I can highly recommend attaching a thin piece of plywood (or other rigid, durable material) over the ribbed bed liner on the tailgate. You can glue it, screw it or Velcro it, which I did on my Tacoma, so it can be easily removed. It is so great to have a smooth, flat surface to set things on, cook on and climb over. No grooved surfaces to collect dirt and debris. A couple coats of polyurethane varnish make the plywood pretty moisture resistant.
Love this setup! I feel like a lot of builds are financially unrealistic for someone who wants to be a ‘weekend warrior,’ but this one is super accessible and just looks plain great!
Nice set up! I have a 2015 Tacoma with the access cab as well. I had a terrible squalling / squealing noise when driving with a heavy crosswind. I don’t know if you are experiencing this or not but, I was able to cure it by installing door edge guard around the top of all four doors. I started where the front door meets the front fender and then stopped where the rear door started to curve down. This has greatly improved the Toyota Tacoma experience! I hope this little hint helps others. Thanks for the tour!
Great job you guys! We kind of cheated and lived in the big fifth wheel for six years! It was amazing, helping as volunteers up and down the East Coast. We are really happy for you! We hope to downsize in our future volunteering.
Just bought a Tacoma to replace my old 1998 4Runner (sad to see her go, but the head gasket was going and the frame was too rusted to justify a top end rebuild) and thinking about doing exactly what you guys did. Love the storage configuration! The way you set up the curtains is brilliant too, glad I saw this before buying a cap because I'll definitely be getting the felt. I bet you could DIY that awning pretty easily and secure it to the roof racks and then just lash it down alongside the rooftop carrier when not in use
Your build looks great! Very inspiring. If you need/want more surface working space you could build tops for the drawers for when they are extended. It could essentially function as a kitchen island.
Interesting, this video posted a year before covid and so many people became motivated to live this lifestyle during the pandemic. True influencers!! Happy travels to everyone still roadtripping in 2024!!
Hi Mak, don't know if you will read this, but I just built a platform bed in my 2006 Tundra Double Cab and I bought a Sportz Link 51000 Tent to attach to the rear of the truck for 8'x8' space for those rainy days. It wasn't designed for this application, but it works great without any modifications. Plus a little more space available in bed as well.
Seems to be lots of dead space committed under the bed. I see this drawer build is probably the most common. For now in my RAV, I use loose totes and duffle bags and it saves what little headroom I have. Is this just not the better option in the Tacoma? It seems the weight of the cabinetry would be more than 100 extra pounds to truck around as well. Thanks for the videos.
I agree. I have the same size cap and I would not sacrifice headroom for storage. My 2-inch foam mattress sits on the floor in center, (1/4 inch plywood sandwiched in between) 7-inch depth shelves on both sides. This way I can sit upright without having to hunch. It would drive me insane and feel cramped up if I am not able to stretch!
I use my 13 tacoma access cab with same size cap for sleeping on multi-day excursions. Food stays in cab, gear goes on roof rack, entertainment and essentials stays with me in truck bed. I utilize the full interior height of truck bed as resting space. Extra 16 cu ft (hitch) storage for dirty laundry, shoes and other stuff. Travel light!
I have a 2012 Toyota Tacoma with a 6-ft bed I've been looking for the perfect design to set it up for camping and thanks to your videos all I can say is f yeah I think I can do truly thank you
I followed your build of the Sunrader and I am sorry it didn't work out. Seemed like the perfect machine, I still want one! This build of Lando though, is an inspiration. I am more of a "Beach Camper" with my small 14 foot sailboat, but having a place to ride out the really bad weather, a place to sleep while getting to the launch site, or even a base camp is something you are making me think about. Keep up the great work!
Yeah we are still sad too but this little truck completely renewed our faith in our life on the road. It was so nice to have something that really took things back to the basics so we could just focus on each other and our travels!
Hello; I also have a 2017 TRD sport with a similar layout. Tore out the back seats (pretty worthless) and built a platform where I place a 45 L Yeti knockoff. Have also noted the soggy food effect after a few days. Friends say to use the frozen bottle technique but after a couple of days it melts and nobody has let me use their freezer to refreeze them.. After a bit of thought i built a platform that sits about an inch or so above the bottom of the cooler where the water can drain to (also attached a drain hose to release water as needed). Seems to be working fine and no longer have to knock on doors to ask if I can borrow someones freezer...And have not had the soggy food problem. Built out of a polypropylene cutting board and some SS nuts and screws.
