Camping Gear for Trucks: 4 Items for a More Comfortable Trip

Photo by Silvrshootr via iStock

Pickup trucks are one of the most famous vehicles when it comes to camping. Their space and utility make them a great base on which to build. 

In most cases, they also offer good off-road abilities, and aftermarket companies offer parts that will make them even more capable.

Since these vehicles are so popular in the off-road and overland world, it only makes sense to go over four items that will make truck camping more comfortable and enjoyable. 

Table of Contents 

• Use a Portable Diesel Heater to Warm the Cab
• Camping Gear for Trucks: Buy a Quality Mattress
• Camping Gear for Trucks: Add Outdoor Living Space
• Make Cooking Easier With a Good Stove
• Final Thoughts
• Other Recommended Overlanding Gear

Camping Gear for Trucks: Use a Portable Diesel Heater to Warm the Cab

We’ve talked about the Planar 4kw portable diesel heater plenty of times, and for good reason. Planar is one the most famous diesel heater manufacturers, with products that are used in the coldest environments in the world.

The portable 4kw diesel heater comes in a crushproof rain-resistant case and runs on diesel or kerosene and 12v DC. It’s equipped with a silencer, an air intake filter, and a remote wired controller. This means that the heater is quiet, runs efficiently, and you don’t even have to get out of the truck to adjust the temperature!

Fuel consumption is roughly 3-4 liters of fuel for 8 hours, so you can enjoy dry heat all night long. It’s important to note that even though this is based on an internal combustion engine, it can operate at altitudes of up to 8200 ft.

Our use for this diesel heater would be to warm up the cab or bed (depending on where you’re sleeping). This ensures you stay comfortable at night without breathing the cold air of winter camping.

If you have a look around, you will find plenty of cheaper diesel heater options; however, the quality of those is low, and the last thing you want is a badly-made internal combustion engine chugging along outside your truck! 

If you want to check out the Planar 4D Portable Heater in more detail, check out our unboxing video above!

Camping Gear for Trucks: Buy a Quality Mattress

Next on the camping gear for trucks list is an air mattress. Aside from altering the ambient temperature in your truck, you will also need a comfortable base to sleep on. Believe it or not, there are mattresses out there made to be used in a truck bed. Our product of choice is the Pittman Outdoors AirBedz Pro3. 

This air mattress is designed for full-sized short-bed trucks and has built-in indentations for the wheel arch protrusions inside the bed of your truck. To pump it up, you simply plug it into your 12v cigarette lighter, and the integrated pump will inflate the mattress. You can also use the pump for pumping up toys and floats. 

This mattress has a weight capacity of 1000 pounds, and pairs with inflatable wheel well inserts that enable it to be used at home. 

Camping Gear for Trucks: Add Outdoor Living Space

One of the best parts about camping is sitting around a campfire and enjoying the sounds of nature. To do this, you need a good shelter to sit under, and this is where the Yakima SlimShady Roof Rack Awning comes into play.

It comes with universal mounting hardware that fits most roof racks and can provide 42 square feet of sun and weather protection. 

When not in use, it can roll into a 6.5-foot case, leaving tons of room on your roof rack for other gear. . The material used is 420D nylon fabric with a PU coating which is light, durable, and waterproof. 

Pitching this awning is very simple, too. You just pull it out, prop it up, and you’re ready to go. 

Camping Gear for Trucks: Make Cooking Easier With a Good Stove

Cooking is one of the most fun parts of truck camping. To ensure you cook the tastiest food possible with ease and no frustrations, it’s worth investing in a quality camping stove. 

One of our favorite products out there is the Camp Chef Everest two-burner stove. This product features two 20,000 BTU burners, can be cleaned up easily thanks to its stainless steel construction, features matchless ignition, and only weighs 12lbs.

As this is a quality product, you also get a durable nickel-coated steel cooking grate that’s strong and built to hold your pots, griddles, and skillets. The wind blocks ensure that you have a stable flame, even if the weather has different plans for the day.

Granted, this product is more expensive than other stoves on the market; however, we strongly believe that you get what you pay for. The quality and power of the Camp Chef will serve you reliably for many years to come. 

Final Thoughts

Photo by Oleksandr Filon  via iStock

Using your truck for storage and transportation is commonplace, but it’s also valuable as a shelter for sleeping. You get a lockable and hard-walled area to take shelter from cold and snow, and if you’re in areas where predators are an issue, your truck provides far more protection than the walls of a tent. 

 With a few products like the ones mentioned above, you can even turn it into a comfortable space for camping!

 If you have any further questions regarding camping gear for trucks or anything else off-road or overland-related, head over to the forum section of our page. 

Other Recommended Overlanding Gear

Learn More:

• 4 Must-Have Accessories for Overlanding Trucks
• Camping Table Buyer’s Guide