After getting to see the setup up close, I can see this is going to be very good solution for you, and I really like the way it looks on the truck. It’s sad to see the Forester go, but I definitely see this being a better fit for your adventures. Jason
@@travelinman482 No, they have to be individually imported, which means they have to be at least 25 years old. Nifty little vans, 4x4 from the factory, usually diesel, impressively capable but a nice small size and reasonably fuel-efficient. There are quite a few importers and you can also just find previously imported Delicas floating around the used car market. Despite their age and lack of safety features, and almost always right-hand drive, they command a premium. You can also find similar imported Toyota HiAce vans, compact, 4x4 and usually diesel...and quite expensive for a 25+ year old vehicle. :-)
It's great to see how casually you present your videos. It's like hanging out with a buddy and just having friendly conversations. Glad to see you're not playing it up for the camera. Keep it up!
Man that filming while setting up point really got me. I've been experimenting with filming some metal art I do, and having the camera involved easily makes the process 3x more difficult. Haven't even figured out the editing yet! Never realized what a huge PITA all of this was before trying it myself. Thank you for all the work you do on these videos, definitely have a new appreciation for what goes into these now.
I've got a Tacoma with a 6' bed with a mid-rise topper on it. Tons of room to sit up and sleep for 2 people. Absolutely love it. I think you made a great choice. I'm looking forward to seeing everything that you do to build it out.
At 6:00 when I know that we might not find each other, we agree to a radio channel before hand and try to use the radios to find camp. Also, you really made the most of what happened to the Forester!
It looks like a great choice of canopy... Cool that your build is not a bunch of catalogue part numbers... And that is why we love your vids 🤔😉👍🏻 thanks for taking us along Donald 😄
As one that drives a 88 Silverado with an 8 foot bed, with an aluminum shell, I think you made a great choice. I love that its park and play, so to speak. I am a bit envious at the height of your shell because mine is only 30 inches and I can't sit upright. But I still like the convenience of using a shell to camp in.
Good to see that you found a good solution for your needs. You do not always need to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty good solutions ready out there. You can customize it to your needs and time will tell what and how you want it. Enjoy your new adventure „home“, especially when weather is bad out there! 👍🏻
Great video. We enjoyed hearing all about your thought process. Really looking forward to how you will handle cooking, and where Lucie will sleep. It was great to hear how happy you are with things so Far!
Yours is one of two or three channels that I have to drop everything and watch when I see a new episode. Thanks to you I’m 26 minutes behind on my Saturday chores! The canopy looks great! Maybe you can make use of the upper space with some cabinets or maybe bunk bed for your daughter using aluminum extrusion (80/20 or one of the alternate brands)? That way it stays lightweight.
I will enjoy seeing how you fit out your new shell. I have a 6'6" bed on my 98 F150 and have been considering building my own "camper shell" but using thin plywood and 2 x 2s and insulate it as well. I know about all the work that goes into that as well. The time for my rooftop tent is over for me.
The next number of videos are going to be real interesting! I'm looking forward to your solutions not problems approach to outfitting your Frontier. Another vote for the Leer cap being a great solution, nicely explained too.
Don, your canopy looks absolutely awesome! The black option is perfect. The fact that you can sleep within the confines of the canopy is a winning situation...no tent, no moving gear from your truck bed into a tent and protection from the elements, i.e. rain, snow, wind and ground critters. Even mice would have to be olympic athletes to jump that high. For warm weather camping a simple bug net can be rigged. I used one of the patio mesh screen doors to affix on my opened sliding door of my GMC Savana 2500 cargo van. I had to trim it down but was able to use the cut piece on the rear barn doors (perfect fit, too). Your pick up looks incredible and I'm anxious to see what else you have planned. Great job, Don!
Ahh, I haven watched this yet. I'm paused at the beginning. Finally a Nissan Frontier!!!!!!!! I own a 2018 Nissan Frontier Pro4X. I LOVE IT. so I'll watch then leave another comment after I watch it.
I absolutely love your outside-of-the-box thinking. You have given me tons of ideas over the last year or so. This simply adds to that. Oh the possibilities!
Your truck is looking just awesome with the new shell Donald! You really did know what you were talking about 😉. I absolutely love where this is heading! It’s gonna be a great platform for you to camp in. I appreciate how many people are asking about Lucie. I imagine she’ll be in her own rig pretty soon! Thanks again for just taking the time to chat with us. Your style of YouTubing is a breath of fresh air!
Thanks Dan! I have to admit this has actually turned out even better than I expected. I was mentally prepared for my "vision" and "reality" to clash a bit, but I'm quite happy with how this worked out. If we can get Lucie into a Forester, she could have a very comfortable sleeping setup without needing to bother with a kitchen and all the stuff that hampered my comfort in my Forester. I'm looking forward to hitting the trail with her driving her own rig!
I have a 36" contractors cap on my 2012 f250, had an Alaskan on it for 2 years before and you could pay me to go back, love the light weight. Have fun and enjoy, from a new subscriber.
Interesting. Someone in my neighborhood has an Alaskan on a full size truck and I look at it wistfully each time I walk past, haha. I've never driven a pickup with something heavy attached though, so I have no idea what it's like. Adding this canopy made no perceptible difference to how my Frontier drives, in fact I shed quite a bit of weight (tailgate, BakFlip tonneau cover, beefy utili-track rails in the bed) in order to install it, so the net difference is pretty minor. Thanks for watching & subscribing!
@@softroadingthewest don't get me wrong Alaskan campers are nice they're just heavy and for me make the truck less capable of going where I want to go. I liked having all the comforts of home but there is always a trade off.
This setup is really cool! I can definitely see this as an excellent option for you! I love the protection from the elements. Can’t wait to see how you kit it out! Nothing like sleeping in the rig. I’m dreading when I can no longer do it.
Thanks Jared! Yeah, I'm happy to be back to sleeping in the rig. I liked the actual sleeping in my Forester, it was just the moving around in there that ended up pushing me out to a ground tent. Having some space to sit up and maneuver around makes all the difference.
i use the spacekap canopy, same height on a 8' box...just love it...i have had so many other guys with campers say they wish they had the same 'simple 'setup...especially for overlanding ...you made a great choice !!!
Donald, I think you really nailed this one. Seems to be perfect for the solo adventurer with plenty of options to consider. Whatever you finally end up with it's always fun watching your methodology and yes, your failures. I'll be watching 👍
I really appreciate your ability to think outside the box. I totally resonate with your comment about non functional aggressive styling of vehicles in your choice for the Frontier. Keep being yourself. Great choice!
