Overlanding Products Review - Camping and Parks on the Air (POTA)

[@lachumbley]

Best air mattress I've ever used is made by Nemo. They do not lose air, and the channels are oriented so you don't bottom out. You can find em at REI .

[@daregu]

Just through a cot in the truck bed. Some of them could probably easily fit the wheel well between the legs and you'd have plenty of room for your stuff. Cots are typically soft enough to sleep on, but you could get a light weight foam pad and be good to go.

[@groundzero.]

always air up bed early.gives the material time to stretch out and air to equalize in temp. then top off just before you lay down.

[@joeyelda5775]

WX7XX from Idaho with a sleeping thought I have a 2015 Tacoma extended cab(6 ft bed), century shell with side pop up windows including screens. and a Decked unit (Decked.com a local Idaho company) installed for storage. A 3 inch foam pad makes a great sleeping bed and will easy fit two adults. And it will roll up out of the way. Keep up the video's they are great Joe

[@richardsaunders3082]

Sleep Number Bed - long twin, $699, use inverter from your LiFePo4 battery pack... adjusts continuously all night as needed. (You said expensive was ok) 15 yr warrantee

[@HamRadio2]

Expensive is ok. But it needs to also be portable. I don't even use a Sleep Number Bed at home.

[@albing1397]

You should have an antenna mount on the truck so all you have to do is screw in a Ham stick or Wolf River/collapsible 17' antenna for a quick activation.

[@kevinsullivan5151]

Air mattress: Big Agnes, Alps Mountaineering, REI

[@daniels.3920]

Best air mattress i have used is from Coleman. I have used mine for several years and only had to add minimal air to it after 3 nights of use.

[@stacksmasher]

They make a truck mattress with a little pump that will keep it filled up. The pump is "Cordless" so its totally silent.

[@JimmyShot]

Cheap twin size memory foam is well worth the space it takes up. I gave up on inflatable mattresses long ago, got tired of waking up on a cold floor rails in my camper shell.

[@mrmichaeltscott]

Using a Sea to Summit queen in my F150 6.5. The air loss is due to the temp drop. Put a couple a thick yoga mats down first. (Insulation from cold) Buddy cable. Thanks. DX Commander would not tell me a good field coax.

[@chrisg7veo495]

I have couple of intex airbeds, dont loose air and very comfortable

[@rtcy2008]

post a video at the outer banks , love that place, while I was off I watched ALL your videos down in Galveston ? Island , miss the GULF , used to vacation at Sanibel Island in Florida when it was a jungle and a few huts good memories fishing out there . 73 my friend

[@daveherron]

Ive used and abused dozens of air mattresses in my life. Im not sure if they leak or if the air temp change is whats to blame (as the night gets colder they shrink). I dont camp as much anymore but I have bought a few camping cots. While they are a lot slimmer, I dont wake up in the morning with body pain feeling like I sank in quick sand trying to get out.

[@mark351]

Try looking for a low cot for sleeping in the bed. No deflation issues.

[@HamRadio2]

That is the direction I am considering. One of the other guys out there had a small cot that fit into his tent, so I could certainly use that in the truck.

[@bradh6185]

I have a thicker air mattress that stays up and it's more comfortable than my bed at home. I will let you know what it is when I get back home tomorrow.

[@genebodenberger]

Aire out of Idaho will make a mattress for you. Not cheap, but you have options for valves for air input.

[@davidsradioroom9678]

Nice setup! 👍

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks! 👍

[@DieselRevered]

I love the tent on your truck! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have known about it.

[@HamRadio2]

Yeah I just happened to choose this one because you didn't have to drill into the truck to mount it. I wouldn't mind drilling so much, but I am not sure of my permanent config for the camper-shell on the back of the truck yet, so I didn't want to have anything that I couldn't change later

[@DieselRevered]

@@HamRadio2 that's what sold me on it was not having to drill.

[@billsbullets]

OMG who’s German Shepherd? I’m in tears right now watching this video🥲🥲. I have a German Shepherd service dog who acts as my fingers, alerts me before an “episode”. His name is Coaxial a.k.a. Axe. In short he’s always there and never judges my failed attempts at making contacts. Thanks for bringing a smile to our day. Always a 👍👍🐕‍🦺. 73s K9PAL Augusta, GA

[@HamRadio2]

Yep she is my POTA mascot.

[@mikesmithg0rfd356]

i had good luck the coalman airbeds

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

Nice setup. I plan on something like that one day. Maybe a small towable camper? Who knows? Check out a KZbinr (channel name too) named “Mav”. He does a lot of truck camping. I’m sure you can learn of some gear from him.

[@TangoOscarMikeN3WS]

#teamreplay Have you thought about a cot to sleep on. It saves space because you can put stuff under it and also use it as a seat.

