If you’re anything like us, you love camping. Perhaps, though, you don’t love all of the planning that goes into getting ready to camp. If that’s the case, you might be interested in building your own camping truck!
Many people have built their own camping truck by accessorizing a midsize or full-size pickup, and the finished product is usually pretty awesome. Campers provide a great opportunity to build up your vehicle and outdoor skills while having a lot of fun. It you’re feeling up to the challenge, here’s how to build a camping truck from start to finish.
First, What is Truck Camping?
Truck camping, also sometimes referred to as “truck bed camping” is camping from the back of a pickup truck. People don’t just do this for the ‘cool factor,’ but also because it provides freedom to move around and explore nature, while having a reliable and safe place to sleep in your vehicle.
What is a Camping Truck?
A camping truck is a pickup truck that has been modified to function as a recreational vehicle. Truck owners add things like a camper shell, a roof rack, truck bed tent, or a BedSlide to improve use of the truck bed. They often add a rooftop tent above the cab or a mattress in the back so they have somewhere comfortable to sleep.
Camping trucks can be as varied as the people who use them, ranging from a sleeping bag and sleeping pad in the truck bed or a simple hammock all the way to a fully-modified vehicle with cooking accessories like a burner stove and other amenities. Creating a camping truck often involves adjusting suspension so the truck can haul necessary off-road equipment. They often include various modular solutions with storage space for camping food, equipment, and emergency supplies.
Camping trucks are typically used for camping and off-road use, with owners either boondocking or reserving spaces to stay along their travels. Their large interiors make them great for storing and carrying whatever may be needed on the road, while increased ground clearance may give them the ability to be driven comfortably in difficult conditions such as muddy or sandy roads.
Why to go Truck Camping
Camping truck purposes are as unique as the families who use them! We’ve seen people build camping trucks for recreation, for a comfortable place to stay while on a long work assignment, and for the sheer joy of independence. Having a vehicle that’s capable of providing travel, housing, and entertainment is a good idea as it offers a lot of security in this world.
You might choose to build a camping truck for the same reason you’d want to build a fishing boat, a golf cart, or an ATV. It’ll help you experience the world with a hands-on approach. Whatever your approach, you will learn a lot while doing it. You’re guaranteed to gain a lot of skills – from organization, planning and carpentry all the way up to wiring, welding, and mechanical work.
Parts of a Camping Truck
If you are interested in building out your rig to be a camping truck, these are the main parts that are usually included in a camping build. It doesn’t have to be exactly like this, though! You can use what you have available to hit the road, and build up from there.
Consider the Truck Body
This is the main truck that carries the passengers, and it can be whatever you have available that fits your crew. When buying a truck, you can choose from a wide variety of different body styles and configurations. The best choice will vary, depending on your planned activities, but features selected for people who plan to camp in their truck include four wheel drive for utility, and sun or moon roofs for the view.
You don’t only need to get creative with the bed of your camping truck. We’ve seen people convert the back half of cabs to animal enclosures, equipment organizers, and more. We’ve also seen people opt for short cabs and get a TON of utility out of the passenger seat! When building a camping truck, always consider every square inch that’s available to you.
The Camping Truck Bed
The bed of the truck is what typically holds all of your camping supplies and offers your sleeping platform – whether it’s in the bed itself, enclosed within a truck cap, or a tent mounted on the roof. Depending on where you plan to adventure, your truck camper options can vary widely. Our favorite modifications leverage the bed to create a versatile storage arrangement with tons of room for relaxation.
Additional Truck Accessories
Remember that the windshield, doors, roof, side windows and side panels can also be modified to suit your needs and your personal style. You may choose to put molle attachments over your windows to tote extra gear, add suction cups to hold accessories on the dash, or mount things to the tailgate or roof. You can get as creative as you’d like!
Always keep your goals in mind, modifying first for performance and safety, and then for personal preference and comfort. Your camping setup should include – at a bare minimum – a first aid kit, water, a way to prepare food for yourself (such as a camping stove or simple storage for shelf-stable goods such as nuts and jerky), extra clothes and any essential items to keep you protected from the weather. Awesome truck camping gear to add for comfort are things like camp chairs, entertainment,
Build Your Truck
Now that you know what parts make up a camping truck, you can start building your own! If you’re on a budget, you can build a very functional truck by simply thinking through the best use of space in your cab and bed. Many campers start out by adding creature comforts in the cab, slowly expanding sleep space through the bed (shifting storage to extra seats and/or racks) and then branching out to the roof area.
Final Touches
When your camping truck is all finished, you should take some time to get used to the new configuration, adjust your driving habits, and make sure everything is running smoothly.
Create a Basic Maintenance Schedule
With any new piece of equipment comes new maintenance responsibilities. If you aren’t traveling full time, it’s critical to check your tent, spares, and other travel essentials for functionality before you hit the road. And if you are traveling non-stop, make sure to plan down time on occasion to check your equipment. It can be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of moving from one spot to the next and forget to service and replenish supplies!
If you’re anything like us, you love camping and you’ll love it even more when you have room to spread out in a well equipped truck.