Truck camper walk thru after living in it 3 straight weeks p12!

In part 12 of the 2 month road trip, I'll share the one thing you need and the one thing you don't need in a truck bed camper. I'll also go through some pros and cons of truck bed camping and end with a full walk thru of my camper and how I have it setup after 3 weeks of road tripping out west. This is a 2 month series with stops in New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming. See the series on my channel or below...
Part 1 - 2 month road trip - • Part 1 - 2 month campi...
Part 2 - A special stream was a surprise - • Truck Bed Camping and ...
Part 3- The craziest stream - • The CRAZIEST thing hap...
Part 4 - My favorite stream in Colorado - • Overlanding in Colorad...
My Truck bed build - • Video
Find me here:
/ looknfishy
/ looknfishy
looknfishy.blogspot.com/
#flyfishing #looknfishy #truckbedcamping

[@jimgollach6202]

Drew, you hit the nail on the head. Plan ahead of time and organize, organize, organize. The more you organize the more you will fish and explore. Excellent informative video. Definitely enjoyed watching. Thanks for sharing. 👍👍👍

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u, definitely feel like it helped me spend more time on the water and giving me the ability to move quickly!

[@vulcontv]

The second I get out of college I’m making this my life

[@edwurmb129]

I have a 4x4 GMC Yukon for adventuring. I sleep in the back. Starting carrying a Gazelle pop up tent in the roof pod. It's big enough to stand up in, eat , hang out in bad weather, bugs, or leave to reserve a camp site. Most of the time I don't use it. I also have a roof basket, large storage pod, rod vault, and my 20# propane tank on the roof. Frees up a lot of space inside when you can put seldom used stuff on top. The propane tank has a 10 foot fuel line. Caution, getting a tire on and off the roof sucks. Stihl makes a battery chain saw that is excellent. It doesn't make your rig stink up like gas. It saved my but last year in California when a wind storm started knocking trees down all around me and blocked the only road out. Love your channel. I'm leaving on my next 2 month adventure in a couple weeks. Retirement is awesome.

[@LooknFishy]

I'm keep going back an forth on the tire up top. It's my 2nd spare so I have one below but I really don't want it in the cab. Definitely gonna check out that battery chainsaw...didn't want a gasoline powered for the reason you mentioned. That would solve a big issue for me! Thanks for the info!

[@jeanwilson8211]

Great stuff, Drew!

[@jerryg957]

Thanks Drew, I'm enjoying your travels ............

[@LooknFishy]

Glad to hear it!

[@ironman4820]

Man you have everything om this world and I'm happy for you and enjoy watching you,all the best!

[@LooknFishy]

Fortunate on many levels!

[@coleholloway2523]

Great video man!!!

[@LooknFishy]

Really appreciate it!

[@JKonstanzer]

Thx Drew, been trying to figure out how to create my own within my extended length Navigator. Great tips for consideration.

[@LooknFishy]

I'm sure it will be worth the effort when you get it worked out!

[@Tastewithnewdrinks]

Great video.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u kindly!

[@stealthfirefishing]

Great video

[@LooknFishy]

Thanks!

[@michaeltichonuk2176]

Read comments and replies. Many great ideas! Last year I had a 6 person Windstar. Like you said, it cramped exploring new areas. Now I have Envoy configured for ease of moving and sleep in. Only have RWD but this yr I have recovery boards. Just in case. 😁. Great info. 👍

[@LooknFishy]

Sounds like you figured out the solution that works best for u and that's the most important part!

[@TimIrvin]

I grew up in Denver, I now live in Hope and the Rocky Mountains have never stopped calling me. We make an annual trek to Hwy 160 and the Weminuche! My wife doesn't enjoy it as I do and we're both OK with that. I'm working on my build. I hope to have it ready by the time the Browns begin their run on The Little Red next month. Thanks for the tips!

[@LooknFishy]

That sounds awesome! Hope it comes together for u!

[@williamwojcieszek4320]

Fall run browns on the Little Red I’ll have to research that!

[@williamwojcieszek4320]

Cool video Drew! I’ve been enjoying my off road capable teardrop, it’s the right balance of comfort and ability to go pretty much anywhere (has more ground clearance and beefier tires, suspension than my 4 runner). If there was a stream I couldn’t bring it to, I would just unhook at a nearby site. I’m in my mid 50s and the body needs a little creature comforts! I love your setup though!

