Bison Overland Promises a Proud, Custom, and American-Made Truck Camper That Lasts Ages

Folks, the name Bison Overland has been spotted on our web pages before, mainly when they hit the market with a slide-in pop-top camper a few years ago. The Space Wrangler was that unit, but these days, Bison does things a tad differently.

How different? Well, Bison still prides itself on crafting campers entirely out of composite materials, but their one and only slide-in unit looks nothing like what they used to build, and that's a win in our book, mainly because it's an entirely fiberglass unit with touches of aluminum, meaning the elements stand little to no chance of eating away at your mobile home.

Now, there's not a whole lot to go by on the manufacturer's website, so we'll use the little know-how I've gathered to figure out what's going on here, and all that starts with those base materials I mentioned, fiberglass and aluminum.

For starters, Bison is an American crew currently operating out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, but the real ticket item here is that the fiberglass panels and aluminum extrusions they use are all American-made. I'm not just being a patriot here; locally crafted products can be - but are not always - a bit cheaper than buying overseas and covering insane shipping costs.

Part two is being able to craft base materials precisely to your liking and needs, which sometimes does cost a tad more, but the trade-off is worth it. If all else fails, then you can throw in the whole patriotic bit.

As a result, Bison's mid-size truck slide-in units start off at $17,500. For a full-size long-bed unit, we're looking at starting rates of $19,500. Do you have a weirdly shaped and sized truck bed? Custom sizing is possible with this crew.

There's just one downside to that price. According to the manufacturer's website, these rates will only get you a shell or a shell with cabinetry for any systems you might want to add. So, for a completed unit, you're looking at a few thousand more, to say the least.

But how is each unit built? Well, for that, I had to use my grey matter and all the little images on the manufacturer's Facebook page. For starters, we can see that each unit is built out of separate panels, including the roof.

Keeping it all together, panels are slid into panel fixing profiles, along with interlocking sections, helping reduce tons of extra weight. All that's then bonded together, and once the extrusions are added, you're basically looking at a complete unit. Don't forget the PET foam insulation. Simple but effective, and according to the manufacturer, suitable for years of use.

Overall, the slide-ins are built around the whole cab-over bedding style, so the living space sitting in the bed of your truck is open to your imagination. Still, to help you along as to what's possible inside, be sure to check out the image gallery.

Some units display massive and modular dinettes, extending accommodations beyond just two people, handcrafted cabinetry, solid countertops, and more storage than you'd ever need for those extended weekends. Unless, of course, you plan on living out of your wheeled half-shell year-round.

Now, what I found rather neat about how Bison does things is that they're a family-owned business, and as such, they're able to work outside established industry norms, so don't be afraid to let them handle all your camper dreams; it'll be privy to hands-on attention every step of the way.

Why is this a big deal? Well, it allows Bison to give you units that feature all the comforts of home, including a wet bath, a feature that very few slide-in truck campers manage to include. I'm sure you can get yourself an outdoor shower hook-up, too, and enjoy bathing under god's constant gaze.

So, what can your life look like with one of these instead of a massive and often over-priced RV? Well, think about things this way. A slide-in camper doesn't require you to go out there and buy a new vehicle, helping save costs along the way. Second, storing one of these babies in the off-season is much easier, typically being capable of fitting in a garage and freeing up your vehicle for any other duties your life throws at you.

Then there's the ability to load up and go just about whenever you want, not to mention the freedom to break away from the tarmac, assuming you and your truck can handle the dynamics of driving a top-heavy machine off-road; be sure to know what you're doing, and if you don't YouTube is at your fingertips or you can just join an off-road living group and start there.

Once you've made it into the heart of the American wilderness, if you have the ability to unload your unit, do so and free your beast of burden from its duties. Unload your outdoor campsite or the e-bike hanging off the back of your RV and get ready to enjoy the setting sun with a fire at your feet, a cold one in hand, and a warm mobile home looming in the background. You can even achieve all this with your family, and that's worth being on your to-consider list for a solid "RV."