Your name: Bryan Rogala
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Nickname: Dirtbag
Make & Model: Automatic 2018 Toyota Tundra + 2021 Total Composites Wolf Slide In Truck Camper
HEST products: HEST Camp Pillows and Dually Long
Critical dimensions for your bed platform: It fits a HEST Dually Long perfectly (the mattress overhangs the width by maybe an inch).
Is this your daily driver or getaway car?
Truck is my daily, but the camper isn't on all the time—just for adventures.
On your average weekend adventure, what is the gear set up you bring with you? How did you navigate gear storage needs into your rig set up?
It depends on the trip, but I try to keep it as light as possible. A few pots and pans for cooking, fridge loaded with food and La Croix, and whatever gear the trip necessitates (usually mountain biking, hunting or ski gear). I build out the interior of the camper myself, so I tried to give it as much storage as possible without creating excess weight. I have a cabinet for kitchen items, and a "pantry" cabinet for food and other odds and ends. I also utilized overhead netting for clothes and bulky, lightweight items.
Any cool custom details you’re proud of?
The whole camper is custom, but I'm particularly proud of the Wallas Nordic DT Stove/Heater combo I put in the galley. By combining the furnace and stove, I saved space and weight and got the best of both worlds. I also love the floor plan in general—it gives us plenty of room for extra gear and gives our dogs room to stretch out.
Coolest place you’ve taken your rig to?
So far just all around New Mexico and Colorado.
Any projects in the pipeline to get the truck even more adventure ready?
I'll be adding some custom ski racks for ski season.
Biggest challenge in your build out?
Learning to build cabinets! My cabinets were about as simple as it gets, but there's a steep learning curve.
Tips for others looking to do the same to their vehicle?
Building a camper of any kind from scratch is a big project, but having a solid shell to work with is a must. For me, the insulated shell and straight walls made everything WAY easier than trying to build out a van or something else. It's also incredibly rewarding to camp out of something you built yourself!
