Top 10 Truck Campers for the Chevy Colorado

So you’re thinking about buying a small truck camper or truck topper to haul on your Chevy Colorado mid-size pickup truck. If you already own a Chevy Colorado, you chose well. When it comes to quality, features, and the ever-important truck camper yardsticks like towing and payload, nearly everyone agrees that the Colorado is more than a match for the competition including the ever popular Toyota Tacoma. We’re especially fond of the Colorado 4WD ZR2 version. Of course, when it comes to hauling a truck camper, payload is king. Fortunately, the Chevy Colorado delivers in this all-important metric with a maximum payload rating of 1,836 pounds. For the Colorado ZR2, you’ll have to settle for a payload 1,423 pounds, which isn’t bad when you consider all of the off-road hardware that comes with it. So without further adieu, here are the top 10 truck campers for the Chevy Colorado mid-size pickup.

1. Scout Yoho 6.0 Hard-Side

A revolutionary design by Washington-based Adventurer Manufacturing, the Scout Yoho 6.0 incorporates a number of industry-first portables to save on weight. These portables include a Dometic CFX3 75L refrigerator-freezer with WiFi, a 4.9-gallon removable water tank, a removable dining table, a Yeti Goal Zero 1000 lithium battery pack, and a removable Dometic propane cooktop. Standard features include a Renogy 160 watt solar panel, a moon roof with a screen and solar reflective shade, a four-person dinette with sleeper conversion, and dual 5-pound propane bottles. With a dry weight of only 913 pounds and a floor length of 5 feet 8 inches, the Scout Yoho matches well with the Chevy Colorado with the 6-foot bed. The Yoho supports four-season travel with an optional Newport Real Flame 4,500 BTU propane fireplace and standard robust insulation. The camper will last for generations thanks to the camper’s rugged aluminum, exo-skeleton shell and no-wood composite structural panels that will never rot. Without a doubt, one of the 10 best truck campers for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. Pricing for Adventure Manufacturing’s Scout Yoho 6.0 starts at $19,240. Available at top dealerships nationwide.

To learn more about this or other Scout Campers or to get a quote, contact the company directly at sales@scoutcampers.com. 

2. Kimbo 6 Hard-Side

The only aluminum hard-side truck camper in the industry, the Kimbo 6 was built with short-bed mid-size and full-size trucks in mind. The camper’s construction consists of a patented, single wall, .1-inch thick riveted aluminum, insulated with rigid R5 foam lined with suede on the inside. The .1-inch thick aluminum is four times thicker than other aluminum campers on the market, resulting in an incredibly strong and damage resistant shell. In spite of the camper’s diminutive size, the camper still boasts some pretty impressive numbers like 6.1 feet of floor space, 6.2 feet of headroom, and over 3 feet of clearance in the cabover. Fully loaded, Kimbo 6 weighs only 1,100 pounds, well within the payload rating of most mid-size pickups including the popular Toyota Tacoma. Standard features include a mud room, a 54×75-inch east-west bed, two couches for social seating, removable lift jacks, and three Arctic Tern double pane insulated “Euro” windows. The camper also comes with a ten-speed reversible, thermostat controlled roof vent fan, 100 watts of solar and up to 1+kWh of battery, 12 volt USB ports and 120 volt AC ports, an exterior propane bay for a 30-pound propane tank, and high-efficiency, dimmable LED lighting. Options include up to 300 watts of solar power and 2kWh of battery, a Dickinson Propane Stove, a small kitchen, a DC refrigerator, a hinged bench/shower system, and more. Sold factory direct out of Bellingham, Washington. A quality camper, pricing for the Kimbo 6 starts at $24,999, a very reasonable starting point for a lightweight camper of this quality.

For more information about Kimbo Campers or to get a quote, email the company directly at sales@kimboliving.com. 

