ORU Designs: All Season Truck Campers Made In The USA – Affordable & Innovative Options For The Tacoma, Highlight & Overview
ORU Designs is a truck camper manufacturer located in San Marcos, California. Sticking with locally sourced materials and a simple universal design, they offer affordably priced campers in both pop-up and wedge styles.
With their Tenfold wedge style model starting at $5,999, it’s pretty competitively priced for the base model – with add-on packages. Furthermore, they were one of the first companies to bring a hard-walled pop-up camper to the market, elevating the term glamping to a whole new level.
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About ORU Designs
ORU Designs has been in business since 2021 and started production of campers in 2022. All of them are made in-house from CNC aluminum sheets, including bending, welding, and final assembly. Once the components are welded together and ground down, they are sent out for powder coat and then brought back in for the final assembly.
“ORU” is a Japanese word that means to fold or to bend. The name of the company came to be after the Bruin was designed with its folding hard wall structure.
Their facility houses both production and assembly/installation buildings and is in a very accessible location to CA residents.
The production facility is efficiently laid out with everything planned out for a smooth workflow. For example, the CNC machine is next to the press brake. From there, all parts smoothly flow into the welding area. Currently, they can produce around three to five campers a week with plans to expand even further.
ORU produces for both full-size and mid-sized trucks with both long and short beds. They do not do custom work or modifications. Everything is built in-house and built to order.
Bruin Hard-Walled Pop Up Camper
The Bruin hard-walled camper was one of the first of its kind. The design features a hybrid system putting together a composite material for walls and mesh corners. The top of the it has an aluminum frame and a composite sheet for the roof. Finally, the whole thing can be popped open with one hand with the assistance of the gas struts once the latches are free.
There are three sub-models to the Bruin…
- Weekender – An entry-level model with very few features and no windows on the base.
- Adventurer – Includes everything from the Weekender but adds windows on the passenger, cab, and rear window to the base. Furthermore, there is a driver-side access door. This model also includes a 4-in memory foam mattress.
- Pro – Includes everything from the Adventurer model but adds rear barn doors, driver-side camper windows with access doors, and passenger-side access door also retaining the window. This model also includes a Maxxair Fan in the ceiling.
Tenfold Wedge Style Camper
The Tenfold topper is bridging the gap with its wedge-style design and affordability. The base model starts right at $6k, which is competitive for a rooftop tent plus bed rack setup.
The Tenfold has the same model categories and feature sets as the Bruin: Weekender, Adventurer, and Pro. The biggest advantage of the Tenfold is the weight. Starting at 275lbs, this system rivals some larger standalone rooftop tents.
There are a few other differences between the Tenfold and Bruin as well…
- Wedge vs. pop-up
- Tan walls tent canvas walls vs. white composite hard walls
- Decrease in internal space due to the wedge design
Each design has its pros and cons, but the quality and design are top-notch in both.
Ordering Process
Ordering a camper is done online through their website with a $500 nonrefundable deposit. Once your invoice and paperwork are processed, it is put into the build queue.
The paperwork provided includes a diagram of a truck. You will need to note down key information such as make, model, and truck bed dimensions. This information will be used to build the camper to perfectly fit the vehicle. The build process will take 8-12 weeks.
There are some additional options available to you during the ordering process and you may stop by the production facility to view one in person. Or, ORU will get in touch with past customers in your area to see if you can view their camper. Financing is also available through Stream Light.
The product comes with a 30-day return window and a 1-year warranty covering manufacturing defects.
Final Thoughts
I have had the opportunity to visit ORU Designs a couple of times since I am often in the San Diego area for work. In just a few short months, I have seen the company get further and further refined. Quickly expanding in space and team size, they have been able to increase their production capacity while also doing installation, shipping, and repairs.
The overall attention to detail and the quality put into the campers are abundantly evident. At their price point, one may think that corners may be cut but after getting my hands on a Tenfold, I can confidently say that this isn’t the case. The quality far exceeds the price point.
ORU Designs continues to innovate and expand its camper and accessory line as they forge their path forward, and I’m excited to see what the future has in store.