My set up is similar. Although I've dreamed about a "real" camper, my pickup/ topper gives me everything I need. I would recommend adhesive backed sound deadening sheets, rigid foam insulation and carpet or thin Baltic birch. A shelf on the forward bulkhead will help get storage up and off the platform while in sleep mode.
The roof rack and the tall canopy look great together. Can't wait to see all the storage modifications. Definately think you made the right decision on buy vs. build when you don't have a place of your own to do the build. Plus that gives you more time to enjoy camping.
LOL, thank you...so far not one other person has mentioned that. I laughed and laughed editing that together. :-) We did actually talk to those guys and look at the truck, it was interesting, but the noise also eventually got pretty annoying as they drove up and down the beach posing up for Instagram shots. I actually had to replace a bunch of the audio on the clamming segment because even after they finally left, my mic was still picking up that truck for like a mile down the beach, destroying my serene vibe. :-)
@@softroadingthewest those military trucks cracked me up too LOL it only figures something like that could happen. I hope you told those people in the yellow vehicle to get the heck out of there until they got some safety equipment that could get themselves out of situations like that. I bet they were embarrassed that the same people bailed them out a second time in one day.
The canopy roof line is almost perfect with your rack setup! They compliment each other very well. Sad to see the Forester go but I’m excited seeing this new build happen.
Good choice 👍, looks great with the roof-rack. I’m sure you have already thought of it but some of that 1” foam insulation with some kind of paneling would be nice. You have lots of possibilities there now. 👍
I came up with the same solution as you did.....After buying a used Northstar 600SS and putting it on my 2020 Chevy Colorado....one trip made me decide this wasn't the solution....I knew I wanted a bed cap....Lucky for me...My Colorado was a 6ft bed....going online....Found a nice almost new Snug Top aluminum cap....Thank you Ted Wheeler! it was off of a Portland PD vehicle that was burnt in a protest...The cap was PERFECT! It matched my paint....and there wasn't a 6-8 week minimum wait time....like for a new one @ around $4K in cost...How much did the "Cap" cost me? well, I made money off of the sale of my Northstar....so....lets just say I'm starting @ a ZERO COST basis....Can't get better. Camping in it the 1st night after I bought it...noticed some condensation so now....putting "Audio Matt" and insulation into it and installing a powered ventilated roof fan. It has the hard sides with fold up doors....I'm going to remove and modify the shelving units to allow them to act as ventilation ports when I flip up the doors. The solid metal doors will give me peace of mind should I need to stop in an urban area for any time with my bicycle safely locked inside and not in open view....Have seen lots of vehicle break-ins in the recent times and I don't intend to be a victim of that unenforced crime spree in my travels. Maybe I will record some videos of my altercations of my cap....I just wonder what the loss of fuel mileage was with your tall cap....mine is only a 30" cap but, resulted in a 10% fuel penalty....Going to see if I can do somethings to compensate for the loss....angled solar panels are my thoughts on a remedy.
That's it! A pickup truck with a work canopy as my next rig! I really like the versatility and how clean everything looks. Everything seems to have a purpose and will definitely make everything easier to access. One thing I'd probably add since the wife and I like to stare up in the stars at night is a moonroof, but other than that, it's perfect.
The whole process is so custom with soooo many variables that ultimately I understand why they don't list prices. For all I know, the price may vary depending on your distance from the fabrication plant, as well as possibly variable dealer markups...I ultimately just went to the local Leer dealer and was glad I did, it made it all much easier to understand. The base price for a DCC cap on a mid-size short-bed truck like mine is around $1900 if I remember right - at least, that was the price at my dealer. That includes solid walls with no windows or hatches, and a standard rear door like a fiberglass canopy. Every single thing you do beyond that comes at a price. And the price for each upgrade may be different depending on the size of truck/canopy...it's really complex. Ultimately mine came out around $3,000 total...YMMV. It would be possible to configure it for a lower price, and verrrrry easy to get it up to $4,000 also. :-)
@@travelinman482 1. 6' bed on a crew cab makes for a reeeeally long truck. I drove a few, and ultimately preferred to compromise on bed length in order to have a reasonable overall length. Even as it is, this thing is a PITA to turn around on a tight trail. I considered the King Cab (instead of crew cab) which has a much smaller back seat and a 6' bed, but that little back seat was not going to work out when both kids are with me. 2. The fiberglass toppers are not as configurable, and you cannot get them this tall, at least, not on a midsize truck. I did consider it, but they weren't really significantly less expensive for how much I would be giving up. The metal skeleton inside this canopy gives me all kinds of potential for customizing the interior. I've also read that over the long haul, aluminum caps are generally more tolerant of rough offroad use whereas fiberglass theoretically can fatigue and crack (though I imagine that would take years and years of abuse to occur). 3. I don't know exactly what I will use inside. Certainly something, but I've just had too many other details to tend to and haven't researched that at all. Suggestions here also include rigid foam insulation, Rockwool, and spray-in insulation. I'll certainly be looking closer at this as fall approaches. 4. At this point in my life, with the kinds of trails I like to explore and camp along, I absolutely positively have zero desire to tow a trailer. I know a lot of people do it, but it feels way too cumbersome for my taste. Perhaps at some future point this approach will make sense to me. :-)
@@softroadingthewest thank you for sharing your thoughts. That is super helpful! I have Frontier King Cab, with 6' bed. Being 6'1", that is required for me!
Interesting solution. Pickups certainly open up a lot of possibilities and creativity. When my 4Runner is done, I will be looking for something that has a bed...so I can build a bed in it :) I am looking forward to seeing how the build develops.
This brings back some memories! I had a 97 F250 CCSB 4x4 Powerstroke diesel with an ARE contractor cap of similar height. Right around 54" floor to ceiling. It was my favorite 4x4camping setup so far! Dual doors on the rear, slider windows on the side and I got it for 450$ used on CL!!! Such a steal! I know these aren't cheap new, but you definitely weighed your options well. This is a great option 👍 If I could have afforded the maintenance of that rig, I'd still be using it.
2 years till I retire.. purchasing a 16 ft travel trailer & a Nissan frontier king cab with long bed ...this however is a fantastic idea ..for shorter trips.1-2 week trips .. when I don't want to be pulling a trailer... I'll definitely be getting the long bed so I'll have plenty of room to sleep just a single bed the rest of the roomin cap will be storage along with a porta potty 👍.. thank you thank you for this fantastic idea
I have been tossing sooooo many ideas of what to do with my truck. This was definitely something I thought about and it's nice to see someone who has! Looke great a functional! Thanks for sharing!
