Pickup truck tents

[graveleye]

and.... she's a caver!


Life is good!

OK, back to my dilemma. ahem!!

[bigalpha]

Have you tried THIS SITE?

I'm sure that any of those would really fit over your toolbox, assuming it's not like 3ft tall.

[Randyrn]

Evan: nice rack!

I agree. Pretty nice for a man-rack. It will definitely never sag or droop in the years to come.

[adleedy]

as long as we are throwing vehicle pictures up here,







35,000 original miles, with an nss license plate lol

[graveleye]

I've been a Buick man over the years. My first car was a '72 Skylark, and it was one bad-a$$ machine. I had a 71 later, and also had an 86 Regal that seemed to keep going and going. I bet it is still on the road today.

I always wanted one of those Grand Nationals though.. an '86.


This is a truck tent I am looking at.

http://www.autoanything.com/truck-tents ... 1A0A0.aspx

It says that it will work with a tool box, but I am still leery. I still think somehow that I will end up fabricating something though.

[chh]

graveleye, I'd say just make something yourself if you aren't willing to part with your box, and absolutely MUST have the tent slot down in the bed. Otherwise a plywood sheet on top would be the easiest thing I would imagine, with plenty of storage underneath for wet gear. Be just as easy to pitch on the ground though.... A small free standing 2 man tent would go easily in the back of a truck. You could just chuck it in there and throw a tarp over it.

Do you need bug mesh? Do yo have a sewing machine/can you sew? I think you'll be happier with something you make. Plus, with some finagling it will probably last longer than those manufactured jobs.

p.s. I camp in my car all the time, but I drive a minivan. Most of the benefits/comfort of a small RV (i.e. you don't have to get out to drive away, and you can cook etc. inside it) and all of the stealth or a regular car. I've bivied in major cities on the street, and in park lots that technically don't allow camping and haven't been harassed yet. You wouldn't get away with that in a truck tent. Pretty high profile. But if you really are only going to use it in one place it doesn't really matter.

[Scott McCrea]

Yep, I've bivyed at Wal-Mart, motels, grocery stores, a Hardees, a convenience store, under the New River Bridge, etc in my truck. Ya know, it's pretty easy to make a hard shell cap and platform removable. Some of the smaller, lighter caps can be removed installed by one person--most others easily by two people. And, yes, carpet lining is very nice. Makes it warmer and quitter in there too.

[graveleye]

ok so here is my truck.


Almost like the fire department eh?

[Evan G]

Nice truck!!! It needs some mud on (not you CaveMud), it sooooo clean!! It is missing something, MMMmmm. Definity, missing something..... Ah Legs! That's it!

[bigalpha]

Nice truck!!! It needs some mud on (not you CaveMud), it sooooo clean!! It is missing something, MMMmmm. Definity, missing something..... Ah Legs! That's it!

hehehe, that's what I was thinking ... about the mud .. yeah.

Nice truck. Nice lookin' tent too. I'd say make something, you seem pretty handy.

[graveleye]

hmm... i am beginning to wonder if I need to go caving with you ole dogs!

[kmstill]

FYI-
I had the same dilemma, still haven't done anything about it. Did find a "soft top" cap for pickups - same maker as for jeeps. Folds down/removes for when you don't want the cab. Reviews are good but no firsthand experience. please reply if anyone has actually seen/used one. Bestop Supertop (http://www.bestop.com) or Softopper (http://www.softopper.com). If the concept actually works, will probably pick one up eventually.

[werewolf]

My system is well tried and tested and suits me - hard fiberglass shell with fairly big side windows that open up and have screens. Of course if I needed to use my pickup as an open hauler between camping trips it wouldn't work. The sliding windows in the shells are a weak point. All of them seem to be poorly made. They used to sell aluminum shells with louvered windows that you could crank open. They are good in the rain, plus they allow more ventilation as you can open up the entire window area instead of just half of it as in the sliders. Unfortunately, they stopped making them. Inside the shell I sleep on Thermarest pad(s).

If they made a 4-wheel drive van with a big flat empty back and big screened windows, that would be way better than my pickup truck setup, but unfortunately they don't.

[Tim White]

If they made a 4-wheel drive van with a big flat empty back and big screened windows, that would be way better than my pickup truck setup, but unfortunately they don't.

Well... the folks Sportsmobile will make just about any 4x4 van set-up that you want. From a simple empty to something deluxe.

The first image below is the SMB 4x4 made in CA and the 2nd is Berta's SMB that was made in Austin, TX.





Sorry.

[werewolf]

Yeah, TW, I know there are companies like that doing conversions, but as far as I know you can't even get a van from the factory with 4WD, so if you want 4wd plus the rest of the modifications it will be very very expensive, maybe triple the price of the new van, and then who knows about the quality and warranty.

Why don't they make 4WD vans? If they did and it was just a box it should be relatively inexpensive to just add screened windows. That's all I'd need, abig flat space and ventilation. Until then I'm happy with my pickup truck and shell combo.