You do not need a large truck to get away from the tent. If you choose wisely, you will find that your smaller Nissan Frontier can handle a great camper and provide you with more privacy and safety.
3 generations of Nissan frontiers have graced the roads. Starting from 1995 and going to the present you can get a short 5-foot bed or a model with a 6-foot bed. Either way, you can still find a great pop-up camper to fit your Frontier model with ease.
To learn which are the best campers to use, just continue to read this article.
Ultimately, the title for the best camper is up to you. If it fits in with your purpose, lifestyle, and family size, then it will be the best camper no matter the manufacturer.
Here are the 6 Best truck campers for Nissan Frontier.
1. Phoenix Pop-Up Truck Camper
This brand of campers has one special marketing tool that helps it sell its camper shells. The company will make each camper to your specific instructions and needs. They can’t give a base weight for their campers because each one is unique and tailored made to fit specific Frontier trucks.
| Dry Wet | 1180 lbs |
| Wet Weight | 2035 lbs |
| Width | 8’5″ |
| Length | 12′ |
| Fresh Water Tank Capacity | 18 Gallons |
| Gray Tank Capacity | 8 Gallons |
| Black Tank Capacity | 8 Gallons |
| Propane Tank Capacity | 20 Pounds |
Some are made from aluminum, some are made with cab over designs and still more are made with fiberglass siding to help keep the weight down. Inside you will find all the creature comforts you want in a camper.
A fold-down table provides a quaint dining area as well as a nice bed for one person. Then the galley is right next to the cab so you can order your dinner without leaving the driver’s seat.
With 3 base models to work with, these campers come in hardsides as well as pop up. The latter option allows for taller people to enjoy their nights inside without worrying about hitting their heads.
In addition to all of that, you get a lot of choices. You can choose which countertop you want to have inside, plus the color as well. Then you can choose the fabric you want as long as it is in stock.
These choices make it easier for you to love this camper brand. With an easy access door, you and your family should be able to get in and out of this little space without too much trouble.
When you have a say in the contents of your camper, that helps make it the best one for your Nissan Frontier.
2. Outfitter Caribou Lite 6.5
This is another truck camper that is designed for mid sized trucks and perfectly fits for the frontier. Its roof is a welded aluminum and the wall are vacuum bonded. The roof lift system is torsion assisted one. The several of those standard feature you normally get with the truck camper.
| Dry Weight | 950 lbs |
| Length | 13’5″ |
| Sleeping Capacity | 4 People |
| Height | 6′ |
| Fresh Water Tank Capacity | 11 Gallons |
| Furnace | 16,000 BTU |
It is equipped with 3 burner cook top, a full bed that can be pulled out. The base price starts at $18,995 which is great comparing the features you get. You can also go a used one if the price seems high. With depreciation being high normally on all RV types you can try for a used one.
Dry weight of this camper stands at only 950 lbs, which is great and a certain fuel saver. Overall length is 13 feet and the height is 6 feet. Its sleeping capacity is of 4 people and therefore good fit for a family of 4.
Notable standard included features are as below:
- Full Size bed
- Refrigerator
- 3 burner cook-top
- 12V battery
- Tie downs and turnbuckle
- Solar reflective windows
- LPG and carbon monoxide detectors
- 16,000 BTU furnace
- Roof vent system
It can also be used with other trucks like Colorado, ford ranger. You can select the accessories, item to build you camper. There are lots of optional add-on that you can chose. Based on your selection the price will go up from the base price.
