I've been seeing people make beds in camper vans, and motorhomes, but I have never seen a bed built in the back of the truck. This is a very nice video
Thank you! We are definitely not the first. I wish I could tell you what videos we watched 5 years ago. We made a video on how to build it too if interested. I’d love to have built out a van, except I’m a truck person 😁
When we were in high school we’d go to house parties and get drunk. My buddy had a truck with a camper shell. He had a mattress inside that he used to just pass out on right outside the house lol. Also, when he got tired during school he’d go in the parking lot to his truck and nap. Fucking futuristic genius.
Definitely ahead of the curve! It really is that easy. No hotel check-in, no waiting for a taxi. Once people get that it’s a bed and not a truck, it’s easy z’s.
Glad to hear it! It’s saved us tons of money that’s for sure! I bet there are even better ways to cut costs too, but we mainly made this for the freedom of going wherever hotels aren’t.
44 years of driving I am retired now but I will be getting a Dodge 1500 and I'll be making it in exactly what you folks have done I am used to fabricating very used to fabricating so that's not going to be a problem for me I even do biscuits and cookies on the grill my wife just looks at me from time to time when I am growing at home and looks at me like you got to be kidding thank you very much for showing your camping vehicle and as we say on the amateur radio band 73 I'm going to have operator 73
That sounds great Joseph. We aren't experts, but we built what we knew how to and tried to keep it simple. Unless you're really short, don't get the short bed haha. You will want all the leg room you can get
Yup been doing this truck shell camping option for 30 years ....2 drawers under and mattress on top ( CARPET KIT ) its called for some reason . I run a rack on top my shell for my canoe and a thule cargo pod also up there .....and in the winter ski bum days I run a propane heater inside . works great for my short range camping needs . longer days out I have a full on slide in truck camper I use .
Rowdy Rambling Hobo that’s awesome. We are considering a slide in after seeing a few recently. What kind do you have? Our setup works for trips, but not long term. Plus we can’t bring our dog. We’re finding the older we get, the more comfort we want. Definitely beats an expensive 40 RV you can’t park anywhere. 😝
@@MagellanandGreyhound .....Yes you are right on that ! I have a (Northland ) slide in camper complete with a bathroom /shower, 2 beds , kit., etc. I stack it on my Dodge Ram 3/4 ton with air bags . Been all around the place in that rig , working , skiing , surfing , fly fishing out of it . and it comes right off and on with elec. jacks . My 2 cents is to go as light as you can with one .....ok have fun and good luck finding a camper out there .....Happy trails !
Rowdy Rambling Hobo that sounds great! We met a guy in the Smokies who had a Lance 650, very light, had all we needed. Traveling like this is such a wormhole of possibilities. Happy trails to you as well!
Reminds me of the setup I had back in the 90s. I made custom magnetic screens for my Suburban , had the comfy mattress , 12 volt fan , etc. I also made a swing out storage box that slid into the reese hitch. Thats where all my camping stuff was stored. I also had an 8 foot awning from a pop up camper mounted on the roof rack. The awning was the best feature especially on rainy days. Made many trips in that rig from KY to WY, MT, CO. I now use my custom built stealth RV that I made in 2019. I will never understand people that dont get out and explore this great nation.
Awesome! We wanted a storage box on our hitch, but we opted for a swinging bike rack instead. After this video we also installed an awning on the roof racks! Too funny. We will forever associate its maiden usage with a crazy storm in the peaks of otter. And we agree, I know so many people who have never left their house or immediate area. The world is beautiful but we have pure gold here. Get out there! I feel like every last vacation day we use is to see something incredible. How is your RV stealth?
@@MagellanandGreyhound The RV build on this 2014 Chevy Express box truck is "plain Jane". No fancy decals or stripes. It allows me to simply pull into a Walmart parking lot or anywhere without looking like a camper. Looks more like a delivery van unless you look closely to see the water heater door on the side. It turned out nice but after putting a few hundred hours into the build I am going to have to sell it. I need a larger diesel powered unit that will be able to tow up to 10,000 lbs. I have towed 6500 easily with this current one though.
Oh wow. Man, I wish we were that handy. We are mildly creative, as you’ve seen, but don’t know enough about anything to build something like that. We’re a little worried with the new cabover/slide in for truck stops. We have never gotten grief with the truck cap and don’t think we ever will. Most places seem okay with sleeping as long as you spend money and don’t inconvenience anyone or cause trouble. Yours sounds super stealthy!
@@MagellanandGreyhound You hit the nail on the head. If you spend money where you park for the night , karma kicks in. Even if I stop to use the rest room somewhere I will at least buy a drink and a snack from them. Enjoy everyday that the Lord gives you. Life really is short and I talk to so many who wish they had traveled more and worked less. Its never the other way around.
It is NEVER the other way around. I feel like the older we get, the more picky we are getting with our time, and rightly so! Everyday should be either fulfilling something on your bucket list or planning on how to!
I love your setup. And I have two Yorkie to. Mine would never stay inside with the door open. I’m super impressed by the mention of using an electric blanket instead of other more dangerous heat sources so many people use. A window ac wouldn’t be a bad idea although it would require an generator.
Thank you! Our Yorkie doesn’t like going outside so this is his happy place. We try to keep it simple otherwise. Once you start getting into blow heaters and generators, it starts to encroach on the little space you have, you know? We try to travel wherever the weather is moderate to avoid needing AC or a lot of heat. It’s a setup that works for us, temporarily, but long term I’m not sure we could live out of it.
Did that for years,from 2000 to 2015.Not as fancy as yours but I used my truck for work also.Put a queen size memory foam mattress in the bed. Purchased a tent by sports z to hook on the back for an extra room.Nice job on the setup .
Nice, and thank you! I can't remember the tent brand either, but when we know we won't be moving for a few days, we hook up a tent to the back too. We definitely can't see doing this forever either.
