Midsize vs Full Size Truck Campers at FWC

One of the most common questions we hear from folks shopping for their first pop up camper is a simple one: “Which camper fits my truck?” 

Fair question! Here at Four Wheel Campers, we build models for just about every pickup on the road, from a Toyota Tacoma to a one-ton Ford long bed. We usually offer a couple of truck camper options based on your make, model, and bed size. 

We’re breaking down key specs, like size and weight, to help you figure out which models are designed for your truck. 

Midsize vs Full-Size Trucks

Midsize trucks are the smaller pickups like the Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, and Jeep Gladiator. They're lighter, narrower, and typically have lower payload capacities, so they need a camper that's sized and weighted accordingly.

Full size trucks are your half ton and heavier pickups, think Ford F-150 through F-350, Ram 1500 through 3500, Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Toyota Tundra, and Nissan Titan. These trucks have wider beds, longer bed options, and more payload to work with, which opens the door to our larger campers.

Every pop-up camper we build shares the same DNA: a welded aluminum frame, a one piece aluminum roof, and a low profile pop up design that keeps weight down, fuel economy up, and your rig ready for rough roads. The difference between our midsize and full size models comes down to footprint, weight, and interior space.

Our Mid Size Truck Camper Lineup

If you drive a midsize truck, you have three great options: the Swift, the Fleet, and the Project M topper.

1. The Swift

The Swift is our slide-in pop up camper for midsize trucks with 5.0′ to 5.5′ beds, which covers most short-bed Tacomas and similar trucks. It's the smallest slide-in camper we make, and it's a favorite for solo travelers and couples who want to keep things light and nimble.

Swift highlights:

• Base dry weight of approximately 950 lbs
• Cabover bed measuring 72″ x 76″, with a roll over couch that converts to a 33″ x 62″ lower bed in about five seconds
• 87″ height popped up with 6'4″ of interior standing room
• 118″ roof length and 75″ body width
• 20 gallons of fresh water and dual 2.5 gallon propane tanks

2. The Fleet

The Fleet is our slide-in pop up camper for midsize trucks with 6'0″ to 6'7″ beds, like the long bed Tacoma. It's essentially the Swift's bigger sibling, with a little more floor space and a longer lower bed conversion.

Fleet highlights:

• Base dry weight of approximately 1,050 lbs
• Main bed measuring 72″ x 76″, with a seat conversion that makes a 33″ x 72″ lower bed
• 87″ height popped up with 6'4″ of interior standing room
• 117″ roof length and 76″ body width
• 20 gallons of fresh water and dual 2.5 gallon propane tanks
• Available in three floorplans, so you can set it up the way you like to camp

3. The Fleet Flatbed

If you're running a flatbed or tray on your midsize truck, the Fleet Flatbed truck camper takes everything people love about the Fleet and stretches it out. Because the camper sits on a flat deck instead of inside a pickup bed, you gain noticeably more interior living space, more storage cabinets, extra room under the cabover bed, and storage boxes built into the flatbed itself. It's a fantastic choice for anyone spending serious time on the road, and it can even be configured with a wet bath.

• Base dry weight of approximately 1,300 lbs
• Built for midsize flatbed trucks with 6′ to 6'8″ beds, like a flatbed Tacoma
• 6'4″ of interior standing room when popped up
• Side entry door and a single, well thought out floorplan
• Significantly more storage than the slide-in Fleet, including space under the cabover bed and inside the flatbed storage boxes

4. The Project M

The Project M truck topper is a different animal entirely. It's not a slide-in camper, it's an ultra lightweight pop up topper that mounts to your bed rails and uses your truck bed as the floor. You keep your tailgate, you keep full use of your truck bed, and you get a big cabover sleeping area with standing room when the roof pops up.

