Scout shrinks its lightweight pickup camper down to Ford Maverick size

Apr 26, 2024

While much of the world was stuck in timeout in 2020, Washington-based Adventurer Manufacturing was working overtime rolling out a one, two, three introduction for its Scout pickup camper brand. We haven’t heard much from it since, but now it’s back with its smallest, lightest, most modular camper yet. The all-new Tuktut is designed to fit compact and midsize pickups, including the Ford Maverick and Jeep Gladiator. Buyers can keep it cheap, simple and empty or build it up with modular accessories.

We’re not sure we’ll ever be able to look at “Tuktut” and not think "tuk-tuk," which is fitting enough given the new camper is a tiny travel vessel of a different kind. The "Tuktut" name actually comes from the Inuvialuit term for "young caribou,” an appropriate name for a small but mighty camper built around the spirit of wild adventure. The name also draws inspiration from Canada’s Tuktut Nogait National Park, a Northwestern Territories park known for its diverse wildlife, including caribou.

The Tuktut weighs in at a mere 634 lb (288 kg), nearly 300 lb (136 kg) lighter than Scout’s previous smallest model, the Yoho. It joins the 600-lb (272-kg) TC Truck Camper in a new breed of crazy lightweight full-fledged pickup campers.

That low weight is essential because the camper is designed specifically for smaller pickups with short beds, a segment with limited payload capabilities. The Maverick lineup maxes out at 1,500 lb (680 kg), while the Gladiator has 1,700 lb (771 kg).

Helping the Tuktut meet payload caps is its two-person floor plan, smaller than Scout’s existing lineup of four- to six-sleepers. Two people in the truck will eat up less of the overall payload and require less gear for further weight savings.

The 47.5 x 69.6-in (120.7 x 176.8-cm) double bed occupies the alcove, and buyers can add extra legroom with a portaledge extension system that increases length to 80 inches (203 cm) via a pair of flip-up extension panels with integrated underside MOLLE storage. Interior height stands just over 6 feet (1.8 m).

Beyond that, the Tuktut’s features are minimal and primarily structural, in order to meet the brief of being a compact, ultralight truck camper. Like previous Scout models, it includes wood-free construction with a robust aluminum exoskeleton and gelcoat fiberglass body and roof. Entry is through a rear door with strut assist, and the mattress and cushions are covered in a rugged outdoor performance fabric. The thermal-pane windows include screens and solar shades. A ratchet tie-down system secures the camper to the pickup bed.

Those looking for more out of their Tuktut have two options: Scout’s own factory add-ons, including the portaledge system and camper jacks, or modules developed specifically for the camper by Goose Gear, a leader in aftermarket interior furniture for campers and 4x4s.

Goose Gear offers six different "Explore Series" modules for turning empty space into a more organized floor plan. Options include a drawer module, a bed step with integrated drawer that doubles as a fridge/freezer platform, and a battery/power station storage module. Goose complements Scout's ultralight build with its own lightweight MaxLite aluminum extrusion construction. The Explore Series modules are available for purchase and installation through the Adventurer Manufacturing factory or Scout's and Goose Gear's individual dealership networks.

Scout opened up Tuktut preorders just ahead of the camper's public world premiere at Overland Expo West 2023 earlier this month. Prospective buyers who missed the camper's debut in Arizona are also invited to take a closer look at Scout/Adventurer's Yakima, Washington HQ. The camper starts at US$16,500 in basic Minimalist configuration. Goose Gear Explore modules, meanwhile, range between $595 and $2,395. Deliveries will begin in Q3 2023.

Source: Scout Campers