Testing Out my New (to me) Truck Camper

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Head to keeps.com/YENTCH to get 50% off your first order of hair loss treatment.
In this week's video, I take my new-to-me truck camper on a quick overnight test run to see how I like it. Spoiler alert: I love it! Can't wait to get on the road in this thing and share more adventures with y'all.
Sit back, grab a beer, grab a coffee & enjoy!
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@jonathanyentch

[@JonathanYentch]

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Head to keeps.com/YENTCH to get 50% off your first order of hair loss treatment.

[@supersteve8305]

When you boom dock, consider parking the rig so it is facing the way you would have to leave in an emergency, and park it so it would take two vehicles to pin you in, and not just one. Being parked facing the gate would make it easy for one vehicle to pin you in. Yes, I worked in public safety, and have seen some crappy people and things. Great new rig. I'm happy you found it.

[@pamelaklemp5615]

First thing I, too, thought of when I realized he wasn't moving it was leaving it faced forward. Your suggestions are spot-on!

[@Deargdoo]

excellent advice. *takes note*

[@SuperExTINCTGAMING]

rule #22 in zombieland, when in doubt know your way out.

[@paulg492]

Found the Worry Warts

[@PrplAngl]

Very good advice.

[@mr.critic]

3:08 Pipe insulation foam could work too.

[@fionasmith6809]

For your chain protection that you used towels for. Why not use pipe insulation tubes (like mini pool noodles) they would give great protection and look good as well!

[@Kaitlin24247]

Great idea

[@RobBrown2288]

My very first thought!

[@malakai8417]

Does it comes with white color? I only see black or gray color insulation....Jon's truck is white

[@jeannerountree952]

I was worried about the moisture being in the towels all the time when it’s wet outside.

[@michaeldigiulio5602]

They do make pipe insulation you can wrap around the chain protection and different colors of paint for it to match.

[@blueskunk9163]

Hey JY, new subscriber here. I have to say the thing that attracted me to your channel is your filming style (in addition to the content). You have a calmness about everything you do-- and positivity. You setup establishing shots. You don't fill the videos with music or voiceover. You pay attention to detail and you let the natural sounds draw us in. So thanks for doing all of these videos. The style you have adopted is superb. Please keep doing what you're doing. It's borderline magic and oh so relaxing. No teeth whitener or glitzy sets/backgrounds with LED lighting trying to project an image. You are bringing us all back to nature and living responsibly and within our means with honesty and authenticity. Very commendable. So thank you for sharing!

[@davidjames8587]

I agree. Lol except I didn't see the teeth white part but now I'm 🙃 going to look. It's okay cause I eat dark cocoa powder so my teeth aren't so white either. But yeah I agree with you on the most part. I'm actually learning from this guy. I want to do the same. What got me was the first video I watched he starts out by saying "it's my first night with out rent." And I was hooked.

[@leoameoso820]

Cats suck! You’re vids are great.

[@tjport1980]

I agree. Use the camper for a while and then renovate after you find out what you like and what you don’t

[@celestepalm6949]

Yep, there's zero reason 2 B in a hurry to renovate. Enjoy the camper as-is 4 now...

[@kevnrob1]

Jonathan - reverse your anchor springs & hooks. Notice the opening where the hook moves in and out. That opening lets water get inside the spring tube. The other end is a solid bolt and the water remains trapped inside the tube. The tube and spring will rust out and fail. If you put the bolt end up and the opening down, water will not get in and everything will stay dry.

[@1jackvalley580]

I kind of think if Jonathan wanted us to know his personal business about what he paid for the camper he probably would have told us

[@Joes_Place]

The towels are a great idea, if that doesn’t hold up with the rain and If you have some used bicycle tubes, you can cut them the length of the chains then slice down the middle and wrap around the chain and secure with zip ties. The rubber will hold up well in all conditions and also act as a good damper.

[@doveboyz857]

would pool noodles work?

