Bed Sleep Platform + Mattress (Budget Overlanding)

The Power Wagon's 6.4-foot bed sleeps two adults if you build a platform that bridges the wheel wells. Cheapest path: DIY plywood platform + Exped MegaMat mattress = $500. Premium path: Decked drawer system that doubles as sleep platform + storage = $1,400. Either way, you need a topper or tonneau cover for weather protection.

The Power Wagon's bed is 76" long × 66" wide between the wheel wells (with the tailgate up). Add the tailgate down and you get 100" of length — enough for one tall person diagonally or two cozy. The catch: the wheel wells eat into the floor about 8" on each side, so a bare-bed setup means sleeping on a narrow 50" × 76" strip.

**A sleep platform fixes that.** Build a level surface that bridges the wheel wells at wheel-well-top height (~24" above the bed floor) and you get a true 64" × 76" sleeping surface — wider than a queen mattress.

**DIY platform path** ($300 for platform + $380 for mattress = $680 total):

• 3/4" Baltic birch plywood, cut to 76" × 64" with notches for tie-down loops
• 2x3 pine supports underneath, 4 cross-members
• Cargo carpet on top for finish
• Storage underneath the platform — the 24" of dead space is huge for gear

**Premium path — Decked Drawer System** ($1,400):

• Pre-fab tough polymer drawer system specifically sized to the Power Wagon bed
• Top surface is sleep-platform height
• Two huge drawers underneath for gear (each rated 200 lb)
• Bolts to the factory bed cleats — no drilling
• The "I want to be done in 2 hours" answer

**Mattress:** The Exped MegaMat 10 LWX is the reference. 4" thick self-inflating mattress, R-value 8.1 (4-season), 6'6" long × 30" wide (you'd want two for a couple). About $380 each.

**Mandatory weather protection.** A Power Wagon bed without a topper or tonneau cover floods in any rain. Three options:

• **Soft tri-fold tonneau** ($400-700) — manageable install, removable, won't stand up to wind sleeping inside
• **Hard tri-fold tonneau** ($800-1,200) — better wind sealing, still removable
• **Hard topper** (Leer, ARE) ($2,500-4,500) — proper headroom inside, sealed weather, the right answer for serious overlanding
• **Rooftop tent** ([[pw-overland-rooftop-tent]]) — sidesteps the issue, sleep on the roof

Comparison vs. the [[pw-overland-rooftop-tent]] route: bed-sleep is $500-1,400 + topper. RTT is $1,200-5,500 + bed rack. RTT is faster setup, bed-sleep is cheaper and works without a roof rack rating concern.

Why it works

• Cheapest sleep solution if you accept the topper requirement
• Decked option doubles as storage (massive functional value)
• Inside the truck — warmer in winter, more discreet for stealth camping
• No roof load — no rack capacity concern

Trade-offs

• Needs topper/tonneau for weather (additional $400-4,500)
• Climbing in and out via tailgate is awkward at night
• Bed floor with a topper has condensation issues without ventilation
• Decked system at $1,400 is close to entry RTT pricing — consider both

Tools required

• circular saw or jigsaw
• drill
• measuring tape
• tie-down hardware

Parts

Part	Vendor	Est. price
DIY platform — 3/4" Baltic birch + 2x3 supports, sized to 6.4' Power Wagon bed (~76" × 64")	local hardware	~$140
Exped MegaMat 10 LWX (XL self-inflating mattress)	Exped	~$380
Decked Drawer System (premium pre-fab; serves as platform + storage)	Decked	~$1400
Tonneau or hard topper (mandatory for weather protection — see [[pw-overland-topper]])	varies	~$0

Related

• Bed Drawer System for Power Wagon (Decked DS-Series / Goose Gear)
• All Ram Power Wagon guides & tools
• Browse the full DIY database

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