We have a very similar setup. We do dirt bikes, and ski boat. Helps us to have the boat to put stuff in. We have a hitch hauler for the bikes. Works okay, but a pain if we have to stop before our destination, since we have to unload the bikes. Crawling through the sliding rear window is doable, but not ideal. We have started putting a 10x10 EZup behind the truck, overlapping the shell about 2 feet. Then we can leave the shell door open, even if it rains.
Great info, thanks for the tips and help. I'm working on my Dad's short bus conversion he started a few years back before he passed and then passed it on to me.
Awesome! There was a channel we used to follow, bus life possible I think, that showed (almost) their whole conversion, but they sadly split up and never finished the series. Plenty of great ideas and videos all over RUclips
Nice easy and cheap setup, I like the idea of pulling the mattress and still having the use of the truck bed for hauling whatever you need to haul. The only thing I’d change is to get a taller topper that would make it possible to set up in bed.
For the past two summers my wife and I have been using a truck bed tent for our camping trips. But last month I bought a high-rise truck cap from a friend of mine, and my wife told me that we should just use that instead because it would mean that all we would have to do once we get to the destination is pretty much inflate the air mattress lock the inside and we are ready for the night. I have thought about just buying a used Decked drawer system that would pretty much already be ready to use in as little as 5 minutes after installation. The only downside to us using a cap instead of the truck tent is that even with the windshield off my motorcycle will not fit under it for transport. But we will either just buy a hitch carrier rated for the weight of the bike, or borrow my cousin's trailer.
Want to travel some when we retire.So considering something similar.The problem I see with the bed of a truck is.Security if you have invaders in the night.With this set up if you have to leave in a hurry you have to exit the truck bed to get to the cab.With a van you can get to the drivers seat while all locked up and drive away.
You are absolutely spot on. While we had a makeshift lock we used while back there, we mainly just made sure to try and pick safe spots more than anything. Your van idea in terms of getting away is ideal though.
I love the cheese cutting board and tray! You don’t know how many times I’ve almost crashed while driving with my knee trying to cut cheese! I’m stealing that idea!
I have a super duty I travel with my wife and 3 kids, with a teacup Yorkie, I made a center console bed for her...similar to your cutting board, I will combine the ideas!
This is such an excellent video! Voice over without blasting background music and you get straight to the point. So many others have to start out with 15 minutes of selfie shots talking about themselves and even when they show the build it is still in selfie mode with their fat face blocking the shots. LOL. You have earned yourselves a new subscriber and a big thumbs up!
Mystery Meat thank you so much! We appreciate you liking it. It is always evolving and we’ll be making update videos to it along with our other travels.
I do a similar setup but my tuck is an 8ft bed and my cap has windoors. My storage is a custom shelf 20 inches deep that is at the front of the bed and rests on the edge of the truck bed. I access my storage from outside through the windoors. Everything is lined in the back. The topper was factory lined and I have a Bedrug installed. Makes it way more comfortable and insulated. My cap is the ARE MX. I feel the same way about my truck and how it doubles as a hotel room of sorts. Looking at building a roof mounted shower system out of PVC.
Oh man that sounds nice. I am guessing based on your description that this a solo setup? I couldn’t imagine using windoors with two people and storage, although an 8 foot bed sounds spacious 😄. I don’t know if you have racks on top for more storage, kayaks, etc, but we wound up connecting a canopy on the side to our racks to cook etc outside in the rain. I suspect you could do something similar with the shower system.
@@MagellanandGreyhound I do have racks for a Thule cargo box. My setup is necessary because Its my work truck day to day. I’m a contractor and it’s used to carry tools an supplies. Would love to have an actual camper but it’s too much work to take the topper off every time plus we have used it to go to concerts. Saves on $500 night hotel stays and last minute trips.
@@trishaleaver3581 that makes sense. And hey it still works. Hotels are overrated! It’s pretty cool how many different uses you get out of it. We use our truck for gardening, lumber, etc. We may have gone “van life” but then the van only has one use.
Wow wow, this is kind of truck we need for a long road trip, you guys so organized and make this truck like a mini home, I really happy for you guys that you are able to travel still. We can’t wait to travel like you ! Thanks for sharing this amazing video !
We have many little things too that we didn’t include in the video to make it more comfortable. We are finally going on a trip this week. It’s been so busy leading up to it!
Love your video guys, i have a flat bed ute here in Australia with sides and tail gate that can be removed, after seeing your video i got some great ideas from it so it looks like a win win situation as when the wife and i go shopping we can put our groceries in those draws to instead of just being put in the back. now when we go away as well we will have a camper to. cheers.
Thanks! And yes that’s the idea. Versatility! Once we started brainstorming years ago and seeing different builds, we just ran with it. There’s so many configurations you can do to fit your lifestyle.
If you go to the dollar store and buy shower caps you could wrap them around the soles of your shoes to help with mud dirt or anything else getting on your bed
I am interested in the shower head you are using. This is awesome. My first truck back when I was 15, had something more raw but similar. Always thought it made sense. Great job on the build.
Thank you! Here is a link to our shower video. ruclips.net/video/TbPtBLzHzYY/видео.html In the description you will find a link to the shower head we use. There are a bunch on the market, but we found this one works fine for us.
I love your set up. I sleep in the back of my Toyota FJ all the time. I love the coziness of sleeping inside a vehicle. I am really really loving your channel. I really hope you can make it to Michigan. I’m gonna try to binge watch since I can’t sleep lol
Thank you! The mattress we use is the same mattress we use at home too, just for a different size bed. People can’t imagine how comfortable you can make your setup, but it’s not that hard! And lol, bing watching can be fun :)
Very helpful video. I am hoping to do something similar when I get my newly ordered 2022 Truck and then buy a Truck Cap. I will sometimes be using the truck cap alone when on a hunting trip, and sometimes be using the cap with my wife when we go on cross country vacations/explorations. I am hoping to make a modular bed that can be a single or a double depending on whether I am going alone or am bringing my wife with me. When I am alone and hunting the extra space would be useful for game cart and other hunting gear.
