Choosing a direction for your overland build is no easy task. We’ve been through many iterations as our needs and preferences have shifted throughout the years (not to mention our budget). Even when you have a direction that you feel confident in, sorting through the myriad of options available to you can further complicate and prolong the process.
That is exactly the dilemma we encountered when we opted for the truck camper route. Even with our new path clear before us, we had to navigate the tricky terrain of selecting a camper that made sense for us, our budget, and our intended use scenarios.
Why We Chose Scout Campers
Let’s get something straight—this is not a sales pitch for Scout Campers. I’m not going to dive too deep into what we like or dislike about the camper, nor will I go over details of what makes the camper unique. Those things might appear in another blog, but now’s not the time!
Instead, I want to briefly touch on what struck us initially upon viewing and touring the Scout Campers at Overland Expo and compelled us to buy one.
It Checked a Lot of Boxes
We had a few key prerequisites for a camper (once we determined we were interested in a truck bed camper and not a trailer or alternative option), namely the solid walls and budget restraints. And yes, I know Scout Campers are far from cheap, but they did fall within (the high end) of our budget.
In addition to the price and hard-sided walls, the Scout provides a comfortable work environment for two people, comes ready to use immediately, is a reasonable size and weight, and is designed for off-grid self-sufficiency.
While being able to slide it into the bed and go was priority for us, we like that the Scouts are modular and can be easily modified to fit our lifestyle and use cases. Perhaps it’s a bit silly, but it also looks pretty neat, if you ask us.
We Like the People
We’re new to the world of campers (or camper-adjacent), so I can’t claim this with authority, but it seems we are spoiled for choice when it comes to genuine people and caring companies in the industry. In the overland community, we made many connections simply because people are down-to-earth and real. The people at Scout Campers seem to carry that torch.
Everyone we interacted with at the event was kind, knowledgeable, and helpful. When I started diving a little deeper via email and phone calls, everyone I spoke to went out of their way to assist me. I now feel like I have a relationship with the people behind the company, and that’s just as important as the product itself.
It’s Simple
It’s easy to overcomplicate things, especially in the overland space. It has become a bit of a running joke where people venture off-grid, but only once they’ve found a way to strap the kitchen sink to the little ladder on their liftgate.
To purists, the Scout Kenai may be overkill, but to us, it is the perfect balance of comfort, function, and simplicity. While it boasts more amenities than a rooftop tent, I would argue that investing in this camper actually made our camping setup less complicated.
First, it is a single unit—no need for bed racks, tents, shower cubes, storage solutions, and so on. Second, it has everything you need and nothing you don’t. Power, solar, work area, stove, heater, etc., are all included, but there are no complicated tank systems, A/C units (a pro and con), or construction methods to worry about. In other words, the potential for leaks or other failures is very low.
The Price is Fair
Other than the over-the-top gear overlanders have made standard fare, they may be best known for splurging on exorbitantly-priced accessories. When we made the leap to a truck bed camper, this became even more apparent.
Sure, you have your established brands still churning out your grandpa’s slide-in camper (nothing wrong with that), but new entries that embrace the quality, off-grid elements of overlanding are still a rarity of sorts. Those that do exist tend to populate the extreme end of the pricing spectrum (and some are worth every penny).
That said, we didn’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars to allocate toward a truck and camper. Scout Campers manages to be priced extremely competitively despite offering everything we wanted in a camper. If you do a price comparison between the brand and other “overland” style truck bed campers, you will likely be shocked by the difference in price—we were, especially with the obvious advantages Scout offers over some of those alternatives.
To be totally transparent, I could wax poetic indefinitely about our reasons for purchasing a Scout Kenai. Instead of indulging these inclinations, I’m cutting myself short in the name of being succinct—I believe I’ve painted a pretty comprehensive picture of the primary factors that influenced our purchase.
If you have any questions about the Scout Kenai, our F250 Tremor overland build, or our travels, feel free to reach out. I’m particularly active on Instagram, so drop me a follow and say hi!
Until next time,
-RW