I want to buy a new 2011 Ranger but want to sleep in it on my camping trips. I'm just too hurtfull to sleep on the ground much more.

I have found a site that has 4x4 off-road campers. But that is a bit much. I just need a sealed place to put a matress and my sleeping bag to sleep at night. A sleeper that went lenth wise would work. Or maybe a hard cover that opened up in the back and had canvas sides/back with screen windows/doors.

All my searches have not turned up anything. Does anyone know of someone who makes something like this?

 

My truck has the long bed - 7 feet long - and a fiberglass topper with extra headroom toward the back. A twin bed size air mattress fits well between the wheel wells with room for storage along both sides of the mattress. The topper has two windows on each side that can be opened for ventilation - they have screens - as well as the window between the cab and topper - no screen. You could easily put a roof top vent in as well for more ventilation. You also could build a platform that would have the bed higher than the wheel wells. This would give you storage room on the bed floor. On a trip to Alaska, I saw a fellow with that kind of set up. It looked real neat and seemed to work for him. He put a floor with rollers on it to pull out his "storage shelf" to get to the stuff he had stored under the bed. Curtains on the windows for privacy and you're good to go.

The long bed requires the regular size cab. You could fit an air mattress in an extended cab/6 foot bed as well. It depends on how tall you are (I'm 6' 2"). That set up would give you secure storage in the cab area.

Some ideas to ponder.

 

Thought about that. I'm 5'7". But dust is a big problem where I go. How did they seal the tail gate to keep dust and dirt out?

 

I worked with a surveyor that had a metal cover that poped up on both sides, the sides could then be covered with canvas. Tailgate was still in place. I can't remember the name of the company that made it, but it seems to be what you are looking for.

 

Silver Shield is what I was thinking of

 

LMC Truck has a tailgate seal that is inserted between the tailgate and the bed. It does a good job for me.

 

I had a truck tent and a mattress in the back of my Ranger. The mattress was made to fit the wheel wells, and was quite comfortable. The tent would set up in about 5 minutes. Mine was made for a short bed, but long bed tents and mattresses were available.

Sold them back in May I think. Or June... Baby won't go in the truck, so the truck stays home, hence, no truck tent.

 

Thanks for the info. I just spent 10 nights on the ground during a trip across Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. Dust was a big problem as we had a group of 3-4 trucks. I would wait till just before dark to set up my tent when it cooled down a bit and leave it zipped up. Then wait till right before bed to put my mat and bag in it with the hopes that the bugs were asleep then. I hate bugs in the tent. Really looking for something with very little or no set up/take down time.

Again the plan is to get something I can leave my bag and mat (my bed) made up and sealed from dust, bugs, and the rain/snow.

The topper idea sounds like it would work. Maybe one with a sealed and inclosed back with a door. Found a company just south of me called Cowtown Sleepers that could make one. Only thing would be the windows are a bit small for the summer. A tent sometimes with large windows and the fly left off can be warm. A second battery and fan(s) would help along with a roof vent.

I have seen some links (non of them worked) to a place called Rocky Topper. Discription said a bed cap that with the push of a button made into a camper. Not sure what it really is. If someone has info I would like to see it.

What I would like is a bed cap kinda like the top part of a pop up camper that had canvas sides and large screen windows that was sealed from the outdoors all the time (except when I get in or out of it) and I could leave my bed down and ready for me to get in it.

Next best thing I guess would be a bed tent like the one Napier makes. The Sportz I think. It is sealed. If if could work with a bed cap and be colapsed inside the truck bed with my bed in place and the cap put down. Then at night the cap raised and the bed tent put up.

Still open for ideas. Let me know what you have.

 

Check out this site...

Pop-up Truck Campers - Expedition Portal Forum

These guys are pretty hard core but there are alot of good ideas on this site if you look around.

 

For campsites I made a frame out of ¾" PVC pipe and four 45°s. An 8X10 tarp from Harbor Freight covers it with "clips" cut from the pipe to secure it. There is 40" between the wheel wells so a 40" Coleman twin air mattress fits perfectly. This is for overnight only and couldn't stand more than 10mph. Cost about $20.