My first trip as an RV owner was in a truck camper. It was nothing fancy —no bathroom, no shower, no heater. But it had a double bed over the cab and a tiny kitchen with icebox. And, very important, it kept out the cold and critters and kept me dry when it rained.

I loved it.

In that small RV on an old Dodge pickup (old even at that time back in the early '80s), I traveled up and down California, staying mostly in U.S. Forest Service campgrounds and California State Parks. I was cozy as could be, and in that little home on wheels I became hooked on the RV lifestyle. A few years later I bought my first motorhome.

Truck campers, sometimes called slide-in campers or pickup truck campers, are made for virtually every pickup truck whether big or small. A six-footer will slide onto the smallest truck and an 11-footer (often with a slideout to expand the dining area) will fit snugly into the bed of the largest trucks.

The smallest truck campers offer minimal living accommodations, usually a bed, kitchen with small sink and stove, and dinette. They will virtually never have holding tanks or a bathroom. The larger units, however, offer pretty much the same accommodations as a motorhome or full size travel trailer with full baths, elaborate galleys, beds to sleep four to six (six is very tight, but it can be done), air conditioners and built in generators. These days a slideout is common: push a button and one wall of the rig expands to add living space. If it's been awhile since you've peeked into a truck camper, stop by an RV dealer and check some out. You will be amazed at much comfort can be squeezed into one of these modest-sized RVs.

One appeal of a truck camper over a motorhome is that the living unit and the truck can be easily separated. Once set up in a campground, the living part of the RV can be left at the campsite while the truck is used for local transportation. You can't do this with a motorhome, where the whole unit is one inseparable piece.

Another advantage of a truck camper is price. They typically range from about $2,500 to $22,000 with the most expensive offering virtually every bell and whistle of larger RVs. There's the cost of the pickup truck, however. But for RVers who already own one, a truck camper can be a very affordable way to get into RVing.

And another great thing about a truck camper is that it can be transfered from one vehicle to another. So when it comes time to trade in your truck for a new model, your portable house can remain with you. You can't say that about a motorhome.