Simple answer, yes. Weight is somewhat negligable between most of the bigger, fancier pop-ups and an eight foot hardsider. However, frontage is greatly increased by going to a hard-sider camper.
In my pickup, for example, I have a 5.9L 360 V8 engine, and 4.10 axles. Without the camper I do about 11-12mpg. With the camper I pull in a steady 9.1-9.4 mpg.
Mileage will of course be different based on engine, Pre-Soot Filter Diesels fair better in the mpg department with hard-siders than your average gasser.
CBChannel 17Space Ghost '1991.5Dodge W-250 Power Wagon - Club Cab Long Bed V8 5.9L 4spd H.D Auto 4x4 4.10 Gears '1974KIT Kamper 1106 - 11' Slide-in '1987Pullman Mini Camper '2004Bi-Mart 4x8 Cargo Trailer
My 2003 V-10 w/popup did about 2.5 mpg better than my 2008 V-10 w/hardside. Still sort of apples to oranges but, the apples have an orange tint to them.
See my Signature block. I get same miliage with or without the camper on the flat. Mountains are a different story but then I don't have to worry about enough power.
Happy Trails
Lance 2005 Model 1025 Stock w/Gen on GMC 2500HD w/8.1 Gaser @ 12 mpg
Just finished a 1,800 mile trip in the windy Dakota's. Worst mileage into 35 mph headwinds: 6.3mpg, average: around 9.3mpg, best: 11.3mpg.
(wind behind us) I would think you would get better mileage with a pop up, less weight and a smaller billboard to haul.
1999 Ford F350 4WD Crew Cab V-10 4.30 LSD Tow Package,Transgo,Rancho 9000xl's,Firestone Ride Rite Air Bags.SP Sway bar,HD rear spring pack,Vision 81's,Bridgestone M729 tires.
2003 S&S 9.5SCS Avalanche heavily optioned,Torque Lift tie downs with Fastguns.
Fuel mileage is a relative thing. Relative to weight, drag, and driving stile. (lets not talk about vehilce brand). This is why you get so much variace from person to person. All else being equal wieght and drag are the biggest factors. More fontal area more drag. More wieght more drag. Faster speed more drag. MORE drag equals less MPG. With the gas crises slowing down is your biggest friend. Some of the big rigs can gain as much as 3 mpg by slowing just 10 mph.
I get about 15-16 empty, 11-12 w/camper. I recently went out to my ocean lot about 100 miles from home hauling 2 full pallets of decorative brick (no camper, just brick). Highway to the beach is pretty flat, only one very minor hill. Frontal area of the brick was nill, since both pallets fit well under the cab height. I asked, and the guy with the fork lift said they were about 2,000lbs per pallet, so 4,000 total.
My camper is about 4800-ish, big frontal area, big rear drag. Gets 11mpg w/camper @ 65.
Bricks were 4000-ish, no added air resitance front or rear. I got 14.5mpg @ 65.
My thought here is that air drag has more to do than weight--on a flat road at least. Pop ups have much lower frontal area, and a somewhat smaller rear drag.
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