OVRLND CAMPERS ONLY : Post your OVRLND Camper build here or a link to your build thread to inspire others!

[aaaslayer]

morning, a little update from over the weekend. Bedrug is on and loving it. Insulation started, need to finish up both side hatches and 1 more barn door. Will require some fancy cuts to work around the locking latches. Ceiling needs insulation too. Reflectix will go over the foam boards once all done. Then coroplast. Then bench storage. Need to place my fridge and power bank in place to see how I'm going to build these storage benches. Not sure if I want to build a storage bench that'll house my fridge too, or just strap the fridge in place with L track somewhere in the middle between both storage benches, or on top of the storage benches. I'll decide once insulation job is complete.

 

[dstefan]

Looks like you’ve got good help … they do have child labor laws you know ?

One thing I learned a bit too late on the Bedrug is that it stretches with use into voids on the tailgate surface. The Tundra has a lot of structural impressions there and with all the in and out during my build the Bedrrug stretched a bit and started getting rippled. I ended up filling the voids with scraps of foam I had to stop it getting worse. Also helps your knees crawling in.

Maybe your Ram is better? If not, this is the time to do something to prevent it.

 

[aaaslayer]

Looks like you’ve got good help … they do have child labor laws you know ?

One thing I learned a bit too late on the Bedrug is that it stretches with use into voids on the tailgate surface. The Tundra has a lot of structural impressions there and with all the in and out during my build the Bedrrug stretched a bit and started getting rippled. I ended up filling the voids with scraps of foam I had to stop it getting worse. Also helps your knees crawling in.

Maybe your Ram is better? If not, this is the time to do something to prevent it.
View attachment 701004

I gave my daughter many breaks lol

Actually, with my tailgate, I was planning on putting some foam on the voids too, because I do have many ridges and yes it does hurt my knees climbing in. It isn't padded like the bed portion of the bedrug so it is a bit uncomfortable when crawling on the tailgate. That's the only piece I've yet to attach the velcro to, because I was waiting to do my Rokblock tailgate seal install. I actually just did it right now on my lunch break at work. Once it sets I'll finish off the velcro on the tailgate to attach that last piece of the bedrug, but not before i put some foam in those voids to make it less painful when climbing in and prevent that stretching you're talking about.

 

[skyfree]

Excellent tips. I'm picking up my camper this Thursday so I'll be looking for a mattress soon. Question, does that company cut the mattress to custom sizes and do they do vinyl wrapping? I wanted to go with a 4" as you recommend, but can't stack them at 8". So working with a 60x80 Queen size, I wanted to have them cut that into a section that fits perfectly up top when the bed is stowed, and the other remaining mattress will be cut into 2 long thin sections that will be bench cushions on the truck bed drawers/benches I'll make. When the bed is deployed, I would be using the 2 bench cushions to complete the queen size mattress up top. I wanted all this wrapped in a marine grade vinyl like I saw another user here do as well. Pretty much what I'm trying to achieve is the same thing that Four Wheel Campers does with their Project M mattress offering. They have a section that stays up top, and the cushions that go on the bottom and when the bed is deployed, you move the bottom cushions up top to complete your bed. This allows you to go with a thick mattress and not have to worry about stacking issues.

Sorry for the late reply. It's ski season so not reading expeditionportal much these days.

They will cut it into any size you want, in rectangles or squares. I don't think they have a vinyl wrap though. All the details are on their website. I personally wouldn't want vinyl but my use case is probably much different from yours. I don't have any seating "downstairs" other than if I set up my camp chair and sit in there. The cushions are only used only to make the bed.

I got 1 extra inch of cabover thickness which allows me to stack 2 x 3" cushions. I'm sure you know this since you already have it figured out but you would have to go to 3 extra inches to stack 2 x 4" cushions. In your case it sounds like you could go with 5" cushions if you wanted to. Keep in mind that the more pieces you have to make your bed the less comfort. Where the cushions abut each other it's not as good.

