SHOW US YOUR FULL-SIZE TRUCK CAP / CAMPER TOPPER SHELL SETUP

[General Automag]

Default SHOW US YOUR FULL-SIZE TRUCK CAP / CAMPER SHELL SETUP

SHOW US YOUR FULL-SIZE TRUCK CAP / TRUCK CAMPER SHELL SETUP

We see a lot of roof racks, roof top tents and cab-over hard sized (very tall) truck campers, but what about the regular normal size truck caps that are set up for weekend camping to full-on long term touring? Show us your full size camping/travel setups based on camper shells. These cab be stock from manufacturers such as A.R.E., Leer, or Snugtop, or can be homemade.

We'd like to see how you customized your truck cap/camper and your thinking and ideas for the following:

1. What's your primary purpose of your rig and setup?
2. How long do you use it at one time?
3. Your sleeping setup? (how many people, mattress, materials, etc.)
4. Water? (do you carry on-board water, electric pumps, etc.)
5. Cooler or fridge freezer setup? (where is it placed, how do you power it, etc.)
6. Storage compartments and drawers?
7. On-board power, batteries, inverters, chargers, solar, etc.?
8. Lighting>
8. Ventilation and insulation?
9. Essential gear or must-have modifications?
10. Your plan for going #1 and #2 ?
11. In and out access and any tailgate concerns or mods?

***Bonus*** Feel free to add anything else that you think makes your rig awesome!

 

[t4rFL]

2011 Ram 1500 4x4

1. Primary purpose is to share daily driving, camping and use on long trips that do not require difficult off-road terrain. i have a secondary 4x4 for that.
2. So far the longest trip I've used it for was a 10-day 4200 mile trip.
3. My sleeping setup is a cot w/ sleeping bag, just for me. there is enough room for a 2nd cot or they can tent camp.
4. Nothing fancy for water, bottled water etc..
5. For now just a small Coleman cooler w/ ice. most of the food i bring is backpacking food or canned.
6. I have a swingcase in the bed, and use storage boxes for the rest of my gear.
7. I carry a portable jump starter that can also be used to power small electronics, have a power invertor built into my dash and carry a small solar panel for emergency use.
8. Lighting> In the bed i have 2 small, but bright LED work lights with a magnetic base i keep on the walls of the bed, or just use a headlamp. Front of the truck i have an Amber-Flood, White-spot LED bar. i plan on adding rear flood lights to the bumper.
8. For ventilation i have side sliding windows on the bed cap with screens. i also have bug nets that i can throw over the windows if i were to sleep/stay in the cab. i do not have anything for insulation in the back, just a good sleeping bag.
9. Some essential gear i have: Inreach Explorer, Dual-Band 2-way radio, first aid, fire ext., heavy duty air compressor, lots of recovery gear and basic tools. A must have mod for me is a winch (do a lot of solo travel).
10. Your plan for going #1 and #2 ?
11. I plan on adding a strap to the inside of the tailgate to make it easier to lower/raise. (idea from a forum member); i also have a Trasharoo i attach to my tailgate.

Here is the back setup up for 10 day trip for two of us (only 1 sleeping in the back)
2017-09-29 13.51.00 by Mike, on Flickr
DSC_9583 by Mike, on Flickr
DSC_9581 by Mike, on Flickr
DSC_9648 by Mike, on Flickr

 

[onesojourner]

Bump

 

[(none)]

Far from full sized, but i think the theme is applicable to any size truck...

ARE topper. I have slept in the truck bed once, i'll try to never do it again. I like being able to store all my crap and the dog(s) in the bed and not to have to move everything out to sleep at night. that's why i go with the RTT method. Pups sleep soundly in the bed, we sleep up top. The decked system works well for storage and raises the bed floor up high enough the dogs can lay down and see out the windows from their beds.

Fairly simple setup, no extra battery. I removed the back seats from the truck and added folding shelves in for our clothes. Dometic fridge sits behind the driver. Makes for a great little adventure mobile.

 

[Buddha.]

I don’t have a super good pic.
I insulated an aluminum contractor topper and put some RV style interior lights in it. We threw a mattress in it along with a 120v heated blanket(we where at a campground with electric hookup). It was mostly fine for 25f along the Lake Superior north shore for Halloween camping.

 

[Buddha.]

To my surprise my wife wants to do it again and go back out to Grand Tetons/Glacier/Yellowstone.
I’ll have to make some kind of a drawer platform for under the mattress because last time the wheel wells forced the mattress into a bit of a taco shape which was uncomfortable. Also any supplies got thrown on top of the mattress which was a pain.
Ive already got an isolated auxiliary battery so I might try to run a 12v heated mattress pad. Last time we tent camped in Glacier we weren’t ready for the temp to drop off at night and we froze.
Bonus pick of last trip.

 

[onesojourner]

My favorite


I have one more where a dude piped in a window AC unit but I can't find it.

 

[onesojourner]

To my surprise my wife wants to do it again and go back out to Grand Tetons/Glacier/Yellowstone.
I’ll have to make some kind of a drawer platform for under the mattress because last time the wheel wells forced the mattress into a bit of a taco shape which was uncomfortable. Also any supplies got thrown on top of the mattress which was a pain.
Ive already got an isolated auxiliary battery so I might try to run a 12v heated mattress pad. Last time we tent camped in Glacier we weren’t ready for the temp to drop off at night and we froze.
Bonus pick of last trip.

Be careful to not get the platform to tall. It is easy to eat up all your headroom.