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In this article I am going to show you some popular options for truck camper steps. Truck campers normally do not come with steps, so it is up to you to decide what is best for your camper setup. Certain types of steps work better than others for truck campers and I am only going to look at ones that I know that people are using happily and successfully. This is a very personal decision and will come down to what your needs are, but most likely you will decide on one of the steps below or a similar option for your truck camper. Make sure to check them all out and I will reveal my preferred step at the end of the article.

There are three main kinds of steps that will work for truck campers: hitch mounted steps, camper mounted scissor steps, and step ladders. Depending on your needs you might have certain criteria in mind that your steps must meet. For me, I was interested in a step that was easily stowed, light weight, and preferably mounted full time so that I never have to even worry about it, and it will always be there when needed. Others might be more concerned with mobility and ease of getting into their camper, but as a young family, we can make do with pretty much anything.

Hitch Mounted Steps

This is likely the most popular type of step for truck campers due to the simplicity and the ability to keep them in the receiver hitch without having to remove them for transit. There are many manufacturers of these steps and they come in all sorts of different varieties. There are small plastic steps as well as larger metal single steps and double steps depending on how much step you need to get into your camper.

Plastic Step

An example of a small plastic step is the WeatherTech 81BS1 Black Receiver Bump Step. This is likely the best of the plastic hitch mount steps available. It is able to hold 300lbs and the step surface is 11.5 inches by 3.5 inches. The WeatherTech 81BS1 Black Receiver Bump Step fits into standard 2″ receiver hitches and has multiple holes in it allowing you to be able to adjust it in or out of the receiver hitch to a distance you prefer. Be warned though, being plastic this step may have some flex and not feel as sturdy as some would prefer. To see more about this step, check it out at Amazon by clicking the picture below.

Another popular plastic step is the Otto Step. A step designed for pets but also works great for humans as well! The Otto Step is a single plastic step that weighs in at just 5 pounds and has a huge high grip stepping surface of 18″ by 16″ . It is designed for 2″ receiver hitches and is capable of supporting 200 pounds. A drawback of this step is that it does not have a hitch pin hole and just slides in and out of the hitch for use, so you have to remove it before driving as it is not secured. You can see more of the Otto Step at Amazon by clicking the picture below.

Single Metal Steps

This next set of hitch mounted steps has one step, but is made out of metal and is more sturdy than the plastic step, but also heavier. A benefit of these is that they are able to be left in the hitch receiver while traveling so you do not need to stow them and then worry about any setup when you get to your destination. There is a wide variety of these steps on the market and I will just cover a few of the more popular ones.

The Maxxhaul Hitch Extender with Step

The Maxxhaul Hitch Extender with Step as the name implies is primarily a hitch extender but also doubles as a sturdy metal step. For those who want to still be able to tow a small trailer or have a place to secure a bike rack this might be the best choice for them. This step features a 7″ wide by 14″ long stepping surface with an anti-slip diamond pattern. The step weighs in at approximately 14 pounds and fits into standard 2″ receiver hitches. The Maxxhaul step can wobble a bit and is best accompanied by an anti-rattle hitch tightener to make it rock solid.

CargoLoc Hitch Step

Another example of a single hitch mount step is the CargoLoc 32507 Hitch Step. The CargoLoc features a 6.5″ by 11″ stepping surface and can support 300lbs. It has a steel construction and fits all 2″ receiver hitches. Check it out below.

Double Metal Steps

In this section I’ll talk about a couple double metal steps. These are a good option for people with a taller vehicle or those that need a step closer to the ground. The downside of this is that if you leave the step in it could impact your ground clearance and you could drag the step depending on the type of terrain you are traveling in. These steps are also bigger and therefore heavier than the previous single steps.

PupSTEP HitchSTEP

This is another pet step that can also double as a human step. Weighing in at 20 pounds and capable of supporting 200 pounds the PupSTEP has a large high traction surface area. They are able to be folded up for travel which helps reduce how much the steps impact ground clearance. Distance from the ground to the first step is going to depend on the height of your receiver hitch from the ground, but the step hangs 10″ below the hitch when fully extended. These steps are also not fully metal, the step platforms themselves are plastic that attaches to a metal frame. The PupSTEP is available at Amazon.

