Events/Trails 9th Annual 100s in the Hills *SILVERTON COLORADO* July 24-29 2019 (1 Viewer)

[bamabrock]

So I am going to be rolling solo. I if anyone has any tips or warnings about sleeping inside the truck? What are the pros and cons? I can already tell that I will need some kind of pop up canopy or something outside of the vehicle to have so I can stand up, but I am not sure if there are any other considerations I need to account for if I am going to be sleeping inside the truck...curtains or something for the windows? Anything else?

I have drawers which are level with the second row folded down. I bought a trifold memory foam mattress and slept in the back a few times when I didn't want to pull the trailer with me. I was comfortable up in Hot Springs for a few nights in October.
Amazon product ASIN B0773JYP4B
I bought a new in the box CVT shower/changing room locally second hand. Its a bit heavy, but nice to have. There are cheaper little pop ups on ebay/amazon.

*New* Portable Shower - Changing Room in Gray :: Cascadia Vehicle Roof Top Tents

The CVT Portable Shower is a great addition to your camp gear. This enclosed shower room sets up in seconds and provides a private shower or changing room with pockets for storage and a line to hang clothes. The overhang can hold up to 4 gallons of water. Bladder and shower head included.

cascadiatents.com

this one seems identical
Amazon product ASIN B00IBM7N40
There are a lot of options for privacy shelters.

Amazon Best Sellers: Best Camping Privacy Shelters

Discover the best Camping Privacy Shelters in Best Sellers. Find the top 100 most popular items in Amazon Sports & Outdoors Best Sellers.

www.amazon.com

 

[neilsen100]

So I am going to be rolling solo. I if anyone has any tips or warnings about sleeping inside the truck? What are the pros and cons? I can already tell that I will need some kind of pop up canopy or something outside of the vehicle to have so I can stand up, but I am not sure if there are any other considerations I need to account for if I am going to be sleeping inside the truck...curtains or something for the windows? Anything else?

I've done this a number of times (in many vehicles). Nothing special required but a few things that made things easier for me are:
- have a specific little bag to put important things like keys/wallet/flashlight that is close. Not a big concern at HIH since everyone is cool but parked elsewhere it gives me piece of mind about security
- A real pillow or two
- in the LC figure out how/where you are getting out for a midnight potty break. This includes having a "place" your shoes go and will be okay to get back in when they are wet. With the LC I think the side door makes the most sense since the hatch is two steps.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

Try shrinking 1/2 a foot or get used to sleeping in the fetal position.

we sleep in the back of the rig all the time. Depends on how tall you are. If you have a drawer system (like we do), "full" size mattress toppers and bedding fit back there perfectly...

So I am going to be rolling solo. I if anyone has any tips or warnings about sleeping inside the truck? What are the pros and cons? I can already tell that I will need some kind of pop up canopy or something outside of the vehicle to have so I can stand up, but I am not sure if there are any other considerations I need to account for if I am going to be sleeping inside the truck...curtains or something for the windows? Anything else?

Make sure to crack the windows if it's not raining... it can get pretty stuffy at times. We set up a tent last year to have a place to change. This year we are going to rent one of those little tear drop trailers.

I have a set of these to cover the windows and they have been great. Really good at blocking out light and help with the stuffiness:

Solarscreen - Quality custom made window insulation for Motorhomes, 4x4s, Boats and Cars

Quality custom made window insulation for Motorhomes, 4x4s, Boats and Cars.

www.solarscreen.com.au

 

[aaronrules]

Reflectix sounds like a good idea! I do have a pretty sturdy pop-up shelter that has sides on it. I can back up to that in camp. I might have to go with some ventvisors in order to crack the windows...I do figure it will get humid and stuffy even in Silverton. I have been eyeballing the Air Down Gear up platform, but I can just as easily take out the back seats which would give me more head room! Plus I am going to have my fridge and other stuff in there at the same time.

 

[ga12r1]

Reflectix sounds like a good idea! I do have a pretty sturdy pop-up shelter that has sides on it. I can back up to that in camp. I might have to go with some ventvisors in order to crack the windows...I do figure it will get humid and stuffy even in Silverton. I have been eyeballing the Air Down Gear up platform, but I can just as easily take out the back seats which would give me more head room! Plus I am going to have my fridge and other stuff in there at the same time.

I don’t know when you plan to leave but we will be going through on 40 Sunday or Monday and you could borrow our Autohome RTT if you want. It should be easy to switch over. I might even get better gas mileage with it in front of my Travel Trailer. Who knows.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Reflectix sounds like a good idea! I do have a pretty sturdy pop-up shelter that has sides on it. I can back up to that in camp. I might have to go with some ventvisors in order to crack the windows...I do figure it will get humid and stuffy even in Silverton. I have been eyeballing the Air Down Gear up platform, but I can just as easily take out the back seats which would give me more head room! Plus I am going to have my fridge and other stuff in there at the same time.

