You’ve probably come across dozens or more DIY truck camping posts if you’ve been around the truck camping setup section of the internet for a minute.
You’ve seen tents on top of trucks and in truck beds, people turning their truck beds into tiny apartments, and more.
These setups are great if you’re on a budget, but they can take a lot of time to put together, and they’re not for everyone because of the limited amount of space you have to work with.
The ultimate truck camping setup might not be for all budgets, but you’ll maximize comfort and space by investing in this setup. Keep reading to learn more about how you can take truck camping to a whole new level with our ultimate truck camping setup.
The Ultimate Truck Camping Adventure
The ultimate truck camping adventure depends on the best truck camping setup. Follow these tips to perfect your setup for the best truck camping trip of your life.
Invest in a Truck Camper
Anyone who owns a truck with a standard bed size can invest in a truck camper, and doing so will change truck camping forever and allow you to have the ultimate truck camping setup that will make your friends and fellow campers jealous.
Benefits of Investing in a Truck Camper
Truck campers come with many of the comforts of RVs, but they are considerably more affordable. Trucks are also more fuel efficient than RVs, so choosing a truck camper is a win-win for you.
Your comfort level will increase tremendously with a truck camper vs. sleeping in your truck bed. Sure, you can find some amazing truck bed setups all over the Internet, but none of them can match up to what a truck camper can offer you.
Truck campers are ridiculously versatile. When you’re not using it, simply take it off and store it in your garage or storage unit. You will be able to use your truck just like you normally would.
Many truck campers come equipped with a bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, and living area–everything you need for the perfect truck camping setup at your new home away from home.
If you’re wondering about all the differences found between RVs and campers, check out this RV vs. Camper post.
Slide-In vs. Pop-Up Truck Camper Beds
Slide-in campers sit on the bed of the truck and are cozy because of their unique layouts that put everything you need in one area.
Meanwhile, pop-up campers have soft walls and less insulation. Pop-up campers often have more room and features, but there are slide-in campers with the same amount of space.
Both types of campers have kitchens, dinettes, bathrooms, and other features to make truck camping a breeze, although slide-in trailers are easier to drive and come in more styles to fit your personality.
A pop-up camper is an excellent value for families, but a slide-in camper is more luxurious and, in our opinion, provides more opportunities for the ultimate truck camping setup.
Truck Campers We Love
These are some of our top picks for truck campers for mounting the ultimate truck camping setup:
- Lance 825 Truck Camper: It’s no surprise this is one of the most popular truck campers on the market with its lightweight setup, customizability, and best-in-class dinette. This camper sleeps 4-5, so you can bring friends or kids with you on your truck camping trip.
- nüCamp Cirrus 820: This is one of the most luxurious truck campers on the market that will take the ultimate truck camping setup to the next level. It features air conditioning, which is rare in truck campers. It’s a large camper, but the total weight leaves enough room for packing gear.
- Arctic Fox 865: This truck camper is compact, lightweight, and has a loyal following for a reason. Its cathedral ceiling gives it an open feel that other truck campers don’t have. It also comes with a 45-watt solar panel for power on the go.
All of these truck campers come with all the essentials you need for a home away from home: a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and living space. Regardless of which truck camper you choose, you’re going to be setting yourself up to create the ultimate truck camping setup.
Setting Up Your New Home Away from Home
To truly have the ultimate truck camping setup, you want to arrange your truck camper like you would any home or RV. We’ll talk about some of the essentials you need to achieve the ultimate truck camping setup while you’re on your adventure.
Be sure to check out 18 camping essentials for a stress-free outing, which will help you achieve your dream camping adventure, regardless of your camping method.
Truck Camping Setup
Tie-Downs
You need to make sure you have pairs of front and rear camper tie-downs. These will ensure your camper is secure on your truck bed and won’t fall off during travel. The tie-downs can be attached to your truck’s bed or frame, but frame mounts are stronger.
Before you buy your tie-downs, though, check with your truck camper’s manufacturer to see which tie-downs are supported since different campers require different types of tie-downs.
Lifting Jack
Camper lifting jacks support and stabilize your camper when it’s parked or separated from your truck’s bed. These come in several different styles. If you have dual rear wheels, you need special brackets to clear the fender flares.
Turnbuckle
A turnbuckle connects the anchors to the tie-downs on your truck. They attach to a frame-mounted tie-down, and they come in several different styles. You will need to check with your camper’s manufacturer to determine which one you need.
