Overlanding Bed Security

Hey everyone, Thank you for your responses in advance.

A little background, my stock Tacoma has been on many trails in colorado when I lived there, long before I ever knew what Overlanding was. I am considering myself a beginner, and over the last couple of months, I've done a deep dive into researching RTT, Overlanding, and dispersed camping. I have a 2008 taco, double cab with a 5-foot bed, and a rear seat delete. How do people keep stuff in their truck bed safe when they are away: i.e. shopping, staying in a hotel for a night, in a city, not near their truck, and a daily driver?

I want a low-profile bed rack for the Ikamper mini to maximize gas mileage and stand out less. I've been looking at diamondback, Billie racks, frontrunner, decked, truckvault, and some other lockable bed covers, but it's like a jigsaw puzzle. I've seen a few posts on here using D-rings and locking the tailgate to the bed, but if you have a diamond back with frontrunner you cant open it to lock anything. I've seen pop lock but it's 50/50 and most people do not want that headache. The combos seem endless but nothing I've found so far seems to work.

I run a nonprofit and want to get on the road to meet more people and raise awareness for my genetic condition. I guess long-term travel, dispersed camping, Overlanding but nothing extreme since I know ill be solo most of the time, and some city parking/exploring. Do you have any suggestions with your knowledge? Thank you!

 

I just looked up xxy and am genuinely curious and have some questions but unsure if it’s appropriate to ask

also welcome to the forum!

ideas instead of pop and lock
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/locking-tailgate-thats-better-quality-than-pop-and-lock.651192/

 

Yea I've seen this thread. Feel free to message me on Instagram @livingwithxxy or shoot me an email from our website.

 

"Overlanding" is just the current popular term for glorified car camping and a way to show off your stuff on instagram- don't overthink it, just toss your camping gear in your truck and go. I wouldn't sink a ton of money into anything until you figure out what does and does not work for you and as you figure out which gear to bring for different trips.

I prefer a camper shell (not that it's particularity secure) since I sleep in the back and need a way to carry boats and other junk on top so no help on the various covers but there are an assortment of locking boxes, everything from homemade to very expensive that can be secured in the bed. One of the bed tool box styles may work for you or you can sometimes find used Joboxes/job site boxes in various sizes at pawn shops (Home Depot sells a smaller size that I thought about for a while)- the good thing about them is you can use them while you figure out what you want then resell them and not lose much. I'd add some sort of tailgate lock to keep the thing from getting stolen (since it's really quick and easy to remove); there are a ton of various ways to do so, I just use one of the hose clamps with a funky head on it that someone else on here recommended.

Check out the covers, caps and shells forum for some ideas on how folks have mounted racks and RTTs: https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/tonneau-covers-caps-and-shells.198/

 

Yea I don't care about Instagram or photos that make you look cool. I've had a snug top, I have had the custom-built side-out boxes, and I've also built a custom slide-out to extend the truck bed. I am 6'4, 36 with some back problems now, so ruffing it isn't something I want to do. I also have major anxiety from animal encounters from camping and backpacking so the thought of being off the ground. Call me unlucky but I can't sleep while tent camping. I was just looking to see if anyone had open truckbed setups that had some kind of security in place to deter thieves from just opening the tailgate in a city parking lot and taking everything. I'm going for the incognito part-time travel home basically.

 

I'm only 5'10" and even the 6' bed is tight when you add a pillow and sleeping bag. Another option that you don't see hardly anymore is what some of the river rat/dirtbag climber folks used to do back when I was younger- take the passenger seat out and build a cot with a piece of plywood (I did it in my first FJ40 and also with a VW bug I had for a while). Not as comfortable as a larger RTT, but stealthy (with some curtains), cheap and easy. Guess I'm lucky, couple decades of camping, backpacking, etc. and I still don't mind sleeping under the stars (weather and bugs permitting) but I definitely get it, most folks can't. I do like a thick pad these days; you certainly won't catch me sleeping on just a wool blanket again if I can help it.

Personally I'd still look into a shell for dry, out of sight storage and add a wind deflector on the front (it's not like a RTT is exactly stealthy these days with so many folks having them) but based on what you seem to want I'd probably build a sort of metal tonneau cover that wrapped around the legs for the rack that holds your RTT and have the center so it popped open to access your stuff. If it wrapped over the top of your tailgate you'd have to open it to drop the gate (same as most tonneaus). Of course I kinda like that rack that has the storage boxes you can mount on the sides too, can't recall the name off the top of my head, but it's not cheap. Lot of different ways to skin a cat.

 

dude ima save u a lot of time and money , fuck tht rtt life its for ig, get a camper in the back of ur truck and sleep anywhere you want, ik ur fave utuber has a perfect life in a rtt but thats not reality.

 

I've done the dirtbag, I've also slept diagonally in my truck with 2 feet of headroom when I had a drawer system. Man, what I would do to go back to 25. Yea my situation is a bit complex trying to turn my daily driver with a snug top already into something livable long-term while traveling around spreading awareness about my genetic condition. Ive seen an RTT with a soft top over it but that seems like a pain in the butt to pack and unpack.

