I am joining the ranks of those who do a little truck camping when they fish. I just purchased an '08 Tundra Double Cab and have an ARE Z Series cap on order. I plan on putting it to its initial test on a trip to Colorado in about a month. My question for those of you who camp in their trucks is what do you use for a sleeping solution? Are you using an air mattress, self inflating air pad, foam or something else? I have done a little research and came across the Therma-a-Rest DreamTime and the Paco Pad. They look like nice options, but both are a little pricey. What do you use and are there any forums out there that focus on truck camping?
Shane I dont know how old you are but after 40 you want the best you can afford to sleep on, just remember the better the sleeep the less you hurt in the morning and the more fun you have fishing. There is nothing that will take the fun out of a good trip then a back that hurts.
Ghost
I have a 6 1/2 foot bed on an F150 with a Leer cap. I built a deck in the bed level with the top of the wheel wells. This gives me a flat floor and about 10 inches of storage under the deck. We put a futon mattress on the deck. I have a truck tent that fits over the cap door and tail gate that gives us an area about 2 feet wide at the end of the “bed”. It sleeps great. If we are travelling (not staying more than over night) it is perfect. If we plan to stay longer we put up a tent and canopy. The truck bed feels a bit cramped after a night or two. You just need to stand up some times.
When I truck camped I used an old army cot topped with a self-inflating foam air pad. I have trouble getting up from a floor bed and with the cot I can swing my legs off and stand up. My truck has a lumber rack. When I used it I covered it at night with a fitted canvas cover. Now we consider Motel 6 as roughing it. I hope you find a solution that suits you. Jim
Ford F150 with Leer cap. I have a piece of 6 inch foam about 7 x 3 1/2 feet I use to sleep on. I will take a small folding camp table, folding chair, 2 burner stove, lantern, small cooler. Cooking gear and other necessities are packed in an action packer. This is usually good for 4 to 5 days of camping. Most of this stuff is in the garage ready to go. A stop at the store for ice and I can be packed and gone in less than an hour if someone tells me the fish are biting.
jimsnarocks me and the wife own a nice travel trailer, 26 foot with a bathroom the size of a motel bathroom in it , now that what we call roughing it. It a Thor-Dutchman Raineer model
Ghost
I don’t want to Hijack this well flowing thread so I’ll start a new one regarding “WHY?”
Mark
I recommend some 4" or thicker Foam pads as well as taking some cotton Sheets that can get dirty to put under you …
and “Dont Forget your Pillows and Bug Repellant and Tiki Torches”
Nylon will make sweat …cotton won’t.
I’ve always been a tent camper. In May I had to drive to western PA to pick up my son and his stuff from college, so I decided to go the night before and camp at a state park to do some fishing. I took a sleeping bag, camp stove, and coffee and slept in the back of my Blazer. I cut a screen to tape over a back window to allow some fresh air though since it dropped to 36 degrees it wasn’t really essential for keeping bugs out. At 50 years old, all I felt would have been needed was some type of foam pad, but I did just fine. I plan to do that again. Cheap, fast, easy.
I did the same thing as billhouk, except I put a chaise lounge pad on top of the bunk. Slept every bit as well in there, as I did at home.
I cheap, plastic tubing style folding chase lounge, with a thermarest on top is what I use. If it’s nice out I toss it outside nest to the truck.
I made a 2 drawer box that has 7" drawers that holds all my gear, the gun drawer holds my rods when fishing. I use a 3" foam gymnastic mat on top with my sleeping bag. I even have a black cat heater that with 2 guys sleeping heats the cap to about 50 degrees for those steelhead trips. (make sure any heater is rated for inside use and use a carbon monoxide alarm) the only issue I have is trying to pick a level spot so I can sleep flat. I have never used this for extended camping trips, just a way to sleep confortable at streamside or in the woods after a hunt far from my cabin. camping is only a place to spend the night for me not somthing I do without a different primary goal.
