Truck Camping – A Guide to Outfitting and Living in the

Back of Your Pickup

desktodirtbag.com /pickup-truck-camping

The Dirtbag-Mobile. Every climbing bum who decides to spend a length of time

on the road inevitably ends up living in and out of their vehicle.

It’s kind of a right of passage.

The types of vehicles that people end up dirtbagging in are about as varied as

climbing itself.

The two most common dirtbag rigs from what I’ve seen are pickup trucks with a

canopy or some type of van.

Here we’re going to be discussing building out the pickup and canopy combo,

since that’s what I’ve got.

More often than not, we don’t have the liberty to decide what sort of vehicle we’re

going to dirtbag in. It’s usually whatever it is we happened to buy a few years

back.

I’ve got a 1991 Toyota 4×4 Pickup (Hilux), which is a series of truck that predates

the Tacoma model.

This truck has been my one and only vehicle since high school and I knew when I

decided to bum around the country that it was going to be me and my old truck…

But now as my new home on wheels.

Canopy Selection

My truck did not have a canopy however, so that was a necessary purchase

before departure.

There is the possibility of finding a used canopy, but that wasn’t really feasible for

me given that I was on one side of the country and my truck was on the other.

So when I returned back to the West Coast and was gearing up for this trip, I hit up

the local canopy store to shop for a new one. I ended up going with the Leer 122

model which had the elevated roof (important for extra headroom).

I did a lot of research prior to the purchase on what makes an ideal canopy setup–

things like a carpeted canopy liner in order to help with condensation (you can also

stick velcro’d things to the ceiling, like lights), the other recommendation was for

getting the flip up contractor windows on the sides,

I couldn’t make up my mind and so went with one sliding screen window and one

flip up window. I still go back and forth about whether I would have preferred two

contractor windows or not…

The order took a few weeks to come through from Leer and be delivered to the

retailer, so be sure to account for the delay. They did the installation and wired up

the light and cigarette lighter adapters in the canopy as well.

Building out the Back

Backtracking a little: in the months leading up to my departure I did *a lot* of

research about how to best outfit the back of a pickup truck for living and gear

storage.

I scoured the internet for photos and details about what people did, I combed

Mountain Project and Summit Post for threads about this topic.

There are a lot of different ways to do it and there are a lot of opinions about what

the best way is. I got lots of great ideas doing this research and got a pretty good

sense of what people liked and didn’t like about their own setups.

This process was invaluable in helping me reach my own conclusions.

There are two overarching approaches in how people design and build out the

back of their trucks:

1. The elevated sleeping platform where you have gear storage underneath,

this seemed to be the most common approach by far; and

2. The more simplistic “back shelf” approach where you just have some sort of

shelf by the cab which you place your feet under while sleeping, and

allowing you maximum headroom.

Essentially the first approach favors gear storage over livability, while the

second approach favors livability over gear storage.

While the elevated sleeping platform approach was the most common, it was also

quite frequently followed up with a sentiment of dissatisfaction.

Most likened it to sleeping in a coffin.

The advantages of this style is the relative security of gear, you can place all your

expensive climbing and outdoor gear underneath the platform and provided you

can lock your tailgate, you’ve got a pretty smash and grab safe setup.

The back shelf style seemed to be in favor among those who have been

dirtbagging it for a long time. Steph Davis comes to mind first and foremost as

an advocate of this approach.

This is simply put, the most “livable” style with the most headroom since you don’t

have to deal with the coffin for sleeping.

The downside of course is that you have less organized storage space and any

gear in the back is more susceptible to the smash and grab style break in.

I thought a lot about the pluses and minuses of each approach, but kept

thinking there’s got to be a best of both world’s approach, right?

I came up with all sorts of elaborate ideas, like a hinged platform in the middle that

would pop up for more space, and other convoluted ideas that I don’t even

remember.

There were two turning points that shaped my design.