You can see how I ended up adapting this to my use including no longer sleeping diagonal in this more recent rig walkaround video: czcams.com/video/otneHvp6aNY/video.html (about 18 minutes in)
I've been wondering for years why overlanders haven't been doing this. Love to see my idea is viable. Hopefully someday I'll have the money to build out my own rig.
After MUCH research on what I can do to make my 6ft bed Tundra into something my girlfriend and I can sleep a night or two at the beach in. All I can say is THANK YOU. I’m not willing to pay $150 per night to have to check out at a certain time at a hotel. I’m going to call for a contractors cap we can stand up in and put lots of windows and barn doors like yours. I will be adding a port a potty, big cooler, some fans, insulation; lights, and air mattress to it Nothing fancy just a hippy van to crash in after a day or two at the beach. THANKS AGAIN for the great idea.
March, 2024. I'm building my own right now. I've been on the build for about a week. I'm building it 68 inches tall from the truck bed floor. I'm only 65 inches tall in height. Building is a lot of plotting, planning, and trial and error. - I plan to be finished in about three more weeks. I have room on the roof for 600watts of solar panels. That amount of power will easily run 5000 BTU air conditioner. - I'll paint the shell white in summer and black in winter. A sunny 40F day will easily produce 120F on a black metal surface. I'm not so much worried about looks as I am about camping utility. - Happy Travels, Tom in Texas
I enjoyed your informative presentation! And the logic of saving Time ...can't argue it, period. I'm retired now and my biggest regret is not spending more Time Outdoors. So in my Honest Opinion and Experience, your spot on with your choice. Kudos.
For maximizing storage options maybe: rails underneath bed so can easily pull out your deep storage bins. Plus a roof rack to attach a roof storage. Plus the backseat. Also insulation on roof and 300amp lithium battery to power the electric blanket :)
its coming along nicely! that is a very simple solution, as you acknowlegded, for someone any taller it might not work, but this seems like a great solution for you. I think you made some good chices in how you optioned out the topper. love your idea about the elecrical panel placement. i think youll be able to refine this into a very suitale solution for your needs!
I have a Frontier and Wife has a much newer with a 1/3 the mileage Jeep Wrangler. I can tell you from experience. Get the Frontier. IMO With personal experience. The Frontier is way more durable. I know most people will say no way. However I can get my Frontier pretty much anywhere she can get her Wrangler. Other then she has a winch and I do not. The jeep has been in the shop 3 times now for a broken cam at 21.000 miles a leaky oil pan at 34.000 miles and The slap shift and hill assist keep locking in or out on the Wrangler. My Frontier has 170.000 miles takes way more abuse and has never once been in the shop-. Both Vehicles are lifted with Bilstein shocks With Teraflex springs on the Jeep and All Dogs Off Road on the Fronty. Same exact Falken Wildpeak tires etc etc. The Frontier has lasted the loan and I don't see it letting up anytime soon. Wife is waiting on the 2022 Frontier to come out and Buhbye to the Wrangler. Oh and the Wrangler was almost twice the MONEY.
22:26. 22:31. 22:33. While you had some beautiful shots earlier in you're video at the beach with the water and the boat and seagulls, these shots had some truly beautiful cinematography skills going on.
Jason from Maryland here. Another great episode, and a big fan of the pick-up top camping! Although I sleep in my fully kitted WJ Jeep, have always been a fan of P/U bed camping. 🍻 Edit!... When you open your rear doors, consider a 4ft awning as that shelter, could mount right where the 3rd brake light is,..just relocate the 3rd brake light. A "porch" would be nice for you, say like in morning rain Edit again!.. Look into the Lolo overland diesel heater in the box, could mount on roof and just run the duct in the shell. As for heat, paint your shell too white,...or reflective silver,...or solar panel... lol so many options!!
Love this channel so much, Donald you think everything through , you are very humble and don't do stuff outside of your skills like going down tracks you can't, great channel
I recently bought a F250 Commercial grade, 4X4 with ARE All aluminum work cap, with top of the line ladder rack and full bed slide out..It was used as a commercial work truck, I've already modded it out and so far it's really working out well. Totally stealth... and with the side tool crib and gull wing doors... with rear double swing outs and slide out bed.. with ladder rack now modded into a kayak / canoe / paddle board rack it's really a great overlander so far ! I have the 8 foot bed, club cab...tons of bed space and the cap has the side flip ups one is a tool room of it's own the other like your side window isn't the window it's a flip up solid door that opens to the inside.. of the cap...shell It really is the perfect truck and cap setup to make a overlander 4X4... for under 30K I have less then 10 K in mine right now and could sell it for lots more as it sits.. I've seen them listed for over 100K
That’s a sweet setup! Looks good and functional as well. Can’t wait to see the progression as time goes on. Perfect height with the roof rack loaded up👌🏼
WOW! As usual, your insights, planning and vision helps all of us! KUDOS! Well done and now another option to consider, as you have shown. Being only 5'6. hmmmmmmmmmm... :) All the BEST to you, family and friends! Cheers from WA State! :)
I'm looking forward to this build. Not only is it a Nissan which really are underrated but it's a contractor box and not a RTT or camper top. Definetly an interesting take!
Ventilation -- we acquired a 20v Craftsman commercial-grade fan at Jerry's Home Improvement Center in Eugene. Each rechargeable battery-pack lasts three-four nights. Modular, pack it or leave it home. The 20v batteries fit our Craftsmen chain-saws, drills, DA sander, impact, circular saws, etcetera. Breezy and quiet on 'low'.
Solid walls are a game changer. 4 x 6 cargo for me. I installed an RV door, a roof vent with fan and 1 Inch double faced insulation. As handy as you are, it won't leak. Popped in some foam mattress and we're comfy. That double faced insulation and fan helped with moisture and keeping 26 degree temps where they belong..OUTSIDE! I only lost 1 degree of heat every 7 minutes with the Buddy off and inside being 70 degrees to start, with the vent and and window cracked a bit. 25 years experience in commercial insulation here..it'll help in both hot and cold temps. Sorry for the long comment.
1 degree every 7 minutes is amazing! Yeah, I think a roof vent/fan is almost certainly going to happen. Makes me nervous but I think it will be necessary. :-)
Looks smart, plenty of opportunities to adapt the canopy over time to suit your needs. Seeing your truck on the beach reminded me that the Coastguard in the UK used to use Nissan trucks.
Love the new setup! So glad we got to hang out with you guys! Funny, we actually met up with other friends last weekend at the same spot and also went clamming! HUGE clams.....so fun! Looking forward to more visits over the summer....AND watching the progress with your new setup!