 

[skyfree]

Regarding insulation, my 1" double-foil Polyiso + reflectix has been tested multiple nights with temps in the mid to upper 20's. I feel like the chief benefit is that it doesn't radiate ice-cold onto you from the exposed aluminum. It doesn't retain the heat for long though. The tent part is the culprit since it's uninsulated. The truck bed itself is also uninsulated but it's way down low so not as big of an issue. I don't want to go to the trouble of hanging extra insulation on the tent part, but at least on my camper there is a velcro strip along both sides of the roof next to the tent where I could if I wanted to build a "cold pack".

My tiny Kovea Cupid 3K btu heater is enough for me while I'm sitting inside watching a movie at night. If I wanted to sleep with heat on I would need to get a chinese diesel heater or propex and I don't feel like that's really necessary yet. Maybe if I do more winter camping down the road...

 

[bgraboyes]

I got 1 extra inch of cabover thickness which allows me to stack 2 x 3" cushions.

can you leave it stacked and close the top with the 2 x 3" cushions? I did 4" cushions which are great for sleep but am kind of regretting it as i have to pull the bed back out every time i close the top. would be nice if in the morning i pushed it all forward and left it there. If you can close it do you have pillows up there too or no? I find the main thing that prevents it from closing is the lift mechanism which eats up a lot of the useable space. i think that's been improved with the new left mechanism though for newer orders.

 

[Wrathchild]

can you leave it stacked and close the top with the 2 x 3" cushions? I did 4" cushions which are great for sleep but am kind of regretting it as i have to pull the bed back out every time i close the top. would be nice if in the morning i pushed it all forward and left it there. If you can close it do you have pillows up there too or no? I find the main thing that prevents it from closing is the lift mechanism which eats up a lot of the useable space. i think that's been improved with the new left mechanism though for newer orders.

I have the extra bedding height. Can stack my 3” mattress sections and sleeping bags up there with it closed. Have to pull the pillows down. I also have to slide the top mattress cushion slightly aft to provide clearance for the lifting hinge deal.

 

[Wrathchild]

One thing to mention regarding bed rugs in freezing climates.

I trimmed out the flap section that goes between the bed and tailgate. I found it would get wet then freeze causing difficulty in closing/opening the tailgate.

 

[aaaslayer]

One thing to mention regarding bed rugs in freezing climates.

I trimmed out the flap section that goes between the bed and tailgate. I found it would get wet then freeze causing difficulty in closing/opening the tailgate.

good to know. I don't camp in the winter really and the few times I have done so in a regular rooftop tent, the lowest we usually get in Big Bear CA is like 15-20 degrees.

 

[aaaslayer]

Regarding insulation, my 1" double-foil Polyiso + reflectix has been tested multiple nights with temps in the mid to upper 20's. I feel like the chief benefit is that it doesn't radiate ice-cold onto you from the exposed aluminum. It doesn't retain the heat for long though. The tent part is the culprit since it's uninsulated. The truck bed itself is also uninsulated but it's way down low so not as big of an issue. I don't want to go to the trouble of hanging extra insulation on the tent part, but at least on my camper there is a velcro strip along both sides of the roof next to the tent where I could if I wanted to build a "cold pack".

My tiny Kovea Cupid 3K btu heater is enough for me while I'm sitting inside watching a movie at night. If I wanted to sleep with heat on I would need to get a chinese diesel heater or propex and I don't feel like that's really necessary yet. Maybe if I do more winter camping down the road...

camping in 10-20 degree weather for me is tolerable. That's about as low as it gets out here in the desert and in Big Bear CA during the winter. A good sleeping bag and my Mr Buddy heater on for a few hrs with an open vent and I'm good to go. My camper also has the velcro on top and bottom to add a "winter liner" if I wanted to, but no need. I may down the road experiment with an inexpensive chinese diesel heater since they're so damn cheap. Just not sure I'm ready to drill holes in the camper or my truck bed to exhaust. I saw a user here pshin make a board with wood and a hole for the duct to pass through to heat up his camper, and left the diesel heater outside the camper so he didn't have to drill holes into the bed or camper.