Excellent but totally agree awning needed. Just hired a camper and found we were outside wherever possible even with the inside room. Even if it's just a roof with windbreak sides it would have made a big difference for us. Otherwise all good. With your set up nowhere is off limits and surely that's the whole point. Happy travels
Yeah the awning would have been so nice because we could sit on the tailgate in the rain and continue to make our meals! Oh well! We still had a great time with it!
Nicely done! Enjoy it ...while you're still flexible enough :-) I've had my Tacoma since 1999 and I've spent a lot of nights sleeping in her....but at almost 62 I've come to the conclusion that I need more comfort. Last falls fishing trip to Montauk was it for me and the Tacoma camp outs. Just too small and at this age I don't want to contort and be so minimal. Looking at Truck Campers now...which I've always wanted. Nice setup you have.
If it works, it works. I try a similar setup with my Ford Ranger, but here in Germany there was to much rain, so it doesnt work out for me. I'm realy stoked whats comming next for you guys. Thx for sharing this.
Ok the music was jamming! I dig your vibe! You two look like your havi g fun and that's what's up! Possible solar, 12v fans for hot days, and a quick pop up canopy for the rear. I saw something at Dicks sporting goods I am going to get. It is a quick popup canopy with the tent and can stow comfortably in a truck. Take care.
There are some really cool poptop setups out there these days that we really like. For this set up we wanted to work with what we had already installed in the truck and because we stay in mild weather we didn't need a ton of upgrades. It was amazing how comfortable it was in there!
Great video thanks for sharing. That's a great layout. I may use that one day. I'm currently in a 17' travel trailer and I've discovered that I don't need this much room. A downsize is coming soon. Safe travels.
Pretty impressive in its elegant simplicity. Have you considered an inexpensive pop-up canopy? If could be used to shelter the tailgate area or be set up near by. It should fit nicely between the storage boxes on the rack when collapsed.
Toss and ARB, Rhinorack or similar awning on a side and get the zip-on room and you have bad weather space for a lower cost ($600ish all in) or go with a Batwing awning and a few walls for bad weather living space. Packs small and would suit your lifestyle well.
Really sweet lady...enjoy! 🤗😇 We have 2009 Tacoma, and we are just planing to buy camper shell, and hit the road like You guys...tnx for simple explanation... 😉
You could add cooling and heating (with the truck running) by adding two short pipes through the cab into the bed (maybe 4") with a small 12vdc fan over the pipe. Sort of a waste normally but when it's super cold or hot it would be nice.
@@BoundForNowhere I have been thinking a full-sized sleeper type set up. I am short, as is my wife, so anything over 5'7" bed...would work for us. We have been looking at small trailers, but that limits our travel plans. Currently, we just tent it. Lol
very nice!! I'm excited to get the ol' canopy on my 94' ranger. I just wanna get out there and tough it. See where a dream and good will gets me! ;) good travels 👍🌈
Any issues with theft? How do you lock and open from inside? Would your next setup/build be a van, trailer or other? Like the way you speak/present your videos!
For when you have weather, why not have one of those awnings that stow away in tube on the roof line? Don’t they make into full tents too? Hmmm I think I like the sound of this so I need to get working…😂 bedroom in the camper, tent to chill in the day. Great hardware with the drawers.
I have done this before, a couple times... Last time I just about murdered everyone in a campground when it rained all night and I got on craigslist the next day and bought a truck camper. Good luck, make sure the topper doesn't leak and you aren't claustrophobic.
I'm setting off for an indefinite period of living in my short bed Tacoma here soon. I love seeing what you've done with yours! Maybe we'll run into each other on the road somewhere 😄
I just put a canopy on my Tacoma. I am 6’1” my truck bed is 5”. LOL will see how this works over time. It is a four door model so I keep my camera gear etc in the back seat.
Thank you! And no just because we really don't have a hard time getting to the cooler at all! Also if this was going to be our long term set up we would have gotten a trucker fridge!
