If you enjoy boondocking or you’re ready to take your tent or car camping game to the next level, a truck camper may be a good fit for you. A truck camper is essentially a small pop-up or hard-shell camper that attaches to the back of your pickup truck. And it’s like having a cozy little house on wheels and makes overlanding all that much more fun. That’s why Tune Outdoor was created, to offer a new practical and comfortable truck camper solution to help you sleep in a real bed and have a place to cook and relax while you’re exploring nature.

And unlike traditional truck camper companies, Tune Outdoor is doing things a bit differently. So let’s get Unpacked with Tune Outdoor to see what the brand is all about.

Tune Outdoor’s Origins

Tune Outdoor is a direct-to-consumer brand based in Denver. In spring 2023, the founders recently unveiled its highly anticipated and innovative entry into the lightweight truck camper market: the Tune M1.

This popup canopy truck topper combines design innovation, simplicity, and a streamlined production process to deliver exceptional performance, a stylish aesthetic, and the industry’s best weight-to-space ratio. It’s poised to revolutionize the vehicle-based adventure and active outdoor community with its leap forward in design and utility.

The inspiration behind Tune Outdoors and the creation of the Tune M1 came from a deep-rooted desire to innovate backcountry access — specifically for pickup trucks.

“We started a number of years ago with the product concept based on a desire to innovate what was out there for backcountry access via a pickup truck,” said Sean Kepler, president of Tune Outdoor. “The branding reflects our desire to think bigger than campers.”

The brand’s name, Tune Outdoor, holds significant meaning as it represents a highly maneuverable Viking ship and a state of mind that aligns with the company’s mission to bring humans closer to their natural state by facilitating easy access to outdoor pursuits. For Kepler, a rock climber, the Tune M1 camper is more like a “meditation delivery device” that allows him to access remote South Platte crags in Colorado like never before.

Tune Outdoor product engineers added two unique features into the Tune M1 truck camper. First, is extra horizontal space inside the camper, thanks to their winged truck bed base profiles. Toyota Tacoma owners (in particular) can’t stop raving about the additional 6 inches of space on each side, making the camper feel incredibly roomy and ideal for taller campers. Plus, with T-slots on all surfaces, you’ll have nearly 500 feet of endless possibilities to connect racks, awnings, and interior accessories, so there is a lot of versatility.

You can also get a comfortable night’s sleep with an approximate queen-sized bed in every camper, and an extension is available for a king-sized bed. No more tossing and turning on a cramped sleeping pad.

Below, I’ll dive into their design process, customer experiences, and the exciting future they have in store.

M1 Camper Design Process

Engineers meticulously crafted the Tune M1 camper with a careful balance of factors such as weight, durability, and livability. “We constantly evaluated every aspect of the industrial design for these key attributes + aesthetic,” said Kepler.

The team at Tune Outdoor sought input from experienced engineers, including those from Space X and Boeing, as well as focus groups and expert manufacturers. They focused on the finish and how the various components came together to create a clean, minimalist, and spacious product. The Tune Outdoor team also did environmental testing to ensure the camper’s durability against road shock, water, and other mishaps.

One of the aspects that sets Tune Outdoors apart from other companies producing truck campers is its unique business model and reliance on a modern supply chain.

“We get more out of less owned infrastructure and a larger network of partners,” said Kepler.

By designing custom extrusions, brackets, and other parts manufactured by top craftspeople, Tune Outdoor has created an innovative, strong, and durable camper that couldn’t be built in a single facility. The Tune M1’s components are complex, thoughtful, and worthy of pending patents. The company’s modern supply chain and manufacturing processes allow them to create capacity that traditional fabricators struggle to match.

Tune M1 Production Cycle

The production cycle for a Tune M1 camper is designed to ensure quality control and customer satisfaction. Upon receiving a $500 deposit on their website, Tune Outdoor initiates contact with the customer to discuss customization and add-ons for the order.

The build process begins once the payment is received since each camper is custom-made. The company engages its local supply chain to source glass/aluminum awnings and other unique truck-specific components. Through a series of prep and kitting stages tied to testing and fitness measurements, the build progresses. Roughly 30-45 days after the build kick-off, the camper is installed at Tune Outdoor’s headquarters in Denver — ensuring attention to detail and quality control throughout the installation process.

The Future of Tune Outdoor

Looking toward the future, the Tune Outdoor team envisions further innovations for the Tune M1 camper, like accessories that align with their design philosophy of minimalism, modularity, utility, and aesthetic appeal.

“We are working on a number of additional innovations for the Tune M1, accessories that fit our design philosophy and create measurable value in the current marketplace,” added Kepler.

While the brand sees potential for future extensions, their primary focus remains on executing their vision with the Tune M1.

Since their consumer-facing launch in mid-February of 2023, Kepler is overwhelmed by the positive response from consumers and the outdoor community. Early adopters of the Tune M1 are enthusiastic advocates, and Kepler shared a heartening anecdote.

“One initial Tune M1 convert was accused of being our employee for his social media exploits!”

The company is grateful for the progress they have made thus far and remains committed to commercializing their visions and culture. As Kepler said, “The first Tune M1 production install is happening as I write.”

The Tune M1 camper is available for purchase directly from the Tune Outdoor website, with a base model price of $12,999. The brand’s commitment to design excellence, durability, and customer satisfaction positions the Tune M1 as an exceptional choice for outdoor enthusiasts seeking a lightweight and versatile truck camper that will take them on unforgettable adventures.

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Suzanne Downing is an outdoor writer and photographer in Montana with an environmental science journalism background. Her work can be found in Outdoors Unlimited, Bugle Magazine, Missoulian, Byline Magazine, Communique, MTPR online, UM Native News, National Wildlife Federation campaigns and more.

Unpacked is a regular feature on ActionHub to help people discover new performance and lifestyle items that will amplify their adventures and outdoor experiences. This article was not sponsored by the brand or any PR/marketing agency, and all opinions are that of the ActionHub writer.