Sleeping in a short-bed Tacoma

I'm about to buy a 2001 4-door Taco with a short bed. (I think it's 65") I'm 6'1" so the bed isn't long enough for me. I'm going to get a topper once the truck arrives. What I'd love to do is get a mattress for a longer bed, fold the tailgate down for my feet, open the rear hatch on the topper, and have some sort of "sock tent" that really just covers up the opening on the rear of the truck, from the hatch to the tailgate. The point is that with the tailgate down, the bed is long enough, but I don't want my feet sticking out in the rain.

The Flippac tops look awesome, but I'm looking for a much less expensive option, and it wouldn't take much material to just close up the back of a truck with the tailgate down.

Does any such "sock tent" exist? Or has anyone made one him/herself?

Thanks.

 

I'm sure it wouldn't be terribly uncomfortable if you just curled up in the bed with the topper.

I've been known to sleep in the back seat of my xtra cab on trail runs. So trust me. I know uncomfortable.

 

I remember seeing a special made tent like that fits in the small bed with the tailgate down. For the shell, I assume you have to come up with something you-re self.

 

Ah, I may have found it thanks to The Google. Has anyone used one of these on a short bed Taco? I haven't contacted them for a price, but it looks promising and probably would be better than the "Taco Sock" I've been planning on marketing (joke.... My wife is rolling her eyes)



http://www.xocom.com/ss/

Thanks.

 

^ cool find.. I'm in the same boat at you w/ the DC.. if this thing works on a 4Runner I'd say it should work on a 1st gen too.

 

Drive your truck down to an upholstery shop, describe what you want, and ask them to make it out of the type of material they would use for a boat cover or similar. I bet it would be cheaper than anything marketed commercially for an SUV.

 

Mom made one for our '74 Blazer. It attached with Velcro to the roof, and bungees to the bottom of the tailgate.
Worked for the Blazer without a "door" since we could access through the front door same as getting into the back seat.

For a shell, you'll need some kind of zippered door unless you like climbing through the slider.
I would suggest Velcro attachment to the INSIDE perimeter of the door to the shell.
If it's raining, rainwater is going to hit that rear window and run down and leak through the hinge.
If it's windy... I'd just curl up inside with the doors all closed... I'd be worried about the wind ripping the shell door off.

 

I think you guys have inspired me to make my own. It will be the first thing I've sewed since the skateboard pillow I sewed in junior high. A zipper rear door is a great idea, and I like the Velcro / bungee combo, too. The truck is white so I'll try to find some white tent fabric to match.

Thanks

 

^You know what would 1000x times better than white?


This tan color topper I found on CL.

http://austin.craigslist.org/pts/2908746689.html

 

Fetal position.

 

toutenhoofd,

If you make it, consider adding a rain fly that would extend out a few feet to give you a sheltered area to stand or sit as well.

 

sleep in a sleeping bag, done!

 

I got a canvas tarp from the local surplus store & made it into a truck tent. I have poles to keep the shell glass up so it doesnt fall down. Works pretty good for sleeping back there. Looks kinda getto, but it gives me an extra couple of feet for my sleeping bag & keeps the elements out too.

 

Above idea and use this zipper.
A cheap tarp from wally world and this


http://hardware.hardwarestore.com/27-112-construction-door-zippers/heavy-duty-zipper-677709.aspx

Seems easy and cheap

 

I put on velcro to keep the split "doors" together but I like the zipper idea, might have to check that out, thanks.

 

-- Resurrecting old thread --

Does anybody else have experiences or pictures of these "truck tents" (that go over the topper and tailgate) to share?

I'm nearly in possession of my short-bed topper and want to find a way to comfortably sleep in the back.

 

Air mattress and space heater. Everything else just keep the weather off you, so anything that does so does the same job.

 

baught this from www.sportsmansguide.com its made for a 6.5ft bed, still used it on my taco..

 

At that point I would just as well sleep on the ground and not have to take everything I might have in the bed out.

What I especially like about sleeping under the topper/cap is that its discreet and easy - just hop in the back. Unfortunately I'm bigger than 5', and Toyota doesn't make a 6ft bed with a stick shift and double cab... something had to give, and I went with shorter bed.

 

I think I'll try to make a "Tacoma sock" (as someone called it above), will post results here. Hoping I can make it look more discrete and super easy to set up.