A tent is the most comfortable, unless it rains. Breaking camp in the rain is a pain. And definitely take the dogs!

 

We have spent many a night sleeping in the back of the T. We have a cab-height SnugTop with side windows with screens. On top of the bedliner a full-size futon fits perfectly. Over that we have a double sleeping bag which when needed, we add a down comforter. We have been very warm, even too warm in temps down in the twenties...usually don't travel for camping in the winter months, but even in the summer, northern Canada gets cold at night! It's great not to have to set-up a tent although it might be what I'll end-up doing if we start traveling with the 4Runner instead of the T. It's a better ride, so is the vehicle of choice at the moment for longer drives.

 

i'd think you'll need padding to get away from the cold steel. what about an aerobed and a sleeping bag?

 

Go buy a Coleman Inflatable air mattress (twin size) it will fit right inbetween the wheel wells. Get a good bag and enjoy. I went truck camping a couple of weekends ago and it poured cats and dogs on us. It was funny to see all the tent campers starting up their rigs in the middle of the night to get dry while I slept cozy and peacefully in the back of my truck.

 

See www.bajataco.com for camper shell / sleep setup.

 

Here is a dude who made a sleeping system for his tacoma.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/v...72363&forum=23

 

#1 way to stay warm while camping out.....wear a knit cap to bed. Oh and for some reason keeping your badder empty also helps. wouldn't believe it either if i hadn't expirienced it.

 

Good advice. It takes a lot of energy to raise the temp of water 1°C. The more water you have in your body, the more energy you're gonna have to put out to heat it up to body temp. Which also explains partially why coastal communitites are usually cooler. Unfortunately, most camp food is very salty. So you naturally drink more water to dilute the salt. Which means you're gonna have to heat that water up. And then your body will try to get rid of all that salty water and ultimately, you'll wind up peeing all night.

Avoid salty food...especially on cool and cold night campouts.

 

Off topic:
Hey Roadtripr,
I just got back from Joshua Tree this past weekend. Wicked slab climbing Are you going there at end of the month for J-Tree gathering/ I'm thinking there or Red Rocks.

hong

On Topic:
I did simliar to what this guy did, but since I have a normal cab that's flush with the truck, I felt like I was caving every time I went to/get out bed. So I said screw it. I went out and bought a BitterSweet double wide crash pad (great excuse!) and that's my posh bed. My bed's good for bouldering too

 

I'm 6'3" and sleep just fine in my shortbed.

 

If you plan to buy a tent look into hammocks. It sounds weird but they are very comfortable and they work great around rivers; since, rivers usually have rocks and sleeping on rocks sucks!! You can actually use your hitch as one of the "trees" if you carry a post in your truck:

http://www.hennessyhammock.com/

http://www.jacksrbetter.com/

http://www.speerhammocks.com/

http://www.imrisk.com/

If you are by yourself and if it's just for one night I would probably go with one of the Big Agnes sleep systems in the back of the truck. You can get a thick pad to insulate against the COLD truck bed and a heavy synthetic bag (since you are not backpacking). Look at the 2.5" thick Hinman pad and the Park series Elk Park bag:

http://www.bigagnes.com/store.php

Hammock for comfort - truck bed for simplicity.

Good luck.

 

This is great also! You can get a canopie that goes with it and sticks out the back so you can stand up and get dressed out of the rain or just sit there inn a chair having lunch. Mike
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...143&hasJS=true

 

God, reading all these stories, I miss my ol 90 xtra cab pu, I sleep more nights in it than at home. I had a old bahama(spelled wrong) shell that was the the tall ceiling not the standard flat tops and had the side widows with the screens, and an old ragged carpet kit inside. plus my -20 sleeping bag. Man I miss those days and frosty mornings, never needed a heater , used to wake up in my shell frozen over from my breath vapors. I loved waking up in a new town every morning.. I'm 5-8. Keep up the good stories, Ahh to be a 20yr old backpacker again before the career and commitments...