There are lots of truck campers on the market, but Loki’s Basecamp Falcon is the first one that’s truly tailored to outdoor enthusiasts who never want to plug in at an RV park. The aluminum body camper has numerous features that set it apart, including a sprinter van-inspired hydraulic lift back door that blurs the line between inside and outside. There’s also radiant floor heat, a rooftop deck, a drain in the entryway rubber floor, and a flexible interior that lets you rearrange the space to meet your needs.

It’s built by Loki, a company that previously specialized in converting shipping containers to trade show booths. When the pandemic hit, Loki’s general manager Pierre Mathieu asked half of his team—mostly bikers, runners, and skiers—to reimagine what a truck camper could be. Ditching the faux wood paneling and particleboard construction common in too many campers, they designed a futuristic aluminum-body camper that’s compatible with off-the-grid adventures—and made for real comfort, convenience, and security while you’re out there.

Starting completely from scratch, Mathieu didn’t want the design to rely at all on any earlier prototypes. The key here was to create a “balanced” camper that was totally inside the truck’s tailgate. Among the many benefits of this design would be convenience (using your truck’s backup cam instead of needing to install one for the camper) and added security (when you lock your truck, you’ve double locked the camper too). Aesthetics were another top priority. “The nicest view is always in the back,” said Mathieu. “That’s why we made the back the only entrance—with a large door that lifts.”

It’s a unique design—with a hydraulic lift operated by a switch, a heavy door and, depending on the details of your camper design, a spare tire, storage boxes, and more mounted on a swing-away that has to be opened before the hatch lifts. With the hatch open, a heavy-duty screen rolls down to cover open space to keep bugs out. A door in the screen offers easy access to the tailgate hang-out zone—a great place to set a grill for outdoor cooking and shoot the breeze.

The mudroom is another feature unique to Loki, made with a rubberized floor that makes for easy cleaning. It has a drain, as well as a shower head attached near the door for indoor/outdoor rinse-off use—and you can hose out the floor when needed.

Every camper configuration has its pros and cons. A pickup camper doesn’t need registration or separate insurance. With the tailgate containing the camper, there’s also no need for a hitch extender if you want to tow gear or carry bikes on a hitch rack. Compared with a cumbersome tow-behind or a van, a truck camper can get you virtually anywhere your truck can go. Upgrade to a new truck with the same size bed and you don’t have to get a new camper. In about 20 minutes, you can move the Basecamp from one vehicle to another once the proper attachment points are installed.

The Basecamp Falcon works great in the summer and fall, but Mathieu says it really shines in winter. The entire pod has R16 insulation as well as radiant heat. Double density composite insulation with high thermal and acoustic properties won’t absorb humidity, and it’s an excellent vapor barrier.

“The insulation and the radiant changes everything,” said Mathieu. “Winter in the Falcon is so much fun.”

The camper has a massive storage drawer accessible from the outside that holds everything from camp chairs to towing gear, tools, and more. The drawer pulls open with the truck tailgate down. It’s also accessible from the inside—so when you store a spare duffel of clothes in there and don’t want to venture into the rain to retrieve it, you can simply grab it by lifting up a panel in the camper floor.

In the kitchen, instead of a gas stove, the Falcon comes with an induction cooktop that can be stored in a cabinet for more counter space. Tabletops move from the sitting area to the kitchen area, as needed. The bed base contains vented aluminum panels that help move body heat-generated moisture out from under the mattress. Fold the mattress in half, and you can strap gear to the cutouts in the frame.

Loki makes every camper to order. Opt for European glass windows rated for extreme conditions or double-glazed Lexan windows. Order one with a queen-sized bed and a couch bed with an overhead storage loft; swap the seat next to the sink for a storage zone; or store the spare tire under the truck so there’s more real estate on the rear hatch for gear. The Basecamp is modular, so options are limitless. All the parts and pieces can be rearranged during build out—and many can be moved around during use.

Because the camper is aluminum, the roof functions as an auxiliary deck accessible through a hatch or a ladder bolted to the outside. It’s sturdy enough to walk on, and a great place to catch sunrise or sunset with the appropriate beverage in hand. We love that Loki positions solar panels on the angled front of the camper where they can’t get stepped on, and recommend adding the rack system for extra storage.

The Falcon feels stable driving even on severely potholed roads. While its hourglass design angling upward and out from the edge of the truck bed may look a little top heavy, it feels balanced on the road.

As far as logistics are concerned, Loki uses an intuitive phone- and panel-operable RedARC power management system to control lights, heat, and air conditioning, as well as its lithium battery bank, inverter, and charger. Wall outlet AC plugs and USB and USB-C ports scattered throughout the camper conveniently charge everything—powering the cooktop, electric kettle, and espresso maker. You can adjust a variety of lighting options to suit the mood, too.

The Loki Basecamp Falcon is one eye-catcher. Anytime we stop for gas, food, or anything else, it attracts an audience of folks who want to know more about it. The interior is just as unique as the outside. The unit has a modern industrial aesthetic with surfaces that are easy to clean, unique color schemes, and storage more like something you’d find in an actual house than a truck camper.

“The Basecamp turns a truck into an adventure vehicle,” said Mathieu. “That’s what we were after.”

Loki’s Basecamp starts at $95K. Learn more or reserve yours at lokibasecamp.com

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