DIY Camper Extension

wow, your mom is very talented. Those quilts and tapestries are beautiful! Have some from my grandma when she was still alive. Love the solution to your problem. I too have this problem with a 5 foot bed being 6 ft tall. been searching solutions and this seems the most economical, and easy as far as storing the fabric extension rather than a wooden built extension. Kudos to ya bro!

[@jerrykroon6609]

Nice job! Like the reuse of the tent to keep fabrication to a minimum. Totally worth learning to sew on a machine - you can pick up a used one cheap. One of the most used skills besides woodworking I've picked up over the years.

[@easadventures1349]

Finally, a tall person running into this problem. Thanks for the idea for an extension

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Glad it helped! Although standing at a whopping 5’8” I don’t think I can be considered a tall person 😂

[@Dave-sw2dm]

Good job. I like it and you re-purposed an old tent. Excellent!

[@RenaissanceSteve]

i bet you could put some tabs to hook a bungee to go up to the door so it would hold the tent up and open. or tabs to run a tent pole in an arch to hold the back up. so the material isnt hanging on your feet. awesome build. one of the only people i can find building what im trying to build.

[@jodystamper9105]

I watched how to wire my cap just a few days ago and now I'm here watching about camping. Very much appreciate the vids. Subscribed!

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Thanks for the support my guy! Stoked they were helpful for you!

[@jeeper5264]

First your mom ROCKS...second great job..I have a gladiator and want a shell and was thinking along these lines for an extension

[@tanabrown3449]

LOVE your mom’s sewing room and quilts! I also quilt but my sewing room doesn’t look as beautiful as hers. 💜

[@joshuakassabian3681]

this was exactly what i was looking for. great idea!

[@syunyakov]

Just was thinking today about the same idea, and...boom, saw your video! Thanks for sharing!

[@tjvigilvigil9249]

Dude, what a great idea. gonna look for a cheep tent and do it. thanks for sharing this!

[@jordanorosco8821]

Great job! Thanks, I have been thinking about the same thing and glad to find someone did the hard part of R&D.

[@robertyoung8289]

A belated great job my friend.

[@johnsyoutube23]

I came for the tent build. But I have to say that’s a really nice quilt.

[@tonydaniels3093]

Great idea I like it, I think I’ll do that to mine

[@ninez5740]

Nice work. Trying to figure out this very same dilemma starting mine, eventually.

[@bwo924]

I want to do something like this but I planned on putting some sort of pocket on the corners so the latchs could hold the tent up with the window so leave more headroom. Might need to upgrade the gas struts to do that

[@markstone2138]

Great idea. My only concern is how the velcro is attached to the truck. My experience with stick-on velcro tells me that it could easily pull off under stress or wind. An alternative would be to use contact cement, though you'd have a permanent installation.

[@Jake.eastman]

Thanks for this! I was thinking of the same exact idea. Have an 05 tacoma short box like yours but that extra foot and a half makes the whole length of the bed 6 feet 8 inches which is more than enough room.

[@BraxenMcConnell]

I love mine man, it’s kinda bad because whenever my buddies want to go camping I alway want to drive so I can sleep in the back of my truck 😂

[@benjaminlukehanna7791]

Awesome, Just needs a practical test/demo now👍

[@ironsurge64]

Awesome man, was thinking of doing just this for my tacoma. Great mom!

[@Dmosome]

Nice job

[@nicko9969]

Big thumbs up mate. I'm designing something similar to camp over night with. Your advice was great, and the set up was spot on. Cheers.

[@doramather4729]

Another option is to use a telescoping ladder attach to the tailgate to support the tailgate like the I pamper skycamp.

[@roberthanan1096]

Really cool.

[@BlackdogADV]

Good job mom!

[@seanmyers227]

That's sick!

[@doramather4729]

Good job

[@isaacnicholson3676]

How’s it do in rain or snow? I’m considering doing this or getting a topper lift nomad. Thanks! Great video btw.

[@doramather4729]

My husband attached a trail hitch receiver in a v shape bars to support the weight of the tailgate because the tailgate is made to support that much weight. My husband puts a size by side atv in the bed of his truck, ie lots of weight. Hope this helps.

[@latenttweet]

Taco looking really good do you have a build video on it or list of mods? I have some videos editing now on ABS hack and full stereo install

[@MataH1]

Perfect! 😊 is the sticky side of the velcro fixed strongly enough to resist a few pulls?

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Yeah, I’m always careful with it but it’s held up well so far 👍🏼

[@majedalmorabee2593]

nice and affordable set up

[@BraxenMcConnell]

That’s what I was going for :)

[@calebmilne7374]

Good cheap and easy anyone can do this DIY project

[@tennyis28]

have you had it out in the rain? that would leak really badly wouldn't it without the rain fly?

[@mikelabree]

What is the diagonal measurement? Wonder if someone 6’ 2” fit would diagonally?

[@0zmosis2001]

Is that the same dog that's in the picture? If so holy salmon snacks that dog is a real trooper and must have found the fountain of youth. Maybe the key is drinking toilet water. Lol it was in front of you the whole time. 😆

[@Kreetcheer]

I like the idea! When sleeping might it have helped to have a vertical piece holding up the tent where your feet are so you're not touching the tent?

[@Kreetcheer]

Nevermind, it looks like this was your last video on it so it probably didn't work so well and you just scrapped it.

