Truck Camping – A Guide to Outfitting and Living in the Back of Your

Truck Camping – A Guide to Outfitting and Living in the
Back of Your Pickup
desktodirtbag.com /pickup-truck-camping
The Dirtbag-Mobile. Every climbing bum who decides to spend a length of time
on the road inevitably ends up living in and out of their vehicle.
It’s kind of a right of passage.
The types of vehicles that people end up dirtbagging in are about as varied as
climbing itself.
The two most common dirtbag rigs from what I’ve seen are pickup trucks with a
canopy or some type of van.
Here we’re going to be discussing building out the pickup and canopy combo,
since that’s what I’ve got.
More often than not, we don’t have the liberty to decide what sort of vehicle we’re
going to dirtbag in. It’s usually whatever it is we happened to buy a few years
back.
I’ve got a 1991 Toyota 4×4 Pickup (Hilux), which is a series of truck that predates
the Tacoma model.
This truck has been my one and only vehicle since high school and I knew when I
decided to bum around the country that it was going to be me and my old truck…
But now as my new home on wheels.
Canopy Selection
My truck did not have a canopy however, so that was a necessary purchase
before departure.
There is the possibility of finding a used canopy, but that wasn’t really feasible for
me given that I was on one side of the country and my truck was on the other.
So when I returned back to the West Coast and was gearing up for this trip, I hit up
the local canopy store to shop for a new one. I ended up going with the Leer 122
model which had the elevated roof (important for extra headroom).
I did a lot of research prior to the purchase on what makes an ideal canopy setup–
things like a carpeted canopy liner in order to help with condensation (you can also
stick velcro’d things to the ceiling, like lights), the other recommendation was for
getting the flip up contractor windows on the sides,
I couldn’t make up my mind and so went with one sliding screen window and one
flip up window. I still go back and forth about whether I would have preferred two
contractor windows or not…
The order took a few weeks to come through from Leer and be delivered to the
retailer, so be sure to account for the delay. They did the installation and wired up
the light and cigarette lighter adapters in the canopy as well.
Building out the Back
Backtracking a little: in the months leading up to my departure I did *a lot* of
research about how to best outfit the back of a pickup truck for living and gear
storage.
I scoured the internet for photos and details about what people did, I combed
Mountain Project and Summit Post for threads about this topic.
There are a lot of different ways to do it and there are a lot of opinions about what
the best way is. I got lots of great ideas doing this research and got a pretty good
sense of what people liked and didn’t like about their own setups.
This process was invaluable in helping me reach my own conclusions.
There are two overarching approaches in how people design and build out the
back of their trucks:
1. The elevated sleeping platform where you have gear storage underneath,
this seemed to be the most common approach by far; and
2. The more simplistic “back shelf” approach where you just have some sort of
shelf by the cab which you place your feet under while sleeping, and
allowing you maximum headroom.
Essentially the first approach favors gear storage over livability, while the
second approach favors livability over gear storage.
While the elevated sleeping platform approach was the most common, it was also
quite frequently followed up with a sentiment of dissatisfaction.
Most likened it to sleeping in a coffin.
The advantages of this style is the relative security of gear, you can place all your
expensive climbing and outdoor gear underneath the platform and provided you
can lock your tailgate, you’ve got a pretty smash and grab safe setup.
The back shelf style seemed to be in favor among those who have been
dirtbagging it for a long time. Steph Davis comes to mind first and foremost as
an advocate of this approach.
This is simply put, the most “livable” style with the most headroom since you don’t
have to deal with the coffin for sleeping.
The downside of course is that you have less organized storage space and any
gear in the back is more susceptible to the smash and grab style break in.
I thought a lot about the pluses and minuses of each approach, but kept
thinking there’s got to be a best of both world’s approach, right?
I came up with all sorts of elaborate ideas, like a hinged platform in the middle that
would pop up for more space, and other convoluted ideas that I don’t even
remember.