[@kriskabin]

Nice looking older camper, looks really good with your tundra. I had the same truck & thought pretty seriously about getting a camper like yours for it, but I decided to sell it & I bought a used Toyota Highlander. (I removed the back seats in this suv & stealth camp in it. For me, I needed a tiny & reliable camper that I could stay inside & get to the driver's seat to drive away in sketchy situations.) Enjoy your sweet little camper👌

[@genespell4340]

The battery that you need for your camper is a deep cycle marine battery. They have thicker plates that won't warp when a lot of power is being drawn from the battery.

[@celestepalm6949]

So the previous owner actually knew what they were doing there...I thought a marine battery would be superior but wasn't 100% certain.

[@NarleyAdventures]

👍👍👍👍👍, I think you did good on your new camper. For a little over $100.oo you can get a decent backup camera that attaches to your rearview mirror. I bought one for my Jeep because when it is loaded up the rearview mirror is worthless.

[@overland_panda]

Sweet rig! Love the first Gen tundra camper set up. Something cool about your channel is how you make it look accessible. It’s not a $100k rig with fancy gear. That stuff is cool, but it’s inspiring to see it can be done simpler w the same net experience

[@1jackvalley580]

When this camper was built they made things really well, so much better materials were used when it was built so change your mattress and have the electrical looked at and the air conditioning checked out, and you should be good to go👍🙏

[@clarac3258]

My camper has a very similar layout and I LOVE my dinette with the couch. I've seen many people remove them to create more storage but I use mine all the time! I do use it as a dining area but I use it most when it's too cold or there are too many bugs to sit outside in the evenings. I store a couple of small throw pillows in the over head cabinets for reading or watching movies and it's just as comfortable as hanging out on my couch at home.

[@bakosdavid]

This camper is in such mint condition that i'd rather just live with the retro design than renovate it. (Ofc, i'd touch up the electric and gas situation...) Either way hope you'll enjoy it for a long while as i'm sure i'll enjoy the content it will help produce...

[@JW-mz1fp]

that bigfoot camper is one of the best ever made.

[@nancyreichenbach2938]

I'm just happy that you have a built in fridge. Bet you love having that! It's a very nice camper!

[@Bambisgf77]

Came for the unique camper stayed for the beautiful scenery & excellent filming.

[@brucemillhiser2072]

Nice Camper and there is nothing wrong with "old school"! We've had our pu camper since 99, the only things I've done besides the usual maintenance is added all LED lights, a few USB's a new converter when the original failed and 100w solar panel on the roof. Old School is still cool!!

[@emmas1082]

You made an excellent decision to move to Oregon, there are so many opportunities for video ideas especially due to the fact that you are so close to Canada. Thank you for giving me a birds eye view of your adventures. You know how to tell a story, are likable, and interesting 🥰❤️

[@MrSketchyCharacter]

"Rebuilding" the jacks is super simple. I have a similar setup on my 1st gen tundra, and rebuilt all 4 jacks in one chill evening. Have fun out there. We love getting lost here on Vancouver Island.

[@badmofo6462]

Try using pipe insulators on your chains, you can get them at Lowe's or Home Depot

[@judyzwemke9305]

Big Foot looks great sitting down in the truck bed. We never traveled with the propane on.

[@rouxchat6033]

I also shut mine off but everyone tells me that it isn't necessary.

[@kimberlymarshall2068]

Another great video,Jonathan -the previous owners took good care of the camper. You will make it your own soon - it looks really nice on the truck. You might want to look into FireBox Stove (he has a KZbin channel as well as an online store with lots of gear) for alternative cooking when you are out of propane, etc. There are different sizes and they work with scraps of wood, fuel bars, other. The guy cooks some amazing meals on these stoves that fold up into small tins, etc.

[@kevjo13]

Always face ur camper the way you want to leave in case of emergency. Also change the wash cloths before winter they will get wet freeze and even rust the chains. Pool noodles are easy and cheap.

