Show us your truck bed sleeping platform/drawer/storage systems

If he is he hasn't read any of the threads on inverters or winter camping. There are a lot of things he could do to make his winter camping a more enjoyable experience, or at least less miserable, starting with a roll of Reflectix and a wool blanket or a comforter.

 

Put this together tonight really simple 2x8 and ply covered in some cheap carpet from Home Depot I wish I had a 6ft bed but this works fine diagonal

 

Yep, I saw one video where someone made a heater out of a terracotta pot and some candles. I’m looking into this , if I purchase a Yeti Goal zero, I can run it for a good bit. (In theory)

 

For the tank, did you ever hear about these guys? https://roadshower.com/ I’m DEFINITELY going with this set up!

 

That is all in the perception.
There are so many advantages to cold weather camping.
The point is to be prepared. That is the same as camping in the desert. It could be a horrible experience, unless you know what you are doing and are prepared.
OH! That is like everything else. Preparation is 95%.

 

What do you guys think of these transfer bearings, instead of UHMW strips or expensive drawer slides, to deal with heavy drawers?

$23 TruePower 10-9121 1" Roller Ball Transfer Bearings, Load-bearing Capacity 110 Lbs, Set of 6, 1-Pack

https://www.amazon.com/TruePower-Roller-Ball-Transfer-Bearings/dp/B009KASQZW

idk if these are the correct size & weight capacity, just showing the concept.
You could mount them in the low ribs of the bed, or recess them in your storage box base.
I think you'd need a small piece of guide metal/ramp in the back of the drawer to keep it from hitting, but it should work well.

 

I didn't put anything under my steel drawers. They just slide on the plastic bed, and slide quite easily.

 

I bought a 10-pack of these(fits 3/8" depth X 1/2" diameter hole) to use but haven't installed them yet. Remember that the tailgate ribs are closed off along the hinge edge so anything sticking down will need to climb over that spot. I'm currently thinking of using some rubber wheels down in the grooves about 2/3 back on the drawer and the transfer bearings along the leading edge and scattered around the drawer bottom to ride on the bed ridges. Mine are just wells with a bearing and no screw holes in the flange. My drawer bottom is only 3/8" ply. On flat ground it slides well enough but parked nose up it can be hard to haul the drawer to the front of the bed when it's full of tools(pulley located on front cross member) so it wants for some kind of rollers. For guides my drawer bottom has two cleats that engage two bed grooves to key the forward end of the drawer and act as rudimentary stops to keep the drawer from accidentally sliding too far out.

 

Got ya so even in the 3/4" thick is flimsy? I have a small piece of the 3/8" I am making seat risers out of for my short ass to get better visibility and it seems pretty stout.

 

Starboard is different than the UHWMPE, I use to build boats for a living and we used starboard. It is much less dense than the UHMWPE. But I will research more into the UHMWPE into the weight and spans for what I am thinking thanks

Ok reconsidering I just looked at the cost holy moly large sheets are expensive like I could buy over 10 sheets of ply for that!

 

I am looking at that MDO you used and HDO as well. You just got your MDO at the local HD or lowe's right?

 

Yeah however I build it I was going to cut all my pieces dry fit then prime and paint. I am thinking of like a undercoating or bed liner for the top of the platform and then like a light grey for the inside of the cubbies and such and then black for everything else. The grey would be to lighten up the inside of the drawers and cubbies.

 

I used 2 coats of marine grade 'varnish' before I put my ply pieces together and before I put marine grade carpet on them. And marine grade adhesive for the carpeting.

 

From what I read though is it is best to paint them because eventually delaminate though it takes much much longer than the typical outdoor grade ply. I wonder how it differs from marine grade ply in that manner as well.

 

I really wanted marine grade ply. I could not get it anywhere within a days drive.
Ok, paint. Would the paint last longer than the varnish? I, without the technical information, would imagine the varnish would hold and last longer.
I guess a marine grade paint would be similar.

 

Yeah I just don't really want the look of wood hence wanting to paint. I would think a good primer and then decent paint should last a while especially on the non used surfaces.

 

You know how I know you didn't watch the whole video?

I enjoy cold weather camping (as well as the desert) but I'm probably twice that dude's age and have been doing it a lot longer.

 

'Spar Varnish'... da bomb.

 

'soft' handle - piece of webbing, fold the ends under so it doesn't fray, melt the bolt holes with a red hot nail, remove tailgate interior panel, drill the holes wherever you want it, big ass washers on the inside of the gate or a full 'backing' strip of 1.5" metal with the two bolt holes drilled in it..

You can even put a 'daisy chain' all the way across, just below the gate 'cap', gives you a bunch of loops to clip off your headlamp, sneakers, water bottle, etc. so they're easy to locate in the middle of the night.

 

You are correct,
I was not commenting to his video.
"... winter camping a more enjoyable experience, or at least less miserable"
I guess I misunderstood that part.