Show us your truck bed sleeping platform/drawer/storage systems

Not a taco but thought ya’ll would enjoy this. Made the bed frame out of 2x4 and it hangs off the bed tie downs using small straps.

mattress sits on 1/2” plywood wrapped in carpet.

pull out drawer is made out of a sheet of 1/2” plywood that I attached a couple of handles to the end and some bordering on the edges so stuff stays put.

super cheap to make and comes out in 3 pieces in less than 10 minutes!

 

What camper shell is that?

 

Added these into my set up to help control humidity and reduce the windows fogging up while sleeping back there. Humidity control will be extra important for sleeping back there this winter in the snow. Using 2 of the 500g packs. Last week removed the cap to add in a seal on the front rail amd added a few more bulb seals around the tailgate. Confident that will eliminate the little draft I noticed last trip out.

wisedry 2 x 500 Gram [2.2 lbs] Rechargeable Silica Gel Car Dehumidifier, Microwave Fast Reactivated Desiccant Packets Large for Gun Safe Closet Basement Garage Storage Moisture Absorber Bag Reusable

$23 wisedry 2 x 500 Gram [2.2 lbs] Rechargeable Silica Gel Car Dehumidifier, Microwave Fast Reactivated Desiccant Packets Large for Gun Safe Closet Basement Garage Storage Moisture Absorber Bag Reusable

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781BR7V7

 

Cheapest I've seen this perfect truck bed heater. I picked one up for $78. Has since gone up to $80. Currently $124 @ REI.
I've got a buddy heater also but this is a more manageable size and output for my 5' bed.

Kovea Cupid Gas Heater

$88 Kovea Cupid Gas Heater

$81 Kovea Cupid Gas Heater​

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAEOJYC

 

So many ideas in this thread!

 

Do you have a build thread or links to the parts you used? I would imagine your route would be way cheaper than the eztopperlift guys.

 

Have you tried it yet (I've got the older style)? All of them put out a lot of heat for that small area and even adjusted down to the lowest setting it's going to get uncomfortably hot unless you're in some seriously cold weather or using some sort of leaky, mixed tent/camper combo that can't really be insulated. I'll open my sleeping bag (so the warmed air will flow over it) and cut mine on a couple of minutes before climbing in the back then shut it off before going to sleep (they're not fuel efficient). I stick an arm out of my sleeping bag in the morning and cut it on to warm up the back before climbing out of my sleeping bag and getting dressed. It is awesome not trying to rush to get dressed then jumping out so you can jump around some more trying to warm up.

Even with the little grate in front be careful getting anything that may melt near it and I keep a CO/smoke detector in the back even though the only heater I have that I'll use overnight is a small electric one if I have access to power.


This desiccant packs didn't work well for me when I tried them, leaving a window cracked if possible helps a little. With the desiccant packs, you need a way to dry them out but even if I carried an oven or microwave it's still generally too much moisture in the air for them dry out enough during the day, even tossing them on the dash. Just my experience. As long as I'm not stealth camping, I leave the back of the truck open as long as I can and may drive with a side window partially open if possible just to circulate air. It's also one of the advantages of longer roof rack bars, I hang my sleeping bag(s) (clothes, wetsuits, etc) off the bars to air out.

 

All great feedback, thanks! I've only used it outdoors so far. Not quite cold enough to need it sleeping in the back. I agree it'll be used primarily to warm up the living area (5' bed with a well sealed shell) before I get out of my sleeping bag. I've also got a small 12v heating blanket I put in my sleeping bag. I kick it on to preheat the bag before I hit the sack. That does a pretty good job keeping me warm when it's really cold and I turn it off and on as needed through the night. I power it off of a small ecoflow river. I've tried the smallest electric heaters I could find but they suck the life out of the ecoflow.

I had a feeling it the desiccant pouches wouldn't be able to keep up with a mouth breather like me, but I figured it couldn't gurt. Good call on cracking a window while driving around.

 

Another thing I do is keep some of those Hot Hands in the truck (in my hunting bag, in my pack when it gets colder, etc, etc) and they work pretty well for warming a sleeping bag too- get it going then just toss it in the foot of your sleeping bag and it helps (I also use a Nalgene water bottle with hot water which has the added bonus of making sure that you have water, and not ice, in the morning so no waiting around to brush your teeth or make coffee; make sure your bottle doesn't leak before trying this and I always buy the long version of sleeping bags so I have some extra room for clothes or whatever- plus I roll around a lot and hate tight sleeping bags).

I also keep some of the Thermacare back pain patches in with my camping gear. Years ago a buddy showed me how he was using them over his kidney area while camping and hunting and I'll do that when it's really cold (since your blood circulates through your kidneys it does a pretty good job of helping warm you without any CO or fire risks) and the newer versions of the heaters last longer than they used to. I'm sure most places put them on sale at the end of the season but I'm still using some of the Hot Hands I bought at Walmart a couple of years ago. As long as you leave them in the factory packaging they still seem to work fine; no idea how long they'll keep or if the heating time goes down but for what I paid I'm not complaining.

 

It's not much but it's something I made about 5+ years ago. It had drawers about 90% of the bed length and had cubbies around the border. I ended taking it out because I needed the bed space and the rain got to it before I needed it again and the wood got destroyed... So no I'm just laying on the plastic bed like a peasant.

 

It’s all cool and stuff, but I’d rather buy a cheap enclosed trailer and have room to stand, lay down, everything.

 

Wait... a cheap enclosed trailer?? That's a good one...Lol

 

Around me you can get a new cargo trailer, 10’ for $5-$7 K, I have been looking.

 

A sheet of plywood costs $5-7k less

 

I'm intrigued by the 12v heated blanket powered by the Ecoflow River. How long does the Ecoflow power the heated blanket for?

 

About 4 hours on high, but even in the snow that's unnecessary. I heat up my bag on high for about 20min. Then I turn it down to low, and usually end up turning it off within another 20min. Then I turn it on through the night as needed. Since it's 12v it doesn't use the inverter on the ecoflow and allows it to run much longer.

 

Which ecoflow model are you using? I’m wondering if I can run two of them with an adapter using my river 2 pro.

 

Thanks!

 

I don't think I contributed to this thread yet but I did make a platform not for sleeping but for somewhere to fit my spare tire which has been a pain for a while now. tried different mounting options but this one seems to be sticking.

 

I am using the Ecoflow River. It's their little one.