The OEV Base Camp is the Ultimate Overland Truck Camper

One of the biggest advantages of camping with a truck is mobility. There’s no need to tow a trailer and no worry about setting up a tent. Instead, you have your living quarters in the bed of your truck, ready to go at a moment’s notice.

But, some truck bed campers have a few pitfalls, namely, a lack of space and amenities. Fortunately, this is not the case with all overland truck camper manufacturers…

OEV has built a reputation in this industry for some of the finest truck campers on the market. We’ve discussed their other models before, including the Hudson Bay hard-sided truck bed camper and the Back Country slide-in camper. And while these are both excellent options, OEV has a top-of-the-line chassis-mounted model called the Base Camp that takes truck bed camping to an even higher level.

Let’s take a look at this overland truck camper in more detail!

OEV Base Camp Basics

First things first - if you’re unfamiliar with this overland truck camper, let’s do a quick tour.

The Base Camp is one of OEV’s biggest (and best!) chassis-mounted campers. This camper is big - its exterior dimensions are 170” long, 82” wide, and 84.5” when the pop-top roof is up. Given its size, you need a one-ton truck like a Ram 3500 or a Ford F-350 to accommodate the camper.

OEV does a great job cutting down on weight, though; it weighs just 2,950 pounds. The camper is built using powder-coated aluminum extrusions and OEV’s own Gen 4 composite materials (for the floor, walls, and roof), both of which offer supreme durability and rigidity while minimizing weight. Not only that, the composite materials OEV has developed offer excellent insulation value and are fire-rated for safety, too.

This three-season camper can easily sleep up to four people, but if a fifth comes along, an optional gurney bunk gives them a spot to crash for the night. Now, five people in an overland truck camper might seem like a tight fit, but as noted earlier, this model has a pop-top roof, which provides more usable space and makes the camper feel much bigger.

As you can see in the image above, the pop-top roof is surrounded by windows, so the additions of natural light and fresh air make the Base Camp a much more inviting and comfortable space when you’ve got a crowd camping with you. The pop-top roof isn’t just a pretty face, though - with built-in electric actuators, you don’t have to lift a finger to open and close it!

This Overland Truck Camper Has all the Comforts of Home

Inside the OEV Base Camp are features that make your camping trips as comfortable as possible. For chilly mornings, the Webasto diesel or gas heater and OEV hydronic system provide heat to keep you toasty. If daytime temperatures get a little too warm, you can turn on the multi-speed roof fan to expel warm, stuffy air and draw in cooler, fresh air.

When you’re ready to cook, you can use the stainless steel single-burner propane cooktop or the removable single-burner induction cooktop. The included 164-liter DC compressor fridge/freezer allows you to keep all the leftovers cool, too.

Hitting the sack in this overland truck camper offers multiple options. In addition to the optional gurney bed mentioned earlier, there’s a queen-size six-inch-thick mattress where two people can sleep in comfort. Make it even more comfortable with an optional king-bed extension! The U-shaped dinette, which is 51” wide and features 4” medium-density foam cushions, also folds into a bed for two people.

If nature calls, the Base Camp has you covered with a Thetford C223cs cassette toilet. The dry bath with a shower pan is a nice bonus as well.

This overland truck camper has many more amenities that turn “roughing it” into a much more pleasurable experience. General features include the following:

• Dual acrylic side windows that offer sweeping views of your surroundings
• Blinds and screens on the acrylic windows for added privacy and protection from bugs
• A screen door that allows more airflow when the main door is open
• An awning bracket on the side of the camper to add your preferred awning for protected outdoor living space
• An outside shower mount to add your favorite outdoor facilities for cleaning up after an especially dirt-filled adventure

In other words, this truck camper has everything you need to stay cool or warm, fill your belly, get cleaned up, and sleep well!

Enjoy Reliable Fuel, Water, and Electrical Systems

OEV does a fantastic job of incorporating complete utility systems in its overland truck campers. The Base Camp is certainly no exception!

Inside the Base Camp’s aluminum propane cabinet is room for a 20-pound propane tank, enough to fuel your adventures for weeks at a time. The camper also includes a 38-gallon fresh water tank, complete with a 12-volt pump. The kitchen sink drains into a 15-gallon gray water tank that’s located in the frame to reduce the likelihood of damage when you’re exploring rough trails.

The electrical system is even more impressive, though. The system utilizes Victron products, including a 2000-watt Multiplus 12/2000/80 inverter with charger with a remote on/off feature. There’s also a Victron DC/DC charger, a 100/30 MPPT solar controller, and dual 220-watt roof-mounted solar panels. Inside, you’ll find two 110-volt AC plugs and LED lighting throughout.

Optional Overland Truck Camper Features

While the OEV Base Camp is no slouch in the amenities department, you can make it even more comfortable for your camping needs by adding optional features. On the one hand, you can level up the solar power production by adding two additional 220-watt solar panels. You can also add a Victron 100ah AGM battery or a Relion LT100 LifePo4 battery.

If you do a lot of camping in your overland truck camper in warm weather, the optional 12V rooftop Nomadic air conditioner is a must. You can add a split AC system that works in conjunction with a chassis compressor, too (though the truck must be running for the split system to work).

Other optional features worth noting in this pickup truck camper include the following:

• Wrappon toilet
• Cabin-to-cab passthrough with a sliding glass window on the front cabin wall
• A second multi-speed roof fan
• An OEV front cabin light bar

A Better Truck Camping Experience

Needless to say, the OEV Base Camp isn’t a run-of-the-mill pickup truck camper. Instead, it’s a powerhouse of comfort and functionality that you can customize to your specific needs. The result? A better truck camping experience!

We like to think we can help make your outdoor adventures all the better, too - that’s why BTR (pronounced better) is in our name. We pride ourselves on offering top-quality products backed by knowledgeable customer service, no matter if you’re buying a truck camper, a camp stove, a rooftop tent, or something in between.

If an OEV Base Camp is a good fit for your needs, contact us or drop by our headquarters off I-20 in Abilene, Texas, to speak with one of our experts. We’re happy to help you get your adventure underway!