[@LooknFishy]

Yea, I get that...one of the reasons I did the camper is b/c my tent camping days are nearly over...unless I'm backpacking in some place lol!

[@adamw4469]

Good stuff man. I currently have a crew cab 5'-8" bed pickup and I'd say 95% chance my next one will be "double cab" and a true 6'-0"+ bed with a camper shell from the get-go. Our main adventure rig is my wife's fairly built 4Runner and we have played with a sleep/camping setup for it and I'm ready for V2.0. It is always a balance of sleeping space, organization and storage capacity. Really glad I found you channel man, my wife (and fly fishing partner!) love watching your videos together as our evening wind-down TV. Keep 'em coming as you have time, we appreciate all the effort that goes in to these!

[@LooknFishy]

Thanks man! It's definitely a balance between sleeping, organization and space to live...still trying to find that perfect balance but guessing it's a moving target!

[@tomhairston9557]

Nice home away from home!!

[@LooknFishy]

I definitely dig it!

[@gtoutdoorexcursions2938]

Looks like a win for sure! I'm in my Colorado with a 6ft bed and it's nice, and had a Tacoma with 6ft bed for 17 years before that. The extended cab Tundras look pretty nice, they got a decently sized back seat and room behind the seat still plus a 6ft 5in bed. Im 6ft 1, so just that little bump in room would be great. Ive been looking at storage ideas up along the edge of the inside of the topper, Ive seen some pretty decent things out there.

[@LooknFishy]

I have been looking at Tundras also. Those things run forever. Maybe by the time 'm in the market there will be something that get's over 20 mpg...those 7000k mile road trips get costly with gas near $4.00 out west lol!

[@steveverwiel9593]

Hey Drew! Did you ever look into a Project M or similar truck shell camper? I gifted my son and his wife my old '87 Sun Lite truck camper, when leaned out, weighed 1300 lbs. Worked in my 1500 1/2 ton without a problem. It made it back on some nasty roads, snapping off small branches a bit, but the roominess was excellent. Tight lines this summer!

[@brandonpayne3781]

I keep my oreos in their bag but also in a big zip loc bag. It really helps keep them fresh a lot longer. Safe Travels....

[@alexhunt1432]

Love all the videos brother! If you’re ever near Arvada, CO, hit me up. Love to grab a beer and talk shop! Enjoy your trip man!!

[@LooknFishy]

Will do!

[@scottnock5241]

Drew, look at battery chain saws, they are really good now. Like you said if a tree falls n you can’t get out!!! Plus you can cut wood for fire all the time. I want to go with a trailer, so I can leave it n go for the day and don’t have to sleep in the bed. Nice rig though.. You would think Orvis or someone would send you a net….

[@LooknFishy]

Haha...would be nice if I could get a free battery chainsaw. That sounds like perfect for what I need!

[@patrickdwyer433]

What an incredible set up! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us. Hard work but the rewards you’re reaping now is well worth it. Is that awning made specific for truck campers? It looks like the perfect size. What’s the brand?

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u. No, it's a diy using my hammock's rain fly.

[@dougsmith7580]

Ever considered getting a small dual purpose motorcycle ? Easy to carry on a bumper hitch, cheap on gas and can go a lot of places your truck cannot.

[@LooknFishy]

Funny u mention that bc I ran into a guy who was on one. He loved it...definitely opened up some other areas but not sure I'm there yet. I love to hike and get away from the noises you find in the the real world. But he was 66 so it made sense for him and maybe me too someday.

[@neilcavazza7242]

Roof top tents are pretty quick too.

[@LooknFishy]

Yea I looked at a few like GFC and they are nice. One of the main reasons I went this way is for the security...I can keep all my stuff and myself safe while sleeping off the grid, in a walmart parking lot or stealth camping.

[@TheHooligan-5]

There are cheap Chinese auto deployment tents that I throw at a campsite with a few rocks inside to weigh it down. This makes truck camping a joy and helps me keep my spot and if someone steals it, I'm only out $20

[@LooknFishy]

Yea I have a few old tents I considered bringing. My rainfly is quick disconnect and I just leave it...soon to be shown in the series. It is about the same cost but I do still need it...so it would suck if someone stole it lol!

