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Press & media

Selected coverage of Kimbo Campers.

National press, truck-camper authorities, and creator content covering Kimbo since 2014. For working journalists, the press kit and contact are below.

National press
NYT · PM · Seattle Times
Industry award
#1 Slide-In · Popular Mechanics
Verified pieces
42 · 24 publications
Creator views
7M+ on YouTube

Press kit

For working journalists.

info@kimboliving.com

About Kimbo Campers

Kimbo Campers builds hand-riveted aluminum hard-side slide-in truck bed campers in Bellingham, Washington. Founded by Mark King in 2016, the company has delivered 600+ units across two product lines — the Kimbo 6 for midsize trucks (Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado) and the four-season Kimbo 8 for full-size trucks (Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, Ram). Every Kimbo is made-to-order from marine-grade 5052 alloy, hand-riveted by a small Bellingham factory team. The brand is known for its monocoque shell construction, double-pane Arctic Tern windows, and Dickinson diesel heaters that deliver four-season capability.

Founder

Mark King

Mark King grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Son of a U.S. Navy submarine captain, he learned to weld at fifteen and filed his first patent in his late teens. After Bellingham Technical College, he sold an organoleptic analyzer to General Mills — a story profiled in The New York Times — and used the proceeds to found Trayvax Enterprises, the metal-wallet company that has now sold 2M+ units. He gave a TEDx talk in 2013 on taking on big projects. Inspired by the space-efficient design of nuclear submarines and his own years living in a 19-foot Airstream, he built the first Kimbo prototype in 2016 and drove it 30,000 miles around the country before bringing the platform to market. He later moved to Boston to attend MIT Sloan and graduated from Harvard Business School in 2022 — the day after graduation, he hand-built a log cabin in Vermont before returning to Bellingham to lead development of the Kimbo 8.

Key facts

  • — Founded 2016 in Bellingham, Washington
  • — 600+ campers delivered as of March 2026
  • — Two model lines: Kimbo 6 (from $27,990) and Kimbo 8 (from $42,990)
  • — Hand-riveted aluminum monocoque shell — no internal frame
  • — R5 (Kimbo 6) and R10 (Kimbo 8) foam insulation, four-season capable
  • — Factory: 3823 Hammer Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226
  • — Sales: +1 (360) 527-5296 / sales@kimboliving.com

Brand assets

Logo files (SVG, PNG), wordmark, brand guidelines, and color palette available on request.

Product photography

High-resolution Kimbo 6 and Kimbo 8 photography for editorial use available on request.

Founder availability

Mark King is available for interviews, podcasts, and factory visits. Lead time typically 1-2 weeks.

Recognition

Industry awards & editorial picks.

Popular Mechanics

Named #1 Slide-In Truck Camper

Popular Mechanics chose the Kimbo 6 as their slide-in truck camper pick in 'The Coolest Campers in Every Size and for Most Budgets.' "We're smitten with the Kimbo camper, which fits six-foot and larger pickup beds, again for its utility and wealth of features at a super low price."

Nov 2020·Chris Dixon

Read on Popular Mechanics →

In their words

What editors and owners are saying.

“We're smitten with the Kimbo camper… for its utility and wealth of features at a super low price.”

Popular Mechanics

The Coolest Campers in Every Size — Slide-In Pick

“Despite years of no, King persevered — a textbook case of what innovation lecturers like to call stick-to-it-ive-ness.”

The Seattle Times

Jack Hitt's profile of Mark King, 2014

“Mark King had us thinking about truck camper design in completely new ways.”

Truck Camper Magazine

Announcing the Kimbo Series 6

“Looks like we may have an 'innovation of the year' nominee on our hands.”

Truck Camper Magazine

2026 Kimbo 8 Teaser Photos Revealed

“This is the lightest hard-sided truck camper that I have ever seen, and feels huge inside compared to its outside footprint.”

Down2Mob Overland (YouTube)

Walkthrough of the very first Kimbo ever built — 1.1M views

“It feels like you're actually in a house. Really nice livable design.”

Jesse, Kimbo owner via New Jersey Outdoor Adventures

Solo Female Adventurer Travels Full Time in a Kimbo — 845K views

Featured editorial

Long-form coverage and owner stories.

23 pieces.

Buyer's guides

Spec listings & directory entries.

2 entries.

Reviews & roundups

Independent reviews & creator content.

16 pieces.

Press FAQ

Quick answers for journalists.

What is Kimbo Campers?
Kimbo Campers builds hand-riveted aluminum hard-side slide-in truck bed campers in Bellingham, Washington. Founded by Mark King in 2016, the company has delivered 600+ units across two product lines — the Kimbo 6 for midsize trucks and the four-season Kimbo 8 for full-size trucks.
Where are Kimbos manufactured?
Every Kimbo is built by hand in Bellingham, Washington — 3823 Hammer Drive — at our owner-operated factory. No outsourcing, no overseas production. Customers and journalists are welcome to schedule factory visits.
How many Kimbos have been delivered?
More than 600 campers as of March 2026. The first Kimbo was built and road-tested by founder Mark King over 30,000 miles before the platform reached production in 2016. Kimbos are currently in 47 U.S. states and 4 Canadian provinces.
What's the difference between the Kimbo 6 and Kimbo 8?
The Kimbo 6 is designed for midsize trucks (Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, Jeep Gladiator) — 830–1,200 lb empty weight, R5 insulation, sleeps two. The Kimbo 8 is designed for full-size trucks (Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, Ram 1500) — 980–1,660 lb empty weight, R10 insulation, four-season heated, sleeps two adults plus two kids in the cabover.
What makes a Kimbo different from other truck campers?
Hand-riveted marine-grade 5052 aluminum monocoque construction — no internal wood or steel frame, no points of failure common in fiberglass or wood-framed builds. Every panel is laser-cut, every rivet is set by hand, and the shell is designed to outlive the truck carrying it. The result is a quiet, dense, lightweight, four-season-capable hard-side slide-in camper.
Who is the founder?
Mark King — engineer, inventor, and graduate of Harvard Business School (2022). Mark filed his first patent in his late teens, founded Trayvax Enterprises (a metal-wallet company with 2M+ units sold), and gave a 2013 TEDx talk on taking on big projects. He built the first Kimbo prototype in 2016 and continues to lead product development from the Bellingham factory.
What does a Kimbo cost?
Kimbo 6 starts at $27,990 base; typical configured price is $32,000–$45,000 depending on modules. Kimbo 8 starts at $42,990 base; typical configured price is $48,000–$65,000. All Kimbos are made-to-order; current production timeline is 7–9 weeks from deposit. Financing is available via LightStream.
Who buys Kimbos?
A mix of overlanders, full-time travelers, hunters, photographers, and weekend explorers. The common thread is preference for hard-side over canvas, four-season capability over fair-weather use, and a working truck that's already in the driveway. Owners include retired aerospace engineers, working nurses, full-time YouTube creators, and family-of-five road-trippers.

Media inquiries.

Press, partnerships, founder interviews, factory visits, brand assets, and review units. We respond within two business days.

info@kimboliving.com