I've camped at HIH with the Air Down Gear Up platform in the 100 for the last 3 years. Now, obviously I'm biased, but here's my take:

1. I slept on the floor of the Cruiser with the second row folded up before @Kyle Bell and I joined forces to make the SS1. That cargo floor sleeping experience is a big part of what drove me to make something better. The floor has a bunch of dips and anchors and trim on it. I might just be a "diva", but it was not comfy. A couple extra sleeping pads underneath me may have helped, but it was not great. The camp nights on the perfectly flat platform with a single sleeping pad and thick blanket have been flat out luxurious in comparison.

2. The ADGU platform sits on top of the second row seats, so I think length will be equal with the platform vs removed 2nd row seats. The platform might actually give you more length because you gain a few inches at the rear window. The platform sits just below the start of the rear glass, so you gain the length from the interior trim to the glass.

3. I normally sleep on the ADGU platform with the windows all up, no cracked windows. Solo (plus my dog), it's totally fine. With my wife in there too, it can get stuffy and a cracked window helps.

4. I have 20% tint on my rear windows, in addition to the factory bronze tint. I don't think anyone can see in enough to worry about privacy. I have a windshield visor for parking in the sun that can block out the windshield glass.

5. The platform/drawers completely transform the experience in an event like HIH for me. Having storage divided in the cargo area is huge. I'd be really annoyed if I ever had to go back to the cargo space just being one giant volume of stuff. Even when I used hunting bins it was just a mess. ADGU or Trekkboxx or whatever else, I'd really recommend something.

 

[neilsen100]

I've camped at HIH with the Air Down Gear Up platform in the 100 for the last 3 years. Now,

@aaronrules has drawers. Never seen so many different things in a Land Cruiser. Was it a 40 ton jack you had stashed in there?

 

[Air Down Gear Up]

I've camped at HIH with the Air Down Gear Up platform in the 100 for the last 3 years. Now, obviously I'm biased, but here's my take:

Couldn't have said it better!

 

[aaronrules]

I've camped at HIH with the Air Down Gear Up platform in the 100 for the last 3 years. Now, obviously I'm biased, but here's my take:

1. I slept on the floor of the Cruiser with the second row folded up before @Kyle Bell and I joined forces to make the SS1. That cargo floor sleeping experience is a big part of what drove me to make something better. The floor has a bunch of dips and anchors and trim on it. I might just be a "diva", but it was not comfy. A couple extra sleeping pads underneath me may have helped, but it was not great. The camp nights on the perfectly flat platform with a single sleeping pad and thick blanket have been flat out luxurious in comparison.

2. The ADGU platform sits on top of the second row seats, so I think length will be equal with the platform vs removed 2nd row seats. The platform might actually give you more length because you gain a few inches at the rear window. The platform sits just below the start of the rear glass, so you gain the length from the interior trim to the glass.

3. I normally sleep on the ADGU platform with the windows all up, no cracked windows. Solo (plus my dog), it's totally fine. With my wife in there too, it can get stuffy and a cracked window helps.

4. I have 20% tint on my rear windows, in addition to the factory bronze tint. I don't think anyone can see in enough to worry about privacy. I have a windshield visor for parking in the sun that can block out the windshield glass.

5. The platform/drawers completely transform the experience in an event like HIH for me. Having storage divided in the cargo area is huge. I'd be really annoyed if I ever had to go back to the cargo space just being one giant volume of stuff. Even when I used hunting bins it was just a mess. ADGU or Trekkboxx or whatever else, I'd really recommend something.

I've been in contact, and short of trying to build something myself, this is probably the way I am going to go. I will start off with one drawer...gotta search the couch cushions again for the money! I wish places would take payment plans! LOL

@aaronrules has drawers. Never seen so many different things in a Land Cruiser. Was it a 40 ton jack you had stashed in there?

Those are gone...didn't have the best experience with them TBH...but yeah...I had plenty of ish in them!

 

[marcfj60]

we sleep in the back of the rig all the time. Depends on how tall you are. If you have a drawer system (like we do), "full" size mattress toppers and bedding fit back there perfectly...



Make sure to crack the windows if it's not raining... it can get pretty stuffy at times. We set up a tent last year to have a place to change. This year we are going to rent one of those little tear drop trailers.

I have a set of these to cover the windows and they have been great. Really good at blocking out light and help with the stuffiness:

Solarscreen - Quality custom made window insulation for Motorhomes, 4x4s, Boats and Cars

Quality custom made window insulation for Motorhomes, 4x4s, Boats and Cars.

www.solarscreen.com.au

I've only had on one experience. My buddy is 6'0" and I am 6'3". Second row was folded flat and tumbled forward. We were both sleeping on self-inflating backpacking pads. I had to leave the tailgate down so my feet were sticking out of the cruiser a foot. If I was by myself and if I had a flat platform that got me above the level of the second row with back folded down, then it probably would work sleeping diagonal.

