The word revolutionary gets thrown around a lot, but when it comes to Camp365’s T Model expandable truck camper it truly is. Traditional pop-up truck campers use a fabric or canvas that allows the top to raise and lower vertically, but not Camp365’s truck camper—Camp365’s T Model camper unfolds and expands above the bed rails of the truck, revealing a spacious 9×7 foot floor space, 63-square-foot camper with 6 feet 8 inches of headroom. Better yet, the rugged, aerodynamic, lightweight camper weighs only 830 pounds, meaning it’s compatible with not only standard pickup trucks but EV pickup trucks as well.
The idea for the game-changing, fold-out camper, however, didn’t come from a CAD drawing or from a sketch on a piece of paper, it actually came from an uncle’s dream in the middle of the night.
“My Uncle Scott woke up from a dream and wrote the original design on a napkin,” said Kevin McGregor, Camp365 co-owner and CEO. “I was so impressed, I had him come to Minnesota to present a model of it in front of a focus group (Camp365 founders Shawn McGregor , Kevin Fleischhacker and Cedar Vandergon), a bunch of engineering nerds and outdoor enthusiasts. We filed our first patent. Our team spent years in a single stall garage designing, engineering, patenting, prototyping, and testing the design.”
Camp365 moved into its first facility in Edina, Minnesota in 2018, then later moved to a larger facility in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The company soon outgrew that location, too, then bought two fabrication and production facilities in Albia, Iowa, conveniently located next to Camp365’s aluminum extrusion supplier.
According to McGregor, the first Camp365 camper wasn’t a truck bed camper at first, it was actually a towable. Years of experience manufacturing Camp365 towable campers led to a easy transition to the T Model expandable truck camper in 2024.
Being able to unfold the expandable truck camper quickly and easily was important to McGregor and his team. As a matter of fact, it needed to be so easy that a grandma can do it. This is where the company’s Grandma Certification comes from.
“I grew up around strong-willed grandma’s who loved the outdoors with a zest for fun-filled family vacations,” McGregor said. “This is where the ‘Grandma Certified’ standard of excellence came from honoring my grandma’s. I’m also blessed with four children, one with special needs who reminds me that nature needs to be accessible by everyone.
The need for accessibility is what partly drove McGregor to move forward. The other part, according to McGregor, was the need to infuse today’s campers with modern technology. Growing up and living in Wisconsin and Minnesota also meant that the camper had to be four-season capable.
“Our team wanted to build a camper capable of accommodating growing families without having to buy an additional vehicle or a bigger vehicle to tow or haul,” he said. “We also saw that the recreational vehicle market needed a major facelift. Much of it was based on outdated technology that was introduced in the 1940s. Our team set out to engineer a camper that was ‘Grandma Certified’ that could be used year-round and able to withstand not only Minnesota winters but also Arizona summer. Our patented, dual-layer air gap insulation is what makes our name Camp365 into a four-season cabin.”
Like most truck campers, the “bones” of the Camp365 T Model camper is the frame. The frame is built using 6061 aerospace grade, custom aluminum extrusion and reinforced steel for lifting and leveling. The frames are welded with extreme precision and tolerance then powder coated. The outside skins are CNC Laser cut and then fastened to the frame. The collapsing part of the camper is made using alternating hard panels and fabric. McGregor is quick to point out that his camper doesn’t use canvas, instead he uses what is called “aqualon,” a durable, marine-grade fabric.
“Aqualon is a marine-grade synthetic that will not mold or rot,” he explained. “It has a seven-year warranty and does not absorb moisture and is tested from -20F to 150F. Being a synthetic, it has no issues with mice or dry rot. The cabin is a hybrid with folding hard walls that are a composite, with closed cell foam allowing a great thermal barrier. No wood is used in the construction of our camper, so there are no issues with warping or absorbing moisture. All of our patented folding sides and walls with lift assist are then attached. Lastly, our patented dual layer Aqualon Top and hinges are installed along with an extra large lockable cabin door.”
Building a revolutionary camper that is easy to travel with and store in a garage is one thing, but like any camper, it needs to be comfortable and needs to be well-equipped. At the Campsite the T Model transforms in minutes to reveal a 9×7 foot floor space, 63-square-foot camper with 6 feet 8 inches of headroom that is capable of comfortably sleeping four to five people. The base unit comes with a queen-size bed that converts into two twin beds with memory foam pads that convert into a comfortable couch as well as a three-person modular folding table. The cabin also features two sliding tinted windows with screens as well as two large side windows with screens for terrific cross ventilation. In the travel mode, the rear features a large lockable sliding rear gear storage and lots of storage between both folding side walls for soft goods, snowboards or ski’s. In camping mode, the camper provides three large in-floor dry storage compartments for even more storage. The camper also comes with two side awnings for shade.
