Your point of entry is one of the most important features to consider when choosing between truck camper doors on your custom camper, whether your Hiatus Camper is popped up or down. This is a decision you need to make at the time of order, because we are not able to swap door styles after the manufacturing process.
Because these custom pop up campers are made to order, we design them just how you’d like them. Either way you’ll still have the folding, hard-sided design to pop up in any season.
We’ll break down the pros and cons of both styles to help you choose the right option for your travel style.
Getting In and Out: Which truck Camper Door Is Easier?
The majority of folks (including us!) prefer the double back doors, commonly referred to as “barn doors” in the truck camper space.
One big detail to note is that it requires you to remove your tailgate, because the double back door frame nests in the tailgate frame. This lowers the height that you need to step up into your camper. Some rear bumpers have a step already present in the bumper profile that they use as a midway point to get into the camper. Other folks will purchase a removable hitch mounted step that they will install whenever they go camping.
The rear hatch door is compatible with your factory tailgate. To enter the camper you must drop your tailgate, then climb up and over to enter your camper. For some this is no issue, but for others, it is not as easy as stepping into a doorway.
“Barn doors allow you to step inside instead of getting on your knees.”
— Ryan Joseph, Hiatus Customer
Using Your Tailgate as a Workspace: Is It Worth Keeping?
The removal of your tailgate is required for the double back door upgrade, so you will lose the utility of this feature.
When choosing between truck camper doors, some customers choose to retain their tailgate because it offers a built-in workstation or tabletop when folded down. At the campsite, it may be an outdoor seat to watch the sunset. For those who work in construction or tie down large equipment, a tailgate is a must for hauling items. While not its primary purpose, having a place to actually tailgate at your home team’s game is also a plus!
“I like to sit and cook on the tailgate… it’s easier for the dog to get up.”
— Dee Michaelson, Hiatus Customer
truck Camper Door Opening Size: What to Expect
The double back doors are optimized to keep the entry opening as wide as possible. Roughly speaking, you will only lose a couple of inches on either side (the thickness of the frame).
The rear hatch door sits above your tailgate, so no width is lost in the tailgate area.
For both entry styles the frame style (angled vs vertical) will also affect the width. This is because the shape of the angled frame tapers inward at the top, which limits the width of the door slightly. Since the double back doors are rectangular, they are constrained by the narrowest point on the angled frame. While the hatch style door sits above the tailgate, the door itself is a little narrower on the angled frame for the same reasons. Opting for the vertical walls will maximize the entry opening and provide an extra inch or so on either side.
Custom Door Options: Single and Asymmetrical Doors
One of the reasons customers choose Hiatus is the ability to customize their truck camper doors beyond standard, off-the-shelf options. Because each camper is built to order, you’re not limited to a single door configuration. Popular choices include a single centered door or asymmetrical double back doors, both of which open up more flexibility when planning your interior layout.
These custom door options make it easier to run full-length benches or storage along one or both sides of the camper without blocking your main entry point. They can also create more usable space at the rear for gear storage and L-track placement. If you’re planning to add features like a heating system, it’s worth considering how your door configuration and interior layout will affect things like exhaust port placement early in the build process.
Rear Visibility: double back Doors vs Tailgate Door
The double back doors come standard with a fixed window in each door. While the windows are centered on the door, they are not right next to each other – and the doors themselves are not see through. When comparing truck camper doors, the double back doors offer some visibility, but not as much as the hatch door. Folks who plan to install an interior may not have visibility requirements, because the furniture items would be blocking the windows/view anyhow.
The rear hatch door has one large window that we line up roughly with the cab window. This retains the best visibility out of the rear. This would require the customer to also upgrade to the cab-side window on the lower frame.
“Visibility out the back is a bit different with the door frame in the middle.”
— Yehring Jym, Hiatus Customer
What Happens to Your Backup Camera?
If you have an OEM backup camera in your tailgate, then removing the tailgate for the double back doors would essentially remove this feature. However, we offer bracketry to mount your OEM backup camera above your license plate. You can purchase this in our Hiatus Gear Shop if you already have your camper, or let us know to include it in your future install. Your OEM camera would need to be removed from your tailgate, which would mean if you put your tailgate back on then it would be missing it. Another option is to purchase an OEM replacement backup camera from the dealership to use instead. That way you would have a secondary camera on hand and could leave your tailgate as is!
The rear hatch door doesn’t affect your tailgate, so this entry style does not require any changes.
“I removed and relocated the camera. Not that big a deal.”
— Jamie Blumenthal, Hiatus Customer
How Each Door Handles Rain and dust
One of the biggest advantages that the double back doors offer is protection from water and dust intrusion at the rear. Because the double door frame nests into the tailgate frame, we can add bulb seals where the double door frame interfaces with the tailgate frame. This seals the zone around the entry point.
On the tailgate hatch door, you will retain your tailgate as-is, similar to a standard canopy topper. There are naturally gaps on the sides of the tailgate that can let water or dust into the camper. This is by design of the truck manufacturer. For some folks, this may be a non-issue, especially if they don’t plan to install an interior or don’t regularly camp in wet or dusty conditions. There are also aftermarket bulb seal kits available to help reduce these gaps in a truck camper setup.
How to Choose the Right truck camper Doors
This decision is truly up to personal preference and you really can’t go wrong with either style. When comparing different truck camper doors, it often comes down to how you plan to use your setup day to day. If you plan to build out an interior or have ease of entry considerations, we would recommend the double back doors. If you plan to use your rig as a daily driver or work truck, then the rear hatch door will fit the bill. In either case your Hiatus will transform your truck into the ultimate adventure rig.
“The more I build out the camper the more I wish I got the barn doors.”
— Bazz Kudzie“Think about how you plan to use it… that’s what matters most.”
— Jack DiMarchi
Reviews from Hiatus Camper Owners
At the end of the day, choosing between double back doors and a tailgate door comes down to your goals when using your truck camper. Both options work well, but they serve different priorities when it comes to access, storage, and overall setup.
If you want to hear directly from people who have already made that decision, we’ve built a community in our Facebook group, Hiatus Campers: The Official Owners Group. It’s a place where prospective buyers can ask questions, see real-world builds, and learn from owners after months or years of use. You’ll find everything from feature decisions and interior layouts to what people would do differently the next time around.
If you’re still weighing your options, it’s a helpful place to continue your research and get perspectives beyond just ours.
However you decide, both door styles have been proven in real-world use, it just comes down to what fits your setup and how you like to use your truck.
Curious how this would look on your own truck? Our Build Your Rig tool lets you try a few different options and features, with a full feature brochure following deposit. Start exploring your Hiatus camper setup!
