Best truck camping setup for the traveling hunter(s).

[Undrgrndprdcts]

So what has everybody gone to for truck based camping and hunting? Last time we (me an my hunting partner) went elk hunting we used a 4 man soldier crew tent and a Kni-co stove. Since i forgot to drill the holes to use the little screws to hold the stove sections together, the strong November Colorado winds made it useless other than 1 evening. This was a pretty cold miserable week. I've seen some people talk about purpose built hunting trailers made from box trailers, Cliff had some videos on this. Or possibly just using a small camper. So what really makes the most sense when traveling 1700 miles to hunt for a week? This is for 2 dudes. Current setup good, just make sure its more secure, etc.? Better tent? Custom built hunting trailer? Camper?

 

[sndmn11]

What's your budget?

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

What's your budget?

I don't have a hard budget but I'm not buying a $60k purpose built offroad camper. I'm just looking for what is the most logical solution most guys are using right now.

Obviously towing anything also has it's own drawbacks with getting into some of these places too.

 

[sndmn11]

I don't have a hard budget but I'm not buying a $60k purpose built offroad camper. I'm just looking for what is the most logical solution most guys are using right now.

All sorts of solutions that can be from $500 to $2k to $10k...

A diesel heater would be a constant for me truck camping regardless of in a tent, truck camper, or trailer.

Your most space conscious thing might be a Seek Outside Courthouse, two cots, a small table, and the diesel heater.

 

[Wheels]

Kodiak Canvas flexbow with a diesel heater.

 

[rookieforever33]

Ive slept many nights in my 8ft bed with a cap truck. Its pretty easy with 1 cot that you leave set up. Two isnt bad for sleeping, but pretty tight for any gear or movement with both setup. When 2 were set up they both had to straddle the wheel wells. It meant leaving a cot leg folded under and a less comfy sleeping position. A diesel heater would've been great. These days I would almost rather just recline the seats and sleep in the cab.

 

[Bubblehide]

You don't really give enough information to narrow down options. You could go with anything from a hitch mounted tent, simular to a roof top tent, a roof top tent, or an actual tent. All can be good options, depending on your needs. If you're looking at a tent, the best choices is something like a kodiak canvas to a yurt type tipi. The yurt would be the quickest set-up and take down, but a Kodiak canvas would not take much longer. If you go with canvas, they breath, so you don't get condensation with using a propane heater (I just don't leave it on at night). But as mentioned a diesel heater could be used with any material, and you don't have to worry about condensation; it could be inside the tent, so it's more efficent (exhausting outside).

A hitch type fold up tent could be modified (if not factory included) to be dropped, so you can leave camp set-up.

You could simply go with a camper shell of some type. Lots of guys make stacked shelves to go across the camper shell and store gear below.

From my perspective, you need to ask yourself just how mobil you want to be. The more mobil I want to be, the more I lean to sleeping in the truck; mostly because I'm typically getting back to the truck in the dark, and I want to eat and get in bed, not drive back to camp. The less mobil I am, the more I want a comfortable Basecamp.

 

[IdahoBeav]

For just 2 guys, I'd go with a single axle 18'± camp trailer

 

[ianpadron]

Base camp- Kodiak 10x14 and a big buddy heater. I've used mine for what you describe the past 6 years and love it more today than ever.

Mobile- lost horizon inflatable pad over a decked drawer system and topper.

 

[Tick]

Wall tent and a stove if I'm sleeping at the truck for a week.

 

[Wiregrass Wilderness]

For the last two seasons I’ve been able to hunt out west. It’s roughly 2,000 miles from my house to where we hunt. Both times I used a Seek Outside Redcliff and SXL titanium stove. For two people it’s great.

First year we flew and last year we drove. We’ll be driving again this fall. This past season we were hit with rain, hail, snow, and strong winds. Tent and stove held up great. We stayed dry and comfortable despite the weather and cold temps. To me it’s a great setup because it’s so versatile. It can be used on a backpacking trip when split between two people. It can be a base camp at the truck like last year. It’s super small to pack, lightweight, easy to set up, and comfortable for a week or more.

Overall I like the tent/stove combo because it’s easy to transport and relatively cheap. Especially if you only plan to need it a couple times a year. I couldn’t justify a camper or trailer build for my situation.

