I’ve loved camping and roughing it outdoors for as long as I can remember, but as I get older, I find the sleeping part gets tougher every year.
My wife and I recently got into truck bed camping, and it’s been a game-changer as far as sleeping comfort, but I was greedy and wanted even more.
I wondered: How can I make my truck bed more comfortable?
I asked around and tried out some stuff to find these 11 easy ways for getting a better night’s sleep.
Table of Contents
Use An AC Or Heater Or Fan
Airflow is a big part of helping my wife sleep, and it helps a lot of other people too.
The natural air will have some flow, but you’ll probably want something over your head (more on this later).
Unfortunately, this cover will block your air.
This is where a battery-operated fan would be of some help.
Of course, if it’s cold, opt for a heater instead. Or if it’s hot, use a small AC unit.
There are some great truck tents with AC capabilities out there.
Click the link to check out our picks.
Use A Truck Bed Tent
It’s possible to sleep on the truck bed itself with nothing around but you and the stars.
But this won’t work in the rain.
It’s possible to use a tonneau cover to provide a roof over your head.
But the best option (save a camper) is to get a truck tent.
Note: It’s even possible to have a tonneau cover and a truck tent (though not always).
Truck tents are specially made to be used with a truck.
There are two main types:
- Rooftop tents – Comfortable, saves space, more expensive, but easy to set up. It’s not what this article is about.
- Truck bed tents – Basically, a tent that fits perfectly in your truck bed and straps down securely.
Truck bed tents are affordable and easy to use. They make sleeping in a truck bed much more comfortable as it gives you space and protection from the elements while still letting you sleep on the truck bed for maximum comfort.
Pop-up tents and DIY tents in the truck bed are fine too, but they run the risk of scratching the truck when it gets windy.
Make It Level
The truck bed is flat, which is why it’s the perfect and most comfortable sleeping surface while camping (except for full-on campers).
The truck will even adjust itself slightly to be level, but there’s only so much it can do.
Make sure the space you park in has level ground for a night of even better sleep.
No one wants to sleep on an angle!
If there’s no flat spot around, don’t fear!
Here’s what we do when we go camping for deer season up in Michigan.
- Park the truck where you want it to be.
- Look at the low sides of the truck and which wheel or wheels are on that side.
- Pull forward 6” inches.
- Put leveling blocks or pieces of wood where those low tires were.
- Back up the truck onto those blocks.
- Check for level again.
- Repeat and adjust with more blocks or thicker wood as needed to get level.
Use The Truck Bed Itself
One of the downsides of sleeping on a truck bed is the lack of space.
If you’re sleeping there, there’s little to no room to store stuff.
So it follows for you to try a sleeping cot lifted off the ground or a special truck tent with a platform over the sides of the truck for saving space underneath where you sleep.
This is a fine idea, but you’ll lose the comfort of the truck bed itself.
The bed is flat and stable; use it as the floor to put your mattress on (more on that in the next tip), which is a truck tent with a flat bottom is ideal.
You may not want to spend the extra money on a special truck tent, but if you do, it’s worth it.
Check out if it’s possible to use a truck tent as a regular ground tent in our article at the link.
Mats To Pads To Air Mattresses
Sleeping bags are great, and they’ll work just fine on a truck bed and be pretty comfy.
But if you want some more comfort, you’ve got to step it up a bit.
Sleeping mats or pads are flat and offer a bit of cushion to them.
They work well on a truck bed, though I don’t use them anymore on the ground.
Better than these are air mattresses.
There are some air mattresses that aren’t more than pads, and some are as big as a normal bed.
We use full-sized ones in our truck, but I’ve seen a lot of people use the smaller ones with success.
Couple an air mattress with some of the next few tips, and you’ll be sleeping as comfortably or better than you do at home.
Use A Quilt On The Mattress
I love air mattresses, but the worst part about them is how they’re filled with air.
Seems obvious, but they don’t insulate from the bottom very well.
They’re often cold from underneath, especially as the truck bed is often cold too.
If you put a quilt or thicker mattress pad on top of the mattress before you add your sheets and blankets, it’ll provide some extra cushion and also insulate against the cold better.
Cover The Truck Sides
Along the same lines, to keep your sleeping area comfier, consider using blankets or quilts to cover the truck sides between your truck and your tent or just between you and your sleeping space if you don’t use a tent at all.
This will insulate and block out some of the noise too.
Bring A Lot Of Pillows And Blankets
If you’re roughing it and packing light, a sleeping bag and pillow will do for sleeping just fine.
But if your goal is comfort (as this article is kind of about), bring some more stuff.
In my experience, you can never have too many pillows and blankets to help tuck yourself in and get as cozy as possible.
Pick The Right Size Mattress
If you have the option, get the right size mattress for your truck bed. Not every one fits, obviously, and it depends on the size of your truck bed.
I go for the biggest one that fits in your truck bed. It leaves less room for me to roll around (and not fall off!).
If you have a truck tent, check the dimensions of it first.
Here’s a quick chart on the standard sizes of mattresses to help you determine which one to get.
| Size Mattress | Length | Width |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 75” inches | 30” inches |
| Twin | 75” inches | 38” inches |
| Twin XL | 80” inches | 38” inches |
| Full | 75” inches | 54” inches |
| Full XL | 80” inches | 54” inches |
| Queen | 80” inches | 60” inches |
| King | 80” inches | 76” inches |
Keep Water And Dirt Out
It may seem obvious to many with camping experience, but do everything possible to keep the outside outside of your sleeping area.
Moisture and dirt find ways of getting everywhere and making a camping experience terrible.
Keep your shoes, towels, and other outdoor things away from your tent or sleeping spot as much as possible.
We take all of our shoes and other dirty stuff off before we go into the tent.
Be on the lookout for:
- Wet or damp clothing or shoes
- Dirt
- Sand
- Sticks
- Pinecones
- Bugs
It’s worth the second it takes to give everything a quick once over before you go into your truck bed, and it’ll make it that much more comfortable.
Add Awnings Or Canopies
To help out with the last tip, add some awnings or canopies near the truck bed or truck tent to keep stuff in and stay covered.
This will lessen the chance of bringing the undesired things in and give you more space to spend time on rainy days (or days when the sun is beating down on you).
It doesn’t even have to be fancy to work. A draped tarp from the side of the truck to a nearby tree will do just fine.