Sorry for the late reply. It's ski season so not reading expeditionportal much these days.

They will cut it into any size you want, in rectangles or squares. I don't think they have a vinyl wrap though. All the details are on their website. I personally wouldn't want vinyl but my use case is probably much different from yours. I don't have any seating "downstairs" other than if I set up my camp chair and sit in there. The cushions are only used only to make the bed.

I got 1 extra inch of cabover thickness which allows me to stack 2 x 3" cushions. I'm sure you know this since you already have it figured out but you would have to go to 3 extra inches to stack 2 x 4" cushions. In your case it sounds like you could go with 5" cushions if you wanted to. Keep in mind that the more pieces you have to make your bed the less comfort. Where the cushions abut each other it's not as good.

I got the v2 with the bolted top to the bottom frame so there's no option for added height, but it does come with about an inch or so extra of height automatically, over the version 1. I bought a 4" foam mattress that I will cut into a 68 x 40, that will fit perfectly up top with the bed stowed away. When I pull the bed out, the other 68x40 section will be made up of 2 pieces from that king size mattress I bought. I will cut it into 68 x 20 strips. I plan to use those as cushions for the benches down at the bottom.

 

[LB15]

Thanks for starting this thread! I've got awhile before I get my OVRLND camper, but might as well get some ideas now.

One question about insulation. Are folks insulating the tailgate itself? (not the sealing around the tailgate) I'll be taking the panel off my tailgate soon to put on a Mountain Hatch and was wondering if anybody has felt the need to put any sort of insulation inside the tailgate? Thanks

 

[skyfree]

can you leave it stacked and close the top with the 2 x 3" cushions? I did 4" cushions which are great for sleep but am kind of regretting it as i have to pull the bed back out every time i close the top. would be nice if in the morning i pushed it all forward and left it there. If you can close it do you have pillows up there too or no? I find the main thing that prevents it from closing is the lift mechanism which eats up a lot of the useable space. i think that's been improved with the new left mechanism though for newer orders.

Yes, I stack the 2 3" cushions on top of each other. This doesn't fit perfectly, but with a little downward pull on the front it's easy to latch and close. I pull the top cushion out about 9" before closing which is what Jay recommended to make it fit better.

 

[skyfree]

Thanks for starting this thread! I've got awhile before I get my OVRLND camper, but might as well get some ideas now.

One question about insulation. Are folks insulating the tailgate itself? (not the sealing around the tailgate) I'll be taking the panel off my tailgate soon to put on a Mountain Hatch and was wondering if anybody has felt the need to put any sort of insulation inside the tailgate? Thanks

If you are going to insulate the tailgate, you would want to insulate the entire truck bed as well. I really don't think it's worth it, but I'm sure someone has done it. My truck has a rubbery spray-on bedliner which takes the edge off the conducting of cold into the bed a little. If you have bare metal it might be worth adding reflectix.

 

[aaaslayer]

Thanks for starting this thread! I've got awhile before I get my OVRLND camper, but might as well get some ideas now.

One question about insulation. Are folks insulating the tailgate itself? (not the sealing around the tailgate) I'll be taking the panel off my tailgate soon to put on a Mountain Hatch and was wondering if anybody has felt the need to put any sort of insulation inside the tailgate? Thanks

I'll be adding a bit of foam for comfort, not insulation. I have a bed rug that covers the tail gate. I don't think insulating the tail gate will do much if you don't do the rest of the truck bed like skyfree mentioned. I wouldn't worry about insulating it

 

[aaaslayer]

Morning, was up late last night finishing up the insulation. It is done now in the bottom portion of the camper. Just need to cut the reflectix to size and order my coroplast walls. I'll be taking measurements of the ceiling today to begin making the cuts for the ceiling in the next couple of days. What a difference insulation makes. It was in the 30s last night, and I was working inside the camper barefoot and it wasn't freezing inside. Felt okay. I imagine it'll only get better with the reflectix and walls and the ceiling done too.