Home Made Truck Camper

Since you already own one, maybe you could strap this versatile camping pod onto your flatbed. Sure, you can’t stand up but it’s got heat, lights and room for a cooler. Plus, it’s a dual purpose camping unit as if you don’t need to take the flatbed, you can take it off and still have a useable place to sleep. (Just thinking out loud… 😁)



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Freestone said:
Since you already own one, maybe you could strap this versatile camping pod onto your flatbed. Sure, you can’t stand up but it’s got heat, lights and room for a cooler. Plus, it’s a dual purpose camping unit as if you don’t need to take the flatbed, you can take it off and still have a useable place to sleep. (Just thinking out loud… 😁)



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Hey-that's a Hotelement!
 
iveofione said:
I don't see any easy way out! Flatbeds don't lend themselves well to camping so anything you put on the bed may end up looking like you are transporting outhouses-especially if it is tall enough to stand up in. Most of the flat bed rigs I see have been purpose built just for camping and aren't used for anything else. 4WDCAMPERS does make a model specifically for flat bed trucks but the starting tariff is $35,000.
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Outhouse!

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I have come to the realization that I must take some of my own advice. What I mean is almost daily I talk to folks about boats. As I listen to them describe what they want to do, the conversation almost always comes around to compromise, sacrifice, and prioritize. Often they just can't do what they want with one boat. I am starting to see some of the same issues with my camper. I might need my second truck back.
 
BDD said:
I have come to the realization that I must take some of my own advice. What I mean is almost daily I talk to folks about boats. As I listen to them describe what they want to do, the conversation almost always comes around to compromise, sacrifice, and prioritize. Often they just can't do what they want with one boat. I am starting to see some of the same issues with my camper. I might need my second truck back.
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It sounds like you are getting this figured out! Over the years I have owned a tent trailer, overhead camper, bought a cab high canopy, built a canopy, bought a 5th wheel, a travel trailer and built up 2 Casas'. For ease of use and flexibility the Casa is by far the best for the 15-25 nights a year that I spend in it. The cab high canopy was just the worst.

You are right about compromise, sacrifice and prioritize. I have spent about a year of my life sleeping on the ground, in a tent or on a glacier and by now my priority is a good bed! I have sacrificed stand up comfort for sit-up comfort by buying a tall canopy and compromised the need to take lots of stuff for a more minimalistic take just what I need approach. Having spent up to 8 days in a row in the Casa I'm finding that about 5 days is plenty then I want a real kitchen and some TV. Now with a real refrigerator, bigger cabinets, solar, a Jackery and filtered water those 5 days will be much more comfortable for even longer trips. Some people are living full time in small rigs like a Prius or Outback, compared to them the Casa is the Dodge Mahal!

Anyone with a modicum of skills, an 8' bed and a tall canopy can build a comfortable module for 10's of thousands of dollars less than a turn-key unit and enjoy how compact and easy to drive it is. There are hundreds of examples of various builds on YouTube, some very good, many horrible, that demonstrate what to do as well as what not to do. I would encourage building your own but as more of a hobby than something that has to be done in a month. Deadlines incur short cuts which are rarely satisfying.
 
I've got a short bed Ram 2500 flatbed that I put a traditional slide in camper on. Found a Northstar TC650 for a decent price (about $6500) a couple years ago on the used market. While it does sit just a little high due to the flat bed sitting above the wheel wells as mentioned earlier, it really doesn't seem to be an issue.

I haven't done any really serious offroading, but spent a weekend doing some of the easier trails in Death Valley NP and the higher CG didn't feel like a problem. With the boxes on either side of the the flat bed you have a ton of storage you wouldn't have in a regular truck bed.

If you look for one that is structurally sound and waterproof, but has some other issues inside, you may be able to get a deal and do a quick remodel like we did. All the appliances work in ours, but when they go out (it's older, a 2001) I'll probably just replace the fridge with a pull out cooler and not worry about the heater and water heater if they go. Propane stove should last forever.

Queen size bed, lots of storage inside, stand up height when the top is popped. I can easily have a buddy sleep on the bench below. We got a little travel toilet for emergencies.

Hard part is finding a camper that doesn't have the back drop down with taillights and all to fit on a flat bed. But, having a full size bed on your truck you'll have a lot more options on the used market than we did. No idea if the used camper market is as bad as other markets right now.

Don't laugh at the homemade flat bed!.... it is how the truck came. I had every intention of replacing it, but life got in the way of those plans: a baby and covid business struggles put the brakes on spending. First picture is pulling into pyramid lake for a look around...

