Best Truck Bed Tent For Camping Anywhere
Best Truck Bed Tent Credit@garrett_reichman
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BEST FLOORLESS TENT Rightline Gear Truck Tent
BEST AFFORDABLE Guide Gear Full-Size Truck Tent
BEST QUALITY Kodiak Canvas Truck Bed Tent
Camping on the truck bed tent of your pickup makes a world of difference compared to camping on rough terrain with a ground tent. At the same time, you avoid waking up to puddles surrounding your time. With truck tents, you can pitch your tent anywhere you go.
Read more: The Fastest Way To Set Up A Tent
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If you are a beginner camper, you may like something affordable and yet be able to fulfill the basic need of a truck bed tent. Guide Gear Full Size Truck Tent is one of the best truck tent in the beginner’s category. This bed tent provides the basic needs of space and comfort. You will absolutely love its ease of setting up so that you can have more time for other camping activities.
If you are looking for the absolute best high-quality truck camping gear and budget is not an issue, then you cannot go wrong with the Kodiak Canvas Truck Bed Tent. This tent is one of the best waterproof tents as its fabric is constructed with premium Hydra-Shield which beads water once rain touches it. It is super spacious and the ceiling is high enough to move around in it like an apartment.
If you are looking for a basic floorless truck bed tent, you will love the Rightline Gear Truck Tent. It will fit over any truck bed platform even with a toolbox in place. With fewer materials, this means it packs down to compact size, making it lightweight and portable.
We can confidently say that you are definitely at the right place. We have reviewed a long list of options, and you can save the trouble of reviewing it yourself. In this guide, we have listed down 5 picks for the Best Truck Bed Tents For Camping Anywhere.
5 Best Truck Bed Tent
Getting this Truck Tent is a great addition to your truck, making your bed feel like a camper. It comes in multiple sizes to fit your compact, mid-sized or full-sized truck. It is a 3 season tent, so it can be used most of the year.
As this is a truck tent, you will notice there is no bottom. The advantage is, it will fit over any truck bed platform even with a toolbox in place. With fewer materials, this means it packs down to compact size, making it lightweight and portable. You can lay down a tarp and a truck bed mattress to sleep in it. It is spacious enough to sleep 2 persons very comfortably.
If you have plenty of mosquitoes in your area, the no-see-um mesh will prevent any bugs from coming in. With the sky view vent, you can open the tent and watch the stars above. It allows better ventilation and light to come in. There are two gear pockets available for you to store your small items. And you can hang a lantern using the lantern hook inside.
The straps are of good quality and it is easy to clip the tent to the lower body of the truck. It clips on without damaging the paint of your truck. Just make sure the seams line up with the edge of your bed and only tighten it once the setup is ready. This tent is easy to set up and take down, as the poles come color-coded. There are instructions sewn on the stuff sack.
This tent can withstand 25 mph gusts of wind with no problems and is very waterproof with the rainfly on. With water resistance fabric having PU 2000mm sealed with taped seams, water does not get a chance to leak in. As you are elevated above the ground, you get to stay bone dry away from potential flooding on the ground when it rains.
Pros
- Floorless tent
- Multiple sizes to suit your truck
- Mesh top
- Gear pockets
- Lantern hook
Cons
- None
PROS
CONS
- Floorless tent
- Multiple sizes to suit your truck
- Mesh top
- Gear pockets
- Lantern hook
- None
Guide Gear comes with a full rainfly, so everything gets covered. Made of 190T polyester with a 1500mm water-resistant coating, this tent will keep you completely dry even in heavy rain. The tent can handle 40 to 50 mph of wind and it does not bother the frame a bit. It is a fully enclosed tent that comes with flooring so there is no water penetration through the bottom of the tent.
There are screened windows at the side allowing great views of the outside. It also prevents moisture build-up allowing hot air to leave the tent. And even with the rainfly on, there is still good ventilation as the windows are opened. At the same time, when it is chilly, it retains heat well when you have the windows zipped up. It comes with a large D-shaped door that is wide enough for you to crawl in and out easily.
This tent is roomy. It is spacious enough to fit most full-sized beds that measure between 79 to 81 inches with the tailgate down. You can fit 2 adults size campers inside. With a center height of 5.25 ft, you can sit and have plenty of space above you. You can hang ceiling lights or fans on the tent ceiling. The shock-corded, fiberglass frame is solid enough to support its weight. There are 2 storage pockets at the sides of the tent so you can reach your important items within arm’s reach at all times.
