Truck bed sleeping questions

Ok I have the short bed Tacoma just had my leer cap installed what’s best set ups for sleeping in that if anyone has any pics of there camping set ups was looking to build one my self because obviously I’ll have to sleep at kinda a angle thanks

 

Check out "Six years living in a Toyota Tacoma" on youtube. He made an bed extension good enough.

 

So I have a 6ft box so its a little different but here is a photo of the raised bed I built in action. On the edge of your box above the wheel wells there should be a little lip and in that lip a few notches that can accept a 2x6 (maybe a 2x8 but it would be snug). I cut some 2x6 to length and then rabbeted it out so that it sits flush as cross members. I cut 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood to length and width and then screwed a 2x4 on the bottom so it sits beneath the 2x6s. That keeps the sheets from creating a pinch point if weight distrubition has a piece of ply sitting lower than the other

 

I go simple. Have short bed as well. If not raining just drop tailgate and have my pad in there and sleeping bag. With tailgate down there is plenty of length

 

Having an access cab ( 6 ft bed ) and being all of 5'5" I suspect I could live like a prince out of mine.... but I'm a bit long in the tooth for that
so I pull a teardrop. Why not buy a decent tent, a decent foam pad, and a good light-weight but warm blanket. I long for those days of old.

These tents nowadays are pretty nifty and setup quick and go down quick and fit in a small bag, heck you could store the entire
setup in a 7-gallon storage tote bin.

 

I worked on layout today for my future truck due beginning of March, dcsb, and I'm 6-2. I'll be crashing in it solo or with my Brittany, so diagonal shouldn't be a problem. a square + b square = c square is your friend. I'm looking to have open floor space on the diagonal to put my feet down and sit on the platform with enough headroom to clear the cap. Plenty of room to stretch out.

I'm done with tent camping. Solo, I have used a hammock for the last 10 years or so and love it, but it's kind of tough with a bird dog along for the ride. Way too many bugs in my area to sleep with anything open without a screen or netting.

Highly recommend for those with back problems that don't like sleeping on the ground. Camping Hammock for Sale | Blackbird Hammock | Warbonnet Outdoors

 

while it is a long bed, here are pictures of my set up.

 

must be cold w the tailgate down......
Or else fetal position.

 

Now this isn't for everyone, probably isn't for anyone except me...and I'm a little iffy about it sometimes.
As a professional worldwide camper for 3 decades with the Army of the United States of America what I have now is actually a pretty swank setup.
After this photo I got a soft bed cover and some netting for summer sleeping...if it really starts pouring down.
Couple of air mattresses, Gortex bivi bag, decent fart sack and my stove, water, med-kit and such in the cab.
I'm kinda partial to looking at the stars overhead and have grown accustomed to a little rain, some wind here and there, so it's all good.
As the great poet Lynyrd Skynyrd once said 'I'm a simple kind of man'...now you boys have a good evening & Happy Motorin' from the wilds of Kansas

 

I made this platform bed that extends from 4-feet with slide out storage to 6.5-feet for sleeping:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/build-a-shortbed-deck-that-extends-from-4’-to-a-6-5’-platform-bed-in-a-weekend.539080/

 

I had an extra bivy and like 3 magazines somehow when I got out the Marine Corps that I ended up giving away for some reason. Wish I hadn't done that...

 

A low profile fold up cot at an angle might work for you. Little better than trying to pad the bed bottom, can be used other places, can have gear underneath when in use, can be easily removed so you have an empty truck bed the rest of the time.

 

I did the math because I have the short bed. Above the lip on both sides of the bed is about 57.5", with length being about 60". A single piece of 4'x8' 3/4" plywood can make a platform with a floor space to put your shoes below you. Cut the plywood down to 57.5"x48", and that will make the main platform. The 48"x38.5" scrap can be cut down to fill in part of the remainder for your feet when sleeping diagonally; you'll just have to add legs and some way to secure it in place. The main piece should be strong enough to hold you if its decent plywood, birch or similar. If it starts warping from the weight, flip the bow upwards, or add support under it. You can cut the main piece smaller to stack when not in use. Lowe's or Home Depot should be able to cut it for you, so it isn't a huge project.

 

Why not go with an SUV tent? Then you can keep the tailgate and lid open as well as having a lounge area to keep you protected from the elements and bugs.

 

https://bambeds.com/collections/all

 

Those are pretty cool.

 

Assuming the 3rd Gens have the same notches moulded into the bed for 2x4 supports.

Here's my old set up. Quick and easy.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-do-you-camp-with-a-5ft-shortbed.637925/page-7#post-25412539

 

Do you happen to have a build guide you can share or have time to describe it? I really like the addition of the bedslide style drawer underneath.

 

I built the items from ideas generated from the board here. I am happy to describe.

The bed slide is a single piece of MDF/ply $30 cut to length and width between the wheel wells. I took the measurements to Lowes and had the single sheet cut in the store. It saves a lot of time and results in nice straight cuts over long pieces. One roll of gray indoor/outdoor carpet $25. Cut the carpet about 4 inches larger than the slide all the way around. Spray adhesive the carpet back and the wood and place it on. I put another piece of ply on top and two 40 lbs bags of wood pellets and let it sit for an hour to get attached. Turned it over and stapled the carpet around the edges to the back of the slide for the finished look. edged three sides of it with aluminum 90 degree channel from Lowes all across the back and half way down the sides so items will not slide off when pulling it out. Finished it with blue wheeled casters from harbor freight. Two rows of three lined up to run in bed channels about a third of the way in on each side.

The sleeping platform is the same construction plan and materials. it is two pieces for ease of movement. It sits on two by eights inserted in the notches on either side of the bed.