Awesome, the modular bed is a great idea. That was the one problem I had when I’d travel without her. I wished I had her bed space to use for other things, but since we mostly travel together and on longer trips, this setup worked best.
My husband and I just did this to our truck. We just retired so we say getting in and out of our truck is what keeps us young lol. We call ours Ole Silver Back (like a gorilla) because the used camper top we bought is silver. We LOVE it! Did you ever do the video on stealth bathroom trips? We are trying to figure that one out.
Rhonda McKenna feel free to show us your setup! Our email is in our about page. We have the footage for the stealth bathroom, but no video yet. Couldn’t finish before this trip. If you do email us, in the interim, we can explain what we did too.
Sorry just seeing this. Sometimes comments get filtered as spam. The bed is custom. It's almost a queen size - just a few inches shorter on length. A true queen is too long to fit in the back. We tried LOL. And thank you, Zeus is the best!
Thanks! Those have really come in handy. We’ve actually thrown them up in busy parking lots so we can eat lunch in peace without people asking us if we’re leaving lol 😂
Nice job! Like the magnetic shades for the cab. We did a similar setup a few years ago, and the entering/ exiting was the only negative. Happy travels!
Thanks! Getting in and out is always bad when it’s raining or when we’re exhausted. But it’s still worth it! We’re thinking of making different magnetic shades for easier use. Always an evolving project!
Great video! We hike as much as possible and feel the same way you do! We are planning a trip across country with our Silverado. Those coolers are amazing. My wife wants a shower and bathroom so I'll do yet another d.i.y. truck camper. ..I have 6 months!
That sounds awesome! We are thinking of building a tiny trailer with a kitchen/bathroom/shower setup too. While it's awesome to hike 17 miles up a mountain, some comforts cannot be replaced. This year we used a tent/USB showerhead/bucket setup, and I just recently did a solo around the whole country trip, but that's tough long term too. Where are you planning to hit up?
We tried making a video after the fact of how we built it. Hopefully this helps. It would have been easier to rebuild it for the video, but we weren’t doing that! 😂 - ruclips.net/video/kMoocvDY4OE/видео.html
We are glad! That’s how we got ideas years ago. Watch videos, choose the good, avoid the bad, personalize it to your needs. Whatever it takes to get outside!
Magellan and Greyhound your welcome! we are always improving too. I shared your channel with my friend so she can get some ideas from you hope that’s okay! i might even use some of your ideas.
We did this not long after the tour. Unfortunately we couldn’t rebuild it after the fact, but we think we did a pretty good job showing the how. - here’s the link, hope it helps! ruclips.net/video/kMoocvDY4OE/видео.html
Great presentation! We have a very similar set up with only difference being it is one big drawer instead of 2 drawers side by side. It is also made from wood. Great job showing how you organize everything! Cheers to truck camping!
Thank you! We’ve made a few other videos too, but this is the main setup we tend to use. Is the one drawer really heavy, or did you add a sliding mechanism to help pull it out more easily?
@@MagellanandGreyhound The drawer is wood on wood rails (no metal or screws); The rails that guide the drawer are made with cedar strips and the spacing is loose enough to move freely. If it is full, it can be a bit heavy, but not too bad. It mostly rests on the tail gate, but if I pull it out really far I got a piece of wood I can put on the ground to prop it up so the weight does not crack/break the drawer.
@@MagellanandGreyhound Yes, heavy duty handles, one on each side. I was very lucky, my friends who are expert furniture builders helped me make it. The design was quite a bit beyond my skill level, but I got to help :)
@@mzmudy that’s all that matters! We aren’t insanely skilled either, but keeping it simple helps. Our handles aren’t heavy duty, just old kitchen ones, but we don’t overload each drawer usually.
Simple is the name of the game! Funny, we are thinking of upgrading out of this to a slide in. How long was the class C? Hopefully you got some good ideas from this. We didn’t want to buy and convert a van because we use our truck for so many things.
@@MagellanandGreyhound our Class C was only 24 ft but I am the only driver and it was just too much for me. Not necessarily the driving, that was easy, but the tanks, parking and getting in and out of places. I’m seriously leaning toward a setup like yours but want to think it through before I jump in. Thank you for your ideas.
@@roseannejacquette9347 that makes sense. We don’t like the idea of anything longer than our vehicle. Motorhomes, pull behinds, it’s too much to navigate. Definitely take your time! There’s a lot of videos out there and so many different ways to do this. Hopefully you can Frankenstein together what works best for you!
@@MagellanandGreyhound I’ve looked at a lot of the four wheel slide ins that come pretty plain or can be pretty decked out. These are the pop up soft side ones. You have to skills to do the build out yourself. There seem to be lots of options. These seem to appeal to the overlanders which I’m not interested in but I still like the concept. I haven’t got the truck yet but they seem to have something for anything you have. What are your thoughts one these?
@@roseannejacquette9347 it’s funny you mention this. We just got a Lance 650 hard top slide-in. In addition to missing our dog on really long trips, we’re starting to think long-term for when we start to really tour the country once we retire. I think a soft-top would be great! We looked at some of those too. Lots of versatility, only take up one parking spot and more flexible with truck weight. They seem more robust than the overland pop-tents, but not like you’re carrying this huge weight around. We went with the Lance because it fit what we wanted (we liked their bathroom/shower setup). I remember seeing some nice Northern Lite and Palomino ones I think.
Once the my mom passes away shes left the house to me, i cant afford to pay the bill so eventually ill have to sell the house and buy a truck to live out of. I've had practice in various hatchback cars but your setup looks much more comfortable than mine. Winters here get to -30 celcius though so ill have to make a lot more insulation. Trying to find some ceramic heater/portable battery setup that might help heat me, but right now my power inverter just makes a constant beep like a lose wire when i try to run my comfortzone ceramic heater. so space blanket for now. ty for the video, it sure looks like fun in the summer in a nice setup like this, rather than necessity.
