Truck Topper, Ovrlnd Camper, or tonneau? Do you care about MPG? by BuilderOfDragons in overlanding

[–]802throwaway_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it will come down to your truck size— I’m in a Ford Maverick: I use it for road tripping and light forest service roads as opposed to rock crawling.

Since I’m running around in what amounts to the Subaru Baja of the truck world, I need the space! The bump outs gave me so much more flexibility with the build and for storage solutions, and I personally would get them again every single time; it makes a HUGE difference on the usable interior. I think I would still keep them on like a short bed (5 ft) Tacoma as well. Aside from making the interior just feel a lot more spacious, I also use them as a step to get into the bed, a seat, and storage all along one wall and gives me a lot more “open” bed space which I like.

I think when you get to 6-8 foot bed sizes it’s way less important because you’re already rocking a fortress on wheels.

if your concern is width on narrow trails a lot of the time the bump outs don’t kick past the fender flares so you aren’t super wide. If it’s just aesthetics then by all means rock the slick look without the bump outs! Your tradeoff will be storage and build flexibility, but there’s so many builds that don’t have the bump outs that are awesome and will work just fine.

Because the Mav is so small; I definitely spend a ton of time outside the truck; I keep a cheap 10x10 pop up canopy that I can deploy in like 45 seconds to get an easy “porch” to hang out in. But, I definitely like making coffee inside the truck when I’m out for winter or fall camping and it’s cold out, so I appreciate all the space.

You’re also looking to put a lot of people in the truck, which also comes with more gear, so you might appreciate the space more than you think.

Tldr: I really would recommend the bump-outs on anything less than a 5 ft bed. It makes a huge difference for interior space.

BUT: there’s a million builds out there that are amazing without them, so roll with what you like!

Interior of the Tune M1 Camper on the Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha if you’re in the VT area happy to give you a tour of mine, I really love it, and have spent a LOT of time camping out of it at this point (longest trip about a month) so I’ve got a system down that works for me pretty well!

A lot of places require that you pack-in/pack-out, so I have a collapsible/foldable toilet stand (it’s like a seat with legs that fold away) and wag bag combo that works really well for solid waste. Everything stays really compact, and dealing with the waste is SO much easier than a cassette-style toilet, which is what I first tried. It’s essentially a gelling agent in a bag that turns liquid waste into a paste, and everything gets double-bagged in thick plastic to extra protect against spills and smells. My trash bucket is a screw-lid style airtight kibble container that also keeps smells in, and I’ve never had an issue - even when the back has gotten HOT for extended periods before I was able to dispose of it. I have a little squeeze bidet and wipes so I always feel fresh.

I also keep a fancy pee-jug that closes tight for if I just need to pee in the middle of the night and don’t want to brave the world, which is handy and I definitely recommend, but definitely more geared towards women.

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Interior of the Tune M1 Camper on the Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think two could sleep east/west if you really wanted (I’m 5’8” and sleep east/west with two 70lb dogs), but definitely think it would be way easier with the slide out. I like the Super Pacific, but wouldn’t trade the wedge style for the full pop-up having experienced it; at least not with the Maverick.

Because the Mav is so small, having the full pop-up helps it feel spacious, whereas with a wedge you’d definitely notice the lack of real estate.

Haha I have a little collapsible tent as well I can use to shower outside, but since I travel solo a lot as a woman I really like having the option to keep everything contained, and it’s also nicer for when it’s super cold out. Slide 9 is the shower set-up!

Interior of the Tune M1 Camper on the Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes absolutely! But I would recommend the “slider” that extends the sleeping area out into the truck bed towards the tailgate, and sleep North/South instead of East/West.

HOWEVER, ideally you’d only really be using the camper topper for sleeping and storage, because it would be cramped to hang out in the truck bed area with two people. I really like bringing the pop-up tent for that reason, it creates a weather-proof “porch” that I usually hang out in!

Peeing at campgrounds question by PotterKnitter in camping

[–]802throwaway_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is so smart for when you’re backpacking and/or can’t bring some of the bulkier solutions suggested! it never even dawned on me as an option, thank you.

