Hunting Truck Mid vs Full Size

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Tacoma or one of those jeep trucks


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Jeep truck???

 

[LookinforDirt]

good news is I really appreciate all the feedback

bad news its split right down the middle haha half full size half mid

lol, It’s amazing how often that happens with opinions. I don’t think anyone is going to be able to tell you. Everyone voted for what works for them. You will have to prioritize your needs and buy what fits them. I’m sure you realize this so don’t mean to sound patronizing.

I went full size. I wanted comfort and space over off road ability. Where I hunt I don’t typically need more off road capability than what my SuperCrew 6.5’ bed F-150 can do. I put a Leer mid-rise cap on it. Love the extra head room and all the room in the bed and cab. I travel long distances, sleep in the back vs. hotels, truck camp often when hunting, daily drive it, tow heavyish loads 1-3 times a year, load up the family and dog for vacation road trips, etc etc. A big truck meets my needs best. Excels at most needs, compromise for others. But a mid-size for me would have many more compromises. This is what works for me.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Can't recommend the Roll-A-Cot + Teton pad enough.

Cot is the Green 74"L x 28"W x 15"H and fits with a few inches to spare in the 6.5' bed. Handy for two tiered storage as well. Plano Sportsman bin fits nicely underneath it. I can sit up in the cot and the REI backpacking chair at 5'-7".

 

[displacedtexan]

Full size

I was in a similar situation last year/this year. Except mid-size wasn't even a consideration after hunting in my buddy's tacoma a few times.

Ended up going '23 F150 3.5 Ecoboost 10-speed SCREW 6.5' bed with a Snugtop Rebel. My Roll-A-Cot fits perfectly in the bed and spans over the wheel well. It's almost too comfortable. Put the amp bed step on and it's pretty easy to get in and out of. And I get 21 MPG from house to trailhead...for now.

Do need to figure out dust.

Bedrug

 

[displacedtexan]

lol, It’s amazing how often that happens with opinions. I don’t think anyone is going to be able to tell you. Everyone voted for what works for them. You will have to prioritize your needs and buy what fits them. I’m sure you realize this so don’t mean to sound patronizing.

I went full size. I wanted comfort and space over off road ability. Where I hunt I don’t typically need more off road capability than what my SuperCrew 6.5’ bed F-150 can do. I put a Leer mid-rise cap on it. Love the extra head room and all the room in the bed and cab. I travel long distances, sleep in the back vs. hotels, truck camp often when hunting, daily drive it, tow heavyish loads 1-3 times a year, load up the family and dog for vacation road trips, etc etc. A big truck meets my needs best. Excels at most needs, compromise for others. But a mid-size for me would have many more compromises. This is what works for me.

I think you made the point better than you think you did.

Your truck would be perfect truck for me, but I tow heavish every few months.

But my definition of heavish you can't do with a half ton.

To have the ideal truck for everything we use trucks for, most of us would need 3-4 trucks.

 

[LookinforDirt]

I'd say I can generally find a flat spot here is my grand plan for a bed

I copied the bed frame from this video. It works really well. I went a little wider and taller. Used 1/2” ply to cut down on weight. I can fit 13” height bins under the frame.

 

[Sierra Hunter]

Pros: good sized bed, can get you through 90%, DEPENDABLE.
Cons: turning radius, mileage

 

[Clark33]

I love my Tacoma, I’m 6’3” so I can’t sleep in it, but as a hunting rig it’s been great.

 

[Coldtrail]

Something to keep in mind is to check the actual payload/tow capacity numbers on any of the trucks you are interested in, keeping in mind that they don't mean they will tow/haul "well" at those numbers, but give you some idea. For my situation the payload on my late model 1/2 ton was only 300lbs more than my Tacoma but the Tacoma tow rating was 1000# higher so not the apples and oranges difference one might be lead to believe. I'm sure the newer 1/2 tons prob have higher numbers, but maybe not. I've driven 1/2 ton work trucks from the big 3 for years as work vehicles and found all of them to be a long ways from the heavy duty rig some might think, they are probably the most overloaded vehicles purchased....as is the Tacoma, they are all "light duty" trucks.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Bedrug

How do those work with wet decoys, chainsaw bar oil, muddy boots, etc.? I still use the bed for dirty wet stuff

 

[displacedtexan]

Good friend and I hunt, field trial, work land, etc together... He's always had one and we treat it the same as mine with a spray in liner (I don't have a cap) and it holds up great.

A few stains, but definitely not ruined or trashed.

 

[butcherboy]

I also would go full size. I can get a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton anywhere I need to go. I don’t go 4wheeling for fun and don’t do it when hunting just because there is still a lot of country to hunt usually between where I would park and driving further in. I don’t use toppers either. I have one truck and it has to do everything. Towing, hunting, daily driver, truck bed for hauling. A flat top is nice like a diamond back and can easily fold up to haul taller items in the truck bed. My ideal for quick sleeping would be to have the flat topper with higher side rails and add one of those truck tents to it.

 

[ben h]

If you look at the specs it might suprise you that the mid size aren't really that much smaller than a 1/2 ton. I like the comfort of a full size for traveling, but if living in an urban environment they can be a pain in the ass to park anywhere! I lived in Portland OR for a couple years and I hated taking the truck anywhere, so I leased a Jeep.