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Being that you've got a flat bed, have you considered something like a rooftop tent..? You can put a cot inside for sleeping better at nite. It would be able to withstand 3 season use and can be collapsed for when traveling down the road. For simple use as your needing, it should fit the bill nicely plus easier to store away when not needed..

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iveofione said:
It sounds like you are getting this figured out! Over the years I have owned a tent trailer, overhead camper, bought a cab high canopy, built a canopy, bought a 5th wheel, a travel trailer and built up 2 Casas'. For ease of use and flexibility the Casa is by far the best for the 15-25 nights a year that I spend in it. The cab high canopy was just the worst.

You are right about compromise, sacrifice and prioritize. I have spent about a year of my life sleeping on the ground, in a tent or on a glacier and by now my priority is a good bed! I have sacrificed stand up comfort for sit-up comfort by buying a tall canopy and compromised the need to take lots of stuff for a more minimalistic take just what I need approach. Having spent up to 8 days in a row in the Casa I'm finding that about 5 days is plenty then I want a real kitchen and some TV. Now with a real refrigerator, bigger cabinets, solar, a Jackery and filtered water those 5 days will be much more comfortable for even longer trips. Some people are living full time in small rigs like a Prius or Outback, compared to them the Casa is the Dodge Mahal!

Anyone with a modicum of skills, an 8' bed and a tall canopy can build a comfortable module for 10's of thousands of dollars less than a turn-key unit and enjoy how compact and easy to drive it is. There are hundreds of examples of various builds on YouTube, some very good, many horrible, that demonstrate what to do as well as what not to do. I would encourage building your own but as more of a hobby than something that has to be done in a month. Deadlines incur short cuts which are rarely satisfying.
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^^^^

cdnred said:
Being that you've got a flat bed, have you considered something like a rooftop tent..? You can put a cot inside for sleeping better at nite. It would be able to withstand 3 season use and can be collapsed for when traveling down the road. For simple use as your needing, it should fit the bill nicely plus easier to store away when not needed..

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On YT vids comparing types of camping rigs, among the things rule out a rooftop rig for me:
  • The need to remove gear and stow it in the vehicle before moving the rig to travel to a(nother) place to fish; even temporarily. Then, how much repacking do I have to do to keep my fishing gear accessible?
  • Weight and space to store it if I want to remove it when not using the vehicle for camping.
  • Along with the preceding the need to dry & air it out in a dry space after camping in wet weather.
For myself I'd prefer something more along the lines of @Freestone 's Element conversion or @iveofione 's Casa that does not rule out other usage for the vehicle; along the lines of this:

However Mrs Brian wants more space & comfort which has its own disadvantages.
 
Brian Miller said:
For myself I'd prefer something more along the lines of @Freestone 's Element conversion or @iveofione 's Casa that does not rule out other usage for the vehicle; along the lines of this:

However Mrs Brian wants more space & comfort which has its own disadvantages.
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Brian, I saw a Suboverland when he first started the business and thought it was a unique idea. A few months ago I referred a friend to Suboverland and he went down to check them out. He’s planning on buying one as soon as he sells his house. I think it is a great conversion but I have more head room in mine and get better gas milage so I will keep my Element. I may eventually go to a 4x4 van or the AWD Transit as I did several long long road trips in the Element last summer and fall and eventually, I found myself wishing that I could stand up. It wasn’t bad when the weather was nice but towards the end of the last trip, it was 22 degrees in the mornings so I found myself hanging out inside until it warmed up a bit.

And, I do mean “hanging” out as on that trip, I hung a hammock inside my Element. Obviously, it was a bit short but it worked out great! If I ever do a van build, I am definitely having hammock attachment points inside.


(Note: everything was out of the rig for cleaning and reorganizing for the week-long trip home.)


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I've been going over that same dialog in my head. I think the toughest part is getting clear on what you really need and will use, and then stick with that goal.

I've decided that a van with a platform bed is the ticket. Since it isn't an unreasonable vehicle I will probably trade my car in.

I'd put some storage drawers below the platform, a rolling canopy over the side door and some type of rack system that will allow me to hang a table on the exterior (for cooking). That'd probably be everything I'd use on a consistent basis.

Once you start going down the slippery slope (maybe just a small built-in cooler and stove, a porta potty, maybe a shower and, and, and) the very next step if a $150K travel home!
 
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