Sleeping in a crew cab truck ?

[Raghornklr]

I picked up a kodiak canvas truck tent. I can put it up pretty fast , has room to throw a cot and all my gear next to me.

 

[huntsman22]

I have a full-size crewcab ford with a shell. I have a aluminum bed-height toolbox in the front of the shell. A memory foam mattress, regular bedsheets and fleece blankets/quilt ride on top of the toolbox year-round. I can sack out whenever I need to, as comfortable as my bed at home. But I'm only 5'8" so have no trouble fitting crossways...

 

[huntsman22]

and there is still room for a roll-a-cot between the toolbox and tailgate if I have company.

 

[Elite]

I have spent a few years trying to perfect this exact thing. I do it to have the option of sleeping in there. I use it to rest a few hours on long trips or if i get someplace after dark and weather is bad. This year i came up with the best solution yet and i will do it from now on. Pull the back seats out. It was seven bolts total. The seats are akward to carry not terribly heavy. I used 2x2s to make a frame. I needed three sets of legs framed into a rectangle approx 30” x 24” then that held up my platform frame which was approx 30” x 66” with a brace across middle making it look like a figure 8. Then 1/2” or 5/8” plywood top. I put 2 thermarest pads and a blanket down, slept on top like a baby. I did sleep diagonal. And it left a ton of room undrneath to store gear. I could fit a cooler under it. This way youre not moving any gear to lay down. Makes a 20 hour drive much easier. The above measurements are rough approximations off the top of my head to describe it. I used a screw gun to build it inside the cab. I lettered and numbered the pieces so i can screw it back together next year.

Before this i screwed around for years. I tried a platform just above the floor but had to shuffle gear from backseat to front seat to sleep which sucks. I made a platform atop the seat with it folded down, that sucked. I made one with it folded up and it sucked. Those seats zipped right out with an impact. Toughest part was finding a place to store them.

This idea has got me thinking now! Any chance you have any pictures of your set up? I would love the shell/topper idea like a lot have suggested but I really enjoy having my slip tank in my truck and like not always having a topper on my truck all the time


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[WyoBowhunter21]

I have slept in my truck(s) a fair amount. I am 5'10" and laying across the back seat is just a few inches too short and I can't sleep comfortably, I am much better reclining the drivers seat back.
BUT, a couple years ago I bought a truck that has a 6'6" box and a shell topper. I have spent several nights in the back of that and it is awesome. The 6'6" box is long enough to get a full size cot back there and I sleep like a baby. I've done a few later season hunts where it is chilly, so I throw a little buddy heater in the one corner and turn it on first thing in the morning, takes literally 4 minutes to warm up and I can dress in relative comfort!

I do this exact same thing. I can’t sleep in my crew cab. Last year I spent one long night and finally said screw it and set up my tent at midnight. Now my shell is amazing. I just got my cot though.

 

[Mike 338]

I twice slept on the gas tank and seat of my motorcycle. I swear sleeping in the cab of the truck wasn't one bit better.

 

[Muttly]

Never could fall asleep on a bike, bout the time start to doze off, feel like my legs gonna twitch and I, m gonna fall over.

 

[netman]

I sleep in my truck bed all the time. I have a camper shell over it. I place a thick rug down in the bed first. I build me a nest with a heavy duty air mattress then a extra sleeping bag and blanket/pillow. If it warm I sleep on top of the bag. If it’s cold I sleep in the bag with the blanket over my head. I’m 6’2 so I have to sleep at a angle. I sleep like a log in my nest. Love waking up and seeing the mountains from the truck bed.
When I’m driving out west by myself I have the nest ready in case I get tired. Pull in a rest area and conk out. I love driving all the way and sleep in the bed and wake up see the mountains and hop out and set up my campsite.

 

[mtmiller]

I have over 150 nights in the backseat of my 16 Tundra. Stack cloths and pack between the two seats and works well for me. That being said, I would love to have a Four Wheel Hawk, but that is a different discussion.

 

[Huntindog45]

why would i do that..i have a truck. with the proper inflatable mattress i sleep better in the bed of my truck than i do at home sometimes.

 

[Blakes]

I've spent many nights in the bed of my truck, comfortably. I have also spent a few nights in the back of the cab, uncomfortably... only because the truck bed was full of hunting stuff while I was traveling. I would rather sleep outside the truck on the ground than spend another night in the back of the cab!

 

[Elite]

Does any one have experience with the air mattress for a crew cab truck?
https://www.amazon.ca/AirBedz-PPI-TRKMAT-Rear-Mattress-Trucks/dp/B01BIUJMM2

Or would it be worth building a frame off the seat some how?



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[CApighunter]

In my last two extended cabs I’ve just slept on the passenger side with the seat leaned back all the way, works fine for me for a couple nights. A camper shell and a cot or futon mattress would be the way to go though.

 

[FLAK]

LIke others have said....camper shell.

 

[Elite]

I would love to do the camper shell idea but I have a large slip tank I need in my truck and don’t want to be lifting a shell off and on my truck all time


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[jspradley]

I sleep in the back of my Lesbaru Forester with the rear seats down fairly often... ive done the back of the pickup bed thing too. Both work well, I do want to make a plywood platform to level off the ridges and bumps though. I picked up a 3" thick foam twin matress for about $60 on Amazon. good stuff

 

[FLAK]

Lesbaru!!!!! LOL!!!!

 

[Gooshnt]

Does any one have experience with the air mattress for a crew cab truck?
https://www.amazon.ca/AirBedz-PPI-TRKMAT-Rear-Mattress-Trucks/dp/B01BIUJMM2

Or would it be worth building a frame off the seat some how?



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I bought an inflatable mattress that fits in the back of my crew cab a couple years ago. It has been awesome but im only 5’7” so I fit crossways. Bigger guys as reported dont fit. For me it is quite comfy.

 

[Longrifle]

I'm getting a bed topper for my pickup to do some truck camping on my future hunts. Applying in more remote units, but not really backpacking units. Put a topper on, cots and bags in the back. Heater is necessary.

 

[LongWayAround]

My setup is a Chevy 1500 with a 6.5' bed. I snagged a cab-height Leer topper off of Craigslist for $450, it's slightly mismatched but functional and I like it.

I often leave after work and drive for a few hours to hunt for a weekend. It's nice to just crawl in the back and hit the rack.

Typically, I have a 7 gallon water jug, large cooler, small cooler, one huge Rubbermaid tub of general camp gear, and a small tub of cookwares. My backpack and food stay in the cab.

Before I leave, I setup the cot and and tip it on it's side. The rest of the stuff is arranged so it won't crush the cot. When I get to the parking spot, I just stack the tubs and set down the cot. Blow up my pad and throw my bag/quilt down.

My buddy has been trying to convince me to add a drawer system to the bottom. His is carpeted and I couldn't go for that. I want to be able to hose out the bed. Some of the drop-in systems look nice but not enough for the cost. And I like the headroom when I sit up to get dressed. I'll probably pull the topper and remove the factory bedliner so I can finally rhinoline the bed this year.

The only must have for me is the cot. It beats the hell out of sleeping right on the bed floor.