The Dyrt found that 45% of campers identify trucks as the most ideal vehicle for camping. SUVs ranked second as the favorite of 29% of campers, and vans/minivans came in third with 20.3%. These results were published in The Dyrt’s 2024 Camping Report presented by The All-New Toyota Tacoma.
Despite trucks being the most sought-after vehicle by campers, SUVs were the most common vehicles owned by campers. More than half of survey respondents (56%) said they owned SUVs, followed closely by trucks at 48.8%. Sedans were a distant third (19.3%).
“Pickup trucks were made for camping,” said The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long. “They offer an ideal combination of utility, practicality and functionality. Trucks can reach places other vehicles can’t, they provide storage space necessary for packing for a camping trip and they’re so versatile — from a simple bed cap to a pop-up camper, trucks can become part of the campsite when you’re parked for the night.”
Providing more than just the transportation to get to the campsite, 3.9% of respondents indicated that camping in the bed of a truck is their primary form of camping. That number accounts for more than 3.3 million campers in the U.S. Trucks are also a popular choice for overlanding, which doubled in popularity in 2023 and was listed as the primary camping type for 3.4% of campers.
Overlanding combines camping with off-roading, where specially equipped vehicles reach campsites inaccessible by the family minivan. It’s the perfect marriage of journey and destination. Only 4.8% of campers went overlanding in 2023, but rooftop tent and overlanding are the types of camping campers said they most want to try for the first time in 2024.
Household income plays a role too, as campers making more than $250,000 are twice as likely to list overlanding and truck camping as their primary camping type. Seemingly contradictory to that, the top age group for truck camping was 18-24.
“I had used SUVs exclusively for decades,” said The Dyrt camper Charles P. of Washington. “Having used rooftop tents long before they started trending, I wanted to try something different where everything had a place, was organized, easy to use, and fast to set up and tear down. I opted for the slide-in camper on my Toyota Tacoma, and after parts sourcing and some trial and error, ‘Magellan’ was born. The footprint allows us to get as far out as we want, well past the RVs and well-traveled camp areas and into the bush where we enjoy the unspoiled scenery and privacy. And the peace. The entire reason we travel.”
A majority of campers surveyed (60%) indicated that they are planning to purchase a new vehicle within the next five years. The survey also found that campers are three times more likely than the average driver to own an electric vehicle, and twice as likely to own a hybrid.
