Tarp for Inside Bed Rack

I was in the market for the CBI Bed Rack but I have the long bed so I figure I don't need to spend $1500 when I can just sleep in the bed. So does anyone make a tarp with strategically placed grommets to mount on the inside of a bed rack to make a makeshift tent? I like the usability of the bed rack (and the look) and I don't think a bed tent would fit under it.

 

I bought this tarp at Amazon:

Aqua Quest Defender King Kamo Tarp - 100% Waterproof Heavy Duty Nylon Material - Extremely Durable Tarpaulin - 13 x 10 ft Large / XL - Camo, Camouflage, Brown, Black, Olive, Tan, Green

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ITIQPI6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Good quality, lightweight, flexible. Its durability remains to be determined. Most lightweight tarps seem to have a limited lifespan if constantly exposed to the sun.
An alternate might be to make your own if you're reasonably handy. This item from Amazon would be a good starting point:

$172 Firestone W56PL451015 EPDM Rubber Pond Liner, 10-Foot Length x 15-Foot Width x 0.045" Thick

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G0GDIW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
With the proper adhesive or seam tape you can fold the edges under to strengthen and add your own grommets using:

$9 General Tools 1/2" Grommet Tool Kit - 12 Solid Brass Grommets for Tarps Repair, Fabric Rings, Reinforcing Canvases, & Canopies

https://www.amazon.com/General-Tool...words=grommet+tool&qid=1610643199&s=hi&sr=1-7
I suspect the pool liner material will have a better lifespan BUT it will be heavy.

 

Some good options! I will look at these more in depth. I saw on Amazon I could order canvas tarps and lay that over the entire rack. Basically I'm trying to make a bed tent with a bed rack because I hate how truck caps look

 

I doubt you’re going to have much luck finding something purpose made for the bed rack. Most people get bed racks to mount Roof top tents.

Your best bet would probably be sourcing an appropriate sized tarp you like and then adding grommets with a grommet kit like the one linked above.

 

I bought the long bed specifically so I didnt need to waste a couple grand on a RTT but basically what I'm going for is this

$199 Napier Backroadz Truck Tent | Pickup Truck Bed Camping Tent | Rainfly for Water Protection | Sturdy and Spacious 2-Person Tent | Easy 10-Minute Setup

https://www.amazon.com/Napier-Backr...a-746258156875&psc=1&ref=&adgrpid=69358346815
Except instead of the tent poles as frames, the bed rack is the frames then possibly hooks to me bed to keep water out

 

Yeah I gotcha, just saying you'll probably have to make it yourself. I don't think you're going to find a pre-made option that fits your specific rack. This is the first time I've ever seen anyone even mention this idea so it's definitely not a readily available product.

 

I'd think you'd want the tarp to drap over the bed and cab to keep rain out of the bed.
What about a waterproof car cover for a truck w/ a topper or full size SUV?

 

Soft topper?

 

I did this years ago with my Thule Xporter in my Dodge. I'll see if I can dig up the pics. What they do make is a rectangular mosquito net, with grommets to hang from up above. So I hung the net under the rack, then draped a generic canvas tarp over. Staking it down kept rain out of the bed completely, and I still got okay-ish ventilation.

 

That's a good idea too. It's basically just the bigger version of the canvas tarp idea which unfortunately means more money. I'll keep it in mind though

 

i was wondering about this last year and created a thread with 0 response. essentially make a soft topper that is specific for your bed rack. since there are different heights and sizes of bed racks, there isn't an out of the box solution. i would think it needs to be something custom.

with my 0 knowledge of sewing and materials, my thoughts fell short and unfulfilled. i wanted something to provide a shred of privacy while parked in a city and keep my camping stuff dry.

following for more responses

 

I think at that point you'd be better off picking up a nice bivy and putting it in the bed..

 

It's a pretty specific thing, a tarp that fits a bed rack to make a tent but I think it is definitely marketable. For guys that don't want to spend the money for a camper, topper, or RTT, it's a cheap and easy solution and I think main manufacturers like CBI, RCI, and All Pro could make a tarp to create this bed rack bed tent idea

 

Not the worst idea, and I've done it before. I just figured having a bed rack that a simply designed tarp could create a tent. I mean the bed rack is already a frame for a tent, might as well design the tent walls. Should just take cheap nylon or canvas and put well-placed grommets or straps to make it water proof with privacy while making a makeshift room right in your bed.. without spending the body for a full-on topper or RTT

 

i think the issue comes from water proofing. whats the point of creating tarp walls, whether it be one piece or multiple, if it won't keep water out of the bed? some companies, kb voodoo and uptop, make racks that go over soft toppers.

i guess you could attach the tarp to the outside of the rack and get some kind of water run off to the outside and not in the bed.

for the rack companies to make the tarp requires them to move from metal working to seamstressing, if thats the right word.

it seems to be a small market too, but an open market at that.

i'm not saying its a bad idea since im interested, but a small, specific target audience

 

Good point, it is a difference of material work and small market. But yes, if you look up a few messages to my post about the truck bed tent, the tent canvas drapes down over the entire bed and connects to the bed underside. I'm thinking something like that except instead of the tent poles as the frame work, the frame work is now the rack

 

Couple things you are going to run into;

-There is not going to be much room under there for 'activities'.. having slept in a canopy with a bed platform you are going to have limited height to deal with.

-If you are on the floor of the bed you're going stuck between the wheel wells. Also if you are on the floor how are you going to keep water from running down the 'tent' and into the bed?

-Best material is going to be canvas, do you have a sewing machine? Mom's going to be pissed when you break all her needles..

-It's going to have to be very heavy duty if the plan is to leave it tied to the rack while you drive.

It's not a bad idea and I see why you are drawing similarities to a bed tent, but as suggested earlier in the thread a tarp thrown over the back of the truck is going to be the easier option.

 

No I wanted to take it off while I drove around and by the space part for "activities", i was referring to me sleeping in my bed with a tonneau cover and an air mattress so realistically any more space than that will feel like a master bedroom lol but yes, the water run-off would run down the canvas onto the sides of the truck to finally get the ground. Its "waterproof" but it's really just "water redirecting" which is what all water proofing is

 

For further discussion, it seems as though the easiest, simplest, and overall best option would be to have some sort of canvas, nylon etc material tarp to lay OVER the rack and clamp onto the underside of the bed, like the truck bed tent shown below in the products offered. It's just trying to make a specific tarp for these instances and how to mount them so nights in the rain and wind are easy

 

Find a place that makes boat covers or an Amish (if they are near you) buggy shop - they could probably make what you want, but likely it would be more $$ than you are thinking as it will be a 'one off'.