Yay, another video! Question - you say that your set up is "stealthy" and I guess that if you were just pulling up to a spot and then immediately jumping in the back to sleep I suppose it is, but what about the "living" portion of your days & nights - making meals & household chores and such? It's not as if you can set up your table and chairs while parked for the night on a busy avenue right? Also, where's Owen?! And J&J?!!
So stealth camping (pulling up somewhere and going to bed immediately) is very rare and only ever happens when we are in large cities...and we don't really like doing that sort of thing anyway! We tend to hang a little further out where we can set up our table and some chairs and relax. All meals were cooked on the tailgate. When we were done making a meal all of that gear would immediately get stowed away. Our evenings were often spent sitting on the tail gate playing cards, talking over whiskey and chocolate, or reading!
Im going on a 4-6 month trip in my taco just like this now I can't wait have been so nervous about how to setup my living space and everything else didn't even think about an awning
Hi, were you guys at Alabama hills by lone pine ca last november around thanksgiving? After watching this video I think I met and talked to you briefly. Have just watched your JMT series excellent.
Great build. I have the 5ft bed and I am 6ft...big sad face. I can fit corner to corner but that is not a long term plan so I went with an RTT. Totally understand about rain as the cap door basically funnels water to your bed. I am considering the 270 degree awning from Overland Pro. It is the cheapest out there yet got great reviews from Overland Bound. Good Luck and safe travels
I lucked out and found a Smittybuilt for $400. The cover had a little damage but I was able to fix it with PVC patch. Not the best tent, but the price was right and unlike you guys I don't live in my truck...Although I should. Cheers!
Suz McCaughey, I have seen that one as well. Great idea but I also need to be able to use the truck as a truck at times. I still have friends that move a lot...;-( Thanks for the note
Thanks for the great tour- love your guys setup, gives me inspiration for my build in the future. Do you have the 6ft bed on your Tacoma? Thanks again!
Love love love your channel 🖒🖒🖒 cant wait to see what rig you guys go to next...i wish its an rv, even if its a tiny light weight one (not a tear drop) i just think it would suit you guys, and hey, you already have the towing vehicle
With the addition of 4 [more or less] 3/4 inch PVC pipes [1" pipes are better] and a lightweight blue tarp, you can make yourself a semi-lean-to to cook and hang out under in bad weather.
Lando really had a great setup. Once I get a camper shell I want to build just about the same exact system. Thanks for sharing! P.S. I can't wait to see how you make your new rig home!
Yeah I know. I like yours, so I’m going to use wheel bearings like you guys did, but I’m going to use aluminum square tubing for the framework. Then 1/4 inch plywood with carbon fiber reinforcement. It’s more work, but for my build, it’s worth it. The Land Rover Disco is around 3600 lbs, and I’m doing a VW tdi swap, so I’m trying to get the weight down to closer 3000 lbs without supplies and gear.
I'm surprised you didn't opt for a high rise cab. We have the same bed setup for weekend camping. I couldn't imagine doing full time, props to you guys! Have you checked out the Go Fast Campers? Seems like the ideal stealth/comfort setup.
Yes those GFC are amazing but sadly have a weight list of a year right now (can you tell we looked). We couldn't go with a high rise topper because of all the things that we needed to store on the roof, which was our three surfboards, yakima box with our gear in it, and out MaxTraxx
I dig it. Thanks for the info. I like your all's 'Build Out Blog Post' as well! Save for not being (easily) able to pause the carousel pics to get a better look at all of these build steps. Regardless, y'all awesome. ;}
It’s great you are cool with this setup.. my wife would be whining non stop if I tried to get her to stay in that,,,which sucks. Because I have a taco and would love to do that :P
I have watched you before and was impressed then with your build and where you got your ideas on how to build your platform bed set-up. I am still trying to decide on platform height. I am going to use a 2006 Tundra double cab for mine with a Leer topper for a little more room. I have given much thought to including a tent with a floor designed for pick-up bed camping and also the four sided pop-up canopies. The jury is still out on those options for not being trapped in the bed of the truck, I need to do more research. Let me know your thoughts on those options. Thus far I really love your set-up and appreciate your videos on your build, lots of food for thought.
I have a Dodge Ram and I took out my back seat. I put in a 15 gallon water container and made a dog bed platform for my 2 dogs and underneath I store my power supply with the solar panel. I also store my water pump system and on demand water heater. I am almost done with my build and 2ill be downsizing from a class C motor home to a truck topper!!! More FREEDOM.