[@thomasharhen2168]

Definitely turn the truck around for a fast escape, you never know!!!

[@geoffmolyneux9173]

Just put an inverter in your truck. Then use your 12volt charger that you have. Plug the charger in to an extension cord. Plug the extension cord into your inverter. Put an isolation relay on DC side of your inverter. So Inverter only runs while engine is running. With the above battery charging method, your batteries will always be charged correctly. But you will need about 2 to 3 hours of engine running to charge batteries. Assuming a 15 amp charge rate. I have a 750 watt manual inverter. So when you apply power it is running Then you also need a charger that remembers what it was last set at, and turns on and starts charging without one pressing any buttons. I also have a 100 watt solar panel, that I plug into the camper using the RV power plug on side of camper. I also have a little 1400 harbor freight inverter generator that I use when I camp under trees, or winter camping. My lead Acid batteries are now about 10 years old. Still working. Do not discharge your batteries less than 50% SOC. Change your camper light bulbs to LED. You will get more light for less energy used. Put a manual isolation switch on your camper battery to stop it from draining while you have it parked. You might have had a light turned on that you forgot, or propane fridge, or CO sensor, or fan or water pump. These all use DC from your battery. The 3 way fridge will also drain DC power very fast when the 120 watt element is used in DC mode, or 120 AC mode. DC mode draws about 10 amps at 12 Volts DC. 120VAC draws about 1 amp. But if you are using an onboard converter/inverter to run the fridge at 120. Then you will still draw 10 amps from battery. The group 24 battery that you have, has about 90 amp hour capacity. So 90/2 is equal to 45 amp hours at 12 Volts. So max fridge run time on DC is 45/10=4.5 hours. Then your lead Acid battery will be at 50% SOC. Any less then you will kill your battery.

[@puddingtime3497]

I used seat belt pads to cover my straps, look pretty good as well. nice video as always!

[@maxineoliver7404]

Love the new camper!👍 I like how you've tested it out in a lot of ways-inside and out(like the light💡not working on ya,for example)!That wood is kinda nice, I agree! I'm glad that you gave it a nice,quiet environment!And you're right-that is most certainly a precious cat!!🐈Take care!🏞☕

[@JanandAnn]

Awesome video once again Jonathan! seems like your camera set up is different! what equipment are u using now?

[@maryvanulzen3414]

I love the layout of this one. Even on video it feels solid and cozy and well put together.

[@coleengoodell7523]

Love the new camper. Can't wait to see everything that it has to offer in play. It's obvious that someone took very good care of it. Happy adverntures!

[@davidelsten]

I am happy you found the camper you have always wanted! Excited for future videos of you enjoying it!

[@8rett]

Love it dude!! Can't wait to see all the new adventures you get into with this new camper!

[@edwinacaparelli9911]

The bigfoot is awesome. I'm so happy that it works for you and that you found the right one. Your good people! Love your vibe and videos.

[@johnmarks903]

This camper is so much better then the last one you had. The last 1 you had look like it sucked. This one so much more better and it’s pretty close to the slumber just built better. I really enjoy watching your camping trips John you are a awesome guy I learned a lot from you

[@pamelaklemp5615]

Hoping your truck camper is going to be everything you want and need it to be for your adventures. Growing up my Dad had a truck camper, many wonderful camping and fishing weekends were enjoyed in that camper. Life-long memories were had and I'm wishing the same wonderful karma for you with yours. I like the basic Floorplan of it and it seems to have very good bones for upgrading and mods. Cheers, cheers and more cheers 🍻 👍 😀

[@billspectre9502]

Your new camper is looking great! And your cat is adorable. I see he has a dead mouse on the bed with him. So cute!

