Need some ideas for my truck bed.....

When I bought my new truck I decided to get the longer bed in case I ever wanted to sleep in it on fishing trips. My original plan was to put a full truck cap on it and just throw a mattress in there. After some pondering decided not go with the Bed cap and decided to get a hard tonneau cover. See Pic in link

http://www.undercoverinfo.com/ses_photos.php

I have looked into tents and the only ones that work over a truck bed do not work if you have a tonneau cover like mine. I am thinking about going to a canvas shop and having them make me a custom canvas/tent material to cover the sides while the cover is in an open position. I am thinking I may be able to get them to snap into the underside of the cover and close off the side and back.

Anybody else ever consider this? Or have any other ideas?

For those time I dont feel like staying in a hotel this concept would be nice. Just back the boat truck into the campsite, pop the cover up sleep, shut the cap and go in the morning. no tent to set up yadda yadda yadda.

Looks like I am pretty bored. Here is the concept in microsoft paint. Yikes.
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/dat.../Tent_Idea.jpg


Modified by cull25 at 8:52 PM 3/19/2012

i imagine it would get pretty warm while sleeping below a undercover bed cover. I have one on my truck and i couldn't sleep under it. way too much like a coffin http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/eek.gif

I could do the full camper top. Remember, they offer windows. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/boardstuff2/beers.gif

Not to mention, a good wind over the hood of the truck will close a undercover bed cover

http://forums.trucktrend.com/7....html http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/thumbsup2.gif

Have you been using Paint long?

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by aussiebasser &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Have you been using Paint long?</td></tr></table>

http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/roll.gif I almost spit my drink up.... Yeah man just tried to make something simple. Simple plans for a simple man.

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by KellyJoe &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">http://forums.trucktrend.com/7....html http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/thumbsup2.gif </td></tr></table>

It seems like that is a discontinued product and may only work with the sportmaster brand cap. But that is exactly what I am looking for.

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by cull25 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/roll.gif I almost spit my drink up.... Yeah man just tried to make something simple. Simple plans for a simple man.</td></tr></table>

That's beyond simple....if you want to sleep in the back of your truck buy a campershell...works better...

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by cull25 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/roll.gif I almost spit my drink up.... Yeah man just tried to make something simple. Simple plans for a simple man.</td></tr></table>

Thing is, I've been thinking about the exact same thing for the back of my ute. Thought I'd have to make one too. I don't know that I'd be able to keep my coloring in inside all the lines though. And my ute is Green, not Red.

http://www.camping-gear-outlet...k_bIw

any of these work?

Is the half height tail-gate a special order on you truck?

Extended cab truck right?

see that little handle on the right?

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...1&d=1204855793

Will allow you to do this and save yourself $700.

http://kansascity.injuryboard.com/up...ned%20Seat.jpg

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by aussiebasser &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

Thing is, I've been thinking about the exact same thing for the back of my ute. Thought I'd have to make one too. I don't know that I'd be able to keep my coloring in inside all the lines though. And my ute is Green, not Red.</td></tr></table>

Here Dale...Just whipped something up for you real quick, just so you could picture how yours would look. Oh yeah and i just learned how to make stars. Put one accent in there to match your tent.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/dat.../Dale_Tent.jpg

http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2011/12...urveyors02.jpg

can you make me a new siggy? The stolen art I have now is nice and all, but your paint work is great.

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by cubswin &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">can you make me a new siggy? The stolen art I have now is nice and all, but your paint work is great.</td></tr></table>

You talkin' to me or him?

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by cull25 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

Here Dale...Just whipped something up for you real quick, just so you could picture how yours would look. Oh yeah and i just learned how to make stars. Put one accent in there to match your tent.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/dat.../Dale_Tent.jpg</td></tr></table>

The stars are a bit gay, but not as bad as a rainbow I suppose. It don't look like a ute though.

I've kicked around several ideas to beat the 50 to 100 room charge.

Eating, showering, heat, cold, hauling & launching the boat ......... The only answer is a hotel room. I'd spend more getting a camper than I'd spend on hotel :/

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by aussiebasser &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

The stars are a bit gay, but not as bad as a rainbow I suppose. It don't look like a ute though.</td></tr></table>

It was lost in translation. Ute = Truck not Sport Utility Vehicle....My bad.

I thought about this exact same thing a while back. There have been a few times I've slept under my hard cover...I just stuck a shoe up in the edge to keep it cracked so I got some fresh air. Worked great and beat the hell out of the old guys snoring at deer camp.

I think having the shape of the tent made would be pretty easy. It could be made just like a boat canvas with windows and screens in the side and the back, and a door in the back, of course.

One thing that might be difficult is getting it to completely fold in when you close the lid without bunching up in between the cover and the bed rails. The one thing I thought about were elastic straps that pulled the middle of the sidewalls in as you closed the lid. You could even have these on snaps so you unsnap them when you're in there and just snap the straps up when you want to close it. I could explain better if you're really interested.

Honeslty, by the time you have all this custom canvas work done, it's going to get quite expensive. I am out of a hard tonneau now and have a full cap. I think that's the best option I've ever added to a truck. The room is incredible and I can sleep back there without an issue or worrying about folding anything or setting anything up.

Good luck! Post pictures if you go thru with it!

I'd just pitch a tent behind the truck and be done with it.