Nowadays, the possibilities for camping arrangements are virtually limitless. When it comes to comfort—and price—the sky is the limit, from a simple ground tent to an extravagant Sprinter Van. The truck tent is a one-of-a-kind choice for pickup drivers, combining the lightweight familiarity of a ground tent with the comfort and convenience of the setup of a rooftop truck tent, transforming your truck tent into a camping paradise.
Top 10 Best Truck Tents for Sheltering in Your Rig in 2021
We’ve compiled a list of the greatest truck tent brands in a variety of sizes, pricing, and compatibility. But first, some things to consider as you decide which option is best for you.
What to Think About
Ease of Setup: Because you’ll be pitching your tent in the bed of your truck tent with extension, you won’t have to worry about rocks and roots, or muddy, damp ground contaminating your tent and belongings. Some truck bed tents are quicker to set up than others, but they all need procedures similar to traditional tent construction, such as placing poles into sleeves and wrapping straps around the truck bed.
Space/Comfort: Because truck beds aren’t especially huge, any extra headroom and space when camping are appreciated. The majority of these tents are intended to comfortably sleep, two adults. Durability: Because your vehicle is doing the hauling, there’s no reason to search for lightweight materials in a truck bed tent, in our opinion. To ensure that your tent lasts a long time, choose the most robust, waterproof materials available, such as sailcloth or canvas. Price: Like regular camping tents, truck bed tents range in price from low to high. Having said that, they’re far less expensive than comparable rooftop tents while still providing the benefits of sleeping off the ground, so you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.
How We Decided
We considered the simplicity of setup, comfort, durability, and cost while making our selections (or lack thereof). We made certain that all of our picks had at least four stars on Amazon, as well as positive feedback from reputable sites such as Parked in Paradise and Business Insider. Bryan Rogala is a vehicle owner with considerable experience evaluating Overlanding and camping gear for magazines such as Outside Magazine, Gaia GPS, Popular Mechanics, and others.
1.
Napier is one of the most well-known names in truck bed tents, having been in business since 1990. Reviewers laud the Sportz’s ability to be put up in 10 minutes and the huge amount of room provided by its 70-inch height. Over the Backroadz type, the somewhat more costly Sportz model has better waterproofing, a floor made of a more durable polyester oxford cloth, an awning, and an additional window.
It also has a window that provides access to the cab of your vehicle, which is convenient since you don’t have to leave the tent to get something from inside, especially if it’s pouring. Napier manufactures five sizes, so there’s one for every truck on the market. Inside, you’ll discover classic tent features such as a gear loft and candle holder.
2.
The Softopper Truck Bed Cap is the winner in terms of flexibility. Consider it a bimini-style boat cover for your truck—it folds down and out of the way when you don’t need the entire truck bed and pops up in a second when you need a camper shell to protect your stuff or sleep beneath. It is totally waterproof and constructed of three-ply laminated PVC-coated four-season sailcloth. The metal structure is robust enough to sustain snow on top and is wind resistant.
I have one of these on my vehicle and have been very impressed with how well it has performed since installation. The nicest feature is how adaptable it is—if you need to carry something huge, you can fold down the Softopper in seconds and use your entire truck bed as intended. You can sleep under the Softopper alone or with the optional Camper Top Tent ($199), which wraps around the Softopper and under your tailgate to provide an extra waterproof and ventilated sleeping area, which is especially useful if you have a short-bed truck.
3.
The Kodiak Canvas Truck Tent weighs 44 pounds, but because you set it up in the bed of your truck, it doesn’t matter too much. This tent is our top choice for durability. Its 100% Cotton Duck Hydra-Shield Canvas and 34-inch steel-tube frame design mean it will outlast synthetic tents in the long term, and it is considerably better suited for rainy and cold weather.
In fact, Kodiak promotes the tent as suitable for year-round usage (though it is not intended for heavy snow loads), which is a bonus for those who live in colder areas. There is no floor, which means less time spent setting up, and five windows give plenty of ventilation. The tunnel form of the tent provides for five feet of headroom throughout the whole length of the tent, rather than just in the middle, which is a good feature to have in the relatively restricted area of a truck bed.