There were two turning points that shaped my design.
First, I solicited feedback from a climbing guide friend who has a similar truck
setup.
His major point was to keep it simple–too many people over engineer these things
with elaborate drawers and cubbies that slide out for gear access.
It’s important to remember that that will mean more money, time, and complexity to
build, and also more weight in the back (which equals more money in fuel
consumption).
So Keep It Simple, Stupid.
The second pivotal moment came at the 11th hour…
Just after I got my canopy installed I posted something on Facebook to the tune of
“Now, to make a truck a home…”
And funnily enough, a famous pro-climber replied to my post with this huge
paragraph of what he would recommend (yeah, I’m one of those guys who
befriends the pro-climbers, mostly just to see what they’re up to, but also to be
inspired by awesomeness).
In a nutshell, he said he spent many years living in the back of a Toyota, and his
favorite method by far was the back shelf approach, coupled with two vertically
oriented side bins along the wheel wheels for additional storage and organization.
So, this last minute suggestion sent me off in a new direction… What about these
vertically oriented side bins coupled with a movable platform?
My Transformer Style Setup
In all my research I never came across another approach exactly like the one I
eventually settled on, but maybe they’re out there somewhere.
Conceptually, I knew what I wanted, now it was time to try and make it into reality.
I’m not super savvy when it comes to building things, but I talked my good buddy
Jeff who has been working construction forever to give me a hand–he had the
know how and all the tools to help pull it off.
We grabbed a bunch of lumber at Home Depot: a few 2x2s, 2x4s, a few sheets of
1/2″ plywood, and bunch of screws.
All in all, it was around $100 worth of lumber (I took back unused lumber at the
end of the project).
The biggest question was how we could secure the vertically oriented side bins to
the bed/side of the truck… They would need to support weight from above and not
collapse inward.
The lining on the bed of my truck offers nice, deep, 1/2″ thick grooves along the
length of the bed, so it was the perfect thickness for a sheet of plywood.
Jeff came up with the idea of precisely notching out the 2x4s where the canopy
clamps were… Thus we could remove the canopy clamps, put the 2×4 in place
and clamp the canopy to the truck with the board in between.
From there we could cut out a few more pieces of 2x4s to brace the plywood wall
at the correct distance. Building these side shelves was perhaps the most time
consuming part of the whole process.
We built vertical bins on each side and then secured the 2×2 rails to the side bins–
these rails would hold the plywood sleeping platform in the elevated position.
From there we cut out the large 1/2″ sheet of plywood to fit. Then we took off the
plastic tailgate cover and replaced it with a precisely cut piece of plywood.
This would offer a flat space for cooking, sitting, whatever, instead of the grooves
that were there with the liner.
We also cut a few circular holes into the tailgate sheet which would hold cups, fuel
canister with my stove, etc and prevent them from sliding off if you accidentally
bumped into it.
I decided to include a “table” over one of my vertical side bins, which would offer a
flat place for my laptop and other items, while only permitting access from
underneath (additional secure storage).
Another time consuming piece of the build was my decision to put hasp locks
between the tail gate and the sleeping platform.
The idea here being that when the plywood sheet is in the elevated position, I
could flip the hasps over the swivel locks on the plywood and essentially lock my
tailgate to my sleeping platform and restrict access to valuables underneath.
This was done because my tailgate does not have a lock–of course, the canopy
when locked prevents you from opening the tailgate, but I questioned the security
of the canopy locks.
The whole
build was
completed
in one
afternoon.
It required
some
precision
handiwork,
and I was
grateful for
Jeff’s help,
input, and
ideas.
I still had
more small
detail work
to do to
refine it though.
First and foremost, I removed the whole thing (it can be taken completely out
with a few
tools and
about
fifteen
minutes)
and then
treated all
the lumber
with
sealant.
There were
other
subtle little
additions,
like putting
in a couple
little nails
to prevent
the backshelf from sliding out when I removed my sleeping platform from the
elevated position.