During the 1970s, I had a steel canopy on a 1973 Dodge clubcab longbed. Barn-doors, lumber-rack. My bed was on the floor. I had side flip-doors with reach-in shelves. I adapted a stout wire-rack from a warehouse shelving unit to fit across the two matching inner shelves for an elevated platform of 4' deep by about 6' across. . For acoustic insulation, I used 4"x50' rolls of adhesive tar-paper designed to insulate pipes. That worked, so I also covered the interior of the cab, under-hood, inside the doors, and dropped the headliner to do the ceiling. . I worked summers. Early-October, I strapped a kayak on the roof, loaded my SCUBA gear, and headed to Baja for six months. . After about a dozen years, the canopy steel rusted at the corners from ocean air and splashing. No amount of patching and welding could return it to structural soundness. With great sadness, I retired that noble steed. . After fifteen years of utter complete disasters with factory RecreationVehicles, in 2003, we converted a 1997 Ford CF8000 commercial truck to our concept of an ExpeditionVehicle. Nearly two decades full-time live-aboard, it is constantly evolving. Our conversion took less than a week -- while selling everything -- then we hit the road from Oregon with the vague goal of 'south!'.
Donald -- for the roof/wall insulation, you might consider pop-riveting plainole FRP sheets over whatever foam board you choose. I did up a camper shell like that and it worked out well. The corner radius on your top doesn't seem too small, but it'll likely need some help from a friend and/or a heat gun to coax it into shape. Corners at the front and back walls take special adaptations too. Maybe some carpet on the lower portion to mitigate condensation issues . . .
Amazing and very helpful. It's a test run of ideas I've been kicking around for my Frontier. And I have often wondered, after seeing expensive overland truck bed builds, why not get a contractor cap? Thanks for the great ideas - applied to a Frontier.
This is nice I never thought about that to have and use converter that mind of canopy for camping. But we learn something new every day. Just like last weekend when I went for overlaning car meet I saw some awesome rigs and ideas. Looking forward to see what's next
Great idea! How but puttin bed on a pulley system ...when not sleeping pull up to roof with lites on bottom to give loading lighting keep up the Awesome vids
I like the idea. If not possible maybe it would be enough just to lift the back side of it (front stays fixed) and have the same effect - access and lights
I have a set up like this, sans the back doors and metal construction on the back of my Frontier. My bed is 8inch memory foam covered with naugahyde. I have my refrigerator, Jackery 1000 and a portapotty in the back,,, so, I can go number 2 at night without having to get outside! There is plenty of cubbies for storage near the wheel wells that i have cool wooden covers for, I lay long pillows on those. then I put a solar shower on my roof rack and bath with my board shorts on. That Nissan is an amazing truck!!!
I have one of theese canopys i got for 50 bucks for my silverado but its a foot or so taller we built a bed across the wheel wells with storage underneath its awsome great vid
$50...wow, what a great score! I looked and looked and looked for a used canopy that would fit my 5' Frontier but even in a 500 mile radius, there was almost nothing to be found, and what I did find was either cab height, or a terribly mismatched color, or both, haha...and all of them way more than $50. :-) I really like the overall size of my Frontier, but camping in a full size truck bed with a tall cap would definitely be nicer.
Looks like an awesome setup man! You are going to love the utility of it for sure. Nothing beats the convenience of having things basically all set up Cant wait to check it out in person!
A camping Tip.... before driving into a situation that you might worry about. Get out park your truck. Walk out in front and take a look at it. Don't drive into water or sand or mud if you can help it, stop and take a look at it. Maybe you can walk up to it. Stick your foot into it.
Obviously there were a lot of things to consider, calculations to be made, etc... that being said I think you are doing it right... cant wait to see it evolve into something great a fully functional for your needs...Keep up the good work and great content... Respect from Junction City
Looks great! Excited to see where this goes. You may want to consider insulation to damper rain noise hitting the canopy since you live in Oregon. They do sell magnetic bug nets designed to go over sunroofs, that could be a good solution for your quick access window.
Yeah, I'm thinking the bug screen will probably involve magnets. I'll have to add magnetic material to the window frame, but it still seems like the tidiest approach.
I have a red one on my blue F150, 600 on craigslist. Put sound mats on interior, rain is loud. Solar on top and roof fan with thermostat.
Been trying for ages to find one for 6.5ft bed!!! Need one
After getting to see the setup up close, I can see this is going to be very good solution for you, and I really like the way it looks on the truck. It’s sad to see the Forester go, but I definitely see this being a better fit for your adventures.
Jason
Hello, how are things going. did you two (3) meet up later that weekend?
I think so too, I'm really eager to get this a little more adventure-ready and get out on a serious expedition.
@@travelinman482 No, they have to be individually imported, which means they have to be at least 25 years old. Nifty little vans, 4x4 from the factory, usually diesel, impressively capable but a nice small size and reasonably fuel-efficient. There are quite a few importers and you can also just find previously imported Delicas floating around the used car market. Despite their age and lack of safety features, and almost always right-hand drive, they command a premium. You can also find similar imported Toyota HiAce vans, compact, 4x4 and usually diesel...and quite expensive for a 25+ year old vehicle. :-)
@@softroadingthewest o
@@softroadingthewest what brand is your topper?
It's great to see how casually you present your videos. It's like hanging out with a buddy and just having friendly conversations. Glad to see you're not playing it up for the camera. Keep it up!
Very true. He is a good platform to learn from if you want to start doing videos on CZcams
The Leer looks amazing in black. Really like it. Also, smart choise to buy it premade
Can you please tell me the basic price line of your cap
Man that filming while setting up point really got me. I've been experimenting with filming some metal art I do, and having the camera involved easily makes the process 3x more difficult. Haven't even figured out the editing yet! Never realized what a huge PITA all of this was before trying it myself. Thank you for all the work you do on these videos, definitely have a new appreciation for what goes into these now.
They probably could have built it out over the tailgate
I've got a Tacoma with a 6' bed with a mid-rise topper on it. Tons of room to sit up and sleep for 2 people. Absolutely love it. I think you made a great choice. I'm looking forward to seeing everything that you do to build it out.
At 6:00 when I know that we might not find each other, we agree to a radio channel before hand and try to use the radios to find camp. Also, you really made the most of what happened to the Forester!
this is where GPRS or ameture (ham) bands shine!
It looks like a great choice of canopy... Cool that your build is not a bunch of catalogue part numbers... And that is why we love your vids 🤔😉👍🏻 thanks for taking us along Donald 😄
Agreed. Love the outside the box thinking and not just throwing big bucks at solutions.
As one that drives a 88 Silverado with an 8 foot bed, with an aluminum shell, I think you made a great choice. I love that its park and play, so to speak. I am a bit envious at the height of your shell because mine is only 30 inches and I can't sit upright. But I still like the convenience of using a shell to camp in.
