Year: 2014

A video of my new Buckstop Classic III winch bumper and Warn 16.5ti heavy duty winch. If your plans include going off-road, then having a heavy duty bumper and winch are a must.

The Torklift GlowStep is the gold standard when it comes to the aluminum folding step for RV’s. No other aluminum folding step maintains its strength and shape better than the GlowStep. I’ve owned my set [read more]

Are you looking to go solar for a bargain price, but don’t know where to start looking? Well look no further. The good folks at Renogy Solar are offering their 100 watt Solar Power Starter [read more]

We spent last weekend at Apache Lake, dry camping at the Burnt Corral USFS campground. As you probably already know, I’m not a big fan of campgrounds, in fact I hate them. I’d much rather [read more]

The Apache Trail, located in the heart of central Arizona, is known for its breathtaking beauty, but for those who enjoy outdoor recreation like boating, fishing, and hiking, it’s also a first-rate attraction. Located within [read more]

Most people know how critical wheels and tires are to truck handling and safety, but the truck’s suspension system is important, too. The suspension system consists of coil springs and leaf springs as well as [read more]

Quartzsite, Arizona is probably unlike any other place on earth. During the summer months, the sleepy, little desert town looks like hundreds of others you may encounter in the desert Southwest. However, a complete transformation [read more]

Well, it’s finally here! After waiting 10 long, excruciating weeks, I finally received my Buckstop Classic III winch bumper. Along with the bumper, I installed two PIAA 520 ATP head lamps and a Warn 16.5ti [read more]

We just finished installing a complete set of Torklift Talons on our truck. What are Talons? Well, if you’re familiar with Torklift International’s frame mounted tie down system for truck campers, Talons are simply the [read more]

Which should I buy first, the pickup truck or the truck camper? If you’re starting from scratch and have neither a truck nor a camper, it’s best to buy your camper first. This will save [read more]

A few days ago, I received this surprising email from Steve in Utah about his brand new 2014 Chevy Silverado. Hi, Mike. I am in the process of buying my first truck camper and have [read more]

Got Talons? I got mine last week. What are Talons? Well, if you’re familiar with Torklift’s frame mounted tie downs for truck campers, Talons are simply Torklift’s aluminum version of the same system. In fact, [read more]

When it comes to truck campers and extreme boondocking, few people have gained more knowledge and experience than Bryan Appleby. Known on the Internet forums as “bka0712,” Bryan has been a full-time RV’er since 2009. [read more]

After a few recent close calls with deer and elk, I decided it was time to do something about it. If your truck is like mine, your front grill is made of plastic, not much [read more]

On a recent outing near my home, I unknowingly rested my feet near a nest of fire ants and got stung several times on my left foot. Unfortunately, these nasty little buggers are pretty common [read more]

In order for a truck camper to be street legal it must have an electrical interface with the truck’s running, stop, turn signal, and backup electrical circuits. This electrical interface also includes a 12 volt [read more]

When it comes to extreme truck campers (XTC’s) and exploring off-road, few people know more than Jeffrey Reynolds. Known as Jefe 4×4 on the Internet forums, Jeff embarked on his first off-road adventure in 1965 [read more]

It was like a scene out of the Robin Williams comedy film, RV. We had just spent the weekend camping with family and friends. All of the girls had used our bathroom over the weekend, [read more]

Staying connected on the road is important. This is true not only for RV owners who want to stay in touch with family and friends, but also for RV owners who still work and maintain [read more]

Back in April I took my new Ram 3500 and my Wolf Creek 850 truck camper to a CAT scale in Nephi, UT to get weighed. Together the combo weighed a shocking 11,920 pounds, a [read more]

A couple weeks ago the family and some friends got together for a weekend camp out on Mt. Graham to celebrate the end of another year of college. This was our second time on Mt. [read more]

A few weeks ago, I took my 2013 Ram 3500 in to the local dealership to have a remote start installed and to investigate what might be causing some random check engine lights to come [read more]

Did you know that the first recorded use of a windwheel was in the first century by the Greeks? Widespread use of windmills, however, didn’t occur until the 13th century in Europe when they were [read more]

We spent last weekend in the Heber and Show Low area in Northern Arizona looking at some properties. We’ve decided to buy an acre or two of land where we can camp for the summer [read more]

Without a doubt, elevation is one of the most important aspects to finding a great boondocking location. For instance, if you want to avoid summer temperatures in the 90s, you’ll want to camp at an [read more]

I admit it. I’m a huge convert to solar power. Since we sold our Honda EU2000i generator and began using solar on our outings two years ago we have been happy campers. Our three solar [read more]

In today’s electronic age you can never have enough USB charging ports and electrical outlets in your RV. This is especially true for those of us who work while on the road. My office is [read more]

Vermillion Cliffs NM, Northern Arizona. Boondocking on BLM land north of Kanab, Utah. Cove Fort near Beaver, Utah. Losee Canyon. Dixie National Forest, Utah. Grosvenor Arch, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM. Grosvenor Arch, Cottonwood Canyon Rd. The [read more]

Last week I had a chance to field test my new Windwalker 250 RV Wind Turbine while boondocked near Zion National Park in Southern Utah. The wind turbine is made by Free Spirit Energy, an [read more]

We had a great opportunity yesterday, while passing through Nephi, Utah to weigh our 2013 Ram 3500 and 2011 Wolf Creek 850. With a GVWR of 11,700 pounds, I was curious to see how much [read more]

If you’re thinking about going solar, you need to stop thinking about it and do it. Solar is easy to install, is practically maintenance free, and doesn’t take up valuable storage space inside your RV. [read more]

Kanab, Utah is one of my favorite towns in the American Southwest. Located just a few miles north of the Arizona state line, the population numbers only 4,000, which gives Kanab a small-town, “Mayberry RFD,” [read more]

The sway bar is a critical component of a truck’s suspension system. Its purpose is to keep the truck’s body from rolling or swaying while turning. Most of today’s pickup trucks come with a factory [read more]

Last month Northwood Manufacturing introduced the Wolf Creek 840 to the Wolf Creek truck camper lineup. This new addition, along with the 816 and 850 models which debuted in 2011, bumps the Wolf Creek truck [read more]

Have you ever been told something, and believed it, only to find out later what you were told wasn’t true? When I bought my Wolf Creek 850 truck camper back in September 2011 I was [read more]

The great state of Utah is home to a large number of geologic wonders and breathtaking drives. The southeastern part of the state is where you can find several of these attractions. Among the best [read more]

Buying a pickup truck for a truck camper is one of those decisions you really want to get right the first time. A properly equipped heavy-duty pickup can easily push well beyond $80,000 today, and [read more]

During a camp out on Mt. Graham four months ago, we were exposed to a pretty intense monsoon in the middle of the night. I had inspected the roof of the camper during the spring [read more]

Next to its superb FastGun turnbuckles, Torklift International’s Tie-Down system might just be the crown jewel of the company’s extensive product lineup. The Torklift Tie-Down System consists of four independent, frame-mounted tie-down receivers that work [read more]

Happy New Year, everyone!! Well, here it is, the new truck I’ve been telling you about. She’s a 2013 Dodge Ram 3500 4×4 pickup. The color is Pearl Blue, which is essentially Navy Blue with [read more]