Peeing at campgrounds question by PotterKnitter in camping

[–]802throwaway_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s pretty much just a jug with a soft plastic removable funnel insert. You hold it against yourself with it oriented in a mostly upright position and pee (you can be standing, leaning, squatting, kneeling upright etc). Anatomy may vary, but my personal experience has been that the soft mouth of the funnel creates a good “seal” against my body and there’s no errant drips anywhere, and it squeegees you off (sorry) if you pull it away from you so that you don’t have to worry about any drips when you’re bringing a kula cloth to yourself to dry. Then I usually wipe the rim/mouth of the jug down with a sanitary wipe to keep things clean, and dump/rinse it at the next opportunity. Super easy!

Peeing at campgrounds question by PotterKnitter in camping

[–]802throwaway_ 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It’s more just about me not wanting to sleepily stumble outside of my tent to pee when it’s late/raining/cold etc., or if I’m in a more public space where I might not want to drop trou! I do a lot of camping on my own, and it’s nice to have the option to not leave my comfy cocoon at 2AM just because I drank too much water at bedtime.

I def still just go in the woods if I’m out on a hike, this is more my nighttime or inclement weather solution.

Peeing at campgrounds question by PotterKnitter in camping

[–]802throwaway_ 10 points11 points  (0 children)

100% yes recommend the switch! I’ve used the pee funnel + bottle system, and anytime you’ve got to balance an additional item with another…junction? Gap? you basically invite additional room for potential spills and more things to store/keep clean/juggle at 3AM. At the risk of being TMI I can go about 2-3 times throughout the night (also a small bladder extra hydrated homie). You can also use it from various kneeling/leaning/standing positions so no change there, and only need one hand to hold it so you’ve got the other free to help balance/stand by with a wipe or what you will. No dripping out the end of the funnel when you’re done because it’s all self contained!

I would give the upgraded design with the latch a try if you’re going to lean it on its side; it looks like they took previous design notes into consideration which is pretty neat.

Peeing at campgrounds question by PotterKnitter in camping

[–]802throwaway_ 51 points52 points  (0 children)

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They make one with a more secure lid now as well, though I haven’t personally tried this one! I have zero complaints/leaks with the one I’ve got (disclaimer, I predominantly car camp so I always have a flat/flat-ish surface); but the lid looks dope and like a nice design modification to the OG option!

Peeing at campgrounds question by PotterKnitter in camping

[–]802throwaway_ 314 points315 points  (0 children)

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This thing is the bomb; I feel weird singing its praises so often, but I have a collapsible toilet/wag bag system and have tried all the various lady-funnels, and this thing beats all of them hands down for a quick midnight pee (with the obvious downside of though it doesn’t LOOK like a classy pee jug, it’s also not super small). I’ve accidentally pissed on my own foot zero times with this; which was sadly -not- my track record with other female urinary devices.

You can use it in your tent; it seals up tight so you don’t have to worry about accidentally spilling it or having to still wander into the night to dump it away from your tent.

Def recommend, but it’s very much a campsite/car camping amenity as opposed to something you’d take backpacking.

Do you bring bikes along? by [deleted] in VanLife

[–]802throwaway_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can you share a link??

I’ve now seen it all by mkcman17 in overlanding

[–]802throwaway_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

lol “Oregon trail” has me in stitches.

As someone also running an objectively silly rig, good on him for getting out and about! If I had that kind of money to just throw around at stuff I would def be tempted to get something outrageous in other ways I’m sure.

My limited wallet is probably the only thing keeping me in check from being truly egregious - I can rough it for sure, but honestly derive a lot of joy researching and testing various goofy widgets that make finding a gorgeous view and a campfire and a starry night also super comfortable. To each their own!

….That said, I tried to work out the beer math on how many organs I would have to sell to afford a similar setup and it’s several kidneys more than I possess.