[@susans8539]

Can’t wait til it’s all done up. Looking forward to new adventures! 👍🏻

[@jacquezghardy]

Hey J! Try pool noodles! They are foamy and cushion, water resistant and cheap! And I’m sure you could find a color to match

[@expedition_mike]

This camper is going to be everything you want it to be man! It’s going to be sick and I hope you enjoy it out there! So glad I’m doing the same thing but living out of my SUV and documenting it all on my channel, hope to see you on the road! 👌🏽🛣️

[@loismelander2025]

Great rig. So glad you got it. I look forward to seeing your future adventures. Thanks.

[@ThinkHEAVEN-YouTube]

When I first saw it, I thought, "That looks like a NORTHERN LITE!". But NO - 'tis ANOTHER great Canadian make (a Bigfoot!). No doubt WAY BETTER - than that "Queen" - of slumber. Great investment, my friend!

[@davidmills1639]

Good choice with a Bigfoot camper. We have a 1990 Lance that has been well taken care of it’s entire life. When you need parts or replacement needs, may I suggest Laurelhurst Distributors. They are located by the PDX airport. Excellent staff and inventory. We hope to camp with you sometime

[@Duncangonefishin]

Hey go solar, my '03 Adventurer camper is all solar, (propane for fridge, stove, heat) two 120 watt panels, two12 volt RV deep cycle batteries, Samlexsolar controller. The truck only powers the outside brake, tail, clearance lights. I can charge my phone and anything else 12 volt inside, powers Stereo/DVD, TV furnace fan etc. I camp year around in interior of BC. The batteries lasted 7 years before I needed to replace.

[@Subieadventures]

Awesome upload . As always maybe a pool noodle around the chains ?

[@jessys9868]

Just love your new camper. I’ve been thinking about it, I’m just not sure about the climbing in and out. But I do love the fact that it’s all in one vehicle. Best of luck and safe travels

[@pattijohnson8197]

Nice little camper! It looks good on the outside and inside, too. Always time to renovate after you figure out how you'd like it to be. Great choice!

[@guylongley1573]

Just a shakedown run. You really looked happy camping for the first time in it. I really like that camper.👍😁

[@jocenelson7408]

I enjoy your camping adventures so I'm happy you're out on the road again! I'm a "renovate on budget" kinda girl so I have one word for you ... Ikea! They have inexpensive windows coverings & linens. Basic color schemes but it'll work until you have time/money to do a more permanent update. Since your windows are tiny, just buy a panel or 2 of curtains, cut it & if you don't sew @ Walmart buy fusible no sew iron-on hemming tape ( sewing section). It'll look like you have custom curtains! Definitely trash the valance, it really dates the interior. Can't tell if you gave the walls a good cleaning w/diluted bleach but U'll be surprised how bright your walls can get w/o painting! Amazon & Wayfair also sell affordable stick-on wallpaper too for walls/cabinets. Good luck and HAPPY TRAILS!

[@tammyandthetomcats8668]

Im new to your channel and love your adventures. I have a 2002 Bigfoot 21’ travel trailer. First thing I did was replace the mattress (with natural cotton fiber). Then I replaced the brass knobs, recovered the seat cushions and thats about it. You don’t want to do too much to these Bigfoots! Enjoy!

[@lindalyons6372]

Love the new camper. Definitely very cozy and comfortable looking. Enjoy!

[@330_Crew]

That camper set up seems so much more convenient than a van conversion, although a van is more stealth.

[@rouxchat6033]

My truck camper is larger than I really need but the space is nice since I'm full-time and travel with pets.

[@kitaoden703]

I just love your new home and I like that you're taking your time to refurbish ❤️🍕

[@cherishpearl777]

Yay. I just now watched your last video and I immediately clicked on this one! I’m so happy for you !

[@veetour]

Your videos are great. Keep up the good work. That camper is the Slumber Queen 2.0. It has the same size and functionality, but looks to be more durable for wet weather outdoors of your region.

