It鈥檚 easy鈥攁nd relatively inexpensive. But before you rush out and start converting your truck into the ultimate adventure vehicle, step back and think carefully about the design, because the same rules you鈥檇 follow when buying a nonmobile home apply here: be patient and detail-oriented and begin with the right foundation.
$1,500: Truck Bed Cap
This will be by far your largest expense, but it鈥檚 worth it鈥攖hese are the walls to your house. I suggest budgeting $1,500. When hunting for a cap, broaden your search beyond the name brands. While and offer some of the best caps on the market, I got a screaming deal on a new , and the sub-$1,000 shell worked perfectly for years.
$370: Rack

What鈥檚 the use of pimping out your truck if you can鈥檛 bring your toys? The will cost you around $400鈥攁nd it鈥檒l be one of your best, safest options for storing gear on top of your rig. Tip: Go superwide on your crossbars so you can fit your bike, kayak, and future 聽on the roof at the same time.
$100: Interior Build
If you keep it simple, all you鈥檒l need are a few two-by-fours, some particleboard, two hinges, and enough carpet to cover the whole structure. (I know you can get out for less than $100 because that鈥檚 what I did when I built up Charlie, my 2000 Chevy Silverado.) Make a simple platform that you can sleep on, with enough room below to place gear bins. Don鈥檛 cut corners with the carpet. It鈥檚 essential to making the back of your truck comfortable.
$70: Coleman 2-Burner Stove

will make a fine kitchen on the tailgate of your truck. The extra money for the second burner is well worth it鈥攜ou鈥檒l have a much more efficient cooking station.
$30: Bins
Bins are the best way to keep your gear organized. Take time to organize and label them, and be sure to keep stuff in its proper bin. You don鈥檛 want to blow a dawn patrol while searching for your coffeemaker.
$300: Yeti Cooler

Yes, Yeti makes some of the world鈥檚聽, but if you think of it as a mobile聽refrigerator, you鈥檙e getting off cheap. The Tundra cooler allows you to bring perishable foods on your adventures鈥攗p to eight days on one load of ice. Yetis are also impossible to destroy, making them an investment for life.
$10: Kitchenware
Since you don鈥檛 have to worry about weight, shop for inexpensive鈥攁nd heavy鈥攑ots, pans, plates, cups, and utensils. Go for the nonstick variety: It鈥檒l make cleanup after meals much easier.
$40: Headlamp

We like the inexpensive, reliable 鈥攇ood for reading and cooking by at night. If you鈥檙e willing to spend more money, we recommend an inverter like the and a cell battery so you can charge LED lights and other electronics inside your shelter.
$105: Memory Foam Mattress
This luxury item will make sleeping in the back of your truck more treat than nightmare. A good friend put in the back of his Silverado. As a result, he sleeps better in the back of his truck than he does at home.
$55: Camp Chairs

A good pair of camp chairs like are key to being comfortable at camp. We like having a second chair even if we鈥檙e traveling alone. It鈥檚 a good excuse to invite a neighbor into camp for dinner.
$1: Sheet for Curtains
For privacy and to block out the light.
$7: Velcro

A few feet of will help you deck the inside of the camper shell with lights, curtains, and places to store electronics.