Tonneau Cover Tent Conversion – How to Set up a Truck Bed Tent?

As a camper, I must take my truck to all the places with me. Things get difficult to manage along the truck, as I need to pack the tents and my cargo. As the tonneau cover is quite heavy on my pockets, I learned about truck bed tents. I bought one and took that with me for my camping last month. The truck bed tent serves its purpose amazingly. So, today I am making a Tonneau Cover Tent Conversion guide for camping lovers.

Camping has never been this accessible with a truck bed tent. Those days are gone when you set up the tent on the ground because now you can transform your truck bed into a tent. In addition, it gets me rid of the uncomfortable state of regular tents. As sometimes the surface could be smoother. The truck bed cover has many benefits, so I will also make a guide so you all will take advantage of that.

But let’s first get to know what a truck bed tent is.

What is a Truck Bed Tent?

Truck bed tents perfectly fit over the truck bed. It has buckle straps to attach to the truck bed. Moreover, it gives you enough room to sleep. Truck bed tents are similar to rooftop and regular tents, different from typical ropes used to secure the tent.

Truck Bed tent companies design tents with specific trucks in mind that fits over the truck bed. The tents that precisely fit over the truck bed give benefits. 

1. Firstly, it provides more protection against moisture. The tent does not touch the grounds directly and would not get wet from grass dew.
2. Secondly, it allows you to instant camping sites. All you need to do is set up your tent and get a good night’s sleep. 

Tonneau Cover Tent DIY

I have used the Rightline Gear Truck tent a couple of times before. It was awesome. Inside the packaging, there was a tent itself, tent poles, and a rain fly. The instruction manual sews inside the packaging bag. It took me 20-25 minutes to install it, but now it takes me hardly 15 minutes. I will walk you through how I set it.

• First, open the cover by untying the little strings that tie down everything. 

• Drop the tent inside the truck bed so that the tent’s front side is on the tailgate. Unroll it towards the cab of the truck. 

• Next, unfold the edges of the tent. It makes everything accessible that way. 

• Take the thread on the rear side of the tent and thread it out. (it will unthread so you can weave it back and out through the buckle). Take it, wrap it under your tailgate and leave it loose.

• Further, take the tent end; there is a corner almost like a fitted sheet. Wrap it around the tailgate. Do the same on the opposite side.

• There are two colors of straps on the tent. And the orange strap remains in the truck bed, and I hook down the orange strap into the corner of the truck bed. It gives support to the tent. Repeat the process on the opposite side.

Note: Do not tightly hook them; leave them loose. 

• Moving to this, grab the tent and pull it out over the sides of the truck bed. So it lay nicely over the truck bed.

• Also, the back side of the tent is a bit stretchy, more like a bungee inside the corner. Pull the cover over the corner of the bulkhead. Do the same method on the opposite side of the truck bed. 

• Adjust the tent corners properly. Snug the rear end of the tent by the cab. 
• Further to this, unzip the tent door. Grab either one for the orange and slide it into the slot on the other side of the truck. Do the same method with another orange pole.

Note: 3 different poles come along with the tent. One is in the color black, and two are in the color orange. 

• The two oranges go crisscrossed across the tent, and the black one uses for the door. 

• To stand the tent over the truck bed, bend down one pole end inside the pouch near the cab and then do the same at the rear end. Push down all the corners of both poles into the little pouches.

• Next, tighten down the orange straps on the inside. Once you snugly fit the frond side straps, fit the back ones against the cab.

• Once done with this part, take the black strap and put it outside the truck bed. There are three black straps on each side that hook into the various places along the side of the truck. Each strap has a curl-like end; clip the strap underneath the truck. 

• Next, grab the black pole and assemble it. Sile the pole inside the hole near the edge at the front side of the tent. Put the end inside the pouch. 

• In addition, there are two clips on both sides. Fasten the clips on either side.

• Last but not least, snug down the tailgate strap. It keeps the tent from flapping around. 

Rain Fly

To enhance the tent’s water resistance quality, the Rightline Gear includes Rain Fly. It easily slips over the tent and fastens with buckle straps. 

Rain Fly has two colors, one grey, and the other orange. The grey color for the front side. 

Throw the rain fly over the tent side to side from the back. It has three buckles on either side. Clip all the hooks once you are done with this. Snug down the buckles to make the rain fly secure. 

This tent has a door, and you can leave it open. What I can do most is open the door to let the air come inside when the weather is nice. You can roll the cover-up by just unzipping the door. It has clip keepers for securing the door.

Can you put a regular tent in truck bed?

Definitely yes. A regular tent is way more inexpensive and fits perfectly over the truck bed. It keeps water out and provides you with enough comfort and shelter. A tent makes camping and other outdoor activities easy. 

Is a tent colder than a car?

A tent is cooler to sleep in at night than a vehicle. A car is sealed, and any heat enters throughout the day. Then, the heat is held, absorbed, and stored within the car. When you get inside your car at night, you will still be warmer than in a tent since tents are not as well sealed.

Can you survive winter in a tent?

A tent used for winter’s time must be durable and water-resistant to keep the water out of the tent. Besides, winter camping requires more items or cargo compared to summertime camping. Therefore, you would opt for a tent with enough room to comfortably accommodate you and your cargo. 

Will a 2 Person tent fit in a truck bed?

Some truck bed tents have enough room, and 2 persons can sleep comfortably. In addition, bed tents give protection and security from the outside animals and hot/warm weather. 

What is the point of a truck bed tent?

It was invented in 1990 by Roman Napieraj, founder of Napier Enterprises. A truck bed tent is designed explicitly to be set up in a truck bed. Truck bed tent offers an outdoor camping experience with the extra safety and comfort of sleeping off the ground.  

Conclusion – Truck Bed Tent

A truck bed tent is a worthy investment that serves you for many years while making your adventures easier. On top of it, they are budget-friendly. There are plenty of truck bed tents on the market to opt for. Tents are becoming more in demand because of their versatility and easy setup design.