Thoughts on short bed cab-over camper, Tepui options for my truck bed

I have a 2001 Tacoma Double Cab Tacoma with a short bed, here is the truck I have.



Does anyone have experience or recommendations for a cab-over camper, Tepui for my truck bed or even a roof top camper.

Here are some ideas of options that I like but these all show the 2nd or 3rd generation.
Currently in Southern California > San Diego Area







Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

Looks like your Taco is actually a double cab.

 

Check out Kodastacoma on IG

 

Keep in mind you have a 5’ bed(short bed)

campers example:
7k range
https://vagabondoutdoors.com/product/the-drifter/

https://gofastcampers.com/collections/campers/products/gfc-platform-standard


RTT:
1-3k range

http://www.bayareametalfab.com/Low-profile-RTT-bed-rack-95-to-04-Tacoma_p_65.html

https://tepui.com/products/explorer-series-ayer

bed rack + tent

CAMPER SHELL:
1k range
Sleep at angle

DRINK ENOUGH BEER:
Priceless k range

you can sleep anywhere

 

You can build yourself one of these. It’ll consume your life for a while and take forever and end up costing around $10k including tools.

 

Do you enjoy the outdoors often?

Stupid question it may seem but you may venture too deep too quickly only to find out its not for you; plenty of people will buy say an RTT only to get rid of it soon after.

I have an RTT and though I love it, I've recently made my truck into a daily driver.

Because of that I'm considering the versatility of a camper shell.

Just food for thought

 

This is a really good point! Think long and hard about how much you'll use a camper or RTT or whatever. It's a good chunk of change to get into with out being sure it's something you really want to do.
I know with my other hobbies people sinking money into something they thought they were into and weren't are a great source for inexpensive used gear.

 

Night vision is one for me...I've got almost $11k in my current setup and a total of $17-$18k I've put into it

 

I can only imagine what an $11k night vision set up does for night vision.

But, do you use your gear? Or, at least you used to use and just don't use it as much. Like, you didn't go hog wild only to not use the stuff?

I have probably $10k of bicycles and several grand into scuba gear. I haven't been using that stuff as much the past few years but I've used it all so much in the past that I'd say I've gotten my money out of it. Also, my lack of use of that stuff is due to injuries. I'll be back at it eventually.

 

I haven't used it in over a year since getting the Tacoma but definitely used it during night shoots and courses.

I've got a chest rig, ballistic helmet, and a "few" firearms...

Have killed hogs when I had my old night vision setup, but the shoot houses I've done weren't for killing hogs

 

Unfortunately $11k is not that much for night vision lol

 

I bet!
My only experience was camping in the Sierra Nevada during the peseid meteor showers a few years ago. We got to talking to a nearby couple who had night vision. It was amazing. They said their stuff was mid-range but old. Still amazing. The sky was unreal.

 

Interior pics?!

 

I only have this one. It’s far from finished. The shot is taken from near the main entry door looking forward/driver side from the rear of the truck. The batteries are in the upper left with the fridge to the right. The batteries, in front of the wheel well, are normally under a sheet of plywood with a cushion on top forming a couch.
The space under the couch is a lot of storage. I’m going to put an exterior access door near the rear to get to recovery gear and onboard air.

 

Looks awesome man. Must have been a lot of work. How much does it way? You said you built it yourself, did you have any prier experience? Why'd you go this route, instead of say, a four wheel camper flatbed model?

 

I was keeping track of the hours for a while but stopped. Based on when I was tracking plus estimates since then I think I'm around 400 hours or so.

I believe it weighs around 700 pounds as it sits. That's how much all the materials that I bought that are on it including the spare tire, batteries and fridge plus 10%. I still need to add the upper sleeping platform, a kitchen cabinets, the tent, water system and some kind of flooring and interior wall coverings. It'll be around a thousand pounds wet weight in the end.

The bed, sleeping platform, drawer and camper shell I had before was about 550 pounds so the new camper is a lot more but the weight is distributed much better. It's all lower and in between the axles.

I have timbren load bearing bumpstops. Before when I had it loaded for a long trip, like to Baja, the truck would sit solidly on the bump stops. Now there's a 3/8 inch gap between the bumpstop and the axel. I think this is due to all the weight being in front of the axle with the exception of the spare tire.

The only thing I've made like this is my old sleeping platform which is now a shelf to hold camper odds and ends. I do work with my hands but this is not quite the same as cooking.

There are a bunch of reasons I went this route. 4 Wheel flatbed is super nice. The reasons I didn't go that route is the sides are much taller and straight so if you lean the truck over sideways it takes up a lot of space. The trails I go on can be tippy and very narrow. The 4wheel flat bed don't have much exterior access. While I want a camper I come from backpacking and I've found I get to a point where I no longer feel like I'm camping. I want to spend most my time outside. I just need a space inside for sleeping and in crap weather (although I am known for sleeping on the ground with no tent ) Another issue with a flat bed is in order to clear the tires you either need to limit up travel or create a space between the frame and the bottom of the camper. With mine is sits down lower making the center of gravity lower. The downside to mine is that it will only fit on a 1st gen access cab. Also 4wheel campers cost a lot. They're probably well worth it though.

Tommy Campers are closer to what I want but not quite. They cost a bit less than a 4wheel camper too. Also, at the time I started this I don't think they were in the US yet. Now they are. Jerks.

Cost - I could spend a lot more money on this thing but don't want to. I'd rather work less. And I have a lot of other hobbies.

It was recommended that I start some kind of project after I got t-boned by a car on the highway on my motorcycle in April 2018. It was a means to help recover. I started the camper a year later. At that point I was still having some small physical issues but was also diagnosed with PTSD. Halfway through the camper build I had an accident related surgery. This set me back quite a bit but the camper really helped in recovery. It was the best form of PT I could ask for.

I kinda wanted something unique. I'm hoping more people will see others making their own stuff and will start making their own. There are a lot of really nice products out there like 4wheel campers, the vagabond drifter and Tommy campers. But making your owns is a good experience.

I've yet to have that moment where I regret getting into this thing. There's been zero frustration even though I've built a wheel well three times before the version it has now. I've built the main entry door twice and will probably build another. Getting the fuel filler necks (I have 2 gas tanks) to work properly was a huge challenge and still on going. The fridge slide broke in baja and a seam on the camper broke. I'm maybe halfway done but it's all good. I'm looking forward to finishing it.

 

One issue with a short bed is you can't really get the weight in front of the axle.