The perfect truck bed tent converts the back of your truck into the perfect place to spend the night!
At A Glance: Our Top 3 Best Truck Bed Tents
Sleeping anywhere in your truck bed tent with lots of headroom and space inside is an absolute game changer.
No more having to find a campsite because you can camp anywhere in your truck bed tent. You can get off the beaten path, deep in the woods and finally get that peace and quiet you were looking for.
Not all truck bed tents are made equal though. Some are more durable, have different features, or handle the weather better than others. In this review, we take you through some of the best truck bed tents around so you can find the top one for you.
Best Allrounder
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Best Of The Best
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Best On A Budget
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The Kodiak Canvas Truck Bed Tent is a great choice for anyone who loves to camp out when it’s cold. It keeps you super warm no matter the weather but may get a little hot come summer.
The tent is made from Hydra-Shield 100% cotton duck canvas that is as durable as an outer tent material can get. It’s not just durable but also waterproof and breathable too. The tent also comes with a steel frame that is tough as nails and will handle strong winds with ease.
To pitch the tent is quite simple, just build the steel frame and clamp it to the rails of your truck bed. once you’re down, throw the tent over and strap it down to give you a spacious place to sleep for the night. It’s worth practicing this at home once or twice before you try setting it up at night when camping.
Once up it’s very roomy inside, perfect for two people. You’ll find some mesh pockets for gear storage plus 5 windows for light and ventilation. One of the windows is also aligned with the front can so you can access it with ease too.
The front door is large and sits over the tailgate. It’s simple to climb in through and it comes with YKK zippers that are some of the most long-lasting zippers around.
This is a floorless tent, meaning you can leave gear in the trunk if you need to, or add a tarpaulin if you don’t fancy sleeping on the dirty truck bed.
The tent fits quite a wide range of trucks too including the Ford F Series, Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra, and Nissan Titan. You can buy it in two sizes as well to match whatever size truck you have.
The only real downsides to this truck bed tent are that it’s pretty expensive and that it can get a little too hot when camping out on hot summer days.
The Smittybilt Gen2 Tent isn’t a truck bed tent as such, it’s more of a roof tent. But it does convert your truck to a tent at the end of the day and is more convenient as you won’t have to move any of your gear around. But, you do need a roof rack in order to use it.
The tent is made from a super tough aluminum frame with 600d heavy-duty rip stop polyester with a lightweight, waterproof 420d Oxford rainfly. It can handle big weather like no other and if you’re caught out in a windy storm, this is the tent you want to be in.
The tent sits on your roof rack with a 1040gsm, 2000d PVC cover that protects it from any dirty and UV rays. It straps down nice and tight with it’s own velcro straps.
Setting it up is simple. just open up the cover and the aluminum frames and hey presto, you have a comfy tent to sleep in. It’s not that easy, but it almost is.
Once up, you access the tent via the included telescopic ladder. Once inside it’s super spacious and full of useful features. There are shoe storage pockets on the outside, LED lights on the inside, a sunroof, and windows for great ventilation.
There is even a power adapter that you can connect to a 12V so you can charge your devices while you sleep.
There are two downsides to this tent, the first being it’s quite expensive, but it does come with a 1-year warranty if that helps. The second is that the rainfly pools water. No water gets in, but after a large amount of rain, you’re going to have to move it somewhere. Hint: make sure the truck windows are closed.
The Napier Sportz Truck Tent is an ideal truck bed tent for any truck that has a bed ranging between 5.5-8ft long, which is most of them.
It’s made from polyester with fiberglass poles and features a full-coverage rainfly to protect you from the elements. This tent also comes with a floor to ensure you stay warm, dry, and clean while you’re camping in the back of your truck.
Picking it is simple once you know how to. It takes less than 15 minutes but make sure you practice it first, as setting up a trunk bed tent isn’t the same as pitching a normal tent.
One pitched the tent is spacious inside. It has a ceiling height of 5.6 ft, that you can almost stand up inside. It also features 2 mesh windows and 2 ceiling vents to ensure you stay well ventilated cool or don’t wake up soggy from condensation. You’ll also find a gear loft in the tent plus a few mesh pockets for your valuables.
There are two things about this tent that make it one of my favorites, the awning at the rear access panel.
