Anyone who’s spent a night in a truck camper knows the drill. You climb into bed and immediately start calculating angles, where to put your elbows, how to avoid kicking your partner, and whether you can roll over without hitting a wall. It’s like sleeping in an expensive coffin. Arizona-based Ovrland Campers felt that pain and decided to do something about it with their Chubby upgrade. The concept sounds almost too simple: widen the camper by seven inches and create actual living space. Yet this modest expansion transforms truck camping from an exercise in human origami into something approaching comfortable living.
The numbers tell the story better than any marketing copy could. Those seven extra inches push sleeping width to 68 inches in midsize trucks and 75 inches in full-size rigs. Suddenly, you can sleep sideways instead of head-to-toe, which means shorter folks get 80 inches of sleeping width instead of fighting for space lengthwise. More importantly, you can move around inside without playing Twister every time you need to grab something from storage. The psychological shift hits instantly, walking into a Chubby feels like entering a real room instead of a glorified tent. Your gear has places to go that aren’t underfoot or stuffed into impossible corners.
Designer: Ovrland Campers
Real-world camping scenarios showcase where the Chubby truly shines. Picture cooking breakfast while your partner organizes gear without the usual dance of constant repositioning. Or sitting comfortably during a rainstorm instead of hunching over in cramped quarters, counting the hours until the weather clears. The extra width creates a natural traffic flow that standard truck campers simply cannot achieve. Weekend warriors notice the difference immediately, while extended travelers describe it as the upgrade that made long-term truck camping sustainable. Storage solutions become genuine rather than desperate, with room for the gear that makes outdoor adventures possible.
Every modification brings compromises, and Ovrland doesn’t pretend otherwise. The barn doors that normally swing a full 270 degrees now stop at 180 degrees due to the wider body design. Tight trail situations require more careful navigation, with higher chances of tree strikes on narrow passages. The truck handles slightly differently with the additional width and changed aerodynamics. None of these represent deal-breakers for most users, but they’re worth considering based on your typical camping style. Ovrland engineered around these limitations with secure door latches that prevent wind damage and maintain weather sealing despite the reduced opening range.
The Chubby system is compatible across Ovrland’s entire lineup. Whether you’re eyeing the basic Bivy for minimalist adventures or the fully-loaded Bread ‘N’ Butter for extended expeditions, the width upgrade integrates seamlessly. The $950 price tag feels reasonable when you consider the transformation in livability it provides. Custom builders love the extra canvas for creative layouts, while casual campers appreciate the immediate comfort improvement without added complexity. The upgrade works across different truck platforms, making it a long-term investment rather than a model-specific gamble.
Truck camping has always been about trading comfort for adventure access. The Chubby upgrade challenges that assumption by showing you that you can have both without sacrificing the format’s core strengths. You still get the maneuverability that trailers can’t match and the always-ready convenience that makes spontaneous adventures possible. What you gain is the space to enjoy those adventures instead of enduring them.
The post A Seven-Inch Shift Gives Your Pickup Camper The Spacious & Chubby Upgrade It Deserves first appeared on Yanko Design.