It also attracts a lot of attention to the vehicle when you travel. I prefer sleeping in the camper top because it’s stealthier. Those tents are stolen, often, unfortunately. Tents are great for places off the beaten path though.
I have a camper shell like that. I have slept in it, but it's not comfortable at my age. I also worry about that felt lining. Little hairs come loose when it's rubbed against. And I don't imagine it's very healthy to breath in.
New subscriber. Y’all did a great job! I hope y’all enjoyed the North Georgia Mountains while y’all were there. They’re in my neck of the woods and we go there quite often! Thank you for sharing!
The batteries are amazing and store all the power from our solar panels! They are expensive but they will last far longer than their lead acid counterparts and are less than half the weight!
Have you guys thought about a roof tent? I can’t be the first to recommend this.... It’d give you the entire bed of the truck for storage and let’s face it, roof tents are rad.
I can highly recommend attaching a thin piece of plywood (or other rigid, durable material) over the ribbed bed liner on the tailgate. You can glue it, screw it or Velcro it, which I did on my Tacoma, so it can be easily removed. It is so great to have a smooth, flat surface to set things on, cook on and climb over. No grooved surfaces to collect dirt and debris. A couple coats of polyurethane varnish make the plywood pretty moisture resistant.
I love that idea!
Love this setup! I feel like a lot of builds are financially unrealistic for someone who wants to be a ‘weekend warrior,’ but this one is super accessible and just looks plain great!
Nice set up! I have a 2015 Tacoma with the access cab as well. I had a terrible squalling / squealing noise when driving with a heavy crosswind. I don’t know if you are experiencing this or not but, I was able to cure it by installing door edge guard around the top of all four doors. I started where the front door meets the front fender and then stopped where the rear door started to curve down. This has greatly improved the Toyota Tacoma experience! I hope this little hint helps others. Thanks for the tour!
Great job you guys! We kind of cheated and lived in the big fifth wheel for six years! It was amazing, helping as volunteers up and down the East Coast. We are really happy for you! We hope to downsize in our future volunteering.
Just bought a Tacoma to replace my old 1998 4Runner (sad to see her go, but the head gasket was going and the frame was too rusted to justify a top end rebuild) and thinking about doing exactly what you guys did. Love the storage configuration! The way you set up the curtains is brilliant too, glad I saw this before buying a cap because I'll definitely be getting the felt. I bet you could DIY that awning pretty easily and secure it to the roof racks and then just lash it down alongside the rooftop carrier when not in use
You guys have come a long way on both vehicles and contents. Continued success.
Your build looks great! Very inspiring.
If you need/want more surface working space you could build tops for the drawers for when they are extended. It could essentially function as a kitchen island.
Interesting, this video posted a year before covid and so many people became motivated to live this lifestyle during the pandemic. True influencers!! Happy travels to everyone still roadtripping in 2024!!
Hi Mak, don't know if you will read this, but I just built a platform bed in my 2006 Tundra Double Cab and I bought a Sportz Link 51000 Tent to attach to the rear of the truck for 8'x8' space for those rainy days. It wasn't designed for this application, but it works great without any modifications. Plus a little more space available in bed as well.
Wow that is such a cool idea! I love that!
@@BoundForNowhere I did use a lot of what you did on your previous Tacoma build, but love your current rig set-up, awesome!!
Seems to be lots of dead space committed under the bed. I see this drawer build is probably the most common. For now in my RAV, I use loose totes and duffle bags and it saves what little headroom I have. Is this just not the better option in the Tacoma? It seems the weight of the cabinetry would be more than 100 extra pounds to truck around as well. Thanks for the videos.
I agree. I have the same size cap and I would not sacrifice headroom for storage. My 2-inch foam mattress sits on the floor in center, (1/4 inch plywood sandwiched in between) 7-inch depth shelves on both sides. This way I can sit upright without having to hunch. It would drive me insane and feel cramped up if I am not able to stretch!
I use my 13 tacoma access cab with same size cap for sleeping on multi-day excursions. Food stays in cab, gear goes on roof rack, entertainment and essentials stays with me in truck bed. I utilize the full interior height of truck bed as resting space. Extra 16 cu ft (hitch) storage for dirty laundry, shoes and other stuff. Travel light!
hell yeah! I love that!