C. R. Brophy RHS2 Two-Step Receiver Hitch Stair

The C. R. Brophy RHS2 Two-Step Receiver Hitch Stair is another worthwhile two step contender. This one is fairly bare bones but is made of all metal that can support 250 pounds. The Brophy RHS2 has three hitch pin holes allowing you to decide how far out from the receiver you want the steps to be. The low price of entry and simplicity of this step could make it a top contender for you if you are not concerned with ground clearance if you leave it in while traveling.

Step Ladders

Now it’s time to look at another category of truck camper steps. That category is step ladders! These are often chosen because of how easy it is to get into the camper with them. An added bonus of a step ladder is that it can also be used around the house when you’re not out exploring the world. Unfortunately step ladders do have drawbacks. They must be stowed while traveling and they are often not small. They also must be setup whenever you want to get into the camper. But for ease of use and comfort when you get to your destination this might be the choice for you.

The Little Giant

This is by far the most popularly recommended step ladder for gaining entry into truck campers. The Little Giant step ladder comes in a 2 step, 3 step, or 4 step configuration. The choice will depend on your preference and how high your truck camper is off the ground. The 3 step seems to be the most popular for truck camper applications. The Little Giant step ladders are all aluminum construction and capable of supporting 300 pounds. They have wide extra large steps that imitate a normal stairway making them extremely comfortable to use. The Little Giant is able to be folded up for storage and features a safety bar that can be folded down out of the way so that you can have unhindered access to your truck camper. All three versions are available at Amazon.

Haul-Master Step Stool

Another candidate in the step stool category is the Haul-Master Step Stool/Working Platform. This is a single step, but if the height is right it might be perfect for you. The height is 11.5″ from the ground. Being a single step platform it is light weight and takes up less room for storage.

Scissor Steps

There are only a couple contenders in the scissor step market. The first of these we will look at are the Brophy Scissor Steps. These steps require mounting a bracket beneath the camper door that the steps can latch to. These are the only steps that require mounting anything to your camper. That advantage of these steps is that they go all the way to the ground and self adjust to the terrain. The drawbacks to the Brophy Scissor Steps besides having to mount a bracket are that they have to be removed and stowed while driving and they are the most expensive step on this list. You can get a better look at the Brophy Scissor Steps at Amazon.

Moving on from the Brophy steps we will now look at the GlowStep from Torklift. The GlowStep has a couple of advantages over the Brophy steps. As the name implies they will glow in the dark for up to 10 hours providing you a safe entry/exit from your camper. Another benefit of the GlowStep is that they are able to folded up and secured in place for transit so you do not have to find a spot for them while you are driving. They are more expensive than the Brophy Scissor Steps but I believe these features are worth it. The GlowStep does require you to mount a mounting bracket to your camper in order to install them. Made in the USA and with a lifetime warranty, these should be high on your list of steps to get.

My Decision

After going through all of those options which option did I decide to go with? If you have read my article on the best bike racks for truck campers you know I chose the Maxxhaul Hitch Extender with Step. I chose the Maxxhaul because I am able to keep it in the receiver full time. I never have to mess with it and if I make a quick stop and want to get in the camper it is always right there to help me out. As a bonus I am able to mount a bike rack into it. The Maxxhaul Hitch Extender with Step is also budget friendly at just over $20.

I have made some modifications to the step to make it even better. Out of the box it wobbled in my receiver so I added a anti-rattle hitch tightener. I also put a piece of grip tape on the step surface to give it a bit more grip and I chose a bright colored design to make the step more visible. I have also secured the step to my truck with a hitch lock. The Maxxhaul Hitch Extender with Step is ready to purchase at Amazon.

I hope you enjoyed reading about the different types of steps available for truck campers! If I was able to help you make your decision for which truck camper steps were right for you let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading.