In just five years, Supertramp Campers (STC) has gone from an ambitious startup to one of the truck camper industry’s fastest-rising manufacturers, with more than 200 campers now exploring backroads across North America. That’s impressive growth in any industry, but especially in the premium truck camper market. So what’s the secret behind Supertramp’s rapid success?
Part of the answer lies in a material that’s been around for decades—fiberglass. But while Supertramp isn’t the only manufacturer building fiberglass campers, its approach is dramatically different. Instead of outsourcing major components, the company designs and manufactures nearly every fiberglass part in-house using proprietary vacuum-infusion techniques, custom molds, and its own production processes. The result is a camper that’s exceptionally lightweight, remarkably strong, highly insulated, and virtually impervious to water intrusion.
Fiberglass itself isn’t new, of course. At its most basic level, it’s created by combining fine glass fibers with polymer resin to form a composite material with an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio. It’s durable, waterproof, corrosion resistant, and an excellent insulator—qualities that make it an ideal building material for truck campers.
Turning those raw materials into an entire camper, however, is another story.
Each Supertramp Flagship LT requires ten separate molds and well over a thousand individual fiberglass pieces. The exterior begins as large composite shells, while interior components—including the cabinets, kitchen, electrical compartment, shower pan, bench seat, and under-bed storage—are individually molded before being bonded together with proprietary adhesives to create an incredibly rigid, seamless structure.
Compared to traditional wood-and-aluminum construction, the advantages are significant. Fiberglass won’t rot, resists dents and corrosion, requires very little maintenance, provides superior thermal insulation, and eliminates many of the seams that have historically been responsible for RV water leaks. It’s also easier to clean, retains its appearance longer, and contributes to excellent long-term durability.
Technology has been another cornerstone of Supertramp’s success. Features like the electric roof lift, 800 amp-hour lithium battery bank, 320-watt solar system, 100-amp DC-to-DC charger, compressor refrigerator, optional air conditioner, Truma Combi heating system, and Starlink compatibility bring truck campers firmly into the modern era. Just as importantly, Supertramp has carefully curated its feature set, giving customers everything they need without overwhelming them with endless option sheets.
When we toured Supertramp’s factory in Golden, Colorado, we were equally impressed by the manufacturing operation behind the campers. A skilled team of roughly 25 employees uses CNC routers, waterjets, 3D printers, commercial sewing machines, press brakes, and an extensive collection of fiberglass molds to produce nearly every major component under one roof.
Today, the company offers not only its flagship Flagship LT pop-up but also the new Flagship HT hard-side camper and the Megatron expedition vehicle. Looking at Supertramp’s polished product lineup today, it’s easy to assume the company’s success was inevitable.
It wasn’t.
Behind every Supertramp camper are years of experimentation, failed prototypes, countless hours spent building in a garage, and two founders willing to bet everything on a better idea.
To learn how that journey unfolded—from weekend campers to one of the industry’s most innovative manufacturers—we sat down with Supertramp co-owner and Marketing Director Kelsey Panich during 2025 Overland Expo Mountain West.
It Started With Weekend Camping
Like many truck camper owners, Keith and Kelsey Panich didn’t set out to start a manufacturing company. They simply wanted a better way to enjoy weekends outdoors.
“We were tent camping every weekend,” Kelsey explained. “We had an F-150 and thought maybe a truck camper would let us stay out longer and make life easier.”
Shopping for one quickly became frustrating. Used campers often suffered from water damage, outdated interiors, and aging appliances. New campers weren’t much different.
“Meanwhile,” Kelsey said, “the van market and travel trailers were exploding with modern design and technology. We felt truck campers had been left behind.”
Keith, a manufacturing engineer, immediately began wondering how he could build something better.
Betting Everything
Timing, as it turned out, was on their side.
“We didn’t have kids. We didn’t have a dog. We didn’t even own a house yet,” Kelsey laughed.
That made the decision easier. Keith left his engineering job in 2017 and spent six months building their very first prototype.
Actually, their first three prototypes. Each one became a rolling laboratory. They would use it for months, learn from it, sell it, and start over.
The first versions relied on aluminum framing and aluminum skin because that was familiar territory. It didn’t take long to discover aluminum’s shortcomings.
“The condensation was terrible,” Kelsey admitted. “Especially because we ski. We were using these campers all winter while testing.”
Prototype number two introduced composite panels. It was better—but still wasn’t the camper Keith envisioned.
Then came the biggest leap of faith.
Learning Fiberglass…in a Garage
Keith became convinced composites were the future. Kelsey wasn’t so sure.
“I was nervous,” she admitted. “He’d already been working on this for two years.”Still, she encouraged him to take the leap.
The couple spent nearly a year searching for companies willing to manufacture fiberglass shells.
