68-Year-Old Camper Company Launches Lighter Truck Design

When Don and Irene Hall drove their homemade camper through Alaska in 1957, strangers kept stopping them with questions and requests to buy one. That attention sparked Alaskan Campers, which became the world's first company to build hard-sided pop-up truck campers.

Now at 68 years old, the company isn't slowing down. Instead, Alaskan just launched something completely new: a fixed-roof camper that weighs less and fits more truck models than ever before.

The HS640 represents the company's first major design shift in decades. While Alaskan became famous for telescoping roofs that hydraulically lift up at camp and lower down for travel, this new model stays fixed but uses cutting-edge materials to stay light.

The secret is in the construction. Alaskan ditched traditional aluminum and wood frames for fiberglass-skinned foam panels with a hybrid aluminum and PVC frame. The result is better insulation and less weight on your truck bed.

Inside, buyers get a full-size bed in the overhead area, a dining corner, galley kitchen space, and room for a fridge and induction cooktop. The Premium model starts at $48,995 and fits trucks with 6.5-foot beds.

The Bright Side

This launch shows how legacy companies can honor their past while embracing the future. Alaskan's new owners, who took over in 2024, aren't abandoning the classic telescoping campers that made the brand famous. They're simply expanding options for modern adventurers who drive different truck styles.

The timing couldn't be better. More people are discovering truck camping as an affordable way to explore without the bulk of traditional RVs. By making their campers compatible with more truck platforms and lighter than ever, Alaskan is opening up outdoor adventures to people who might have thought their vehicle couldn't handle it.

The company's durability is legendary too. Alaskan campers are so well-built that models from the 1970s are still on the road today, passed down through families like heirlooms. That same quality now comes in a modern package that fits today's trucks and camping needs.

From a handmade prototype inspired by sliding matchboxes to a thriving business that invented an entire category, Alaskan proves that true innovation never retires.