Are Truck Bed Campers Waterproof in Heavy Rain? Zachary's Real Storm Test

Zachary Jarrell
Zachary Jarrell @Isolines ·

It was our first night sleeping in the camper and while it wasn’t storming in this occasion, it was snowing and very cold (14° F)

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The storm I got caught in

Black pickup truck with rooftop tent set up at night in a forested campsite, illuminated by LED lights and a misting system creating atmospheric vapor
Lessons learned from that LONG heater hose too lol

After getting the camper in January 2025, we decided to test it out right away my camping out at the family cabin. Low risk because we could just go inside if it became unbearable. Temps got down to 14°F for two nights and we received snow on the camper each night. Slight winds but tree cover helped cut that down.

How the camper held up

Black vehicle with roof tent deployed in a snowy forest campsite, person in red jacket standing beside open cargo area with camping gear
Mornings required big coats before getting out of the camper
View from inside a vehicle looking out at a snowy forest with tall pine trees in winter conditions
Neighborhood turkeys on their morning walk
Young woman smiling while sitting on a bed with a black dog with gray muzzle, wearing colorful patterned leggings and casual shirt
Camber was nice and cozy up in the bed

With the diesel heater going and a less than optimal hose length on the heater, we still had a plus 30° differential up on the bed so it was a cool but not unbearable 45° up in the sleeping area. This was so impressive that we ended up sleeping in it again the next night. Parts on the camper were cold to the touch but nothing became difficult to operate.

Condensation and Leaks

No condensation experienced, largely because the diesel heater kept it dry inside.

Keeping dry: my tips

Definitely keep your diesel heater hose as short as possible. After the first night, I placed an order for a much shorter hose that has been outstanding since. In high winds, point the nose of the vehicle towards the wind if possible.

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Discussion (3)

Dain Cummings
Dain Cummings · @Dain ·
What brand diesel heater do you have? My vevor recently went out and I’m in need of a new one before the upcoming winter
Zachary Jarrell
Zachary Jarrell · @Isolines ·
@Dain Cummings We’ve been using the HCalory Toolbox2. I would say it’s inexpensive for a reason. Does it provide solid heat? Yes but it gets messy quick. We store ours in a 27 gallon HDX tote from Home Depot to catch any eventual spills or leaks. I’ve already had to replace the cap on it as well. For the price we paid, it has been sufficient. Now that we value a diesel heater, it’ll be time to upgrade to something hung more robust like a Planar or LP’s Hotbox when it releases.
Zachary Jarrell
Zachary Jarrell · @Isolines ·
@Dain Cummings