Do you know what size plywood works best for this setup?

I recently got a ‘19 CR-V myself. Were you able to go with the plywood trick here or did you end up having to create an actual platform? I feel like even though it slopes a bit the seats fold pretty darn flat like this RAV4 but wasn’t sure.

He’s the best I purchased his book great info

Check out the 2022 or 23 hyundai tucson. Bigger than the rav4, comes in hybrid.

Highlader hybrid?

Hi Nicholas. Thanks for the note here. This kind of lifestyle or adventure isn't for everyone, and it doesn't have to be. For those of us who enjoy it, it's a great way to recharge and have some separation from-and perspective on-everyday life.

If you run across a honda crv snag it up. The front seats lay back to the rear seat making a bed after removing the headrests.and the rear seats are adjustable also.

Strangely enough, just a couple months after purchasing a used RV, it caught fire and burned to the ground. Within two weeks, a nice older lady gave me her 1979 camper van in near perfect condition with low miles. So I will be making the very best of that vehicle for as many years as I can as well as repainting it and sprucing up the engine block and currently finishing up various electrical work. If you are interested to see what it looks like and details about it, visit my channel as I don't publish much, but thought I would talk about my van. It's quite a rare vehicle and highly sought after.

your mom! - I have a 2007 CR-V and the back seats do not lay down flat. And the front seats do not recline to be even with the back. Fortunately I'm only 4'11" female, so I have a method for sleeping in back that would not work for taller people. One thing I can suggest for privacy: get a telescoping shower rod and black curtains; wedge it up as high as you can just behind the front seats (I brace it at the hand holds) to hide you from peepers looking through your clear windshield and clear front side windows if they are not tinted (mine are not). I have the curtains placed on the rod so they open in the center so i can reach through if I need something that I have transferred to the front. I have a paid-for home but I like to get out and travel cheaply.

I was amazed about how cheap mobile homes are compared to regular houses. It would be great to live in a car long enough to save up enough cash to buy a mobile home out right.

Awesome, congrats! Sounds like you've got lots of adventures coming up in your future :)

I have a Saturn VUE and I consider it a very versatile SUV. I have to do some mods for it to work for me as far as camping but I know it can be done with little effort., so if you have any suggestion for a 2005 Saturn VUE I would appreciate it. Thanks

Have fun and be safe.

Thanks!

Exactly! Camping has got to be the cheapest vacation there is. And it's just good for the soul. Thanks for watching.

Thanks for sharing, Kevin. Great to hear that you had a good trip. Sounds awesome!

That is a GREAT idea to solve the 4inch angle. I was trying to configure a platform but don’t have tools or woodworking skills. I think the foam is easier. And, something I can do. It’ll be easier to store between trips too.

Great! I'm glad you found the video and channel, and I'm happy that the video was helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks Culture Girl.

Katie Carney lives in her little Toyota car.

Thanks! Glad you liked the video.

Same, much more basic and easier than I was expecting. I am currently planing a sleeping platform for my WK2.

Keep it simple is the best way.

cosgrove notts there ya go

I'm the same way! I hated having to wrestle and put away a wet tent. That's the best part of sleeping in a vehicle.

Yeah, I've avoided building a platform for the same reason. I like being able to sit up in my RAV4. Removing the seats sounds like a great solution. Thanks for watching and commenting.

Next, how to camp in the hot muggy southeast U. S. How would you manage the heat and Mosquito's? A battery fan with long-lasting D cells for one. How would you ever get the net to seal?