3. Bundutec Topi Pop-Up

An excellent pop-up by long-time truck camper designer Rory Willet, the Bundutec Topi weighs in at 1,380 pounds. The Topi features a solid wood frame overlayed with a smooth .040-inch aluminum exterior that looks great. The standard color of the camper is an attractive gray—not your standard, everyday white—and features contrasting black trim and black accents on the exterior. The Topi’s 6-foot 3-inch floorplan features a kitchen and wet-bath on the driver side, a refrigerator with loads of storage on the front wall, and a full-length dinette on the passenger side. Standard features include a north-south 56×74-inch mattress with lift up under bed storage, a 20-gallon fresh water tank, a NovaKool R3000 compressor refrigerator, a stainless steel sink, and window and door screens fine enough to keep out annoying “no-see-ums” bugs. A plethora of options are offered by BundutecUSA. Four worth noting are a Zamp 160 watt solar power system, a 2,000 watt inverter, the BunduAwn “batwing” wrap-around awning, and the revolutionary Truma Combi water heater furnace that not only saves on weight and space, but is also whisper quiet when in operation. Fits on most mid-size trucks, including the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, and Ford Ranger. Easily one of 10 best truck campers for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size trucks and built like a tank, the only real negative is the camper’s relatively high weight. Sold factory direct through the company’s Raymond, Iowa headquarters.

For more information about this and other BundutecUSA campers, contact BundutecUSA at jenn@bundutecusa.com.

4. Outfitter Caribou Lite 6.5 Pop-Up

At 850 pounds, the Caribou Lite 6.5 is the lightest, lowest profile camper in the Outfitter Manufacturing catalog. The construction of this well-equipped camper consists of vacuum bonded composite walls, a full walk-on roof, and a fully welded, boxed aluminum frame. The Caribou Lite 6.5 is insulated to the hilt with Owen Corning block foam in the hard walls, and Weblon three-layer insulation in the top. One feature that really stands out is the full-size cabover bed that pulls out into a full-size queen. Standard features include a 24-gallon fresh water tank, 5-gallon propane tank, a 1.9-cubic foot three-way refrigerator, a quality Progressive Dynamics 45-amp converter-charger with the three-stage Charge Wizard, a torsion assisted lift system, a 16,000 BTU furnace, a three-burner cooktop, attractive birch interior doors and cabinets, and solar reflective windows. Notable options of the Caribou Lite 6.5 include a 5-gallon cassette toilet, an outside shower, a 3.8-cubic foot Tundra DC compressor fridge, a 95 watt solar power system, a King Dome satellite dish, a Yakima roof rack, and an air conditioner. A fantastic little camper that can be fully used off the truck. Fits on most mid-size trucks including Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevy Colorado. Comes with a LIFETIME structural warranty, the best warranty in the entire industry. The Caribou Lite 6.5 sells for only $22,995, one of the lowest priced campers in this list.

To learn more about this and other Outfitter Manufacturing campers or to get a quote, email the company directly at info@outfittermfg.com.

5. Phoenix Stealthy Mini Pop-Up

A strong entry from a major player and force in the industry, Phoenix Campers. Designed by truck camper designer extraordinaire, Rob Rowe, the Stealthy Mini is a relatively new offering from the Colorado-based company. At 900 pounds, the Stealthy Mini is perfect for any and all mid-size trucks including the Toyota Tacoma. The floor plan has a bench seat on the passenger side, a standard east-west cab over bed, and a small kitchen on the driver side. Surprisingly the cubby underneath the step up to the bed is large enough to store a porta pottie. But the Stealthy Mini offers much more than just the basics. It all starts with a double-welded aluminum cage frame, fiberglass siding, and R5 rated extruded polystryrene wall and ceiling insulation. Inside, you’ll find an electric roof lift, a Fantastic Vent Fan, manual lift jacks, a 100 amp hour lithium battery, a 200 watt solar power system, and a 20 amp DC-DC charger. The Stealthy Mini also comes with 20-pound propane tank, an 11 gallon fresh water holding tank, a 10,000 BTU furnace, a 30 amp converter-charger, privacy curtains, 12 volt and 110 volt AC outlets, a recessed platform to store a cooler or DC refrigerator, a sink and stove combo unit, and a 5-inch thick mattress. Of course, the camper also features Phoenix’s aerodynamic cab over and classic front nose cap. Sold factory direct, the total cost for the Phoenix Stealthy Mini is only $29,740, a bargain when you consider all that you get for the money.

To learn more about this and other Phoenix Campers or to get a quote, email the company directly at cari@phoenixpopup.com.

