SLEEPING IN YOUR PICKUP

SpaceCowboy · Post by **SpaceCowboy** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:11 pm

I am considering sleeping in the back of my pickup instead of getting a tent. It has a full size bed and is covered. My main concern is it getting very hot in the mornings. I intend to have a shade structure as well. Any thoughts on the subject? Have you done it or know someone who has?

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:36 pm

Yes.
You need shade that blocks light after the sun comes out.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:48 am

I slept in the back of a small truck a couple of years and it was perfect. Much better than a tent.

Mine had a roof rack, so I ran a couple of loops of 1/2" PVC over the top, rope running through the pipes down to the frame, then covered it with a small parachute. This gave me privacy and kept it pretty cool. The following year I taped a couple of mylar emergency blankets to the windows and top. It stayed cool inside well into the morning and in the middle of the day was only slightly hotter than under our shade structure.

If you have some room to spare you can put a real mattress in the bed and load all your stuff on top of it. When you arrive just pull out the boxes and you're all set.

Karma · Post by **Karma** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:40 am

Though I setup a good sized shade structure and have several sleeping tents underneath it, I almost always sleep in the bed of my truck.
I have a pretty good size truck and shell (06 Silverado 2500hd longbed and an aluminum commercial shell). Both are painted white so I've got some good natural heat deflection.
I just throw a couple of sleeping bags in there (one to lie on and one to sleep in) and I'm set. I dont even close the tailgate or hatch unless the wind / dust picks up in the night.
Even if it's a clear hot windless day, the temp in the shell wont really start climbing till around 10 or so. I can buy another hour just by unzipping the bag.
Just make sure you point the front of your truck directly at the morning sunrise if possible. Buys you alot of cool time.
And one less tent to setup / take down.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:50 am

Nothing wrong with sleeping in a truck.
I just recommend some kind of shade over the truck even if it is spaced only a bit away from the body.
If it blocks light and has an air space it will do wonders.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 5:56 am

I'm planning on using the bed of my truck for my bedroom. With the volume of room back there, it seems a shame not to utilize it for an elevated bedroom or something.

The recently installed ladder rack will serve as a base for attaching a tent like structure over the bed, I'm thinking silver, reflective tarp, and double as an observation deck when I attach a floor for it. Maybe add a fan or two inside as well...hmmmmm

I was thinking a Costco carport as well for living/cooking area, but I am also leaning towards a PVC framework anchored to the ladder rack on one end and tarped out as an "enclosed" structure. Although after finally getting eyes on a Costco carport set up yesterday, I am leaning back that direction again. The quick connect frame and legs on the car port are really appealing.

Luckily, its still February so I have time to sketch out several options.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:04 am

I have slept in my van.. I foil the windows wrap the van in blankets and tarp..This year I'm adding a reflective blanket $12 on the roof and roof rack with the shade structure over the whole thing..Not to mention a sound deadening pillow box.. Fuck your No tec no talent dj crap.

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:29 am

Louise and I have slept in our van, too. It's a white rental, and we put foil over all the windows. I guess the combination of white and no sun being let inside makes the van cool enough all day. No shade, no tarp, nothing over it.

We slept in it one year when the wind blew down our tent, so we just cleared out enough space and put our air mattress on the floor of the van waiting for the wind to stop. HAHAHAHAHAHA. We stayed the rest of the Burn.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 11:53 am

I've heard some people bring a tent for their camping supplies and sleep in their vehicle. If your vehicle is big enough, that makes a lot of sense. I'll add my voice to recommending some sort of shade structure over the pickup's bed. (And, if at all possible, TEST the shade structure before you get out there! Don't learn the hard way that your idea won't work, which is what happened to me. Luckily, someone took pity on me!)

B.

SpaceCowboy · Post by **SpaceCowboy** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:43 pm

Thanks to everyone for the response. I heard just what I wished to hear. Tha back of the truck it is.

nollij · Post by **nollij** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:41 pm

I slept in my truck last year, and it was a bit cramped. Of course, it's a 2000 Chevy S10 with borrowed camper shell for Burning Man. Not exactly roomy. I built a quonset style hut with open ends over it with 1" PVC, shade cloth and cut up used bicycle innertubes. I had a borrowed tent to put all my "stuff" in after I'd emptied the truck of it's contents. If I had to do it again, I'd make my quonset longer to cover my tent as well, and I'd also make it double thickness to cut the sun down further ( it got too hot to sleep in by about 10) I have pictures if you're interested in the design. It's relatively cheap and easy to assemble (cheaper than a costco shade cover). My sleeping space was ample (same as a 2 person tent basically), but after the 2 previous years of having a pop-up trailer, it felt... cramped. No matter: I had a good time none-the-less!

buttercups · Post by **buttercups** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:03 pm

I bought my first cabover camper for $300. Not that much more than a ticket really. Way worth it. A little slice of 70's heaven.

If you have a truck you are going to sleep in...why not get the Full Monty?

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:24 pm

"Full Monty"? You mean, sleep in the nude?

(Sorry, couldn't resist!

)

B.

buttercups · Post by **buttercups** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:31 pm

you can do whatever you want in the privacy of camper. I moved up to the big girl camper after I got lots of use out of the $300 version. Decided I was camper worthy. Makes for a very pleasant Burn experience. And who knows what I do in there because it has tinted windows.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:11 pm

(sets down binoclears, looking disappointed.

)

I thought about trying to sleep in my mini-stationwagon, but went for a tent with a cot instead. I still want to get a school bus to convert. (Though I will need to get employed again, first.

)

Well, darn. I should probably go and do something related to finding a job today, even though its Saturday. Didn't get nearly as much done as I wanted to during the week....

B.

Rob_ · Post by **Rob_** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 3:22 pm

This year I'm not bringing the tent and will sleep in the van; I'm going to try a reflective tarp to keep it cool. This way, I'll use the CostCo thing for daytime shade.

Rusted Iron · Post by **Rusted Iron** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:44 pm

This will be the first year we will be using a truck camper .

We usually tow a small popup travel trailer, but that means we have to drive another truck towing the Rat car. And, some years, a third truck, towing the utility trailer, if we are putting up a theme camp.

Last year, we paired it down to two truck, and left the trailer behind. The tent experience would have gone better, if we remembered to zip all the windows closed before we wandered off. It was the type of tent that hooks on to an SUV or truck with a camper shell. Lots of useable room, but it sucked heat in from the vehicle, even with the sun blocked.

The camper will probably give us a few more new, unexpected problems, but I'm still looking forward to it.

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:41 am

Pickups are sooooo white trash. Check _this_ out:

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/bmw- ... 234688.php

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:55 pm

That has to be the BIGGEST catalytic convertor I have ever seen!

B.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 1:53 pm

Pretty cool. It uses exhaust gases to inflate the structure.

SLEEPING IN YOUR PICKUP

SLEEPING IN YOUR PICKUP

one caveat...

camper

Full Monty

six-pac promises...

Sleeping in your Beemer