I remember my first truck bed camping trip like it was yesterday – a total disaster. My gear was everywhere, I got soaked in an unexpected downpour, and I woke up with a backache that stuck around for days. Fast forward a few years and dozens of trips later, and I’ve learned what makes camping in your truck bed not just bearable, but downright awesome.
Whether you’re chasing deer in the backcountry or just escaping the daily grind for a weekend, a solid truck bed camping setup can be a game-changer. Let me show you what I’ve figured out along the way.
Truck Camping Setup: What You Need
Truck Bed Sleeping Solution
Truck Bed Tent
There’s nothing worse than setting up a traditional tent in the dark or rain after a long day of hiking. That’s why I switched to a truck bed tent and never looked back. They pop up in minutes, keep you off the cold, damp ground, and make your truck’s bed feel like a cozy little cabin.
You don’t have to worry about what’s crawling around you at night, no more flooded tents, and the elevated position in your truck bed can even provide for some pretty sweet views in the right location.
I’ve used the GoHimal Truck Bed Tent for a couple of years and it’s held up to heat, frost, and rain. The side windows let you catch a breeze on warm nights, and the rainfly has kept me bone dry even during some serious downpours. It’s not the cheapest option out there, but after my buddy’s budget tent tore on the first weekend, I’m convinced it’s worth every penny.
Rooftop Tent
I resisted getting a rooftop tent for years because of the price tag. “I’ll just stick with my truck bed camping setup,” I kept telling myself. Then I borrowed my cousin’s truck with a rooftop setup for a weekend hunting trip, and man, was I wrong. Now I’m a full convert.
The game-changer? Setup time and comfort. After a long day hunting or ice fishing, the last thing you want to mess with is a 15-minute tent setup. With his rooftop tent, we pulled into camp, popped two latches, and the gas struts did the rest. Three minutes later, we were cooking dinner and laughing at everyone sitting on the ground.
The WildFinder Hardshell has become my home away from home. Yes, it’s a significant investment, but spread across the hundreds of nights I’ll use it, the cost per night is minimal. The built-in mattress means no more messing with sleeping pads that never seem to stay inflated through the night. Most importantly, this tent isn’t going anywhere no matter what the conditions are.
Storage Solution
Truck Bed Drawers
It’s raining. You’re hungry. Your camp stove is… somewhere… under all your gear. Been there? Me too. That’s why organized storage changed my truck bed camping life. Even worse, you’re camping out on a hunting trip tracking deer and you can’t get to your hunting rifle fast enough because it’s covered in a bunch of other gear.
Before I sorted out my storage situation, setting up camp meant unloading my entire truck bed just to find what I needed, then repacking it all before I could sleep. Now, with a drawer system, everything has its place and stays there when you’re driving.
Weatherproof Storage
Nothing kills the camping vibe faster than discovering your spare clothes or expensive hunting gear got soaked because of a leaky truck cap or unexpected rain while unloading. Trust me, I learned this lesson the hard way after a weekend trip where everything I owned was damp by day two.
Now I swear by heavy-duty weatherproof boxes for anything that absolutely must stay dry. Beyond just keeping water out, these tanks double as camp furniture in a pinch. Need an impromptu table for dinner prep? Boom. Extra seating around the fire? Done.
Camp Cooking Gear
Camping Stove
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches get old after a while. You need a hot meal and cooking everything over a campfire seems fun but it’s not always practical.
A reliable propane camping stove has been the centerpiece of my camp kitchen for years. It gives me the flexibility to cook a proper meal rather than just heating up canned beans. On cold mornings, I can boil water for coffee while simultaneously frying up bacon and eggs—little luxuries that make camping in the back of a truck feel more like home.
What I appreciate most is how these stoves have evolved to be incredibly fuel-efficient. My current model can run for a week of breakfast and dinner cooking on a single propane canister.
Coolers/Refrigeration
Food storage is always a challenge and depending on the length of your truck bed camping trip, you might need something that can seriously hold up. The right camping cooler can keep ice cold for 5-7 days in the heat.
I borrowed one for a two-week pickup camping adventure last summer, and it was transformative. Plugged into my truck while driving and a portable power station at camp, it kept everything perfectly cold without the mess and limitations of ice. While the upfront cost stings, the convenience and food quality improvements are substantial for longer trips.
Cookware and Utensils
In my early days, I just grabbed whatever kitchen stuff was lying around at home. Big mistake. Regular kitchen gear takes up too much space and isn’t durable enough for the rigors of outdoor cooking.
Nesting cookware designed specifically for camping changed my approach entirely. My current set includes two pots, a frying pan, and four plates that all stack together in a space barely larger than a football. This space efficiency is crucial when you’re maximizing the limited real estate in a truck camping setup.
