• Truck cap camping can save you money and hassles.camping image by Colin Buckland from Fotolia.com
  
  If you're out camping and you've brought a truck with a detachable cap, you have at your disposal an object that can be used in many different ways, depending on your needs and the layout of your campsite. Using a truck cap can also save you the money and hassle of buying or bringing along bulky items.
  
  

Truck Caps as Shelters

• Use your cap as a shelter.tent in woods image by alice rawson from Fotolia.com
  
  Truck caps make good shelters, whether you prefer to sleep on the truck bed or under the cap on the ground. Even if you have a tent, a dramatic change in weather can make your tent a safety hazard, at which time your truck cap becomes the safest place to sleep or wait out the storm. If the ground is wet and your truck bed is full, you can turn the cap upside down and lay out your sleeping bags on the dry surface. Normally, because of the rear open end found in most truck caps, you can tend to a small fire while still protected from the elements (see Reference 1).
  
  

Truck Caps as Additional Surfaces

• Use your truck cap as a surface for eating or games.banc image by Franco DI MEO from Fotolia.com
  
  Campsites might have tables or other raised, flat surfaces, but if they do not, you can use your truck cap. Simply remove the cap from your truck, set the cap in a convenient location, and use your new surface. Truck caps can be used as tables for eating or for playing cards and other games. If you have a large gathering of friends or family, you can even use the cap as a stage for planned or impromptu performances. But before you begin jumping around on the cap, make sure the surface will support the requisite mass.
  
  

Truck Caps as Docks or Boats

• Some truck caps can be used as docks.dock image by jenijellyace from Fotolia.com
  
  If you find yourself camping near a lake or pond, you might be able to use your truck cap as a dock or boat. Often you need access to a body of water, for cleaning or recreational purposes, and just as often there is no good natural or man-made dock available.
  
  First, test your truck cap to see if it is seaworthy Many truck cap designs will not float. If your cap floats, you have a man-made dock. Use rope to tie the cap to the shorem and do what you have to do.