Slide-Out Camp Kitchen for Power Wagon (Drifta / DECKED CrossBox / DIY Tailgate Setup)

A "camp kitchen" on a Power Wagon ranges from minimal (a stove on the tailgate, a cooler nearby) to a full slide-out module with sink, propane plumbing, prep surface, and integrated storage. Where you land depends on how often you camp and what you cook.

Drifta Stockton Slide-Out Kitchen ($1,800) — Australian-built, the reference. Mounts in the bed or to a drawer system, slides out the back of the truck, includes a sink, stove mount, prep surface, storage for utensils + dry goods. The "I am serious about camping" answer. Common 2-3 week build wait time.

Decked CrossBox ($580) — bolts to a Decked drawer system (which you'd need separately, $1,400 — see pw-overland-drawer). Provides a kitchen module above the drawers with stove platform and storage. Less feature-dense than Drifta but bundles into the Decked ecosystem cleanly.

DIY tailgate kitchen ($350) — folding aluminum prep table ($120) + 2-burner Camp Chef Everest stove ($180) + plastic dry-goods tote ($30). Setup at camp is 3 minutes. Pack down is 3 minutes. The right answer for 80% of camping use cases.

Camp Chef Everest 2X ($180) — the universal stove pick. 20,000 BTU per burner, runs on standard 1lb propane bottles or 20lb tank via adapter, ignition lights with a click, integrated regulator. Replaceable parts. Lasts forever.

Power Wagon-specific: the tailgate has a 56" wide drop surface at exactly counter height (~32" from ground). It's almost custom-designed as a cooking workbench. Don't fight that — embrace it. A DIY tailgate setup uses what the truck already provides.

Propane handling: any stove burning propane in the bed needs ventilation. Don't cook in the bed under a closed topper. Stoves with low-CO emissions (Camp Chef Everest is one) are fine in the open air with the tailgate down.

Honest framing: the Drifta is beautiful and most owners who buy one love them. But for occasional camping (5-15 nights/year), the DIY tailgate setup is the right answer — you save $1,500+ and pack down to a tote that lives in the garage between trips. The Drifta is for full-time overland life or commercial use (guide service, expedition outfitting).

This is the setup most Power Wagon owners actually want, and it costs $350 to assemble from parts you can source in a weekend.

1. Start with the table. A folding aluminum roll-top table (~$120) at tailgate height gives you prep space beside the truck so the tailgate itself stays clear for the stove. Aluminum because it wipes clean and shrugs off heat.
2. Mount the stove on the tailgate, not the table. The Camp Chef Everest 2X sits flat on the 56" tailgate surface at ~32" working height. Keep it within reach of the prep table but out over the open tailgate for ventilation.
3. Pack the dry goods and cookware in one sealed tote (~$30) that lives in the bed or a pw-overland-drawer. One tote = one trip's pack-in and pack-out.
4. Run the stove off a 1 lb propane bottle for short trips, or add a hose-and-adapter to a refillable 20 lb tank for week-long use — far cheaper per meal and far less waste.
5. Keep a dedicated water source nearby for washing; pairing this with a pw-overland-fridge slide turns the tailgate into a full galley without any bed fabrication.

The whole setup pitches and strikes in about three minutes and stores in the garage between trips — which is exactly why it beats a fixed module for anyone camping fewer than ~20 nights a year.

Carbon monoxide is the real hazard, and it doesn't care how nice your setup is. Never run a propane stove in the bed under a closed topper or in any enclosed space — cook with the tailgate down in open air. The Camp Chef Everest is a low-CO design, but "low" is not "zero," and a tarp pulled over the cooking area in rain has killed campers.

Watch the wind. The Everest's open burners struggle above about 15 mph of wind; a $25 folding wind screen pays for itself in fuel and patience. And mind the tailgate's finish — a hot stove base will discolor a painted or plastic-capped tailgate over time, so put a silicone mat or thin cutting board under it.

Finally, be honest about how often you cook. A Drifta or CrossBox that lives bolted in the bed costs you payload and bed space year-round for convenience you use a few weeks a year. Most owners over-buy here.

Why it works

• Tailgate is a natural kitchen surface — work with it
• Drifta is gorgeous and functional if you camp constantly
• Camp Chef Everest is the universal stove pick
• DIY setup is light, cheap, and lives in a tote when not in use

Trade-offs

• Drifta is $1,800 + needs install — overkill for occasional camping
• Decked CrossBox requires Decked drawers underneath ($2,000+ total)
• Propane needs ventilation — don't cook under a closed topper
• Cleanup at camp is on you no matter which setup you pick

Tools required

• metric sockets
• drill (some setups)
• stove-fuel handling — propane or isobutane

Parts

Sources

• Drifta Stockton — slide-out camp kitchen modules
• Decked CrossBox — bed drawer accessory
• Camp Chef Everest 2X — two-burner stove specs

Related

• Bed Drawer System for Power Wagon (Decked DS-Series / Goose Gear)
• 12V Fridge for Power Wagon (Dometic CFX3 / ARB Zero / ICECO VL)
• All Ram Power Wagon guides & tools
• Browse the full DIY database

Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. How we source guides. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.