Good to see that you found a good solution for your needs. You do not always need to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty good solutions ready out there. You can customize it to your needs and time will tell what and how you want it. Enjoy your new adventure „home“, especially when weather is bad out there! 👍🏻
Great video. We enjoyed hearing all about your thought process. Really looking forward to how you will handle cooking, and where Lucie will sleep. It was great to hear how happy you are with things so Far!
Thanks Todd!
Yours is one of two or three channels that I have to drop everything and watch when I see a new episode. Thanks to you I’m 26 minutes behind on my Saturday chores! The canopy looks great! Maybe you can make use of the upper space with some cabinets or maybe bunk bed for your daughter using aluminum extrusion (80/20 or one of the alternate brands)? That way it stays lightweight.
I have the same problem, which is why I watch in 2x speed 😂
Hey Todd Coburn… Coburn is my maiden name, wondering if your family is from Louisiana? 🤔
I will enjoy seeing how you fit out your new shell. I have a 6'6" bed on my 98 F150 and have been considering building my own "camper shell" but using thin plywood and 2 x 2s and insulate it as well. I know about all the work that goes into that as well. The time for my rooftop tent is over for me.
The next number of videos are going to be real interesting! I'm looking forward to your solutions not problems approach to outfitting your Frontier. Another vote for the Leer cap being a great solution, nicely explained too.
Frontier owner here: This is fantastic. Looking forward to seeing more.
Don, your canopy looks absolutely awesome! The black option is perfect. The fact that you can sleep within the confines of the canopy is a winning situation...no tent, no moving gear from your truck bed into a tent and protection from the elements, i.e. rain, snow, wind and ground critters. Even mice would have to be olympic athletes to jump that high. For warm weather camping a simple bug net can be rigged. I used one of the patio mesh screen doors to affix on my opened sliding door of my GMC Savana 2500 cargo van. I had to trim it down but was able to use the cut piece on the rear barn doors (perfect fit, too). Your pick up looks incredible and I'm anxious to see what else you have planned. Great job, Don!
Ahh, I haven watched this yet. I'm paused at the beginning.
Finally a Nissan Frontier!!!!!!!!
I own a 2018 Nissan Frontier Pro4X. I LOVE IT. so I'll watch then leave another comment after I watch it.
Loving the setup. It looks great and very practical. I hope it works great for you and takes you on a ton of adventures.
Great choice, and looks good. I'm really looking forward to see how this evolves!
Great and smart choice. Sounds like you really weighed your options and costs. Can’t wait to see how you adjust and grow into your new rig.
YES, the taller roofline looks very good. THANKS for sharing... 👍😃👣
I absolutely love your outside-of-the-box thinking. You have given me tons of ideas over the last year or so. This simply adds to that.
Oh the possibilities!
LMAO, loved the peace and serenity… then the military invasion! Laughed out loud. Great stuff, new subscriber.
Your truck is looking just awesome with the new shell Donald! You really did know what you were talking about 😉. I absolutely love where this is heading! It’s gonna be a great platform for you to camp in. I appreciate how many people are asking about Lucie. I imagine she’ll be in her own rig pretty soon! Thanks again for just taking the time to chat with us. Your style of YouTubing is a breath of fresh air!
Thanks Dan! I have to admit this has actually turned out even better than I expected. I was mentally prepared for my "vision" and "reality" to clash a bit, but I'm quite happy with how this worked out. If we can get Lucie into a Forester, she could have a very comfortable sleeping setup without needing to bother with a kitchen and all the stuff that hampered my comfort in my Forester. I'm looking forward to hitting the trail with her driving her own rig!
Wow! Beautifully filmed, beautifully edited. I really like the idea of the contractor shell.
I have a 36" contractors cap on my 2012 f250, had an Alaskan on it for 2 years before and you could pay me to go back, love the light weight. Have fun and enjoy, from a new subscriber.
Interesting. Someone in my neighborhood has an Alaskan on a full size truck and I look at it wistfully each time I walk past, haha. I've never driven a pickup with something heavy attached though, so I have no idea what it's like. Adding this canopy made no perceptible difference to how my Frontier drives, in fact I shed quite a bit of weight (tailgate, BakFlip tonneau cover, beefy utili-track rails in the bed) in order to install it, so the net difference is pretty minor. Thanks for watching & subscribing!
@@softroadingthewest don't get me wrong Alaskan campers are nice they're just heavy and for me make the truck less capable of going where I want to go. I liked having all the comforts of home but there is always a trade off.
Looks great Donald can’t wait to see more of it you’re doing a fantastic job keep up the good work
I just had a Leer contractor's cap put on my Tacoma as well. Haven't taken it out yet but it's cool to see more people do this as well! Cheers.
This setup is really cool! I can definitely see this as an excellent option for you! I love the protection from the elements. Can’t wait to see how you kit it out! Nothing like sleeping in the rig. I’m dreading when I can no longer do it.
Thanks Jared! Yeah, I'm happy to be back to sleeping in the rig. I liked the actual sleeping in my Forester, it was just the moving around in there that ended up pushing me out to a ground tent. Having some space to sit up and maneuver around makes all the difference.
i use the spacekap canopy, same height on a 8' box...just love it...i have had so many other guys with campers say they wish they had the same 'simple 'setup...especially for overlanding ...you made a great choice !!!
Donald, I think you really nailed this one. Seems to be perfect for the solo adventurer with plenty of options to consider. Whatever you finally end up with it's always fun watching your methodology and yes, your failures. I'll be watching 👍
I really appreciate your ability to think outside the box. I totally resonate with your comment about non functional aggressive styling of vehicles in your choice for the Frontier. Keep being yourself. Great choice!
I can tell how excited this guy is about his topper; good for him. Enjoy your rig.
My set up is similar. Although I've dreamed about a "real" camper, my pickup/ topper gives me everything I need. I would recommend adhesive backed sound deadening sheets, rigid foam insulation and carpet or thin Baltic birch. A shelf on the forward bulkhead will help get storage up and off the platform while in sleep mode.
The roof rack and the tall canopy look great together. Can't wait to see all the storage modifications. Definately think you made the right decision on buy vs. build when you don't have a place of your own to do the build. Plus that gives you more time to enjoy camping.
I like how you emphasized, "of any sort." I truly wish more people would take precautions seriously, in ANY situation. Safe travels, brother...
