We currently have both types,gooseneck(calico) and truckbed(sunlite pop-up) camper and there are drawbacks to both.When we use the truck camper it is usually when we are going to Jeep events and have the wrangler on trailer behind us,if no jeep then when you set up camper you are stuck in one spot unless you break camp to go the store,but when we have the gooseneck trailer I have my truck free to go for water or whatever.The other thing to look for is the weight of the truck camper and the tongue weight of the BP trailer,they add up quickly and its not hard to go way over the limits.I would also recommend a weight distributing hitch for it seems to help improve the ride and handling of the trailer and truck/camper set-up and as for time we can have the gooseneck trailer hooked up way faster than the time it takes to load camper in bed and then hook up bumper trailer.

                                        Jerry

My wife and I have a 1976 8.5' slide-in pickup camper that goes in our '04 Chevy 2500HD with 3-horse CM (steel) trailer hooked to the bumper.  The camper is relatively light-weight, at 1300 lbs empty and I figure 1900 lbs loaded.

It has a stove-top, heater, and refrigerator.  Until this year, it was basically a hard-sided tent, because we never used any of the appliances.  A stove-top is pointless for us, but the refrigerator is handy and the heater may be used this fall.  40F inside makes getting out of the covers a bit chilly.  A shower and toilet are the two most useful things that our camper does not have.  Our next LQ, whether it be another pickup camper or a gooseneck trailer, will definitely have both.  Most places we go are pretty remote, and we can get by without a private bathroom, but it gets hard to find a tree at the fairgrounds or municipal campground.

I think 8.5' is as long as I would go in a pickup that is also towing.  Some friends have a 10.5', but that requires an extended hitch and weighs a lot.  Probably do-able with a dually, but I prefer a SRW pickup for it's versatility.

One thing we notice, is we can get into more places than our friends with long gooseneck LQ trailers.  (Or our friends that haul BPs with thier long motorhomes.)  We are always searching out more remote campsites and trailheads.  The pickup and BP trailer follows really well, where the people with gooseneck trailers have to worry about scraping the bottom or sides of their trailers

Personally, I would never own a soft-sided pop-up style camper, but the Alaskan style would be great, I think.  But spendy.

Loading or unloading the camper takes me about an hour, each direction.  That doesn't seem like much, but it's a pain in the butt.  We haven't had to take the camper off, yet, this summer, but normally it goes on and off about 3 times during the riding season.

With everything loaded and ready to go for a weekend, the gross weight of our rig is about 17,000 lbs, which is 1000 lbs over our GCWR.  And, our rear axle is 500 lbs over the GAWR.  I have upgraded tires, so it doesn't bother me too much.  But, yes, the pickup gets heavy quick.  On the other hand, some friends have a 3500 dually diesel with a newer, heavier 8.5' camper and aluminum 3H, and they're probably way under their GCWR and GAWR.

My wife and I go back and forth on what our next upgrade will be--a gooseneck trailer with LQ, or a nicer slide-in pickup camper.  But, for now, this is what we have, and it works out very well.

I used a pop up Sunlite camper with my two horse bumper pull with a large dressing room for several years. Like you I used it mainly as a dry sleeping space (and the soft side is really not very big and is more rubbery than like a tent canvas). The advantages were: I could fit in any spot. The camper only weighed about 1,000 pounds. I did get everything fixed in the camper (put in a new fridge, installed a window unit AC, new sink faucet, etc.) so I could use it more like a LQ. I liked having two beds (the overhead bed and then the couch that I kept as a bed) because many times a friend would go with me and we would each have our own bed. But I was stuck in camp if I wanted to go to town. It was tight in there for two people. I didn't have my truck bed to put anything in so everything had to go in the dressing room, including hay and the other person's stuff. I had to put stuff on the floor when it was time to leave and pop the top down.

Last August, I bought an older LQ trailer that I LOVE. I sold the pop up camper to the first person who looked at it. I would never go back. Now, of course, you can find truck campers with toilets/showers. I love having my larger space and it only takes me a few minutes to hook up the gooseneck (even with cranking!) I have the bed of the truck for my hay. I have a third stall with a stud wall for extra stuff. I LOVE having my own air conditioned shower!