Hitch
If you have any intentions of carrying a bike rack or extra cargo, you need a trailer hitch. If your camper hangs over your truck’s back, as many do, you will need a hitch extender. You can mount all sorts of extra cargo on your cargo carrier, even a grill.
Leveling Blocks
Truck campers need leveling blocks just like RVs because camping on uneven surfaces can drastically shorten the life of your refrigerator and other appliances. Leveling blocks also help your jacks from sinking into the ground and damaging the packing pad.
Bedroom Truck Camping Setup
Your truck camper already has a comfy area for you to unwind in at night and get a good night’s rest, but you can maximize this space by ensuring to bring along a cozy camping blanket (or a battery-operated blanket to stay extra toasty on cool nights and minimize electric use if needed).
This truck camping setup is perfect for bringing along your furry friends, so don’t forget to pack your pup a comfy dog bed and read up on camping with pets.
Kitchen Truck Camping Setup
Stocking your truck camper’s kitchen and dinette with all the essentials you need for a luxurious camping trip will add volumes to your truck camping setup. Invest in a French press for easy camp coffee and stock your cabinets with the best camping coffee mugs.
Truck campers will find the top 10 RV kitchen accessories relevant to their kitchen truck camping setup.
Bathroom Truck Camping Setup
Since your ultimate truck camping setup includes a shower, you don’t have to worry about messing with nasty campground showers or shower tents. Enjoy a private shower and the best camping soap to go with it. Check out some of our favorite biodegradable soaps:
- Dr. Bronner’s: An unscented all-purpose soap safe for use on hands, laundry, and dishes
- Direct 2 Boater: Acts as a 2-and-1 hair and body wash
If you’re looking for a hand wash to leave by your sink, we recommend Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap, made with essential oils.
Living Room Truck Camping Setup
Your living room space is limited in your truck camper, especially if you’re bringing along family and friends. Your living area is also someone’s bedroom, most likely.
To maximize living room space for the ultimate truck camping setup, we recommend bringing a tent to prop up comfy chairs, so you can relax and read, listen to music, or socialize.
The best tents for a living room setup are the eight-person tents because they offer plenty of space to put furniture or even a picnic table, so you can relax out of the sun and stay cool on hot days.
Setting Up Electronics
Your truck camper may already come with a solar panel, which can make it easy to camp off the grid for longer, though you may want to expand your solar system if you find the one your truck camper setup came equipped with isn’t enough. The best 7 solar generators for RVs will also work with campers!
Some campers also come equipped with televisions, so you may already have your television in place, so you don’t have to worry about installing one.
If your truck camping setup does not come equipped with a television, though, you may choose to buy one. Camping TVs are different from regular TVs because they are typically smaller and run off a lower voltage setting.
We like these televisions for truck camping setups:
- Tyler 14” Portable TV: Built-in battery-operated TV that works for 4 hours without plugging it in; it’s also compatible with all your favorite devices: Roku, Apple, Chromecast, etc
- SuperSonic 24″ WideScreen TV: This TV has a crisp flat-screen picture and a built-in DVD player. It has plugins for all your favorite devices as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a truck camper is right for my truck camping setup?
There are two things to consider when deciding to add a truck camper to your life: Budget and Size. Not all campers fit all trucks, so before you make the jump and buy a camper, you need to identify the size of the truck camper that will fit your truck.
If the truck camper you fall in love with ends up not being the right size for your current truck, then you will need to evaluate if you can trade your current truck in for a new one.
After you’ve crunched the numbers and figured out if everything will fit the way you want it to, then you will know the answer to if a truck camper is a right fit for your truck camping setup.
Do you need special insurance for a truck camper?
No state in the United States requires that truck campers have special insurance, insurance policies recognize a camper and a truck separately, so your truck insurance will not cover damages to your camper. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that truck campers buy recreational vehicle insurance.
Wrapping up the Ultimate Truck Camping Setup Guide
Now you know all about the ultimate truck camping setup experience. Whether you want to dive into truck camper life and experience truck camping at a new level is up to you.
While you’re deciding, check out truck camping essentials–a guide to everything a truck camper needs to have a successful camping trip.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Nicole Kinkade grew up in campgrounds in the Midwest with her family in their RV and has many fond memories around the campfire. She and her husband took many tent camping trips at the beginning of their relationship, and she looks forward to sharing the outdoors with her young son as he gets older.
She loves discovering new camping techniques and sharing them with the world. With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Media Communication, she is a passionate writer who loves sharing her knowledge online.
Nicole can be reached at nicolek.author@gmail.com