Truck Bed Tents Archives - Page 2 of 2

One of the biggest complaints I hear from people who don’t camp often is how uncomfortable tents are. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to appreciate this problem more, so when I heard about truck bed tents, I started to look into them because people seem to say they’re comfier. Is this true? Are truck bed tents comfortable? I asked around and got one myself, and here’s what I found. Truck bed tents are much more comfortable than a typical ground tent. A truck bed is naturally flat, so an air mattress or mat lays evenly on it, making for a comfortable sleeping surface. The only thing to watch for is you park your truck on mostly level ground. Keep reading to learn about how to make your tents comfier. By the way…some of the comfiest tents are also the best truck bed tents. Click our review to find the best options (including some with AC options). Why Are Truck Tents More Comfortable? In a word, flat sleeping space. One of the worst parts of sleeping in a tent on the ground is the uneven ground. Even after clearing the area of sticks and large rocks, your air mattress or mat will always feel off and a little uncomfortable in a traditional ground tent. The only way to get around it completely is to use a cot with legs putting you off the ground. The best way will be able to adjust certain legs to get you to a flat surface. Of course, if you toss and turn, you may end up falling off the cot. It’ll also move a tent around too much, which could scratch the truck. Check out our article on if truck bed tents scratch your truck (some will and some won’t; find out why at the link). Truck tents don’t have to worry about this at all. Just get your truck to a semi-flat spot, plop down a mattress (or blow it up), and enjoy the sleep. In my experience, I’m also more comfortable because the sides of the truck give you a little bit more feeling of security. You’re less exposed to everything around you, with three sides blocked by the sides and back of the truck bed. 6 Tips For Making Truck Bed Tents More Comfortable After asking around to others who camp in their pickup trucks, I came up with these 6 tips for making your truck tent a little more comfortable. If you want more tips for truck camping in general, click the link to check the article. Use Layers To Trap Warmth And Soften The Bed Years ago, we discovered an air mattress hack that I don’t notice a lot of people talk about. My wife and I always hated how air mattresses are cold underneath, and they always seem to oscillate between too hard and sinking in. Putting a thick blanket or quilt on before you put a sheet over an air mattress will trap heat and make it a bit softer to lay on without having to let the air out and sink the bed in. Air Mattresses Are Better Than Cots Or Mats In a truck bed, any sleeping surface will work well, but for the most comfortable surface, opt for an air mattress. Sleeping mats work fine, though they don’t have as much padding. Cots aren’t needed and take up extra room in an already-crowded tent. One of the biggest downsides to a truck tent is how it is limited in size. It’s only as big as your truck bed. Adjust Windows To Find The Best Temperature Most tents come with zippered windows or even a roof vent. Don’t be afraid to adjust them to find the right temp for your sleeping. You’d be surprised how many people I’ve talked to who don’t realize they can leave these windows half or quarter zipped! Find Flat Ground For Your Truck I touched on this above, but find flat ground where possible to keep your truck bed flat. Your truck body will adjust to being more parallel with the ground in slight inclines, but there’s only so much it can do. If one side of the pickup is lower than the other, find a thin piece of firewood and drive over it to even the truck out. Drape Blankets Over The Truck Sides If you have a lot of blankets (and we have a million at our house), drape some of them over the sides of your truck. This will dampen the sound and prevent some of the cold air from the metal of the truck body from getting into your tent. Use A Fan To Help Airflow And Add White Noise Here’s one my wife needs in order to sleep well. Get a battery-operated fan and let it blow through your tent. The airflow will help keep the tent from feeling stifling, and it’ll block out some of the noise of the outdoors. Of course, the sound of nature is one of my favorite parts of camping, but I understand not everyone likes it as much as I do.