I love my truck bed tent, but I love saving money by getting multiple uses out of a product more.
So whenever I get anything, I’m always asking if I can use it for another purpose.
Which is why I started to wonder: Can you use a truck tent as a regular tent?
Not all truck tents are usable as regular ground tents, but many can. Higher-quality truck tents are convertible for both uses, and even the ones that aren’t, just need either an awning or a simple footprint to work just fine. But if the tent uses a platform to attach to the sides of the truck, it won’t work well.
Let’s look ahead at what you need to know to make this work.
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When Can You Use A Truck Tent As A Ground Tent?
In most cases, it’s possible to use a truck tent as a standard ground tent at any time.
The only type where it won’t work as well is when the truck attaches with a solid platform.
In this case, it won’t rest on the ground evenly.
Most are adaptable to some degree. If you get a quality one, it’ll do fine in both situations.
Check out our picks for the best truck bed tents at the link.
One trick you might try is to get an awning and prop it out over the end of your truck.
Then, put your truck tent on the ground under that for extra coverage.
Another problem with truck tents is that some don’t have a reinforced bottom.
Ground tents all have thicker materials to protect them from contact with the ground.
Fortunately, this is a pretty easy fix. Get a tent footprint, and put it down first.
Problem solved!
Truck Tent Vs. Ground Tent
There are a few key differences to explore to help you decide if you want to use a truck tent or a ground tent as your main sleeping space.
Both are great options, but they do have individual strengths.
Note: All comparisons in this section are with using each type of tent for its intended purpose.
Comparison Table For Truck Tents And Regular Tents
Here’s a quick reference table for those of you who prefer to look at table options.
| Truck Bed Tent | Regular Tent | |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeping Comfort | Super comfortable | Less comfortable; ground is often uneven |
| Insulation | Truck sides help insulate and keep warm, but the bottom is colder | Sides are well exposed to wind and weather, but the bottom is insulated a bit by the ground |
| Space | Lack of space for moving around; limited by truck bed | Depending on the size, there may be tons of space |
| Setup Time | Takes longer to setup and needs to be taken down every time you drive | It may be quick or slow depending on type, usually faster than similar-sized truck tent |
| Design | Made for trucks first; may not be reinforced for contact with ground | Reinforced to be tough in rain and from rubbing on the ground |
| Use For Both Truck And Ground | Typically works well for both truck and ground | Works well on ground and truck, but many types and sizes won’t fit in the truck |
Sleeping Comfort
For comfort level, there’s no real comparison; the truck bed tent is the clear winner here.
Sleeping in the bed of a truck is one of the most comfortable ways to sleep while camping outside of getting a camper.
Ground tents can get more comfortable by adding nicer sleeping bags, pads, and air mattresses, but they won’t match up due to the flat nature of the truck bed versus the ground.
If comfort is key for you (and speaking as someone who’s getting older, it is for me), then a truck tent is the way to go.
Speaking of comfort, check out our tips for making sleeping in a truck bed more comfortable.
Insulation
With insulation from both cold and heat, it’s more of a toss-up here, though, in the end, it’s easier to adapt the truck tents.
On the one hand, truck tents will have some protection from the wind. The truck sides will do much to keep you insulated as you lay down.
On the other hand, the beds of trucks are often cold.
Ground tents have the opposite problem.
There’s no protection on the sides, but the actual ground is a good insulator.
Sure, the ground may be cold when you first pitch your tent, but it warms up and traps your natural heat well.
For this, it’s mostly a matter of situation or desire.
If you want to make the truck tent better here, put a quilt or thick blanket on top of your mattress and then add your sleeping bag or other blankets.
For a ground tent, pitch it up against something to protect from the wind (such as your truck).
Space
In this category, ground tents win.
Truck bed tents are always limited by the size of the truck bed.
Most of them won’t go up very high, and there’s not a lot of side-to-side room.
Pretty much every single truck bed tent is a two-person size.
Ground tents come in a huge variety of sizes to fit your exact need, from a single-person backpacking tent with just enough room to sleep to massive 6+ family tents, some with multiple rooms.
Setup Time
When it comes to quick setup time, it’s pretty even for both types, but I’ll give the win to regular tents here.
Truck tents take around 15 minutes or a little longer to set up. Not bad.
But similar-sized ground tents will often be faster.
Of course, some regular tent designs take longer than others, and the bigger you go, the longer it takes.
But truck tents need to be taken down and set up every time your drive your truck.
It’s perfectly fine to leave a ground tent pitched while you drive off to a local breakfast place.
Not so with a truck tent, and for that reason, ground tents win here.
Design
With design and durability, both do a nice job for what they’re meant to do, but on the whole, ground tents are a bit tougher.
They usually have a reinforced bottom to protect from rubbing on the ground, but many quality truck tents have all this as well.
So for this category, consider them pretty much the same.
Can You Use A Regular Tent In A Truck Bed?
In compatibility for both use on the truck and the ground, the truck tent will win.
It is possible to use a regular tent in a truck bed, but you’re limited in a lot of ways.
If the ground tent doesn’t fit in the truck bed, you won’t be able to use it.
Even if it does fit, you’ll have to get creative on how to strap it down so it doesn’t blow away.
And if you do use it, there’s a higher chance something will end up scratching your truck or blowing away.
Truck tents are designed to fit the truck bed well and strap down without causing damage.
Then, they are usable as a regular tent with only minimal fixes (as we talked about at the beginning).