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Anybody here have any experience with truck camping? I’m trying to pimp out my GMC Sierra this fall and get it all setup for solo ski bumming this coming winter and surf trips to mexico. With my previous truck I had a tonneau cover for my gear and just kinda uncomfortably laid across the backseat when I didn’t have a couch to crash on but this year I wanna l get this thing dialed in with a proper shell setup to sleep in. I figured maybe some of you guys might have some recommendations of brands/models to look at that fit the bill. Looking for something insulated, openable windows, watertight, etc. Lmk if any of you guys have any input. Here’s the rig btw:
CatdickBojanglesI looked at them when I was looking at campers and they are so much more expensive than a normal camper. They don’t make many of them anymore.
Is your truck a 1/2 or 3/4 ton? Can’t tell with all the snow.
**This post was edited on Jul 27th 2022 at 9:06:19pm
Half ton. You talking like a slide-in camper type of deal? I would think that would be more expensive, no?
How cold does it get where ur camping? Unless we are talking subzero (which is still doable), just get a regular cap with windows, a good sleeping bag and a sleeping pad with an r value suitable for winter (5+). If you wanna get really freaky, you could apply heat reflective and/or insulative materials to the truck bed and cap. Seal off any areas with caulking where a draft could go through (don't want wind or snow blowing in...can test for leaks with a buddy and a fan). If people can camp in a tent mid winter, you can surely do it in a truck.
Or you could diy it and make your own camper in the back from wood.
I paid $900 for my snug top (hard top camper shell) used and after owning it for a year I wouldn't want to ever remove it. If I had to pay $2k for a new one I would- they are worth every penny especially during the winter.
After you install it sealing up the bed to be water tight will make you a lot more comfortable and its worth the effort it will take. The little holes let in so much cold air once you seal them all up the bed holds body heat much easer.
I paid $120 for a 5' thick twin foam mattress then cut it down to size and put it on a little wooden support to hold it above the truck bed a few inches.
I really would look for a camper top where the windows fold out instead of slide as it makes accessing any part of your bed just as easy as it would be without a camper top. You can kinda see my passenger side window folded up in the pic like I'm saying.
**This post was edited on Jul 28th 2022 at 10:34:09am
I’m looking to do the exact same thing when I go to college the year after this year with my f150. I’ve been searching Facebook marketplace for deals and it seems doable.
BUY MINNNNE!!!!
I remodeled it, and have spent two winters (salt lake/Bozeman) and two summers in it! She slapppz in ski area parking lots, it’s super comfy and warm! It’s 8ft, 1,300lbs dry.
ASAPCarterAnybody here have any experience with truck camping? I’m trying to pimp out my GMC Sierra this fall and get it all setup for solo ski bumming this coming winter and surf trips to mexico. With my previous truck I had a tonneau cover for my gear and just kinda uncomfortably laid across the backseat when I didn’t have a couch to crash on but this year I wanna l get this thing dialed in with a proper shell setup to sleep in. I figured maybe some of you guys might have some recommendations of brands/models to look at that fit the bill. Looking for something insulated, openable windows, watertight, etc. Lmk if any of you guys have any input. Here’s the rig btw:
if you wanna do a winter weekend or up to a week in the summer, fiberglass topper is perfectly good. if you wanna spend months on the road at a time, get a slide camper.
if slide in and youre on a budget, just find one on craigslist or offerup. you can find them for free if youre down to do the remodel. most of the time you need to gut it and get all new appliances, walls, cabinets, floors, vents/fans, lights, water pumps. it could be as little as $2k. just make sure your wet weight doesnt exceed gvwr
if slide in and you can fork out $20,000 then get a scout. ive driven with my friends tundra towing a sled trailer and i could hardly notice the extra weight from it. they are dope but dont have a bathroom integrated. he works for ministry of natural resources and forrestry and goes offroading on gnarly logging trackswith the camper on. lives in it full time.
if fiberglass topper, i have a ranch and honestly its totally fine. great value for money. it doesnt fit/look perfect like a snugtop or ARE, but good enough that you dont have giant voids. the paint match is perfect, but the overall finish of ranch isnt amazing. cab hi are not very roomy, but really warm in winter. the high rise ones just dont keep the heat down imo. mid rise is think is best. unless you want to build a giant box to put your bed on, then go with a hi rise.
-get the headliner, it soaks up condensation well.
-get a side opening window, a side slider and the cab slider. you can put a towel to seal off into the cab and i usually keep my cooler on one of the back seats and my duffel bag on the other so i can reach in from the bed easy.
-for heating i mounted my propane buddy heater on the bed rail right by the tailgate and i just turn it off after it warms up in the bed. you can go the chimney and stove route, to avoid moisture and carbon monoxide hazard, but you dont need to. just get a CO detector and fire alarm just in case you fall asleep with it on.
-you can pull 12vs from the trailer harness all the way at the back for a power inverter.
-get a good matress to cover the entire bottom, thats really all the insulation you need. those air matresses dont hold up for winter camping. a heater fills up the area with warm air really quick. i dont have to run mine for more than 10min. worst ive been in was -25 celsius and i only ran the heater in the middle of the night once.
-get a rack and ski box. you dont want to be sleeping with your wet stuff. i have two sets of intuition liners gloves and mid layers that i swap out when they get dank.
BUY MINNNNE!!!!
I remodeled it, and have spent two winters (salt lake/Bozeman) and two summers in it! She slapppz in ski area parking lots, it’s super comfy and warm! It’s 8ft, 1,300lbs dry.
How scary is this driving in even the slightest bit of wind?
BUY MINNNNE!!!!
I remodeled it, and have spent two winters (salt lake/Bozeman) and two summers in it! She slapppz in ski area parking lots, it’s super comfy and warm! It’s 8ft, 1,300lbs dry.
The inside is shockingly nice for a camper. I’ve never been in a camper that wasn’t horrifying inside this is confusing
BUY MINNNNE!!!!
I remodeled it, and have spent two winters (salt lake/Bozeman) and two summers in it! She slapppz in ski area parking lots, it’s super comfy and warm! It’s 8ft, 1,300lbs dry.
How did you mount the ski rack? I usually put a ski box on a hitch rack and just deal with the added length.
BUY MINNNNE!!!!
I remodeled it, and have spent two winters (salt lake/Bozeman) and two summers in it! She slapppz in ski area parking lots, it’s super comfy and warm! It’s 8ft, 1,300lbs dry.
Too long for my truck bed but something like this would be sick in the future. Just a little overkill for my current needs. Props on the incredible job with the remodel!