@@stephenpowstinger733 Hello Stephen... Bill in L.A. , Calif. Here. Mosquito netting , usually green , is available at camping, surplus army- navy stores, and sporting Good Stores such as Big 5 , Sports Authority, R.E.I. All You have to Do is either Make Paper or Cardboard Templates,of the Window openings, or Just Go for it with a Pair of Scissors...but think twice, before cutting once. Sometimes Excess Material can be Draped Over the Door, then Closed tight, Then decide on using Velcro Tabs to stretch out the Netting, or Small Magnets ( You can Set up a Plastic Carry Box for all of the Magnets ), or sew the Velcro in place... Note: Home Depot Sells a Roll of Black. Plastic ( sunscreen/ Insect Screen material...that can be cut to openings... with a little Excess around the edges to either Velcro tab, or Use Magnets to hold Securely... This Will give You Fresh Air, No Flying Insects, and a clear view Outside, as well as Privacy looking in...KZfaq has a guy that designed the Insect/sunscreen project for his van...he just pulls them. Down and rolls them up and stores each covering for their next use. I Hope Some of this Has Helped You...Careful Planning and Proper Execution will make Your Travels More Enjoyable. I made 2- Black Material Curtains, that come together from each side of my van for Privacy...Had the 3m Velcro tabs Professionally Sewn on the edges that come together, used a 1/2" copper pipe as a Curtain Rod, and two " stanley" L Brackets to Secure the rod ends...with sheet metal Screws. The Curtain was Sewn with a hem at the tops and bottoms , it is Handsome and Functional, as I can Push the Curtains to the Sides, as well... Safe Journey.

@@stephenpowstinger733 Hii Stepen, just read your comment on SUV sleeping. I found out recently that the toyota PRIUS air con can be kept running when the engine is off, and every now and then the engine fires up to keep battery power topped up. Don't know any more than this but it would be great to build this into any vehicle. Stay safe.

@@stephenpowstinger733, l use Velcro. Twice a year l travel from Az to Mn in my Yukon with my collie. We always sleep in it!!! Saves lots of money! Safer too.🤗🇺🇸🐾🐾 HAPPY TRAILS

The shelf is a really great addition. I love mine. It sounds like you've got a really great setup going in the Forester. I'd love to see some pics and even share them with everyone on my blog if that's something you're interested in. Let me know. Thanks!

I have some pics. Don't know how to share them. Can I email them to you?

Absolutely. Email me at thigbee at gmail dot com.

@@SUVRVing How is that shelf supported? Did you build legs and ensure it was a “tight squeeze” in the SUV so it doesn’t move around? Or, is the shelf resting on something but fastened somehow? Or, c) none of the above, and if so, please share? I too, love the shelf idea and having my feet s underneath while using the top for cooking, playing solitaire, being on the laptop, writing in my journal, etc. Thanks.

2001 Explorer here. I fold down both back seats and put all my gear on one level when I'm traveling. When I get to where I'm camping I'll double stack the gear to the right side, giving me the whole left side for a pad and sleeping bag. Works great.

Yeah, it's been a great car so far. And I just measured the length of the sleeping area earlier today because someone was asking, and it's about 77 inches (6 ft 5 in) with the front seat pushed forward. Pretty darn good for a vehicle that really isn't all that big.

@@SUVRVing I've slept in my 4Runner before and had to leave the back hatch open for my leg room (I'm 5'10"). Moving the front seat forward all the way is something stupid simple I wish I had tried- it might give me more room to stretch out!

truck campers

My late husband bought a brand new 1981Toyota SR5 mini-truck, and added a camper shell (cap) with cupboards and roof vent, and a carpeted insert that could be configured to a bed (remember it was 1981). The mini-truck had a 7' cargo bed for my 6'2" husband. The shell also had slider windows that configured with the truck rear window slider windows so we could access both areas. It came in handy.

I'm glad it helped! Thanks for watching and commenting.

Hi Kirk, I'm glad you liked the video. Sounds like you have a great setup to take the sting out of those cold nights and mornings. What kind of vehicle do you have?

Thanks Sammy 👍

Definitely!

I'm happy the video was helpful. That sounds like a great trip! Thanks Stephen.

Gawd.. you could "rent out" all that extra space! LOL

In the past I've used a couple of plastic bins to create the platform. That worked fine, but yeah, I much prefer having the plywood thing so I don't have to keep shuffling the bins around.

Thanks Phil. It works well for me. I appreciate you watching and commenting.

Awesome, I'm glad it helped. Thanks for watching and commenting, Andrew.

I sleep on an inflatable in my tent. Often we're in the mtns camping..even in fall or spring. It seems no matter how many blankets I line that matress with I still feel that cold trapped air under me. Thks for the tip. I will have to try the windshield reflector. We love camping in the cool crisp air without the many bugs. I use plenty of blankets on top & below. This may be the answer to my problem.