You guys can build out these cars and make them look so habitable! Totally inspiring. I'd just make a business out of that haha 👍🏼
HAHA! I appreciate that! Comes from having a lot of experience (some of it against our will)!
I have a 2012 Toyota Tacoma with a 6-ft bed I've been looking for the perfect design to set it up for camping and thanks to your videos all I can say is f yeah I think I can do truly thank you
I followed your build of the Sunrader and I am sorry it didn't work out. Seemed like the perfect machine, I still want one! This build of Lando though, is an inspiration. I am more of a "Beach Camper" with my small 14 foot sailboat, but having a place to ride out the really bad weather, a place to sleep while getting to the launch site, or even a base camp is something you are making me think about. Keep up the great work!
Yeah we are still sad too but this little truck completely renewed our faith in our life on the road. It was so nice to have something that really took things back to the basics so we could just focus on each other and our travels!
Your rig seems more organized than others. I am definitely getting a girls touch on my rig. It gets messy quick.
Hello; I also have a 2017 TRD sport with a similar layout. Tore out the back seats (pretty worthless) and built a platform where I place a 45 L Yeti knockoff. Have also noted the soggy food effect after a few days. Friends say to use the frozen bottle technique but after a couple of days it melts and nobody has let me use their freezer to refreeze them.. After a bit of thought i built a platform that sits about an inch or so above the bottom of the cooler where the water can drain to (also attached a drain hose to release water as needed). Seems to be working fine and no longer have to knock on doors to ask if I can borrow someones freezer...And have not had the soggy food problem. Built out of a polypropylene cutting board and some SS nuts and screws.
cool idea with the patch collection. I just bought my first ever sticker. Bound for Nowhere compass!
I loved Emilia, and the 4x4 camper vans, but I like the mobility of smaller rigs.
Us too!
Excellent but totally agree awning needed. Just hired a camper and found we were outside wherever possible even with the inside room. Even if it's just a roof with windbreak sides it would have made a big difference for us. Otherwise all good.
With your set up nowhere is off limits and surely that's the whole point.
Happy travels
Yeah the awning would have been so nice because we could sit on the tailgate in the rain and continue to make our meals! Oh well! We still had a great time with it!
Nicely done! Enjoy it ...while you're still flexible enough :-) I've had my Tacoma since 1999 and I've spent a lot of nights sleeping in her....but at almost 62 I've come to the conclusion that I need more comfort. Last falls fishing trip to Montauk was it for me and the Tacoma camp outs. Just too small and at this age I don't want to contort and be so minimal. Looking at Truck Campers now...which I've always wanted. Nice setup you have.
those string fly shorts are SO COOL
Thanks! They are my fav!
If it works, it works. I try a similar setup with my Ford Ranger, but here in Germany there was to much rain, so it doesnt work out for me. I'm realy stoked whats comming next for you guys. Thx for sharing this.
Oh that is such a bummer, and yes rain can certainly "rain on your parade" when your living space is outside! Can't wait to share the new rig!
Ok the music was jamming! I dig your vibe! You two look like your havi g fun and that's what's up! Possible solar, 12v fans for hot days, and a quick pop up canopy for the rear. I saw something at Dicks sporting goods I am going to get. It is a quick popup canopy with the tent and can stow comfortably in a truck. Take care.
There are some really cool poptop setups out there these days that we really like. For this set up we wanted to work with what we had already installed in the truck and because we stay in mild weather we didn't need a ton of upgrades. It was amazing how comfortable it was in there!
Great video thanks for sharing. That's a great layout. I may use that one day. I'm currently in a 17' travel trailer and I've discovered that I don't need this much room. A downsize is coming soon. Safe travels.
Awesome! Best of luck!
Pitch a dome tent when weather gets bad. Easy to store when not in use. You can find used ones on ebay. Get a four season rated one.
Great use of space, I really like the drawers and the roof rack.
Thank you so much!
nice set up! I will watch more of your videos. I am thinking of getting a camper for my Tacoma.
Way to go!life is a journey not a Destination, so live it to the fullest for it does not last forever!!
