Anybody here have any experience with living in their car while traveling? I'm going to be traveling across the country in a few months and I'm trying to make a good setup for the back of my Rav4 but I keep seeing what seems like ads for these foldable bedframe/storage things.Is there something I'm missing with these? It seems impractical in the sense that you lose what little headroom you already have if you want to sit up and the storage requires you to get out and go all the way to the back of the vehicle and open the door to access it.Is there any reason I should consider getting one of these instead of just getting a single trifold mattress and having storage on the side of it?Any other tips would be appreciated as well as this is my first time making a trip like this
>>2879245Are you a manlet? How can you stretch out in a freaking Rav4?Sleeping on a pad that is the width of your body right up next to the side of the car is doable. The rest of the space can be used for storage. Third row footwell for stuff you rarely use, second row footwell for food and clothes, easily accessible from the side doors, passenger seat footwell for water and campstove, passenger seat itself can have a storage bin if you aren't going to be giving rides to anybody.
>>2879245I feel like all of these van life car mod things come with huge downsides you wouldn't feel until 1wk into your trip, like making a viral recipe etc. There must be loads of impracticality. you should probably just get the bed or mattress-pad thing and keep your stuff in your bag. travel light and shower at love's or whatever. think about what kind of travel you are doing: I think car travel is best for a-to-b stuff. haul ass all day, sleep in rv park/walmart(ASS!)/campsite, grill a dog, eat some spinach, keep moving."car camping" if you wanna /out/ and see the sights is kind of butt b/c it's so tethering. you'll just want a tent."traveling" e.g checking out cities can be cumbersome too. parking/planning etc. it'll make you want to fork over for a hotel. especially if you're traveling with your gf (like me :) ) car camping is best for its flexibility and ease. if I had a rav4 I would just pop the seats get a topper and a sleeping bag not sink anything into what's 100% the diminishing return of the retarded instagrammable storage-porn setup. >>2879367is right, too
What are the optimal places to park when sleeping in your car? I parked in large empty parking lots my last road trip but I always had a fear of a cop or junkie busting my shit in while I was sleeping.
>>2879534If you're a low-effort traveler, you'll love the convenience of car camping in the woods. Vagabonding in a minivan or SUV in America is really one of the lowest-effort styles of travel in the world, provided you don't break down and get stranded somewhere. You never have to hump a backpack full of clothes or supplies. You never have to crash out on the floor of an airport or bus station on a hellish overnight trip. You have heat and A/C and electricity to charge your phone every time you drive. Your car gives you security from bears and human predators. You can go anywhere you want, any time you want. Park it on a level spot - trust me, the slightest incline will ruin your night - cook dinner on a platform on your passenger seat, then climb in the back when you're ready to sleep. Tents get covered in dew and dirt. You have to set them up and break them down every single day. But if you have a tiny car, you may need a tent to stretch out in. Tents are also more comfortable than a car in hot rainless conditions, as cars trap the day's heat. Some people love the big city vanlife. Put up the window shades and block out the world.>>2879543I was only afraid of police when I had weed or beer and would smoke/drink before bed. You don't want to be busted by the police with your car reeking of marijuana, even in a legal state. So I always took pains to find a secluded nature spot to smoke/drink in peace, even if it meant leaving town at 3:30 PM to find a campsite. As a stoner I'd spend 18 hours a day sitting in my campsite or walking in the vicinity, becoming very much an anti-social recluse who hated being stared at. Sober, I'd spend much more time in town, travel the New England coastline and other areas with no dispersed camping, have friendly chats with random strangers, and found a spot to spend the night when I was ready to sleep.Your techniques for finding campsites will vary hugely from one part of America to another.
