For years, a Lexus GX470 and a Gen 3-R rooftop tent took Chase Gardner to the most remote corners of the American West. Then remote work stretched his trips from weekends into months, and the tent hit its ceiling. Four weeks into the shakedown trip of his Ram 3500 ModCAP build, we asked him what's changed.
“I am literally writing this while laying in the top of the camper next to a running river on our fourth week on the road,” Chase told us when we reached out to him to check in how he was enjoying his new ModCAP Camper. “I could not be loving this camper more.”
That feedback carries some weight. For years Chase ran a Gen 3-R rooftop tent on his Lexus GX470. Now, after spending nine months building his new truck, Chase has a ModCAP Camper fitted to the back of a Ram 3500.
A cinematographer, photographer, and FPV pilot based in Tucson, Arizona, Chase is the co-founder of Two Track Nation. “If my friends had to describe me in one sentence,” he says, “it would probably be something along the lines of ‘a DIY jack of all trades that has an insane passion for travel and making inspirational adventure content.’”
The Rooftop Tent Years
Chase's route into overlanding was an accident. He bought a 2WD 4Runner to tow his drift car and “I was hooked. I basically quit drifting overnight.”
The 4Runner became a 2009 GX470. His first real camera arrived around the same time. As well as the Gen 3-R rooftop tent. “It was completely accidental, but I've never been happier travelling and living for adventure.”
That setup still serves him well. “The way the rear tailgate swings open to the side allows me to create a perfect cooking area — and with the Shadow Awning open, it's a perfectly protected corner.”
The rig has taken him far, including a route along the southern Arizona border, roughly 130 miles of desert with no towns, no water, no cell service and no shade.
“It's so remote that there are signs along the way warning people trying to cross the border that they will literally die if they continue north any further. It's unbelievably beautiful out there, but if anything goes wrong you can be in a bit of a situation.”
The Moment the Tent Was No Longer Enough
So what pushes a rooftop tent owner towards a camper? For Chase, it was Starlink.
He had just gone remote with his day job and took a trip through Colorado and Southern Utah to test working from the road. “It was an absolute life-changing moment where I suddenly realized I could extend my trips and go farther, simply by being able to stay connected.”
Suddenly trips weren't measured in weekends anymore. And when the weather turned on a trip in Southern Utah, and stayed that way, Chase found himself sitting in the passenger seat for days on end. He came to the realisation that he needed more space.
Once his partner Annelise joined the picture it was an easy decision. Two people, two remote jobs, camera gear, and no end date meant skipping the mid-size trucks entirely. A Ram 3500 Laramie with a ModCAP Camper was the answer.
“This allows us to carry camera gear, clothes for long periods of time, enough water storage to take showers, lithium battery for cooking and charging gear, and enough room where one can work in a spacious cab and the other a cozy camper if we need to hold simultaneous meetings.”
Building Around the ModCAP
Chase completed 99% of the nine-month build alone.
“The philosophy for this build was the GX470, but supersized. I wanted all the capability that I built into the GX, but with more room. What I learnt building the GX, I carried over, including the Alu-Cab camping system, just at the ModCAP Camper level. I truly love everything about these products. I've dented them in multiple places and they just kept working.”
The ModCAP became the anchor for everything else. 150-amp charging and provision for around 900 watts of solar. 32 gallons of water running through a 4-stage filtration system with a UV filter on the drinking tap and an onboard shower. And because Chase filmed and edited the entire nine-month process himself, you can watch what else he fitted to his new rig (the video is at the bottom of this page).
His advice for anyone weighing DIY against a fitment centre? “There's nothing wrong with having a reputable shop build or install parts for you. It definitely saves a lot of time. I would just recommend you take the time to understand how the suspension, electrical system, or anything else that you do to your vehicle actually works. So you know where to look when you start hearing odd noises on the trail.”
Life With the ModCAP
After four weeks of living in his truck full time, what's the major difference between a rooftop tent and a camper?
“It has truly been life changing going from a rooftop tent to the ModCAP Camper. It's made all of the little things that much easier, and when you're on the road for a long time, it really adds up. Changing when getting ready for bed or in the morning, ESCAPING MOSQUITOS, hiding away from the sun... The best part is we have a literal lounge and work table inside the camper that is so, so comfortable to use. It's made my dream of making long-term travel more accessible a reality.”
Camp setup got faster too. “The biggest change for me is no longer needing to carry a ladder. When you're pulling in at night, it's extremely nice to be able to just walk behind the truck, pop the top, and you're essentially done. And we can't forget that the bed is way bigger as well.”
The ModCAP Rear Door Kitchen has become the heart of the whole operation. “This is one of our favorite parts of the whole camper, as pretty much everything we need for most meals is stored inside. A typical dinner consists of dropping the table, plugging the cook tops in, and in a few minutes dinner is done. The best part? The silverware roll is hanging from the table and plates are strapped right behind it.”
Morning coffee is even simpler: “Just drop down the table and boil some water, done. The organization and completeness is incredible.” And if the weather turns, “it's all still accessible from inside the camper if you have to cook inside.”
The ModCAP Life
A surprise feature, and something Chase didn't realize how much he'd like, is the ModCAP's side doors.
“Being able to pop both gullwings and get a breeze through the camper is incredible. Especially when it's raining and we have the Shadow Awning out. We can pop one side in combination with the rear door and really get some air flow. As well as being able to chat with someone easily outside the camper.”
The interior molle panels hold Pelican bags full of cables and a mini movie projector. Spices live in the kitchen and the water tank molle panel doubles as a tie-down point for the lounge cushions. And yes, there's a Can Crusher. “I actually had a perfect can crush the other day and nobody was around to see it. We've mostly been crushing beers after the big travel days. It's been a hit with everyone. I mean, who else has a can crusher?”
For all the comfort, what's earned his respect is how much the ModCAP packs into its footprint.
“It's big enough that we were able to create a spacious seating area while still housing tons of water and electronics. We could probably fit five people in there if we wanted while still being appropriately sized on the outside. It doesn't stick out past the body of the vehicle too much. This is going to come in handy once we start putting her on the rocks, or on the Rubicon eventually.”
Should You Make the Same Upgrade?
Chase was a Gen 3-R owner first, so we asked him what he'd tell someone lying in their rooftop tent wondering whether the ModCAP is their next step.
“The biggest thing to think about is how you intend to use it. If you want a space you can walk into, then absolutely consider a ModCAP. If you're happy with your rooftop tent and want to be able to take the tent on and off really quick for trips, then maybe staying with or getting a Gen 3-R is the way to go.”
In other words: the tent isn't wrong, and the camper isn't automatically right. It comes down to how long you stay out. For Chase, whose trips went from weekends to month-plus stints the answer is obvious.
What's Next
The build isn't finished. Front and rear lockers, a regear, sliders and possibly a rear tray are on the list. This is all in preparation for the Pan-American Highway, which Chase and Annelise plan to run for a couple of years, living out of the ModCAP the entire way. But first, a Baja trip.
Right now, Chase is exactly where he wants to be. On top of the camper, next to a running river, week four of a trip with no real end date and Annelise by his side.