• Starting dry weight of approximately 375 lbs, our lightest camper
• Mounts to your bed rails, so you keep your tailgate and full use of your truck bed
• Large 81″ x 66″ cabover bed platform
• Roughly 57″ of interior height above the bed rails when popped up, plus the depth of your truck bed
• Insulated hard side walls, aluminum frame, and durable waterproof pop up material
• Optional power packages with a 135Ah lithium battery, 750 watt inverter, USB ports, and 12V outlets
• Options for gear tracks, king size bed, lighting, fans, roof racks, and awnings

Our Full Size Truck Camper Lineup

Full size truck owners have the widest selection at Four Wheel Campers: the Raven, Hawk, and Grandby slide-ins, the Hawk and Grandby Flatbed models, and the Project M topper.

1. The Raven

The Raven is our full size truck camper built specifically for the 5'5″ to 5'8″ short beds found on so many crew cab half tons. If you drive a crew cab F-150, Ram 1500, Silverado, or Tundra with the shortest bed option, the Raven was designed with you in mind. It sits flush with the bed, keeps towing easy, and comes in around 1,050 lbs dry, light enough for most half ton trucks.

• Base dry weight of approximately 1,050 lbs
• Purpose built for full size trucks with 5'5″ to 5'8″ short beds, including half ton crew cabs
• A full 6'6″ of interior standing room when popped up
• 80″ body width for that roomy full size interior
• 20 gallons of fresh water
• Available with the classic roll over couch floorplan or as a shell model you can build out yourself

2. The Hawk

The Hawk is our best selling camper, period. It's built for full size trucks with 6.5′ beds, and it fits half ton and three quarter ton trucks in regular cab, extended cab, or crew cab configurations.

Hawk highlights:

• Base dry weight of approximately 1,200 lbs
• Sleeps 3 to 4 adults
• 80″ floor length, 128″ roof length, and 80″ body width
• A full 6'6″ of interior standing room when popped up
• 20 gallons of fresh water
• Multiple floorplans, including the roll over couch, side dinette, and front dinette

3. The Grandby

The Grandby is our largest slide-in pop up camper, built for full size trucks with 8′ long beds. With the tailgate removed, it sits flush at exactly 8 feet. It's also a popular pick for 6.5′ short bed owners who want extra room and don't mind the camper extending past the bed.

Grandby highlights:

• Base dry weight of approximately 1,300 lbs
• Sleeps 3 to 4 adults
• 96″ floor length, 144″ roof length, and 80″ body width
• 6'6″ of interior standing room
• 20 gallons of fresh water
• Available in roll over couch, side dinette, and front dinette floorplans

4. The Hawk Flatbed and Grandby Flatbed

Just like the Fleet Flatbed on the midsize side, our Hawk Flatbed and Grandby Flatbed models are built for heavy duty full size trucks running flatbeds or trays. Both offer significantly more interior living space than their slide-in counterparts, along with extra cabinets, under bed storage, and gear boxes built into the flatbed. If you live on the road for weeks or months at a time, the flatbed models are hard to beat. All flatbeds do require a heavy duty truck, and be sure to know your truck’s payload before install. 

• Hawk Flatbed: approximately 1,325 lbs dry, built for full size flatbed trucks in the 6.5′ bed range, sleeps 3 with a dinette for two
• Grandby Flatbed: approximately 1,395 lbs dry, built for 8′ flatbed trucks, sleeps 4 with a dinette for four, and it's the largest camper we make
• A full 6'6″ of interior standing room when popped up
• More interior living space, more cabinets, and storage under the cabover bed
• Additional gear storage built into the flatbed storage boxes

5. The Hawk+ 

The Hawk+ is an upgraded version of the Hawk, built for serious off grid living. It takes our best selling camper and adds the water capacity, power capacity, and storage needed to stay out for weeks at a time without needing to resupply. If the standard Hawk gets you off the beaten path, the Hawk+ is built to keep you there.