The awning goes over your tailgate and gives 16 sq. ft. for coverage for you and your buddies to hand out under. And, the rear access panel fits snugly over the cab window so you can access the inside of your car and use the power outlet if need be.
There are no major downsides to this tent, it’s pretty awesome altogether. There are some complaints about the zippers wearing out over time though.
The Sportz Avalanche Truck Tent III is the perfect truck bed tent for your Chevy. It’s made from durable materials including a polyester outer shell and fiberglass tent poles.
The polyester does a great job of keeping the rain out while the fiberglass poles are designed to flex in heavy winds in order to bend but not break. It’s a great tent to be stuck in if the weather conditions get a bit hectic.
Setting up this tent is a little tricky the first time but once you know what you’re doing, you can have it up in 15 minutes or less. We would recommend doing a few practice runs at home so you’re not caught short trying to set it up in a storm or at night for the first time.
Once up, the tent is spacious inside, there is more than enough room for 2 people. It has a 5.5ft of headroom which is excellent, and you’ll both be able to sit up at the same time with ease.
You’ll also find two mesh storage pockets and a gear loft in the tent for keeping any valuable close by plus some mesh windows that provide great ventilation.
Accessing the tent couldn’t be easier thanks to the large door by the tailgate. The tent also fits perfectly over the window to your front cab so you can access anything inside the car with ease.
One of my favorite features about this tent is the awning. At the back of your truck, the tent spreads out to create a 6 x 6 foot awning that’s great to sit under in wet weather or when you want some shade. It’s a great place to set up your breakfast table or to sit and drink some coffee and watch nature go by.
The only downside to this tent is that it’s made specifically for a Chevy Avalanche so it might not fit all trucks out there.
The next truck bed tent on our best-of list is the Guide Gear Truck Tent. This tent, unlike the one above, fits quite a lot of trucks including Chevy, Ford, GMC, Nissan, Toyota, and more.
The tent is made from 190T polyester with a polyethylene floor and fiberglass poles. The floor is super durable to handle the wear and tear of sitting on a truck, and the poles flex nicely in the wind to ensure you have a solid structure no matter the weather.
The 190T polyester offers full coverage and is waterproof to 1500mm thanks to the DWR (durable water-resistant coating). It’ll handle a major downpour with ease.
Pitching this tent takes a matter of minutes. There are only 4 poles and it goes up like most dome tents would, except for the tension straps that anchor to your truck.
Once up it’s spacious inside and will fit most full-sized 79-81 inch beds with ease. This tent also gives you an awesome amount of headroom with 5.25 ft. Inside you’ll also find mesh windows for great ventilation and 2 storage pockets for your valuables.
There is also a large porch area that features the front door. It’s easy to access and it great for storing items like shoes that you don’t want inside the tent at night.
The only downside to this truck bed tent is that the seams are a little delicate so you should be cautious when pitching it.
The Rightline Gear Truck Tents come with a few features that others don’t to make truck camping a little easier. This truck tent has a floorless design, meaning the tent goes around the truck but you’ll be sleeping on the metal.
Some see the floorless design as a bonus because it makes set up a bit easier as you don’t have to remove your gear and so the tent doesn’t get dirty on the truck floor. I personally see it as a negative. Your mattress and gear will get dirty on the truck floor, plus you’ll probably be rubbing up against cold metal now and then while you sleep. But a lot of people love it.
The truck tent camper is made from fiberglass poles and a polyester outer shell. The outer shell is waterproof to 2000mm in order to keep the rain out, and the poles are sturdy in the wind.
Setting up the tent is easy thanks to the color-coded design, and the fact you don’t have to unload your truck with the floorless design. It’s best to practice at home first though, especially If you have never pitched a truck bed tent before. You have the choice to add the rainfly or leave it off to look at the stars at night.
Once up, it covers the whole back of the truck to the tailgate and it very spacious. There is a large door for access, 2 gear pockets inside, a lantern hook, and glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls which is a handy feature if you need the bathroom in the night.
My favorite thing about this tent is that it comes in 7 sizes to match a lot of trucks out there. Just measure the back of your truck and then take a look at the size guide to find your match.
The downside to this tent is that the seams are a little weak, and when under a lot of tension it can cause damage to the tent. Be sure to set it up carefully and not too tight.
