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In other positive news... I did manage to pick this topper up for my truck last night:
View attachment 562639
150$ and 10mi from my house and looks like it's made for this model, I think I got lucky. Needs a back glass.

Let's see if I can come up with something in there that is better than tent camping but isn't a pain in the ass like a bed camper.

Air mattress with bedding on it. Lift it up and stuff coolers and tubs under. When you get to camp pull the tubs out and you're ready for bed.if in bear country put cooler and food in the cab before bed.
 
Air mattress with bedding on it. Lift it up and stuff coolers and tubs under. When you get to camp pull the tubs out and you're ready for bed.if in bear country put cooler and food in the cab before bed.

This is a pretty good idea. I'm definitely considering air mattress. I've kinda been considering the platform dealio people build for storage underneath.

I've come to find that the more setup/tear down I have to do, the less fun I have. I know, I'm a whiner. So trying to figure out what's worth doing and not.

I have this cool picture in my head of some kind of pull out kitchen drawer so I have minimal setup but not cooking inside. But I will start small first, probably something like what you said and seeing what I "wish I had"
 
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In other positive news... I did manage to pick this topper up for my truck last night:
View attachment 562639
150$ and 10mi from my house and looks like it's made for this model, I think I got lucky. Needs a back glass.

Let's see if I can come up with something in there that is better than tent camping but isn't a pain in the ass like a bed camper.

What's the problem with tent camping?

Get a nice big cabin like tent and a cot or inflatable air mattress to sleep on.

1727887928527.webp
 
What's the problem with tent camping?

Get a nice big cabin like tent and a cot or inflatable air mattress to sleep on.

View attachment 562693

Idk it sucks ass. Lots of work, lots of mess, and very uncomfortable. I don't wanna deal with setting shit up every night and packing up every morning. I grew up tent camping but lately it just hasn't been it for me

Would you want to sleep like that for a week in Moab??
 
Idk it sucks ass. Lots of work, lots of mess, and very uncomfortable. I don't wanna deal with setting shit up every night and packing up every morning. I grew up tent camping but lately it just hasn't been it for me

Would you want to sleep like that for a week in Moab??

I'd probably get a 10-12 person tent and an inflatable king mattress (the double thick one) to sleep on if I had to do it for a week at a time.

We have a 8-10 person tent now and it takes longer to stake it down than to put it up.

1727889067641.webp
 
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If i know I'm moving to a new spot every night with my truck I prefer to be in the back of it. But if I'm posting up for a week then a tent isn't so bad. Definitely want an air mattress over laying on the ground

This comment made me realize I don't really ever want to stay in the same place overnight. It seems like I mostly use camping as a vehicle for being somewhere in the morning vs. doing it for fun. Maybe it's cos of where I live now? But would explain why I don't want to "deal" with it.

So I guess I'm looking for minimal effort, without being a bulky RV, while still retaining the comforts of home. Super doable lol!

One of my biggest gripes about camping is food storage/cooking honestly. Coming up with a setup that isn't so miserable to use that I end up surviving on jerky and beer is going to be one the biggest things for me. It won't be hard to make a flat spot with a pile of blankets for sleeping realistically.

Maybe it's time to start a list of shit that bugs me camping 😂
 
I bought a couple of these from REI.
https://www.rei.com/product/892837/rei-co-op-kingdom-cot-3

I am not sure of the length, but they're surprisingly comfortable and they fold two ways to a manageable size. They're maybe 12-15" off the ground.

They seem nice, the whole thing with the cot idea though, kinda seems like it'd be easier and roomier to just throw a piece of plywood (across the bottom or over the top of wheelweels, still debating that) flat and lay on it?

I will admit I already have a plywood sheet to go between wheelweels that was originally for the camper to sit on. So I am kinda considering just taking that out with some blankets and shit and seeing how I like it.
 
I think my biggest tossup right now is if it's better to try to setup between the wheel wells with storage on the side, or on top of the wheel wells storage underneath.

Maybe I'm overthinking it and all I need is plywood down the center and my shit stored to the sides. And some kind of special bin that is a kitchen-in-a-box.
 
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I think my biggest tossup right now is if it's better to try to setup between the wheel wells with storage on the side, or on top of the wheel wells storage underneath.

Maybe I'm overthinking it and all I need is plywood down the center and my shit stored to the sides. And some kind of special bin that is a kitchen-in-a-box.