I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds like you’re in a cold area. I’ve slept in -19 once in North Dakota and that was not fun. If you get a truck and build it out to your liking, invest in two electric blankets (in case one stops working), a good sleeping bag (like a mummy one with a face flap), a portable battery block (like those jackery ones etc) and then one of those portable car jumps (in case you kill your truck battery accidentally). Insulation will help and not sleeping directly on your truck bed will help too (hence the drawer platform).
The pans help immensely. The only thing you have to worry about is if you don't empty the cooler after awhile and drive, the water will slosh up into the pan if it's high enough, and then why have a pan?
Thank you for this! Loved the video and the way you made it. I am a new subscriber, now! You've given me another alternative that I had not considered... a truck-bed camper! I had looked at used campers (large and heavy cab-overs), vans, even used larger RV's. But this seems ideal for me, I'm 68 years old and a former tour bus driver... travel is in my blood. I look forward to your build video.
Thank you! Whatever it takes to travel! If you are by yourself you can really go nuts back there with space. There’s two of us so we had to focus on the actual sleeping bed before we could figure out where to store stuff. This version is actually 2.0. When we make a how we made it video soon, we have a picture of the first 1.0 version - which wasn’t ideal.
I would remove the stock drain from the cooler and install a valve that you could add a small water hose so you don’t need to move the cooler to drain it.
I've been seeing people make beds in camper vans, and motorhomes, but I have never seen a bed built in the back of the truck. This is a very nice video
Thank you! We are definitely not the first. I wish I could tell you what videos we watched 5 years ago. We made a video on how to build it too if interested. I’d love to have built out a van, except I’m a truck person 😁
When we were in high school we’d go to house parties and get drunk. My buddy had a truck with a camper shell. He had a mattress inside that he used to just pass out on right outside the house lol.
Also, when he got tired during school he’d go in the parking lot to his truck and nap.
Fucking futuristic genius.
Definitely ahead of the curve! It really is that easy. No hotel check-in, no waiting for a taxi. Once people get that it’s a bed and not a truck, it’s easy z’s.
Also super responsible not drinking and driving as well!
This is exactly the budget friendly video inspiration I needed in my life
Glad to hear it! It’s saved us tons of money that’s for sure! I bet there are even better ways to cut costs too, but we mainly made this for the freedom of going wherever hotels aren’t.
44 years of driving I am retired now but I will be getting a Dodge 1500 and I'll be making it in exactly what you folks have done I am used to fabricating very used to fabricating so that's not going to be a problem for me I even do biscuits and cookies on the grill my wife just looks at me from time to time when I am growing at home and looks at me like you got to be kidding thank you very much for showing your camping vehicle and as we say on the amateur radio band 73 I'm going to have operator 73
That sounds great Joseph. We aren't experts, but we built what we knew how to and tried to keep it simple. Unless you're really short, don't get the short bed haha. You will want all the leg room you can get
Our son and I sleep in my truck topper on out “no shower no problem father son” trips. Cheap traveling with a lots of fun!
Awesome! It is very cheap LOL. Luxury vacations are overrated!
Yup been doing this truck shell camping option for 30 years ....2 drawers under and mattress on top ( CARPET KIT ) its called for some reason . I run a rack on top my shell for my canoe and a thule cargo pod also up there .....and in the winter ski bum days I run a propane heater inside . works great for my short range camping needs . longer days out I have a full on slide in truck camper I use .
Rowdy Rambling Hobo that’s awesome. We are considering a slide in after seeing a few recently. What kind do you have? Our setup works for trips, but not long term. Plus we can’t bring our dog. We’re finding the older we get, the more comfort we want. Definitely beats an expensive 40 RV you can’t park anywhere. 😝
@@MagellanandGreyhound .....Yes you are right on that ! I have a (Northland ) slide in camper complete with a bathroom /shower, 2 beds , kit., etc. I stack it on my Dodge Ram 3/4 ton with air bags . Been all around the place in that rig , working , skiing , surfing , fly fishing out of it . and it comes right off and on with elec. jacks . My 2 cents is to go as light as you can with one .....ok have fun and good luck finding a camper out there .....Happy trails !
Rowdy Rambling Hobo that sounds great! We met a guy in the Smokies who had a Lance 650, very light, had all we needed. Traveling like this is such a wormhole of possibilities. Happy trails to you as well!
Reminds me of the setup I had back in the 90s. I made custom magnetic screens for my Suburban , had the comfy mattress , 12 volt fan , etc. I also made a swing out storage box that slid into the reese hitch. Thats where all my camping stuff was stored. I also had an 8 foot awning from a pop up camper mounted on the roof rack. The awning was the best feature especially on rainy days. Made many trips in that rig from KY to WY, MT, CO. I now use my custom built stealth RV that I made in 2019. I will never understand people that dont get out and explore this great nation.
Awesome! We wanted a storage box on our hitch, but we opted for a swinging bike rack instead. After this video we also installed an awning on the roof racks! Too funny. We will forever associate its maiden usage with a crazy storm in the peaks of otter. And we agree, I know so many people who have never left their house or immediate area. The world is beautiful but we have pure gold here. Get out there! I feel like every last vacation day we use is to see something incredible. How is your RV stealth?
@@MagellanandGreyhound The RV build on this 2014 Chevy Express box truck is "plain Jane". No fancy decals or stripes. It allows me to simply pull into a Walmart parking lot or anywhere without looking like a camper. Looks more like a delivery van unless you look closely to see the water heater door on the side. It turned out nice but after putting a few hundred hours into the build I am going to have to sell it. I need a larger diesel powered unit that will be able to tow up to 10,000 lbs. I have towed 6500 easily with this current one though.
