I'd add the following (having owned a 1994 GMC 3/4T with an 8' dry truck camper, a 1982 GMC based 21' class C and a 1974 24' travel trailer in the past):
1 - Do you have something now? It's easier to work with what you have unless it's junk.
2 - Do you need 4x4? Van's wont help you. Some will say a regular 350/3500 series with a locker rear will work well but if you really need 4x4 then you need the truck
3 - Will you tow? Some vans tow a cargo trailer, but no van can tow the 5th wheel.
4 - Do you care about having to exit the sleeping compartment and go outside in order to access the cab to drive? If you do then no truck.
5 - Do you care about blending in at all? The truck camper doesn't, unless you park on an rv consignment lot...
6 - Do you care about highway wind pushing you around? Truck campers have a high profile, obviously.
7 - Do you like to go down overgrown forest service roads? The high profile truck camper has a problem unless you have a pop up soft sided version.
8 - Do you want lots of extra room and a full bath? A truck camper (10-11') will give you that, as well as a kitchen and all the wet tanks. Vans don't.
9 - Do you want to be seen as an "rv" or not? In some places it's to your advantage to be a licensed RV, in others it isn't.
10 - Do you want the occasional usage of air conditioning? Most truck campers have that option (with a gas generator) and most vans do not. Same with full hookups... vans don't generally have a 30 amp plug nor do they have all the wiring inside for 120 volt. They can but it isn't normal to have it.
11 - Do you 4 season? The best truck campers (Arctic Fox) are true 4 season. Vans - maybe if properly insulated.
12 - Do you want to stand up? Yes for the truck, no for 95% of the vans.
13 - Do you have $$$? A nice (used) truck, 3/4 or 1 ton and a decent 8.5-9.5' camper is serious money (for me anyway), like $10K + for the truck and another $10K for the camper. Vans can be had for $5-7K all day, with another $1-3K in build costs.
Now a UHaul type box van is an in-between you may want to consider... it has some advantages and some disadvantages for both. Biggest disadvantage is no 4x4 and generally beat up. biggest advantage is room on all sides and height.
Hope that helped some.
1 - Do you have something now? It's easier to work with what you have unless it's junk.
2 - Do you need 4x4? Van's wont help you. Some will say a regular 350/3500 series with a locker rear will work well but if you really need 4x4 then you need the truck
3 - Will you tow? Some vans tow a cargo trailer, but no van can tow the 5th wheel.
4 - Do you care about having to exit the sleeping compartment and go outside in order to access the cab to drive? If you do then no truck.
5 - Do you care about blending in at all? The truck camper doesn't, unless you park on an rv consignment lot...
6 - Do you care about highway wind pushing you around? Truck campers have a high profile, obviously.
7 - Do you like to go down overgrown forest service roads? The high profile truck camper has a problem unless you have a pop up soft sided version.
8 - Do you want lots of extra room and a full bath? A truck camper (10-11') will give you that, as well as a kitchen and all the wet tanks. Vans don't.
9 - Do you want to be seen as an "rv" or not? In some places it's to your advantage to be a licensed RV, in others it isn't.
10 - Do you want the occasional usage of air conditioning? Most truck campers have that option (with a gas generator) and most vans do not. Same with full hookups... vans don't generally have a 30 amp plug nor do they have all the wiring inside for 120 volt. They can but it isn't normal to have it.
11 - Do you 4 season? The best truck campers (Arctic Fox) are true 4 season. Vans - maybe if properly insulated.
12 - Do you want to stand up? Yes for the truck, no for 95% of the vans.
13 - Do you have $$$? A nice (used) truck, 3/4 or 1 ton and a decent 8.5-9.5' camper is serious money (for me anyway), like $10K + for the truck and another $10K for the camper. Vans can be had for $5-7K all day, with another $1-3K in build costs.
Now a UHaul type box van is an in-between you may want to consider... it has some advantages and some disadvantages for both. Biggest disadvantage is no 4x4 and generally beat up. biggest advantage is room on all sides and height.
Hope that helped some.
"Life is short, smile while you still have teeth."
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