Truck camping

[SEIA]

Picking up a topper for my truck today. Added another GSP to the team this winter and have decided to spend less time deer hunting and more time hunting with my dogs in the fall. Planning on traveling most weekends and hunting a lot more public and walk-in areas when I’m not home hunting with the family. Looking for ideas and recommendations or must-haves when traveling and sleeping under the topper with the dogs.

 

[letrbuck]

How long is your truck bed? On my old pickup I built a padded platform with drawers. Was a great set up and camped out of it a lot, even lived out of it a couple summers in college doing seasonal work. Comfortable and great to have things organized. Still camp out of the new truck bed, just not as much. Usually can have all my gear in an action packer that fits on top of the dog crate at night and I sleep on one of these: https://helinox.com/products/lite-cot?variant=16664616009798

 

[SEIA]

How long is your truck bed? On my old pickup I built a padded platform with drawers. Was a great set up and camped out of it a lot, even lived out of it a couple summers in college doing seasonal work. Comfortable and great to have things organized. Still camp out of the new truck bed, just not as much. Usually can have all my gear in an action packer that fits on top of the dog crate at night and I sleep on one of these: https://helinox.com/products/lite-cot?variant=16664616009798

It’s a GMC short bed. Gonna be tight so I’m planning on sleeping sideways. I’ve got a good pad and sleeping bag so I’m not too worried about that. The topper I went to get ended up being a bust. It’s tough finding a decent one that fits my truck. Thinking I’m gonna go ahead and spend the money on a brand new one so I’m not searching all summer.

 

[letrbuck]

I'm in a similar boat now that I've gotten a new truck with the shorter bed. Last couple years I have slept with the topper closed but tailgate down, and in a bivy. Has worked well when there hasnt been bugs. I just ordered this last week, we'll see how it works this summer and fall:

DAC DA2 FULL-SIZE Truck Bed Tent - $195 Delivered!*

This DAC DA2 Full Size Truck Cap Tent is a great way to convert your full sized truck with cap into a complete camping unit. This truck tent fits high back and flat back camper tops, right over carrier racks or air foils. SUV Tent | Minivan Tent | Truck Tent | Truck Bed Tent | Truck Cap Tent |...

dactent.com

 

[SEIA]

I'm in a similar boat now that I've gotten a new truck with the shorter bed. Last couple years I have slept with the topper closed but tailgate down, and in a bivy. Has worked well when there hasnt been bugs. I just ordered this last week, we'll see how it works this summer and fall:

DAC DA2 FULL-SIZE Truck Bed Tent - $195 Delivered!*

This DAC DA2 Full Size Truck Cap Tent is a great way to convert your full sized truck with cap into a complete camping unit. This truck tent fits high back and flat back camper tops, right over carrier racks or air foils. SUV Tent | Minivan Tent | Truck Tent | Truck Bed Tent | Truck Cap Tent |...

dactent.com

That looks like a worthwhile add-on for not too much money. I think I’ll be ordering one to try out as well.

 

[TSAMP]

I run a short box crew f150 with topper. I bought a roll of mosquito netting for like 10 bucks and drape around the glass topper latch and it hangs past the tailgate. It packs tiny as well. Just spent the weekend in it turkey hunting and slept with it wide open. No bugs yet in IA. If your buying a topper, i recommend buying one with the full screen windows on the side. Mine is a high end leer with solid glass sides that only open about an inch. Sucks as it gets hotter outside.

 

[rmr2k14]

I use this in my short bed Silverado along with my wife's backpacking pad and sleep pretty well.

Green Reduced length Ibex Roll-a-Cot ® (67"L x 28"W x 15"H), with sleeve for your air mattress

The Little Ibex Roll-a-Cot® is the ultimate in portable sleeping comfort. Comfortable Top: Slide your sleeping pad into the 20" x 67" sleeve of the Little Ibex Roll-a-Cot® and you are in for a great night's sleep. This unique combination of "pad in sleeve" gives both insulation and cushion...

www.camptime.com

 

[Spoonbill]

There are some videos on youtube you can use for ideas, depending on how crazy you want to go. My topper came with 2 LED light strips that the length of the roof. They are great for camping. Couple of my buddies have the decked drawer system for storing their gear, seems to work pretty well.