Add-on options include:
- Awning
- Solar
- Battery
- Refrigerator Upgrade
- Exterior shower
- Electric lift
- Stereo, Antenna
- Air conditioning
3. Northstar Pop-Up Camper
Even a few inches makes a big difference in a Nissan Frontier Camper. Northstar is aware of that difference so they have decided to make 4 pop up campers that should fit your specific Frontier truck.
| Dry Weight | 1785 lbs |
| Wet Weight | 2654 lbs |
| Length | 15′ |
| Width | 7′ |
| Heigh | 5’6″ |
| Fresh Water Tank Capacity | 30 Gallons |
| Grey Tank Capacity | 13 Gallons |
| Black Tank Capacity | 9 Gallons |
| Propane Capacity | 20 pounds |
Those models have a base weight ranging between 1200 and 1400 pounds but it is inside that makes all the difference. Depending on the model, you can get between 6’3” and 7 feet of floor length.
That is not all as the headroom ranges between 6’ 4” to 6’ 11” and that range makes a lot of difference in your comfort levels. In addition to that roomy interior are 2 roll out awnings that provide protection from the sun and the rain.
Inside you get a 2 burner stove, an almost 4 cubic foot fridge, a cab over bed, and a fold-down table that lets you sleep another passenger. To stay nice and warm there is 12,000 BTU draw furnace that is standard equipment.
Then to make this camper option worthwhile, there are at least 4 storage areas. That makes sure your gear can be stored away safely and kept from being damaged when you go over some rough roads. Plus, you can carry up to 17 gallons of water as you drive.
Then if you are not happy with one floor plan, you have the choice of using one of three others. You get some leeway when choosing the camper to put on the back of your Nissan frontier. That makes camping in a camper more fun.
4. Bundutec Topi
This is another well designed truck camper that can fit the Nissan frontier. It also fits on other mid sized trucks like Toyota Tacomo, Ford ranger and tundra. The price for this camper starts at $ 17,000 and goes beyond base on what all items, amenities you select.
It weighs at around 1380 lbs which means it can be easily handled by the frontier. The fuel economy will also not be impacted much. Its length stands at 13’9″ with a width of 8’1″.
With a fresh water capacity of 20 gallons it a perfect fit for a couple who wants to go dry camping or boondocking. 20 Gallons may not be great for a standard RV but this kind of truck camper it a good capacity. Black tank capacity stands at 5.1 gallons, where as the grey tank is capable of holding upto 16 gallons.
A full bed size is equipped inside which is great and it also gives good interior storage. This camper has a very good roof that can easily support the air conditioner.
While you place the order you have to select the option amenities. There are multiple options like water heater, furnace, overhead cabinets, solar panels setup, electric jacks, tied downs and fastguns.
5. Four Wheel Camper
If you do not want to go heavy, you may want to look at the campers this company has to offer. The lightest model comes in at 795 pounds making your fuel efficiency a lot better. Also, the cab-over thickness is only 8 inches reducing wind drag immensely. That helps your mileage a lot.
| Dry Weight | 1075 lbs |
| Wet Weight | 1827 lbs |
| Length | 12’8″ |
| Width | 8′ |
| Height | 8’3″ |
| Fresh Water Tank Capacity | 20 Gallons |
| Grey Tank Capacity | NA |
| Black Tank Capacity | NA |
| Propane Capacity | 20 pounds |
Inside, you get plenty of headroom if you are under 6’ 4” in size and the camper can hold up to 3 people. That headroom is when the pop up is extended. Made from an aluminum frame and aluminum siding, this is still one tough camper that should be able to take the hard knocks of the road.
For the slide in option, you get about 3 floor plans to choose from. Each floor plan comes with the same basic standard equipment of a slide-out bed, fridge, stove, and sink. There is also a couch to sit on which doubles as a second bed just in case you have a fight with your mate.
The topper option does not come with a lot of standard equipment but its base price is less than half of the slide in option. You do get a lot of choices for the features you want in this model but you will be paying extra for those choices.
The Topper option is the smaller and less luxurious model but it may be perfect for the type of camping you have in mind. Check this company out to see if what they have will meet your needs or not.
This can also used for other mid size truck like Chevy Colorado, GMC canyon, ford ranger and Toyota tacoma.
