RV review: Lance Squire SQ605 pickup camper—sized right, or kinda tight

Today’s RV review is something many of you have requested more of—truck camper reviews. This review is of the Lance Squire SQ605 pickup camper. Lance is showing this with a mid-sized Toyota Tacoma pickup, and the company is making noises about this being compatible with a mid-sized truck. But you all know I’m a sergeant on the Tow Police Force, so let’s talk about that first. 

Remember that just about anything you put in a vehicle that you’re going to tow or carry with is cargo. Those side rail steps? Cargo. That second spare tire? Cargo. 

Looking at the cargo-carrying specifications of a 2025 Toyota Tacoma, the maximum cargo capacity that I was able to find is 1,705 pounds. I would imagine that that’s for a less-well-equipped two-wheel-drive short-bed. The less stuff in the truck, after all, the more reserve capacity for your stuff. 

What is Lance Squire?

Lance has long been a brand associated with very well-crafted RVs. They have been known for pickup campers forever, it seems, and then also began building travel trailers and have gained quite a following. The company really does things better than many RV companies.

For example, their wiring is done in an automotive style with intentional wiring rather than what’s typical in the RV industry—where someone on the assembly line just pulls wires from a spool based on what they think they need. 

Lance also uses a lot of CNC machining. It’s not uncommon in the RV industry to see assembly workers with a router free-forming things like door and window openings as well as cuts in the floor for plumbing and wiring. Gosh, I could share some stories about missed cuts that were patched over with vinyl flooring. CNC cutting is better. 

As RVs got more and more expensive and more richly equipped, many RV companies discovered that some of the more fancy features they were incorporating just weren’t appreciated by customers. You’ll notice fewer digital control panels, and some RVs are cutting the number of slide rooms. 

So the Squire brand is the same Lance build quality but with a simplified feature set to make it more affordable. Lance still isn’t building cheap campers, but these are less well-equipped to make them more affordable. 

The most pronounced material difference on these might be the front cap. The traditional Lance brand has a fiberglass front cap, whereas the Squire models feature a more traditional wrapped fiberglass cap. 

Lance Squire SQ605 - 2025

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What’s inside the Lance Squire SQ605

In many ways, this is a simplified version of a camper, but there’s still much of what you might need. For example, there is a pressurized water system with an in-line water feature and a tankless water heater. That system feeds a sink in the kitchen. There’s also a two-burner stovetop and a bit of counter space. 

The seating is a U-shaped dinette with a swiveling table. The dinette measures 70” x 36”, so it would be able to accommodate some adults and most kids. There’s a bed over the cab and a bit of storage. 

Something clever in here is the MOLLE storage areas over the kitchen and dinette. These are stamped metal brackets, essentially, that are compatible with a literal ocean of containers, bags, and all manner of storage and holding gear. 

I really like this arrangement as the metal stamping is tough but also very flexible. This gives owners the opportunity to use the space in whatever way makes the most sense for them and take advantage of the huge number of storage options there are out there. 

There’s also a small fridge in here that runs off 12-volt power. 

Lastly, the interior ceiling height is 6’6”—so it’s pretty tall inside. 

What’s missing

You’ll notice that there is no bathroom in this camper. However, it does come with a Porta Potti. And there is also an outdoor shower. In talking to Lance, I would say this really would make sense with something like the Privy Bivy that I reviewed a while back. In fact, that’s exactly what we use when we only take our pickup in more remote camping. 

Conclusions

Considering the exterior size and weight of this camper, you do get much of what you’d need inside. Seating, sleeping, and even… well, there’s a Porta Potti. 

As with any of these pickup campers, I’d consider the truck first and foremost. But there’s a lot of value here. 

For those who want something bigger, perhaps something like the Lance Squire SQ805, depending on your truck. But, overall, if you’re someone who might use their truck during the week even for work and then want a great way to bring a camper, the Lance Squire SQ605 isn’t a bad choice. 

More about these RV reviews

These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.

Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.

You can also check out his RV podcast with Peggy. 

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