DAC Tailgate Truck Tent

Keep weather and insects at bay with this alternative to a full sized truck camper

If you have a truck cap (or truck canopy, as they’re referred in some areas) and wish to camp without the expense of a traditional camper, RV, or living quarters horse trailer, the DAC tailgate truck tent is a great alternative to sleeping on the ground while still having a hard sided enclosure to store camping equipment. The DAC tailgate truck tent works very well in keeping foul weather and bothersome insects at bay while also providing much needed ventilation.

The tent is constructed of a nylon type material and includes a tan “roof” portion that goes over the top of the vehicle’s cap and is secured with shock, or bungy, cords. The main portion of the truck tent is the blue end piece which forms an end cap over the truck cap rear window and the truck’s tailgate in the down position. Two sets of doors on the end include a solid outer set to keep out inclement weather and a mosquito mesh inner set that does the same with insects.

The model we tested was for full sized trucks and has an excellent fit across the width of the vehicle. The type of truck cap or canopy that you have will be the determining factor in how this tent fits in the height department. For trucks with a cab height, or slightly higher, cap the DAC tailgate truck should fit like a dream.

For vehicles that have caps that raise in the rear (commonly referred to as “high rise” models) the standard model of DAC tailgate truck is a bit too short causing the rear window to be pulled down excessively. While some down angle is desired to prevent rain from gathering, the high top models it is a bit much. Entering the shelter in this situation is similar to crawling up into a cave due to the significant downward pull of the window.

The Specs:

• The Good - Easy to set up and take down– less than 5 minutes in foul weather
• The Good - Excellent interim camping shelter, between a traditional tent and a slide in truck camper.
• The Ugly -For the high rise truck caps favored by truck campers this model is a bit less than perfect due to the door height issue. If DAC created a high rise model that had end doors just eight inches higher this would be a perfect review.