The Dog House

Since we’ve been living in the "Dog House" for 4 weeks now, I thought I’d share a bit about our home for 5+/- months this year.

Our pickup truck camper is an Adventurer 116DS. In RV lingo that means the floor length is 11’6” and there are 2 slides (double slide). Not included in the length are the sleeping quarters (which is forward of the actual floor area) and the depth of the rear slide out. Our sleeping area is 8’ long and the rear slide is 2’.  Added all up the total length of our camper when the rear slide is out is 21.5 feet. However, if the camper is up on the pickup truck, it does not start right at the truck’s front bumper (see pictures), and it hangs off the back of the truck bed changing our dimensions. When traveling (slide in) our overall truck and camper length is an inch or two over 24 feet. Slide out and we’re at 26. The camper’s width is 8’ and the 2nd slide is a side slide, extending our dining area out 2 feet also.

Many truck campers have a very narrow interior floor as the truck camper living space is designed at the truck bed height. One of the unique design features of the Adventurer 116DS is that the floor of the living space was designed at the truck rail height, giving us storage underneath (basement). The higher height for where the camper floor is means our floor is level across the width (other truck campers you have to climb up in to the dinette area). This allowed the designer to put in more comforts of home; ie, double recliner, island sink. The drawback is our overall height is the same as our 5th wheel, 12'9". When the camper is  on the truck bed, the stairs to the unit do not reach the ground and we have to carry a step stool to make up the difference.

The position of the slides allows us access to the kitchen, living, bed and bath areas of the camper, even with the slides in. But when the slides go out, this thing is spacious. The manufacturer ships these units with California King mattresses, but we prefer our own Queen Sleep Number mattress, which gives us a few inches of extra storage in the sleeping area.  There's a good amount of storage inside; some overhead, 2 drawer under the dinette benches, even a wardrobe closet in the bedroom area.

Yes its a nuisance to climb up in to bed, especially when you want clothes from those overhead cabinets - and don't sit up fast when you awaken or you'll be out cold. 

Many manufacturers are using dark colored woods in their RV's, something we personally dislike. The unit we bought has light wood which helps give a bright, cheery feel to the interior. Needless to say it's been very comfortable thus far.

  

Here are some interior shots...

view coming in door - fridge and stove to left, sink on right

3 burner gas stove & oven with microwave above

dinette and kitchen

dinette booth - added decor: hat racks, sconce light and horseshoe decoration as well as a bed for Rugby

across from dinette are the double recliners.

Rugby enjoying the recliners (originally he'd use the right hand one (mine) but recently started switching during the night to the other (Chuck's).

3 piece wet bath

bedroom (bathroom is door on right)

Floor plan drawing from Manufacturer's website

While it may seem tiny, our Dog House is turning in to the perfect way for us to see North America. We've already encountered places that only had short campsites (under 30') available for last minute campers. Driving is a dream; no more worrying about whether you've got enough room behind you to move through traffic when towing the 35' fifth wheel.  Even parking at stores is simpler than the 5th wheel. Everywhere we stop, people comment on our unit. Number 1 comment by folks in Class C rental campers "I bet you've got more room in your truck camper than we have in ours."

For more information, go to Truck Camper Magazine's review of the Adventurer 116DS. http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/tcm-exclusive-2014-adventurer-116ds-double-slide