>>2879534>>2879367>>2879574I'm traveling from the east coast to the west coast to go help rip out and replace my gf's mom's ceiling and roof and potentially rebuild a barn. I don't have money for a hotel and I'll barely have money for gas desu so I might have to do some rideshare or food delivery along the way. I'll also be transporting my welder and maybe even a chop saw so getting anything wider than a trifold doesnt really make sense because ill also need a large supply of water and clothes and whatever else just in the worst case scenario happens.I plan at sleeping at rest stops exclusively if I have the chance and doing as little sight seeing as possible. My biggest concerns are the moment are the bathroom situations (im autistic) and the fact that my compressor doesnt work so I'll be driving through places like the salt flats in the summer without AC.I have had heat stroke a few different times before working out in 100+ with high humidity so at least I'll be aware of the symptoms to look out for and maybe ill carry some liquid IV with me
I'm not trying to discourage you but it kind of sucks for more than a week at a time. I did two winters as a ski bum in the American West basically living out of my old Subaru wagen. Couple tips.1. Get an overhead roof storage system for all the shit you don't want in your car, or a place to put dirty stuff separate from your sleeping area. 2. They are a pain to install but get pic rel so you can ventilate while you sleep if it's raining. Waking up to a stinky fogged out car smelling a nights worth of concentrated beer farts sucks 3. Bring a tent and small cot if you can find the space in your car and stay at camp grounds. Sometimes you need to spend a night or two outside of the car. 4. Buy a portable jump kit and keep it charged. Living in your car burns through your battery quicker than you think when you're just hanging out at night. Honestly, it really wares on you after a more than a month.
>>2879644Forgot pic.
>>2879591You one-hundred percent can't do what you're doing man and you're gonna turn around after three days. you expect to cuddle up across the backseats to your saw and ryobi kit after slinging tendies in Tucson? Rest stops might even roll you, like a truck stop, if you're not in a real camping vehicle (homelessness??) -- you don't have fucking ac bro. you literally can barely afford gas, you're gonna hit a pothole or need an oil change and be face-down in a buccees handicapped bathroom. and you're worried about storage?
>>2879591If you have a place to stay at your destination, why not take the Amtrak?>>2879645High humidity always makes your car smell musty. When the sun shines and it dries out inside, the smell disappears.
>>2879688I need to have a vehicle so I can haul feed and hay for livestock once I get there as well as construction materials>>2879686Maybe you couldn't do it but I know I can do it. I have enough credit to take care of anything I might need in an emergency (815 credit score).>Buccees no wonder you think driving is some insurmountable feat, you're a lazy southerner
>>2879763So you will be driving your car across the country to serve the needs of your girlfriend's mom, but she's not going to compensate you for your time, labor and incurred expenses?Something is very wrong with that.
>>2879989What is wrong with that?
>>2880034>gets cucked>hurrdurr what is the wrong wit dat doe
>>2880046You ask for compensation when helping a family member in need?
>>2880054>he fell for the uncle's sick water buffalo shtick
>>2880056Idk what you're talking about weirdo but my girlfriend is likely to inherit this house, barn and land its on so it is in my best interests to upkeep it
>>2880062Cope. They can remove you at any time
>>2880067They can but I enjoy the work and they are letting me stay there.
>>2880054There's nothing wrong with a work exchange, but the host (in this case your MIL) should be laying out the terms and conditions of the arrangement upfront, including what is required of you, and what she will be providing. Failure to do so means that she's going to make up the terms as she goes along, leaving you perpetually off balance and stuck with the short end of the stick.And if you're already scraping rock bottom in the finances department before you even start your trip, you're gonna have perilously few options if you and your future mother-in-law get into a catfight and she says "please, just leave. I can't be around you anymore." Talk to the homeless bums you'll find all over the American West and nearly everyone of them has a story of unexpected betrayal or backstabbing, leaving them with their ass out in the wind. You need to have a Plan B, and a Plan C as well. You need to stop being blinded by puss and get down to the business of negotiating the terms of this arrangement before you set out.
>>2880328Bro what the fuck are you talking about? What does any of this have to do with my post? Why are you trying to talk me out of helping family by doing a trade I do for a living? Do you work for an airline or something and just want me to buy a plane ticket?
>>2880329nta but here's the truth: you don't have a girlfriend. You have an imaginary friend thousands of miles away who gets bukkakke gangbanged 8 times a day and won't even recognize you or remember you by the time you get there. Best case scenario, you are treated like a tool, and you perform thousands of dollars worth of labor for free, while you sleep in the shed with the chickens and she has over other men and fucks them in front of you. When your job is finished you will be abandoned to the streets. There's hundreds of millions of women to choose from who are closer to you but you are a scared needy beta male who never spent more than 4 seconds with a woman so this is what you cope with. Forget the bitch, stay where you are, and work more you sad broke faggit
>>2880342How many gb of cuckold porn is on your harddrive
>>2879245I did north-south Japan while sleeping in my Civic. I don't know what to say about those conversion kits, but I was happy with my setup:>foam base mat>sleeping bag>pillows>duvet>black out window covers>earplugs / eye mask>piss bottleI basically just took my camping gear and added nice pillows and a proper duvet.Before departing for the real thing, I highly suggest you test out your setup for a few nights so you can figure things out while you're still at home.