The electrical system comes with everything you need to camp comfortably off-grid. Customers can either tap into an EV truck’s electrical system or operate off of an optional, self-contained, modular battery system consisting of an Ecoflow Delta-3 85 amp hour power tower scalable to 416 amp hours with 13 outlets and a 220 watt solar suitcase. The cabin features a large dimmable LED light, six AC outlets, two DC outlets , two USB-A, and two USB-C quick charge outlets. It also comes with a 15 amp 115 volt shore power plug to power the unit while camping or to the truck and an additional 15 amp plug in the rear slider to connect to the power tower. As an option, the camper can accommodate up to 1,000 watts of portable solar power. To keep connected off-grid, Camp365 also offers Starlink satellite internet.
The biggest option offered by Camp365 is what the company calls its “Fresh Water Storage and Hot Water System.” This system can be tailored for either a 12 gallons fresh and 12 gallons grey configuration or a 24 gallon fresh (optional kit) with an easy to clean system with removable lids to use as weekend coolers. This option also includes a Kakadoo hot water shower system and an outdoor shower tent. Other options include an air conditioning and heat package or Propex propane heat, a Boxio portable sink with faucet with choice of toilet package, an indoor cabin shower basin with gray tank drain and shower curtain, a food prep package, a folding bunk for the kiddies or two queen beds or four twin beds, removable jack legs, a pull-out staircase with railing, and easily removable side mount toy racks for bikes, kayaks, paddle boards, skis, or surf boards.
Camp365’s patented jack system is unique and quite unlike anything else offered in the industry, but as McGregor explains, it’s strong, rugged, and well-tested.
“We have been using this jack system on our Camp365 towable for years,” McGregor said. “It even allows us to level out on uneven terrain. The pin-on jacks are only used if the customer wants to detach from the vehicle. Our easy-to-use quick detach system (four pins on mechanical jack legs) allows the customer to take the T Model off the vehicle at home in the garage or at the campsite for trips to town or for four-wheeling. Generally, it takes under 10 minutes your first time to under 5 minutes after a few times. On vehicles that have air suspension, like Rivian R1-T, we detached the camper in under 3 minutes. If garage storability is a needed to avoid costly storage fees and HOA conflicts, we just released an electric lift cart that allows anyone to easily to take the unit on and off the vehicle and store the T Model in the corner of a standard garage without having to sacrifice a garage spot.”
With a base weight of only 830 pounds and a length of 7 feet, the Camp365 T Model is compatible with virtually any short-bed or long-bed truck. This includes mid-size trucks like the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger, full-size trucks like the Ford F-150 and Ram 2500, and EV trucks like the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1-T. The only truck that requires a special kit is for the Tesla Cybertruck, which includes an Aero Cap for increased range, a riser kit, and extended removable jack legs. No special vehicle modifications are needed for everyday trucks—just clamp on the four factory installed bed hooks and go. Better yet, customers aren’t tethered to a specific vehicle, bed size, or special modifications, making it easy to use.
So what does a compact, easily expandable truck camper like this cost? While pricing starts at $25,000, this cost is for the base unit only. While Camp365 offers numerous options, the best is what the company calls its “Founders Series” package which lists for $26,950. This package includes an 85 amp hour EcoFlow power pack, a 220 watt solar suitcase, removable camper jacks, and the pull-out stairs and railing. This package, in our opinion, is a must-have as it provides the basics needed to comfortably camp off-grid.
Camp365’s T Model expandable truck camper has everything going for it. The camper is light, well-made, travels well and stores easily in a garage, yet comes with the essentials needed to camp comfortably in any season with plenty of elbow room. In light of all these benefits, what’s there not to like about this camper? Not much. It checks all of our boxes and more.
“Our team has engineered our revolutionary truck bed camper based on years of experience designing and manufacturing our award winning Camp365 towable folding campers. The T Model is purposefully designed to allow anyone, any season, with everyday pickup trucks, the ability to enjoy the outdoors affordably without the many issues of traditional truck bed campers. We call it, ‘the cabin that goes anywhere,’” McGregor said.
For more information about Camp365 Campers or to receive a quote, email the company directly at kevinm@camp365.com.
Wow!! Great presentation! Makes me want to hit the road…