Trout, Tides and Travel…

I drive a Tacoma with an Ovrlnd Camper on the back. Yes, it’s spelled Ovrlnd, not Overland. Quirky name. They build them from scratch in their Flagstaff shop. They are passionate about their product(s) and are people who actually do long road trips. The campers are cleverly simple. They have an old school boxy look which attracted me to them as well as the rear barn door feature and weight. The design provides excellent interior space and they have a pop-up top. Ovrlnd has been tweaking and refining them for years, so they are reliable and durable. Everything works as it should and because of their simplicity there is little that can break down. They are aluminum and super light. The one on my six foot truck bed weighs approximately 300lbs. Perfect for a light truck model like mine. I often forget that the camper is on the back.

When I left full time work I wanted a set up so I could go just about anywhere on fly fishing trips for extended periods of time. I already owned a pick-up truck and therefore was looking for some type of camper to accompany it. There are a fair amount of options out there but not many were light-weight and suitable for my vehicle. Ovrlnd campers “fit the bill”.

With the truck and camper combo that I have I’ve been to a variety of destinations for weeks on end: along logging roads in a coastal British Columbia (BC) rainforest region in search of Steelhead; the mountainous BC Kootenay region for Cutthroat trout; beach camping on a barrier island along the Gulf of Mexico while pursuing Redfish on nearby tidal flats; high desert spring creek fishing for Trout in central Idaho; central and southern Montana also for Trout; and fishing at home in Alberta along the backroads of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

The camper has an anodized finish and a queen size bed platform which slides out once you pop the top. Unlike my Roof Top Tent it makes little noise when camping in high wind regions. It sets up easily and since it’s a shell you can do anything you want with the big interior. I’ve intentionally done little to mine: just wall carabiners to hang things from; some stacked crates to stuff gear in.

Shell campers are not for everyone. It depends on your needs, wants, and expectations. If you have a truck, are into outdoor adventure, want something super light-weight, nimble and well-made, and like travelling the dusty back roads or seaside beaches (where permitted), this minimalist camper could be just the ticket. I’ve been totally pleased with mine. And customer service with Ovrlnd has been excellent.

Here’s a link to Ovrlnd products: https://campovrlnd.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopbTR2mInpgevpva4IzMjyHDyEHGHQhFa9vkEntzjbqmMnX2s8w

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