Sleeping back of truck

[32-40win]

We used to go up the the Clearwater / Tay river area hunting in Nov, no issues, and the temp always dropped to -25. I've slept in it for about 30 yrs now on various hunting and fishing trips. Found that for me, a trailer wasn't worth the trouble, had one for about 3 yrs. These days I do prefer it when it isn't frosty out, weather like this is fine by me. Always had a topper, often set up a big tarp, 20x30, and just back under it a bit, if it's wet, I tie a 10x12 tarp over the topper to be able to keep windows open, or the back door open.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by kinwahkly

Anyone have any experience in sleeping in back of your truck ?

Yup....had a great topper and box could fit a nice size mattress. Real simple which I liked.

[southernman]

I serpent all summer, traveling across Canada, Yellowknife to Halifax, with the girl friend, and an old F150 extended cab, eight foot truck, topper, had a bed made, just level with the wheel wells, storage underneath. Mattress on top..
Good memory's,
Still sleep in the Back of my SUV, in New Zealand, from time to time, when away on missions,

[Mastercaller]

bought a dodge megacab for that very reason!! twin air mattress fits perfectly with the back seats laid flat.
in previous life, oh yeah under the truck, in the box, on the hood, front seat, back seat, back seat floor - anyone remember the old ford subercabs with the side jump seats? fold em up and you have a great sleeping space!!

[Big Grey Wolf]

Slept in the back of truck once about 40 years ago. Never been so cold in my life, even with a high quality sleeping bag. Picture trying to sleep in a small/cramped metal box off the ground.

[Boogerfart]

I've slept in my various vehicles countless times on trips and adventures at all times of the year. Better than a tent in my mind, dryer, less bugs, warmer, etc. The list goes on. I slept stretched out on the bench seat of my old truck a couple days ago, left it idling with the windows cracked for warmth and safety. The gentle rumble and vibration kinda reminds me of being on a boat.

[nast70]

My earliest recollection of sleeping in a truck was a trip into Jackson Lake, probably around '83. Broke a tie rod on our '81 Ford. Dad had to walk out and hitch a ride to LacLaBiche for parts. Got a plane to drop him off nearby, fixed the truck and went on our way. Then sunk the truck.....bad. Not enough light to get out. A family of five slept in there that night, 3 kids on top of the camping gear, mom and dad in the front, oh, with 2 dogs to boot. We cut our holiday short, and in a big hurry because I was a *******, but that's another story
For the last couple years, and again this year, I'll spend a night in the truck on my up to our spot. Leave after work, hit the sack halfway, then make it in the morning. Ford F250 Super Cab, back seats fold up. I'm 5'5" and can almost stretch out. Not the best sleep, but not the worst either.

[Boogerfart]

This thread is making me miss my old van, was awesome for road trips and such. I sold it to get something better for hauling kids as it only had bucket seats and a bed. Was great to be able to climb into a warm bed even in the middle of winter...

[forestrover]

I have one of those Napier backroadz truck tents. It fit's my cot and everything else quits comfortably. My truck is a shortbed 5'7 box but with the tailgate down it's around 7'. It's great for weekend scouting trips and even the odd ice fishing adventure. I'm 6 3 so the crew cab just doesn't work. Years of legs cramping up led me to this tent. It's nice being off the ground and a bear can only come in one way

[Dean2]

I thought everyone that spent time outdoors slept in their vehicles. Never occurred to me anyone wouldn't. First vehicle we hunted in a lot was a 54 Ford sedan. The back of the front seat folded flat and made a great double bed. You could sleep cross ways or front to back. Cars back then were designed to be a home and transportation. Huge trunk so lots of room for the cooler, Coleman stove and a folding table plus chairs. Leisurely breakfast and coffee in the fresh air. Next car was a 57 Dodge Royal, lots wide enough for a six footer to sleep across the front seat.

Back of my buddies Diesel Land Rover in -40 in the 70s was a treat. Aluminum is a lousy insulator. Even with a Catalytic heater running coffee would freeze in a cup. Had to drain the oil and heat it in a pot on the Coleman and pour it back in to get it to turn over. They had REALLY weak starters that didn't like the cold. All in they were terribly unreliable 4x4s. It needed some kind of repair after almost every trip, it got moved down the road after 2 years of headaches. He bought a Scout and I bought a Landcruiser, both were great rigs but pretty tight for sleeping in. Small pup tent became the sleeping accommodations of choice till we moved to quads and bigger vehicles in the mid 80s and went back to sleeping in them.

