For those who love the outdoors, as I do, we’re always looking for new and interesting ways to get out there.
My wife and I were looking for new ways to camp the two of us (we have a camper for when we go with our kids), and truck bed tents looked pretty interesting.
As I researched, one of the main questions my wife asked me was: Is a truck bed tent worth it?
Truck bed tents are worth the price and the effort. They keep you off the ground, extend the life of a tent, are cheaper than campers, stay warmer, and are more comfortable. On the other hand, they also take up space in your truck bed and need to be taken down every time you drive.
In the rest of this article, we’ll dive deep into the pros and cons of truck bed tents.
Check out our picks for the best truck bed tents, including a detailed buyer’s guide by clicking the link.
Table of Contents
Quick Chart For Truck Bed Tents Pros And Cons
| Advantages Of Truck Bed Tents | Disadvantages Of Truck Bed Tents |
|---|---|
| Cheaper than campers and overland tents | Takes up space in a truck bed |
| Off the ground for extra security | Harder to set up |
| Easy to store | Not as much space |
| Warm and dry when compared to ground tents | Needs to be taken down every time you drive |
| Stays clean and lasts a long time | |
| Very comfortable |
Pros For Truck Bed Tents
In this section, we’ll look at why you should check out this type of tent.
I was a little skeptical at first, but in my experience and that of my friends, there are great reasons to give it a shot.
Pricing Compared To Overland Tents
The other option for camping in a truck with a tent is called the overland tent.
Overland tents, also known as rooftop tents, attach to the top of the truck by rails or racks pre-installed on top.
Those connect well and save you room in the truck bed, but they cost quite a bit more.
A truck bed tent won’t cost much more than a traditional ground tent.
As with most tents, there is some variety to pricing in truck bed tents.
Extra Security From Animals And People
Being up and off the ground has a lot of benefits and is the main reason truck bed tents are awesome.
For one thing, being off the ground gives you some extra security.
As you sleep, critters don’t come and mess with the tent because it’s off the ground.
It’s easier to pass items into the truck too.
When you leave the tent and explore, animals are less likely to come and bug it because it’s on the truck.
In all honesty, the two-legged creatures (people) don’t mess with trucks.
Camping’s pretty safe, but there’s always a chance people could see a lone tent and decide to see what’s there.
Keeping the tent in the truck decreases this risk.
Easy To Store
Truck bed campers are made of almost the extra same material as ground tents, so they fold up and store easily.
Often, they’re just as light too!
One of the differences comes in the form of straps that attach to the truck.
Compared to rooftop tents, you don’t have the whole contraption to worry about.
Most people just keep the tent folded up in the bed and store all their camping gear there while they travel, and then they unload the gear to set up the tent.
Stay Warm And Dry
When it comes to staying warm and dry, bed tents are where it’s at.
By being off the ground, you avoid the cold from the ground.
When it rains, the ground soaks up water too, so you don’t have to deal with that.
Some campers complain about rain gathering in a truck bed and seeping through the tent, but this shouldn’t be a problem.
Most truck-bed-specific tents go right up to the sides of the truck, so the rain bounces off and falls to the ground.
In rare cases, it won’t, but even then, most beds should drain the water quickly.
If it doesn’t, it’s not the tent’s fault; it has something to do with your truck.
Cleaner And Lasts Longer
The bottom of tents is usually the parts that get damaged first.
They rub on the ground, get dirty, and a lot of the protection wears off.
By keeping the tent up in the truck bed, you don’t have this problem at all.
In the end, this not only makes it easier to clean and pack the tent when you’re done, but it makes the outdoor home last much longer than if it were on the ground.
Very Comfortable
I notice as I get older, it’s harder for me to camp in a traditional tent with a simple mat or even an air mattress.
The uneven ground is just hard to get over. I went with my boys a couple of times this past summer and was sore for days.
Cheaper Than A Camper
Compared to campers, which have a lot of these same benefits, the cost of a truck bed tent is insanely less.
Truck bed campers run around $15,000-20,000 when new, but the tents are between $150-400 for new ones.
It’s a more cost-effective way to get into comfortable camping without going through the real “roughing it” way.
Cons For Truck Bed Tents
It’s not all sunshine and rose; there are some truck bed downsides to keep in mind.
Removes Truck Bed Storage
While the tent folds down and stores easily, when it’s up, it takes up the whole bed of the truck.
If you bring a lot of stuff with you camping, you either need to keep it on the ground, put it in the cab of your truck, or keep it in the tent itself when the tent is up.
Takes Climbing To Set Up
Setting up one of these tents is kind of tough, especially how you have to climb up and down.
A lot of tent makers and experienced campers recommend you keep a little step ladder or footstool to help you get over the side of your truck from the ground.
All in all, while the act of setting up the tent is largely the same, it being up and harder to reach is what makes it harder.
Less Space Inside
Tents don’t always have a lot of space inside, and you may not be looking for a lot.
But with a truck bed tent, you only have as much space as your truck bed allows.
For this reason, truck bed tents typically are 2-person tents without a lot of headroom.
For this reason, you may consider putting any tent in the back of your truck bed.
There are ways to do it, as our article at the link discusses.
Costs More Than Equivalent Ground Tents
These don’t cost a lot, but if you compared the truck tent to a normal tent of the same size, it’d cost around 50% more (or more in some cases).
Must Find The Right Size For Your Truck
Another added inconvenience with this tent is how you need to find a close match for the size and length of your truck bed.
While random sizes may be OK, truck tents are designed to fit closely in the space.
There are a lot of options out there; just make sure you know your bed length and truck when you get your tent.
Must Tear Down Tent Every Time You Want To Travel
The biggest drawback in my experience is how you need to take down your truck tent every time you go to drive your truck.
While I’ve never seen it myself, I’ve heard stories of people who tried to drive slowly with the tent still up.
Even at 10 mph, the tent acted like a parasail and broke to pieces.
If you need to drive, you’ve got to take the whole truck tent down and put it back up again.
When Is A Truck Bed Tent Worth It?
Truck tents aren’t for everybody and every situation.
If you want a quick camping trip without too much gear and to stay near your truck, it’s worth it.
If you want to go with just a couple of people and take a road trip, camping at your stops, it’s worth it.
For those who want more space to sleep or have a family to share the tent with, it’s too small.
Keep all the above in mind about truck tents, but I encourage you to give it a shot.
My wife and I haven’t regretted it at all!