Frig I laughed when you switched to the military vehicles
Good video
LOL, thank you...so far not one other person has mentioned that. I laughed and laughed editing that together. :-) We did actually talk to those guys and look at the truck, it was interesting, but the noise also eventually got pretty annoying as they drove up and down the beach posing up for Instagram shots. I actually had to replace a bunch of the audio on the clamming segment because even after they finally left, my mic was still picking up that truck for like a mile down the beach, destroying my serene vibe. :-)
@@softroadingthewest oh that kinda sucks but you made good use of the opportunity
@@softroadingthewest those military trucks cracked me up too LOL it only figures something like that could happen. I hope you told those people in the yellow vehicle to get the heck out of there until they got some safety equipment that could get themselves out of situations like that. I bet they were embarrassed that the same people bailed them out a second time in one day.
The canopy roof line is almost perfect with your rack setup! They compliment each other very well. Sad to see the Forester go but I’m excited seeing this new build happen.
Good choice 👍, looks great with the roof-rack. I’m sure you have already thought of it but some of that 1” foam insulation with some kind of paneling would be nice. You have lots of possibilities there now. 👍
I really dig the canopy on the truck! Can't wait to see many more adventures with it!
So many different choices “ however I agree with your decision. And so many options for improvement. Keep it up.
I came up with the same solution as you did.....After buying a used Northstar 600SS and putting it on my 2020 Chevy Colorado....one trip made me decide this wasn't the solution....I knew I wanted a bed cap....Lucky for me...My Colorado was a 6ft bed....going online....Found a nice almost new Snug Top aluminum cap....Thank you Ted Wheeler! it was off of a Portland PD vehicle that was burnt in a protest...The cap was PERFECT! It matched my paint....and there wasn't a 6-8 week minimum wait time....like for a new one @ around $4K in cost...How much did the "Cap" cost me? well, I made money off of the sale of my Northstar....so....lets just say I'm starting @ a ZERO COST basis....Can't get better. Camping in it the 1st night after I bought it...noticed some condensation so now....putting "Audio Matt" and insulation into it and installing a powered ventilated roof fan. It has the hard sides with fold up doors....I'm going to remove and modify the shelving units to allow them to act as ventilation ports when I flip up the doors. The solid metal doors will give me peace of mind should I need to stop in an urban area for any time with my bicycle safely locked inside and not in open view....Have seen lots of vehicle break-ins in the recent times and I don't intend to be a victim of that unenforced crime spree in my travels. Maybe I will record some videos of my altercations of my cap....I just wonder what the loss of fuel mileage was with your tall cap....mine is only a 30" cap but, resulted in a 10% fuel penalty....Going to see if I can do somethings to compensate for the loss....angled solar panels are my thoughts on a remedy.
Awesome, what a great find! Good luck with the build...enjoy!
That's it! A pickup truck with a work canopy as my next rig! I really like the versatility and how clean everything looks. Everything seems to have a purpose and will definitely make everything easier to access. One thing I'd probably add since the wife and I like to stare up in the stars at night is a moonroof, but other than that, it's perfect.
Moon roof! That would be stellar! :-)
Smart idea. Saw this a long time ago (7-8 years or so on CZcams using a contractor's cap for stealth camping), and always wanted to give it a go...
We would love a cost breakdown on this too. I just got onto the Leer website and everything is done by "quote" only. I hate that.
The whole process is so custom with soooo many variables that ultimately I understand why they don't list prices. For all I know, the price may vary depending on your distance from the fabrication plant, as well as possibly variable dealer markups...I ultimately just went to the local Leer dealer and was glad I did, it made it all much easier to understand. The base price for a DCC cap on a mid-size short-bed truck like mine is around $1900 if I remember right - at least, that was the price at my dealer. That includes solid walls with no windows or hatches, and a standard rear door like a fiberglass canopy. Every single thing you do beyond that comes at a price. And the price for each upgrade may be different depending on the size of truck/canopy...it's really complex. Ultimately mine came out around $3,000 total...YMMV. It would be possible to configure it for a lower price, and verrrrry easy to get it up to $4,000 also. :-)
@@softroadingthewest I think that is a fair price for the custom order. Looks great, enjoy the adventures.
@@travelinman482
1. 6' bed on a crew cab makes for a reeeeally long truck. I drove a few, and ultimately preferred to compromise on bed length in order to have a reasonable overall length. Even as it is, this thing is a PITA to turn around on a tight trail. I considered the King Cab (instead of crew cab) which has a much smaller back seat and a 6' bed, but that little back seat was not going to work out when both kids are with me.
2. The fiberglass toppers are not as configurable, and you cannot get them this tall, at least, not on a midsize truck. I did consider it, but they weren't really significantly less expensive for how much I would be giving up. The metal skeleton inside this canopy gives me all kinds of potential for customizing the interior. I've also read that over the long haul, aluminum caps are generally more tolerant of rough offroad use whereas fiberglass theoretically can fatigue and crack (though I imagine that would take years and years of abuse to occur).
3. I don't know exactly what I will use inside. Certainly something, but I've just had too many other details to tend to and haven't researched that at all. Suggestions here also include rigid foam insulation, Rockwool, and spray-in insulation. I'll certainly be looking closer at this as fall approaches.
4. At this point in my life, with the kinds of trails I like to explore and camp along, I absolutely positively have zero desire to tow a trailer. I know a lot of people do it, but it feels way too cumbersome for my taste. Perhaps at some future point this approach will make sense to me. :-)
@@softroadingthewest what choice did you make on the front window to the cab of the truck? and why?
@@softroadingthewest thank you for sharing your thoughts. That is super helpful! I have Frontier King Cab, with 6' bed. Being 6'1", that is required for me!
Interesting solution. Pickups certainly open up a lot of possibilities and creativity. When my 4Runner is done, I will be looking for something that has a bed...so I can build a bed in it :) I am looking forward to seeing how the build develops.
This brings back some memories! I had a 97 F250 CCSB 4x4 Powerstroke diesel with an ARE contractor cap of similar height. Right around 54" floor to ceiling. It was my favorite 4x4camping setup so far! Dual doors on the rear, slider windows on the side and I got it for 450$ used on CL!!! Such a steal! I know these aren't cheap new, but you definitely weighed your options well. This is a great option 👍 If I could have afforded the maintenance of that rig, I'd still be using it.
2 years till I retire.. purchasing a 16 ft travel trailer & a Nissan frontier king cab with long bed ...this however is a fantastic idea ..for shorter trips.1-2 week trips .. when I don't want to be pulling a trailer... I'll definitely be getting the long bed so I'll have plenty of room to sleep just a single bed the rest of the roomin cap will be storage along with a porta potty 👍.. thank you thank you for this fantastic idea
I too have a contractor cap/topper on my dodge I also sleep diagonal, many mods has me well over 6 grand.Good luck with your new set up
I love your new truck and canopy. It looks great!
