Sleeping in an Explorer

[tokarev]

Due to financial pressure, I'm going to be working a metric buttload of overtime for the next three years. Sometimes I'm going to be in a situation where I will have 7.5 hours from clocking out to clocking back in for a 16 hour work day. On those days, I'm going to have to skip the commute back home and just sleep in my vehicle.

I'm not overjoyed about it, but it is what it is. I would like to make this time as comfortable as possible. It starts in January and goes year round through 2012. There's a nice big parking lot at work with lots of space in a back area that has lots of trees and whatnot, so the space should be just fine for this kind of thing.

Essentially, I just need to set up a good sleeping situation for myself. I was thinking about some kind of blackout window covers, an air mattress I can blow up from the cigarette lighter, and maybe a battery-powered fan I can use to circulate the air in and out. Time is of the essence, so I would really like to have a kit ready to go for parking lot sleeping that could go from stowed under the back seats to deployed in about ten minutes, and which could put away again in about ten minutes in the morning.

It's not a long-term sleeping situation, just one night at a time, 3-5 times a month.

At the moment, I'm thinking about using a normal reflective windshield cover. After that, I'm pretty open. I might put together some cardboard window covers, cover with tinfoil, and wrap with some navy blue cloth or black cloth to make the interior dark, and use some kind of eyehooks screwed into the interior plastic around the windows to anchor bungee cords to hold the window covers in place. Then again, I wouldn't be opposed to using velcro squares to anchor the window covers in place.

Do you guys have any experience in putting something like this together?

I would appreciate any input.

 

[Maniak]

There is lots of good info here. Most of it is more towards longer term living, but it has some good ideas that should help you.. Its worth looking through.

http://cheaprvliving.com/

~Mark

 

[fisher_rider04]

Thats seems like you have everything covered. I have slept in the back of my explorer several times in the woods with just a pillow and a blanket and fell right asleep with no back problems but if you are going to spend that much time in your vehicle a mattress will be a good idea. You might want to stick a small generator somewhere outside the vehicle because it will get hot and a fan is a good idea. Also running an air compressor for the mattress from a cigarette lighter will drain your battery. You could even use the generator for a small fridge and a hotplate for making breakfast. Also somebody is going to find out that you made a homestead in the parking lot so watch out for cops stopping by. Good luck

 

[Turdle]

I would build a raised platform even with the wheel humps. Hinge the floor of this to be a door. Inside the resulting compartment could be all your gear. Dividers will help organize your things, and the compartment walls will also be good center support.

The raised level should be large enough for a queen size air mattress, with the rear seats folded forward.

There was a smallish circulating fan advertised on tv for a while. it hangs on the top of a partially opened window.

 

[Joe Dirt]

If you end up not needing to stow it completely under the rear seats between nights, a twin matress fits perfectly between the wheel wells...

 

[manaen]

Coleman sell small fans for tents in the camping section. We have one that runs on 2 D cells and last for a long time. What type of climate will you be in?

 

[tokarev]

It's gonna be cold and rainy. It will be in the 30s most nights.

I have rain guards over the front four windows, so I can crack them a bit for ventilation and might not even want a fan most of the time. Then again, there's the humidity to be concerned with. If I can avoid fogging up the windows from the inside that would be a good idea.

 

[budwich]

"standard" cigarette lighter inflators will inflate most mattresses (camping ones, singles doubles) without any problem to vehicle in less than 2 minutes. The suggestion for space are good and should be able to find a cheap air mattress these days for less than $25. But one thing that you might not have "fun" dealing with as one person pointed out, is making it look like you are not "living" there as in "permanent"... check with the owners to ensure you won't have to do some "explaining" in the middle of the night.... shouldn't be a problem since you work for them but you should still clear it with them.

 

[robertoa1a]

Who hasn't slept in their X. I slept in mine when I visited my brother in the country. Now I keep a sleeping bag and overnight bag in the back just in case.

I watched TV on my lap top. The truck seems well insulated but climate control is a bit of an issue. A generator seems like it would draw attention for you. For piece of mind I might put a jack under the frame so people don't see movement.

An extra jell cell battery and small power inverter might be a good idea.

That's one heck of a work ethic. I can admire that.

 

[lvis82]

hey tokarev, i am an out of work truck driver and i'll tell you, if you need anything for the truck like hot plates, coffee maker or any thing to make it more comfortable for you truck stops have any thing you need and they are all designed for 12v plugs. also come summer, they have screens for windows so you can keep your windows open with out the bugs and stuff. i suppose a camping store would have the same kind of things but i spent alot of time at truck stops. just an idea for you.

 

[robertoa1a]

I never understood why places that offer double shifts don't have A bunk room. With only 7.5 hours off time to refresh for the next day there isn't much time for quality sleep. So I can understand why you need to go to the truck. I guess you have to shower shave and eat on lunch brake.

 

[G-96XLT]

The first month I got the ex I went loner camping and slept in it , it was fine. Just last year I took it winter camping, made sure to tough it out and not turn the car on , it was -4 inside on my personal thermo and -7 outside .. I slept fine.

I think cardboard is the way to go and a fold out for the front window. just cut it out from scrap boxes and they should fit right in the sides , fold the seats down and all you need is a pillow and a bag and roll up mat , you might be overdoing it with the air matress. The best way to find out is to try sleeping on a mat . I prefer hard and have no problems on floors but you might want air depending on your size and weight.

