Sleeping under campershell?

[takethetruck]

We squeeze our family of 3 in the '84 while we travel. Build is detailed on our site, but the sleeping platform and a couple other mods make it a great setup for us.

 

[Frazeur1]

I just bought an ARE MX series cap, just installed on Monday. It gives an added 6-7" of headroom. I was looking at the Z-series, but now feel like I made the right choice. This cap is for my 2011 Toyota Tacoma. I am planning to build a simple bed platform with storage underneath. The platform is going to have a split top that I can fold up on an angle on one side to more or less make a sofa. Should be enough headroom to allow me to sit down normally and read or do whatever. I am a rather short guy though at 5' 7". Right now just in the planning stages, so much to do, never enough time....

 

[Tacomacamper]

Our 2002 tacoma is set up with the RTT over the cab and a simple sleeping platform I designed with a drawer for stove and storage, awning off the back, extended height for head room, and a flip up section to let the cooler in and out. Our kids are little but we all fit pretty well! I've recently reworked the platform to be more organized (cooler used to go in the center and no drawer; way better now).

 

[Frazeur1]

My truck with ARE MX cap installed.

 

[Doc_]

Sleeping in the bed of my pickup with my camper has been a staple of my schtick for a long time, it works really well. Definitely insulate your rig for cold weather and build some kind of platform for keeping you off the cold metal.
As far as overall thoughts go, I love the convenience of it.
At the end of the day I'm a backpacker, and I needed a system for getting to a trailhead after work, sleep the remainder of the night off, and hit the trails early in the morning. This was my favorite solution. Because I can lock my camper and stow my gear, I've taken to keeping a second sleeping setup so I don't even have to strike camp. I can get up with the sun and blaze a trail in a way that's streamlined and painless.

 

[crewdoglm]

I'd love to have a shell, but I just don't have the money. My Tundra came with a hard tonneau and I sleep under it with a memory foam mattress. I really like how snug and quiet it is. My wife thinks it is a coffin, but that hasn't stoped us from sleeping in the bed.

JC, I like the idea. Impressions 7 years later? My concern is that a person could suffocate under a tonneau cover. Evidently you guys have survived. Did you have the thing sealed up while sleeping?

 

[GTV]

 

[GTV]

Topper being taller than the roof really helps with comfort.

 

[jmodz]

Here is my build. Really simple. I found it really hard to sleep on the platform with a cab high shell with no windows. I’d really recommend going with a higher shell or low to no platform. The drawer I built is the perfect height for gear but doesn’t leave enough room for sleeping.

 

[The Artisan]

I'd love to have a shell, but I just don't have the money. My Tundra came with a hard tonneau and I sleep under it with a memory foam mattress. I really like how snug and quiet it is. My wife thinks it is a coffin, but that hasn't stoped us from sleeping in the bed.

I know this is old but add tent sides and you have an instant poptop.
Kevin

 

[KTempleton]

I know this is old but add tent sides and you have an instant poptop.
Kevin

Years ago I had a fiberglass bed cover on a Tacoma. I cut the floor out of an old ground tent. Pop open the cover, throw the tent over it and bungee the anchor points to the bedsides. It was awesome. Eventually I epoxies snap buttons to the under side of the shell trim. Got some solar shade and cut into two triangles for the sides and a piece with a zipper 3/4's of the way up and sewed it all together with fishing line. When ready to camp I just had to snap all the button on and crawl in. Had a big tarp for bad weather. Slept that way for years. Still don't have a faster more convenient or as comfortable set up. Had an old fold out catch I would rob the mattress off of for it.

 

[JCMatthews]

JC, I like the idea. Impressions 7 years later? My concern is that a person could suffocate under a tonneau cover. Evidently you guys have survived. Did you have the thing sealed up while sleeping?

Sorry to get back to you so late. No suffocation. I liked it, but all of my gear had to be moved to sleep there and my wife thought she was going to die. A shell was always what we wanted. We've had a shell since 2014. I built a platform for it and spent 31 straight days sleeping in it on a trip to Alaska. My wife says that it is her favorite place to sleep hands down.

 

[1000arms]

... I built a platform for it and spent 31 straight days sleeping in it on a trip to Alaska. My wife says that it is her favorite place to sleep hands down.

Was she referring to the sleeping platform, or, to Alaska?

 

[JCMatthews]

Was she referring to the sleeping platform, or, to Alaska?

Both. She spent a lot of time in her youth in Alaska so she was glad to go back. However, all of the camping we have both done, the platform is her favorite sleeping arrangement.

 

[1000arms]

Both. She spent a lot of time in her youth in Alaska so she was glad to go back. However, all of the camping we have both done, the platform is her favorite sleeping arrangement.

I've done a lot of camping, including under a truck-cap on a platform in Alaska, and I've greatly enjoyed it, but, I'll admit that I'd like to be able to stand up to get dressed without being rained on or chewed by insects.