6. OVRLND Campers Topper

This Flagstaff, Arizona-based company revealed its first pop-up truck topper at the 2018 Overland Expo and hasn’t looked back since. Unlike the traditional slide-in truck camper, which easily weighs over 1,000 pounds, the base model of the OVRLND Camper weighs only 300 pounds, making it light enough to be safely hauled on any mid-size or full-size, half-ton truck, including the Ram Power Wagon. The camper features a vertical pop-top with a canvas height of just under 28 inches and comes standard with a pull-out, north-south 60×80-inch queen bed. The vertical walls of the camper maximize usable space and feature an aluminum “T track” on either side that can be used to secure and mount kitchen counters, stoves, and equipment to provide additional functionality, features, and comfort. Moreover, the topper’s internals can be easily be removed should the owner need the truck to haul plywood, firewood, or any other gear. This can’t be done with a regular slide-in camper. OVRLND Campers are custom-built, so owners can pick from a number of options available such as roof rack tracks, solar power, windows, awnings, extra bedding height, cabinets, counters, rear barn doors, lift jacks, etc. The frame is constructed using welded aluminum tubing, making it easy for interior or exterior hard point mounting of Jerry cans, propane cans, or other recreational equipment. The tubing construction also makes it easy to add 1-inch insulation for thermal protection against the elements. One of the best.

For more information about OVRLND Campers or to receive a quote, email the company directly at info@campovrlnd.com.

7. Soaring Eagle Adlar 5.0 Hard-Side

A brand-new release from our friends at Soaring Eagle Campers. A minimalistic slide-in truck camper, the Adlar 5.0 weighs only 890 pounds. The camper’s 4-foot 7-inch floor length also means it will fit in the bed of all mid-size trucks with 5-foot beds including the Chevy Colorado. In order to keep the weight down, you won’t find a lot of amenities in this camper. Yet, it still offers the essentials needed to camp comfortably when away from home. Standards include a 47×72-inch east-west cabover bunk, a 30-inch face-to-face dinette, a 12 volt vent fan, quick detachable jacks, and a battery compartment large enough to hold two 100 amp hour batteries. If you’re looking for a bathroom or toilet in the Adlar 5.0, you won’t find one. Nature calls will have to be held either outside or inside using a portable toilet. Options for the new camper include a DC compressor refrigerator, a microwave oven, lithium batteries, a 160 watt solar power system, a MaxxAir fan with rain sensor, a RecPro 9.5 roof-top low profile air conditioner, and a 74×72-inch pull-out north-south bed. When using the dinette as a sleeper, the Adlar 5.0 can comfortably sleep up three adults or two adults and two children. Like all Soaring Eagle campers, the Adlar 5.0 features an all-aluminum, wood-free construction using tubular aluminum for the frame.  This approach, the company contends, ensures that the Soaring Eagle Adlar 5.0 will be a “generational camper” that will outlast the truck carrying it. Lists for between $17,000 and $20,000 depending on options. Sold at top dealerships nationwide.

For more information about this or other Soaring Eagle Campers or to get a quote, email the company directly at scott.t@soaringeaglecampers.com.

8. Four Wheel Camper Project M Topper

The only truck topper that made our exclusive list. The new Four Wheel Camper Project M truck topper was designed for those who want a camper that is ultra-light, yet retains use of the bed for hauling gear, firewood, and material for home construction projects. Like all Four Wheel Camper truck campers, the Project M features an all-aluminum welded frame, aluminum siding, and a one-piece aluminum roof. The 425-pound topper features a fully insulated roof and sides, four large windows with screens and window covers, and an impressive 6 feet 6 inches of interior standing room. The toppers are pre-wired for solar and batteries. Solar and batteries are future retrofittable options to power portable refrigerators, computers, phones, and lights. Other Project M options include top, side, and hitch racks for things like water or gas containers, shovels, Maxtrax, surf boards, kayaks, bikes, snow skis, etc. In the future, Four Wheel Campers will offer retrofittable, modular interior options like drawers and cabinets for organization, and racks for easy and safe transport of equipment and gear. Available in numerous colors in smooth, ribbed, or diamond-plate aluminum. Built for all mid-size trucks like the Chevy Colorado. Pricing in 2023 starts at a reasonable $11,495.

For more information about this and other Four Wheel Campers, email the company direct at sales@fourwh.com.