>>2880351Did you go when it was cooler out? I was thinking about a duvet but I feel like it will turn into an oven at night>Before departing for the real thing, I highly suggest you test out your setup for a few nightsDefinitely will be. I actually get the cushion today and got the window covers the other day
>>2880351Setup stayed the same for the entire trip.I did something similar in Yosemite / Sierra Nevada.One important thing is that I only car camp during fall/winter, I can't imagine the heat and humidity in a cramped car.
>>2880329If you're a tradie in America who does skilled labor for a living, then how the fuck are you barely able to afford gas for a cross-country trip, let alone motels? Something is seriously wrong here. And you keep fixating on "muh family". Has your girlfriend accepted your marriage proposal? Until she says "yes", she is not family. She is somebody you are dating.
>>2880520>Has your girlfriend accepted your marriage proposal?Yes and she regularly talks about wanting children
>>2880520>Has your girlfriend accepted your marriage proposal?Yes she's not my girlfriend actually she's my fiancee. And she regularly talks about having children with other men. But it's still worth it because I get five seconds of validation. You have to understand dude. There's no one at all like her. No other girl in the alone will even look at me, let alone entertain the idea of marriage, so even though she sleeps with other men sometimes and wants to get pregnant with other men this is my best option and I have no other choice.
>>2880328>the terms and conditions of the arrangement upfront, including what is required of you, and what she will be providing.this, tell her she needs to send you $500 to help cover travel expenses and gas, she does want you to be able to arrive in one piece and in good condition, right? She should think of this as an investment. (I was going to say $1000 but I'm sure people will act like this is too much money)
>>2879245Is this in the US? Just buy a good tent and you can basically find a spot in any state to sleep for the night for free or even just $10-$20/night. It's infinitely better than sleeping in your car.
>>2879245I traveled through southern Europe in my car for a little more than a month. A bedframe would just be for comfort but I was pretty comfortable just laying on two yoga mats and a duvet beneath me with the added benefit that I could just roll it up when I was done. I would check out the weather for the trip, it gets uncomfortable and sweaty if its too hot but it works perfectly if its colder and you have enough blankets. I brought a solar charged night lamp (like 40$ off amazon) which was invaluable but most important was bringing a battery bank for my phone (i needed to charge a ton as i was using it as my gps when i checked out the cities). Hygiene was the difficult part if you want to be somewhat representible, I should have brought more wet wipes to regularly clean myself but instead I ended up getting a hotel every third night to wash up, charge my battery bank, laptop etc and just get a better quality nights sleep.It was a cheap trip and a lot of fun and I greatly appreciated my efforts to organize my limited space beforehand, I had boxes for everything and it made keeping everything neat and clean easier even in a small car.
>>2879367I am 6 ft tall and can sleep in my ford focus. i dont understand what you weirdos freak out about so much. very few people own truly small cars in america.>>2879644The window cover is definitely a goated tip. If I were more crafty I would make some 3D printed form fitted window cover that sits on top of the window and uses that small strip of open window as air intake (+exhaust on opposite window) using PC fans. I don't know how much air that could realistically push around but I run warm and rely on a lot of airflow. But anything would help.I would try car camping a lot if not for that I'm in Florida and already struggle as it is sleeping at a comfortable temperature. There's just no *real* solutions to properly cooling your car stealthy/off-grid. Lack of public shaded parking is another major obstacle but related to the cooling difficulty. It'd be one thing if I could park up somewhere deep in a parking garage.
>>2879245how many days? recline your passenger chair?
I've only slept out of my car a few times so I don't have too many tips but>get a planet fitness black membership/any other nation gym chain. It's nice to be able to shower and change somewhere. You can also get away with sleeping in their parking lots too.>do tinted windows if you can afford it. It's not a great feeling just having people walk by and being able to see you lying in the back of your carThe next time I sleep in my car, I'm going to try using an inflatable mattress instead of a sleeping bag. I'll report back if I do it sometime soon.
>>2882095There are smaller, 12V AC units or it's easy enough to build one with copper tubing, butane under pressure, and a fan.
