so much easier to just pack a decent tent and a air mattress. are you scared of bigfoot? i throw all our sh1t on the roof rack, ice chests stay in the back with the dog and the rest of the inside is empty for our 2-3 hour drive to the mountains. take 30 min to set up camp/fill my belly with all the non craft, non hipster bullsh1t beer or some dope whiskey. meanwhile wife cooks up some bomb dinner on the coleman grill. sleep like a baby, wake up to a bomb breakfast while i make the fire again and drink more Coors. It' not oVeRLaNdINg, it's camping, and it's awesome; but I think I digress.

Can't say I ever had a problem over 4 years with bears and that cooler but I guess there's always a first. When that first does happen it's probably better (maybe not for the bear) to have the cooler outside the truck.

And Grizzly is the brand. https://www.grizzlycoolers.com

I've found that parking on a slight decline will relatively level the cargo area with the seats folded down. I sleep with my head and torso on the back of the seats and feet in the cargo area. I have a GSD so, there are a lot of throw towels in the back seat under the dog hammock to reduce the inevitable dog hair weave in the seats. So, I use the towels to level the cargo area and provide some padding. Right now, its usually just me and my dog that go camping so there enough room and not a lot of cargo. Cargo goes in 3 plastic storage tubs and fit under the truck. Tub 1 is for food/kitchen cargo. Tub 2 is for dirty things like wood if going to desert and tarp or wet shoes used clothes. Tub 3 is for doggo (food folding bowls).

I always go with someone camping so far and hes got a pickup so cooler is with him.

I did in my 16 with cargo tray. Just pull the rear seat bottoms if you’re over 6 foot and buy a 100 dollar full size memory foam mattress on amazon and cut to fit. Aim for 6-8” mattress.

Buy some no see um screen at HD and use painters tape to seal it over rear windows for ventilation.

for trips with a lot of highway miles, or through areas where camping isn't allowed, being able to stealth camp inside your vehicle is a big benefit.

Going on a short "overland" camping trip end of October, planning to camp in the back. Bought the screen things to go over the rear doors to keep the windows open, and I'm going to pick up one of those folding mattresses to try.

I've been known to sleep a night or 2 in the back of my T4R.

I built my own quick and easy deck to level out the back with my ARB drawers.





More details here -->Sleeping Deck Mod

That unit looks pretty comfy and I may need to get this to get the wife back on board with camping. She likes to go but sleeps miserably even with the big thermarest.

if you have an REI near you go try laying on an exped megamat

With the sliding tray is perfectly flat. I slept without a mat the first day

I removed the tray and got a inflatable twin air mattress. It just fits with the rear seats and doesn't take up much room when stored.

I make sure all my stuff is packed in containers so when we arrive at night I can unload and inflate. It is a pain to get in and out of the car though as you can't stand when you exit. I don't exit from the back cause the gate is covered in dirt when we go

If your sleeping two it's tight. I would look into that custom size one for SUV air bed.

Exactly. Plus no hassle setting up a tent. (But it's never a hassle to pitch a tent.) Just don't forget to crack windows so authorities don't notice your car is all steamed up inside.

If you want to throw money at the problem, GooseGear has a super-slick solution with rear drawers and an integrated sleeping platform -- either 40%, 60% or full. Out of my budget, but figured I'd throw it out there for sake of completeness of the thread:

https://www.goose-gear.com/products/...ping-platforms

This thread has alot of ideas....

Post pics of your drawer/storage system

Ive done my fair share of sleeping in the back of trucks, anywhere from an overnight to two months on the road. It has nothing to do with being scared of bears or not wanting to sleep outside, Im just lazy. I love being able to park and go to straight to sleep with minimal effort.

I traded in my Tacoma a year ago for the 4Runner, one of the biggest concerns was whether or not Id be able to sleep in the back, there wasnt alot of information on it but I figured out a setup that works for me. Being 6'3" Ive always been cramped, including the Tacoma with its 6' bed. With the 4Runner and the seat bottoms removed, I push the passenger seat forward and tilt it forward and get 6'10" of leg room, for once Im able to stretch out completely.

Obviously going from the Tacoma to the 4Runner was quite the change, I lost a bit of storage space, and my packing methods have changed. Im still dialing in my system with the 4Runner. I use a Gobi rack to store stuff on top and try to pack minimally. Losing the tail gate from the Tacoma meant adding a camp table for cooking which I actually prefer now.

Anyways, heres a picture of my platform. I use a simple 4" ikea mattress.
More pictures here Link

Attached Images

 

I bought one of these and have never looked back!!!


One of the best investments I have ever made for my 4runner. Plus if you buy the side bumpers, you can use it as a normal air mattress too. Fits perfectly snug in the back of the 4runner. Give them a call and ask for the owner. He will guide you to the correct size, and probably throw in some free-bees as well! Great product with great customer service.



https://truckairbedz.com/Airbedz