The Rightline Gear SUV Tent is a normal tent that connects directly to the trunk of your SUV. This allows you to use the trunk as a sleeping area combined with a large 4 person tent. It’s ideal for large groups of families and friends a lot more practical too.
You still get to sleep off the ground with this tent if you want to, and when you want to leave you tent where it is but go fro a drive, you don’t have to take the whole tent down, you just disconnect it from the SUV and off you go.
The tent itself is made from water-resistant polyester that is waterproof to 2000mm and features bathtub floors to give you extra protection from bugs and any wet ground. It also features fiberglass tent poles that handle the wind well.
Setting up this tent is a piece of cake. It’s like any normal dome tent and takes about 5 minutes if you know how. Once it’s up, just open the SUV attachment point, and strap it in to combine it with your trunk space.
Once inside you’ll find some mesh pockets for gear storage and a large mesh window plus roof vents to keep you cool at night. The tent is roomy inside and has enough space for 4 people to sleep comfortably, and the front door is also huge for easy access.
The fit is universal with all types of large vehicles that have a hardtop, so if you own one of those, this is a great tent for you.
The downsides of this SUV tent are few. The annoying one is that the zippers tend to catch easily so be careful when using them as you might rip something. The other is that it’s not the warmest tent in the world and you might get cold inside towards late autumn and early spring.
The Napier Backroadz Truck Tent is another great truck bend tent and the thing that sets this tent apart from the others is how easy it is to set up. You can even do it solo in under 10mmiuntes once you know how to.
The tent is made from water-resistant polyester and comes with fiberglass poles. Both are excellent in heavy weather and have handled storms exceptionally well. They are also durable too and should expect to use this tent for years to come.
Setting it up is about as easy as it gets. The tent is color-coded to ensure you put all the right things in the right places and it comes with very simple to read instructions.
Once up, it’s spacious inside with more than enough room for 2 people and it has over 5ft of headroom too. The tent features two large mesh windows for ventilation and you’ll find a large gear loft and pockets for any valuables plus a lantern holder.
Accessing the tent is easy through the large front door that sits on your open tailgate.
The tent comes in 5 sizes to match a wide range of trucks and for every purchase, a tree is planted which is great for the health of the earth.
The only downside to this tent is that if set up wrong the poles can snap. You have to ensure the straps are loose so you don’t put too much pressure on the poles. If you follow this simple tip, they will be good for years.
Tents for pickup trucks aren’t cheap and the last thing you want is for yours to fall apart after just a year of use. Look for quality materials like fiberglass poles and polyester or canvas for the tent. These materials are great in terms of longevity and will ensure your tent lasts a long time.
Not all truck bed tents are universal so you must make sure that the tent you choose fits your truck The best way to do this is by measuring your truck bed with the tailgate closed and then checking the size guide of the tents you’re looking at. Some of the tents in the review come in up to 7 sizes, so don’t worry, you’ll find one that matches your tuck quite easily.
Spending time in nature isn’t about wrestling with your tent to get it up, it’s about having fun. Make sure you pick a tent that is known to be easy to pitch. We’d also recommend practicing setting it up at home so you’re ready and to pitch it in minutes once you’re out truck tent camping.
There isn’t much point in having a tent for an F150 truck if you’re going to wake up cold and wet in it. All the tents in the review can handle strong winds and rain but it’s worth checking out. Look for string piles like fiberglass, aluminum, and steel and water-resistant coatings and materials like polyester, canvas, and nylon.
The best truck bed tent is the Smittybilt Overlander Tent. This tent sits on your roof so there is no need to move your gear around. It’s durable, easy to pitch, spacious, and great in heavy weather. It also comes with a double mattress, in-built LED lighting, and loads more handy features.
The best all-rounder is the Kodiak Canvas Truck Bed Tent. This truck bed tent is warm for camping all year round in and it’s made for exceptionally durable materials so it’ll stand the test of time. Inside it’s spacious and welcoming plus it’s super easy to pitch that you can even do it solo.
The best on a budget truck bed tent is the Napier Sportz Truck Tent. It’s roomy, durable, great in heavy weather, easy to pitch and it has a rear access panel that you can connect to the front cab so can charge devices and get to things you might need with ease.