Hey all! Looking into investing in a truck tent and wanted to know if any of you had any recommendations. I’m currently looking at the one pictured, but haven’t committed into buying it just yet. Also looking at air mattresses that fit into the bed as well. Thanks for any input and comments!
Truck Tents
- Thread starter tmarin812
- Start date
Teegunn
Well-known member
I think I have that same tent. Except for a 5'-8" bed. I ordered it on Amazon, 4 or 5 years ago.
We used it once. It was late June, we went pretty backcountry here in Montana, and got snowed on so hard and so much, we ended up leaving middle of the night. FWIW, the tent did fine, but no way did we want to wake up and deal with 8 to 12 inches of wet, new snow. As it was, there was 5 or 6" when we packed up and left about 3 am. I actually just folded the tent poles down and threw everything on top of it until we got home instead of trying to take it down and box the tent up in that kind of snow. IDK how much it snowed that night, glad we got out of there.
The tent has been used one other time, by my wife's brother. I never heard how it worked for him. He has a 2008 longbed Silverado. I am assuming it worked OK since I didn't hear otherwise.
I think it is a good tent. I think truck-bed tents can chafe or scratch the paint a little. But I am a contractor, who uses my truck daily as a contractor - it is all but impossible to keep my truck as nice as I'd like. Not that I want extra scratches, etc, just that is something to consider with a truck bed tent. Just look at how the straps cross the bed/paint.
We may use it again, just not sure when. Life, kids, work, etc (10 people live in my house, sometimes 11), make finding time to do anything like this with my wife... difficult. I have considered taking a solo trip down through southern Utah and northern Arizona. I did this in 2014, except on a motorcyle, loaded to the gills. Camped every night, usually hadn't even picked or found my camp site until about dark. I was alone (even though I was accused of not being alone, lol), and it was a hell of a trip. 6 days, 3500 miles, plus lots of miles hiked on foot in the canyonlands type terrain of southern Utah. Started the trip in very late August in 95 degree temps, came home in early Sept to snowing (again, I was on a motorcycle) the last 60 miles home in Montana. That is Montana weather for you!
I have strongly considered doing this again, but this time in my truck (currently 23 AT4X) and using my truck tent each night instead of unpacking/repacking a loaded motorcycle (was not a bagger bike, so I had to get creative). Would be nice not to have to tear the tent down daily - would like to be able to just lay the tent flat with the poles taken out, but probably not the best idea. Plus now I have a tonneau cover, so that is likely in the way. I'd have to remove that first. Hell, I could just shimmy in under the tonneau cover as my "tent" - have considered it!
But I digressed. I think the tent you have shown in the pic would be fine. I seem to remember I paid about $200 for mine, a little foggy on the exact price but somewhere in that range.
We used it once. It was late June, we went pretty backcountry here in Montana, and got snowed on so hard and so much, we ended up leaving middle of the night. FWIW, the tent did fine, but no way did we want to wake up and deal with 8 to 12 inches of wet, new snow. As it was, there was 5 or 6" when we packed up and left about 3 am. I actually just folded the tent poles down and threw everything on top of it until we got home instead of trying to take it down and box the tent up in that kind of snow. IDK how much it snowed that night, glad we got out of there.
The tent has been used one other time, by my wife's brother. I never heard how it worked for him. He has a 2008 longbed Silverado. I am assuming it worked OK since I didn't hear otherwise.
I think it is a good tent. I think truck-bed tents can chafe or scratch the paint a little. But I am a contractor, who uses my truck daily as a contractor - it is all but impossible to keep my truck as nice as I'd like. Not that I want extra scratches, etc, just that is something to consider with a truck bed tent. Just look at how the straps cross the bed/paint.
We may use it again, just not sure when. Life, kids, work, etc (10 people live in my house, sometimes 11), make finding time to do anything like this with my wife... difficult. I have considered taking a solo trip down through southern Utah and northern Arizona. I did this in 2014, except on a motorcyle, loaded to the gills. Camped every night, usually hadn't even picked or found my camp site until about dark. I was alone (even though I was accused of not being alone, lol), and it was a hell of a trip. 6 days, 3500 miles, plus lots of miles hiked on foot in the canyonlands type terrain of southern Utah. Started the trip in very late August in 95 degree temps, came home in early Sept to snowing (again, I was on a motorcycle) the last 60 miles home in Montana. That is Montana weather for you!