There are enough holes in the EX that you will survive the night , but you might want to roll a window down a bit.

 

[Happy Jack]

The only trouble I have with sleeping in a truck is the heat and bugs in the summer. And both my trucks leak when it rains. And I'm old and my bones have trouble getting in and out. Other than that no problem. I spend about 2 months camping evey year and if my truck was dry this is the way I'd do it. This is the best time of the year to buy a good sleeping bag. Sportsman Guide and Cheeper Than Dirt should have some good ones that would make a great Christmas present. I'd get at least a 5 degree bag. That's what I carry most of the time. But if it actually would get down to 5 I have a -30 to take along. You can put another bag down under the one you sleep in. That should make it nice and soft. At then end of my shift I would change into clean or sleeping clothes in the bath room and then go get in the bag and go to sleep. Then get up and go in to change into work clothes if needed. That way no real need to block the windows unless the whole place is lit up. Even then you wear a mask to sleep. Just put the heavy bag on a lighter weight bag and then as it warms this spring just switch them. I crack the window just a bit for moisture to exit. When it gets warmer you'll need to either open the windows or run the ac. Keeping bugs out will be a problem so many I have traveled with just start the truck and run the AC to cool it down then turn it off and go to sleep. Then if it gets too hot they wake up and start the engine and run the AC for a while again. Turn it off and back to sleep. Folks have tried nets on the windows. They just get plastic storm door or window screen and open the door and put it over the window then shut the door and trap the over size edges with the door seal. Once inside roll down the windows. Gonna be hard to get it cool enough inside though. In the summer just carry a sheet and sleep on top of the bags. The times I have camped in a tent in the heat it seemed that I was cool enough inside unless I layed my head on the pillow. So a cool pack might help. You didn't say anything about meals. If I could I would just buy. With that little time I would not spend any time keeping me from sleeping if I didn't have to. The Coleman Extreme ice chest is good if you need to keep stuff cold for a long time. I buy juice and drinks in large wide mouth bottles. Then keep them when they are empty. I clean them of course and the fill them most of the way full with flavored drink mix or water. Then squeeze the bottle to get rid of any air and screw the cap back on. Then freeze them. I put a couple these in the chest and it keeps what ever else is in there cold for a week. And you can take them out and have a cold drink if needed. I also carry an empty bottle for any water I need to git rid of at night. That way I don't have to get out maybe in bad weather. Lets face it most folks who have been in a hospital have pee'd in a bottle so ifn it works there then it don't see any reason not to use it when I camp. Before indoor plumbing folks used chamber pots at night.

Just some ideas. But I always carry a bag rated at least 30 degrees below expected low temps. And I'm partial to canvas bags for the cold and nylon for warmer weather.

Good luck and I hope you do well.

 

[toypaseo]

Maybe these blankets would be help on cold nights:

http://www.techniche-intl.com/content/blogcategory/19/54/

http://moverssupplies.com/product_info.php/products_id/192

 

[bluestream1]

I would consider buying a full size Van for what you are looking at doing. Much more room and more comfort. You can sleep in the ex for a while, but I don't think you will like it long term...

 

[gijoecam]

A full size van would be a NICE way to go if funds allowed... A conversion van where the back seat drops to make a bed would be even better... They can be had on the used market fairly cheap to boot, and will have TONS of room too... Might be worth seriously thinking about... You could even rig up shower, bathroom, and cooking facilities fairly cheap too!

But back to the Ex for a moment... Lowes and Home Depot both sell rolls of Reflectix insulation. I would think about three rolls would easily cover the inside perimeter of the Ex, and leave enough to put underneath your sleeping bag. Anything that'll keep you off the cold floor will make you feel MUCH better in the morning. Keeping the air moving will help prevent the condensation from getting too bad, but with a closed-up vehicle, it's going to get steamy any way you slice it. The human body excretes a TON of humidity in your breath alone. Expect it to be steamy in there even on the coldest nights.

Good luck!

 

[jenren81]

hey there. i've been doing a ton of research on this same subject, but i live in CO so mine is to be used camping in the mountains so I don't have to drive back after snowboarding every night. Anyway, an air mattress is good in warmer weather, but if it's cold you might want to build the sleep platform like Turdle said, and use a foam pad with maybe some memory foam on top for extra comfort.

I just got done drawing out my plans to build a platform for the back of my Sport a few days ago. It'll add some foot room and room underneath to store all my crap.

Here are a few links for some good ideas, if you are interested in that sort of thing.

http://www.scottiac.com/4runner/sleepdeck.htm
http://www.bajataco.com/Camper1.html
http://www.mikewoodbooks.com/Landcruiser.htm
and the one i like the best... http://www.yotatech.com/f129/skyrat-s-rear-cargo-box-sleeping-platform-3rd-gen-4runner-76673/

Hope that helps a little. Good luck!

 

[Jtorsey91]

i was at a friend of mine's house over the summer and i slept in his 93 explorer. comfortable as hell. personally, if it was me i would just sleep in the seats if its only 3-5 times a month. i'd just have basic supplies. like water, hygiene stuff. and snacks. snacks are good.

 

[bluestream1]

When I was young I had a 1975 Dodge van that had a rust hole in the floor between the two front seats. We could drink in the van and then just pee out the hole in the floor without ever getting out. Worked even when the truck was moving.

Ah..the good old days...

 

[manaen]

Ahh I can see the ad now..

Used 1975 Dodge Van - runs great slight smell of urine during warm up. make me an offer