Oh wow. Man, I wish we were that handy. We are mildly creative, as you’ve seen, but don’t know enough about anything to build something like that. We’re a little worried with the new cabover/slide in for truck stops. We have never gotten grief with the truck cap and don’t think we ever will. Most places seem okay with sleeping as long as you spend money and don’t inconvenience anyone or cause trouble. Yours sounds super stealthy!
@@MagellanandGreyhound You hit the nail on the head. If you spend money where you park for the night , karma kicks in. Even if I stop to use the rest room somewhere I will at least buy a drink and a snack from them. Enjoy everyday that the Lord gives you. Life really is short and I talk to so many who wish they had traveled more and worked less. Its never the other way around.
It is NEVER the other way around. I feel like the older we get, the more picky we are getting with our time, and rightly so! Everyday should be either fulfilling something on your bucket list or planning on how to!
I love your setup. And I have two Yorkie to. Mine would never stay inside with the door open. I’m super impressed by the mention of using an electric blanket instead of other more dangerous heat sources so many people use. A window ac wouldn’t be a bad idea although it would require an generator.
Thank you! Our Yorkie doesn’t like going outside so this is his happy place. We try to keep it simple otherwise. Once you start getting into blow heaters and generators, it starts to encroach on the little space you have, you know? We try to travel wherever the weather is moderate to avoid needing AC or a lot of heat. It’s a setup that works for us, temporarily, but long term I’m not sure we could live out of it.
Did that for years,from 2000 to 2015.Not as fancy as yours but I used my truck for work also.Put a queen size memory foam mattress in the bed. Purchased a tent by sports z to hook on the back for an extra room.Nice job on the setup .
Nice, and thank you! I can't remember the tent brand either, but when we know we won't be moving for a few days, we hook up a tent to the back too. We definitely can't see doing this forever either.
I think my favorite part is the cubbies inside the room 👍
They are lifesavers! 😁
We have a very similar setup.
We do dirt bikes, and ski boat.
Helps us to have the boat to put stuff in.
We have a hitch hauler for the bikes.
Works okay, but a pain if we have to stop before our destination, since we have to unload the bikes.
Crawling through the sliding rear window is doable, but not ideal.
We have started putting a 10x10 EZup behind the truck, overlapping the shell about 2 feet. Then we can leave the shell door open, even if it rains.
Awesome! We bought a swinging bike rack for that reason. We did not want to unload the bikes, especially in a truck stop!
Great info, thanks for the tips and help. I'm working on my Dad's short bus conversion he started a few years back before he passed and then passed it on to me.
Awesome! There was a channel we used to follow, bus life possible I think, that showed (almost) their whole conversion, but they sadly split up and never finished the series. Plenty of great ideas and videos all over RUclips
Nice easy and cheap setup, I like the idea of pulling the mattress and still having the use of the truck bed for hauling whatever you need to haul.
The only thing I’d change is to get a taller topper that would make it possible to set up in bed.
You can never have enough headroom! What’s crazy is ours is an extended topper.
For the past two summers my wife and I have been using a truck bed tent for our camping trips. But last month I bought a high-rise truck cap from a friend of mine, and my wife told me that we should just use that instead because it would mean that all we would have to do once we get to the destination is pretty much inflate the air mattress lock the inside and we are ready for the night. I have thought about just buying a used Decked drawer system that would pretty much already be ready to use in as little as 5 minutes after installation. The only downside to us using a cap instead of the truck tent is that even with the windshield off my motorcycle will not fit under it for transport. But we will either just buy a hitch carrier rated for the weight of the bike, or borrow my cousin's trailer.
Want to travel some when we retire.So considering something similar.The problem I see with the bed of a truck is.Security if you have invaders in the night.With this set up if you have to leave in a hurry you have to exit the truck bed to get to the cab.With a van you can get to the drivers seat while all locked up and drive away.
You are absolutely spot on. While we had a makeshift lock we used while back there, we mainly just made sure to try and pick safe spots more than anything. Your van idea in terms of getting away is ideal though.
Yes would love to see a step by step imstruction video how to build the platform. Great job!!!
forever one we’ve been getting requests! Definitely in the somewhat near future!
You asked. We listened. Hope you like it.
ruclips.net/video/kMoocvDY4OE/видео.html
I love the cheese cutting board and tray! You don’t know how many times I’ve almost crashed while driving with my knee trying to cut cheese! I’m stealing that idea!
Haha it is clutch! Steal away!
I have a super duty I travel with my wife and 3 kids, with a teacup Yorkie, I made a center console bed for her...similar to your cutting board, I will combine the ideas!
@@hankimus10 oh that’s awesome! She will be able to sniff out and find your cheese crumbles too 😂😂😂
This is such an excellent video! Voice over without blasting background music and you get straight to the point. So many others have to start out with 15 minutes of selfie shots talking about themselves and even when they show the build it is still in selfie mode with their fat face blocking the shots. LOL.
You have earned yourselves a new subscriber and a big thumbs up!
Mystery Meat thank you so much! We appreciate you liking it. It is always evolving and we’ll be making update videos to it along with our other travels.
I like the tee shirt that you are wearing. So much so I went to Amazon a purchased one!! “I like kayaking and maybe three people “ lol
You just made my day. Wear that shirt. Wear it proudly. You may not be among my maybe three people, but I respect your line of thinking. 😉
Best truck bed yet, we need to just sleep with dogs and pee at night , nothing else love it
😁 - we prefer that simplicity too
I do a similar setup but my tuck is an 8ft bed and my cap has windoors. My storage is a custom shelf 20 inches deep that is at the front of the bed and rests on the edge of the truck bed. I access my storage from outside through the windoors. Everything is lined in the back. The topper was factory lined and I have a Bedrug installed. Makes it way more comfortable and insulated. My cap is the ARE MX. I feel the same way about my truck and how it doubles as a hotel room of sorts. Looking at building a roof mounted shower system out of PVC.
