New Camp Set Up! Help Me Pick

So I just sold my tepui RTT, then the bedrack is going along with the retrax.

Folding tents took too long (it doesn't really, I'm just incredibly lazy) to fold up, and the tonneau cover really limited my space on longer trips or hauling bigger groups so I'm looking in a few options below.

I'm all for doing the best of the best, but I'm looking to buy a second house this year and these items are not cheap by any means. So the more expensive options means delaying the house thing maybe a few more months. I also want to get a small tear drop or <20 ft RV after the house, which makes some of the more extravagant options below a moot point because you can't shit or shower in a GFC/Vegabond, but you can take it basically anywhere down a trail the truck will fit.

Option 1: Regular bed cap. Sleep diagonally in the bed ($2,500)
- I usually don't haul anyone else's gear so dumping items out of the bed is pretty quick
- I'm only 5'4'' so I don't think it will be too much of an issue
- Or just rock a nice ground tent/setup again

Option 2: Bed cap with a GFC ultra light tent mounted above ($4,000)

Option 3: Full GFC wedge camper, or vegabond drifter type. ($8,000 - $9,000)

Edit: Dog is a 36 lbs french bulldog. So we don't need a ton of room.

 

I'm a "keep it simple and lightweight".

Option one.

A sleeping platform so you are above the wheel well. About 32" wide is plenty of space. Simple galley (storage) about 10" wide. I like having a place for my (often muddy) shoes and pack. Having a little floor space for wet, dirty items helps.

Inspiration:
Solid Wood Worx
Toyota Tundra Truck Bed Camping Build
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNvNla_sRAo

I have a 6' bed on my Tacoma, but at 6'3" I need to sleep dragonology, so I'll have a folding board to allow diagonal sleeping or flip back over when transporting my bike.

Shower Enclosure:
WolfWise Pop-up Shower Tent

I'll probably get an RSI Shell but use waterproof marine plywood. RSI shell is magnetic, so you can use magnets to hang stuff. Limited size, but comes in handy.

 

Could this be an option? It was around $200 or so when I bought it a couple years ago off of Amazon
This is a Napier Sportz truck bed tent. There are other brands similar to this as well.

 

I like this idea! Sure cheaper than some of the off the shelf solutions to getting around the wheel wells.

I've seen this, but it means I have to have an exposed bed, and I usually have some kind of gear I want to keep secure in the bed.

Long term something like this is the goal. A little off-roady teardrop trailer that can still get back into the trails but nothing crazy! Plus I like the idea of being able to ditch a trailer, and come back to base camp. Something that wasn't idea with a RTT I would have to shut every time I wanted to resupply in town or something.

 

Wow that is a sweet setup!

 

I agree with you. The truck bed tent is the same. I have to fully tear down if I want to leave anywhere, which is a pain.

 

I see something like this in your future.

 

I just read an article about those hiker trailers! For the money they look like the best off road capable trailer and isn't stupid expensive. Plus they have a facility right here in colorado!

How are you liking yours? Could you PM me how much you ended up spending on that guy?

 

We love our trailer. It does everything we want it to do and is probably more capable offroad then the truck. I have done a fair amount of mods to it including adding solar and the large box near the front with the slide and refrigerator. I bought it lightly used, so I paid much less then what it would be new. I think retail on it was around 17k. I paid about half that.

 

Ouch at the retail price! Maybe I can snag a used on as well. For half that, that seems like a steal

 

I was lusting over these:

https://turtlebacktrailers.com/#trailers

Lots of good ideas, as I like the "swing back" suspension with coil springs and a shock, but use the Front End Coil/Shock of a Tacoma for travel and compactness.

Pintle hitch, 2x2 HREW tubing. Maybe 0.095 walls. Gusseted box. Many of my designs are done with, toothpicks and glue. Spring from a spiral notebook. Just helps visualize everything. You can an idea of deflection and how to triangle a structure for stiffness.

When I go camping I'd keep a notebook, ruler, tape measure. Every trip make notes of what to add, subtract, and modify.

This was my previous rig, but way too long, way too tall, and still amazed I made it into and out of places it never belonged. I was in New Mexico and realized "any more weight on top it would have gone on its side" never saw another soul for a week. Finally came across someone on horseback who asked "Are you lost, Mister?" Nope, just exploring. I had plenty of water and food, but there is a reason I wanted a Tacoma. Oh, it was an RWD with limited slip. I knew how to turn off traction control, air down, and slowly drive back out. I carried about four weeks of water and food but had I flopped on my side it would have been bad news (Garmin Inreach is a good thing to have).

 

Starting at 17k, ouch!

Their top line model is basically what I paid for my truck!lol

 

If you are lusting after a trailer, I would get a ground tent.

Put up with a ground tent this year, buy your house, and maybe starting next year the market will be flooded with cheap trailers.

 

Honestly, I was thinking the same. With that big surge of people hitting the outdoors this last year, I'm hoping the ones with more money than foresight will be offloading these nice trailers after a year of use when they realize they aren't as outdoorsy as they wanted to be lol

 

I hope so only because the state parks suck ass right now. Too crowded with noisy-ass noobs.

Plus it gives me time to think about whether I will want to refurb mine or trade it in about a year or two.

 

Yeah, I ran into way more crowds of people this last summer. Even in the dispersed spots and areas I thought were more word of mouth were packed. Even my super secret high elevation fishing spots were ruined with folks camped out throwing rocks and running dogs into spots my lure was at thinking it was fine... Trail traffic, people woefully unprepared in the changing colorado high country, etc. It was always funny because we noticed the second any slightly bad weather came in, all the crowds were gone and it would be a few groups of people separated out between spots.

 

I have been in the same debate in my head only on a DCLB.

I have decided to start with #1 with an ARE MX. Honestly that is sufficient for me for solo camping. Maybe even the wife and I with the back seats folded down for storage and roof storage.

I plan to run that for a bit and if the kids come, bring a tent and debate getting a wedge RTT to move to your #2 option (been looking at the GFC Superlite for lower cost, but hate the lead time and that you have to pay in full up front for a 6-8 month lead time, plus a $200 cancellation if you back out. Of course if there lead time gets even longer with delays, which they have, they don't give a discount for the longer wait).

 

Yeah lead times arent great. If vegabond didn't have a 12 month lead time I probably would have gone that route instead of GFC. IMO you get more for your money with vegabond, but either way a wedge camper would be plenty comfortable. Though if you have kids and whatnot a trailer may be more up your alley!

 

Man, that is all just so darn cute and inviting to try. The little trailers are awesome. Shame there isn't a business that'll let you rent all of this to try out before you purchase. Seems like there is an opportunity there for one so inclined. I've had the cabover camper on a 1/2-ton before. Let me save you some time: That's not what you are looking for.

Me, now:

Can fit four of these inside a day pack with room to spare. The rest needed for a weekend way out there? If you can't fit it into a DCSB with a roof rack, you probably don't need it. The stuff you own ends up owning you and getting in the way of your fun time.

My wife says I am trying on the homeless-by-choice lifestyle. Yeah, sure. As long as it includes a Taco to get around in, and a hot shower every night.

 

If you're ever curious, outdoorsy.com has a bunch of rv rentals. I've seen some off road trailers and stuff more in our wheelhouse on there.