How do you camp with a 5ft shortbed?

There's a 5 foot bed Tacoma in there, I swear.

 

It was relatively easy to put together. There is a 2x6 mounted underneath the traditional platform. Half of it sticks out, to which I bolt on the extension with butterfly nuts. The two legs are on hinges. When I need to pack up, it all folds easily and slides right on top of the platform.

 

Very nice!

I had a chance to visit Martin and Mario as the AT Habitat was being developed, and saw one of their early installs on a DCSB Tacoma. It's a pretty nice package. (Although the shelter area is a bit tight for us 6'6" campers.)

 

image by seanbonham69, on Flickr

https://www.napieroutdoors.com/product-category/suv-minivan-tents/

 

I lower my tailgate and use a tent in the bed,easy peasey.

 

Trailer for sleeping. Hammock for napping. Short bed for hauling firewood and beverage cooler.

 

I think this one of the most over blown myths about RTTs. Once you have one you realize a couple things. 1.) They are so fast and easy to setup that you never set it up until you are ready to go lay down. 2.) They are easy to pack up since everything stays in them that you close it every morning just because.

The thing that gets most overlook IMO is that they aren’t that great is wet environments. They are the modern equivalent of an old army canvas tent. If you touch the sides when it’s rainy, it leaks. And because it is what it is, the mattress is always touching the side. The damn thing soaks up water like a sponge. You also lose the big advantage of being able to keep all your bedding inside because when folded the saturated canvas gets all of your bedding wet. So you need to either open it again later when it’s dry to let everything dry out or remove all the bedding. That’s my biggest complaint about RTT. Closing it up to drive somewhere is super easy and not big deal. Finding enough time to open the tent to dry when it’s raining for 3 consecutive days sucks.

 

Not a myth from my experience -- it's my reality. (I have a RTT, BTW.) While collapsing the tent is pretty quick, if one has set up the vestibule/annexe (in ARB's terminnology) it's somewhat time consuming to take down and stow. And at least for the ARB, putting on the cover is a real nuisance, especially if it's cold.

If, for example, I'm out of the campsite to be at some nearby vista with my camera in pre-dawn hours, coming back to camp when the sun's up for coffee and breakfast, the RTT is a PITA.

A ground tent or tent-trailer is a TON easier to leave behind when one needs to run someplace.

 

Width is only like 48 inches, so can be a bit tight in that direction, but length is not an issue. But it does help I'm only 5'6"!

 

Yea. I never use the vestibule. Fuck that thing. Too much work to set it up.

 

The length of the sleeping deck is tremendous -- more than enough for my height! The challenge is accessing the tailgate and trying to use the area under the folded-open Habitat as a sheltered workspace. Not enough headroom!

 

That makes more sense. I managed to walk right into the maxtrax that were hanging on the load bars this last camping trip when the Habitat was open... And i'm a foot shorter than you, lol!

 

This is so funny, folks were camping 100's of yrs. ago & are still today with a horse, bed roll & 2 saddlebags, & now the size of your truck is a problem??? I'll bet Davy Crockett never complained about the size of his "Taco". Good luck & I hope you figure something out, It'd be a shame to miss a camping trip cause your truck was too short.

 

I get your point but I didn't see anywhere that he said he couldn't (or wouldn't) go camping due to his bed being too short. He's simply looking for advice on the best sleeping solutions for a short bed...

 

I always wonder what stick fanboys are going to do in 10 years when stick is no longer made anywhere in the world.

 

Drive old cars. I have 2 manuals. One is 30 years old and one is 7 years old.

 

Kamp-Rite tentcot works well for me and the dog. Its an over-sized one:

Kamp-Rite Oversize Tent Cot, The Leader in Off-The-Ground Camping, Rainfly and Carry Bag Included, Holds 350lbs, Sets up in Seconds

https://www.amazon.com/Kamp-Rite-SS-SMS-3442033-Oversize-Tent-Cot/dp/B000I641UQ/ref=pd_cp_468_1/133-4223747-8859255?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000I641UQ&pd_rd_r=9014b7b9-7019-4226-a6b4-cefc0f5945a4&pd_rd_w=9Kkx3&pd_rd_wg=O4D3v&pf_rd_p=0e5324e1-c848-4872-bbd5-5be6baedf80e&pf_rd_r=0VXGWDHRH0A5HA76YJVV&psc=1&refRID=0VXGWDHRH0A5HA76YJVV

If the wife goes with me, we pitch a 4-man tent.

 

I camp quite comfortably with my family of four using a DCSB

 

This ^
Putting a tent away wet does suck. And mattress does absorb water. Figure out a way to keep mattress fully dry and you’re onto something

 

This. I see so much investment in stuff in the back of the bed. When $3-400 and 10 minutes when you get there makes you significantly more comfortable. Sure - you need a good flat spot. But then the added benefit is you can just jump in the truck and drive somewhere for the day wuthout having to break down camp!