Oh man that sounds nice. I am guessing based on your description that this a solo setup? I couldn’t imagine using windoors with two people and storage, although an 8 foot bed sounds spacious 😄. I don’t know if you have racks on top for more storage, kayaks, etc, but we wound up connecting a canopy on the side to our racks to cook etc outside in the rain. I suspect you could do something similar with the shower system.
@@MagellanandGreyhound I do have racks for a Thule cargo box. My setup is necessary because Its my work truck day to day. I’m a contractor and it’s used to carry tools an supplies. Would love to have an actual camper but it’s too much work to take the topper off every time plus we have used it to go to concerts. Saves on $500 night hotel stays and last minute trips.
@@trishaleaver3581 that makes sense. And hey it still works. Hotels are overrated! It’s pretty cool how many different uses you get out of it. We use our truck for gardening, lumber, etc. We may have gone “van life” but then the van only has one use.
Wow wow, this is kind of truck we need for a long road trip, you guys so organized and make this truck like a mini home, I really happy for you guys that you are able to travel still. We can’t wait to travel like you ! Thanks for sharing this amazing video !
We have many little things too that we didn’t include in the video to make it more comfortable. We are finally going on a trip this week. It’s been so busy leading up to it!
Love your video guys, i have a flat bed ute here in Australia with sides and tail gate that can be removed, after seeing your video i got some great ideas from it so it looks like a win win situation as when the wife and i go shopping we can put our groceries in those draws to instead of just being put in the back. now when we go away as well we will have a camper to. cheers.
Thanks! And yes that’s the idea. Versatility! Once we started brainstorming years ago and seeing different builds, we just ran with it. There’s so many configurations you can do to fit your lifestyle.
Love this conversion, very economical. Cute Yorkshire terrier.
Thank you! And yes he loves beds 😝
If you go to the dollar store and buy shower caps you could wrap them around the soles of your shoes to help with mud dirt or anything else getting on your bed
That is a great idea, thank you!
Hope it never rains when you need something out of your long drawers! Great set up
You’ve made a great observation that we never mentioned in the video. It’s very much a frenzied hurry when it does! Rain is not our friend!
Man you guys are set up nice. Good work. With truck and finding the right gal to go with you.
Thanks! It took us a few tries to get the right fit for us. And yes she is a warrior. 😉
Stay safe
Wow super cool. I camp out a lot in my truck this is very useful for me for some ideas thank you I’ll be watching more happy camping
Awesome. We are sponges for ideas too. Just passing what we’ve seen along. 😊
I am interested in the shower head you are using. This is awesome. My first truck back when I was 15, had something more raw but similar. Always thought it made sense. Great job on the build.
Thank you! Here is a link to our shower video. ruclips.net/video/TbPtBLzHzYY/видео.html
In the description you will find a link to the shower head we use. There are a bunch on the market, but we found this one works fine for us.
My bf and I have a great wish of making and having a campvan! You did a great job in here!
Thanks! There are tons of videos on camper vans and not that difficult to build out either!
very nich vlog. keep posting my friend. indonesia bali was here
Thank you! 😀
I love your set up. I sleep in the back of my Toyota FJ all the time. I love the coziness of sleeping inside a vehicle. I am really really loving your channel. I really hope you can make it to Michigan. I’m gonna try to binge watch since I can’t sleep lol
Thank you! The mattress we use is the same mattress we use at home too, just for a different size bed. People can’t imagine how comfortable you can make your setup, but it’s not that hard! And lol, bing watching can be fun :)
This is an excellent set up . THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING..AWESOME
Thank you 😁
Very helpful video. I am hoping to do something similar when I get my newly ordered 2022 Truck and then buy a Truck Cap. I will sometimes be using the truck cap alone when on a hunting trip, and sometimes be using the cap with my wife when we go on cross country vacations/explorations. I am hoping to make a modular bed that can be a single or a double depending on whether I am going alone or am bringing my wife with me. When I am alone and hunting the extra space would be useful for game cart and other hunting gear.
Awesome, the modular bed is a great idea. That was the one problem I had when I’d travel without her. I wished I had her bed space to use for other things, but since we mostly travel together and on longer trips, this setup worked best.
WOOOW.
You really do havw a great truck bed camping setup,
Enjoy your road trips . Stay safe!
Gandang Chacha thank you so much! About to go on one 😉
Enjoyed the video, not the music
Sorry, we learned a lot about what music not to just randomly use in a video. Probably the biggest complaint. Glad you liked it otherwise!
Like 43. Very useful ideas how to con ya truck into a bed room. Thanks for sharing such great tips. 👍
Sudhirr Sivraman thank you! We hope it helps anyone that might be trying it!
I love your pup pup! Thanks for the video.
Glad you enjoyed! We will tell him 😁
Dang you guys got the set up! This looks perfect to take out on some road trips! Super cool truck!
BeckHykes thanks! we’re about to use it in Appalachia! Very excited.
Nice video, and that is what i am going to do with my tacoma.
Thank you! It’s a lot of fun 🙂
such an awesome and easy setup...makes me yearn to be on the road again...
Thank you! Just curious what’s stopping you?
@@MagellanandGreyhound married with children and tons of debt... nothing much really... LOL
@@jeffjohnson2731 Sorry to hear that Jeff. We hope it gets better for you.
My husband and I just did this to our truck. We just retired so we say getting in and out of our truck is what keeps us young lol. We call ours Ole Silver Back (like a gorilla) because the used camper top we bought is silver. We LOVE it! Did you ever do the video on stealth bathroom trips? We are trying to figure that one out.
Rhonda McKenna feel free to show us your setup! Our email is in our about page. We have the footage for the stealth bathroom, but no video yet. Couldn’t finish before this trip. If you do email us, in the interim, we can explain what we did too.
Great vid! I never would’ve thought of the cup holders, Duuuuh!
Cup holders are absolutely clutch!
Damn beds are important with the ol lady ❤
@@LCculater happy wife happy life 😁
This is a true stealth camper!