First, I solicited feedback from a climbing guide friend who has a similar truck

setup.

His major point was to keep it simple–too many people over engineer these things

with elaborate drawers and cubbies that slide out for gear access.

It’s important to remember that that will mean more money, time, and complexity to

build, and also more weight in the back (which equals more money in fuel

consumption).

So Keep It Simple, Stupid.

The second pivotal moment came at the 11th hour…

Just after I got my canopy installed I posted something on Facebook to the tune of

“Now, to make a truck a home…”

And funnily enough, a famous pro-climber replied to my post with this huge

paragraph of what he would recommend (yeah, I’m one of those guys who

befriends the pro-climbers, mostly just to see what they’re up to, but also to be

inspired by awesomeness).

In a nutshell, he said he spent many years living in the back of a Toyota, and his

favorite method by far was the back shelf approach, coupled with two vertically

oriented side bins along the wheel wheels for additional storage and organization.

So, this last minute suggestion sent me off in a new direction… What about these

vertically oriented side bins coupled with a movable platform?

My Transformer Style Setup

In all my research I never came across another approach exactly like the one I

eventually settled on, but maybe they’re out there somewhere.

Conceptually, I knew what I wanted, now it was time to try and make it into reality.

I’m not super savvy when it comes to building things, but I talked my good buddy

Jeff who has been working construction forever to give me a hand–he had the

know how and all the tools to help pull it off.

We grabbed a bunch of lumber at Home Depot: a few 2x2s, 2x4s, a few sheets of

1/2″ plywood, and bunch of screws.

All in all, it was around $100 worth of lumber (I took back unused lumber at the

end of the project).

The biggest question was how we could secure the vertically oriented side bins to

the bed/side of the truck… They would need to support weight from above and not

collapse inward.

The lining on the bed of my truck offers nice, deep, 1/2″ thick grooves along the

length of the bed, so it was the perfect thickness for a sheet of plywood.

Jeff came up with the idea of precisely notching out the 2x4s where the canopy

clamps were… Thus we could remove the canopy clamps, put the 2×4 in place

and clamp the canopy to the truck with the board in between.

From there we could cut out a few more pieces of 2x4s to brace the plywood wall

at the correct distance. Building these side shelves was perhaps the most time

consuming part of the whole process.

We built vertical bins on each side and then secured the 2×2 rails to the side bins–

these rails would hold the plywood sleeping platform in the elevated position.

From there we cut out the large 1/2″ sheet of plywood to fit. Then we took off the

plastic tailgate cover and replaced it with a precisely cut piece of plywood.

This would offer a flat space for cooking, sitting, whatever, instead of the grooves

that were there with the liner.

We also cut a few circular holes into the tailgate sheet which would hold cups, fuel

canister with my stove, etc and prevent them from sliding off if you accidentally

bumped into it.

I decided to include a “table” over one of my vertical side bins, which would offer a

flat place for my laptop and other items, while only permitting access from

underneath (additional secure storage).

Another time consuming piece of the build was my decision to put hasp locks

between the tail gate and the sleeping platform.

The idea here being that when the plywood sheet is in the elevated position, I

could flip the hasps over the swivel locks on the plywood and essentially lock my

tailgate to my sleeping platform and restrict access to valuables underneath.

This was done because my tailgate does not have a lock–of course, the canopy

when locked prevents you from opening the tailgate, but I questioned the security

of the canopy locks.

The whole

build was

completed

in one

afternoon.

It required

some

precision

handiwork,

and I was

grateful for

Jeff’s help,

input, and

ideas.

I still had

more small

detail work

to do to

refine it though.

First and foremost, I removed the whole thing (it can be taken completely out

with a few

tools and

about

fifteen

minutes)

and then

treated all

the lumber

with

sealant.

There were

other

subtle little

additions,

like putting

in a couple

little nails

to prevent

the backshelf from sliding out when I removed my sleeping platform from the

elevated position.

