Nice! I love the simpler builds. What you have is what I would have liked to do if I were still a happy single guy (I’m loaded up with strollers and baby crap nowadays).
Ever surf Ogunquit? I used to live near there and that was one of the better breaks that I recall. Take it easy
Thanks everyone!
Yea I have surfed there but I tend to surf at Reid and Popham.
1st night update
The camper is awesome! My biggest surprise is how awesome the “downstairs” living space is in couch mode. I sat down there drinking beers last night with the canopy completely opened up. I know a lot of people say they only use the camper while sleeping but it’s a great to chill in while opened up.
The mattress being terrible is way overhyped. I thought it was great. It’s not the comfiest but it’s definitely not unbearable. This is coming from someone with 4 herniated discs. Y’all need to man up, it’s a camper not a luxury hotel.
Other than that it’s been a breeze to open and close. It was great to have a place to change at the trail head tonight.
Awesome pics! Random dirt road near Tetons? Glad to see you’re having such a good experience with the new setup. Also glad to hear the mattress isn’t as bad as some say. I hope I feel the same way when I pick mine up next week. I really don’t want to add a mattress pad. Any issues with a lot of condensation in the tent overnight? Safe travels!
4 days/2000 mile update
I’m still on the road. I picked up my camper on 9/9 and went straight to the Tetons. I dispersed, camped outside the park and went to Yellowstone, and did the same. After, I started heading back east and spent the night right near Devil Towers National Monument. The next day I woke up and went to the Black Hills of South Dakota. This was an epic day, Custer Stater Park - Needles Highway - Wind Cave National Park and ended in Badlands National Park. Here are some talking points I was most excited to get some feedback on so far…
Ease of use: 10/10
This is my favorite part of this camper. I can spend the day exploring until it’s dark out, look up some BLM land/free camping, roll into camp, hop-off, undo the latches, pop the top, climb in and go to bed. It’s that easy.
It’s just me on this trip, so I keep it in “couch mode.” I leave one side open for sleeping and put the two smaller panels on my bench. This allows me to climb up and go to bed, cook and eat, change my clothes, pee and a bottle (you know this is important), and quickly get in and out of the camper with no ladder. Also, I can store gear under the bench, so no need to make trips back to the cab of the truck.
The two things I knew I didn’t want to deal with were a ladder and mattress. I’ll get to that under “comfort.” You might need a ladder if you have another person or aren’t very mobile. For me, a ladder is one more thing to set up and defeats the purpose of this camper.
Another plus is being able to pop the top anywhere to change real quick or take a nap. The camper does not extend past the vehicle’s footprint, and you don’t need a ladder. This was clutch for quick outfit changes when getting to a trailhead or going for a swim.
Livability
Before installing the camper, I sat in the back of my short bed, thinking about maximizing this space. It felt so small. I knew I wanted to keep it simple, open, and still utilize it as a truck when needed. The bench/floor worked great, and I’m happy I built it before getting to Bozeman. It was great to get some instant feedback to fine-tune my organization.
With the camper installed, my short bed became a PENTHOUSE. I don’t know what magic GFC possesses but with the tent popped; this area is huge. I have plenty of room to cook and hang out. I hit bad weather, and it was nice to hang out while sitting and standing.
I also met up with a friend, and I loved popping open the 3 canopy windows and sitting on the bench while drinking beers.
Ps. I’m sitting on much bench seat “downstairs” writing this right now.
Security
Another huge plus is locking yourself in ads a sense of security when camping in the sketchy BLM spots. I’m not saying you’ll keep a determined person out, but it’ll buy enough time to get one chambered. Y’all might laugh, but a few months ago, I had a scary situation unfold deep in the Maine woods and had no one to rely on but myself.
Knowing I can get out of a bad situation quickly is also a plus. I’m not saying you should ever do it, but if you need to hop out and start driving without closing the tent, I think the struts would be more than capable of getting out a few miles down the road before closing.
Protection from elements
Night 3 I was camping in the Badlands, and the most intense thunderstorm I’ve ever been in hit. Lightning strikes every few seconds and hard rain. While the rain was thunderous when against the honeycomb panel, the tent stayed dry. The winds were gusting heavy, and I felt safe minus the lightning and being up so high.
Comfort
The mattress is excellent. Again, it’s not lush, but it gets the job done, and I don’t feel the need to change anything. If you put an inflatable mattress upstairs, you defeat the entire point of the camper. It’s one more thing to inflate/deflate and doesn’t allow you to access the “downstairs” easily. You don’t need it.
I kept my sleeping bag, quilt, and pillow up there the entire trip. So great to leave it up there and not worry about it until bed.
Build quality
Everything looks good so far. All the tent’s seams are tight and look waterproof. The aluminum frame looks badass and solid. The extrusion has some paint chipping already, and I’m not thrilled, but it’s minor. I’ll keep an eye on it. The locks aren’t the easiest, and one is already having issues locking, but I think this is an easy fix.