Pretty impressive in its elegant simplicity. Have you considered an inexpensive pop-up canopy? If could be used to shelter the tailgate area or be set up near by. It should fit nicely between the storage boxes on the rack when collapsed.
The glow up is real
This is the most perfect couples truck setup I have seen 😍
AWWW! I appreciate that! We love it!
@@BoundForNowhere you've definitely finalized my plans for my sierra
Wait till you and me become a power camper couple and we will do good ;)
just picked up a sticker and patch to support, stay safe along the road!
Very nice set up. Always nice to get more minimal too
Toss and ARB, Rhinorack or similar awning on a side and get the zip-on room and you have bad weather space for a lower cost ($600ish all in) or go with a Batwing awning and a few walls for bad weather living space. Packs small and would suit your lifestyle well.
Im impressed! I own a 2017 Taco truck! But it aint as fire as your rig set up! Im digging it!😎
great video guys, I usually carry a 10x17ft tarp, if the weathers bad, the tarp comes in handy. I like the ‘yakima’ idea....time to visit amazon-lol
Yep, awning is a must..a huge wraparound one.👍
In a truck you might want to check out the length of the bed and you might have to sleep from corner to corner if you are taller or have a short bed.
Very true! Owen and I are not the tallest people in the world!
Really sweet lady...enjoy! 🤗😇 We have 2009 Tacoma, and we are just planing to buy camper shell, and hit the road like You guys...tnx for simple explanation... 😉
You could add cooling and heating (with the truck running) by adding two short pipes through the cab into the bed (maybe 4") with a small 12vdc fan over the pipe. Sort of a waste normally but when it's super cold or hot it would be nice.
I love it! Everything has a use and a storage space. I could see you guys "DIYing" an awning, no prob! cheers
Yeah that is what we love about this set up too! Everything we need nothing we don't!
🙂 just watched this again.
This is kind of what I want, but I also want your current set up as well.
We honestly miss this setup. It was so simple, easy to care for, and allowed us to focus on each other and what we were doing!
@@BoundForNowhere I have been thinking a full-sized sleeper type set up. I am short, as is my wife, so anything over 5'7" bed...would work for us.
We have been looking at small trailers, but that limits our travel plans. Currently, we just tent it. Lol
very nice!! I'm excited to get the ol' canopy on my 94' ranger. I just wanna get out there and tough it. See where a dream and good will gets me! ;) good travels 👍🌈
Thats all you can do! I love those old rangers that will be a cool setup!
Any issues with theft? How do you lock and open from inside? Would your next setup/build be a van, trailer or other? Like the way you speak/present your videos!
lock and open from inside? the key fob
Tumeg never had a camper shell huh?
For when you have weather, why not have one of those awnings that stow away in tube on the roof line? Don’t they make into full tents too? Hmmm I think I like the sound of this so I need to get working…😂 bedroom in the camper, tent to chill in the day. Great hardware with the drawers.
I have done this before, a couple times... Last time I just about murdered everyone in a campground when it rained all night and I got on craigslist the next day and bought a truck camper. Good luck, make sure the topper doesn't leak and you aren't claustrophobic.
haha ours totally leaked from time to time, and always when you didn't want it to be leaking!
I'm setting off for an indefinite period of living in my short bed Tacoma here soon. I love seeing what you've done with yours! Maybe we'll run into each other on the road somewhere 😄
Joe Tuesday would you trade yours in to get the long bed Tacoma?
@@Fitforacting I'll let you know once I've spent a few months in it!
Joe Tuesday 🙏🏼
Give us an update...was the short bed too short...or did you sleep in a rooftop tent?
I just put a canopy on my Tacoma. I am 6’1” my truck bed is 5”. LOL will see how this works over time. It is a four door model so I keep my camera gear etc in the back seat.
Have you thought of building a slide out tray for the Yeti? 👍🏻 love what you all are doing!
Thank you! And no just because we really don't have a hard time getting to the cooler at all! Also if this was going to be our long term set up we would have gotten a trucker fridge!
I'm going to do this!
Wow, I love your freckles! Awesome video💪🏼
Thank you!
So glad i found this channel
Yay, another video!