Very nice run down on why you did what you did. A good choice for your needs I believe. Thanks for sharing.
I just got home from Oregon buying a contractor cap. Awesome excited to see you build yours out. Maybe give me a few ideas.
I have been tossing sooooo many ideas of what to do with my truck. This was definitely something I thought about and it's nice to see someone who has! Looke great a functional! Thanks for sharing!
You can see how I ended up adapting this to my use including no longer sleeping diagonal in this more recent rig walkaround video:
czcams.com/video/otneHvp6aNY/video.html (about 18 minutes in)
@@softroadingthewest I'm on it! Thank you!
Great video. I loved the 'its so peaceful... military truck back and forth' part. Lol! I can't wait to see how you fix up the canopy. Rock on!
I love that idea, of a contractor canopy type. Nice build, looks very professional. Let's see more on that. Thanks for sharing.
I've been wondering for years why overlanders haven't been doing this. Love to see my idea is viable.
Hopefully someday I'll have the money to build out my own rig.
Welcome to the Contractor's Cap Camping world! We love ours and yours's looks perfect on your Nissan truck!
Nice looking rig! Thanks for the video and explanation about the type of cap you chose! Safe travels!
After MUCH research on what I can do to make my 6ft bed Tundra into something my girlfriend and I can sleep a night or two at the beach in. All I can say is THANK YOU. I’m not willing to pay $150 per night to have to check out at a certain time at a hotel. I’m going to call for a contractors cap we can stand up in and put lots of windows and barn doors like yours. I will be adding a port a potty, big cooler, some fans, insulation; lights, and air mattress to it Nothing fancy just a hippy van to crash in after a day or two at the beach. THANKS AGAIN for the great idea.
March, 2024. I'm building my own right now. I've been on the build for about a week. I'm building it 68 inches tall from the truck bed floor. I'm only 65 inches tall in height. Building is a lot of plotting, planning, and trial and error.
-
I plan to be finished in about three more weeks. I have room on the roof for 600watts of solar panels. That amount of power will easily run 5000 BTU air conditioner.
-
I'll paint the shell white in summer and black in winter.
A sunny 40F day will easily produce 120F on a black metal surface.
I'm not so much worried about looks as I am about camping utility.
-
Happy Travels,
Tom in Texas
I enjoyed your informative presentation! And the logic of saving Time ...can't argue it, period. I'm retired now and my biggest regret is not spending more Time Outdoors. So in my Honest Opinion and Experience, your spot on with your choice. Kudos.
For maximizing storage options maybe:
rails underneath bed so can easily pull out your deep storage bins.
Plus a roof rack to attach a roof storage.
Plus the backseat.
Also insulation on roof and 300amp lithium battery to power the electric blanket :)
Funny how the people who usually end up needing traction boards the most are the ones that never thought of buying them.
its coming along nicely! that is a very simple solution, as you acknowlegded, for someone any taller it might not work, but this seems like a great solution for you. I think you made some good chices in how you optioned out the topper. love your idea about the elecrical panel placement. i think youll be able to refine this into a very suitale solution for your needs!
Jason's van has definitely changed my way of thinking and opened me up to something other than a jeep.
I have a Frontier and Wife has a much newer with a 1/3 the mileage Jeep Wrangler. I can tell you from experience. Get the Frontier. IMO With personal experience. The Frontier is way more durable. I know most people will say no way. However I can get my Frontier pretty much anywhere she can get her Wrangler. Other then she has a winch and I do not. The jeep has been in the shop 3 times now for a broken cam at 21.000 miles a leaky oil pan at 34.000 miles and The slap shift and hill assist keep locking in or out on the Wrangler. My Frontier has 170.000 miles takes way more abuse and has never once been in the shop-. Both Vehicles are lifted with Bilstein shocks With Teraflex springs on the Jeep and All Dogs Off Road on the Fronty. Same exact Falken Wildpeak tires etc etc. The Frontier has lasted the loan and I don't see it letting up anytime soon. Wife is waiting on the 2022 Frontier to come out and Buhbye to the Wrangler. Oh and the Wrangler was almost twice the MONEY.
Thanks for helping the Xterra get out of the sand. That could’ve been a close call for them.
22:26. 22:31. 22:33. While you had some beautiful shots earlier in you're video at the beach with the water and the boat and seagulls, these shots had some truly beautiful cinematography skills going on.
Jason from Maryland here.
Another great episode, and a big fan of the pick-up top camping! Although I sleep in my fully kitted WJ Jeep, have always been a fan of P/U bed camping.
🍻
Edit!...
When you open your rear doors, consider a 4ft awning as that shelter, could mount right where the 3rd brake light is,..just relocate the 3rd brake light. A "porch" would be nice for you, say like in morning rain
Edit again!..
Look into the Lolo overland diesel heater in the box, could mount on roof and just run the duct in the shell.
As for heat, paint your shell too white,...or reflective silver,...or solar panel... lol so many options!!
Love this channel so much, Donald you think everything through , you are very humble and don't do stuff outside of your skills like going down tracks you can't, great channel
I recently bought a F250 Commercial grade, 4X4 with ARE All aluminum work cap, with top of the line ladder rack and full bed slide out..It was used as a commercial work truck, I've already modded it out and so far it's really working out well. Totally stealth... and with the side tool crib and gull wing doors... with rear double swing outs and slide out bed.. with ladder rack now modded into a kayak / canoe / paddle board rack it's really a great overlander so far ! I have the 8 foot bed, club cab...tons of bed space and the cap has the side flip ups one is a tool room of it's own the other like your side window isn't the window it's a flip up solid door that opens to the inside.. of the cap...shell It really is the perfect truck and cap setup to make a overlander 4X4... for under 30K I have less then 10 K in mine right now and could sell it for lots more as it sits.. I've seen them listed for over 100K
Its awesome, self contained cozy, and I think your ideas of how you plan to use it will work out perfectly.
Great job. Look forward to the build. I have a midsize truck so very interested in this series.
That’s a sweet setup! Looks good and functional as well. Can’t wait to see the progression as time goes on. Perfect height with the roof rack loaded up👌🏼
Nice setup! Can't wait to see how everything looks once you get it really dialed in!
WOW! As usual, your insights, planning and vision helps all of us! KUDOS! Well done and now another option to consider, as you have shown. Being only 5'6. hmmmmmmmmmm... :) All the BEST to you, family and friends! Cheers from WA State! :)
I'm looking forward to this build. Not only is it a Nissan which really are underrated but it's a contractor box and not a RTT or camper top. Definetly an interesting take!