[@garyaaron8425]

Nice video and appreciate going through your set up. FYI, that net could double for a basketball hoop. Just sayin....I've seen worse in The Bronx

[@LooknFishy]

Haha...I'll add a basketball to my gear list!

[@EE0971]

Great video. Helpful for a guy that wants to do something similar. Probably start with a week or two instead of two months. You ever needed leveling blocks, or just hunt down level ground for camp?

[@LooknFishy]

Yea I wanted to do a test run but ran out of time lol. I do, I have some go treads traction that I use for leveling...I cant remember but I might talk about those in a later video. Love that they fold up and store out of the way which is why I forgot to mention them in this video lol!

[@williamwojcieszek4320]

@@LooknFishy Do you remember the specific brand of your Go Treads

[@LooknFishy]

@@williamwojcieszek4320 the standard size.

[@majinbumalo1998]

Why was the propane tank useless? To cold to use it ?

[@darrenmackenzie1645]

👍 on the Oreo’s

[@LooknFishy]

Gotta have'em lol!

[@heymoe1179]

Buy a $29 one person WalMart tent...takes 5 minutes to set up...and it will "reserve" your place when you are out exploring with your truck.

[@dulichlamep8307]

good

[@LooknFishy]

Thx!

[@DyslexicTurtle]

This may have been answered before, but what is your wading situation usually like? Do you wet wade? Wading boots+socks? I almost never see you in full waders, and they are a pain to hike in, regardless of how light they are.

[@LooknFishy]

I only wear waders in the cool months or wading tailwaters. I wet wade in the summer wearing my orvis ultra light boots, good liners and hiking socks! Yes, they don't move or breath like light weight pants and too heavy to backpack in...most streams I fish just require crossing or less than waist deep. Most of the time I'm just walking the edges so no real need for waders.

[@jamesmurphy4431]

Drew, curious whether you're 4WD is essential for traveling the forest service roads you access to fish streams and rivers? Enjoy your videos. Learning a lot.

[@LooknFishy]

The only thing I consider essential is good tires and clearance. But 4wd and/or awd can be helpful...especially in bad weather (not as noticeable in the summer). 95% of the time I was in 2wd but I can remember 3 or 4 times I needed 4wd (awd might have worked also). One night it rained for hours and the road turned to mush. A bunch of guys pulled their campers and mucked up the roads. I was in 2wd and nearly sild off a 10ft ravine before putting it in 4wd and getting out of that area. Another was a steep muddy hill...it might have been a 2-track...I went down and immediately decided it was a bad idea. The climb out wasn't fun! So in good weather...probably not. But some of those roads go bad fast...especially the muddy ones . I might have a different opinion if I lived out west and spent more time on those roads during the bad weather months.

[@WOScholar]

@@LooknFishy How much clearance do you have with your truck?

[@LooknFishy]

10 inches

[@WOScholar]

@@LooknFishy Thanks. I think my F150 KR has 9, but I will double check that. I hope to do some of what you're doing in the near future. Thanks for taking us along on the trips showing and sharing the good and the bad. It always helps to know what could happen to be better prepared.

[@haroldrull4943]

Spare tire takes up a lot of space, I’ll put it right up on the roof.

[@LooknFishy]

Planned to do that but now that I have my rack...that full size spare is a pia to get up there lol!

[@kevintrevors3921]

Great videos..Curious why you would ditch the large propane tank.

[@LooknFishy]

Check out the next video, part 13, in the series...it completely changed my living situation!

[@kevintrevors3921]

@@LooknFishy Yea I agree, I use the small ones also.

[@LooknFishy]

@@kevintrevors3921 definitely easier to manage and store.

[@Hrogthar]

How often do you have to really climb with your truck? Ever get stuck? Building my mid size pickup the same way and thinking about putting on a winch. Still planning on fixed solar panels? Been considering it myself.

[@LooknFishy]

There were a few roads that I had to climb but now I really start to question if it's worth the effort...mostly you just never know until you get there...and I hate to turn around! I didn't get stuck this trip, but last year I did. Took about 20 mins to get out so...is that really stuck lol! So I still like the idea of fixed panels but the portable has some advantages that I learned in Idaho. It was much more shaded and the canopy more dense. The portable allowed me to chase the sun....or park my truck in the shade and put the panels in the sun.