 

[SEIA]

I run a short box crew f150 with topper. I bought a roll of mosquito netting for like 10 bucks and drape around the glass topper latch and it hangs past the tailgate. It packs tiny as well. Just spent the weekend in it turkey hunting and slept with it wide open. No bugs yet in IA. If your buying a topper, i recommend buying one with the full screen windows on the side. Mine is a high end leer with solid glass sides that only open about an inch. Sucks as it gets hotter outside.

Yeah I’d like the sliding windows with screens but also would like the side windows to fully open out so I can reach in to let my dogs out easily.

 

[SEIA]

There are some videos on youtube you can use for ideas, depending on how crazy you want to go. My topper came with 2 LED light strips that the length of the roof. They are great for camping. Couple of my buddies have the decked drawer system for storing their gear, seems to work pretty well.

Haha I’ve gone down the rabbit hole on YouTube and expeditionportal forums. I checked out the decked system in my buddies truck and his only complaint was that they’re like a foot tall and take up a lot of his bed space. I do a lot of carpentry and woodworking in the side so I think I’m gonna stick with making my own.

 

[Jagger0502]

For any early season hunting it’s nice to have a fan for the dogs to keep them cool. Those things get hot when sitting in the sun. Add a 5 gal water cooler for the trip and fill it with ice and water before you leave. A little cool water will cool the pup down quick. I would take a simple tarp with some old tent poles or cut sticks and make attachment points to the topper. It will give you a big under roof area to hang out, cook and shade for the dogs mid day, also a place to get out of the rain and keep the airflow for the pups. A $20 tarp can take a beating.

I like TSAMP’s idea on the bug nets. I might get some this year to drape down to keep the bugs out.

 

[Spoonbill]

For any early season hunting it’s nice to have a fan for the dogs to keep them cool. Those things get hot when sitting in the sun. Add a 5 gal water cooler for the trip and fill it with ice and water before you leave. A little cool water will cool the pup down quick. I would take a simple tarp with some old tent poles or cut sticks and make attachment points to the topper. It will give you a big under roof area to hang out, cook and shade for the dogs mid day, also a place to get out of the rain and keep the airflow for the pups. A $20 tarp can take a beating.

I like TSAMP’s idea on the bug nets. I might get some this year to drape down to keep the bugs out.

View attachment 180425

Did you build a sleeping platform in the bed? Also how do you have a fan set up? I have been thinking about doing that in my f150 for my lab.

 

[Jagger0502]

Did you build a sleeping platform in the bed? Also how do you have a fan set up? I have been thinking about doing that in my f150 for my lab.

I mounted a 12 volt fan in my last truck. just ran the wires to a switch up front. I always feared I would run the battery dead so now I plan to get one of those dewalt 20v fans and just carry a few batteries with me. My old truck was a 4 door and I had my mat in the back seat of the truck and slept there but any time there was more than one in the truck I would let them sleep in the cab and I would sleep with the dogs in the back. I just put a pad down and slept on it. If I had a cot that would have been a lot nicer.

 

[elkduds]

I'm in a similar boat now that I've gotten a new truck with the shorter bed. Last couple years I have slept with the topper closed but tailgate down, and in a bivy. Has worked well when there hasnt been bugs. I just ordered this last week, we'll see how it works this summer and fall:

DAC DA2 FULL-SIZE Truck Bed Tent - $195 Delivered!*

This DAC DA2 Full Size Truck Cap Tent is a great way to convert your full sized truck with cap into a complete camping unit. This truck tent fits high back and flat back camper tops, right over carrier racks or air foils. SUV Tent | Minivan Tent | Truck Tent | Truck Bed Tent | Truck Cap Tent |...

dactent.com

I have this for my ridgeline. It is easy and fast to connect w bungees. I like it so far. Unsure how one of these would fit on a taller topper, mine is cab height. Good luck.

