Napier Sportz Truck Tent 57 Series - A Review
Climbing in and out of a tent that is set up on the ground becomes a little more difficult with each passing year. However, I have found a way to resolve this problem without spending a fortune on a camper. The solution for me is the Napier Sportz Truck Tent 57 Series. This tent sets up in the bed of a truck making it much easier to enter and exit.
The pictures above and below show the Napier Sportz Tuck Tent 57 Series
set up in my pickup one of our camping trips.
Unlike other tents, the Napier 57 Series Sportz Truck Tent is truly a three season tent. Capable of sleeping two people comfortably, this tent can be erected on the ground and slipped easily into the back of your pickup truck. Both the walls and rain fly are made out of 1200 millimeter PU polyester taffeta. The floor on the other hand is constructed from 1200 mm PU nylon taffeta. The two interior gear pockets and gear loft provide ample storage space for whatever you want to store inside. You can also sit any extra items along the bed rails inside the tent. The center height is 5'5" giving most anyone plenty of head room. Access to the truck interior is also possible by using the window that is strategically placed in order to allow an individual to reach through the rear hatch window.
Although the manufacturer claims this tent can be set up in as little as ten minutes, it will take much longer if you are setting it up for the first time in the dark. Disassembly of the tent and packing it away is a simple task. If you are setting the tent up in a vehicle that will be used for travel while you are camping it can simply be slipped out of the bed and onto the ground. It can then be slid right back into the bed of the truck when you return from your travels. The task of setting the tent up can be simplified if it is set up on the ground and then placed and secured in the truck bed.
The first time we used our tent, the overnight temperatures fell into the mid forties. We slept comfortably on our air mattress inside a sleeping bag. In fact we found it to get a bit on the warm side. This was easily rendered by partially unzipping the windows. We had no issues remaining comfortable inside this well built tent.
If you have a lifted truck like mine you will want some sort of step to assist you with getting inside. If your pickup is stock there should be not issues with this. A step ladder or some cinder blocks stacked up like steps at the end of your truck bed will fix this problem.
The tent displayed in these pictures was designed for and set up in my short-bed pickup truck. Because these tents utilize the tailgate for space there is plenty of room inside. I am 6'4" tall and have no issues sleeping in the back of my short-bed truck. There are several different models of this tent. Each one is designed to fit inside specific trucks depending on size of the truck and the length of the bed. You will want to take care in picking out your tent to ensure that you get the correct one for your specific truck.
Overall I have been very pleased with the quality of this tent, and I am sure that it will last for years to come.
- Any day in the outdoors is a good day