Ventilation -- we acquired a 20v Craftsman commercial-grade fan at Jerry's Home Improvement Center in Eugene.
Each rechargeable battery-pack lasts three-four nights.
Modular, pack it or leave it home.
The 20v batteries fit our Craftsmen chain-saws, drills, DA sander, impact, circular saws, etcetera.
Breezy and quiet on 'low'.
omg, i hope those folks went home for the day lol. Bet they have their own recovery boards now!! haha
Solid walls are a game changer. 4 x 6 cargo for me. I installed an RV door, a roof vent with fan and 1 Inch double faced insulation. As handy as you are, it won't leak. Popped in some foam mattress and we're comfy. That double faced insulation and fan helped with moisture and keeping 26 degree temps where they belong..OUTSIDE! I only lost 1 degree of heat every 7 minutes with the Buddy off and inside being 70 degrees to start, with the vent and and window cracked a bit. 25 years experience in commercial insulation here..it'll help in both hot and cold temps. Sorry for the long comment.
1 degree every 7 minutes is amazing! Yeah, I think a roof vent/fan is almost certainly going to happen. Makes me nervous but I think it will be necessary. :-)
Looks smart, plenty of opportunities to adapt the canopy over time to suit your needs. Seeing your truck on the beach reminded me that the Coastguard in the UK used to use Nissan trucks.
Love the new setup! So glad we got to hang out with you guys! Funny, we actually met up with other friends last weekend at the same spot and also went clamming! HUGE clams.....so fun! Looking forward to more visits over the summer....AND watching the progress with your new setup!
Thanks Julie, was great to see you guys, however briefly! I think more coast trips are in order this summer!
@@softroadingthewest yes! For sure!
Great vid...thanks for going through the details
Thanks for thinking of your viewers man! Setting up camp (or having a wet camp,) is AWFUL. Can't wait to watch more of this series!
During the 1970s, I had a steel canopy on a 1973 Dodge clubcab longbed.
Barn-doors, lumber-rack.
My bed was on the floor.
I had side flip-doors with reach-in shelves.
I adapted a stout wire-rack from a warehouse shelving unit to fit across the two matching inner shelves for an elevated platform of 4' deep by about 6' across.
.
For acoustic insulation, I used 4"x50' rolls of adhesive tar-paper designed to insulate pipes.
That worked, so I also covered the interior of the cab, under-hood, inside the doors, and dropped the headliner to do the ceiling.
.
I worked summers.
Early-October, I strapped a kayak on the roof, loaded my SCUBA gear, and headed to Baja for six months.
.
After about a dozen years, the canopy steel rusted at the corners from ocean air and splashing.
No amount of patching and welding could return it to structural soundness.
With great sadness, I retired that noble steed.
.
After fifteen years of utter complete disasters with factory RecreationVehicles, in 2003, we converted a 1997 Ford CF8000 commercial truck to our concept of an ExpeditionVehicle.
Nearly two decades full-time live-aboard, it is constantly evolving.
Our conversion took less than a week -- while selling everything -- then we hit the road from Oregon with the vague goal of 'south!'.
I think your doing great Donald on the new setup. The contractor canopy was a great idea man!
Can feel the passion, see the skill and not thank you enough, for those kind of nice vids, take care, greetings from Cambodia :)
Donald -- for the roof/wall insulation, you might consider pop-riveting plainole FRP sheets over whatever foam board you choose. I did up a camper shell like that and it worked out well. The corner radius on your top doesn't seem too small, but it'll likely need some help from a friend and/or a heat gun to coax it into shape. Corners at the front and back walls take special adaptations too. Maybe some carpet on the lower portion to mitigate condensation issues . . .
Amazing and very helpful. It's a test run of ideas I've been kicking around for my Frontier. And I have often wondered, after seeing expensive overland truck bed builds, why not get a contractor cap?
Thanks for the great ideas - applied to a Frontier.
This is nice I never thought about that to have and use converter that mind of canopy for camping. But we learn something new every day. Just like last weekend when I went for overlaning car meet I saw some awesome rigs and ideas. Looking forward to see what's next
Great idea! How but puttin bed on a pulley system ...when not sleeping pull up to roof with lites on bottom to give loading lighting keep up the Awesome vids
I like the idea. If not possible maybe it would be enough just to lift the back side of it (front stays fixed) and have the same effect - access and lights
That's not a bad idea, although the canopy tapers towards the top, so in order to fit in there up high, it would end up being too short for me. :-)
I have a set up like this, sans the back doors and metal construction on the back of my Frontier. My bed is 8inch memory foam covered with naugahyde. I have my refrigerator, Jackery 1000 and a portapotty in the back,,, so, I can go number 2 at night without having to get outside! There is plenty of cubbies for storage near the wheel wells that i have cool wooden covers for, I lay long pillows on those. then I put a solar shower on my roof rack and bath with my board shorts on. That Nissan is an amazing truck!!!
I have one of theese canopys i got for 50 bucks for my silverado but its a foot or so taller we built a bed across the wheel wells with storage underneath its awsome great vid
$50...wow, what a great score! I looked and looked and looked for a used canopy that would fit my 5' Frontier but even in a 500 mile radius, there was almost nothing to be found, and what I did find was either cab height, or a terribly mismatched color, or both, haha...and all of them way more than $50. :-) I really like the overall size of my Frontier, but camping in a full size truck bed with a tall cap would definitely be nicer.
If this video had only been the filming of a beautiful, serene, morning, it would have been enough. Subscribed.
Looks like an awesome setup man! You are going to love the utility of it for sure. Nothing beats the convenience of having things basically all set up Cant wait to check it out in person!
Thanks Jaren, I'm excited to get back out there soon!
The Oregon coast...It’s ridiculously beautiful.
A camping Tip.... before driving into a situation that you might worry about. Get out park your truck. Walk out in front and take a look at it. Don't drive into water or sand or mud if you can help it, stop and take a look at it. Maybe you can walk up to it. Stick your foot into it.
The roof rack does make the topper blend in well
Obviously there were a lot of things to consider, calculations to be made, etc... that being said I think you are doing it right... cant wait to see it evolve into something great a fully functional for your needs...Keep up the good work and great content... Respect from Junction City
Looks great! Excited to see where this goes. You may want to consider insulation to damper rain noise hitting the canopy since you live in Oregon. They do sell magnetic bug nets designed to go over sunroofs, that could be a good solution for your quick access window.
Yeah, I'm thinking the bug screen will probably involve magnets. I'll have to add magnetic material to the window frame, but it still seems like the tidiest approach.
@@softroadingthewest the screens work great. I've got a Yukon XL, I put a magnetic one over the sunroof, quick and easy, love it