This tent is great for traveling around the country to the lake on a sunny day or to the mountains. It sets up easily with just 4 poles. It comes with multiple high-quality straps to keep the tent firmly down. It packs down into a small heavy-duty carry bag, allowing you to store it in your truck year-round. So you can camp even at a moment’s notice. For such an affordable price, we think this tent is a great tent for beginners who want to test out truck bed camping.
Pros
- Full Rainfly
- Spacious
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
Cons
- None
PROS
CONS
- Full Rainfly
- Spacious
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
- None
This is a good quality tent. It can survive gusty winds, thunderstorms and water will not find its way into the tent. You will surely appreciate this feature. You will be able to spend more time enjoying the outdoors instead of hanging out your rain-soaked items to dry.
You will start to love camping when you have an awesome tent. You can place a full-blown mattress into the tent and sleep comfortably with extra space for storage. The tent within is spacious. Measuring 5.5 feet in center height, You can almost sit upright with plenty of headroom. It can fit in most types of trucks, even with trucks with a toolbox.
The tent is pretty light, thanks to its use for shock-corded fiberglass poles. So this tent is pretty easy to manage. It comes in multiple options, depending on your truck size.
This tent for truck bed comes with a lantern holder, so you can hang a lantern for better visibility at night. Also, there are gear pockets available to place all your essential items. One of the setbacks is that the side windows do not have privacy screens unless you have the rainfly on. This may be inconvenient if you want to change your clothes in the tent.
The color-coded tent poles make pitching the tent incredibly easy. It is also versatile to be pitched on the ground.
Just place the straps over the side of the truck to secure the tent. Tighten the straps and clip the poles after all the poles are in. As it is a fully encapsulated tent, it comes with a sewn-in floor.
Pros
- Full floor
- Multiple sizes
- Good rain protection
- Spacious
- Full rainfly
Cons
- No privacy windows
PROS
CONS
- Full floor
- Multiple sizes
- Good rain protection
- Spacious
- Full rainfly
- No privacy windows
It has a good center height where an average camper can comfortably stand-in. It makes it comfortable to stand inside to change inside while standing. It is designed to fit a standard 6.5 ft truck bed, which is spacious. Like other truck beds, this tent also has a lantern hook and storage pockets to cater to campers’ needs.
This pickup truck tent has built-in flooring, so dirt and rain will not get inside. If you are looking to use this tent for the long term, get this one. This tent has been upgraded to use a superior ripstop grade material. You will find it very durable against the external elements. A rainfly is also included with this tent to cater to wet weather conditions.
Bugs will not get in with this tent, thanks to its mesh ventilation screens on the door as well as windows. There are privacy shades on windows and doors available when you need them. And if you want to prevent build-up for internal condensation in chilly weather, you can keep the shades slightly opened to let the hot air out. It comes with a carrying case for improved portability.
Pros
- Good center height
- Full floor
- Privacy shades
- Large tent
- Available in multiple sizes
Cons
- Minimal air circulation
PROS
CONS
- Good center height
- Full floor
- Privacy shades
- Large tent
- Available in multiple sizes
- Minimal air circulation
If budget is not an issue and you are looking for only the best quality truck bed tent for long-term camping, then this is the one for you. It is made with premium Hydra-Shield, 100% cotton duck canvas. The tight weave and silicone finish make the material watertight and yet breathable keeping you comfortable inside. This canvas material will keep you warm in chilly weather and keep you cool during hot summers.
The tunnel shape roof maximizes the interior space with a center height of 5 feet. It feels very roomy inside. Its sturdy frame is made of 0.75 inches steel tube, is built to withstand strong winds and heavy snow loads. which will connect to the clamp on rails that. There are 5 windows allowing the breeze to pass through.
The window behind the tent allows you to conveniently access items directly from your truck. It has awnings at the front and back to prevent rain from coming in. The fabric is very well stitched and so if you pull it around the poles, you will not worry about tearing it. It is a 4 season tent, so you can use it all year round.
This is a floorless tent, thus, there is no need to sweep out the tent. It has a tailgate-down design so you can expand to have more usable space with the tent. The zippers are heavy-duty, so you will not need to worry about zippers breaking midway.
