I'd recommend an air mattress, or maybe a simple pool floatation mattress would work. It would smooth out the rough spots a bit, and make things more comfortable.

It's pretty comfortable with just an air mattress, a few warm blankets, and a pillow.

 

Yep - I've done it with a self inflating matress and its very comfy. Haven't figured out how to do it since I have my rear drawers installed - but I'll get around to it soon.

 

Havent done it, but then again when Im doing a trip I typically have a bunch of crap in the back and take a tent. Its usually much easier to setup a tent than to empty out all the crap.

On a trip last year one of the guys used his swag in the back. But be aware, a metal/glass car can get colder than a tent!! We had ice on the tents when we got up and the guy that slept in the car was the only one who thought it was cold overnight.

 

Havent done it, but then again when Im doing a trip I typically have a bunch of crap in the back and take a tent. Its usually much easier to setup a tent than to empty out all the crap.

Yeah, what he said.

On a trip last year one of the guys used his swag in the back. But be aware, a metal/glass car can get colder than a tent!! We had ice on the tents when we got up and the guy that slept in the car was the only one who thought it was cold overnight.

But was he sleeping in there because his sleeping bag wasn't up to sub-zero temps?

Couldn't this be dangerous?

Park nose into the breeze? (Works for cooling the radiator, too, I've found.)

 

My wife and I have slept in the back along with our dog - I was scrunched (6'4") but my wife loved it (5'5").

If you are traveling solo and have a safe place to sleep in the car, than I would have no problem recommending it.

Trial

edit: I would also recommend a pad.

 

I am shocked after reading this that you and your wife both slept with your dog in the back of your car....Do you slept there while sitting in the back or what???
And you didn't get annoyed by the dog???

 

I've done it, two nights back to back. I used my foam camping pad and it wasn't all that bad.

Where are you thinking about taking "breaks" :?

 

Sleeping bag and light out for me. I've spent a half dozen or so nights sleeping in the back of mine. Heck last friday night I slept in the back of mine just outside Amboy, on my way ot CES

 

Oh yeah, Amboy, near where the tennis shoe tree is/was...
-Quick

 

We're thinking of getting an Element as a second car and for camping trips including sleeping in the car sometimes. Keeping the XT as well (of course).

JP

04 XT MT

 

You can sleep in the galley or walk the plank you dirty swab!

 

hahahaha!!

Oh my!

Anyways, I test drove an Element last year. The seats do fold up to the side, out of the way, and you have a flat floor, but the overall area isn't that much better than the Forester except for the headroom and it being totally flat.

ButI got the Forester because it was instantly obvious the Element didn't come close to the handling, and the interior quality wasn't as good. It was a more inexpensive vehicle though.


I'm thinking about going to the Badlands this weekend. I am in the Kansas City area, so it should be do-able for a 3 day weekend.

One thing I recommend- Remote Start. I had this put in (got my '03 Forester X 1 year ago with 36K on for $16900) at purchase. If I get cold sleeping inside the car, I can push the remote start button on my 'fob' and the engine will run for 10 min and shut off. Having left the heat and blower on, this warms up the car nicely. You can fall asleep for a couple hours before the cold wakes you up again.

(I've already gone on one trip, KC to Portland, OR in February)

 

Re: hahahaha!!

One thing I recommend- Remote Start. I had this put in (got my '03 Forester X 1 year ago with 36K on for $16900) at purchase. If I get cold sleeping inside the car, I can push the remote start button on my 'fob' and the engine will run for 10 min and shut off. Having left the heat and blower on, this warms up the car nicely. You can fall asleep for a couple hours before the cold wakes you up again.

Couldn't this be dangerous?

 

Re: hahahaha!!

Probably only dangerous if you're not in a well vented area.

I've slept in the back for a night and it wasn't bad at all. I'm 5'9".

Couldn't this be dangerous?

