Truck Camping Photo Thread

Thanks
There's some here,
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/aluminum-camper-shell.459495/page-5#post-19854909
And here
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/truck-camping-photo-thread.407866/page-127

 

Now THAT is all you need to set up camp! Hammocks are the purest form of camping. Nah, I take that back. Sleeping on the ground next to a tree is the purest form of camping, but I am not that much of a purest. It's about the experience, not the equipment. You know those buddies you have that arrive, unfold a chair, grab a beer and camp is made for them? Maybe they are on to something. Maybe they are farther down the camping evolutionary curve than I am. If you have trees you owe it to yourself to borrow a REAL CAMPING hammock (not an ENO, they suck) like the one under the tarp above and give it a try. Sets up quickest of any camping option I have used in a half century of camping. It is the most comfortable of any camping sleep or lounging option I have ever used BY A WIDE MARGIN. More comfortable than my memory foam mattress at home. ALWAYS level. Admit it: if your sleep platform is unlevel and off by even a tenth of a bubble you are in for a miserable night of sleep. Not me! Always EXACTLY the same feel and comfort. Break camp and be gone in an instant. Not to mention...ahem...drive that truck where and when you need to without breaking camp. (Tent sales are suffering because so many people have converted over to hammocks, although that instant-up tent in the post above is a DAMN FINE option too!) I leave a 30-foot Class A Southwind motorhome at home and use one of these instead. It is that good. So, go ahead and get you a RTT. Yeah, there is a "neat" factor to them. Apparently it is one of the camping rites of passage for many. Life is a journey, and a RTT is part of that journey for many, as my long journey of various and incredibly expensive camping equipment iterations were for me. At some point give this a try. Once you discover the convenience and comfort you may become a convert too. Mine, previously posted:

In camp


In the boat




At home. Caution: This will make your wife and kids real slackers

 

@tonykarter , so the RTT is all the rage and ground camping is for more of the "lets fill a whole truck bed with stuff and bring most of the comfort of home" types...i'm more of a minimalist by nature plus i don't want to spend that much just to sleep outside which should be free anyway, i'll take a sleeping bag in the back of the truck, mainly because i'm cheap and go alone anyway plus i don't like to pack, unpack and drive around worrying about stuff flying out or when i stop people taking stuff...so you got me wondering about what a setup like the one you got goes for?...mainly looking for something quick easy and good for around 20 degrees, anything lower than that and i'm pretty sure i got caught without looking at the weather or in hotel mainly cause i don't care to be a tough guy anymore..any info its greatly appreciated

 

There is no right way. Whatever you want. RTT, hammock, tent, tarp, no tarp, whatever. Saying something that someone else is doing is wrong, that is wrong. And spending more money does not necessarily make it better either.
Whatever gets you out there. I cannot get comfortable in an ENO, a nephew thinks they are the cats meow. My fav hammocks are customs, not available at any store, online or otherwise. Townsend & Bonefire bridges. HYOH.
I tent, I hammock, and I sleep in the cap. Whatever is right at the time.

 

i agree with you entirely, not sure if you were meaning anything about what i said but just wanted to say i wasn't saying anything about anyone setup i think as long as anyone can enjoy the outdoors thats all that matters like you said, tarp, hammock, RTT, ground tent or a truck bed doesn't matter and how someone else spends their time or money shouldn't matter to anyone but them, i'm just looking for something quick, easy and simple that i can do myself without taking an hour to setup and enjoy

 

@ArmandHammer83

 

What camp ground/park in southern Utah is this? Thanks!

 

Camping near Heber, Arizona last weekend.

 

That's rad...I bet they were stoked, way to spread the wealth.

 

A great philosophy. Just get out into nature.

I also think your "phase" of life has a lot to do with it. I.E. young vs. older vs. old, single or married, married with kids (a whole new topic) or married w/out kids, financially stable vs. not, amount of time you can get away from work, where you are camping/ conditions etc... so many variables.

 

This is beautiful!

 

Honestly one of my favorite photos in this tread.

 

:,) Thank you
This was during the wildfires in the Sierras last summer, hence why the sun rise seemed so smokey!

 

Raymond, Ken is right, the hammock experience can be ruined for newcomers by one night in an inferior hammock. The hammock community is aware of how many people tried it and went back to ground because the hammock was a lounge hammock never intended for a full night of sleep. That's why I said BORROW a real camping hammock for your first night's try. ENOs and the like are 8-9-foot hammocks. A true overnight hammock is at least ten feet, most are 11, and I have a custom 12-foot Butt In A Sling hammock that is 12-foot. The longer (and wider) the more comfortable. Ken is absolutely right about the custom hammocks too. If you like it after the first night don't scrimp. Buy the best the first time. For me that was the Dream Hammock Sparrow. If I only had back the oceans of money I spent on my long journey to hammock nirvana. Buy the best first. Buy once, cry once. MUCH cheaper that way.
As for trying one: Get on the hammock forums. BIG forum, with lots of nice and helpful enablers around the world that would be more than happy to let you try one out. There are hammock "hangs" all around the country where hammockers get together for a weekend. Go to one. They are a blast, with workshops for the newbies where you learn a bunch of useful stuff, applicable outside of hammocking. And the feasts that they set are unbelievable. They always take place in outbound places that you'd otherwise want to drive your Taco to and camp anyway. Arrange with someone that it attending one of these to loan you one of theirs for a night. Then get ready to hurt your credit card the next week! A good one, with underquilt and suspension and tarp will run you about a thousand. Still, much cheaper than a RTT.

 

I've done several multi day trips with my Eno and it's super comfortable to me.

 

I don't know whether looking through this thread is good or bad for my health. I'm becoming almost physically ailed from not having gone camping in forever. These pics are making me jealous! Not sating the urge....

 

This thread occasionally makes me ditch my weekend plans and just go camping. I love this thread.

 

Excellent! Glad it works for you. They are all more comfortable than anything else I have slept in, just some are more comfortable than others. How about that knee/calf squeeze, common to shorter hammocks? Wouldn't you want to alleviate that if you could? Try a longer one and see what you think. How about one with a integral bug net and/or weather shield. Yields a microenvironment inside that is 10-15 degrees warmer than outside. (Also blocks the wind too!) I'm inside mine with the laptop watching a movie while it howls outside, toasty warm with no wind burn or chapped lips in the morning. Been down to 12 degrees in mine and not is cold spot on me. Cousin in TN has been to -1 while retaining toasty. I've even got the CPAP machine in there with me. Best part about a hammock...by in the morning you have found your "sweet spot", your covers have self-tucked themselves underneath you due to your movements during the night and you are in this cocoon of warmth that is so comfortable that you don't want to get up. I'm telling you, it is that comfortable! It is hard for me to get up and go fishing. Heck, drive down here. I'll put you in one and you see for yourself! Crappie are biting on Rayburn right now anyway. I need a reason to get out of this office and get on 'em!

 

Yup...that's what we are doing this weekend. I told the wife and kids that I need to get out of town...who's coming with? They were all in.

 

No, I was not replying to you. I liked what you said.

I quit going to the hammock forum because you must join 'The Borg' to be truly accepted. The ground-dweller is seen as bottom feeder.
There are so many ways people get comfortable camping. What is my way does not work for my friend. Their friend uses a completely different way. Look at all the different styles, brands, uses, weights, strengths, etc.
This forum is about trucks, and this thread is about truck camping.
I have no desire to use an RTT, but I do not bash them. I just laugh to myself. The people that use them do seem quite happy.

Ken in NC