Perry Mack
Adventure ready Napier Sportz Truck Tent It was 37°C under clear skies so we didn't set-up the 1200mm rainfly
Words and photos by Perry Mack
If you've never seen one, a truck tent is exactly what it sounds like—a tent you set up in your truck. Like the old commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - "you got peanut butter in my chocolate!" In this case, it's a tent in your truck.
Let's address the cons of truck tents first. They can be limiting in space compared to traditional ground tents, as they have to fit in the truck bed. This means the length might not be enough for taller campers, and storage for gear could be limited. Depending on the quality of the ground tent you’re considering, truck tents can also be more expensive due to their specialized design.
However, the pros easily outweigh the cons depending on your preferences. Portability is a big plus, as the tent can be set-up anywhere your truck can park. Tight sites with rough, soggy, rocky or debris-covered ground won’t hold you back. Getting off the ground means some protection from creepy crawlies, reptiles, rodents, and other small mammals, and being a little higher always means a better view. While storage can be limited, if you have a rear cab access window, you’ll still have entry to the cab to grab a chilled beverage or snack - bonus, your food and gear is locked and well-protected.
Truck tents are quick and easy to set-up, typically faster than a ground tent. If you have a tonneau cover, you can leave your mattress, sleeping bag and other items ready for the next campsite. If the fish aren't biting, you have noisy neighbours, or you run out of an essential, you can pack up in minutes, leave, and return or find a better spot.
If you’re going to stay in a hotel or RV resort for an extended period (for work or play), taking a truck tent along for weekend explorations makes great sense.
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Everything you need in a tidy bag and it all fits in again after teardown
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The instructions are wisely sewn into the carry bag - can't lose them
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It looks bad but with the poles in you're more than half done.
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Gear hammock and lanter hook
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Roof vents on both sides let the daytime heat out and starry nights in
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The cab side window allows access right into the cab
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Big windows give great ventilation
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Windows can be opened left, right or both
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Taped seams protect the floor from getting moisture in the tent
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The tent fits over the tonneau box and there's still plenty of room for the Sportz Air Mattress
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optional strap protectors save your paint
Although we’ve had many RV’s through the years, we’ve also had a truck tent. They can go where no RV can, and for spontaneous, cheap, weekend fishing or camping trips, they can’t be beat. Back in 2013, we had the Backroadz Truck tent on our Ram 1500 (https://suncruisermedia.com/4WDrive/accessories/backroadz-truck-tent/). When we bought the Wrangler Sahara we opted for the Sportz SUV tent (https://suncruisermedia.com/4WDrive/accessories/the-duplex-of-camping/). It’s a more luxurious tent, but it was sold with the Jeep and still suffered from most of the drawbacks of a regular tent. Now, we’ve opted for the Sportz Truck tent for our Chevy 3500 HD diesel.
A big entry door with an adjustable height 1.22 m (4 ft) awning for shade, generous windows for view and ventilation, and a centre height of roughly 1.73 m (5’8”) creates a comfy interior. Our camping plans always include preparing for the weather—it's guaranteed to rain at some point. There are a number of weatherproofing features, starting with "a 1200mm PU coated, taped seam rainfly, oxford polyester bathtub floor, fully sealable windows/vents, and the requisite zippered storm flaps.
Some seemingly minor options are welcome conveniences, including the gear loft, gear pocket and the lantern holder. The colour-coded shock cord poles make it fast and easy to set-up after a couple of practice runs. It’s lightweight at less than 11.8 kg (26 lb) and comes with an expandable carry bag.
Perry Mack
The awning arms are adustable so you can position to block the sun while you relax with a bevvy in the matching Napier arm chair
Online shopping is fun, so we added the Sportz Air Mattress, Sportz Strap protectors, and the Napier Arm Chair. Confession: we like when stuff matches—it could be vanity or an overzealous click finger. The air mattress is good with three options for inflation: mouth (yikes), a valve for a power inflator, and a built-in hand pump. We chose the full size mattress at 190 x 127 x 12.7 cm (75 x 50 x 5 in). Once upon a time, we had a model specific truck bed mattress that filled the space in the front and rear of the wheel wells. Fantastic, but it was double the price. The camp chair is a good-quality, affordable, portable folding chair (that matches the tent). The strap protectors are soft as mink fur and add some extra protection to your truck's paint job, which is especially important as the straps move somewhat in windy conditions.
A truck tent may be perfect for you, whether it’s your only tent, or accompanies an RV or other camping option. Hopefully reading our pros and cons helps you make a choice. There are other brands of truck tents available, some good, some atrocious. We’ve had great tents and great service from Napier Outdoors over the last decade, and if you choose a truck tent from this Canadian company, we expect you will too.