[@danandtab7463]

Doesn’t really look like you’d need to change too much. Everything looks great on this camper, especially that loft floor. Looks certainly worth that journey to Canada! 🎉

[@cazandraaya5818]

New subscriber here! I’ve been watching a lot of your old videos and I love the authenticity of your content. Keep it up. Love the new/old camper , I hope it doesn’t give you anymore headaches and if it does, don’t forget to hit record 😅

[@atcay81]

Just love this beast ❣️ Way to go Jono 🤘😎

[@bstrgbreel4585]

Love the camper. My parents had one just like that 40 years ago.. would love one today for sure

[@jenteverherstraeten1200]

Put some hose pipe or bicycle inner tube around the chains, great video as always.

[@jessiegirl4ever]

Love the new camper. Your Keeps promo was hilarious, the slow-mo with your hand in your hair was priceless, have a great week. 👍🏻🤣

[@BaconNBeer]

It will be interesting to see what you do with your camper. You got the dream shell for you. When I was on the road I used solar and a small Yamaha 900 watt generator which worked great.

[@jefferypowell1461]

I want to weigh in on an issue you might want to take a look at. You may want to consider some air ride suspension helpers. You may not think you need them BUT it will make the ride a lot smoother because of the added weight. AND it will make the sway a lot less while you are driving on bumpy and uneven surfaces. Just a thought.

[@MegaSusanc]

I KNOW I ALREADY SAID THIS LAST WEEK WHEN YOU FIRST SHOWED YOUR NEW CAMPER BUT I CAN'T HELP IT, I HAVE BEEN SO EXCITED FOR YOU! I AM SO HAPPY 😊 FOR YOU. YAY! WOO-HOO WOO-HOO CONGRATULATIONS WOO-HOO WOO-HOO 🎊 💐 AWESOME I'M EXCITED TO SEE MORE ADVENTURES WITH YOUR AWESOME NEW CAMPER. I'm truly proud of you for pushing ahead and achieving your dreams ✨️ reaching your goals and not giving up. You are truly the Man. Keep dreaming big and keep going after your dreams never give up. I truly am so happy for you words just can't even say. KEEP ADVENTURING TAKE GOD WITH YOU GOD BLESS YOU 🤗HUGS🤗

[@stanw909]

Double nut your battery which is perfectly fine for your camper. The reason you lost power is because the connection came loose from vibration. You also might have blown a fuse or two.

[@TheSkeetergirl]

Carry bear spray. I’m afraid you’re going to have an encounter with a mountain booger.

[@ekimviewmaster5010]

So exciting, the first trip in your new2U camper. Cheers, and nice to see you giving a new life to a great small camper, and Bigfoot are one of my favorite campers. The fiberglass exterior shell is tough and easy to fix, if needed, and stout.

[@joelajeunesse1900]

Love the Cat. I really like your new camper. It doesn’t really need a complete rebuild just fix what is broken.

[@JL-dj5ek]

Nice new rig. Having an indoor bed, table and sofa plus the kitchen is a very convenient and comfy camping outdoors even if its a small camper...

[@mindyalderman8865]

we always used a marine battery in our camper. they held up better then a regular battery.

[@nickcowley8757]

Marine deep cycle vs. Marine deep cycle starter battery I think is the issue

[@NomadicNorthwoods]

Good to see your at it again. Enjoy your transparency.

