A Simple Sliding Bed Platform For Easy Overland Gear Access
The Bam Beds sliders offer a unique and innovative solution to storage in your Tacoma bed. Boasting a combination of lightweight design, simplicity, and removability. All of these features make it an exceptional truck bed pull-out system. While other options may have fancy features like metal sliders and high top deck load capacities, BamBeds sliders boast a simple design with far fewer potential failure points and by far the most lightweight design on the market.
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Features & Specs
The Bam Beds slider system comprises a high-quality birch plywood sheet that sits at the bottom of the truck bed and offers a versatile foundation for customization. The top of the sheet can be configured to accommodate various setups. This can include anything from a convenient pull-out kitchen and ample storage space to a simple bed slide to reach totes in the back.
To enhance stability and minimize flex and bending, vertical supports are incorporated into edges of the system. This design feature ensures a reliable and durable platform for complete customization. The possibilities are nearly endless to fine-tune your perfect bed setup.
Summary
- 50 sqft of storage space
- 9.5in vertical space from the Slider to the BamBeds platforms
- 40 lb. empty weight
- 16 cubic feet of storage
Review
After many months, miles, and trips testing these I am able to give the system a great review. Due to its lightweight design and customizability it creates a great platform for the DIY crowd to start with. The versatility to build out a full kitchen or just easy access to storage totes makes it great for the every once in a while campers.
The company is a California based American company using high quality materials. There are over 1000+ BamBeds products currently out in use proving their reliability and durability. The catalog of platforms on the website is expanding, now including 4Runners and more.
Somethings to add in the future are pre-finished options for people who do not have the space or means to finish the wooden units themselves. Furthermore these bed sliders are not compatible with with bed stiffeners as you will lose out on a lot of space if you were to shorten the width of the slider system.
Overall the Bam Bed Sliders are and a well thought out product bridging the gap between have a purpose built adventure rig but also being able to easily remove the system and having a full truck bed back.
Build Design
Before adopting this system, I had built a comprehensive DIY drawer setup. The DIY drawers integrated a pull-out kitchen, storage provisions, and a power delivery system. While the original design served its purpose, it was heavy and not easy to remove. When placed in the rear of the truck, it negatively impacts fuel efficiency due to the weight.
As a result, we needed a more streamlined and lightweight alternative. We came across this setup on our hunt for a better solution. With a base weight of around 40 pounds, the slider system offered an ideal foundation for a more efficient and convenient build.
In outlining my specific requirements for this project, I planned for a pull-out kitchen, a generously sized long-term storage compartment, and an easily detachable structure. This essentially mirrored my previous system but less weight and easily removeable.
Furthermore, it is best to plan to have items accessed often stored toward the front of the system and long term items stored near the back. This balances the weight but also items stored toward the rear are hard to access due to the sliders having to balance to hold themselves up.
Functional Layout
The initial focus was on creating the long-term storage segment. For this, we opted to position it on the passenger side of the truck bed. This location would bear the bulk of the weight, effectively counterbalancing the driver’s side with the gas tank to keep and even weight distribution.
The long-term storage box itself is an Apache Rifle Case from Harbor Freight that’s secured with aluminum 2×2 angle brackets and heavy-duty double-sided tape. This setup has withstood the many off-road miles and over 8,000 miles of travel with approximately 40lb of stored contents.
The ability to quickly remove items to another location has proven vital to camp workflow. This allows us to cook away from the truck when we choose to. This also allows us to clean thoroughly under and around the kitchen area. Something we were not able to do before.
Kitchen Design
We placed pull-out kitchen on the driver’s side to accommodate mounting a propane bottle externally on the truck. The foundation of this slider was built around the Coleman Cascade stove. We strategically placed it at the front and further left corner of the slider. This enables the convenient connection of a hose to an external propane source such as a single 1 pound tank.
The kitchen storage section behind the stove integrates a Milwaukee Packout box, secured with custom 3D-printed brackets onto the slider system. This box can be easily detached and relocated to suit varying cooking environments. In this box we store utensils, seasonings, and cleaning supplies so they are easily and quickly accessible.
The stove is securely anchored to the slider using 3D-printed brackets and double-sided tape. Screws can also be added to these for additional strength but not needed as they are only place holders so things do not slide around.
Additionally, an Apache 4800 box resides behind the pack-out box for easy storage of pots and pans. This sets a bulk of the weight in the middle of the slider. The layout of this system is optimized for meal preparation, cleanup, and packing efficiency. It has proved invaluable during extended road trips and single-day off-road excursions.
Future Changes
Currently, the system functions effectively and meets our needs. However, we are actively considering some enhancements for future iterations. We have plans to expand the design to incorporate additional flat surface space for food preparation and potentially an integrated sink. A cutting board can be added to the top of the Milwaukee Packouts or even the Apache Storage Box.
Furthermore, we intend to integrate a 3D-printed mounted propane tank system for added convenience. As well as adding quick disconnects to everything to help with setup and break down of camp.
We also want to improve the bottom of the panel by incorporating solid sliders. These sliders will enhance the overall stability and smooth operation of the system during travel. We have discovered the sliders do not operate as smooth as we would like with weight on them.
In terms of material choices, the initial revision of the sliders will be crafted from plywood. However, we recognize the potential for further advancements and may explore upgrading to a more durable and versatile material like plastic.
Final Thoughts
The Bam Beds slider system is a streamlined and lightweight solution that sets itself apart from other systems on the market. Its design maximizes the Tacoma’s limited bed space and offer complete customization to suit individual needs. Whether you’re looking for a fully deployable system like my own setup or merely intend to use it for organizing plastic bins, the Bam Beds slider system accommodates it all.
One key features is its ability to access the back of the truck bed to reach items stowed away at the rear. The smooth functionality ensures effortless access to all content stored deep in the bed.
In essence, the Bam Beds slider system embodies simplicity, functionality, and customizability. This makes it a compelling choice for anyone seeking a versatile and convenient solution to optimize their truck bed space.
