Building a Diagonal Sleeping Setup in Dual Cab Ute Canopy

[@stevegoodwin5841]

You made good use of what you had for one person for sure. Well done. Spacecab chassis (Extra cab) are ideal for vehicle camping. I have decked out a spacecab for travel for 2 adults. Perfect. Canopy 150 mm higher than oem. Canvas sides engineered roof and frame for load bearing and roof storage. Whole tray a bed base of Drifta drawers accessible dropping tray sides. Double swag permanently in there for wife and I. I did spend 2 years designing it in my head though. Had set up 5 1/2 years now. It rocks. Isuzu Dmax 4x4 SX model.

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

@stevegoodwin5841 if I didn't have kids I would most definitely have a spacecab. For truck/ute camping they are the best of both worlds. Good cab space and able to sleep in the back.

[@GatewoodBrown]

This was a cool build! I've always wondered what diagonal sleeping would be like in a short bed pickup

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

I love it!

[@mikehzz9848]

You could hav 2 slide out drawers, maybe one with a slide out kitchen? Thanks for the video, I was looking for something exactly like that. Cheers

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

@@mikehzz9848 I've since changed this setup to a trifold bed so I can sit in there. I love it.

[@Bawkr]

This is exactly the thought I was having, still watching awesome. Diagonal bed!

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

I'm actually surprised more people aren't doing it. I searched everywhere for inspiration and couldn't find anything so had to make it up as I went.

[@Bawkr]

@@AllThingsOutdoors I think if I did it I'd have a cut out somewhere where I could use the bed as sort of a bench & some sort of a desk that's more elegant than a pillow book and mouse pad for my laptop (used to do that in a 35mpg car). The car was decent if I took of my shoes and dropped the seat it was easy to sleep in. I don't know maybe it's over kill to use the laptop in the back when I'd have a double cab. upfront. Can always just use my phone or even a tablet would work once I'm back there.

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

That's my next upgrade. Gonna have a desk type thing that extends out from the corner kitchen that goes over my feet.

[@Bawkr]

Oh yeah I think my keyboard tray would work as well. When I shared a bedroom, hard to believe everything I owned was in that room. I made a woodboard that fit a %60 mechanical keyboard & a standard mousepad. Foam weather strip all around it, stuck to it & re-glued as needed. A lot more comfortable than a laptop, almost as good as a desk. If you swung that out from one of the wheel wells and had a leg on it that might work pretty well too. I'm thinking though that it might be better to not attach it and roll with it loose. Also rounded the underside corners & edges. Pinewood about 18"x9" is roughly what I think it's dimensions were.

[@ellenhookey]

I'm going to try this with my Holden Rodeo, considering living in it while I save for a house deposit lol 😆

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

If you hadn't put the lol 😆 at the end I would've believed you with the ridiculous house prices and even crazier rental market. On the plus side my sleeping setup is super comfortable and I reckon you could stealth camp with it quite easily.

[@NudePostingConspiracyTheories]

These days i get that. If you rent these days you'll never get a deposit for a house because rents are insane

[@patrickhall3878]

You and I started with the same space.. completely different ideas, both have merit,maybe I’ll post some pics.. hello from texas..

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

G'day Patrick. Hopefully you have a bit more space to work with than me. I love hearing about different ideas to work with the same space. My setup is always evolving.

[@sonny4754]

Not bad mate I’m looking at setting my np300 dual cab the same way trying to get more ideas

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

You will love it mate. So easy and roomy

[@jameskirkpatrick1242]

I’m fitting out the back of my dual cab hilux with a foam mattress to do this same thing, I’m thinking of ideas to unlatch the tailgate from the inside, anyone have or seen any ideas for this?

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

Do you have the J tub with the double handle tailgate?

[@jameskirkpatrick1242]

@@AllThingsOutdoors yet to see, but I did find a cool simple cable and pulley system someone made for their suv I think I’ll try

[@MsShinhee]

What did you do for cooling?

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

A 12 volt computer fan that slots into the sliding window at the front that draws in air from outside.

[@MsShinhee]

@AllThingsOutdoors that's a good idea. I have dogs so I'm always trying to think of ways to keep the canopy cool

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

Check out this video of mine where I show how I use it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmOsd39jnqyhhJY

[@weishen5938]

So much fun dog.

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

It is fun. Just went out last night to camp in it again.