My Build Thread and Retirement Plans

@Damie Street and @Built2Ride suggested I do a build thread for my new Tacoma, so I thought I would post this in case anyone is interested.

A little background: I turn 50 at the end of December, and since I work in law enforcement, I am eligible to retire. I love my job, but I love playing outside more, so we sold the house, and we're planning to hit the road.

Some people think I'm crazy when I tell them I'm going to live out of the back of a pickup truck, but I'm a backpacker who usually sleeps on the ground when I go on vacation, and I often sleep in the back of my 4Runner, so a wedge camper sounds like luxury. Not only that, I will spend plenty of time in hotels, AirBNBs, and cabins, so I won't be spending every night forever in the truck. More than that, though, I expect to spend most of the warmer months sleeping on the ground on long backpacking trips in places like this:



And that's why I am going ahead and retiring now: the activities I love to do are hard, and they kinda have an expiration date on how much longer I can do them. I've already survived cancer once, and I don't want to die at work. So, I'm going to retire as soon as I'm eligible, so I can enjoy the things I want to do.

And I can't wait.

I'll do training trips the first 6 months of 2022, and then my first big trip will be a 4 week packrafting and backpacking trip deep in the heart of the Brooks Range in the Alaskan Arctic.

I had planned to buy a 2022 Tacoma Off-Road Access Cab Long Bed in December 2021. But in the summer of 2021, I started reading about the problems people were having with getting Tacomas, so I went ahead and ordered a 2021 on May 27th, and picked it up in Tennessee on September 16th.


I wanted a long bed for the increased space, but I didn't want the extra length of a long bed double cab...that left the access cab. Since I planned a lot of upgrades, some suggested I get a bare bones SR5, but those didn't come with a lot of the options I wanted, and the prices really weren't different enough to sacrifice those options. So I went with the Off-Road.

But getting the truck was just the beginning. I had big plans for what I wanted to do with it to make it something I could live in and out of, as well as being capable wherever I want to go. I'm not a serious offroader, but I am also not a state park campground kind of guy, so I want my truck to be able to go wherever I want it to go...whatever spot on the map looks cool.

To that end, I did all kinds of research on here and everywhere else on what mods I would need...and what shop I would pay to do those mods. After talking to several shops all over the country, I ended up going with Southern Overland Outfitters outside of Charlotte, NC. These guys have been very professional, very responsive, and very helpful. Bar none, they were the most professional and responsive shop that I talked to. I highly recommend them.

So, in May 2021, I placed an order for an AT Overland Summit.

I had debated many other camper options, but every single time I decided which option I wanted, I would doubt myself and change my mind within 48 hours. Until the wedge campers came along. As soon as I saw them, I knew that was the answer. And I literally never second-guessed myself after that. They provide a separate sleeping area from the bed of the truck, and they don't significantly affect the truck's ability to go where I want to take it. And that checked the boxes for what I wanted. And I chose the AT Overland Summit because I like the bed platform on struts and all of the options they have.

That Summit arrived at the shop yesterday.


So that was just a tad over 6 months.

In addition to the Summit, I also ordered the following mods for the truck:

Adjustable front and rear Kings
Deaver Expedition Stage 2 Leaf Springs
SPC Control Arms
BFG KO2 285/70R17 Tires
Method 701 Wheels
Tacoma Beast Highline Front Bumper
Warn Winch
RCI Full Skid Package
RCI Rock Sliders
ARB Twin Air Compressor



I'm sure some of you are thinking that I blew a lot of money right from the start. But I tried hard to thread the needle between hitting the road running, and not getting anything that I didn't need. I know I overspent on some things (Kings), but I left out other things that I just wasn't convinced I would need. The Kings just arrived a couple of weeks ago, so they were a 6 month wait, also. But the other suspension options I was looking at had longer waits, so that was the big driver for the Kings.

So, that brings us up to date. I'll keep updating as the build progresses. I am flying back out to Charlotte next Thursday to pick it up.

December 31st can't get here fast enough.

 

Talk about a to-do list.

 

Straight awesome!

 

Living the dream.

 

Fantastic News!

I'm 55 and ready to leave the workforce...like, yesterday!

I can't get my wife to commit to camping...let alone living out of our truck + various other places like you mentioned.

Definitely like what you've got going on. Thank you for your service in Law Enforcement.

Ed

****

 

Hell yeah Keith! I’m stoked to read about your upcoming build and adventures!

 

I feel like I've made it sound like I'm paying someone to do all the work on the truck, but I've got big plans for what I'm going to do myself to the interior.

 

Are you going to use 80/20 for the buildout to save weight?

 

Ain’t nothing wrong with getting some help! Will only get you out there faster

 

Take the wife “Glamping”.

 

I am planning to use aluminum extrusions, but I'm probably going to buy it from TNUTZ just because 80/20 is so expensive.

 

Absolutely. I call all aluminum extrusion 80/20. It’s a bad habit. Just like all tissue is Kleenex to me. Haha.

 

What brand pack raft are you using for your adventure? I am looking at the Alpacka Mule. I have kayaked for years and was looking at doing a couple canoe camping trips but those pack rafts are awesome and they can pack down pretty good.

Also what gear do you use for backpacking? I just recently bought some quality camping/backpacking equipment.

Sorry again for all the questions but I love talking gear and seeing what others use.

 

Don't be sorry! If you saw all my gear spreadsheets, you would know how much I love gear!

I have the Alpacka Classic packraft. I used to have a Kokopelli Nirvana, and it was a good packraft, but the Alpacka is lighter, handles better, and packs better, so I splurged and got those. I used the Kokopelli on a 2 week trip in Alaska, and I used the Alpacka on a 10 day trip to Bob Marshall in Montana. I truly love the packrafts...they really do open up a whole new world of exploration and travel.

For the big three on my backpacking gear, I use a Western Mountaineering Alder sleeping bag, a Tarptent Rainshadow 3 and a Tarptent Notch for my tents, and a Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest backpack. For my sleeping pads, I have a Therm-a-rest XTherm and an XLite. And for water purification, I use a Steripen.

Oh, and last week I bought an Enlightened Equipment 0 degree Revelation Quilt.

I've been through about a dozen complete gear overhauls over the past 20 years, but I'm pretty happy with this setup. I'm not an ultralighter, but I try to keep the pack weight down as much as possible. For a week long trip, my base weight is typically around 16-17 pounds, with about 25 pounds with food and water. For a two week packrafting trip in the Alaskan Arctic, I was flirting with about 38 pounds with all of the water gear I needed.

These days, as I'm trying to become a better photographer, it seems that much of my weight comes from camera gear.

 

Those methods are the version with the bead lock tech…yes?

Also, I know your a gear enthusiasts, so check out National Lunas Red/White lights. They are killer!

edit - link
https://www.nationalluna.com/product/1812-led-dual-colour-touch-light-whitered/

 

I think you are my spirit animal.

Don’t get me started on camera gear. Haha. I shot with a Sony A7ii. I am also wanting to start a YouTube channel for my adventures.

 

Do it! I will hook you both up with some motion graphics for you edits! Got the same Sony with a little cage around it. Love it

 

Those are killer! Thanks for the link. May have to get a few for the truck myself.

 

They work nicely under the gull wing doors on the camper!

 

No, they're

No, those Methods are fairly inexpensive ones...I was going to get simulated bead locks, but I opted against them.

Those lights look cool!