As well as adding the “L brackets” to the rails near the tailgate, effectively

preventing the sleeping platform from sliding out at all when locked to the tailgate

(without the L brackets, you could probably have dropped the tailgate and caused

the sleeping platform to slide out somewhat–possibly even breaking the wood).

In Practice and Use

Again, this setup is somewhat transformer-like in that things can change around as

I see fit.

I have my “on the go” mode, where I keep my sleeping platform in the elevated

position with my major items stored underneath.

I have four large plastic boxes for gear and food, as well as a medium sized

cooler, that typically reside under the sleeping platform. They fit very snugly

together, which is an important feature so you don’t have boxes or things sliding all

over, smashing into one another while driving.

I’ve got a duffle bag of clothes, some smaller boxes, and other miscellaneous

items that usually live on top of the platform. Lots of other “loose” gear is stored in

my side bins, from my camera tripod, to ice axes and crampons, to extra toilet

paper and soap.

The on the go mode is ideal for when I’m just driving and need to pull over and get

some rest. I usually toss a couple items in the cab of my truck and crawl into the

“coffin” sleeping arrangement for a quick night’s rest.

This is perfect for Wal-Mart parking lots or other single nights of sleep while on

the road and driving between destinations.

The

second

configuration is with the sleeping platform lowered, which I refer to as my

“Base Camp” mode, and is usually employed when I’ve found somewhere to

settle in for awhile, an established campground or what have you.

This is where I will usually unpack a little and leave my food, cooler, duffle bag of

clothes, etc sprawled out at the campsite.

Sometimes I leave all my climbing and camping gear at the site, but I usually feel

better leaving valuables like that in my truck, so I place it on the upper shelf for

sleep mode, and then if I’m driving to the crag or into town, I will place them back

on the bed of the truck (so they don’t slide off or fall down).

Sometimes the items I place underneath the sleep platform change.

For instance in the Sierras, with the bear lockers and trailhead storage, I needed

to keep all

my food

and

scented

items

accessible

for storage,

so I would

place my

clothes

and other

assorted

items

under the

platform.

I will also

typically

secure

those sorts

of items

under my

locked

platform if I

am gone

for a few

days in the

backcountry, because in reality I could probably care less if someone broke in and

stole my box of food, versus someone who stole my clothes or down jackets,

which would be much more problematic (and costly) to replace on the road.

Final Thoughts

So I’ve been living in the back of my truck pretty consistently (excluding

backcountry nights and the rare hotel) now for more than four months (since

March 2013).

And every night in the “front country” has been spent in the back of my truck

(versus a tent), and it is awesome for life in the windy desert like Joshua Tree and

Red Rocks where you don’t have to deal with a flapping tent.

I must say I’m super happy with my transformer style setup.

There is definitely a convenience factor to having the coffin mode available and a

peace of mind with having gear locked up underneath, while it is far, far more

comfortable to have the extra space and headroom afforded by the “back shelf”

mode.

Believe me, when you are forced to hang out in your shelter because of weather or

whatever, you would much rather be able to sit up and move around in the back

than be confined to the coffin.

It’s also nice to be able to easily remove the sleeping platform for the occasional

clean and sweep–dust and sand infiltrate the back no matter what, it seems, in

these desert environs.

I’m pretty content with how things came together and there isn’t a whole lot

that I can think of that I would want to change…

One thing might be to use a different style lock and clasp for the tailgate though, it

currently requires a precision alignment to lock both (I’ve got the technique down,

but it can be fussy sometimes).

One of the biggest things that my setup is missing right now though is the dual

battery setup with the isolator. This was something I hoped to do before leaving,

but never got around to it, plus I’m not too mechanically/electrically inclined, so I

was always intimidated.

But, in essence, having a second battery (deep cycle marine gel) that is charged

from the alternator, but isolated when you are drawing from it would allow one to

charge and run their electronics without worry of giving yourself a dead battery.