 

[Air Down Gear Up]

I've only had on one experience. My buddy is 6'0" and I am 6'3". Second row was folded flat and tumbled forward. We were both sleeping on self-inflating backpacking pads. I had to leave the tailgate down so my feet were sticking out of the cruiser a foot. If I was by myself and if I had a flat platform that got me above the level of the second row with back folded down, then it probably would work sleeping diagonal.

6' 0" of flat sleeping platform above the folded second row seats with the SS1! You can easily angle a bit for that extra 3"

 

[Somebodyelse5]

I've only had on one experience. My buddy is 6'0" and I am 6'3". Second row was folded flat and tumbled forward. We were both sleeping on self-inflating backpacking pads. I had to leave the tailgate down so my feet were sticking out of the cruiser a foot. If I was by myself and if I had a flat platform that got me above the level of the second row with back folded down, then it probably would work sleeping diagonal.

Perks of being short I guess

 

[aaronrules]

I've only had on one experience. My buddy is 6'0" and I am 6'3". Second row was folded flat and tumbled forward. We were both sleeping on self-inflating backpacking pads. I had to leave the tailgate down so my feet were sticking out of the cruiser a foot. If I was by myself and if I had a flat platform that got me above the level of the second row with back folded down, then it probably would work sleeping diagonal.

Hmmmm....you have me thinking since we are about the same height. Maybe passenger side with the front passenger seat moved forward? I did attempt to crash in the back once when I did have drawers. I wasn’t too uncomfortable. maybe if I had I a decent mattress under me, it would have been better. I wish that air down, gear up had a half a platform option that went on the passenger side. I plan on removing the back seats if I don’t have a platform or drawers by HIH time.

 

[Austin Hot Shoe]

So I am going to be rolling solo. I if anyone has any tips or warnings about sleeping inside the truck? What are the pros and cons? I can already tell that I will need some kind of pop up canopy or something outside of the vehicle to have so I can stand up, but I am not sure if there are any other considerations I need to account for if I am going to be sleeping inside the truck...curtains or something for the windows? Anything else?

This worked for me a month ago when @geanes an I went to BBNP....6'3"

 

[Austin Hot Shoe]

This worked for me a month ago when @geanes an I went to BBNP....6'3"

ugh, see in quote above, somehow posted in aarons quote.......

 

[abuck99]

...........but I am not sure if there are any other considerations I need to account for if I am going to be sleeping inside the truck...curtains or something for the windows? Anything else?

Depends on what your going to be doing in there.

Sleeping in the truck gets old, fast. The smell of dust, body, old carpet...yuck.

Go to REI and rent a nice 4-6man tent and bring an inflatable mattress, some pillows and a beanie. You’ll be good to go. Having a shade shelter is nice too in case we get rain- edit; when we get rain.

 

[aaronrules]

This worked for me a month ago when @geanes an I went to BBNP....6'3"

I do have a comfort cot from REI...I am currently trying to see if I can swing an air down gear up platform. And I will go with a blow up mattress and or a folding foam pad. I will have to do some Reflectix or something on the windows, at least on the way out since you can overnight for free at Walmarts!

 

[geanes]

If you do sleep in the back (which I've done PLENTY of times), one thing that helps with the potential "stuffiness" is to add rain visors to your windows. This allows you to crack the windows while protecting against rain or heavy wind intrusion. Even though I now have an RTT, I'll elect to sleep in the back for quick trips as it's super easy. I'm only 5'10", so I've got PLENTY of room.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

If you do sleep in the back (which I've done PLENTY of times), one thing that helps with the potential "stuffiness" is to add rain visors to your windows. This allows you to crack the windows while protecting against rain or heavy wind intrusion. Even though I now have an RTT, I'll elect to sleep in the back for quick trips as it's super easy. I'm only 5'10", so I've got PLENTY of room.

As much as I'd like an RTT, the flip over types seem way to much hassle for us short folks to setup and takedown every night.... this year we are going to rent a little teardrop trailer so we'll have a dedicated camp

 

[geanes]

As much as I'd like an RTT, the flip over types seem way to much hassle for us short folks to setup and takedown every night.... this year we are going to rent a little teardrop trailer so we'll have a dedicated camp

I hear you on that. It wasn't too bad when I went to BBNP. Takes about 5 minutes to put everything up. But, I'm actively researching light trailer options so that I can base-camp going forward. I also have the ARB2500 awning and associated "room". I'd rather have all that mounted to a Morris Mule or some similar type of trailer so I can just setup and tear down once.

The MAJOR thing I have with the RTT is that I can no longer park in my garage.....at home OR at work