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

[Half Nocked]

I would echo the Kodiak Canvas flexbow tent, it's super easy to setup, even for one person. I use that as base camp and then have some stuff with me to spike camp when I find critters.

I also dirt bag camp in the bed of my truck with a topper. I just did this turkey hunting and I used a cot that fit inside the bed and that was a solid setup, especially since I didn't really need much

 

[Harvey_NW]

Easy lower budget solution is a decent canvas wall tent with a stove setup.

Simple, more versatile, early season-ish option is an enclosed trailer, could be used later if you installed a heat source and some insulation.

Investment minded option that can be used for general camping, and will keep a wife happy, is a decent used travel trailer. A couple years ago for less than $15k I picked up a 2015 21' double axle trailer with a single slide, & arctic package, and couldn't imagine an actual camp without it. It's just so easy and convenient to have everything contained, flip a switch for heat, and take a game changing mid-season shower.

 

[coya]

I'm a solo hunter and live out of my 4runner on hunting trips. Sleeping in a vehicle is as mobile as it gets with zero set up and tear down

 

[Brian Fahs]

I just returned from a 5 state spring turkey hunt. Spent over 30 nights in the truck. I average over 50 nights a year which will increase this year since i retired from my job. Very spartan but comfortable living in my opinion. A good matress makes a big difference. Bed rug and lined topper eliminate condensation.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Wall tent...if this would have been a camper we wouldn't have got out till spring...It was sunny and almost 60 2 days before this photo when we set it up. Plus you don't have to drag a trailer across the country.

Davis 14x16 with the biggest stove the offer. Windows are nice option for warmer weather.

 

[S.Clancy]

I like being super mobile.

For the last 10 years I alternated between sleeping under the truck topper on a cot or bed platform. This year I scrounged Facebook/Craigslist and bought an older FWC and tore a bunch of shit out and got a power system wired in. The setup and takedown time is virtually the same, the storage is actually more in the camper, and the comfort is noticeably increased. Only downside is a slight drop in fuel economy, 18-19 mpg before vs 15-16 mpg now.

A trailer increases the bullshit factor significantly over a slide-in, more room = more stuff you bring = more time needed to break camp, etc. No thanks.

 

[Whitty]

Traveling (as it seems you would do WV -> Co), I would try to avoid towing anything with wheels. When basically truck camping, I have three options for my traveling setup. 1st is a carpet lined topper with a setup basically like the one in this thread but would only recommend for solo...two people would be too much. 2nd option is I also pack a cheap floored 6 man tent for the "nicer" camping areas like campgrounds or good weather/protected areas. Paint can heaters work remarkably well for this setup and my down bag used like a quilt inside a super cheap twin sized bag from Amazon makes for super comfy sleep that isn't constricting. Plenty of space is nice. 3rd options is a S.O. Cimmaron with titanium stove. Super bomber and warm although the stove needs tending too more than I like. I honestly use the paint can heaters way more than setting up the stove. Option 3 allows spiking out as well. Having those three options give a lot of flexibility based on conditions and locations. My .02...

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

Traveling (as it seems you would do WV -> Co), I would try to avoid towing anything with wheels. When basically truck camping, I have three options for my traveling setup. 1st is a carpet lined topper with a setup basically like the one in this thread but would only recommend for solo...two people would be too much. 2nd option is I also pack a cheap floored 6 man tent for the "nicer" camping areas like campgrounds or good weather/protected areas. Paint can heaters work remarkably well for this setup and my down bag used like a quilt inside a super cheap twin sized bag from Amazon makes for super comfy sleep that isn't constricting. Plenty of space is nice. 3rd options is a S.O. Cimmaron with titanium stove. Super bomber and warm although the stove needs tending too more than I like. I honestly use the paint can heaters way more than setting up the stove. Option 3 allows spiking out as well. Having those three options give a lot of flexibility based on conditions and locations. My .02...

What is a paint can heater?

 

[jmsdad]

What is a paint can heater?

 

[JCMCUBIC]

I just returned from a 5 state spring turkey hunt. Spent over 30 nights in the truck. I average over 50 nights a year which will increase this year since i retired from my job. Very spartan but comfortable living in my opinion. A good matress makes a big difference. Bed rug and lined topper eliminate condensation.
View attachment 1072083

I'm close to this but use a cot with foam pad between bag and cot in cooler weather. The cot allows storage under it with totes and also allows me to use discs under the feet as needed to level it.

2 people might be a bit tight.

 

[midwestcowboy]

+1 for a GFC to stay mobile. Sleep above all your gear. Build out a drawer system

 

[HairyScandinavian]

2 dudes a Kodiak Flexbow and diesel heater is hard to beat.
Dude and wife a truck bed camper shell with a little pop up would be super mobile and have some creature comforts. Might pair with a big front hitch rack for an additional cooler.

 

[SonnyDay]

I love my SO six-man tipi with stove for truck camping. We can bring the right size/type wood to keep stoking to a minimum overnight… and then pack it up into the hills for backpack hunting once we find animals. I hunt rifle and like to get as far in by truck as I can, so would never tow anything…

 

[cwitt]

Kodiak Canvas flexbow with a diesel heater.

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.

These guys nailed it. I’ve spent the last four years doing 90-100 days in my Kodiak 10x14 flexbow back and forth between Idaho and Arizona throughout the fall. For the <$1k solution, it is absolutely the way. With a good heater, there’s really not a hunt you couldn’t do. It was in the low single digits on our late elk hunts last year. Can’t say I was cozy the whole week but it was more than doable.

I am finally just this year really looking hard at building out an enclosed trailer conversion for around $5k. The pros to me are the added storage and security, extra warmth on the really cold hunts, and just a few more creature comforts I leave at home when I can only bring what I can fit in the tacoma. It would also allow me to stealth camp on the long road trips rather than just sleep in the front seat. The cons are that it will tank my gas mileage on long drives. It’s also another thing to worry about maintaining, breaking, and getting flats. And towing a trailer in inclement weather.

The main problem is I can’t convince myself I absolutely need it, especially for the price. I know how easy and comfortable it’s been to live out of that Kodiak. And there’s really no way it will be any more than 5-10 minutes faster getting camp set up with a trailer versus the kodiak. They’re just so dang easy to set up even solo. For me, I really try and look at what actually moves the needle the most for the money. Even using it as much as I would, I don’t know that a trailer would move it much past the Kodiak. Feels like that money could be better used on more tags, gas money for more trips, and lastly on other gear.