Currently, I’m just charging off my main truck battery, and am super cautious to

periodically start my truck and recharge (I will idle the truck once every hour).

Beyond the building aspect, I plan to do a future post or two about other thoughts

and insights about making life in the back of a truck a little better.

If you enjoyed this post, also be sure to check out:

A Few Random Products I Love From Life on the Road where I detail a

few of the creature comforts that made my time on the road better, from the

amazingly comfortable blow up mattress I used to how I kept my water cold

and my meals hot; and

How Much You Should Budget for a Climbing Road Trip where I go into

the nitty gritty of money and how much it will actually cost to “live the

dream”.

Don't forget to share the love...

Keep Reading for More Ideas

Here are some of the photos and write ups that I found really valuable when I was

doing my initial research–along with some of my thoughts about what I found

helpful or unique or just plain cool.

The Best Sleeping Rig for Pickup Trucks

Mal Daly’s

elevated

split deck

configuration: also includes good ideas like using velcro to attach things to your

canopy, adding plywood over your tailgate, built in bottle openers, and lots of tips

and tricks for things to think about.

Truck Camping in Style - Roll Global

Different

approach

in that they

hung one

end of the

sleeping

platform

with hooks

and U

bolts. One

of the best

write ups

with full

details

about

rigging up an electrical system with second batteries and an isolator, as well as

using power inverters. They were then able to incorporate cool things like a mini

fridge, lights, and mini PC fans for air circulation.

A Home for the Homeless

Photos of a

wheel well

height

sleeping

platform

with one

large

drawer on

the

underside,

also has a

second

battery

supply and

some

hinged panels toward the cab for retrieving items.

Bert Gets a Rump Remodel – The RV Project

Another

wheel well

height

sleeping

platform

with a

pretty

intricate

set of little

drawers

and

storage

space

underneath.

Tacoma Camper – Baja Taco

A very

nicely done

wheel well

height

sleeping

platform,

even

covered

with

carpeting.

Includes

pad locks

to protect

underneath

storage, as

well as a built in and lockable toolbox for additional secure storage. I really like the

canopy win-doors which include a screened slider–wish that was an option for

mine.

’89 Toyota Pickup: Climber’s Edition - Mountain Project

Bed height

elevated

platform

with a

large

drawer that

can also

double as

a pull out

table.

Truck

Camping

– Steph

Davis

Steph

Davis’ back

shelf setup

which

maximizes

head room.

Stack

items on

the back

near the

cab and

you can

sleep on

the bed

with your

feet underneath the shelf.

Living in a Truck: A Manifesto – 1 Girl on the Rocks

Using a

large shelf

that sits on

the canopy

lip, a la

Steph

Davis,

maximizing

head

space and

livability.

Numerous

other tips

and tricks

about life

in a truck.

Truck Camping with Jack

Bed height

elevated

sleeping

platform.

Modular

setup

which

allows for

quick and

easy

assembly/disassembly.

Truck Camping 101

Lots of

ideas

about

general

truck

camping

setups,

good tips

and tricks

like making

a tarp

awning in

foul

weather.

Truck Drawers / Sleeping Platform – Expedition Portal

An

extremely

elaborate

wheel well

height

sleeping

platform

which

includes

heavy duty

lined

drawers,

slide out

bed

platforms,

and even built in hot water!

Truck Camping: Electricity

Some

great

details

about

power

inverters

and how to

power your

household

gadgets

while on

the road.

Truck

Bed

Buildout - Mountain Project

Mountain Project forum thread with and general ideas about rigging up a truck

camping setup.

Pickup Truck Bed Designs - Super Topo

Super Topo forum thread with ideas, photos, tips, and tricks.

About Ryan

I'm a lover of the great outdoors and a former Washington DC based desk jockey

who left behind the working world for a year-long dirtbag climbing trip in 2013.

Since the beginning of 2014 I've been traveling through Colombia and have since

settled down in Medellin for the time being.