6. All Terrain Bobcat
The standard equipment that comes with this top Nissan Frontier camper option is long. There is a 5-gallon propane tank, a 15-gallon water tank as well as the usual couch, stove, sink, fridge, and monitor box.
Also, there is a fold-out cab-over bed that gives you up to 75 inches of sleeping room and a fold-out table that is stored behind the couch. It is a perfect camper when it is just the two of you and you do not want a big rig to drive.
When the bed is folded up, you get 75 by 28 inches of floor space. That should be enough room to let you maneuver while cooking or needing to get outside. Or if you want to rough it a little and do your cooking outside, there is the plain Jane shell camper model that removes everything but the bed and the storage space.
It’s a way to rough it without having the trouble of setting up a nylon tent. Plus, you are better protected with the hard shell sides. A screen door makes sure the bugs do not get inside and spoil your fun.
No matter how you go, you should have a great time with your new camper. You just have to make sure it is customized to fit your camping desires. Don’t forget to check the base weight to make sure it will be light enough to fit your Frontier truck.
Can these campers be carried by other mid sized trucks?
Full size trucks like ford F150 are way more costlier. Mid sized truck cost way lesser and can also carry your truck camper. Popular mid sized trucks Chevy Colorado, Toyota tacomo, GMC Canyon, Honda Ridgeline can also carry these campers that we saw above.
Can Nissan Frontier tow a travel trailer or fifth wheel
Yes, it is powerful enough to handle either towing option. The key to remember is that you are not going to get fast starts nor will you be able to climb those hills as fast as the other drivers would want you to move.
Also, the other thing about towing these trailer options is the weight restrictions. You need to make sure your Frontier can handle the weight of the trailers or you may have to downsize the trailers. Check your specs to see what your specific Nissan can handle.
Here are best travel trailers that Nissan Frontier can tow:
- Keystone Passport Travel Trailer
- Winnebago HIKE
- Jayco Hummingbird Teardrop travel trailer
- Airstream Sport Travel Trailer
- Coleman Lantern travel trailer
All of these travel trailers weigh less than 5000 lbs and can therefore be towed by frontier. However, since the tow capacity will also depend on the model you have; do check the actual tow capacity of your model. Travel trailer are best suited for cars but can also be towed by trucks. These travel trailers can be pulled by standard sedan or SUV as well.
Pickup Trucks like frontier are mostly used for towing fifth wheel or for pop up truck campers.
Here are some of the best light weight fifth wheels that can be towed by Nissan Frontier:
- Eveland’s Scamp 19
- Palomino Puma 5th Wheel Trailer
- Escape 5.0TA
- Palomino Backpack 5th Wheel Trailer
How much can Nissan Frontier pull
This will depend on the model of Nissan Frontier you have and the power options you ordered. With different models built since 1995, each towing capacity will differ. Make sure to check your owner’s manual for the exact weight your model can handle.
For Nissan Frontier, the range for towing capacity is between 6250 and 6,720 lbs. The difference lies in the engine options you have on your Frontier. This link gives you many of the towing capacities for the different Frontier models. One can also use camper shell for the Nissan frontier in case you are not willing to use a truck camper which can cost way more than a camper shell. Research on the best camper shell or truck cap before you get it done.
Will a truck camper reduce the gas mileage of your frontier truck? Well, it will bring down the overall mpg because you are putting pounds on it. But, it will mostly depend on the weight of the camper. Overall it will bring the mpg down by 6-15% on an average. But, I am sure that shouldn’t be an issue as you get to enjoy the camping while traveling from campground to campground.
Read : Top 15 mini camper trailers that are super small and affordable
In Conclusion
One way to make camping more enjoyable is to go in a vehicle that is just right for you and your family situation. If you own a Nissan Frontier, you have plenty of excellent options to choose from to make sure you have a great time out in the wilderness.
Take your time choosing the one you will buy. Make sure it fits your budget and meets all your camping needs. That is what makes your Nissan Frontier camper the best. It is the one that gives you what you want and makes camping life a lot easier.