 

I have a snug top that's had a bedrug in it since 2008, its been amazing. I've done the whole drawer system, sleeping diagonally. At 36 with a herniated disk, I cant bend into tight spaces. I don't have a fave youtuber, from what I've watched no one on youtube has actually made videos about sleeping in RTT and real-life experiences. As above I'm just limited to using my daily driver as a piece for my nonprofit to spread more awareness and save money while traveling cross country. Might just stick to the good old tent method. Whiskey helps with anxiety

 

hiroof shell ….. obviously thats too small. Or get a pop up. Slide in camper aswell. I mean you wana save money? Live in ur car full time. Why u gonna waste money in a hotel.

 

I also have a DCSB. I have a camper shell and custom drawers/platform in the back that I sleep on diagonally (I'm 5'6" and can't imagine anyone taller doing this but hey for once being a midget pays off). I have a lock on the camper shell, locks on the internal drawers, and as soon as I stop being lazy and actually install the thing I will have a PopNLock actuator on the tailgate. Hard to get more secure than that, and if a thief gets through those layers then nothing else I implement is going to stop them.

Without a camper shell your options are more limited. If you are keeping the bed uncovered and doing the RTT with a riser rack you could do the Decked drawers which lock and then get the PopNLock for the tailgate. Two layers, would deter thieves pretty well I'd reckon.

I travel solo almost exclusively. Aside from sleeping inside the camper shell anything else will likely stand out in an urban setting. If you are doing this long-term for many nights, you'r going to want something comfortable to keep happy and sane. Personally given all your other posts here I'd look at the GoFastCamper wedge/shell, or consider doing a small teardrop-style trailer. All of the options have pros and cons, mostly it depends on your personal comfort tolerances and what you do with them.

Sleeping inside camper shell = Most inconspicuous, leaset comfortable (generally)
iKamper + bed bars = Lowest cost and lowest profile option after a camper shell
Other RTTs = same as above but probably lower MPGs due to higher wind profile
GFC = Fits perfect for certain lifestyles, will attract overland fanbois to talk to you
Trailer = most expensive and harder to deal with for offroading but will destroy everything else in relation to comfort

 

Cheap and easy, laminate a piece of paper and get a magnet. "Tesla cameras recording" That saved my cat on a car I have stored outside more than once. People believe what they read.

 

I know you're trying to keep the RTT low but when it is located that far back from the windshield you really don't take that much of a gas mileage hit.

Between the shell and the swingout that can be locked closed if needed my gear is not the softest target out there which is all it takes usually. The honeybucket is the easiest thing to take since it typically lives in a trasharoo on the spare.

 

Though a 3rd gen, these items can be used for the 2nd gen as well.

Originally I used this revolver tonneau cover + RCI rack with adapters to protect my things, but I moved onto a lighter and less enclosed idea.

I have my spare and will have my camping box or cooler in the back that will either be locked or be too large to fit out of the sides of the front runner rack. Everything small and valuable will have to stay inside the cab.

 

Having a 2012 Tacoma without a tailgate lock, I looked into a way to "lock" my tailgate without spending the cash to buy a cheap replacement locking tailgate system.
Here is what I came up with. I will soon be taking delivery of a cap/rooftop tent system that locks with access to the RTT from the inside. I am also in my 60's and wanted a grab strap to close my tailgate once inside.
I took off the tailgate cap and on the end of each side is a screw that is actually threaded into metal instead of plastic in a perfect spot for my plan.
I bought some Rhino tie down straps for 9 bucks and created a small hole on one end with a hot nail and used that screw to secure it. I then cut a small slit in my plastic cap protector and fed the strap through. I can now slide the loop over my bed tie down handles pull them tight and tighten them down and the tailgate is secure. I wanted this mainly for when I am camping but it also works with a locking topper system for every day use.

 

Used to have a shell. Tailgate can’t open with the window closed. It locks with a key.
Didn’t figure out a way to lock it while I slept inside. Wasn’t an issue.

had a wooden bed platform with containers underneath. What are they going to steal, my clothes?
The flat bed hides things any more.

valuable items like fridge and battery in the cab were hidden with tint, Reflectix, and bike cable locked to the seat frame.

to you and me the truck is probably not intimidating. To a random non truck person it might be so they may hesitate a bit to approach it especially if they don’t know if anyone inside and more so if it’s a state where people protect themselves.

bought the truck used it came with an alarm that’s kind of sensitive so there’s that as well.

one thing I could’ve done was install metal security mesh on the side shell windows.
Am looking at getting a popnlock, the all manual one that claims to match existing ignition key.

dont know if theres much more that can be done.
Well one thing. A swingout. That can potentially lock. That’s another layer of barrier to entry in the back.
But doesn’t really change anything in the cab with breakable windows.
Theres also various insurances to cover items in the event of loss such as theft.