# truck bed camping



## bamaboy

Anyone got any info/experience on sleeping in the bed of a pickup w/a camper shell w/sliding windows? This is my issue, 3 yrs ago I slept in the bed of my pickup on my air mattress with 2 layers of thermals on and still froze to death, how can I add heat/heater to this situation? 20-25 degrees that night with a 30 degree sleeping bag and 2 layers of thermals.


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## j_seph

Insulate the camper shell and maybe put some insulation panels on the bed. Could use a Mr. Buddy heater as long as your truck don't leak no gasoline(that could be scary). Try putting a tobogin on as well. My dad done this for several years along time ago at deer camp. I also believe there is a ceramic 12v heater as well. Just need a spare battery. We usually stay in the cab overnight so we can crank up when we wake up cold ;-)


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## Davis31052

Don't sleep on an air filled mattress. The air in the mattress continually draws heat from your body. Its best to sleep on a foam mat or sleeping pad of some type. 

a small Mr. Buddy heater would keep you toasty and both the little buddy and big buddy have low oxygen shut off sensors.  I'd test it before I slept with it on though. To be cautious, always crack one of the windows open too.


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## jabb06

Davis31052 said:


> Don't sleep on an air filled mattress. The air in the mattress continually draws heat from your body. Its best to sleep on a foam mat or sleeping pad of some type.
> 
> a small Mr. Buddy heater would keep you toasty and both the little buddy and big buddy have low oxygen shut off sensors.  I'd test it before I slept with it on though. To be cautious, always crack one of the windows open too.



well that explains why I always feeze my butt off when I sleep on an air mattress


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## Ballplayer

Ever tried sleeping in a car in the cold, its insulated and you'll still freeze to death. Its a metal container/scientific thing, you'll be a lot warmer sleeping outside under a blanket next to a fire, I know, I've did both.


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## Sargent

Insulate yourself.  

I've been cold weather camping a few times and have always been comfortable despite the temperature.

My latest setup was as follows:
Sleeping bag (40 deg).
Fleece sleeping bag liner.
Thick socks (BPS Readhead lifetime socks)
Long underwear
Thick sweatpants
Undershirt
long sleeve shirt
Under Armor hooded sweatshirt
Toboggan
Neck gaiter
A couple of heat packs for my hands (in the pocket of the sweatshirt).

It got down to about 30 degrees and I slept like a log.  I think that setup would have been good for another 5 or 10 degrees.

Oh yeah, I slept on an air mattress.  Not only is the bed of a truck hard and uncomfortable, but the metal conducts the bone-chilling cold much better than air (same with the ground).


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## bamaboy

Well let me tell you guys how it went, (I have a plastic bed liner in the truck). Well here we go, I put 2 wool U.S. army issue blankets down on the bed liner then put my air mattress down and put a fitted sheet over that then my sleeping bag (zipped up) then  1 sheet & then 1 throw blanket and then 1 real blanket. I then used a small propane heater from Academy Sports. I put the heater in their for about an hour before I went to bed to warm the space.I cracked the windows one inch each and cracked the camper top door 1/4 of an inch open and slept like a baby for 2 nights. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND YOUR EXPERIENCED WORDS!


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## CabinFreak

I just returned home from a camp out(tent camping) at Desoto Falls.(temp low 30's) I had been reading in other forums not to sleep on an air mattress cause it draws the heat from your body.The last time I went camping,I did get cold cause I didn't put anything under or over my air mattress.This time I put down a inch pad then a cheap solar blanket then my air mattress,on top of the air mattress I put another solar blanket then a fitted sheet.I then used an old comforter on top of that and fleece blanket.I use several blankets for warmth,I don't use a sleeping bag cause of confinement.My bed wear is thermals top and bottom,sweat pants and sweat shirt,toboggan and gloves.This system worked great for me and I didn't feel any cold from the air mattress.I did just purchase a Mr. Buddy Heater(4,000 to 9,000 BTU),this little sucker puts out some amazing heat.I turned it on high the first night to warm up the tent(14x8) and had to turn it to low cause it was too hot.I only used the Mr. Buddy Heater to warm the tent,I shut it off before going to bed.

From what I have learned,it doesn't matter how much covers you put on yourself,it matters what you have underneath you that counts.


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## 7Mag Hunter

Spent many, many nights in the back of a pick up deep inside the
ONF back in the day.....I sleep in tents or campers these days....

Even sleeping on an army style cot will be cold if you do not insulate
yourself from the air beneath you...Base layers are the key to sleeping 
in cold weather, just like layering for cold weather outside...Insulate 
yourself from the cold air/ground under you and you will stay warm.
Spent many cold nights this year on a cot inside a tent on top of a 
cold weather sleeping bag, in long johns covered with 1 thick fleece blanket....
I do run a tent heater during the night.....I also keep a 20lb propane
tank with lantern on a propane tree inside the tent, and run the light for 
1/2 hr or so to warm the tent before lights out...I do have a big tent....


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## thomas the redneck

i used to do this alot when i was younger. i had an open truck with a pvc pipe camper frame covered with a tarp a on a foam bed and slept in a sleeping bag and used another one to cover up with
now i was in my 20's but was comfortable even the night it droped into the teen's


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## grizzlyblake

The biggest thing about sleeping in the cold is to watch your back... literally. Sleeping on a cot or air mattress is very cold unless you have a LOT of insulation between you and it. Even with a good sleeping bag your body weight compresses it and puts your skin basically against the cold air. Sleeping on the ground on some kind of good foam pad is without a doubt the best way to stay warm.


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## j_seph

Only thing sleeping in the cold and being able to stay warm is when it is time to get up and you don't want to leave that warmth


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## Ballplayer

j_seph said:


> Only thing sleeping in the cold and being able to stay warm is when it is time to get up and you don't want to leave that warmth



 You got that right ! hoping someone else gets out and makes the fire and coffee first, which usually does'nt happen for me.


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## John I. Shore

Slept in the back of mine for years here in AK, used a small propane heater, wake up cold, turn on the heater for a few minutes and toasty warm.  Specially in the morning when it's really cold.  2" foam pad covered with blanket, sleeping bag and sleep like a baby.

John I.


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## Sterlo58

Used to sleep in the back of mine when my back was younger and I didn't mind getting dressed laying down.


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## Ballplayer

messermacher said:


> Slept in the back of mine for years here in AK, used a small propane heater, wake up cold, turn on the heater for a few minutes and toasty warm.  Specially in the morning when it's really cold.  2" foam pad covered with blanket, sleeping bag and sleep like a baby.
> 
> John I.



        Yea, I hear it can get cold there in July ?


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## FX Jenkins

save the air mattress for summer camping and go with this...
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...1x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=SPM2615167002


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## Pineyrooter

3"-4" Foam mat and cold weather sleeping bag and I'm generally good to go. A couple blankets thrown in help too.


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## Tider79

Use a foam mattress. Air mattresses will suck the heat right out of you. When it's extra cold I wear a hat and drape a blanket over the top of my sleeping bag.


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## SgtPat

How did the mountain men survive?


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## John I. Shore

SgtPat said:


> How did the mountain men survive?



Fire

John I.


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