Life with the GFC
You’ll be able to maximize your time playing during the day and have a cozy treehouse on wheels to climb into after your day. It doesn’t have all the extras or features others do, but that’s the beauty of the GFC. For basically the same price as a top-end truck topper and RTT, you have a way more functional Camper. It weighs nothing, so you don’t need to upgrade your suspension. Mine is doing great off-road on a stock TRD OR suspension. No sagging. You can make it exactly how you want it, but again less is more for me. Be ready to be stopped wherever you go and asked a million questions.
In the end, I’m thrilled with my purchase and can’t wait for more camping trips.
Sorry for the typos - I typed this after a 12 hour drive day.
Nope. I’ve been running a fan pointing out towards the smaller window. This promotes airflow and is probably why I haven’t had any condensation.
Shoot me a DM and ill drop you the coordinates for that free site.
I also can say the mattress is great. When intially lying down on it or feeling it the mattress does feel firm, yet every night I’ve spent in the camper (30+) just this summer, I haven’t woken up in any discomfort or felt any discomfort in the morning. I am a side/back/stomach sleeper.
Additionally we are yet to have any condensation issues. We haven’t used it full winter, but have been in cold temps with torrential rain and not had any problems. We make sure that we have a door cracked for ventilation (it is a tent after all) and haven’t felt the need for a fan either.
I love this so much! I too have a stock trd short bed, so happy to see that you are not having issues with the stock suspension. I will be making my trip up to GFC next month from San Diego, and will plan to hit up the Yellowstone Area/Tetons (I have never been). If you have any dispersed camping advice/spots for that area I would love to know 
P.S. I love your downstairs bench set up!
John @GFCnortheast ,
I was wondering if you could give us a depth on your bench? As I don’t quite have my GFC, I am looking to match sizing on the two square panels like you did.
Thanks
Cool write up and pics but this sounds interesting…
I had a crazy experience last night while camping alone deep in the Maine woods. I found a secluded campsite along a river in western Maine. I spent the day doing a few hikes and photographing the area. I set camp around 6 pm and was in bed 8 pm. I was in a very remote spot and only saw one car pass the entire day. I always take melatonin while camping to get a full night’s rest and wake up early for sunrise. I took it and fell asleep shortly after. A few hours later I woke up to loud sounds of exhaust accelerating in front of my campsite. I woke up disoriented and figured I was dreaming. I dozed back off and was awaken again to the loud exhaust. It sounded like it was right in front of my camp again but coming from the opposite direction, followed by five loud thumps and what sounded like an explosion, after that series of sounds back to silence and the sound of the river. I immediately sprung up from my sleep and tried to put together what I heard. Again very disoriented from the sleeping aid and feeling clouded. My initial gut feeling was this was not a dream, and something terrible just happened. It was so dark I could not see more than 5-10 feet. My heart starting to pump and adrenaline took over. Something didn’t feel right, and I was trying to figure out why they revved up right in front of where I was camping. Then I was trying to comprehend what the second noises came from. It was about 40° out, so I immediately started putting on my warm layers. I then noticed lights in the distance and felt very uneasy. The lights stopped. Being alone and so far away from help and cell service, I knew it wasn’t safe to stay where I was, not knowing what was happening down the road. I quickly packed camp with the lights off and got in my truck. I drove down the road maybe a quarter mile and saw more lights. That’s when I saw a truck flipped over on its back. It was bad, the truck looked like it flipped multiple times and also hit a tree. My heart sank, and I quickly addressed the situation. I used my flash light and couldn’t see anyone inside; I searched the area but saw nothing. I yelled, no answer. I was 30+ minutes from cell service but tried dialing 911. The calls would not go through. I started driving down the road looking for cell service but had no luck. About 10 or so miles down the road, I stopped at the first cabin and banged on the door with no answer. I tried this two more times. I drove 40 minutes until I had cell service. I called and reported the accident to and passed 2 Sheriffs on their way to the scene. I was able to stop the third and show him the picture and give him my statement. I’m still waiting to hear what happened, and I’m hoping everyone is okay. I don’t know where someone would have. gone after getting in this bad of an accident with nothing near by. This was a frightening experience for me, and I have camped solo all across the US. The revving in front of my campsite and not finding or hearing anyone was strange. Stay safe out there.
Above ^^copy and pasted because I didn’t feel like retyping. Anyway they ended up finding the guy high on all sorts of stuff. His 4th DUI and has a history of being violent during arrests. Glad he’s okay but also happy I didn’t have to deal with him myself. The sheriff said he most likely was watching me from the woods and next time to stay on my vehicle and go get help. I’d never not check but interesting advice.
Thanks for all the details on your setup and adventures! I saw earlier in the thread that you did some solid water proofing. Curious if you did anything for the gaps by the corners of the tailgate (im assuming everyone has those…)?
Leftover tailgate bulb seal
Looks like the perfect little setup! I really dig your bench set up. I might attempt a similar build, but a little higher to accommodate action packers underneath.
I agree on the mattress sentiment… Completely overblown. Not to mention, if you use your GFC with any frequency the mattress should “break in”.
