Camping Set Up Suggestions

Hey all,

First post on here, love this community so far. I've been trolling around for a month now, looking at various set ups for camping... Roof Top Tents, Cab-High Shells, Mid-Rise Shells, Trailers, etc. etc.

I'm wondering if anybody can speak to the pros and cons of each set up, if you've had several different set ups, which one you liked more... I understand there are ups and downs for each situation and that there' probably no "ultimate" answer, just curious what others experiences have been.

I'm looking for a set up that will be good for extended travel and adventure (several months). In addition to the usual camping gear (Fridge, Stove, Clothes, Camp Kitchen, Table, Chairs, misc. Camping Gear) survival and emergency gear, I've also got several pelican cases of camera gear, 4 tripods, some timelapse motion control equipment... I understand it's a lot of gear... Previously I've always just done the tent on the ground thing but on a long extended trip it seems like I could get some benefit by outfitting the tacoma with some set up.

Oh, and I've got a double cab long bed.

Thanks in advance for any advice, suggestions, ideas, and stories you might have to share.

 

Just in case you've never seen one before another option is a FlipPac. A bit more pricey than your existing options (about 5500 after CA tax) but a lot less than a pop up camper. Also only weighs 300 lbs. Manufactured in Riverside by a company called FRP so close enough you could visit them to check one out in person. Photo of mine open:

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Oh and definitely go visit the Expedition Portal forums if you haven't already. Lots and lots of build threads and knowledge about extended travel camping setups.

 

Currently using a ground tent. I will be building a off road teardrop trailer within the next month or so.

 

Traditional camping using a tent. Hard bed height cover.
For those that sleep in the bed - what do you do with all your "stuff" (that was in the bed) overnight?
Also looks like most roof top tents take up a fair amount of room while traveling.
To me, it's easier to just unload what you have to, ie tent, cooking gear, etc rather than virtually everything to sleep in or over the bed.

 

I generally don't take anything that doesn't fit under my sleeping platform when I sleep in the bed. On trips where I want more stuff, I take my 1958 camper trailer.

 

It depends on how much stuff you have, how many people are sleeping and how you configure the bed. A raised platform in the bed and just a few containers above it will provide ample storage that either doesn't have to be moved because it is under the raised platform or is easy to shove around or remove because it is in a container.

This is my current bed set up:

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That's in a short bed. The OP has a long bed which will provide more room and is just the right length for sleeping. He could do a raised floor like mine which provides a lot of storage underneath it for camping gear. Scepter 20L water jugs will fit lying flat under there as well. If he is sleeping solo then he can easily have a cooler and two storage containers along one side of the bed leaving the other side completely open for sleeping. For two people he'd just need to remove the cooler and two storage containers at night to have a large 5' by 6' sleeping space. The containers and cooler are weather proof and you can set them under the rear of the truck for more protection as well. With a taller roofed camper shell it can be quite comfortable.

The nice thing about sleeping in the bed under a camper shell is that if done right you can be setup for sleeping in minutes and are comfortable in foul weather without any of the hassle of tearing down a wet camp. The OP is a photographer and this type of rapid setup and tear down is really good for photographers. You may need to be up an hour before twilight and getting to your morning shooting location. You'll eat breakfast after the morning shoot anyway. At night you'll be at your evening twilight shooting location until almost full darkness. Then you'll be arriving your evening camp in the dark. Pitching a tent and what not can be a real hassle when photo-camping like this. It is very different from just "camping" where you typically plunk down your camp mid-day to late afternoon and enjoy a leisurely evening and morning breakfast slowly breaking camp.

The other advantage of such a setup is easy "stealth" camping. Another issue for photographers is if wanting to be close to a shooting location in the morning you may just be on a roadside someplace or even a trail-head parking lot and not really in a traditional camp. In fact "camping" may even be discouraged or outright prohibited where you need/want to be. Being able to sleep in the enclosed bed and look like nothing other than just another vehicle in the trail-head parking lot is desirable.

So it really depends on the OP's goals and what exactly "camping" means to a particular person!

 

Thank you all for your suggestions and ideas. DVexile, I've definitely looked into the FlipPac... I love the idea/design but not super excited about the "looks". Your set up in the photo with the elevated platform is pretty sweet, similar to what I'm thinking. My guess is that I'll be most likely doing a hybrid of ground tent camping/bed camping when needed. I'm still into the idea of an RTT but also playing around with other options for trailers, etc. Just trying my best to invest now in options that will afford me flexibility for future expansion.

Totally on point about the photography thing... lots of astrophotography and timelapse planned and it'll be nice to have a setup that affords easy quick setup up/tear down and go or a place to take naps while the camera clicks away...

I've been sneaking around Expedition Portal forums as well, between these two it's wonderful resources for a long time admirer, first time owner of a tacoma. I'm sure I'll have many more questions to come, happy to find such helpful and knowledgeable communities.

 

A rooftop tent on a small offroad trailer solves that. Something that's on my long term wishlist. Unhook, set up camp, and go wheel or whatever with the truck.

 

If you are going to be sleeping with your truck full time a RTT is luxury. But then you can't just drive off leaving your camp set up to go take pictures or anything. Ground tents are easy and timeless. And you can go hike 2 days into a trail and pitch your tent easy enough. No restrictions on where you can go really.

