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Davexxxx

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To the OP, I see you're also looking at camping trailers but since this thread is about tent camping, I agree that it depends on what you want. I believe you mentioned a family of 4?

That is going to make any rack, or truck bed camping pretty tough. Not impossible if the kids are little but tough.

We have a small, 2 person expedition grade tent from Eureka, that is great for shorter, or remote trips. Super sturdy and easy to set up but you won't be standing up in it.

We have a huge, hybrid dome / cabin tent from Eureka as well. It has survived sustained (multiple days worth) high winds very well and has gobs of room but is NOT easy to set up. 2 strong adults, will work hard.

As for truck camping, I don't have pics but I built out a camper shell, on an earlier truck. I believe it was a Leer and extended above the cab, maybe 6". It was good for 2 people for short, or remote trips. You could sit up in it.

Before deciding to get a travel trailer, I'd looked at these.

https://www.campway.com/products/walk-door-series/

A sort of hybrid, with the man door for camping but also the ability to have the full hatch, for "truck stuff".

If you want to get really remote, pack in style, you can fashion any sort of tent you want, out of heavy mill plastic sheeting, plenty of rope and ball and ring set. Not finding a link to them but imagine a clip, like an old style shower curtain and a small rubber ball. Place the ball under the plastic, push the ring over it, spin it and attach a tie down line.

No screened windows of course but if you really want to get back there, its light and flexible.
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Popplemer

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Yes sir.
I altered the steel trailer/frame and extended it several feet. Although it provides a nice deck for storing items off the ground, I did it to both lower the tailgate attached and to make it tow like a dream.
It could never be a load to tow for almost any vehicle, but it towed like a very short trailer and was a bear to back up. You couldn't really see it. 🤣

Now it both bounces less on bumps and you can get out of tough spots like a breeze.

A few years back when I was a younger stronger fella and could get that 600lb beast in/out of a shortbed. But you can see that I can't drop the tailgate if attached:

toyhaul2.png


Lengthening :

tdporch.jpg


Then could leave it down even while towing!

romneybound1.jpg
Love the trailer. Ive watched many videos about the camp inn teardrops and I am fascinated by the ingenuity that went into their design. I also really dig what you've done to make that setup your own. Thanks for the info. After all it's whatever helps you get out doing what you do right?
 

SouthLaFord

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I don't suppose you kept a set of blueprints handy or your bill of materials? 😁
Then that makes me wonder if I could extend the design a bit for a side-ramp motorcycle carry? I do have my new MIG welder ...
I did not. I made the frame out of 2x2x1/4” steel tubing and the tongue out of 2x4x1/4” steel tubing. The trailer frame is WAY overkill but I wasn’t worried about weight as I will always have a full-size truck. I took 3 trailers I liked off the internet and modified their builds to meet what I wanted. The cabin is 5’x10’ and I needed to make the sleeping quarters tall enough for me to sleep so that is what dictated how big the kitchen was. I also made the tongue longer so I could tow with the tailgate down if needed.
 

Old Bear

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I did not. I made the frame out of 2x2x1/4” steel tubing and the tongue out of 2x4x1/4” steel tubing. The trailer frame is WAY overkill but I wasn’t worried about weight as I will always have a full-size truck. I took 3 trailers I liked off the internet and modified their builds to meet what I wanted. The cabin is 5’x10’ and I needed to make the sleeping quarters tall enough for me to sleep so that is what dictated how big the kitchen was. I also made the tongue longer so I could tow with the tailgate down if needed.
What a shame! I imagine that you could sell a blueprint/BOM for something like that. I know that I would enjoy building something similar, but never really thought about it. All of the RV work I have done over the years would come in handy for something other than repairs - finally! That is one sharp rig you have there, no need to tell you to enjoy it!
 

Omzmo

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We contemplated a trailer for a long time but ended up going with a rooftop tent. I've got a Pace Edwards retractable tonneau on the way too that's compatible with the rack.

