Best Century Truck Caps for Camping and Outdoor Adventures

Why Use a Truck Cap for Camping?

There are many ways to camp from a pickup, including ground tents, rooftop tents, truck-bed tents, trailers, and camper shells. A truck cap stands out because the same enclosed space can provide useful cargo protection every day and become part of your camping setup when it is time to travel.

With the right configuration, a camping truck cap can help provide:

• Weather-protected cargo storage
• More secure storage for outdoor equipment
• A protected truck-bed sleeping area
• Space for organized camping gear
• Additional roof-storage capability when properly equipped
• A year-round setup that remains useful between trips

What Makes a Good Truck Cap for Camping?

A camping-focused cap should do more than cover the bed. The right configuration depends on how long you travel, how much equipment you carry, and whether you plan to sleep inside the truck bed.

Cab-High vs. Mid-Rise Truck Caps for Camping

Cab-High Truck Caps

Cab-high truck caps generally follow the pickup's roofline. They can be a strong fit for weekend campers who want a streamlined appearance, weather-protected storage, and enough enclosed space for many sleeping-platform configurations.

• Streamlined, factory-inspired profile
• Lower overall vehicle height than taller cap designs
• Useful enclosed storage for everyday driving
• Space for many low-profile sleeping platforms
• A balance between daily use and weekend recreation

Mid-Rise Truck Caps

A mid-rise truck cap extends above the cab roofline and creates additional interior volume. That extra vertical space can be especially valuable for campers carrying larger equipment or building more elaborate truck-bed storage systems.

• More room to sit up inside the bed
• Additional space for bulky camping gear
• More flexibility for taller drawer systems
• Additional room for pet-friendly travel setups
• More enclosed volume for extended-trip equipment

Century Truck Caps for Camping & Outdoor Recreation

Century truck caps are designed around vehicle-specific fitment, enclosed cargo protection, and practical everyday capability. When choosing a Century camper shell for camping, start with the profile and interior space that best fit your setup.

Century Ultra Sport: Cab-High Versatility

The Century Ultra Sport is a natural fit for owners who use their pickups for a combination of everyday driving and outdoor recreation. Its cab-high profile creates enclosed cargo and camping space while maintaining a streamlined overall appearance.

A cab-high recreational cap can make sense if you want:

• A clean everyday appearance
• Protected camping and travel storage
• Ventilation options
• Space for a sleeping platform
• A setup that transitions easily between daily driving and weekend recreation

Century High-C Sport: More Interior Space

Some camping setups simply require more room. The Century High-C Sport uses a mid-rise profile to create additional enclosed cargo capacity compared with a traditional cab-high cap.

That additional height can be valuable for:

• Extended camping trips
• Large storage systems
• Bulky outdoor equipment
• Taller sleeping-platform configurations
• Pet-friendly travel setups
• Adventure equipment

For a broader look at the Century lineup, read the Century Truck Caps Buying Guide.

How to Build a Better Truck-Cap Camping Setup

Build a Sleeping Platform

One of the most popular camper-shell camping configurations is a raised sleeping platform. A simple platform creates a flat surface above the truck-bed floor while preserving storage underneath for clothing, camp-kitchen equipment, tools, food, water, fishing gear, hiking equipment, or recovery gear.

Before building, measure your bed length, bed width, wheel-well spacing, interior cap height, mattress dimensions, and storage-container dimensions.

Prioritize Ventilation

Ventilation is especially important when sleeping inside an enclosed pickup bed. Depending on the cap configuration, screened sliding windows can help provide airflow while reducing insect intrusion. Campers may also use rechargeable fans and other appropriate ventilation accessories.

Add Useful Interior Lighting

Good lighting makes a truck cap far easier to use after sunset. Depending on your setup, consider interior cap lights, truck-bed lighting, rechargeable lanterns, headlamps, or appropriately installed exterior scene lighting.

Use Roof Storage Strategically

A compatible roof-rack system can create additional cargo capacity above the truck cap for equipment such as kayaks, canoes, bikes, skis, snowboards, cargo boxes, awnings, and other gear. Always follow the load ratings for the truck, cap, rack system, and mounting hardware.

Create Dedicated Storage Zones

Organization can make the difference between a frustrating truck-camping setup and an enjoyable one. Consider dividing the bed into functional zones:

Consider a Cargo Slide or Drawer System

The deepest part of the truck bed can be difficult to reach once a cap is installed. A compatible cargo slide or drawer system can make refrigerators, camp kitchens, heavy bins, tools, and other equipment easier to access from the tailgate.

Plan Water & Food Storage

Water is heavy, so store containers low and secure them properly. Weekend campers may prefer a traditional cooler, while longer trips may benefit from a portable 12-volt refrigerator and an appropriate power system.

Traveling With Bikes, Kayaks & Outdoor Gear

A truck cap lets you divide equipment between protected interior storage and properly rated exterior rack systems. Clothing, sleeping equipment, food, tools, packs, and recovery gear can remain inside while larger compatible equipment may be carried above the cap.

Camping With Dogs

Truck caps can provide useful enclosed space when traveling with pets, but temperature and airflow require careful attention. Consider ventilation, interior temperature, water availability, secure bedding, non-slip surfaces, and appropriate restraint systems. Never rely on the cap alone to keep an unattended animal safe from temperature extremes.

Keep Recovery & Safety Gear Accessible

Camping can take pickups onto gravel roads, forest roads, sand, snow, or other surfaces where traction changes quickly. Depending on your trip, useful equipment may include a recovery strap, rated shackles, recovery boards, shovel, tire-repair kit, portable air compressor, tire-pressure gauge, work gloves, and first-aid supplies.

Watch Your Payload

It is easy to add significant weight when building a truck-camping or overlanding setup. Payload can include passengers, the truck cap, racks, camping equipment, water, food, recovery gear, tools, refrigerators, batteries, and other accessories. Always stay within the vehicle manufacturer's applicable weight limits.

Century Truck Cap Camping Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions About Century Truck Caps for Camping

Build Your Century Truck Cap for Adventure

There is no single perfect truck-cap camping setup. A weekend fishing trip may only require an enclosed bed, sleeping pad, and a few storage bins. A longer road trip may include drawers, refrigeration, portable power, roof storage, recovery equipment, lighting, and a carefully planned sleeping system.

Start with a truck cap that fits your pickup and your priorities, then build the rest of the system around the adventures you actually take.

CENTURY TRUCK CAPS

Find the Right Century Cap for Your Pickup

Explore Century truck caps for camping, cargo protection, travel, and everyday use. An authorized dealer can help confirm fitment, review available options, and provide pricing for your exact truck.

Keep Exploring

More Truck Cap Guides

Explore the full LEER Group truck-cap lineup: LEER truck caps, Century truck caps, and SnugTop truck caps.