[@staroceans8677]

I do think it's a precious Kitty and I'm very glad that you think so, because it absolutely deserves to be loved. Thank you for taking such good care of your Kitty. Again, congratulations on a wonderful camping shell...GREAT purchase. So many of the places you went to looked really terrible because of the fires. I'm sure that Oregon's had as many as California, it's unfortunate. All that beautiful timber destroyed, all those trees dead. You might consider putting, even though your truck's old, some kind of a backup camera, I think that would be a really cool thing to have and useful as well. Again, I hope your renovations are modest, just more or less upgrades and additions to things that you need for cooking, like a spice rack and utensils, and maybe some changes in the color scheme, but it's a pretty sound investment and a really solid floor plan. Looks very spacious and accommodating. Nice to see you cooking inside again!! Nice to have a removable table, instead of a permanent space consuming dinette area...👍 If it's that cozy, that says a lot about how well it's designed and how nice it really is!!! As far as the wooded flooring by the bed, you could have a little cabinet to store things in that's slender and long, because you might need a bigger mattress if you're gonna share the space with your girlfriend from time to time. This rig, you could truly live in if you were forced to, and I hope, if you replace your truck one day, you keep and transfer it to the newer one. If it doesn't have a potty, there's always portable camping versions that accommodate.

[@sonroqer8448]

To get it road ready, I would do a list of what you need but for every item, another even smaller list so that you can make big goals more organized and attainable. It looks so good already and I can't wait to see what you do with this Bigfoot rig. Best of luck dude!

[@johng530]

Hello from Montana! Good to see yet another "slide in" brother/sis on the road...

[@johnkennett617]

Those jacks are made by Victoria Industries, Victoria BC. Canada. Known for blowing the seals. There are kits for these jacks but hard to find.

[@timmele7031]

so stoked for you dude!

[@kerryhamilton1968]

Love your videos. I enjoy your enthusiasm for your camper and the style of your videos too.

[@shirleysimmer9149]

New camper looks great, looking forward to many adventures.

[@honeyiroam]

we are loving the new setup!

[@ginas.6656]

Nice camper so glad you found what you wanted and so much more room.

[@malakai8417]

The coffee "woo" I hope your back..Good luck to your future adventures!

[@kennethvalerio1294]

Oh what a feeling cheers to the new set up .

[@angelamurphy3331]

I love cats and yes I'm bias. Love your new rig ! 😺💚🍀💚😺

[@davidwalker1763]

Awesome camper. I think you will really enjoy it. Your cat is cool.

[@sheilacaine3962]

Oh yeah and the KEEPS ad was awesome. Your a natural.

[@mikeswales7839]

Haha Jonathan, been watching your videos for a while. Everything about you reminds me of a younger me! I'm 66 and love your videos.

[@michelle14749]

it really is an awesome camper!

[@kathleenschmidt1489]

It’s been fun watching your journey. The Keeps commercial was a hoot.

[@kathyclark2394]

Your cat is precious. I love cats. I have 3. They love staying outside until it gets cold.

[@rouxchat6033]

I travel with my small dog, a senior cat, and a tiny blind kitten found in the woods. It's nice to have companions and they alert me to things I can't hear, see, or smell. 🐶 😸 🐱

[@booboo7750able]

I like the way it looks inside, take your time on the remodel

[@svrepublic6551]

Congrats love the camper. It will be nice to see it a little renovation

[@theathjr]

Jonathan that camper looks great on the ol Toyoter. I almost died when you said adult lunchable was on the dinner menu. So funny. Can’t wait to see Tess’s opinion about it

[@lisachennault575]

Awesome! Congratulations 🍾🎉🎊🎈 😊! Looks comfy! Now you have head room! Love it 🥰 thank you 🙏🏼 for sharing

[@myvanlife1]

I think that is a really nice camper, nice find!!!

[@journeysbegun]

Great video. Love your editing style and your content. You got a sub! Happy trails!

[@RG-hf9em]

Thanks for taking us along on your 1st camp night with your new camper👌 It looks cool, cozy and comfortable.. once your electricity is hooked up you'll definitely be on the road faster. How much did the camper cost around?🙏 Is there a shower ? Happy travels🍀

[@tonistephens4068]

I just love your new tiny home!

[@valeriehopkins644]

Thanks for the great views. Many happy trips with Big Foot. First camping experience, the camper had a short. Quite the shocking experience.

[@gypsybelle4757]

Congratulations on your new to you camper!