😁
Awe you guys are so cute!! Love is real!
Thank you! 😁
Good set up
Thanks!
WOW! Very nice camper for remote outdoors. Great build.
Thank you! So far so good! We love it!
Well done!! Very organized!! Thanks for sharing!! Like 14
Celtic Paths 4k thank you. Without this, we’d be lost 😂
Your dog is feeling comfy in the bed so cute ! Great DIY bed camping set up
ASIANA SALDANA thank you! Yes, he loves it. We can’t always take him on longer trips though ☹️
@@MagellanandGreyhound
What is the size of your bed? I love your dog
Sorry just seeing this. Sometimes comments get filtered as spam. The bed is custom. It's almost a queen size - just a few inches shorter on length. A true queen is too long to fit in the back. We tried LOL. And thank you, Zeus is the best!
The dog ROCKS!!!!
Thank you! I will tell him you said so. He probably won't understand, but he understands belly rubs. :)
I commend you for being very well organized. A pleasant camping.
Thank you! We need to be. The alternative is not good! 😁
I hope you both are packing. This is a crazy world we live in! Nice work.
Thank you Mark. Yes it is! And yes we are good 😉
I love the way you covered up the window to block the sun coming in. Great DIY. New follower
Thanks! Those have really come in handy. We’ve actually thrown them up in busy parking lots so we can eat lunch in peace without people asking us if we’re leaving lol 😂
You have a great set up here. Some great tips . Thanks for sharing.
On The Road With Craig And Linda thank you! Using it right now!
Nice job! Like the magnetic shades for the cab. We did a similar setup a few years ago, and the entering/ exiting was the only negative. Happy travels!
Thanks! Getting in and out is always bad when it’s raining or when we’re exhausted. But it’s still worth it! We’re thinking of making different magnetic shades for easier use. Always an evolving project!
Great video! We hike as much as possible and feel the same way you do! We are planning a trip across country with our Silverado. Those coolers are amazing. My wife wants a shower and bathroom so I'll do yet another d.i.y. truck camper. ..I have 6 months!
That sounds awesome! We are thinking of building a tiny trailer with a kitchen/bathroom/shower setup too. While it's awesome to hike 17 miles up a mountain, some comforts cannot be replaced. This year we used a tent/USB showerhead/bucket setup, and I just recently did a solo around the whole country trip, but that's tough long term too. Where are you planning to hit up?
Camping looks very exciting enjoy my friend
Thank you 😊
Your guys' bed setup is so slick!
Thank you! It was a labor of love. 😁
Happy truck tour of happy couple. 💑
🙃
i like the magnetic mosquito net.
Life Is Good they are a life saver !
How do magnets work with aluminum trim?
Definitely interested in those schematics for the frame, looking to build one soon. I really like the little cubbies up front
We tried making a video after the fact of how we built it. Hopefully this helps. It would have been easier to rebuild it for the video, but we weren’t doing that! 😂 - ruclips.net/video/kMoocvDY4OE/видео.html
Another great video!! Love how you've maximized and minimalized the space. Gave me some ideas for our next truck bed modification 😉
We are glad! That’s how we got ideas years ago. Watch videos, choose the good, avoid the bad, personalize it to your needs. Whatever it takes to get outside!
Wow, that is great. Thank you for sharing the links!!
You’re welcome! Hope it helps!
Such a cute little dog
Thank you! We will definitely let him know. 😁
Great video. You guys maximized the space and are very organized. I love your portable bathroom.
Gladys and Kenny thank you! We need to be when going away for a week or two. No wasted space
Cool video
Thank you!
Hello there, Nice drone footage, Great idea with the mosquito net, Very nice set up there, Great job, take care my friends
Casual Girl Adventures thank you! We are constantly improving!
Magellan and Greyhound your welcome! we are always improving too. I shared your channel with my friend so she can get some ideas from you hope that’s okay! i might even use some of your ideas.
Casual Girl Adventures absolutely! We remember watching other videos for ideas too. Pass it on!
Love the Silky Terrier dog
Thank you! We will tell him you said that 😁
Very nice and simple ,
Thank you so much 😊
I’m doing this this summer
Awesome!
that works great. travel safe
Thank you! You as well
thanks for the tips of the curtains 😀👍😊 u guys rock
No problem! Curtains are the best
Great shirt and beers!
Thanks! the beers were superb too
That was awesome great video the pop up shower bathroom was very cool safe travels
Thanks Pete! You too! This whole setup has changed everything for us.
Yesss step by step please
We did this not long after the tour. Unfortunately we couldn’t rebuild it after the fact, but we think we did a pretty good job showing the how. - here’s the link, hope it helps!
ruclips.net/video/kMoocvDY4OE/видео.html
The dog is really cute.
Thank you. I just let him know. 😄
Amazing view in your video and everything is complete things enjoy your great time for camping
Jeje Sudirja thank you!
Very nice video thank you for share, I enjoy watching
Ngoc Family Co. thank you so much 🙏
Very neat easy ty
Thank you for watching! We must be neat or everything fails lol
Great presentation! We have a very similar set up with only difference being it is one big drawer instead of 2 drawers side by side. It is also made from wood. Great job showing how you organize everything! Cheers to truck camping!
Thank you! We’ve made a few other videos too, but this is the main setup we tend to use. Is the one drawer really heavy, or did you add a sliding mechanism to help pull it out more easily?
@@MagellanandGreyhound The drawer is wood on wood rails (no metal or screws); The rails that guide the drawer are made with cedar strips and the spacing is loose enough to move freely. If it is full, it can be a bit heavy, but not too bad. It mostly rests on the tail gate, but if I pull it out really far I got a piece of wood I can put on the ground to prop it up so the weight does not crack/break the drawer.
@@mzmudy wow, so it really is just like ours, but just one drawer. I’m guessing you use a pretty heavy duty handle or handles to pull it.