Question - you say that your set up is "stealthy" and I guess that if you were just pulling up to a spot and then immediately jumping in the back to sleep I suppose it is, but what about the "living" portion of your days & nights - making meals & household chores and such? It's not as if you can set up your table and chairs while parked for the night on a busy avenue right?
Also, where's Owen?! And J&J?!!
So stealth camping (pulling up somewhere and going to bed immediately) is very rare and only ever happens when we are in large cities...and we don't really like doing that sort of thing anyway! We tend to hang a little further out where we can set up our table and some chairs and relax. All meals were cooked on the tailgate. When we were done making a meal all of that gear would immediately get stowed away. Our evenings were often spent sitting on the tail gate playing cards, talking over whiskey and chocolate, or reading!
Great video! Thanks for sharing it
Our pleasure
Im going on a 4-6 month trip in my taco just like this now I can't wait have been so nervous about how to setup my living space and everything else didn't even think about an awning
After much thought I'd rather have the Chevy city cargo van. Great van.
i would recommend having a tent to get some additional covered space if it was needed and was staying there multiple nights
Pretty much what I've been aiming for the past few years. Thanks for the tour, lot's of great ideas.
What a great Video! Im taking a little bit of this and a little bit of that from Videos like this for my adventures, Thanks!
I Think That’s Pretty cool setup and a cheap way to camp out
That is a nice canopy set up. You should consider fitting gullwing windows which will give you easier access to the front of the load bed.
Hi, were you guys at Alabama hills by lone pine ca last november around thanksgiving? After watching this video I think I met and talked to you briefly. Have just watched your JMT series excellent.
Sadly that was not us. We were up in the East Coast Canadian Maritime Provinces around that time last year
This is fantastic! Ton of ideas that are very helpful!
I have space as your were . Soon will joint tribes.....love your video...
You can put a double din head unit for that model, GPS and great sound, nice little upgrades for that gen Tacoma.
Thanks for the video, lots of good insist and experience sharing! Informative and well done. G
We appreciate that!
Great build. I have the 5ft bed and I am 6ft...big sad face. I can fit corner to corner but that is not a long term plan so I went with an RTT. Totally understand about rain as the cap door basically funnels water to your bed. I am considering the 270 degree awning from Overland Pro. It is the cheapest out there yet got great reviews from Overland Bound. Good Luck and safe travels
That is a bummer to be that all, we lucked out not being the tallest people! What kind of RTT did you go with?
I lucked out and found a Smittybuilt for $400. The cover had a little damage but I was able to fix it with PVC patch. Not the best tent, but the price was right and unlike you guys I don't live in my truck...Although I should. Cheers!
I just saw a cool video of a dyi pull out in a tacoma and shell that sits on the tail gate. It added a few feet for the bro who was sleeping like you.
Suz McCaughey, I have seen that one as well. Great idea but I also need to be able to use the truck as a truck at times. I still have friends that move a lot...;-( Thanks for the note
@@williamkenyon9858 If it is light enough couldn't you just pop it out and store it?
Simple and functional , Great video thank you
Thanks for the great tour- love your guys setup, gives me inspiration for my build in the future. Do you have the 6ft bed on your Tacoma? Thanks again!
Yes, all extended cab and regular cab Tacomas have a 6-foot bed.
Tacoma's come in 5 or 6 ft beds
Love love love your channel 🖒🖒🖒 cant wait to see what rig you guys go to next...i wish its an rv, even if its a tiny light weight one (not a tear drop) i just think it would suit you guys, and hey, you already have the towing vehicle
With the addition of 4 [more or less] 3/4 inch PVC pipes [1" pipes are better] and a lightweight blue tarp, you can make yourself a semi-lean-to to cook and hang out under in bad weather.
Lando really had a great setup. Once I get a camper shell I want to build just about the same exact system. Thanks for sharing!
P.S. I can't wait to see how you make your new rig home!
Thank you so much! You will absolutely love a setup like this! We just love how low cost and low maintenance the whole thing is!
I plan to do my drawers in my Discovery like yours, but I need to do them lightweight.
These guys were pretty lightweight considering, the plastic options are lighter but don;t get the best use out of the space in our opinion.