4.
If you already have a camper shell on your vehicle but want the extra room that a truck bed tent provides, the TopperLift Kit with Weekender Camper Package is for you. It’s pricey, but its innovative design makes use of your existing shell to construct what is arguably the most robust and waterproof tent on our list. The TopperLift is a 12-volt electric lift that elevates your camper shell 17.5 inches over your truck’s bed rails, providing you with extra headroom and converting your bed into a useable camper.
The Weekender Camper Package includes three canvas side panels that bridge the gap between your shell and the truck bed, as well as the Weekender Back, which extends over the tailgate of the truck to provide more space.
After the first installation, setting up the tent is as simple as pressing a button, inserting one tent pole, and Velcro ing the rear panel onto the tent when you’re ready to camp. You may skip the lift and go with the Nomad Package, which fits with any camper shell and includes only the Weekender rear panel.
5.
The Truck Tent by Rightline blends the appearance and materials of a classic ground tent with a floor-less design. The lack of a floor allows you to put up and take down the tent without having to remove anything from the bed of your truck, which may be a time-saver. (Because truck beds may have some holes, if you live in a very bug-infested region, bear in mind that a floor may keep out a few extra crawlies.) The poles and buckles are color-coded to aid with setup, and the straps attach to your vehicle without the use of a step stool.
6.
Guide Gear’s Full-Size Truck Tent is the least priced truck tent on this list, with a sewn-in floor, over five feet of headroom, and a 1,500mm water-resistant coating on the tent fabric. It weighs about 11 pounds and includes two internal storage compartments as well as mesh ventilation windows. Despite its low price, the Guide Gear has a 4.5-star rating and over 1,500 reviews on Amazon, demonstrating its great value.
7. Napier Sportz Avalanche Truck Tent
The Avalanche truck tent, built for tiny truck beds measuring 5.6 feet, is also part of Napier’s Sportz range. This large truck tent features 5.5 feet of headroom and an extra 6 feet by 6 feet awning that extends from the tailgate to give lots of shade. A full-size tape-seamed rainfly keeps passengers dry, and a rear access door lets you approach the truck cab via the tent. The Avalanche truck tent is constructed of tough polyester and nylon taffeta. The color-coded, shock-corded fiberglass poles make installation a snap. This tent has two internal pockets and a gear loft, as well as a carrying bag for easy storage when not in use.
8. Napier Backroadz Full Size Truck Tent
The Backroadz full-size truck tent is another option from Napier, and it comes in a number of sizes depending on the length of your truck bed. This tent has a roomy inside with plenty of headroom and a complete rainfly and storm flaps in the two mesh windows and huge entry door to give privacy and weather protection. A complete tent floor keeps you clean from your truck, while a gear loft, gear pocket, and light holder keep your personal belongings tidy. This Backroadz truck tent, like other Napier truck tents, has a color-labeled pole and sleeve system for simple installation.
9. Offroading Gear Granville II Truck Tent
The Granville II truck tent from Offroading Gear has an integrated waterproof floor and is designed to suit virtually any vehicle with a 6.5-footbed. A rear access window allows you to easily enter your truck’s cab, while three privacy mesh windows keep pests away. Even if the detachable rainfly is not erected, every window on this tent may be zipped up for complete seclusion. Because of the color-coded poles, elasticized straps, and scratch-free clips, this tent is incredibly simple to put up.
10. Milliard Truck Tent
Our final tent is a Milliard product with a sewn-in floor and rainfly. This tent is made of tough ripstop polyester and has mesh ventilation screens on the door and windows. It’s intended for 6.5-foot truck beds, which include popular makes and models including the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram, Ford F Series, GMC Sierra, Nissan Titan, and Toyota Tundra. A lamp hook and storage pocket are located within the tent, and a carrying bag makes it simple to stow the device while not in use.