Something like this would work well for a platform for your air mattress and then you can customise your storage to your liking...
https://decked.com/products/drawers..._Syl7havA7Mae20Lll4VTMuoJWJXKQYwaAjvmEALw_wcB
OR...
Get something like this and start from scratch on your storage design... SOnce these don't occupy the space infront of or behind the wheel wells you couls use those coreners to creat more storage for things that aren't used often and as a support for your air mattress platform.

https://www.etrailer.com/Truck-Bed-...bLePHOdwQIYQ3OSH8HMW5PC-qk0DmRS0aApsrEALw_wcB
 
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Something like this would work well for a platform for your air mattress and then you can customise your storage to your liking...
https://decked.com/products/drawers..._Syl7havA7Mae20Lll4VTMuoJWJXKQYwaAjvmEALw_wcB
OR...
Get something like this and start from scratch on your storage design... SOnce these don't occupy the space infront of or behind the wheel wells you couls use those coreners to creat more storage for things that aren't used often and as a support for your air mattress platform.

https://www.etrailer.com/Truck-Bed-...bLePHOdwQIYQ3OSH8HMW5PC-qk0DmRS0aApsrEALw_wcB

These are cool, and the Decked thing is pretty much what exactly I would go for if I went "above the wheelwells" rather than "between them". I'd probably do some kind of half-bed-length drawer and a trapdoor for the back half. But heck I've had the thought of bins with ropes attached to them under a platform instead of drawers. Do the drawers really add much?

Trying to start simple and cheap, I guess. Since I've bounced off a few setups by now.

And honestly... 1500$ is bonkers for that. Even though the idea is totally there. Maybe if you needed the weight savings of aluminum/plastic over wood or lived in an apartment, but something similar with some 2x4s and plywood would be a couple hundred bucks.
 
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These are cool, and the Decked thing is pretty much what exactly I would go for if I went "above the wheelwells" rather than "between them". I'd probably do some kind of half-bed-length drawer and a trapdoor for the back half. But heck I've had the thought of bins with ropes attached to them under a platform instead of drawers. Do the drawers really add much?

Trying to start simple and cheap, I guess. Since I've bounced off a few setups by now.

And honestly... 1500$ is bonkers for that. Even though the idea is totally there. Maybe if you needed the weight savings of aluminum/plastic over wood or lived in an apartment, but something similar with some 2x4s and plywood would be a couple hundred bucks.

Here’s a $150 version

 
Here’s a $150 version



Hey I have a plastic bedliner!

Starts off by replacing it with spray-on bedliner. (n)

Honestly this video is making me think being on the bottom of the bed is the way to go. Dude looks like he can sleep but can't sit up. It'll be a pain in the ass if my dog can't get in it easily. I want to be able to sit up and watch a movie or something. But maybe his 1/8t pickup truck is just way smaller.
 
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Hey I have a plastic bedliner!

Starts off by replacing it with spray-on bedliner. (n)

Honestly this video is making me think being on the bottom of the bed is the way to go. Dude looks like he can sleep but can't sit up. It'll be a pain in the ass if my dog can't get in it easily. I want to be able to sit up and watch a movie or something. But maybe his 1/8t pickup truck is just way smaller.

Easy enough to check the height for you in your topper.
 
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These are cool, and the Decked thing is pretty much what exactly I would go for if I went "above the wheelwells" rather than "between them". I'd probably do some kind of half-bed-length drawer and a trapdoor for the back half. But heck I've had the thought of bins with ropes attached to them under a platform instead of drawers. Do the drawers really add much?

Trying to start simple and cheap, I guess. Since I've bounced off a few setups by now.

And honestly... 1500$ is bonkers for that. Even though the idea is totally there. Maybe if you needed the weight savings of aluminum/plastic over wood or lived in an apartment, but something similar with some 2x4s and plywood would be a couple hundred bucks.

If you want to go the build it yourself route, I wouldn't even bother building a sliding frame. Build your storage boxes and get some low profile rubber, rigid casters and bolt them in place where they will run in the low slots of the truck bed.

2" x 1" wheel 2 5/16" overall height.
1727918801427.png

These are soft rubber with 80lb capacity per wheel. The parent site has hard rubber and poly wheels too that have higher capacities if you think you would need it. 320lb/cargo box is pretty heavy though..


https://mappcaster.com/collections/...+wheel-type-soft-rubber+overall-height-2-5-16
 
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If you want to go the build it yourself route, I wouldn't even bother building a sliding frame. Build your storage boxes and get some low profile rubber, rigid casters and bolt them in place where they will run in the low slots of the truck bed.

2" x 1" wheel 2 5/16" overall height.
View attachment 562776
These are soft rubber with 80lb capacity per wheel. The parent site has hard rubber and poly wheels too that have higher capacities if you think you would need it. 320lb/cargo box is pretty heavy though..


https://mappcaster.com/collections/...+wheel-type-soft-rubber+overall-height-2-5-16

Agree a sliding frame is probably overkill. It would be cool but a trapdoor thing would be easier and serve almost the same purpose. To grab bins you can't reach from the back.

Wheels on bins is a good idea, didn't think of that one.
Easy enough to check the height for you in your topper.

True... I got all the measurements of the truck but did not think to measure my sitting height yet.
 
Hey I have a plastic bedliner!

Starts off by replacing it with spray-on bedliner. (n)

Honestly this video is making me think being on the bottom of the bed is the way to go. Dude looks like he can sleep but can't sit up. It'll be a pain in the ass if my dog can't get in it easily. I want to be able to sit up and watch a movie or something. But maybe his 1/8t pickup truck is just way smaller.

If the top of your sleeping bed is sitting just above the top of the wheel wells you wont be too cramped when trying to sit up, any higher than that with a cab height topper and you'll be hitting your head.
 
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