Although it is heavier than other tents due to the use of canvas, the top-notch quality of this tent will last you years. It is definitely great value for the money.
Pros
- Superior quality fabric (Hydra-shield)
- Durable steel frames
- Floorless tent
- Roomy interior
- 5 windows
- 4 season tent
Cons
- Superior quality fabric (Hydra-shield)
- Durable steel frames
- Floorless tent
- Roomy interior
- 5 windows
- 4 season tent
PROS
CONS
- Superior quality fabric (Hydra-shield)
- Durable steel frames
- Floorless tent
- Roomy interior
- 5 windows
- 4 season tent
- Heavy
- Learning curve when setting up
Buying Guide
Size
The size of your tent is largely dependant on the size of your truck. Most truck bed tents having universal sizing with a one-size-fits-all situation, fitting most trucks.
Weight may not be really a big issue for you, as you are truck camping. But having a smaller packed size tent will help to save up on storage space in your truck.
Larger tents usually allow you to stand upright in the middle of the tent. Having straight sidewalls will also create more space for tent cots inside.
Most truck tents are made for 2 persons. If you plan to camp with more people, consider getting a ground tent.
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Installation
Tents that come without a floor are much easier to set up, but you will need to purchase a separate footprint. Some campers prefer this option as they can use a truck bed mattress which can easier to fit the floor of the truck.
On the other hand, having an attached footprint closes off your tent from any bugs, preventing any water from flowing in.
Especially when coming back from a long day out on your truck, you will not want to find yourself spending hours figuring out how to set up a tent. So you may want to find a tent that you can understand and set up with ease.
Ventilation
You would want ventilation as your top priority if you are living in hot weather conditions. You would not want to end up sleeping in an oven, where it will be stuffy and sweaty as the air cannot get out of the tent. Especially so when someone farts in the tent!
Ventilation features to look for in a tent are mesh walls, windows, and doors. Meshes on the tent help block out hungry mosquitoes. Double-check that the vents are in areas where air can still flow while the rainfly is on. You can install tent air conditioners or tent heaters through these vents for extra comfort. A tent with great ventilation features minimizes condensation. It allows air to flow through and keep you cool during warm nights.
Some tents are designed with cab access. And if you have a cab window, it allows you to access items inside of your truck.
Protection from elements
Rain protection is one of the most important features to keep you dry. It is necessary especially in the mountains where the weather changes in an instant. An interesting fact is that not all tents are waterproof. The majority of tents are water-resistant. This means it resists and slows down the penetration of rain. Areas to check for waterproofing are its seams and zippers.
Most people go for truck tent camping activities in spring, summer, or autumn. Thus, choosing a 3 season tent tends to be the favorite choice. It is usually made to be lightweight and cooler for warm weather.
If you plan to camp even in the winter months, consider the Kodiak Canvas Truck Bed Tent, a 4 season truck bed tent.
Our Verdict
You will not go wrong with any of these top-rated Truck Bed Tents, as they are one of the best truck bed tents compared to other options you see on the market.
If you still cannot decide and need a final recommendation, then we would recommend Rightline Gear Truck Tent to elevate your camping experience. You can forget about problems with snapped poles as you can be assured that the main construction is durable. There are multiple sizes available to suit your truck dimension. Plus, its floorless tent makes it easy to set your tent even with the toolbox in your truck. It is a reliable tent that you will want to own.
What's Next
If you are looking for reliable stakes to replace your standard stakes, you can check out the Best Tent Stakes for Camping.
If you are more interested in getting ground tents, then check out our reviews for the
Jules and Ken
We are outdoor lovers, travelers, and writers all rolled into one. You have seen our posts here reviewing lots of different types of outdoor gear, camping equipment, kayaking to cycling. Our reviews are guided by our years of experience being outdoors. We are happy to share our knowledge with you so that you can make a better choice when you are outdoors.
We hope you enjoyed this review and if you have questions about any of the Best Truck Bed Tent, or want to leave your own personal review, feel free to leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!
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1 thought on “Best Truck Bed Tent For Camping Anywhere”
Truck bed tents typically take much less time to set up than a standard one, too. Full-size tents need to be secured into the ground via a hammer and pegs, but truck bed ones can usually just be tied to the vehicle.