The Gear We Recommend for Every Pop Top Camper Shell

We don't just build our campers, we love to camp. In the last 2 years, my wife, two kids, and myself have spent around 60 nights in one of our campers. The stuff below is what I have found to be things that make our camping trips so much easier. Thought they were worth sharing. 

1. A BedRug or similar

Dust and dirt have to go somewhere. A BedRug gives them a place to sit until you can vacuum. It also takes the chill off the bed, feels good on bare feet, and gives kids a soft surface to crawl around on. It makes the whole space feel more livable. 

2. An ammo can trash can

A steel ammo can with the right dimensions holds a 13 gallon bag perfectly. Smelly diapers, food scraps, and everyday trash get sealed up tight. You can step on it to make more room, and you can toss it around without worrying. With a simple modification it also becomes a bear safe trash can, which is hard to beat for the price.

3. A fan

A closed camper on a warm day turns into a heat dome fast. A fan keeps air moving, dries out the space after cooking or a wet night, and makes hot days and nights a lot more bearable. If you only add one thing for summer, add this.

4. A down sleeping bag rated for low temps

Buy the bag rated for much colder weather than you plan to camp in. Your heater is great until it runs out of fuel, loses power, or just quits at 3am. A good down bag is your backup for when everything else fails, and it means a bad night stays a bad night instead of turning into something worse. It also packs down small and works in any season.

5. A Faraday bag for newer trucks

Many newer trucks unlock the tailgate when the key is close. If your keys are sitting near the tailgate while you sleep, anyone can open it, and that includes bears. Moving the keys to the other end of the bed can backfire too, since the truck may then read them as close enough to the doors allowing bears/people to get in the cab. The fix is a ten dollar signal blocking bag. Put the keys in it and the truck can’t see them. Keeps them pesky bears out.

6. A Coleman stove

You can spend a lot more on a stove, but for the price of a basic Coleman propane unit, nothing beats the reliability. It works on the tailgate, on the ground, or on a campsite table. It lights, it cooks, and it keeps doing that. Also, there is just something nostalgic about Coleman green.

7. A strap on your tailgate

Tie or attach about four feet of webbing to the tailgate so you can pull it open from inside the camper. It’s quick, it’s easy, and you’ll use it every single day. Super easy to do if you back a screw out on the inside of your tailgate, then put the webbing under the screw. Now the screw is holding the webbing... no new holes needed.

7. A rechargeable lantern

Rather than any interior lights, we have rechargeable lanterns that we move around and or use all the time. They have a handle on the top that slides under our camper's push bars, and a carabiner on the bottom for quickly hanging it elsewhere. Combine these with out headlamps and we have never found a want for fixed lights anywhere.

Bonus for Tacoma and Tundra owners: bed stiffeners

If you drive a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th gen Tacoma, or a 3rd gen Tundra, get bed stiffeners. The newer beds, especially on the 4th gen Tacoma and 3rd gen Tundra, run into tailgate issues without them. It’s a small upgrade that saves you a headache later.

Wrapping up

You don’t need a big budget to make a camper shell comfortable and safe. A few simple additions cover most of what makes a trip better: a clean floor, fresh air, a warm bed, a hot meal, and a truck that stays shut when you want it shut. Pick up what fits your setup, and if you have questions about any of it, reach out to us at sales@campovrlnd.com.