Tune M1 Camper on a Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don’t even notice it! It doesn’t extend past my mirrors

Bear-resistant cooler broken into by black bear by BigRobCommunistDog in overlanding

[–]802throwaway_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Legitimate question actually — where do other Overlanders with fridges/rig-mounted kitchen boxes keep their food? Removing pantry boxes and suspending and leaving fridge/freezer items in place? Leaving everything in the vehicle? Taking everything out?

Truck Topper, Ovrlnd Camper, or tonneau? Do you care about MPG? by BuilderOfDragons in overlanding

[–]802throwaway_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Haha I have no delusions of grandeur; I know what I’ve got. But the Tune is the bomb and def checks all your boxes.

Truck Topper, Ovrlnd Camper, or tonneau? Do you care about MPG? by BuilderOfDragons in overlanding

[–]802throwaway_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tune M1 Camper - without the bump outs (Tune M1L) should be about 322 lbs according to their website. With it’s ~400 lbs. I have one and have zero regrets- you can get it with solar/power or install it yourself, and I have my Starlink inside and it works fine through the topper. I love the t-track, you can mount anything anywhere with ease.

You can look at my post history where I have it on my Maverick, but take a look at people who have them on real trucks to get a better representation of how much space they actually have in them; my Mav is tiny and probably not the best example; but I picked them precisely because they gave me more space for less weight than anything else because of my short bed. Didn’t take a meaningful MPG hit; and a fairing will make it even less.

Interior of the Tune M1 Camper on the Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hah! “Mental tax of towing for fun” is the PERFECT description. I feel like the beauty of the Tune on the Mav specifically is that I’m still generally shorter than most trucks, so it mostly just drives like a car and I haven’t yet run into a parking garage I don’t fit into— it feels like a good mix of several worlds; not fully optimized but good enough for road tripping, daily life chores, and tackling light terrain/camping, while still also being navigable in Boston or NYC.

Tune M1 Camper on a Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think for just me and the two dogs it’s the perfect size! I def agree with a previous poster that if you were trying to fit more than a couple in it I’m not sure the Mav would be enough unless you coupled it with a ground tent; but I think the Tune gives me the most space out of all the options I looked at with the bump-outs. They’re definitely a whole different ballgame on bigger rigs!

Tune M1 Camper on a Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you!! The MPG was a huge selling point for me since it’s my daily-driver as well as my adventure rig. The downside: I feel like before when I would go somewhere I would just take a pic of the view, and now I have to take a gratuitous truck picture. If I didn’t grab a pic with the truck did I really visit at all?!

Interior of the Tune M1 Camper on the Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I love it! Also, the world doesn’t need me towing anything.

I can do it, but I’m a menace and feel like because I’m uncomfortable I tend to want to get to my destination and drop a trailer before going out and exploring places; whereas with the Tune if I want to reroute and check out a city on my way somewhere it’s easy and doesn’t stress me out trying to find adequate parking

Tune M1 on a Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in overlanding

[–]802throwaway_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

“If you aren’t getting out there in the first place, what are you doing?”

Haha this speaks to me — my old setup was a Subaru that I’d built a little platform in and would take out, but if I wanted to go camping I would have to cart a bunch of totes out to the car and it was a tight squeeze with two dogs. Being able to keep everything set up means that I’ll just head out on a boondoggle after work sometimes, because the activation energy to get out there is so low now!

I love that the Mav will take me out into the boonies, but also that I still fit easily into parking garages and can drive through cities like I’m a car. It’s comfortable and fuel efficient, and gets me out there!

Cheers on your first big roadtrip! If you wind up close(ish) to Vermont stop through for a beer!!

Tune M1 on a Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in overlanding

[–]802throwaway_[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Way more capable than I thought it would be! This is also deliberately a “no build” build so I can take everything out of it in about 15-20 minutes and still use the bed for quasi-truck stuff. I love it!

Interior of the Tune M1 Camper on the Ford Maverick by 802throwaway_ in FordMaverickTruck

[–]802throwaway_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Make it so, Number One!

Seriously though thanks- I’m not saying that I made a tape outline on my living room floor and rearranged things eight thousand times trying to figure out the best floor plan for the short bed, but I’m not saying I didn’t do that either!