Every conversation ended with compromises. Manufacturers wanted different shapes. Different materials. Different production methods.
Eventually they reached a simple conclusion:
If they wanted the camper they envisioned, they’d have to build it themselves. So they transformed their garage into a miniature composites shop.
They even built a 10-by-10-foot composite curing oven. Fortunately, a composite materials supplier became an invaluable mentor, helping them understand that fiberglass manufacturing isn’t just science—it’s art.
“The resin, the fibers, the temperature, even the elevation all affect the final product,” Kelsey explained.
It took nearly two years to perfect their manufacturing recipe.
The Product Nobody Wanted
By this point, the Panichs had built a third prototype—a hard-side camper that they quietly launched online.
It didn’t catch on.
Despite years of building an audience, sales simply weren’t there. Rather than giving up, Keith returned to his molds.
Thankfully, he’d designed them with removable inserts, allowing him to create an entirely different camper without starting over. Those same molds eventually became the foundation for today’s Flagship LT.
The Show That Changed Everything
The redesigned camper debuted at Overland Expo Mountain West in 2021.
Ironically, the Panichs were so consumed with building campers that they hadn’t fully realized how dramatically COVID had transformed the RV industry. They arrived at the show with a camper that wasn’t even theirs—it belonged to a customer waiting to take delivery.
Needless to say, the pressure was on.
“We were very nervous,” Kelsey remembered.
Then the gates opened. Visitors were immediately drawn to the massive wraparound windows, clean fiberglass interior, and electric lift roof.
By the end of the show, Supertramp had collected roughly 30 orders.
Everything changed almost overnight.
The Grant That Accelerated Growth
Around the same time, the state of Colorado awarded Supertramp a $250,000 Advanced Industries grant.
While it didn’t pay for everything, it allowed the young company to invest in the equipment that now defines its manufacturing process. CNC routers. Waterjets. Press brakes. Additional tooling. More employees.
Instead of outsourcing production, Supertramp doubled down on manufacturing nearly everything itself. Even today, the company builds its own molds—something few manufacturers attempt because of the enormous time and expense involved.
Constant Refinement
One thing that stood out during our conversation was that Supertramp has never stopped improving.
Many customers may never notice changes to stitching patterns, thread selection, mold design, or cabinet construction, but the company constantly refines every detail. The under-bed storage transitioned from fabric and wood to molded composites. Kitchen components were redesigned. Electronics evolved. Even the sewing techniques for the pop-up soft wall have been continuously improved.
For Supertramp, iteration never ends.
Why Build a Hard-Side?
With the Flagship LT proving so successful, introducing the Flagship HT might seem like an unusual move. For Supertramp, however, it filled an obvious gap.
“We realized we were missing the hard-side market,” Kelsey said.
Rather than designing an entirely new camper from scratch, the company leveraged the proven LT platform, creating only one major new mold.
The result surprised even Kelsey.
“The LT was my first love,” she admitted. “But I’ve absolutely fallen in love with the HT.”
Perhaps most surprising is the weight. The Flagship LT starts around 1,350 pounds. The Flagship HT? Only about 1,450 pounds. Just a 100-pound difference.
Vacuum infusion allows Supertramp to use only the precise amount of resin required, reducing unnecessary weight while maintaining exceptional strength.
More Than a Camper
Ask owners what they love most, and the answer isn’t fiberglass. It’s how the camper changes the way they travel.
One thing that sets Supertramp apart from many is the four season capability. Supertramp insulates its campers using a vucuum-infused PET foam core with an R7 value. The insulation is 1.5 inches thick throughout except for the roof which is .75 inches thick. The soft top that the Supertramp Flagship LT uses offers triple insulation.
Customers tell Kelsey their campers have become ski cabins, family adventure rigs, and weekend escapes they use far more often than expected. Some who planned to store their camper all winter now use it year-round.
Others discovered their spouses and children enjoy camping more because the camper feels less like roughing it and more like a cozy apartment surrounded by nature. Those stories, Kelsey says, are still her favorite part of the job.
Despite building more than 200 campers and expanding into multiple product lines, she still knows nearly every customer personally.
Looking Ahead
Supertramp’s success may appear meteoric, but hearing Kelsey’s story reveals something different.
The company wasn’t built overnight. It was built through years of failed prototypes, countless hours in a garage, a willingness to abandon familiar materials, and an unwavering belief that truck campers deserved better engineering.
Today, Supertramp’s campers are among the most technologically advanced and visually striking on the market. Yet perhaps the company’s greatest strength isn’t fiberglass, CNC machines, or proprietary manufacturing.
It’s a mindset that refuses to stop improving.
For a company that’s only been building production campers for only five years, that may be its biggest competitive advantage of all.
To learn more about Supertramp campers or to get a quote, email the company directly at info@supertrampcampers.com.
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