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  • #1

    Truck Cap Camping?

    I have a 2001 Ford F150 with a 8' bed. A few winters ago I picked up a truck cap for the bed. It has a slider in the front, two sliding windows on the and the typical lift up rear glass. All of the windows are tinted and the side sliders have screens. I've been thinking about putting it back on my truck for the winter and maybe keeping it on for good.

    Does anyone out there camp in the bed of their truck under a cap? I've seen some guys build up raised floors for storage underneath, with compartments and all kinds of features. I was thinking about going the cheap route and just putting a sheet of plywood down on the bed for a flat surface and cover it with indoor outdoor carpet. I would sleep pad on a or inflatable twin mattress, nothing fancy.

    This setup would be for solo one nighters. I would have a couple of totes and a duffle bag with the rest of my gear in it, that I could store in the cab when I was sleeping in the bed at night, I was thinking about maybe hanging a short closet organizer from one side of the bed for stuff I might want to use at night.

    I have alot of mosquito mesh I could velcro around the tailgate section if I wanted to create a large window near the tailgate. I would put a tap light on the roof for easy lighting in the middle of the night.

    It seems pretty cut and dry, but I feel like there are few quirks or drawbacks I'm not thinking of with this setup. I know it would be fairly noisy in the rain, with out a fan it could get pretty warm, but otherwise to me it seems like a fiberglass tent.

    Any opinions, thoughts, comments, feel free to share! :cool:
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  • #2
    Re: Truck Cap Camping?

    For traveling trips and short one nighters I have been sleeping in the "back of the truck" for 40 years. I always keep a canopy on the bed, partly because I have three dogs. The windows have screens and there is a provision to open the front window for a pass thru to the truck cab.

    I have used plywood and rubber mats in the bed. Eight feet is the preferred length. It is especially cozy in the back of the truck in a snow storm or when the wind is blowing 40. I have never made many alterations to the arrangement. I have pulled a small utility trailer to haul equipment so that the back of the truck is unencumbered. It is a very simple way to travel. The bed is always made.

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    • #3
      Re: Truck Cap Camping?

      Comment removed for personal reasons.
      Last edited by Hikenhunter; 09-13-2013, 10:31 PM.

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      • #4
        Re: Truck Cap Camping?

        Ppine sounds pretty much like my exact setup minus the K-9 element. I bought a truck bed mat today at a surplus store for short money.

        Hikenhunter guess I really struck a cord eh? :cool:
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        • #5
          Re: Truck Cap Camping?

          No not at all. My comment was to remind you about needing a really good insulating layer under yourself in cooler weather because sleeping in the truck bed means you will have cold air surrounding your body on all sides and if you do not pay close attention to that aspect you could wind up in a dangerous situation, in cooler weather. A good thick mat of closed cell foam is my reccommendation. I deleted my post because I didn't want to spark a debate on the subject as there are some here who might tell you that you shouldn't do this no matter what you use as insulation. Personally I like the idea of setting up the bed of your truck to be able to use it in this manner. I have seen videos of how others have built raised platforms in order to provide themselves with under the bed storage and I think some of the ideas seem to be very interesting. I hope that you can acheive your goal in this venture and that whatever you come up with works for you. I also hope to hear more about what you do with this project and would like to see your feedback after you haver used it a few times.

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          • #6
            Re: Truck Cap Camping?

            The bed arrangements are above the wheel wells. I have used this set-up in a truck like a Ford Ranger longbed. As I get older I really like the headroom of sleeping on the bed of the truck. In a full-sized 8 foot bed this is plenty of room between the wheel wells and 2 extra feet between my head and the front of the bed.

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            • #7
              Re: Truck Cap Camping?

              I suggest checking with the campsites where you plan to go. Down here, you can't sleep in your car. You have to have a tent (or RV) at your campsite. I don't think it makes sense, but those are the rules.
              Total nights sleeping outdoors in 2013: 28

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              • #8
                Re: Truck Cap Camping?

                When I first started camping as an adult, it was a means to an end. I have a rather peculiar hobby that takes me to streams and rivers all over the state, and in my younger days I had enough energy to pursue this hobby all day, and then find a long drive home ahead of me. SO, I started carrying a tarp with me for those days when I just wasn't looking forward to a 3 hour drive home at night, after a hard day at play. I owned (and still do, with 423,000 miles on it) a Toyota Tacoma, and decided to purchase a camper shell for these overnight outings. I never in fact used the camper shell to sleep in - I always enjoyed the tarp, or the open air, or (later) a tent better than the prospect of having a hard shell between me and the outdoors. To be fair, I have always picked good weather for these outings. In really BAD weather (i.e. unexpected or unplanned) I'm sure I would be glad I had that hard shell.
                2018: Any way the wind blows; doesn't really matter to me....Too Meee....

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                • #9
                  Re: Truck Cap Camping?

                  Time to play guess Irate Mormon's "rather peculiar hobby"

                  I am going to guess.....extreme ironing
                  “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
                  – E. B. White

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                  • #10
                    Re: Truck Cap Camping?

                    @Hikenhunter, agreed I've experienced that situation in the past being unprepared it's not fun! I've also noticed that is a hot button issue on this forum, almost as bad as "Ford Vs. Chevy"! Thanks for the input!

                    @ppine my thoughts exactly about headroom, I considered raising the floor to cover only one wheel well and put my sleeping setup on the platform, but I realized that even if I did that I would still struggle getting dressed being 6'5".

                    @Irate Mormon, Agreed, nothing beats sleeping under the stars, but being able to retreat to the bed would be nice. I think your hobby might have being gold prospecting?

                    @Glitterhiker, Agreed, I've noticed that on a few lists of rules for places I've been, thanks for the heads up, forgot about that!

                    Thanks for all the input guys! I'm going to make the decision this week, I might just sell the cap, really still up in the air! :cool:
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                    • #11
                      Re: Truck Cap Camping?

                      Ok, the peculiar hobby (it doesn't involve ironing OR GOLD!) I catch minnows. That's the way I describe it to anyone who isn't in the hobby.

                      For more information, visit forum.nanfa.org or www.nanfa.org
                      2018: Any way the wind blows; doesn't really matter to me....Too Meee....

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                      • #12
                        Re: Truck Cap Camping?

                        Awe man. I was going to guess noodling.

                        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfPxzKAvMAQ
                        “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
                        – E. B. White

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                        • #13
                          Re: Truck Cap Camping?

                          Well, noodling IS the national sport of Mississippi, but I prefer tamer conquests :-)
                          2018: Any way the wind blows; doesn't really matter to me....Too Meee....

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                          • #14
                            Re: Truck Cap Camping?

                            My hunting buddy knows a feller who catches and sells frogs. In a wet year he makes pretty good money. This year has been very wet.

                            Camping in a truck capper is very like my camping in my minivan. Though my floor height is lower. I have a 4'X8' rubber truck mat down on the floor, then the closed cell foam pad and air matress atop it, then my bedding. Keeps me cozy.
                            Longtime Motorcycle Camper. Getting away from it all on two wheels! :cool:

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                            • #15
                              Re: Truck Cap Camping?

                              I am looking at buying a truck cap to go camping in, however I want to advertise my business on the side of the cap which rules out side windows. I figure I need to have a sunroof since I desperately want ambient light in it. What truck bed cap manufacturers produce the sunroof in the shell?

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