[@SmokeyFireYT]

What tail lights are those? Where did you get them?

[@jkwo2007]

One simple question. Did you turn the zipper direction downside up? Or you just attach the tent front to the truck the way it is? THX.

[@Daner949]

Nice set up, Use magnets 🧲 to hold the tent to the metal tailgate.

[@CFHpantera]

Did you have any issues with bugs getting in from the cracks between the tailgate? or Anywhere else? Excellent videos.

[@Jeffhuebner]

Your mom is Awesome!

[@danmcelroy6584]

Cool! However if you close the glass say in a rain storm. And your feet touch the tent or they make a dip or low spot it's gonna leak. And it may leak from just touching the hatch when down.. Not a bad idea for a budget add on. Peace and good luck testing it.

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Yeah I agree, I think if it was raining a ton I’d just suck it up and close the whole hatch, I do still have the rain fly from the tent too tho, I could make an adaptation 🤔

[@OVRLND_E]

Doing something similar to the back of my Honda Element

[@daveparker3632]

What size tent did you use? How many man?

[@BraxenMcConnell]

I think it was a 5 man?

[@JBLynch]

Nice job! Very creative. How'd this work over all with keeping out bugs? (This is important for those of us who live in FL, who never know what we're going to wake up to after a night of camping in the woods.)

[@MrGaborseres]

Cool 😎 👌 👍

[@littlesammy9095]

Bad ass Brahman

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Thanks man! It’s my most convenient car camping option haha

[@No_one1776]

How did this work? I like the idea but how did it really work in the real world.

[@BlueWolfOO]

Great job, I,am doing something kinda like this.

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Thanks! That’s awesome, I’m stoked to try mine out! I’m going this weekend

[@evanm.2300]

What tent is that?

[@SuperTgra]

What size tent is this made from?

[@BraxenMcConnell]

I don’t know for sure since I got it from a thrift store, but I think it was a 5 man based on the size.

[@dennistranftw4302]

I’ve noticed that most tents don’t zip up from the middle instead they zip on the side. Might be an issue idk

[@bangonfishingadventures]

u can buy felt crow tape u know

[@saginawdan]

👍

[@gohil986]

I see pics of your trips on Instagram why aren't you making vlogs about the trip

[@BraxenMcConnell]

I feel like the videos I make need to have a purpose besides just what I’m doing, I feel like videos without a purpose get boring. So I’ve been trying to think of what I can incorporate into a vlog style video that goes along on the trips I’m doing. A lot of my trips are centered around getting outside and exploring, but also photography stuff, so I might incorporate photography tips or something into a video like that and it would be like a vlog, but with something you’d learn as well. Thoughts?

[@gohil986]

@@BraxenMcConnell i understand that but if you wanna make video about tips on photography you should make separate videos about that try not to include that in vlog but if tips are two or three than you should put it in the vlog

[@gohil986]

It's just all the cool pics of scenery you post on Instagram that makes me wanna watch a vlog about it

[@ninez5740]

“Does your mother know how to sew? Get her to see that!” - Christopher Walken

[@Sashi2003]

The whole thing looks great.. My only concern is the ventilation because most of the shell is metal.. There's only one side where you have the tent coming down and if you pull the glass pannel down that lowers the ventilation further : /

[@BraxenMcConnell]

So the shell is fiberglass, so it doesn’t hold as much heat as metal. But it can still get hot in the mornings. There are two windows on the side of the shell as well as a screen door that can open up fully, so between the screen door and the two windows, I think it’ll be just fine. Utah also cools down a lot at night, like 50-60 degrees in the summer time up in the mountains

[@Sashi2003]

@@BraxenMcConnell ahhh alright, my bad😅

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Good observations tho man!

[@bluecollarstudio8513]

Cool platform but use 3/4 ply instead of the 2x8. That will be a bad day if you ever get rear ended by another vehicle with that 2x8 in there.

[@conormalone3239]

Awesome vid keep it up 👍 have u done this whole project by yourself or did u get help? Also make vlogs about ur trips pls😂

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Just had my mom help sew the Velcro on, other than that it’s just been me working on it. Haha okay okay, two comments about it on the same video, I should definitely vlog some of these weekend trips

[@julestrdprodjimavicpro2869]

that's great and all but there is a better alternative and no cutting!

[@aaronlowen8260]

What’s your alternative mate? Interested to hear

[@julestrdprodjimavicpro2869]

@@aaronlowen8260 im not sure why I said that? I'm going to have to watch the video again😆

[@abittyman]

Your feet will get soaked if you leave them pressed against the tent material

[@25EastHigh25]

Dang, she cute ;))))

[@BraxenMcConnell]

She’s always up for an adventure too

[@Cementgraytacoma]

Braxen McConnell Ik your mom does look quite adventurous

[@Sashi2003]

You didn't tell us what the name of the dog was.. Neither did you pet the dog : ( unsub

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Haha I guess I should have shown the five min of me rolling around with him before that 😂 his name is Rev ;)

[@Sashi2003]

@@BraxenMcConnell yes dog first, video second 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤

[@killswitchkcm8740]

Rev aka Squishy bear

[@BraxenMcConnell]

Lol I should’ve called him squishy bear on video

[@jeanineanderson2539]

Buy a bigger pickup

[@garymaya1767]

Use magnets 🧲 bro way easier.