[@wowsly]

treat the air matress like and inflatable dinghy. most of the time when you blow up a dinghy it has warm air in it but when you put the dinghy into the water the water is colder and cools down the warm air. as you know air density is affected by temperature as well as pressure. so many people blow up water craft and think it has a leak after being put in the water. all ways blow up the bed as late as posible when the air is cooler. this may be hard when there are other people sleeping when you want to use an electric pump :D apart from that they all bloody leak for me to lol do you have room for a hammock in the truck bed? 73 de M6CTP (been watching your vids for years)

[@RichardHopkinsLobosSolos]

Is it losing air or is the air cooling down and thus taking up less space? Also, have you thought about a foam rubber cushion that rolls up? Maybe have it under the air mattress as a backup. "I think I'm funny, nobody else does." And that made me chuckle. Nice video. Part of it wouldn't work for me currently, because I'm driving an X-Terra.

[@HamRadio2]

It was definitely losing air. I used a foam cushion for the rest of this trip.

[@tm8747]

what wrong with a nice instant tent or small trailer, . . you can buy a exercise mat, 4" thick, full, or twin size, to fit in between the hubs, there cheaper then those air mattress and dont need a pump. amazon or ebay

[@HamRadio2]

At first I wanted a tent that was setup on top of the truck, but my reservation with that was the wind... I didn't want to be up that high if a windy rain storm came along. I am looking into trailers also.

[@tm8747]

@@HamRadio2 I M currently building a 8x14 trailer, , holding 25al, fresh, grey, and black tanks, the trailer, is to hold a king size bed, sideways in the rear, building for completely of the grid, net weight, 4100#, with a gross of 7000#, duel axles brakes on all 4s, its standing when traveling down the road 5.6 feet high, but when camping 8.5 feet high. when im done i, ll show the pictures, .

[@jakew5960]

How did that seat cover hold up to having Frank in it?

[@HamRadio2]

I removed it before Frank got in the truck

[@jakew5960]

That defeats the purpose. Probably got his hair all over the place now.

[@1337flite]

Thanks for the video Jason - love your work. Question for you - is the Buddihex a new product in beta or something? I can't seem to find it on Buddy's website. But seen it mentioned a bit lately - maybe only you tubers have them at the moment? Cheers.

[@daveherron]

Its been a few months since you asked but yeah its new / beta from what Ive seen recently. Also theres a new BuddiStick Pro model which has an updated feed point and tripod from what I gather. I dont know if the website just isnt updated yet - like if you can call and order either but theyre not on the site yet.

[@k8drtqrp]

Buy a Nemo or some other nice air pad from someone like REI. I’m 6’8” and 320lbs and my Nemo XL Long insulated sleeping pad gets it done. I’ve got around 50 nights on it and no problems. Also look at a low profile backpacking Cot. Spend some money. Buy once cry once.

[@HamRadio2]

I'll look into that one, thanks.

[@DaveW6OOD]

Roll that beautiful Buddihex footage.

[@HamRadio2]

Haha

[@daveherron]

Hey, did you know your camper top doesnt match your truck? No it doesnt match the truck. Yes, Im getting it painted. Thanks for asking. hahahaha

[@w7roitimothybath368]

If the mattress is new the material it’s made of maybe stretching not leaking. At least that’s the claim made by some of these mattress manufacturers.

[@wp4rkf]

Nice.

[@TheNoCodeTech]

#MNHR Great video man, thanks.

[@BenButler1]

Go get a Big Agnes sleeping pad

[@fingerpuppet3591]

bacon 🥓

[@oldsoldier181]

Exped megamat. Its like sleeping on a bed. And mine NEVER leaks. I have been using them for years

[@HamRadio2]

I'll look those up

[@jimmarcum7362]

Where is the link to drive over portable mast mount? I have never seen one that folds over before. Last weekend here in Tennessee, it got below freezing for several nights. I wonder how comfortable that shell is in cold weather? I remember your video in Corpus Christi, Texas when the cold snap hit. I am hoping you are carrying a good sleeping bag. I use the discontinued military MSS when ever I go out for the day. A lot of people are using the roof top tents. But they are a hassle to mount on a camper shell. I can only imagine that they would reduce fuel mileage and you would want a quick disconnect system when you were not going camping. I would build a wooden frame that would fit in the corners of the bed and would have some overhead shelves near the top of the shell. I had to use an air mattress for several days, I had the same problem. Second night I cranked the mattress up with a lot of air, but it still let me down. I am looking for good mattress that will hold air overnight.

[@HamRadio2]

He doesn't sell those online so it isn't possible to link to them. Right now I am hoping to get him to make a few models for me and I will take them to the Huntsville Hamfest. Shipping is the real problem - it would cost more to ship them, due to weight and odd configuration and size, than the unit costs.

[@jimmarcum7362]

@@HamRadio2 Thanks Jason, I like the way it folds over compared to the other ones. I hope you will make it to Chattanooga this year, if they have it.