Ikamper 3.0 on a Leitner ACS Forged Modular rack.

Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ 20230603_185027


Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ 20230509_131858


Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ 20230509_111712


Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ 20230528_103652


Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ 20230426_120133
 

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Popplemer

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We contemplated a trailer for a long time but ended up going with a rooftop tent. I've got a Pace Edwards retractable tonneau on the way too that's compatible with the rack.

Ikamper 3.0 on a Leitner ACS Forged Modular rack.

20230603_185027.jpg


20230509_131858.jpg


20230509_111712.jpg


20230528_103652.jpg


20230426_120133.jpg
How do you find the tent on top of the short bed? Do you have to tuck any of the material under the shell on an ikamper? I have my tent on a low rack 8ft bed which makes setup and takedown easy but I miss the bed space...
 

Omzmo

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How do you find the tent on top of the short bed? Do you have to tuck any of the material under the shell on an ikamper? I have my tent on a low rack 8ft bed which makes setup and takedown easy but I miss the bed space...
There's very little material that needs to be tucked. I'm 5'11" and don't have any issues reaching it. Having it lower on the bed looks better but having it raised is more functional as you do maintain full use of the bed and can still see out the rearview mirror.
 

ks54703

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Spouse is not a outside in the bugs and me person so any outdoor camping is done alone.

Up to 2017 had used the truck cap to bunk out in. After seeing crazy price increases on new caps. Now have went to a budget roll up Tonneau Cover and a Rightline truck box tent after having a Napier for several years. For a old fart the Rightline seems easier and quicker to put up and take down. Both worked equally as good.

Use a simple youth yoga mat that will also fit in the rear passenger area for those times the tent is just not needed.

Now at the age of keep it simple, cost effective but still reliable.

https://www.napieroutdoors.com/us/truck-tents/

https://rightlinegear.com/truck-tents/truck-tents/

https://www.amazon.com/Zermätte-Mat...fix=3+thick+sleeping+mats,aps,240&sr=8-2&th=1
 
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I have a Tuff Stuff Alpha mounted on a Deezee hex rails setup with a Tuff Stuff compact 270 awning. I use these in conjunction with a Truxedo Deuce hybrid tonneau which I absolutely could not live without considering my truck is a regular cab. I constantly use the front opening part of the cover. No shaking or road noise with the tent this low...just the expected fuel economy hit.

IMG-20230220-WA0002.jpg


PXL_20230313_184900368~2.jpg


PXL_20230313_184913151.jpg


PXL_20230313_185028380.jpg
Sweet ass rig!
 

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travisN000

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The only way to have a rack compatible with a cover would be to go with something like this Elevate system or the Yakima Overhaul, but you'd have to prob get a new cover:

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...ing-a-travel-trailer.11495/page-2#post-350118
so i have to remove the tonneau first then install the bed bar, and then go reverse order for daily driving? basically i can not install any bed bar on tonneau cover?
my tonneau cover is Bak Bakflip. seems like pretty bed rack friendly per google. anyways, slightly off topic, what's the advantages and disadvantages between overlanding with popup tents VS getting tow trailer for family of 4? my first guess would overlanding allows you to offroading, anything else?
Adarac has options that are compatible with Bak covers. I have Bak x4s hard rolling cover and use the short adarac with my RTT.

I chose the RTT on the bed, over trailer / camper because it keeps my overall height lower, and is easier to get to hard to reach places. A trailer requires slower, more careful driving and route planning, and anything that raises my roof height gets in the way of parking garages, car washes, etc.

Downside of the RTT is that you have to pack it up you want to leave camp for a few hours, and the folding one I have doesn't allow for storing much in the way of bedding. I solved the bedding issue by replacing the stock mattress with a hybrid foam/air mattress that I can deflate to about 3/4 of an inch in under a minute, using my paddle board pump. This leaves enough room to leave sheets and a pretty heavy blanket in the tent.

Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ 7qqajm_fL3iLzD-zAPxlbtjIsgcD1I8aIcNG9wXJzkyQ=w2400

Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ -wzPyNp8Uxc0ialbu08c_2XyXm_sZNRCYIrLiHijkwFs=w2400
 
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stlgrym3

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To the OP, I see you're also looking at camping trailers but since this thread is about tent camping, I agree that it depends on what you want. I believe you mentioned a family of 4?

That is going to make any rack, or truck bed camping pretty tough. Not impossible if the kids are little but tough.

We have a small, 2 person expedition grade tent from Eureka, that is great for shorter, or remote trips. Super sturdy and easy to set up but you won't be standing up in it.

We have a huge, hybrid dome / cabin tent from Eureka as well. It has survived sustained (multiple days worth) high winds very well and has gobs of room but is NOT easy to set up. 2 strong adults, will work hard.

As for truck camping, I don't have pics but I built out a camper shell, on an earlier truck. I believe it was a Leer and extended above the cab, maybe 6". It was good for 2 people for short, or remote trips. You could sit up in it.

Before deciding to get a travel trailer, I'd looked at these.

https://www.campway.com/products/walk-door-series/

A sort of hybrid, with the man door for camping but also the ability to have the full hatch, for "truck stuff".

If you want to get really remote, pack in style, you can fashion any sort of tent you want, out of heavy mill plastic sheeting, plenty of rope and ball and ring set. Not finding a link to them but imagine a clip, like an old style shower curtain and a small rubber ball. Place the ball under the plastic, push the ring over it, spin it and attach a tie down line.

No screened windows of course but if you really want to get back there, its light and flexible.

i was looking into travel trailer before i realized my truck does not come with Trailer Tow or Max Trailer Tow packages. so i'm kind of limited in towing if i don't modify my truck. so for now popup tent is way to go. i have family of 4, but does not mean we absolutely have to have a tent for 4. i can let the wife and daughter sleep in popup tent and me and my son in a nearby ground tent, or vice versa.
 

Popplemer

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i was looking into travel trailer before i realized my truck does not come with Trailer Tow or Max Trailer Tow packages. so i'm kind of limited in towing if i don't modify my truck. so for now popup tent is way to go. i have family of 4, but does not mean we absolutely have to have a tent for 4. i can let the wife and daughter sleep in popup tent and me and my son in a nearby ground tent, or vice versa.
I would look into a teardrop. The Road Toad fully composite teardrop is a nice basic teardrop and you can mount a tent on the roof for the kids. As much as i love my tent on my truck at all times (I don't have a garage or place to store it) I would prefer to have it on a trailer so i don't have to break camp to go get supplies while camping or just be dragging it around constantly! Hope this helps
 

gb7FRz26

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Speaking of teardrops, I really wanted a rooftop tent. Got to thinking about how I don't like to sleep in the heat, and how most of the family camping time will be in the summer, so I ordered a Runaway Venturist in August '21 because of the window A/C unit. Picked it up in April '22.
I haven't finished building my battery bank yet, I'm basing it off of Youtuber Freely Roaming's build, one vid here.
The A/C will be able to run all night from the battery if it's full, or electric blankets, and it will run my IceCo fridge/freezer 24/7.
If I were to do it again, a rooftop tent + Zero Breeze might work. Also I wouldn't build my own battery pack, I'd buy COTS like an Ecoflow Delta Pro or Bluetti AC300 and 2nd battery. Or just start off with a Lightning or Powerboost.
Still need to build a deck in the bed with sliding drawers.
One thing I wish our F150's had was an easy way to add a roof rack above the cab. Aluminum body etc, but even when it was steel, there was not really a market. There's like 20 to choose from if you have a Tacoma though.

Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ ri


Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ rig2


Ford F-150 Let's see your tent setups ⛺️ rig3
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