As well as adding the “L brackets” to the rails near the tailgate, effectively
preventing the sleeping platform from sliding out at all when locked to the tailgate
(without the L brackets, you could probably have dropped the tailgate and caused
the sleeping platform to slide out somewhat–possibly even breaking the wood).
In Practice and Use
Again, this setup is somewhat transformer-like in that things can change around as
I see fit.
I have my “on the go” mode, where I keep my sleeping platform in the elevated
position with my major items stored underneath.
I have four large plastic boxes for gear and food, as well as a medium sized
cooler, that typically reside under the sleeping platform. They fit very snugly
together, which is an important feature so you don’t have boxes or things sliding all
over, smashing into one another while driving.
I’ve got a duffle bag of clothes, some smaller boxes, and other miscellaneous
items that usually live on top of the platform. Lots of other “loose” gear is stored in
my side bins, from my camera tripod, to ice axes and crampons, to extra toilet
paper and soap.
The on the go mode is ideal for when I’m just driving and need to pull over and get
some rest. I usually toss a couple items in the cab of my truck and crawl into the
“coffin” sleeping arrangement for a quick night’s rest.
This is perfect for Wal-Mart parking lots or other single nights of sleep while on
the road and driving between destinations.
The
second
configuration is with the sleeping platform lowered, which I refer to as my
“Base Camp” mode, and is usually employed when I’ve found somewhere to
settle in for awhile, an established campground or what have you.
This is where I will usually unpack a little and leave my food, cooler, duffle bag of
clothes, etc sprawled out at the campsite.
Sometimes I leave all my climbing and camping gear at the site, but I usually feel
better leaving valuables like that in my truck, so I place it on the upper shelf for
sleep mode, and then if I’m driving to the crag or into town, I will place them back
on the bed of the truck (so they don’t slide off or fall down).
Sometimes the items I place underneath the sleep platform change.
For instance in the Sierras, with the bear lockers and trailhead storage, I needed
to keep all
my food
and
scented
items
accessible
for storage,
so I would
place my
clothes
and other
assorted
items
under the
platform.
I will also
typically
secure
those sorts
of items
under my
locked
platform if I
am gone
for a few
days in the
backcountry, because in reality I could probably care less if someone broke in and
stole my box of food, versus someone who stole my clothes or down jackets,
which would be much more problematic (and costly) to replace on the road.
Final Thoughts
So I’ve been living in the back of my truck pretty consistently (excluding
backcountry nights and the rare hotel) now for more than four months (since
March 2013).
And every night in the “front country” has been spent in the back of my truck
(versus a tent), and it is awesome for life in the windy desert like Joshua Tree and
Red Rocks where you don’t have to deal with a flapping tent.
I must say I’m super happy with my transformer style setup.
There is definitely a convenience factor to having the coffin mode available and a
peace of mind with having gear locked up underneath, while it is far, far more
comfortable to have the extra space and headroom afforded by the “back shelf”
mode.
Believe me, when you are forced to hang out in your shelter because of weather or
whatever, you would much rather be able to sit up and move around in the back
than be confined to the coffin.
It’s also nice to be able to easily remove the sleeping platform for the occasional
clean and sweep–dust and sand infiltrate the back no matter what, it seems, in
these desert environs.
I’m pretty content with how things came together and there isn’t a whole lot
that I can think of that I would want to change…
One thing might be to use a different style lock and clasp for the tailgate though, it
currently requires a precision alignment to lock both (I’ve got the technique down,
but it can be fussy sometimes).
One of the biggest things that my setup is missing right now though is the dual
battery setup with the isolator. This was something I hoped to do before leaving,
but never got around to it, plus I’m not too mechanically/electrically inclined, so I
was always intimidated.
But, in essence, having a second battery (deep cycle marine gel) that is charged
from the alternator, but isolated when you are drawing from it would allow one to
charge and run their electronics without worry of giving yourself a dead battery.