DVs post is awesome too for incognito camping. You could also fold down the back seats to put stuff too depending on how many people go with you. a DCLB with camper and only 2 people would be more than enough with Dvs setup.

Enjoy your trip and POST LOTS OF PICS.

 

What do you mean roof top tents take up a lot of room? It actually provides more room since your bedding (pillows, blankets, sleeping bag, tent and mattress) is all out of the bed of your truck so you have more room for gear. Just get a bed rack, height is your choice.

Only downside to an rtt that I've found with mine is that if you forgot something and need to run into town or going out for the day, you have to pack up the tent. Now granted it only takes about 5 minutes and is pretty easy it can still be a pain to some.

 

Some sort of basic camper shell, a raised platform and a tent for when you want to expand or pitch a camp in one location for more than one night would be a very functional setup for you I think. And after you use it for a little bit if you decide you need to expand in some way (trailer, RTT) it will still be a good base setup to work from.

I ran for years in a 1992 RC where I just slept outside on a cot when the weather was good, and in the bed/shell when it was bad. My setup in that truck was rather ghetto so I only had a pseudo-platform that was too high and thus awkward for doing anything beyond sleeping on. Since I had a RC it meant there was a lot of stuff in the bed that I rarely accessed (recovery gear and so forth) as well as things I'd really have preferred not to have in the bed (camera gear) since the cab had little space.

Built in lips in the Tacoma bed are perfect for just about the right height platform. I built mine in a bit more than half a day working in a Home Depot parking lot! (Hurray for the bed AC outlet). The DC provides vastly more space for storage of things in the cab. Take out those worthless plastic things behind the rear seats and you have a whole bunch of storage back there for rarely needed things. I have all my recovery and repair gear back their now.

Best of luck with your build! I'll be around the CA deserts and mountains a lot starting this fall for a whole year. You know what my truck looks like now, say "hi" if you see me out there!

 

Not sure what your budget is, but if you will be gone for several months at a time maybe go for a 4x4 camper? The one thing I have wondered about the tent set ups on tacomas is, if you have your gear ie: fridge and food in the bed of your taco, do you want to be sleeping above it in bear country? Some set ups get pretty pricey for 4x4 trailers but maybe something like this?

https://youtu.be/F9qnAunyqJA

http://www.kodiakap.com/?page_id=368


16k seems a bit much just using this as an example. If you're going to be gone for several months at a time, I think your dilemma will be setting up a tent, or setting up food storage. Just food for thought.

 

https://youtu.be/K5Zh8phBLz4

 

I wanted a roof top tent but the wife won.

 

Since you have a long box get yourself a nice mid-rise cap, build yourself a sleeping platform, and then possibly get a roof rack for over the cab/canopy for extra storage to keep the bed open for sleeping.
This type of setup gives you the ability to always be on the move and never having to worry about drying out a wet tent from bad weather. You can also stealth camp. Something that's not possible with a RTT or a ground tent and you can always pack a ground tent with you if you'd like more space for an extended stay.

This is the route I'm taking, still a work in progress. Just got an A.R.E. MX series canopy for my truck two weeks ago. Built a sleeping platform last weekend, took me about 8 hours to build.




Still have some electrical work for lighting, fans, and 12v sockets. Also need to make some privacy curtains. Once I get all that finished up I'll be ordering myself a Bajarack for over the cab. With my Yakima rack over the canopy, bajarack over the cab, storage under the bed, and the seats folded down in my double cab I should be able to keep the bed open to be able to pull over anywhere and snooze without having to move anything around or having to set anything up.



I met up with some family this weekend at an established campground with full hookups and wifi. I don't have much of my normal camping gear with me because I'm relying on my family's trailer. Just using my truck as a
place to sleep. We got some wet weather this weekend and it's nice not having to worry about packing up a wet tent.


And this is me relaxing in the bed typing up this post.

 

I want to see someone take a funnel and hose and rig up a urinal in their camping rig. No more need to dump and rinse piss jugs.

 

Probably pretty easy to do with a milk gallon cut and then run the hose through the storage compartment and down. I'd rather get out of my tent/truck bed to piss though, don't want to take the risk of aiming in the wrong direction when its dark, let alone the smell

 

I've tent camped for years and love it. I still own a few very nice superlight backpacking tents that get used and one larger heavy tent.

I bought my RTT last year and love it for different reasons. It's easy to set up, always on my truck if I decided to do an impromptu camping trip, dry, clean, and it keeps me away from critters and bears. The thing I hate about it is having to pack it up if I want to go wheel where I'm camping at. But I generally do one night trips so it's not a big deal. And like someone said above me, it doesn't tank long to pack it up.

My other con with a RTT is putting it away wet. If I don't get a good day to air it out then it could start molding. I haven't had that happen yet though. That was always my concern with pop up trailers with soft sides.

I think for your uses a RTT would serve you well. It'll keep your bedding contained in it freeing space up in the cab/bed for camera and camping equipment. You could still build a storage system in the bed for organizing gear.

I want to make a storage platform for my truck but I always have firewood in my bed so I need the room for a weeks worth of wood a few times a year. and I have a 5' bed so I can access it pretty easily anyway.

 

Hey I've done that haha. With a gaterade bottle and some tubing. But I decided I don't want a piss jug in my tent and urine right in my campsite.