 

[Jordanhicks2424]

Invest in a good sleeping pad


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SEIA]

For any early season hunting it’s nice to have a fan for the dogs to keep them cool. Those things get hot when sitting in the sun. Add a 5 gal water cooler for the trip and fill it with ice and water before you leave. A little cool water will cool the pup down quick. I would take a simple tarp with some old tent poles or cut sticks and make attachment points to the topper. It will give you a big under roof area to hang out, cook and shade for the dogs mid day, also a place to get out of the rain and keep the airflow for the pups. A $20 tarp can take a beating.

I like TSAMP’s idea on the bug nets. I might get some this year to drape down to keep the bugs out.

View attachment 180425

My travel crates fit in the back seat for the dogs but I do have the fan accessory for each. I’m gonna be patient waiting to find a good topper but if that doesn’t work out I’m looking into keeping my tonneau cover on, building the bed drawers anyways, and buying a hot tent instead. I’m actually starting to lean towards the hot tent anyways. Been wanting to buy one so this may be my excuse haha.

 

[Packin_packout]

I'm running an F-150 long bed with a leer topper. I built a frame that rides on the lip of the truck bed on which I have mounted a foam sleeping pad on one side. This gives me a very short area vertically in which to sleep but it works. Underneath the frame I fit 1 large 150 quart cooler and 6 totes of all my gear plus chainsaw recovery tools jerry / water can Etc. That leaves enough room for a dog crate easily. I have rigged up a few attachment points on the topper for stringing tarps up for providing shade. I cook on the tailgate and have some mosquito netting on each of the topper doors. I have hung some LED lighting on the rear topper door for when I am cooking.

It all depends on how mobile you want to be. I have my hot tent stored in the truck if I choose to use it. If I plan to be stationary for a few days I will definitely set it up. I'm usually moving though quite often. Just makes for pretty much a 0 time to set up and get running or leave.

 

[SEIA]

I'm running an F-150 long bed with a leer topper. I built a frame that rides on the lip of the truck bed on which I have mounted a foam sleeping pad on one side. This gives me a very short area vertically in which to sleep but it works. Underneath the frame I fit 1 large 150 quart cooler and 6 totes of all my gear plus chainsaw recovery tools jerry / water can Etc. That leaves enough room for a dog crate easily. I have rigged up a few attachment points on the topper for stringing tarps up for providing shade. I cook on the tailgate and have some mosquito netting on each of the topper doors. I have hung some LED lighting on the rear topper door for when I am cooking.

It all depends on how mobile you want to be. I have my hot tent stored in the truck if I choose to use it. If I plan to be stationary for a few days I will definitely set it up. I'm usually moving though quite often. Just makes for pretty much a 0 time to set up and get running or leave.

I think I’m gonna buy the hot tent anyways and make my decision while waiting to find a good topper. Tempted just to buy a brand new one but having a hard time justifying the money for a dedicated hunting rig.

 

[Jagger0502]

I think I’m gonna buy the hot tent anyways and make my decision while waiting to find a good topper. Tempted just to buy a brand new one but having a hard time justifying the money for a dedicated hunting rig.

I picked up a seek outdoors cimmeron this past year and am very happy with it. Got it with the stove jack but no stove yet. It’s small enough to pack in with if you have another person. If you are only going to truck camp with it I would recommend something bigger that you can stand up in. The half nest is nice to keep the dogs off your sleeping gear.

 

[SEIA]

I picked up a seek outdoors cimmeron this past year and am very happy with it. Got it with the stove jack but no stove yet. It’s small enough to pack in with if you have another person. If you are only going to truck camp with it I would recommend something bigger that you can stand up in. The half nest is nice to keep the dogs off your sleeping gear.

View attachment 180771

Yeah I’m definitely going big. Figured it would give me and the dogs plenty of room plus more for a buddy from college that I plan on meeting up with to hunt a few times.