Kingstar Camper’s KRUZR 8 Takes Expedition Travel to Next Level

We remember that day well. It was in the spring of 2021. Kingstar co-owner and CEO, Marcus Niemla, visited the TCA HQ to give us a personal tour of his Camino 88. We loved everything about his rugged, non-slide camper—the unique “Fast Back” design, the comfortable sofa, the wall-mounted air conditioner, the massive bathroom, and the quality construction. The camper really stood out from the competition and we’d seen them all. After a two-hour visit, we parted ways with a promise to Marcus that one day we’d be in one of his campers.

The only thing that Marcus’ Camino 88 lacked was a robust off-grid capability. Being strong advocates of self-sufficient off-grid travel, this is one of the first things we look for. To his credit, Marcus took this suggestion to heart and designed a Kingstar camper that met this requirement and more. The result is the KRUZR brand which is being marketed as the company’s “premium expedition series coach.” After seeing the KRUZR 8 at last year’s Overland Expo West, we fell in love with the camper. As a matter of fact, we loved the KRUZR 8 so much that we just bought one. Our pining for a Kingstar camper is finally over.

We unveiled our brand-new KRUZR 8 at the 2025 Truck Camper Adventure Quartzsite Rally. Even with over 400 truck campers in attendance, our new Kingstar KRUZR 8 really stood out. The comments from the hundreds who toured the premium camper during the open house were effusive with praise with “beautiful,” “spacious,” and “roomy” being the most common adjectives. Those who stepped inside were surprised that a camper that was so roomy didn’t have any slide-outs. No doubt, Kingstar made some sales that day.

Yes, the Kingstar KRUZR 8 is roomy, but Kingstar couples this roominess with the latest technology that eliminates the need to camp at RV parks with full hookups. In addition to the standard Epoch 460 amp hour lithium battery and 400 watt solar power system, you find a Victron 3,000 watt inverter, a Truma Combi, a Victron Cerbo GX-50 touch screen controller, an 8,000 BTU wall-mounted air conditioner, a MAXXAIR fan 7500 Deluxe, and a Vitrifrigo 5.3 cubic foot DC compressor refrigerator-freezer. Standard features include a 32-gallon fresh water holding tank, a 20-gallon grey tank, a 4.75 gallon cassette toilet, and two 20-pound propane tanks.

The KRUZR 8 packs a lot in its 9-foot 2-inch length and 7-foot 7-inch width, but we wanted even more. In addition to the camper’s already impressive, 400 watt solar power system, we opted for an additional 400 watts, giving us 800 watts total. We also opted to go with Kingstar’s attractive “Luxe” walnut countertop option, Kingstar’s entertainment package with a stereo system and smart TV, Tern Overland’s amazing Wildlands door, a Furrion Dual Induction Cooktop, Kingstar’s Overland Pack with Fold-N-Go Stairs, and the Communications Package with the Peplink 5G Mobile Internet Bundle.

The KRUZR 8 is an attractive camper, an absolute head-turner wherever it goes. Its stainless steel front nose, stainless trim accents, and sleek gray exterior siding give it a refined, upscale appearance that immediately sets it apart from the crowd. Unlike many campers on the market, the KRUZR 8 avoids loud graphics and oversized badging, favoring instead a clean, understated design that looks modern and sophisticated.

So how much does our Kingstar KRUZR 8 weigh? According to the local CAT scale, the camper, as equipped, weighs a hefty 4,760 pounds. This is no surprise, as this number aligns closely with the official wet weight figure of 4,595 pounds listed on the camper’s specifications tag. It’s important to point out here that many manufacturers understate the weights of their campers, which is an industry-wide problem, but not Kingstar. Kudos to Kingstar for not fudging this number. Still, the KRUZR’s nearly 4,800-pound weight means you’ll need a one-ton truck with a hefty GVWR/payload rating to haul this magnificent hotel-on-wheels around. This is also why we will be upgrading the truck to carry this camper soon. As for the height of the camper, the KRUZR 8 tops out at 100 inches or 8.3 feet tall, putting the camper at 131 inches total on our lifted 2003 Ford Super Duty.