[flyon]

Built this for the tacoma 5.5ft box. I've got to sleep at an angle. Easily removed in about a minute. Camping and hunting gear stores underneath. Sleep like a baby!

https://ibb.co/5L1G7gk

Also built this little platform for the dog. Gives him a little more room and keeps the mud and the non-shedding dog hair off of my seats.

https://ibb.co/6mc3jd0

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by flyon

Built this for the tacoma 5.5ft box. I've got to sleep at an angle. Easily removed in about a minute. Camping and hunting gear stores underneath. Sleep like a baby!

https://ibb.co/5L1G7gk

Also built this little platform for the dog. Gives him a little more room and keeps the mud and the non-shedding dog hair off of my seats.

https://ibb.co/6mc3jd0

Slick!

[Sooner]

Get a canopy, build a bed above the wheel wells so you have storage underneath. Get one with windows and screens for air flow and be ready for some dust and skeeters when you sleep but manageable.


Have many nights under a canopy from Easter fishing on Slave back in the day, to summer camping trips, to fall hunting. Although I have only owned trucks with 8 ft boxes. At least you can stretch out and be comfy on a good mat & in a good sleeping bag and keep your gear dry and locked.

[obsessed1]

I used 2 2x4 8' with 1" holes drilled every 16 inches on the flat. 2 clamps per side hold these on the box rails. 3/4 pex lines 10' long are inserted into the holes to create a hoop. A tarp is stretched over that and down to the tailgate to complete the waterproof tent. Simple cheap and roll the whole thing up in the box for travel. Build a small " wall" on your tailgate with ventilation and a smart guy could possibly run a heater of some sort too

[Bigwoodsman]

Years ago on a late November hunt up along the Ram and off of the North Fork Road a buddy of mine and I slept in my 79 Bronco. We pulled off of a cutline about a mile off the road and made camp in a stand of lodge pole pine.

While buddy was busy busy finding kindling to make a fire, I pulled out the chain saw and fell a few standing dead trees. Bucked it into lengths about 5 feet long and drug them to the front of the bronco and piled them up in a row. Took out the tiger torch fired it up and stuck it in the pile. Buddy quit gathering kindling. We jumped back in the bronco to watch the fire get going, had a drink. About 30 minutes later I layed the expanded metal grill I had across two of the bigger logs and through on a couple of steaks dinner was ready soon after.

During the night it must have dropped down to 30 below. So cold that the truck wouldn't start in the morning. Again out came the tiger torch, and put it under the engine and let the heat rise. Soon the truck was running. Flipped the remaining logs over and soon had a fire going and coffee ready. This was all before legal light. The hunt that ensued is for another time.

Truck camping is fun and I have done it often.

BW

[Rig-Rat]

Car Air Inflatable Mattress, Travel Inflatable Bed for Universal Auto Back Seat Sofa Pillow Outdoor Multifunction Camping Mat Cushion,Black https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07MCP8N96/..._TC9EDbFYAV268

I did something like this once but not this fancy. Made mine with plywood and 3" foam but it worked pretty well.
Not sure how much time you planning on spending back there.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

[Tactical Lever]

Yes. Truck with a canopy and auxiliary tank. Put a second vent on a 1/4 turn valve tubed through bottom of box, outside. Cut a nice piece of plywood to size, to fit with the fuel tank. Put a quick urethane spray on it to make it more resistant to moisture. The plywood rests on one side of the L shaped tank, and a big full size spare tire to level it out. Bought a small, flat electric heater that has 3 different Wattage draws, variable fan, and thermostat that will keep things the right temperature when I have my inverter. Moving blankets from Princess auto keep good gear clean, and add a fair bit of insulating, and cushion. Didn't even bother getting out the sleeping bag at Liard one night. Just spread out a few blankets fired up the inverter and had a good sleep with the heater set low. Temp was probably about -10 or -15.

[graybeard]

I did it for years; hunting and dirt biking. Pulled a small bike trailer and my truck had a canopy.