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

For reference this was our setup 2 seasons ago.

 

[137buck]

For us, it depends on the situation and how mobile we need to be. If we are planning on being stationary and hunting from camp, I'll bring my travel trailer, which is super nice, heat or AC if needed, shower, comforts of home. If I can't get the camper into a said spot I'll bring the wall tent and the goodies to go with it. Now for run and gun type of hunts, IE antelope in eastern Montana, I'll throw the topper on the truck and put an air mattress in it and sleep in the back. As for a hunting trailer, I had a built out 7x16 enclosed trailer that was all insulated, windows, 12 volt and 120 volt power systems, microwave, and heat, and while it was comfortable, the wife wanted a shower and shitter. While I probably could've made it work, I decided to follow the saying, happy wife, happy life and went and bought an Arctic fox travel trailer, which is a really well built camper and ive had it in some pretty cold conditions and stayed toasty warm. So for us, we have all situations covered for sleeping and it comes down to our situation and where and how we decide to hunt...but with high fuel costs this year, and if it doesn't come down, I'll be sleeping in a tent or the back of the Jeep.

 

[Time2fish]

Kodiak 12x12 cabin wall tent. Get the added vestibule for boots and gear. Get a nomad large stove. That’s a killer setup for under 2k.
You can add various cooking attachments to the stove.

 

[rumblefunk]

I have a GFC that have all the amenities. Kitchen slide, fridge, hot water heater, lights, shower, awning. No better truck set-up for me.

 

[CB4]

Truck bed topper and just have your gear in weatherproof totes/coolers to toss outside when sleeping.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

OK, I know this is just for 1 person, but my wife bought me this gizmo that straps onto the front headrests and you can adjust it to make the back seat of the pickup into a horizontal bed. I'm kind of a short guy and I can lay flat on the thing. It's padded and with my Thermarest and heavy fart sack is dang comfortable. If it gets real cold I run my small generator with the extended gas kit that runs a 500 watt space heater inside.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

From my experience, and for my hunting style, I prefer a tent I can stand up in with a good option of a heat source, instead of a camper.

The camper is luxurious for sure, but it greatly limits where you can set up camp and since I'm lazy and like my sleep, I prefer to camp closer to where I'll hit the backcountry, versus have to wake up 45 minutes earlier. If your priority is to enjoy time out there above hunting, which is totally cool too, then a camper will be comfy, cold fridge, hot shower, real toilet and an automatic heater to enjoy.

For tents, you can certainly go a traditional wall tent, but personally I prefer a faster setup tent like previously mentioned Kodiak (if weight is no issue) or a Snowtrekker. For size, since truck camping I'd go with the 10x14 or 14x14 as might as well be comfortable with space. Just keep in mind the bigger the tent, the bihe stove you need when temps get really low.

For heat, many guys use the buddy heater in the Kodiaks. That's the shortcoming of the kodiak, he integrated floor and no stove jack from the factory. I believe the Springbar tents is where Kodiak got their design and do have stove jacks. Both Kodiak and Snowtrekker set up easy.

Since at the truck, ideally I like to have propane heat for immediate, quick warm up when wake and getting back after dark, without having to fiddle with a fire, but then have wood stove backup if need to dry things out. Rifle season, when I'm in the tent much more after dark and before bed, wood heat is great.

Lots of options and you'll probably go through some trial and error based on your own personal preferences.

 

[Corey75]

I’ve used a 3kw vevor diesel heater for two years camping/hunting/road tripping and it is great. Heats pur tents or my truck bed and canopy to uncomfortable levels if you crank it up. Haven’t had any issues that left me cold at night. I replaced a sliding window on my canopy with plexiglass and cut a hole with a Hole saw to run my vent hose through.


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[GreenNDark Timber]

Base camp- Kodiak 10x14 and a big buddy heater. I've used mine for what you describe the past 6 years and love it more today than ever.

Mobile- lost horizon inflatable pad over a decked drawer system and topper.

Pretty much the exact system I use. I also have a 14x16 Davis wall tent, but unless there's more than 3 guys with me, which is rare, I don't' use it much anymore.