[@Hrogthar]

​@@LooknFishy That's my exact problem. Once I get there I can't get myself to turn around lol. Even took a Honda civic up to the snowline once just to fish a stream that turned out to be barren. But that's the fun! And that does sound like a solid advantage for the panels. Being able to charge while driving would be neat as well though.

[@larryhawes8295]

Hope this is not the same question but would you go where you go with 2WD? Or is 4WD absolutely needed? Thanks

[@LooknFishy]

@@larryhawes8295 I don't mind answering questions multiple times...don't expect anyone to scroll thru comments looking to see if theirs is answered first. I would say I was in 2wd 90% of the time. I only needed 4wd after bad weather when a few roads got bad. I always say, good tires and clearance are highly recommended for driving over jagged rocks. I've only been stuck once but blown 2 tires!

[@larryhawes8295]

@@LooknFishy Thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to reply. Look forward to all your videos. 2 blown tires? Very good to know! Thanks again.

[@ManClanDad]

OK, I'll be the guy who asks. What do you do for a shitter?

[@dalegolemon5518]

Are you keeping your food in the truck with you at night, if so any bear issues?

[@LooknFishy]

I did...never any problems but the start to the next video is kinda fun and why I like sleeping in a camper lol!

[@stealthfirefishing]

This man can get lost and live lol 👨🏼‍🌾

[@bigdawgpaw4348]

Where did you find the mosquito netting?

[@LooknFishy]

Off amazon...kratarc canopy netting for hiking and backpacking 13.99...only used half of it.

[@rgt321]

what about a pop up truck camper. Been looking in to them myself

[@LooknFishy]

Looked at them just a little more than I need right now plus most looked like they had soft sides which I don't like in bear country. I assumed you meant the over the cab style and not trailers. Many of the roads I drive are a pain to turn around on w/o a trailer so I'm not sure I'll ever haul anything. One road had a sign that said "road not suitable to vehicles towing a trailer or over the cab campers"...that stream was incredible and I never want to be limited in where I drive!

[@rgt321]

@@LooknFishy yeah over the cab style. The ones that fold down have a pretty low profile, I think they should be able to go down most of the places you go. As for bears the soft sides are at the very top of camper the rest is hard sided but I guess he could get in there if he wants :)

[@ev_blue]

How essential is 4WD to get to the areas you are fishing?

[@LooknFishy]

I'd say 95% of the time I was in 2wd but a few times I got in but needed 4wd to get out. The roads can go bad with weather. IMO, clearance and good tires are essential.

[@joeshoe4940]

Are you thinking about doing any steal heading up north I got a boat for ya

[@LooknFishy]

Never really thought about it but I do want to chase them one day!

[@monmixer]

Nice set up, worse case scenery your on wheels and can sleep in that big cab and turn the truck on.

[@LooknFishy]

Exactly what I did in bear country before I got the camper lol

[@willbeller3748]

What kind of gas mileage are you getting fully rigged up?

[@LooknFishy]

About 16 mpg which is up from 14 after adding my shell!

[@williamwojcieszek4320]

I may have heard you wrong but I thought you said you’re wading boots were useless? Use waders at all on this trip?

[@LooknFishy]

Brought them in case the heat made streams to hot...figured I'd just fish tailwaters. But never was an issue...I don't wear waders in the summer!

[@williamwojcieszek4320]

@@LooknFishy You don’t mean your Orvis wading boots you’re talking about some other boots

[@LooknFishy]

@@williamwojcieszek4320 I have orvis UL wading boots for wet wading and orvis pro wading boots for wearing waders. I brought both but only used the UL boots for west wading. The waders and opro wading boots just took up space in my truck.

[@williamwojcieszek4320]

@@LooknFishy Yes you turned me onto the Orvis ULs - I love em

[@jsf8145]

@@williamwojcieszek4320 I've never used wading boots that don't have felt on them. Do you find the Orvis tread on their boots to be slippery on rocks? I'm out in Idaho and looking for wading boots to hike in during the summer without wearing my waders, but not sure about the tread on boots that don't have felt on them. What is the difference in the Orvis UL boots vs wearing just a used pair of hiking boots? It appears the rubber bottom tread on Orvis looks to be no different than the average tennis shoe. Just curious.

[@4Whopper]

Party size.

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely!

[@johnswanson3741]

Learn to speak clearly. If your talking and people cannot understand what your saying , what's the point!