 

One thing I recommend- Remote Start. I had this put in (got my '03 Forester X 1 year ago with 36K on for $16900) at purchase. If I get cold sleeping inside the car, I can push the remote start button on my 'fob' and the engine will run for 10 min and shut off. Having left the heat and blower on, this warms up the car nicely. You can fall asleep for a couple hours before the cold wakes you up again.

Couldn't this be dangerous?

Probably only dangerous if you're not in a well vented area.

If you do this with the windows shut (which might be tempting if it's that cold), and if your car has any exhaust leaks, this could indeed be risky. But if there's a breeze and the windows are at least cracked open, ten minutes is probably not that big a deal. Still, a nice warm sleeping bag would seem preferable. HPH

 

Get a therma rest pad those are nice

http://tinyurl.com/7lzcp

Mine is over 20 years old and still works fine. I got a smaller ulrta lite one.

 

*nods* on the Thermarest. Those things are great!

 

*nods* on the Thermarest. Those things are great!

Got mine a few years ago for 50 bucks, can't believe I didn't get one before

 

Yep, has been once after too many lagers.
No mattress or sleeping bag, just a beer coat
I was butchered by mosquitos as I left the moonroof open :roll:

 

I went on a 9 night solo car camping trip last spring in the California desert. On night two, 50mph desert winds destroyed my tent. So at about 2am, I had to move into the Forester. Oh yeah, that was fun to rearrange stuff in the car and set up my bed in the middle of the night, while being pelted with 50mph wind driven sand! I slept in their for the next 7 nights, and it was awesome!

I'm 6', I slept diagonal, with my pillow on the high spot that is the top of the folded back seat. I like to be able stretch out to my full height while sleeping. The only way it worked was by folding the passenger seat forward, and filling the gap to the folded rear seat by stuffing in my coat and a clothes bag. Then it was super comfy! Slide open the sunroof cover, and you've got a view of the stars!

 

The wife and I have slept in the back several times while camping. We seem to pick rainy weekends to camp on. I'm 5'10 and she is 5'4 and we had plenty of room. I would highly recommend a pad or matress because the floor is not exactly level or smooth.

It also helps to use a cartop carrier to throw your stuff into. There isn't much room for anything else with 2 people in the back.

 

hi

I have a Thermarest actually, one of the 2/3 length ones, and it's perfect.

I also try and fill the gap between the passenger front seat and the back with the rear seats folded down. Once you do, it's great.

As far as the remote start goes, I'm not worried about the exhaust. Even if in a closed garage, 10 minutes of running the engine probably wouldn't kill. Instead only drop a few levels on the IQ charts Outside, there's no way it's an issue unless you somehow have a signifigant fraction of your exhaust being re-directed inside.

WOW I'm impressed- more than one poster tells of two sleeping in the Forester!! It's good to know.

 

exhaust

I think I take back the part about 10 minutes of exhaust in closed garage. It may indeed kill.

 

I'm a big fan of the Z-rest. I use it when dirt bagging (backpacking). It gets thrown down right on the dirt and slept on. I've always been quite comfortable. No need to worry about rolled up edges or punctures, either.

 

My swag will be sitting in behind the rear seat back permanently. I've already checked the fit at the dealers

I like that 10 cm of foam prepacked with my sleeping back and inflatable pillow 8)

 

Re: hahahaha!!

Anyways, I test drove an Element last year. The seats do fold up to the side, out of the way, and you have a flat floor, but the overall area isn't that much better than the Forester except for the headroom and it being totally flat.

On the Element, don't the backrests on both front and rear seats lay flat, so if you arrange it just right you in effect have two nice padded beds right there. I briefly considered the Element, just cause it had so many clever functional features like that. But in the end it was just too... ugly, I guess, especially with those black plastic primer-looking panels all over it. And of course, the engine couldn't hold a candle to the XT's turbo.

 

*nods* on the Thermarest. Those things are great!

Yup. Thermarest rules. We've got one for each of my wife, daughter, dog, and myself!

Escher

 

I had to lay diagonally in my SF and used the front headrest as an impromptu pillow, wasn't the best nights sleep I've ever had, but it wasn't as bad as my old car.