• Base dry weight comparable to the standard Hawk, with additional weight for the expanded tank and power systems
• Built for full size trucks with 6.5′ beds, same fitment as the standard Hawk
• 40 gallons of fresh water, more than double the 20 gallons in our standard slide-in models
• A dedicated 5 gallon gray water tank, so you're not dumping wash water wherever you park
• Up to 800Ah of power, giving you serious reserve for fridges, lighting, device charging, and off grid living without running a generator
• More dedicated storage throughout, built specifically around long term off grid trips
• A full 6'6″ of interior standing room when popped up
• The same rugged welded aluminum frame and one piece aluminum roof as every camper we build

6. The Project M

Yes, the Project M shows up on both lists, and that's one of the things that makes it so popular. We build it for full size trucks too, with models for 5'5″ to 5'8″, 6′ to 6.5′, and 8′ beds. On a full size truck, it starts around 400 lbs, and it fits trucks from Ford, Ram, Jeep, Chevy, GMC, Toyota, and Nissan going back to model year 2000 or newer.

• Starting dry weight of approximately 400 lbs, our lightest camper
• Mounts to your bed rails, so you keep your tailgate and full use of your truck bed
• Large 81″ x 66″ cabover bed platform
• Roughly 57″ of interior height above the bed rails when popped up, plus the depth of your truck bed
• Insulated hard side walls, aluminum frame, and durable waterproof pop up material
• Optional power packages with a 135Ah lithium battery, 750 watt inverter, USB ports, and 12V outlets
• Options for gear tracks, king size bed, lighting, fans, roof racks, and awnings

The Key Spec Differences for Midsize vs. Full Size Pop-Up Campers

So how do the two lineups actually compare? Here are the numbers that matter most.

Weight. Our midsize slide-in campers run from roughly 950 lbs (Swift) to 1,050 lbs (Fleet) dry, while the full size slide-ins run from roughly 1,050 lbs (Raven) to 1,300 lbs (Grandby), with flatbed models a bit heavier. That difference is intentional. Midsize trucks carry less payload, so we keep those campers lighter. Either way, always check your truck's payload capacity, and remember that water, propane, batteries, options, gear, and passengers all add to the total.

Width. Midsize campers measure 75″ to 76″ wide, sized to match narrower midsize truck bodies. Full size campers measure 80″ wide, giving you noticeably more elbow room inside.

Interior height. Midsize models give you 6'4″ of standing room popped up, while full size models give you a full 6'6″. Taller campers, take note.

Length. The Swift's roof runs 118″ while the big Grandby stretches to 144″, with a 96″ floor. More length means more floor space, more counter space, and more storage.

Sleeping capacity. Midsize models comfortably sleep 2 to 3, with a 72″ x 76″ cabover bed plus a smaller lower bed conversion. Full size models sleep 3 to 4, and the lower dinette or couch conversions are larger, which matters if you're traveling with kids or a dog who thinks he's a kid.

What stays the same. Fresh water capacity (20 gallons), propane capacity, the welded aluminum frame, the one piece aluminum roof, and the pop up design that keeps every model low, aerodynamic, and trail ready. You don't give up build quality by going smaller. You just get it in a lighter package.

Quick Reference: Which Models Fit Which Trucks?

Midsize trucks:

• 5.0′ to 5.5′ bed: Swift or Project M
• 6'0″ to 6'7″ bed: Fleet or Project M
• Midsize flatbed or tray: Fleet Flatbed
• Newer GM Canyon or Colorado: Project M

Full size trucks:

• 5'5″ to 5'8″ short bed: Raven or Project M
• 6.5′ bed: Hawk or Project M
• 8′ long bed: Grandby or Project M
• Full size flatbed or tray: Hawk Flatbed or Grandby Flatbed

Start building and customizing a pop up camper based on your truck model here. 

Find & Customize Your Four Wheel Pop Up Camper 

Honestly, the best camper is the one that fits the truck you already own and the way you actually camp. If you love the agility of a midsize truck on tight trails, the Swift and Fleet give you a true four season camper without overloading your rig. If you want maximum living space, bigger beds, and room for the whole crew, a full size truck paired with a Hawk or Grandby is tough to beat. And if you want to keep your truck bed working for you all week and travel light and fast, the Project M covers nearly every truck we've mentioned.

Whichever direction you're leaning, the first step into starting your FWC adventures is to build & customize your own pop up camper using our truck camper build tool. Select your truck, pick your camper, and customize your add-on options. 

Questions on your build? No problem! Our sales department is happy to help. 

We'll see you out on the wide open road!