Best Vehicle & Camper for photo field work?

[Garry Teeple]

I've used a popup camper since 1986 and in all these years have found it to be a royal pain. It is great with kids if you intend to stay in one place for several days. The last trip I used it, and possibably the last time I will ever use it, was in 2004. My wife and I took a two week trip to the southwest pulling it with a Chevy Astro van. Pulling a trailer bouncing over all the rough roads makes the ride in the pulling vehicle much less comfortable. Finding a place to park both the vehicle and the trailer close to where you wish to photograph is always a problem. I did get a great round of applause at Mt. Rushmore several years ago when I parallel parked the trailer and our Chevy Suburban I had, really impressed my three sons when people started telling them how great a drive I was. Anyway, my favorite vehicle for camping and photography is an S-10 pickup with a camper shell. I sometimes take a tent if the weather is going to be hot as it allows more air flow than the camper. I will turn 60 this month and although the body is not as young I still find camping in secluded spots with no facilities to be the best way to go. One very important thing is to do your research on the locations your are going to. In the southwest it was very difficult to find good camping locations, mostly there was only RV parks right on the main roads and they cost nearly half what a motel would cost. The real gem was Canyon deChilly campground, free. P.S. Anyone want to buy a cheap 20 year old popup?

[Ted Harris]

A lot of it depends on where your field trips are going to take you. For me, doing a lot of field work in Northern New England and Eastern Canada in areas where paved roads (or roads at all) get sparse at times, the size and construction of the vehicle is very important. I want it to be on a truck chassis to take a beating off road or on marginal roads (be careful of this as many of the larger SUV's may appear to be on a truck chassis but are really inflated cars with no performance at all once you are off road. I want it to be 4 wheel drive for all the same reasons and I want it to be something where I can get a part or get it serviced quickly if I am in the boonies and the need arises. I also want it to be a sane size so I can maneuver it in rocky and wooded areas where some of the monster SUV's have little hope of going and no hope of turning around. Some of these requirements may seem silly but I have been stuck in a small town in North Dakota for several days waiting for a part for a Saab. I have come to impassable areas on unmaintained scenic 'roads' which would require you to back out in reverse in some of the larger vehicles. Obviously, campers of any sort are out as are many of the imports (ask the guy that runs the only garage in Errol, NH pop. 400 if he has Honda or Toyota parts handy ...the answer is no he has to send to Berlin some 30 miles away to get them and it could take hours requiring an unexpected overnight stay). So, when I am at home or know I am not going in 'harms way' I luxuriate in my Saab but when I know I may have any of the requirements above I am in my 8 cylinder Ford Explorer. It will go almost anywhere and I can get it repaired anywhere (but knock on wood it never breaks down). I can carry all the gear I need and if I HAVE TO I can flip down the rear seats and sleep in the back.

[Ralph Barker]

I think a lot depends on what terrain you'll be driving through, and how much gear you'll need to deal with. The smaller, more fuel-efficient import vehicles tend to be somewhat under-powered, making them almost unsuitable for towing any sort of trailer on anything but flat terrain. (Ever pass a dinky vehicle struggling up a hill at 15 MPH?) Plus, there's the inconvenience factor of the trailer. Backing a trailer can be a real pain if one isn't adept at reverse steering.

I drive a Chevy Suburban as my "regular" vehicle, as I often need to carry 9' seamless backdrops and such. While it's not as convenient as Harley's pickup/camper shell combo for camping, there's enough room to roll out a nice air mattress (cig-lighter powered pump) if I'm too far from a Best Western. The seating and ride is also comfy for long trips, and (with conservative driving) I typically get around 19 MPG on the road. Note that full-size pickup and camper combos don't always fit under certain structures.

[David R Munson]

Others have said more than I will ever know regarding campers. That said, as far as a vehicle for hauling gear for big shoots or longer trips, the hands-down winner IMO is the Honda Element. When I was assisting in Chicago, I had the opportunity to load equipment into just about every sort of vehicle you could imagine. The most grunt-friendly vehicle I loaded was an Element. Well, outside of panel vans and 20' box trucks, anyway, and those aren't any fun to drive, especially in the city.

[matthew blais]

I have Ford Ranger that I put a camper shell on, precisley because tents are a PITA.

I'm only 5'8" so I can sleep in back. Two layers of eggshell foam ($7.00 ea. at Target) covered with blanket and sleeping bag on top of that. Very cozy, and I built some side storage boxes covered with carpet, wood hinged tops to store gear in, but made them narrower than the old "carpet kits" to have 34" width..(my elbow room for sleeping).

Very happy with this set-up, but if you're over 6' tall, then the next size up in trucks would be the ticket.

[Radim Sulc]

Any van made by Westfalia, either VW or Ford (www.westfalia-van.de). Great vans, great features, but high price.

[dan nguyen]

hello Jack,

I used a station wagon, a van, a poptop camper van (VW Westphalia). The Westphalia I have now is very practical to use but underpowered for climbing mountain passes. I look into the Eurovan Camper and talked to some owners, the MPG you mention is correct under normal driving condition and normal load. Try to get one with V6 engine. Since I plan to replace my old Westphalia I have consider these:

- SUV + pop top camper : practical to leave the camper at a site and use the vehicule to go where you want. Not practical to stop for one night at a parking lot.

- a van : practical to stop for one night at a parking lot. Not practical when you camp and use the vehicule to move around because you have to carry everything with you.

- a 4x4 pickup truck with a removable camping module: practical to stop for one night at a parking lot, Practical to leave the camping module at a campsite and use the pickup truck to move around. I consider a 4x4 because there are roads are for 4x4 only.

I have not decide yet.

hope this help.

[Kirk Keyes]

If you want the best, then you've gotta get a Unimog. Made by Mercedes and designed to carry the German army anywhere they want to go. Here's some shots of ones that have been converted to campers.
http://www.unimogwherehaus.com/travelior98.html

I've seen a couple of these out there and they always seem to be involved in around the world trips.

[Caroline Matthews]

I have a full-blooded truck camper--a Bigfoot. I sits on a 4x4 Chevy pick-up with extended cab. It will go just about anywhere a SUV will go, and lets you "camp" in style, stay out as long as the water holds out, take your wife, and has plenty of room for photo gear. It's still relatively new to me, but I spent a few years looking at options and feel I picked one that will fit my needs for a long time. It also lets me use the truck for other things when the camper is off the truck. It may be more than you are looking for, but it's great for me.

[Michael Kadillak]

Yes, Best Western's are everywhere, but there is nothing like being in the field protected from the elements and comfortable in the precise place where you want to make photographs. Plus you do not have to worry about leaving your equipment in the vehicle overnight (or lugging it back and forth each night which is a pain the #!@*& with ULF).

I second the diesel 4x4 long box pickup and the Alaskan bed camper. Great ground clearance, all of the necessary conveniences and absolutely the minimim time to set it up and take it down so you can focus on being exactly where you want to be when the light is optimal. Not cheap, but such is the price of quality.

Cheers!