The interior of the KRUZR 8 is both spacious and open with lots of elbow room. We opted for the north-south sleeping bunk and the Lounger Layout with what Kingstar calls the Clovermist palette with the Outer Banks Decor. We also upgraded the cabinets with white, solid face doors and drawer panels to brighten an already bright interior. We love the Lounger Layout. It really does create an open feel. This is partially due to the lack of a dinette table that takes up lots of space, of course. Yes, the Lounger Layout has two tables, but they are pulled-out and used only when needed. We contemplated getting the popular Command Center Layout, but you can’t recline in their chairs. We wanted a multi-use sofa where we can both relax and work. We also contemplated getting the dry-bath option with the slide-out toilet, but doing your business in the entryway didn’t appeal to either the wife or me.

This is our sixth camper and we wouldn’t own a camper without a cassette toilet. The Kingstar KRUZR 8 comes with a 4.75 gallon Thetford C224-CW swivel cassette toilet. The toilet holds 2.7 gallons of fresh water and features a green-to-red visual indicator showing when the cassette is filling up. Having the ability to dump at rest area bathrooms and pit toilets is a game-changer and eliminates the need to visit dump stations which was always a turn-off before. Dumping the cassette is quick and easy. The cassette has wheels on one end and a pull-out handle on the other that makes transporting a breeze. The only difference here is that access to the cassette is inside the camper not outside. We’re not sure if this will be an issue, but it might. Stay tuned.

The Kingstar KRUZR 8 offers boat loads of storage from stem to stern. Inside, you’ll find storage in the coffin lockers and roof lockers, in the pull-out drawers underneath the sofa, in the floors in hidden compartments, in the overhead cabinets in the kitchen, and in little nooks located throughout the camper. There’s even a little nook in the kitchen for a roll of paper towels. Kingstar finally closed in the driver side rear wardrobe and we’re glad that our KRUZR 8 incorporates this new feature.

As tech geeks, we love the Victron Cerbo GX-50 touch screen controller. The touch screen is hardwired into the Cerbo Computer, meaning that no wifi or Bluetooth connection is needed. The touch screen display provides real-time monitoring of all electrical components in the camper and allows activation of the Victron 3,000 watt inverter. With the touch of the Cerbo GX-50 screen, we can monitor the amount of charging the battery is receiving from the solar power system as well as the power provided to key loads like the refrigerator-freezer, the 8,000 BTU air conditioner, the microwave, and the induction cooktop.

Is there anything that we don’t like about the Kingstar KRUZR 8? Not really. The camper is terrific with a quality rarely matched in the industry. We’d be lying, however, if we said there wasn’t a short adjustment period getting used to the camper’s multiple floor levels. In previous campers that we owned, there was only one floor level with a big step to the cabover. Inside every Kingstar camper, you find three. If you’re like us, this means you’ll probably stub your toes two or three times until you get used to the camper’s layout.

The advantage going with multiple floor levels inside, of course, is that it provides the camper with additional storage and a basement where the fresh water holding tank, the battery, the inverter, and the water pump can be stored inside. Keeping the lithium battery and the 32 gallon fresh water holding tank warm is important, especially if you like to camp in cold weather. Unfortunately, the camper’s 20 gallon grey water waste tank is exposed to the elements in the rear, making the camper a 3.5-season camper rather than a 4-season rig. If you want a true four-season camper, you’ll need to order Kingstar’s “Flat Back” option which features a traditional, flat top roof line.

The one thing the Kingstar KRUZR 8 lacks is an outside storage compartment. Yes, Kingstar’s optional Overland Pack in the back helps a lot, but it still isn’t enough. Because of this, we will probably remove one of the propane tanks to free up some space for storing necessities like hoses, leveling blocks, and the 30 amp umbilical. One option we are strongly considering is adding a pair of Kingstar Fish and Ski Lockers where we can store fishing poles, hoses, and cords. Another option is a custom truck bed from our friends at Bowen Customs, though a flatbed with Kingstar flatbed boxes under the port and starboard wings has some appeal and looks pretty cool too. In spite of the lack of exterior storage, however, the Kingstar KRUZR 8 is a terrific camper. The wife and I love it. It’s everything that we hoped for when we ordered it and more.

Stay tuned for our full-length review of the Kingstar KRUZR 8 in early 2026.

To learn more about this and other Kingstar Campers or to get a quote, email the company at marcus@kingstar.net.