$4K Half Shell Camper Takes Nearly Any Truck and Transforms It Into a Wooden Mobile Cave

A few months ago, I ran across a little camper manufacturer nestled in Fort Collins, Colorado, Casual Turtle Campers, the brainchild of Peter Pavlowich. Now, a designer and builder of mobile habitats is nothing new, but as you can clearly see, this crew stands apart because of their near obsession with wood as the base material. Because I, too, come from a rather long line of woodworkers, my interest was immediately sparked. Last time, I shed light on this shop's Original Cabover model, another slide-in hermit cave with a bit more room than the object of discussion today.

Overall, there isn't much information on the builder's website to tell us what we're in for. This means no specs regarding weight or size. We're told that this bugger can fit into anything from a Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma to most 8-foot bed trucks. Just back up your truck, drop this bugger in, secure it, and enjoy your on-road life.

Even with such a lack of information, there are still plenty of features that the Half Shell brings to the game, and part of it is that each unit to leave the Casual Turtle lot is handmade, built from the ground up, beam by beam, board by board. Sure, wood can rot and is susceptible to pests, so to limit such problems, Casual Turtle uses red cedar with a weather-proofing finish. What you'll also notice on the top of every Half Shell is a solid PVC roof with a termination bar lining the edge of the whole thing. This is done to ensure the elements roll off the top of your unit.

If you happened to catch the article on the Original Cabover, that model extends from beyond your truck's bed to sit over your cab; it's in the name, really. Well, the Half Shell is smaller because no cab-over segment is available, but it can still sleep up to two people and even includes a ton of storage space underneath the bed.

One aspect of the wooden design that I enjoyed is the fact that the unit is modular. Yes, depending on your glamping trip's needs, the habitat that initially slept one person can now sleep two, made possible by an additional platform that can be brought in. Add another panel, and the whole thing becomes one massive bed, although climbing in may be more difficult. Throw on a couple of windows and a door, and that's your mobile home.

Yes, it's simple, which means a lower price for people interested in such designs. Ready for this one? Depending on your truck's size, the least expensive Half Shell is selling for $4,000 (€3,850 at current exchange rates). Larger trucks require more wood and handiwork, so expect to pay as little as $5,150 (€5,000) for an 8-foot bed unit. Sign me up!

Sure, you'll dish out a tad more on a portable toilet, some solar panels and battery, and some water tanks, but for under $10,000, you can get in on the camper action. Just a little something-something to consider if you can't wait any longer to start your on-road lifestyle.