9. Lance Squire 610 Hard-Side

The newest model from industry juggernaut—Lance—the Squire 610 is also Lance’s new truck camper model. It also happens to be the lightest, fully appointed wet-bath truck camper Lance has ever built. How light? Only 1,475 pounds with a spacious floor length of 6 feet 8 inches. This weight, and the camper’s diminutive size, means the camper is light enough to be hauled on not only half-ton pickups like the Ford F-150, but also mid-size pickups like the Toyota Tacoma. More importantly, the camper delivers on the core comforts every serious traveler needs, including a full-size bed, a spacious 60×80-inch east-west dinette, a complete wet-bath, a compact galley, and a large 12 DC compressor refrigerator. Standards include a round, stainless-steel sink, a black high-rise faucet, and two-burner cooktop with folding glass cover sit flush into a durable countertop, Euro-style windows, MOLLE-backed cabinet framing, and open sightlines, it’s a bright and adaptable area for meals, work, or sleep. The SQ610’s new slide-rail table system adds flexibility—sliding, pivoting, and converting in seconds. At the rear of this lightweight camper lies the SQ610’s signature feature—a fully enclosed wet bath, rare in a camper this light. Inside, you’ll find a molded sink, shower, towel bar, flush toilet, and roof vent—supported by onboard black, grey, and 20-gallon fresh water tanks. With Azdel composite walls, a full aluminum frame, and block foam insulation, the Lance SQ610 is built for adventure—with real comfort, real capability, and real Lance-quality construction. Options include everything from solar power, lithium batteries, awnings, remote-controlled jacks and more.

For more information about this or other Lance Campers or to get a quote, email the company directly at garyc@lancecamper.com.

10. Camp365 T Model Expandable Camper

A revolutionary approach to truck camper design, the all-electric Camp365 T Model truck camper is neither a pop-up nor a hard-side. It’s best described as an expandable or foldable truck camper. Weighing just 830 pounds, the T Model camper is also one of the lightest, most compact truck bed campers in today’s market. Folded up, the camper measures only 3.5 x 7 x 5 feet in the truck bed and is compatible with nearly all short-bed pickup trucks. At the campsite, the T Model expands to a massive 63-square-foot interior floor space with a 6.5-foot ceiling, providing ample room for up to five people. Amenities of the four-season camper include sleeping for up to five people, a 12 gallon fresh and gray tank or a 24 gallon fresh water holding tank, a water heater, a kitchen sink, and an endless recirculating shower with UV purification. Other features of this cutting-edge camper include an induction cooktop, a solar/hybrid oven, a 6,800 BTU electric furnace, a 6,100 BTU air conditioner, and an optional 6,500 BTU portable propane heater. Power is supplied with a 1,024 watt hour lithium power generator scalable to 5,000 watt hours and a 1,000 watt solar power system. Exclusive Camp365 easy access side mount toy racks for bikes, kayaks , ski’s and paddle boards. Over 24 cubic feet of dry lockable gear storage.  Camp365 campers are built in Minnesota and Iowa and are made to last, the construction features a laser-cut, CNC-machined aluminum and steel-reinforced powder-coated frame, aluminum skin, and space-age composite flooring. The Camp365 T Model fits on practically all mid-size and full-size trucks, including EV trucks. Better yet, at the end of your trip the easy-to-use quick detach system allows effortless vehicle transitions in a standard residential garage for easy storage when not in use.

For more information about Camp365 Campers or to receive a quote, email the company directly at kevinm@camp365.com.

Final Words About Payload

Before purchasing your truck topper or truck camper, make sure your Chevy Colorado can handle the extra weight. When it comes to matching a truck camper with your truck, the payload rating of your truck is the most important number. For the 2023 Chevy Colorado, this rating can be as low as 1,423 pounds or as high as 1,802 pounds (this rating can be found on a sticker affixed to the driver side door pillar). This means that your camper, plus passengers and gear, must be below this number. It’s important to stay under the payload rating and GVWR of your truck as this keeps you and everyone sharing the road with you safe. It also prevents excessive wear and tear on the frame and suspension of your Chevy Colorado pickup truck. You’ll also need to ensure that the wheels and suspension of your truck are up to the task of hauling a camper. This means you might need to upgrade the passenger-rated tires that originally came with your truck with a good Light Truck (LT) tire with a Load Lange C or D. In addition, we also recommend getting a set of Hellwig air springs or another suspension mod to correct rear sag that may occur from hauling the extra weight.