Yeah I know. I like yours, so I’m going to use wheel bearings like you guys did, but I’m going to use aluminum square tubing for the framework. Then 1/4 inch plywood with carbon fiber reinforcement. It’s more work, but for my build, it’s worth it. The Land Rover Disco is around 3600 lbs, and I’m doing a VW tdi swap, so I’m trying to get the weight down to closer 3000 lbs without supplies and gear.
I'm surprised you didn't opt for a high rise cab. We have the same bed setup for weekend camping. I couldn't imagine doing full time, props to you guys!
Have you checked out the Go Fast Campers? Seems like the ideal stealth/comfort setup.
Yes those GFC are amazing but sadly have a weight list of a year right now (can you tell we looked). We couldn't go with a high rise topper because of all the things that we needed to store on the roof, which was our three surfboards, yakima box with our gear in it, and out MaxTraxx
That must've been tough without the highrise topper. Did that once and got so claustrophobic. You two are troopers!
I dig it. Thanks for the info. I like your all's 'Build Out Blog Post' as well! Save for not being (easily) able to pause the carousel pics to get a better look at all of these build steps. Regardless, y'all awesome. ;}
ruclips.net/video/ELP41pDKaqs/видео.html
Very good video. Sure did enjoy it. Thanks
An outdoor marquee (shelter) with walls or an awning coming off the rear would be much needed addition in bad weather.
Hey guys! Will you be putting a tour of your new rig soon? Love this channel!
Yes! We absolutely will! We are just waiting until we are settled in and have all of our edits done so we can share them in the video!
It’s great you are cool with this setup.. my wife would be whining non stop if I tried to get her to stay in that,,,which sucks. Because I have a taco and would love to do that :P
Cool setup
Thank you!
I have watched you before and was impressed then with your build and where you got your ideas on how to build your platform bed set-up. I am still trying to decide on platform height. I am going to use a 2006 Tundra double cab for mine with a Leer topper for a little more room. I have given much thought to including a tent with a floor designed for pick-up bed camping and also the four sided pop-up canopies. The jury is still out on those options for not being trapped in the bed of the truck, I need to do more research. Let me know your thoughts on those options. Thus far I really love your set-up and appreciate your videos on your build, lots of food for thought.
You can lock a camper top. That is my own #1 priority. You also don’t have to set it up each time or worry about it when it’s windy.
Nice rig and setup.
You should completely remove the rear seat entirely tons more space that’s usable ...
Maybe i'm crazy but I don't see a rear seat?... I think you are mistaking the solar panal she pointed out as being a seat?..
I have a Dodge Ram and I took out my back seat. I put in a 15 gallon water container and made a dog bed platform for my 2 dogs and underneath I store my power supply with the solar panel. I also store my water pump system and on demand water heater. I am almost done with my build and 2ill be downsizing from a class C motor home to a truck topper!!! More FREEDOM.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Awesome video y’all living the dream
Love the video, very well done. Thanks for sharing
Why don't y'all add an ARB retractable awning and attachable awning room to add to your livable space during good or bad weather?
We seriously considered it but decided against it because we wanted to keep costs lower. But they are really nice!
It also attracts a lot of attention to the vehicle when you travel. I prefer sleeping in the camper top because it’s stealthier. Those tents are stolen, often, unfortunately. Tents are great for places off the beaten path though.
You guys are awesome.
Is your Tacoma the 4 or 6 cylinder?
Really cool
Great work!
Thanks so much!
Great video thanks!
You are so welcome
I have a camper shell like that. I have slept in it, but it's not comfortable at my age. I also worry about that felt lining. Little hairs come loose when it's rubbed against. And I don't imagine it's very healthy to breath in.
New subscriber. Y’all did a great job! I hope y’all enjoyed the North Georgia Mountains while y’all were there. They’re in my neck of the woods and we go there quite often! Thank you for sharing!
Sounds like some serious road head is the thing.
This may be an obvious answer, but how does one open and close the hatch from inside?
What is that battery device? Seemed quite large. Pricey? Oh, and I subscribed. Got here from your Amelia vids.
The batteries are amazing and store all the power from our solar panels! They are expensive but they will last far longer than their lead acid counterparts and are less than half the weight!
Have you guys thought about a roof tent? I can’t be the first to recommend this.... It’d give you the entire bed of the truck for storage and let’s face it, roof tents are rad.
Cool set up. What about using the bathroom?
Time for a roof top tent !!