Safety, Power, and Comfort
Lighting
Think practical whenever possible. The truck bed camping experience can change completely when the sun goes down and you’re fumbling around looking for your phone flashlight. I recommend a combination of rechargeable headlamps, string lights, and a lantern that you can hang or take with you on trips away from the truck.
Toilet and Hygiene
Let’s talk about something most camping articles gloss over—bathroom situations. For short weekend trips, knowing nearby facilities might be sufficient. But for longer stays or remote locations, having a plan is essential to enjoying truck camping without discomfort.
I carry a portable camping toilet for extended trips or when traveling with family. Modern options are surprisingly compact, odor-free, and dignified to use. Paired with a pop-up privacy tent, it creates a comfortable solution that keeps you self-sufficient regardless of location.
Power Stations
A portable power station with a solar panel will take your truck camping to the next level. Modern power stations can run lights, charge phones, power a small fridge, and even handle CPAP machines if needed. I charge mine before trips and top it up while driving using a 12V adapter. For longer expeditions, I added a portable solar panel that keeps the power flowing even during extended stays away from civilization.
Rain Management
During my first rainy camp experience, I spent three miserable days essentially trapped in my truck bed tent, watching water pool up around me. Now, an adjustable tarp system extends from my truck’s roof to create a protected outdoor living space regardless of weather. This simple addition means I can cook, eat, and relax outside even during steady rainfall. The key is setting it at an angle that sheds water away from your main camping area.
The Benefits of Truck Camping
If you’ve never tried truck camping before, you might wonder why anyone would choose a pickup truck over a roomy RV or regular tent.
First, there’s the unmatched flexibility. My truck takes me places RVs simply can’t reach—remote forest roads, tight mountain switchbacks, and secluded fishing spots far from designated campgrounds. I can decide at 4 PM on a Friday to escape for the weekend without reservations or planning. Just throw my pre-packed gear in the truck and go.
Affordability is a factor too. Instead of investing $30,000+ in a decent travel trailer or motorhome that sits unused most of the year, I’ve gradually built my pickup camping system for under $2,000. My truck serves as both daily driver and weekend escape pod, eliminating the insurance, storage, and maintenance costs of a dedicated RV.
Most importantly for me, truck camping maintains that authentic connection to the outdoors that draws us to camping in the first place. Unlike the insulated RV experience, I still fall asleep to the sound of wind in the trees and wake to birdsong. The simplicity keeps me engaged with my surroundings rather than distracted by complicated systems and amenities.
Related Topic: When a Hunting Trip Becomes a Camping Trip
5 Important Truck Camping Setup Tips
‘ve learned some crucial lessons—often the hard way. Here are five tips that will save you time, money, and frustration as you develop your own truck camper setup:
- Start with sleep quality first: No matter how amazing your cooking setup or how organized your gear, if you’re sleeping poorly, the whole experience suffers. Invest in proper bedding before anything else. I spent my first year on a thin sleeping pad, waking up sore and grumpy. When I upgraded to a 4-inch memory foam mattress cut to fit my truck bed perfectly, my entire experience transformed. Quality sleep means quality adventures.
- Organize with accessibility in mind: The most common frustration in pickup camping is digging through piles of gear to find what you need. Design your storage system so the most frequently used items are the most accessible. My cooking gear lives in a pull-out drawer near the tailgate, while rarely-used emergency supplies tuck deeper into the bed. This simple organization principle saves countless headaches during setup and breakdown.
- Test everything before remote trips: That new stove, power station, or tent might work flawlessly in your driveway but fail spectacularly 30 miles from the nearest cell signal. I’ve made this mistake more than once, including a memorable night where my brand-new air mattress developed a slow leak I hadn’t detected during testing. Now, I do at least one local overnight with any new major gear addition before trusting it in remote locations.
- Create systems for weather transitions: Weather changes quickly in the outdoors, and your truck camping system needs to adapt just as rapidly. Develop quick procedures for converting your setup between “sunny day mode” and “storm mode.” My tarp system deploys in under three minutes, and I keep rain-sensitive gear in designated containers that can be quickly secured. These practiced routines have saved countless trips from weather disasters.
- Leave room for improvement: Your perfect truck bed camping setup won’t happen overnight, and that’s part of the journey’s joy. Start with the basics and add components as you learn your preferences and needs. My current setup bears little resemblance to where I started, having evolved through dozens of trips and constant tweaking. Keep notes after each adventure about what worked well and what needs improvement, then make incremental changes. The best truck camping rigs grow organically through experience rather than arriving fully-formed from a catalog or article.
Final Thoughts
Don’t expect to get your truck bed camping setup right on the first trip. There’s a lot of trial and error involved in anything that comes with the outdoors, you know that.
The best part about truck bed camping is the fact that you can just up and go whenever you want. It’s the perfect companion for hunting and fishing and you can go anywhere your truck will take you. If you like any of the products in this guide, I recommend purchasing them and giving them a try for yourself!