You do what makes you happy. I just think the LQ trailer is the way to go for me from now on. I do still have my bumper pull trailer for day rides. And everything including my truck is paid for!

A truck and camper are an ideal way to travel. No parking problems. Your home is ready at hand with many comforts and you probably already own the truck. The camper can be removed and the truck used for other projects, lessening the need for an additional vehicle.

However, when you include towing a trailer, especially one capable of carrying multiple horses, problems creep up. The first is the carrying capacity of the truck. The combination of a camper and tongue weight of a 2H ST load trailer can make many trucks say "uncle". Many new equipped campers have weights starting out around one ton. When water and gear are added, it's easy to add another 500 #. A loaded two horse trailer with a dressing room, can have a tongue weight of over a thousand pounds. Add the loads together and you've exceeded the capacity of a 3/4 ton pickup.

Loading a camper and setting it up, then hitching the trailer, takes some time. You have two pieces of equippment to purchase, maintain and store. If you usually only use your camper when the horses are involved, a LQ trailer is far easier to use. It only takes a few minutes to hook up, there is less weight on the truck for the same amount of living space, and the towing experience is much more stable and safe.

We did the camper bit with two trucks, several campers and bumper pull trailers. Because we do not mainly camp without the horses, we have switched to and enjoy the LQ trailers. The truck is ready for hauling of any kind and the trailers can be hooked up in just a few minutes. I can't dump the trailer as I almost did with the camper, while attempting to load it by myself.

The towing experience is more relaxed, the mileage is improved, and we are much happier with the LQ trailers.

For reference, I found the thread where I posted my scale weights from my setup.  http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=9495&posts=16

I have reconfigured a few things since then, such as the receiver hitch, so I'd be interested to re-weigh it someday.

OK, did the whole Camper / BP for years. 

Pro: small rigs can park in more places

Con: have to break camp to go get groceries or tire repaired. Pain in the a** to load the camper on to truck by myself. (no power jacks, just manual ones)

Now have LQ.   So much easier to hook up and go than with the Camper/BP.  More space with the weight in a better place for the truck to pull/haul.  Can use the truck for anything I want.  Still have the BP for "quick trips".

I've used both types of set-ups through the years, and there are pros and cons to both. A truck/camper, can often travel down rougher and worse roads when rough camping than a longer bumper pull. It's shorter size can make turning around in a small area easier. When rough camping with the camper, you won't feel the horses move around so much when tied to the trailer. A camper and bumper pull might be more economical than a full sized living quarters trailer. You can choose to use them seperately, which can be handy if you will do most of your hauling without needing a place to stay.

But I don't think you're going to find it adventagous in your situation. You mentioned that your problem is having to use one truck for both work (with a cap on place already) and then remove the cap to hook up to a gooseneck. Yes, I can see why this is a pain. But putting a camper on is even a bigger pain, and seldom a one person job. So when you want to camp with horses you're still going to have to remove the cap, then put on the camper, then hook up the bumper pull, then reverse the entire process when you return. Seems like alot of hassle.

On the other hand, if you will almost never camp, but just want a quick way to hook up your horse trailer, a bumper pull would save these problems. So I guess the real question is - will you prefer a big job moving things around a few times a year but it easier the rest of the time, or some inconvience all the time without the big job?

Personally I prefer my livings quarters. I haul and show alone most of the time, and I like the fact that I can unhook once there and travel without the hassles of a camper. Also, if someone in my family has to run off with the truck when I'm at the show, everything doesn't go with them! But a good camper can work well, so it is a feasible option if you decide to go that way.

I think I have tried everything.  Even an Aliner 500 lb. truck camper with trailer behind.  Know thyself is what it comes down to.  For me, loading a truck camper is a chore I dread.  So, I opted for a gooseneck.  Right now I have a 4Star 2 horse with weekender and cowboy shower.  Since I clean out my trailer anyway, this keeps the rig shorter and works for me.  Am considering switching to a stock living quarters/hauling more horses with me these days.  I have a 16' featherlite stock for sale, along with the 4 star weekender, if anybody is out shopping....

Don't underestimate the comments about towing safety.  The gooseneck pulls safe and true.  I waddled around on the road with my camper/trailer setups, even though I never exceeded weight limits.  Just a sloppy load compared to a gooseneck, or at least it was with my 3/4 ton 4 X 4 Ram.