Currently, I’m just charging off my main truck battery, and am super cautious to
periodically start my truck and recharge (I will idle the truck once every hour).
Beyond the building aspect, I plan to do a future post or two about other thoughts
and insights about making life in the back of a truck a little better.
If you enjoyed this post, also be sure to check out:
A Few Random Products I Love From Life on the Road where I detail a
few of the creature comforts that made my time on the road better, from the
amazingly comfortable blow up mattress I used to how I kept my water cold
and my meals hot; and
How Much You Should Budget for a Climbing Road Trip where I go into
the nitty gritty of money and how much it will actually cost to “live the
dream”.
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Keep Reading for More Ideas
Here are some of the photos and write ups that I found really valuable when I was
doing my initial research–along with some of my thoughts about what I found
helpful or unique or just plain cool.
The Best Sleeping Rig for Pickup Trucks
Mal Daly’s
elevated
split deck
configuration: also includes good ideas like using velcro to attach things to your
canopy, adding plywood over your tailgate, built in bottle openers, and lots of tips
and tricks for things to think about.
Truck Camping in Style - Roll Global
Different
approach
in that they
hung one
end of the
sleeping
platform
with hooks
and U
bolts. One
of the best
write ups
with full
details
about
rigging up an electrical system with second batteries and an isolator, as well as
using power inverters. They were then able to incorporate cool things like a mini
fridge, lights, and mini PC fans for air circulation.
A Home for the Homeless
Photos of a
wheel well
height
sleeping
platform
with one
large
drawer on
the
underside,
also has a
second
battery
supply and
some
hinged panels toward the cab for retrieving items.
Bert Gets a Rump Remodel – The RV Project
Another
wheel well
height
sleeping
platform
with a
pretty
intricate
set of little
drawers
and
storage
space
underneath.
Tacoma Camper – Baja Taco
A very
nicely done
wheel well
height
sleeping
platform,
even
covered
with
carpeting.
Includes
pad locks
to protect
underneath
storage, as
well as a built in and lockable toolbox for additional secure storage. I really like the
canopy win-doors which include a screened slider–wish that was an option for
mine.
’89 Toyota Pickup: Climber’s Edition - Mountain Project
Bed height
elevated
platform
with a
large
drawer that
can also
double as
a pull out
table.
Truck
Camping
– Steph
Davis
Steph
Davis’ back
shelf setup
which
maximizes
head room.
Stack
items on
the back
near the
cab and
you can
sleep on
the bed
with your
feet underneath the shelf.
Living in a Truck: A Manifesto – 1 Girl on the Rocks
Using a
large shelf
that sits on
the canopy
lip, a la
Steph
Davis,
maximizing
head
space and
livability.
Numerous
other tips
and tricks
about life
in a truck.
Truck Camping with Jack
Bed height
elevated
sleeping
platform.
Modular
setup
which
allows for
quick and
easy
assembly/disassembly.
Truck Camping 101
Lots of
ideas
about
general
truck
camping
setups,
good tips
and tricks
like making
a tarp
awning in
foul
weather.
Truck Drawers / Sleeping Platform – Expedition Portal
An
extremely
elaborate
wheel well
height
sleeping
platform
which
includes
heavy duty
lined
drawers,
slide out
bed
platforms,
and even built in hot water!
Truck Camping: Electricity
Some
great
details
about
power
inverters
and how to
power your
household
gadgets
while on
the road.
Truck
Bed
Buildout - Mountain Project
Mountain Project forum thread with and general ideas about rigging up a truck
camping setup.
Pickup Truck Bed Designs - Super Topo
Super Topo forum thread with ideas, photos, tips, and tricks.
About Ryan
I'm a lover of the great outdoors and a former Washington DC based desk jockey
who left behind the working world for a year-long dirtbag climbing trip in 2013.
Since the beginning of 2014 I've been traveling through Colombia and have since
settled down in Medellin for the time being.