Bamboo entryway
- Sealed entry zone keeps wet boots, mud and gear contained.
- Removable stomp tray for easy cleaning, prevents mildew.
About / Bellingham, WA / Since 2016
The Story, and the Shell.
How and why Kimbo builds hand-riveted aluminum slide-in campers — hard-side truck bed campers, frameless, riveted, four-season ready, and serviceable for life.
How it's built
Built like an aluminum boat. Designed for constant exposure.
Kimbo is constructed similarly to aluminum boats — designed for movement, weather, and long-term use. Built to handle harsh conditions without rot or hidden damage, prioritizing repairability and durability over sealed, disposable construction.
Shell
0.1″ 5052
Frameless aluminum monocoque.
Insulation
R5–R10
K6 is R5; K8 is R10. Rigid foam, every panel.
Dry weight
830–1,660 lb
Across the lineup.
"Hand-riveted at 1.5" spacing. The seams ARE the structure."
The shell
Frameless aluminum, riveted for off-road durability.
0.1″ 5052 aluminum monocoque, riveted and sandwiched into one rigid, frameless shell. There is no separate frame — the shell is the structure.
Aluminum won't rot, mold or decay. Nothing in the shell breaks down over time.
UV does not shorten shell life. Bright uncoated aluminum reflects heat and helps maintain interior temperature in direct sun.
Rivets at 1.5″ spacing distribute loads across many points — failures are easily repaired without weakening the structure.
Watch / How Kimbos are made
How Kimbos are made.
Mark walks Talon Sei through the Bellingham factory — from palletized aluminum sheets to the 1.5″ rivet spacing that defines the structure.
Stages of the build
From flat panels to a finished camper.
Stage 01
Structural assembly
All of the nested parts begin to become a camper. Beginnings of electrical, wooden partition, propane bays, and metal partitions.
Stage 02
Birth of a Kimbo
Pieces are assembled and the interior is caulked. Tie-down brackets installed. Thousands of rivets — kept tight at 1.5" spacing — secure the shell.
Stage 03
Interior systems
Jack brackets, ladder, wiring, propane bay lining. Rigid foam insulation (R5 on K6, R10 on K8) applied to every panel. Trim, battery, baskets, lighting and storage installed.
Stage 04
Quality control
Each camper is pressure-tested — every seal verified. Then thoroughly inspected with a fine-tooth comb before delivery.
Watch / Modules and configurations
Inside a configured Kimbo.
Mark walks through every module option — solar, fireplace shrouds, refrigerator, kitchen layouts, storage nooks, AC, shower, awning, and surf rack — so you can visualize the configuration that fits how you'll actually use the camper.
Serviceability
Easy to service.
- — Insulation isn't glued to the shell. Interior panels remove for full access.
- — Cleaning, repair and upgrades remain possible decades from now.
- — Rivets distribute loads — individual failures are easily repaired.
End-of-life
Built to be repaired indefinitely.
Fully recyclable. Not abandoned, landfilled, or left to rot. The opposite of disposable construction.
Interior details
The pieces inside the shell.
Windows
- Acrylic — lighter and more shatter-resistant than glass.
- Standard RV components, easy to replace and repair.
- Spaced double-pane design minimizes condensation.
Insulation
- Rigid foam on every panel — ceiling, floor, walls, hutch. R5 on the Kimbo 6, R10 on the Kimbo 8.
- Won't sag or droop. Each panel is custom-numbered.
- Removable individually with thumb screws — fully serviceable.
Payload
830–1,660 lbs dry across the lineup.
Confirm fit and payload with our suspension guide before you reserve.
Visit
Come see one in Bellingham.
Visit the factory, meet the team, and step inside the shell.
Watch / Inside the workshop
How a Kimbo comes together.
From flat aluminum sheet to a finished camper rolling out of the Bellingham shop.