Episode 203: Lance 650 Truck Camper Review

It was my pleasure to head out into the Arizona desert in January to road test the Lance 650 truck camper. I have been fascinated with the idea of truck camping since I was a kid and my grandfather put a cap on his truck, two cots with a cooler between them in the bed and took off for Colorado. The whole idea of traveling around with your home on your back really appeals to a nester like me.

A little known secret about me is that I hate being uncomfortable in any way. It seems like a contradictory trait for one who loves to camp but, camping today is not what it was in the 1970's. There is no need to be too cold or too hot or too anything when the RV industry is making so many products to get us out there and protect us from the elements at the same time. The truck camper seemed like a great way to see the country with minimum hassle and still have all the comforts of home available any time I needed them.

One of the things that made this adventure so enjoyable was the ability to pull in and out of parking spaces easily.

I picked up the Lance 650 at their factory in Lancaster, California and had two weeks to roam around in it. Shout out to Lance for sponsoring my adventure. Some Girl Camper friends were staying on BLM land around Lake Havasu so I planned on visiting with them before I headed down to Quartzsite, Arizona to see what all the fuss was about there. I had no plans to camp in campgrounds so I would not only be checking out truck camping but, off the grid camping as well.

A great sunrise my first morning in tbe 650!

The Lance 650 is the smallest truck camper that Lance manufactures and can be placed on the bed of of a 1/2 ton truck. Caveat Emptor - not just any 1/2 ton truck. You will need to make sure that your particular 1/2 ton truck has the suspension system, axel ratio and beefed up build to hold the 1700 pound 650. Air bags can help increase the trucks ability to carry the load. A good way to see what your truck can carry is to do a VIN number analysis. That analysis will give you lots of information like what your actual axel ratio is because, the same truck can have different axel ratios. Check out your vehicles actual ratings at this VIN number analysis site here.

The truck the 650 was set on was a Ford F-150 diesel with heavy duty leaf springs and bed air bags to cushion the RV.

My first impression upon stepping into the Lance 650 was how small it was. This was a plus for me because it was my goal to be nimble and get in and out of sites without worrying about hitting things and jumping curbs. I have a Ford F150 as my daily ride and the 650 I was borrowing from Lance was placed on the bed of an F150 diesel truck. The good part for me was that I was accustomed to the size of this truck. It didn't feel large to me. My first outing in it was to the grocery store to load up the fridge. I was thrilled to not have to look for a special space. I pulled right in as I would in my own F150. The 650 has the same footprint as the truck. It is designed to not hang over any part of the truck. It has no slide either. It did come equipped with a rear camera which is essential for backing out of spaces!

My first stop was a BLM site called Craggy Wash outside of Lake Havasu.

My goal was boondocking on BLM land in Arizona. I met up with a few Girl Campers already settled in on a quiet strip of land outside of Lake Havasu. I was operating solely on the 650's solar panels, AGM battery and the available propane in the 3 gallon horizontally installed on board tank. The unit has a 22 gallon fresh water tank and a tankless hot water system. The grey tank holds 15 gallons and the black tank 16 gallons. It can sleep three, two on the overhead Queen sized bed and one on the booth that folds down into a twin. It's got a 3 cubic foot three way refrigerator which was plenty for a solo traveler and an 18 BTU furnace which really did the job quickly. I was able to turn it on and get the chill off a...