@@MagellanandGreyhound Yes, heavy duty handles, one on each side. I was very lucky, my friends who are expert furniture builders helped me make it. The design was quite a bit beyond my skill level, but I got to help :)
@@mzmudy that’s all that matters! We aren’t insanely skilled either, but keeping it simple helps. Our handles aren’t heavy duty, just old kitchen ones, but we don’t overload each drawer usually.
Wow fantastic.
Thank you Roland!
That is nice man
Thanks! It’s fun :)
Love the setup.
Thank you 😀
Almost just what I’m looking for. We just sold our 2019 Class C. It was too much for me. I want to keep it simple.
Simple is the name of the game! Funny, we are thinking of upgrading out of this to a slide in. How long was the class C? Hopefully you got some good ideas from this. We didn’t want to buy and convert a van because we use our truck for so many things.
@@MagellanandGreyhound our Class C was only 24 ft but I am the only driver and it was just too much for me. Not necessarily the driving, that was easy, but the tanks, parking and getting in and out of places. I’m seriously leaning toward a setup like yours but want to think it through before I jump in. Thank you for your ideas.
@@roseannejacquette9347 that makes sense. We don’t like the idea of anything longer than our vehicle. Motorhomes, pull behinds, it’s too much to navigate. Definitely take your time! There’s a lot of videos out there and so many different ways to do this. Hopefully you can Frankenstein together what works best for you!
@@MagellanandGreyhound I’ve looked at a lot of the four wheel slide ins that come pretty plain or can be pretty decked out. These are the pop up soft side ones. You have to skills to do the build out yourself. There seem to be lots of options. These seem to appeal to the overlanders which I’m not interested in but I still like the concept. I haven’t got the truck yet but they seem to have something for anything you have. What are your thoughts one these?
@@roseannejacquette9347 it’s funny you mention this. We just got a Lance 650 hard top slide-in. In addition to missing our dog on really long trips, we’re starting to think long-term for when we start to really tour the country once we retire. I think a soft-top would be great! We looked at some of those too. Lots of versatility, only take up one parking spot and more flexible with truck weight. They seem more robust than the overland pop-tents, but not like you’re carrying this huge weight around. We went with the Lance because it fit what we wanted (we liked their bathroom/shower setup). I remember seeing some nice Northern Lite and Palomino ones I think.
Once the my mom passes away shes left the house to me, i cant afford to pay the bill so eventually ill have to sell the house and buy a truck to live out of. I've had practice in various hatchback cars but your setup looks much more comfortable than mine. Winters here get to -30 celcius though so ill have to make a lot more insulation. Trying to find some ceramic heater/portable battery setup that might help heat me, but right now my power inverter just makes a constant beep like a lose wire when i try to run my comfortzone ceramic heater. so space blanket for now.
ty for the video, it sure looks like fun in the summer in a nice setup like this, rather than necessity.
I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds like you’re in a cold area. I’ve slept in -19 once in North Dakota and that was not fun. If you get a truck and build it out to your liking, invest in two electric blankets (in case one stops working), a good sleeping bag (like a mummy one with a face flap), a portable battery block (like those jackery ones etc) and then one of those portable car jumps (in case you kill your truck battery accidentally). Insulation will help and not sleeping directly on your truck bed will help too (hence the drawer platform).
I love this idea! You did a great job in explaining and showing us how easy this can be done. get out and live and enjoy this beautiful world! Sherry
Thank you! It’s a really fun but definitely unusual way to travel, but we love it. And yes what a beautiful world it is! So much to see!
New subscribers here! We are going to try that pan idea for our cooler. Look forward to following your adventures!
The pans help immensely. The only thing you have to worry about is if you don't empty the cooler after awhile and drive, the water will slosh up into the pan if it's high enough, and then why have a pan?
@@MagellanandGreyhound Good to know.
Open Road 4Two we learned the hard way. 🙃
Hello Joseph Strauss here in Lincoln Park Michigan
Hello Joseph!
👍 perfect 💛🥂
Thank you!
More techno, I NEED MORE TECHNO Yes*!!*!
Haha we get many saying the opposite 🤣
Thank you for this! Loved the video and the way you made it. I am a new subscriber, now! You've given me another alternative that I had not considered... a truck-bed camper! I had looked at used campers (large and heavy cab-overs), vans, even used larger RV's. But this seems ideal for me, I'm 68 years old and a former tour bus driver... travel is in my blood. I look forward to your build video.
Thank you! Whatever it takes to travel! If you are by yourself you can really go nuts back there with space. There’s two of us so we had to focus on the actual sleeping bed before we could figure out where to store stuff. This version is actually 2.0. When we make a how we made it video soon, we have a picture of the first 1.0 version - which wasn’t ideal.
You asked. We listened. Hope you like it.
ruclips.net/video/kMoocvDY4OE/видео.html
Yes, I’d love to see the steps as well as to how to make the bed platform. Thanks.
It’s slowly coming! Maybe in the next month! 🙃
Me too. Please.
@@TexasDog3 it’s coming! Part of the problem is that we’ve been using it for trips. 😝
You asked. We listened. Hope you like it.
ruclips.net/video/kMoocvDY4OE/видео.html
I like ur setup for bed and storage 👍
Thank you! 😁
well done... luv the curtains
Thanks! They took a bit to make, and are finicky, but it feels less "trucky" :)
Love the toons!
😁
I have a similar set up thanks for the tips
Awesome! What do you do differently? We’re always looking for ideas too 😉
I love this...
Sarah Middleton thank you! you might be happy to know we are publishing another one tomorrow on how we pack for a two week road trip 😁
Good stuff, better than a motel !
Much, much better!
I would remove the stock drain from the cooler and install a valve that you could add a small water hose so you don’t need to move the cooler to drain it.
That’s a great idea. Thank you! When it’s full, it’s pretty heavy tilting it.
@@MagellanandGreyhound Safe travels!!
@@Flamingpins you too!