I have strongly considered doing this again, but this time in my truck (currently 23 AT4X) and using my truck tent each night instead of unpacking/repacking a loaded motorcycle (was not a bagger bike, so I had to get creative). Would be nice not to have to tear the tent down daily - would like to be able to just lay the tent flat with the poles taken out, but probably not the best idea. Plus now I have a tonneau cover, so that is likely in the way. I'd have to remove that first. Hell, I could just shimmy in under the tonneau cover as my "tent" - have considered it!
But I digressed. I think the tent you have shown in the pic would be fine. I seem to remember I paid about $200 for mine, a little foggy on the exact price but somewhere in that range.
Pingbling23
Active member
I had the tent with my avalanche and my wife and I used it several times, one being a 10 day road trip where we mixed camping and hotel stays. It was the branded gm but I think made by Napier. It was great quality wise. The only problem we had was breaking a tent pole but that was user error and it was easy to replace. We did the air mattress at first but it seems like they are always developing holes or go flat in the middle of the night and you wake up on a hard surface. We went to a local fabric shop and had 2 thick foam pads (similar to memory foam) cut to the size of the bed. It was a much more enjoyable sleeping experience for us.
I was looking at the same tent. In case anyone is wondering they have strap protectors to help avoid scratches. You could also just fold some microfiber towels and accomplish the same thing. I'd probably do both on a new truck.
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/nap...TrWiJbQUtXZqCKFljkBoCQ_IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/nap...TrWiJbQUtXZqCKFljkBoCQ_IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Dbart71
Member
I had one of those tents and use it for years. Wife and I would camp and I used out in Glamis and off-roading.
If you get one, wrap the tie down straps with foam or a towel when they are next to your fender sides. Any wind will slap those against the paint and mark it up!
Great tent though, easy setup too.
Enjoy.
If you get one, wrap the tie down straps with foam or a towel when they are next to your fender sides. Any wind will slap those against the paint and mark it up!
Great tent though, easy setup too.
Enjoy.
I just picked this up, I can’t wait to try it out! I think there’s just enough room for 400 watts of CIGS solar panels on the roof.
Teegunn
Well-known member
That looks great! I also looks expensive, but honestly perfect for what I would want in a truck bed tent.
I love southern Utah/Canyonlands/Moab all of the parks and area down there. I was going to take 5 days or so this fall and go do all the parks again (alone - like I did last time 10 years ago but that was on my motorcycle). Unfortunately life and jobs (I am a contractor) have made that unlikely this fall, but if I did go, I was going to sleep in my truck bed under my bed cover - which obviously would give very little head room.
This bed cover/tent you have looks perfect. Gonna research and see how much it is.
EDIT: After a little research (and not reading your post well enough), I see this is a rooftop tent. I was thinking it was a bed cover that popped up as a tent (which sounds like a great idea BTW). Still, looks nice and I hope you enjoy!
Yeah it was pr
so I spend a little more than some to be comfortable.
I have a house in NM and I planned to do pretty much the same trip in the spring but first I’m going to spend a month being a bum this winter beach camping all along the gulf coast.
Im only required to work 182 days a year so I travel alone for much of the other 183 days.
Yeah it was pretty spendy even at half off retail. Getting out there is far more important that how much you spend though. I never married or had kids so I have lots of money
so I spend a little more than some to be comfortable. I have a house in NM and I planned to do pretty much the same trip in the spring but first I’m going to spend a month being a bum this winter beach camping all along the gulf coast.
Im only required to work 182 days a year so I travel alone for much of the other 183 days.
Love that. I'm married, have kids and grandkids and a wife of course, however sometimes behave as if I'm single (everyone is well off and noone needs my money), hence purchase all I want; just declare a spousal receiptI never married or had kids so I have lots of money
Im only required to work 182 days a year so I travel alone for much of the other 183 days.
, whose checking anyway.Then work: Its like a game to me, work with my brains and it pays good, keeps my brain cells ticking. I work full time but its playing with technology full time, its a breeze.
What about fishing while on the beach? Surf fishing is my favourite fishing which I did a lot of in NJ, I desperately miss here in WA; we have the ocean, Puget Sound but no surf. Down to mostly lake fishing.Yeah it was pr
Yeah it was pretty spendy even at half off retail. Getting out there is far more important that how much you spend though. I never married or had kids so I have lots of money
I have a house in NM and I planned to do pretty much the same trip in the spring but first I’m going to spend a month being a bum this winter beach camping all along the gulf coast.
Im only required to work 182 days a year so I travel alone for much of the other 183 days.
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