Good tip!

Is the silver surface up or down ( facing the ground)

The board works really well in my RAV4. Should also work great in your Jeep. Let me know how it goes.

Thanks Mary!

I don't want to talk any more than I have to to get my point across!

@@SUVRVing Impressive.

Check out my website (suvrving.com). I have a couple of blog posts about people sleeping in the back of an Escape. Plenty of people do it. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Thanks, glad you like it

Awesome, I'm glad it was helpful. Thanks Dave!

Must have been a bit crowded in there! I hope they were small dogs :)

Great 👍

The picnic table was discontinued after first generation CR-V, and spare tire was moved to underneath cargo bed when changed to rear lift hatch. I had 2006 (last of second gen) for only a few months before it was destroyed when my husband was rear-ended. Replaced with 2007 (first year of third gen), which is very different even from the 2006. I don't know what succeeding model years feature. Hopefully they went back to sleeping-friendly configuration.

Awesome, it sounds like you've got a great setup. Thanks for watching and commenting.

The piece of plywood works really well for me. Thanks for watching and commenting, Eduard.

Thanks Nubia.

Thanks for watching, Dale!

I've used both bins and the board, and I like the board better. It was a pain whenever I had to get into the bins for something. Thanks for commenting Nathan!

Do it! It's a lot of fun :)

The front seats on my volvo xc70 fold flat, as well as the back seats, leaving the interior entirely flat from front to back. It's awesome!

Bucket List Boomer that small. You can sleep in my pocket 😂

Same here, I don’t want to dismantle seats as I will be using for short term camping.

Hi Steve. The shelf is actually a factory Toyota accessory. There are holes in on the inside walls of the SUV made for the support bars of the SUV. The bars themselves contract an inch or so, so you contract them, stick them into the holes, and then they expand and go to their full length inside of the holes. If your SUV doesn't have something like that, it's easy enough to make a shelf out of a piece of plywood and some support legs out of pieces of 1x4 or 2x4 lumber, or even wooden dowels or PVC pipe, etc. Let me know if you have any other questions.

@@SUVRVing Do you have a link for that? I have a 2019 Rav4 adventure and I want that shelf! Thx!

They sent me one to review and I used it and made a video about it. I didn't love it. I thought it was overpriced, and I don't like air mattresses in general because they are very cold on cold nights. You have to put extra insulation on top of them. But if you like it and it works for you, more power to you.

Noted! Thanks for the heads up. So far so good with a blanket. Price wasn’t a barrier to me though. I guess I like it because of the temporary setup for the weekend. Didn’t have to use wood with their extenders and it compacts down so I keep it in vehicle. Saw your vehicle didn’t really need the extenders but mine was a must because my back area is smaller.

Thanks Carlos.

Yeah, that sucks! But at least you get good gas mileage :D

..lol..

You should make your own video...

I am definitely too spoiled to spend more than one night sleeping in a front seat!!

I'm glad it helped Danial. Let me know if you have any other questions or want to run ideas past me. Thanks for the comment.

You are very welcome. :-)

You literally just described my channel. Take a look at my other videos.

Happy to help! Thanks for watching and commenting.

Yep, works great! Thanks Tom.

Let me know how it goes!

A 90s Suburban is perfect for camping in!

Thanks Jason. It's a great setup that works well for me.

The tissue box is great! Lol I love having it so handy. Thanks for watching and commenting :)

Nice! Have fun with it.

Town and country is now pacifica

Awesome! What vehicle do you have? Let me know if you have any questions about the setup.

SUV RVing I'd really like to know about one for a 2004 Saturn Vue. My cargo has a nasty bump where the back fold down seat reaches the area that holds the spare underneath. I HAVE slept in it a couple of times, but I was very tired, and it didn't hurt til morning! Has great potential for a 6'3 man, though! More than enough space if I could utilize it. It would be a weekender type of thing for my dog and myself. Thank you for any help/advise!

Yep, it's a great way to travel!

Awesome, glad it was helpful!