Montana’s Go Fast Campers has developed what is arguably the easiest and lightest out-of-the-box bugout solution we’ve seen. Made for the Ford Maverick, the GFC Platform Camper lets an owner carry cargo, protect that cargo and disappear by doing little more than pulling a few latches. Towers in the bed rails support a wedge tent that extends from about halfway up the Maverick’s cabin to the tailgate. What we love about this are the aluminum flaps on all three sides of the support structure. When lowered and locked, they enclose the bed, protecting everything there from foreign eyes and bad elements. When raised while camping, they provide shade for the awning, targeted weather protection and easy access to the tent. Wiley Davis, founder and CEO of GFC, calls it “an American-made product that turns your truck bed into a mixed indoor-outdoor living space that works like a portable cabana.”
Above that sits the slim hardshell around the wedge tent. Closed, the structure would add 6.5 inches to the height of the Maverick above the shark fin antenna. That’s about two inches longer than a four-door Ford Bronco with a soft top, about the same height as a base Ford F-150 XL, and about two inches lower than a Bronco with a hard top and roof rack. When opened, the wedge tent forms a 7.5 meter high roof at the highest point above the truck floor. For those who don’t mind standing or carrying a folding stool, the adjustable tent floor can make a desk. Inside the tent, a two-layer foam mattress forms a sleeping area of 90 by 50 inches. Above that, the translucent honeycomb roof lets in diffused light and provides a degree of insulation.
That’s just the beginning of the utility. We never recommend putting 500lbs of gear on the closed hardshell, but the hardshell can hold as much weight as there is simply nowhere else to fit bikes and fuel and adventure goods. When opened, the hardshell can still hold 75 pounds, enough for a couple of surfboards or a couple of bikes. The T-track on the shell circumference is for mounting the rack to place more items on it, or accessories such as lighting, tools or an awning.
Thanks to tubular aluminum construction for the rails and billet aluminum for the hinges and buckles, the entire kaboodle eats just 255 pounds of the Maverick’s 1,500-pound payload. The cost: $7,700 before options. Ford charges $3,449 for its black bed cap alone. Depending on where the MSRP for the 2023 Maverick ends up, buyers who don’t splurge on options can get the truck and RV for about $32,000 on a Maverick XL Hybrid to about $38,000 for a nicely equipped Maverick XLT with AWD after shipping and installation. That setup is arguably the pickiest part of the GFC Platform Camper; the company says buyers can either drop by its headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, or have white gloves delivered and installed in their driveway at home, a service that ranges from $750 to $1,000, depending on location. According to GFC, the camper can be ordered now and it will take eight weeks before it is ready.
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