Pickup campers, trailers, and pop-up tents all have one thing in common; they persuade an enthusiast to step out of their driving seat over into the camper of choice filled with most essential amenities for a few days on the road. In the list of exceptional options popping up by the day, a hunting blind manufacturer is putting the tried and tested high density EPE foam material into creating the HitchHiker.
HitchHiker is what its name portrays; a tiny camping solution that rides on the back of your truck or trailer to give you a well-insulated, ultra-lightweight sleeping pod to curl into when the sun goes down. This pick-up camper, as you would have realized, is not the usual one to hitch behind your truck, in fact, the 190-pound fully insulated, hard-walled bare-bones sleeper camper is made to be carried along for an overlanding experience.
Designer: Tusca Outdoors
Pennsylvania-based mobile shelter manufacturer, Tusca Outdoors, has designed the simple HitchHiker with one motive: to let the enthusiasts retire in it after a long day’s drive. The camper doesn’t intend to include a kitchen or a washing setup or a pop-out skylight – it ideally is an all-weather enclosed camper with a lockable single entry. Owning to its bare-bone construction and single-point simplicity, it is very affordably priced at $2,750.
The construction is ultra-insulated. The company notes it can be heated with body heat even in sub-zero temperatures. Even though it has an electric port on the outside, you can use it to connect an electric or propane heater. For the adventurer, the HitchHiker then does function as a teardrop camper in all four seasons. Measuring 90-inch by 58-inch, the camper is ultra-compact and can fit onto the bed of a 5×8 utility trailer. It can be secured on the pick-up bed with accompanying 2-inch ratchet straps.
As far as features of the HitchHiker interior go, it is made to accommodate a full-size bed (available separately), which can sleep up to two adults comfortably. To ensure the interior is fresh and lighted, the HitchHiker has been fashioned with screened windows on both sides and even has small vents to maintain ventilation when the windows are closed.
What really makes this portable camping pod a good company is the convenience with which you can haul it. With two people, you can pick and set it up on the truck bed or trailer. And when you want to use it as a toy hauler, HitchHiker can be used on a larger trailer (larger than a 5×8). You can station the camper right in front and have the ATV or a bike behind it. IF the HitchHiker gets you excited, Tusca is showing it at the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Plan a trip this week!
