Designing your camper shell setup is the most difficult part of the process. Just like in Part 1 of our Camper Conversion Guide, there are several factors to consider in your camper shell design. You will need to keep in mind weight, functionality, and cost. Plus it never hurts to add a little style in there. Take a look below and let these questions guide you in your design process.
What Material to Use?
Deciding what to make your bedding platform and shelving out of affects both the weight and cost of your setup. Take a trip to your local Home Depot and three options make themselves readily available; wood, plastic PVC, and metal.
Metal
What are you a welder? Unless you have a heavy-duty acetylene torch lying around your garage metal is not your best choice.
Plastic PVC
Using plastic PVC piping is the easiest and cheapest option. It’s lightweight and the only tool you will need is a hacksaw. The downside here is your limited design options. Creating a simple frame for your bedding or mattress is simple but storage options like shelving is a challenge to create.
Wood
Wood opens up an unlimited amount of design options so long as you have the right tools to work with. Add extra storage, multiple sleeping arrangements, and anything else you dream of.
Wood is the middle-man in terms of weight. It’s lighter than metal but heavier than PVC. With wood, you can customize all the aspects of your camper shell design.
How Should You Design the Sleeping Setup?
Never forget your main objective is to create a place to sleep comfortably while outdoors. Before you start thinking about all the bells and whistles you will need to decide how you want your sleeping arrangement configured. While there are numerous options, the base choice can be boiled down to sleeping low on the truck bed or an elevated platform.
Sleeping Low
Sleeping on the bottom of your camper allows for maximum headroom. If you went cheap and didn’t buy a camper with extra vertical space this may be your best option if you don’t want to wake up in the morning and start your day with a concussion. This is also the budget-friendly option because you don’t need as much material as opposed to building an elevated platform.
The problem with the low setup is space. The wheel wells take up precious space in the bed of your truck. This means less room for storage and your significant other. However, storage space can be added by building a shelf that sits above where your feet are.
So if you’re budget conscious and single this may be your best option.
Sleeping High
It’s tempting to throw an old mattress in the back of your camper and call it good, but if being comfortable is the number one priority, the elevated sleeping platform is a great option. Building a platform that rises above the wheel wells maximizes the sleeping area allowing for a larger mattress. You also gain ample storage options with all the space underneath the platform.
This is the best option for sleeping more than one person or if you have a lot of gear that you bring camping.
The Third Option
Why not have the best of both worlds? Make your camper shell setup flexible with an adjustable slide-out platform. For inspiration look at RV’s that have dining tables that convert into beds. Remove the platform and sleep low or slide in the platform and sleep elevated.
What About Storage?
Storage is the second most important consideration after the sleeping arrangement. Storage also varies greatly with each person’s hobbies. This is where you get creative. Do you need room for fishing poles? Maybe a mountain bike? What about a generator? Your storage needs may be unique but here are some common items that you should think about bringing:
- Camp Stove
- Canopy
- Firewood
- Cooler
- Water Jugs
- Plates and Utensils
- First Aid Kit
- Pillows and Blankets
The best way to figure out how to build your storage is to lay out everything you bring with you on a normal camping trip. Then decide what things can go in big Rubbermaid tubs and what needs to be readily accessible. If you’re looking for additional inspiration on what to pack into your truck camper, KÜHL offers some excellent suggestions. From here you should be able to gauge how much room you need or if any additional features are required from your camper shell design.
Our Setup
After a lot of time staring at an empty truck bed and then walking miles of hardware aisles I decided to design my setup out of wood. I’ve always wanted to learn the art of woodworking so I figured it would a fun learning experience. Plus I have a variety of hobbies, like fly fishing, archery, and photography so I needed some flexibility in the design that only wood allows.
Next, I meticulously scribbled blueprints for various designs. My first draft was going to be high shelves on both sides with a low sleeping area in the middle. After measuring the space, I quickly realized there would not be enough room for both my fiance and me. I then took one of the side shelves out moved the sleeping area to the left and elevated it. This allowed a larger sleeping area without sacrificing storage. I also opted to build the platform as a slide so I could sit straight up on the platform with my feet on the truck bed if the weather forced us to remain in the camper.
Click here if you missed Part 1 and want to check it out!
Have you already built a camper shell setup of your own? We would love to hear any tips and tricks in the comments below!
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.
Hi Chad! Love the design as it’s very similar to what I’m thinking of doing. One question – how do you have this setup secured to the truck bed?
Hey there! I used bungee cords and wrapped them through the metal anchor rings in the bottom corners of the truck bed and around the inside legs of the platforms. You could also use ratcheting tie downs instead of bungee cords for a more secure approach.
https://youtu.be/ed_ZpFLkPaw Here is my Truck Topper set up.
Awesome! I especially like your solar setup.
Hey, wondering how the middle section for your fiance is holding up. I am looking to do something similar for my lady to tag along occasionally, but I am worried about that unsupported plywood and a couple of 2x2s not holding the weight (even though she is pretty tiny).
Hi Shaun,
Our middle section is still holding strong! When I built it I had the same concern so I made sure to go with a thicker board than I thought I would need. I ended up using a 1/2″ plywood board. Then I made sure the 2x2s were secured to the plywood side and 2×4’s with four 3″ decking screws each. I actually slept on it the first couple nights to test it out. I weigh about 200 pounds and didn’t feel any bend in the board. If you want a little more insurance, you can store some extra firewood in a plastic bin and slide it underneath to take some stress off the middle. That was always my backup plan haha
-Chad