an optional temperature sensor. One of many well-engineered features is that the wiring from the shunt to the monitor uses a 30-foot-long, ready-made six-conductor data cable with network type plugs. The best battery monitor that money can buy, you can purchase the Victron BMV-712 for only $206 on Amazon.com.
2. Expion360 Lithium 360 ‘Cube’
The lithium battery has revolutionized the 12 volt electrical systems in today’s recreational vehicle, and the Expion360 VPR 4Ever Platinum 360 Cube is one of the best. The 360 amp hour battery measures only 13×15×10 inches and sports one of the smallest battery footprints for 360 amp hours. How is Expion360 able to pack so much power into such a small case? By using 2650 high density, 4,000 milliamp hour cells. Simply put, these higher density cells offer more power than the standard density cell found in other makes of lithium batteries. Putting these higher density cells into a single battery box also means more space for more cells. To give you an idea of how special this lithium battery truly is, the usable capacity of the Expion360 Cube nearly equals three 8D AGM batteries that provide only 382.5 amp hours of total usable capacity. Worse yet, each 255 amp hour 8D battery weighs 156 pounds and measures 20x10x8 inches. Ten years ago only massive rigs made by EarthRoamer and GXV could accommodate so many 8D batteries. With the Expion360 Cube, now many of today’s truck campers now can. Features a repairable BMS with automated low-temp discharge and auto-shutoff to prevent charging in freezing temperatures as well as a number of other safety features, including low and high voltage cutouts, high temperature cut-outs, over current and short circuit protections. Yes, the battery is expensive at $4,000 through Camping World, but there isn’t a better lithium battery in today’s market and that’s saying a lot. Still not sure the cost is worth it, check out our recent review.
3. Xantrex Freedom X 3000
4. Jackery SolarSaga 100
5. Expion360 DC-to-DC Alternator Charger
Yes, we all love solar power. It’s an effortless way to keep the batteries in your camper charged, but you can’t always rely on it being there when you need it. On the other hand, the alternator in your truck is always there. Why not use it to charge the battery in your camper while you are driving? The Expion360 EX-25A is one of the best DC-to-DC lithium battery chargers in the market. It measures 7.09 x 4.72 x 1.57 inches, weighs only 2.5 pounds, and offers an efficiency of 91 percent. The charger is designed to charge the battery in your camper using the alternator and starting battery in your truck. Moreover, the mobile charger is specifically designed to charge the Expion360 VPR 4Ever Classic and Platinum batteries and can be used with other LiFePO4 chemistry batteries that recommend the same charging profile. The Expion360 DC-to-DC Lithium Charger can be parallel connected with two units. By parallel connecting the chargers, the charge rate will double from 25 amps to 50 amps, while maintaining the required 14.6 volts. The Expion360 DC-to-DC Lithium Charger uses a two-stage constant current (CC) constant voltage (CV) charging profile at 14.6 volts and 25 amps. The list price for the Expion360 DC-to-DC Charger is $275. If you’ve been dragging your feet on getting this modification, you need to stop. This is one of the best truck camper mods you can buy—period!
6. Dometic RTX 2000 DC Air Conditioner
The Dometic CoolAir RTX 2000 is a DC-powered air conditioner with a long history of success as a “parking cooler” by truckers. Rated at 6,824 BTU, the CoolAir RTX 2000 uses a variable speed inverter-to-cylinder compressor, which provides both high efficiency and quiet operation. Featuring four modes of operation—Boost, Auto, Eco, and Manual—this rooftop unit is controlled using either the control panel or via remote control. In the Boost mode, the unit cools the camper for no more than 20 minutes at maximum power and then switches to the Auto mode automatically. The Dometic CoolAir RTX 2000 also features a battery monitor that switches the unit off automatically as soon as the battery voltage falls below a preset level to prevent over discharging. While it’s true that this 6,824-BTU unit has trouble keeping up with 120F temperatures, it does just fine in temperatures 100F and below. Easy to install using a slightly larger 14.5×19-inch roof vent opening. Weighs only 72 pounds and consumes only 19.5 amps DC in the Eco mode and 29 amps DC maximum. While the amperage draw is relatively low, we still recommend having at least a 300 amp hour lithium battery, like the Expion360 Cube, to run this amazing, little unit. Available in both 12 volt and 24 volt models. Lists for $2,729, but the cost is well worth it if you like staying cool during the summer.
7. WeBoost Cell Phone Booster
8. StableCamper
9. Dometic Fan-Tastic Vent 7350 Fan
10. Froli Star Modular Sleep System
Getting a quality night’s sleep in today’s truck camper is often difficult. When you consider that one-third of each day is spent in bed, that’s unfortunate. The Froli Modular Sleep System addresses this vexing problem in a clever, innovative way. Imported from Germany, the system consists of a grid of high-tech plastic “spring elements,” which together work like a standard box spring mattress. Each spring, measuring roughly 5×5 inches, is made of a thermoplastic elastomer, a high-tech material that combines the flexibility of rubber with the strength of a durable, space-age plastic. This material offers a memory-like effect for precise flexing while returning the spring to its original shape at rest. The Froli provides three spacing options to set the overall firmness of the bed, two sets of color coded springs that provide a different level of firmness—dark blue, firm; light blue, soft—plus a set of red tension clips shaped like four-leaf clovers that provide even more firmness in certain areas if needed. It’s a clever and ingenious design, unrivaled by anything else in today’s market. Better yet, not only does the Froli provide a better sleep, but it also helps eliminate condensation underneath the mattress, a huge bonus. Reviewed recently on Truck Camper Adventure. The Froli Star System for a queen-size bed retails for $398.00.
excellant lists of mods,cant wait to get me a unit and start camping
The Stable Camper product proves a simple idea can provide great benefits. This product addresses one of my biggest concerns. I will always need to remove the camper in order to launch the boat. So imagine 5000 pounds supported by two extended Jack’s. Now introduce a stiff wind, the leverage that combination could develop will eventually cause damage. I will have the Stable Camper product immediately hooked up as soon as the truck is removed in order to mitigate any issues. Great idea, Great product, Great quality. Thank You.
We have both a Fantastic Fan and a Maxx Air fan in our Mammoth. The Fantastic Fan was factory installed in the living room. I replaced the puny fan in the bathroom vent with a Maxx Air fan. The Maxx is superior to the Fantastic Fan in a number of ways, but the two most important is 1: that its design incorporates a rain cover, and 2: I could get a wireless remote so my vertically challenged wife could operate it without a step stool. If possible, I would spec out a Maxx Air over a Fantastic Fan if I was ordering a camper.
This model of Fan-tastic Vent has a wireless remote.
Mike, the Froli bed system is in our top 10 too. We are on a 5 week, 8 state road trip and this became a must have for us. It’s as comfortable as our home mattress and makes for a great day, fully rested. Thanks for the review as it was the last upgrade we made before heading out.