Need a good sleeping bag, dense roll up 3" thick foam pad or better yet, the new blow-up air bed, tail gate is your table.
Crack the window to ventilate.

Not a lot expendable income so, we all did what we had to do back in the day; character building and good memories......

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by flyon

Built this for the tacoma 5.5ft box. I've got to sleep at an angle. Easily removed in about a minute. Camping and hunting gear stores underneath. Sleep like a baby!

https://ibb.co/5L1G7gk

Also built this little platform for the dog. Gives him a little more room and keeps the mud and the non-shedding dog hair off of my seats.

https://ibb.co/6mc3jd0

That's exactly how I do it, level with the wheel wells and tons of storage underneath.

Not sure if I will ever use my tent again, I sleep better back there then I do at home.

Dosent get any easier then that.

[bucksnbears]

Slept many nights in the back of an S-10 blazer in Montana/ north Dakota.
Usually spur of the moment hunts( coyote)
If for some reason work schedule got messed up, and I had a few days too play, I'd throw a mattress in the back along with a few essentiall supplies ( cooler n beer) and be gone b4 the wife woke up.
I'd leave a note
Never knew where I'd end up at dark but it as usually in somebody's pasture.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Add me to the list - truck with topper, piece of plywood at wheel-well level, foamie underneath - the only thing that bothered me was the moisture. always good to crack a window. Lots of layers when it's cold out.

[Prairiekid]

My Tacoma has the 6' box. I built a platform that takes of half the width of the bed. I used some eye bolts on the platform supports to anchor the sleeping platform to the truck box with ratchet straps. That way I can easily load a deer into the other side of the truck box when needed, and if needed for work I can remove the entire platform in two minutes. I can upload a pic tomorrow if you're wondering. It would take all of 2 hours if you're decent with a skill saw.

Then to sleep just a foamy or a regular length thermarest. For heat there are lots of little propane heaters you could crank up before shutting it down before you sleep.

Before that I slept in the back of my Jettawagon with the seats folded down. it was fine for sleeping, the issue was trying to dry stuff out between days of hunting, ie boot liners. I usually just sat them on the dash and ran the heat while I ate and got ready to sleep.

[sewerrat]

Years back I always slept in the back of my '88 dodge Dakota, Had a topper on the back and a tarp on the very bottom where a foam mattress would be in , because everything was soaking wet in the morning from condensation. Just because the topper wasn't insulated and camping at the west coast in the rain didn't help much either.

[Big Sky]

Originally Posted by Sooner

Get a canopy, build a bed above the wheel wells so you have storage underneath. Get one with windows and screens for air flow and be ready for some dust and skeeters when you sleep but manageable.

This method works great. Have slept many nights in the back of the truck. When you get the bed above the wheel wells the size of the bed can be increased enough that two can sleep comfortably. Get a good quality foam pad to insulate you from underneath. With good quality bags, a November night is no issue.
Ventilation lets the moisture out. Sleep in a toque. A pee bottle comes in handy.

[Savage Bacon]

I find that when I have enough to drink, I can comfortably sleep just about anywhere.

[Prairiekid]

this is what I was trying to describe above.



6' Tacoma. If you need heat you can always plug in a heater for a bit as there is a outlet in the bed of the truck.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I like how you rigged up the eye bolts and ratchet straps, Prairiekid. Great idea!

[trapperdodge]

As mentioned above build over the wheel wells and then don't scrimp on comfort especially if your going to sleep in cold weather. A real thick foamy, an air mattress, a '5 star', a wool blanket and your good to go.

Pee bottle and a touque as Big Sky recommends. You'll be amazed how well you'll sleep if you make a good bed.

[Prairiekid]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

I like how you rigged up the eye bolts and ratchet straps, Prairiekid. Great idea!

Thanks. I wanted something solid but easily removable if I needed.

[cranky]

I used to use a hide-a-bed frame. Replaced the factory wood slats under the mattress with a cut down sheet of plywood. Slats didnt hold my weight after awhile and some broke. Heck of a thing to get woke up to the sound of a slat breaking. Grabbing for shotgun in a hurry. Lol
Anyway it works a charm with a 8 foot box. And can be folded out of the way when space is needed. Used it for years in the old F150.