Why shouldn’t I: remove 2nd row keep 3rd for camping? (1 Viewer)

[Mike NXP]

We live and camp in grizzly bear country and leaving food out and thinking clapping will do anything for you hopefully is a joke.

Best bet if you want to stay in the truck is the SS1. Plenty of storage in the cargo area and your kids can ride in the second row. When you get to camp the seats fold down, the sleep folds out, and now you have your sleeping surface. As the kids get bigger that plan will fail but may be a temporary solution.
>>SS1 - Platform - 100 Series - https://store.airdowngearup.com/products/ss1-platform-100-series

The Walthall series on youtube documents a family of 5 making it work in a setup that most people can never afford but still a fun watch
>>




The more spacious option will be to just learn to tent camp in bear country.

 

[nukegoat]

We live and camp in grizzly bear country and leaving food out and thinking clapping will do anything for you hopefully is a joke.

Best bet if you want to stay in the truck is the SS1. Plenty of storage in the cargo area and your kids can ride in the second row. When you get to camp the seats fold down, the sleep folds out, and now you have your sleeping surface. As the kids get bigger that plan will fail but may be a temporary solution.
>>SS1 - Platform - 100 Series - https://store.airdowngearup.com/products/ss1-platform-100-series

The Walthall series on youtube documents a family of 5 making it work in a setup that most people can never afford but still a fun watch
>>




The more spacious option will be to just learn to tent camp in bear country.

I think he was joking about clapping

 

[xplore]

I think he was joking about clapping

It's a well-known fact that grizzlies hate The Cup Song. Any clapping that resembles this song's rhythmic beat may even provoke an attack. Be careful out there campers!

 

[devlooper]

I barely fit two people and two dogs in a full built sleeping platform in our 100.

I'm sorry to say, but unless everyone is under 4.5ft I doubt you'll all fit. let alone get any sleep. I went with a rtt and pulled my second and 3rd row seats. people up top, dogs in the truck, seemed to work out better that way.

Good luck on finding a solution!

 

[suprarx7nut]

If you want to sleep 2 comfortably in the car, the SS1 is a pretty sweet option in my very biased opinion.

100 Series Land Cruiser & LX470

Storage, drawer and sleeping platforms designed for the 200 series Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX570 from 1998 to 2007.

store.airdowngearup.com

However, if you're trying to sleep 4 humans, you probably need something else. An SS1 AND a RTT, maybe. A ground tent, a trailer with an RTT, all good options. 4 people in the cabin sleeping is going to be tough... coming from the guy that made a business out of selling sleeping systems for these cars.

 

[dividedan]

Check out Escapade Campers. They have an option for a double bunk that sleeps 2 kids under 5ft tall as well as a queen size bed below. Small enough to drag anywhere a 100 can go. We might order one soon, I’m 6’4” and would have foot room to spare.

 

[KliersLC]

So not much left to say that hasn't been said, but I'll add some info that may or may not be helpful. I've camped in the truck with three kids and myself (6'5" and 230 at the time) in grizzly country and it was doable, but not sustainable for more than a few years, and not really wife friendly. I had a platform that I built for the back and another one for the front seat. I slept in the middle with my head toward the front of the truck and two of the kids slept on either side with their heads facing the rear of the truck. Third kiddo was in the front seat on the platform. All our gear was stowed outside and the food was in a bear box. If your wife is small and doesn't mind that sleeping arrangement, then it is doable. As soon as you don't have a kiddo small enough for the front seat, it is a no go.


With a wife and five kiddos, I have tried pretty much everything you mentioned and they all work ok, but none of them work great. Sleeping on the floor of the truck is fine, but the wheel wells limit your lateral space. Sleeping above the wheel wells is fine, but the platform limits your head room. A roof top tent is fine, but climbing down to use the bathroom in the middle of the night is somewhat dangerous, and munchkins have been known to forget they were up there and occasionally take a tumble. Add to that the bad knees, requirement to stow it every time you want to move and need to dismount it in order to fit in the garage..... meh. I have one, but only use it when the situation calls for it.

As far as removing the second row and seating munchkins in the third row goes, the only down sides are that the kiddos no longer have a window that opens, and if someone drops a sippy cup or toy that they can't reach, Mom has to remove her seatbelt and climb back there while moving, or you'll have to stop, retrieve said item and then resume.....Not a big deal until the 37th time, and then it is usually cursing, throwing things, and then sheepishly wandering around looking for the things that were thrown. If one is a little older and not strapped into a booster seat, that can help--also, if they need help getting strapped in, that is an awkward operation. (this was the reason I kept my 80 for so long--I could reach in the rear windows) Anyhow, if you load your cargo correctly and strap it down, there really isn't a risk to the kiddos, but you'll still need to leave room for them to be able to get out and you can't pack it to the ceiling like you can in the third row area. The only bonus I see in that situation is that you could remove the third row at camp and use them for some very comfortable camp chairs. Not worth the hassle I'd say, but is worth considering.

So when it is all said and done, I (like many others) have found that the best solutions are the following:

1. RTT- you can put your solar stuff on top of it and leave the garage for other things like a man cave or game room.
2. Ground Tent-As you mentioned, the quick set up tents are very well sorted these days--if you get a largish one, it is easy for the womenfolk to feel pretty secure--add in a couple lightweight folding tables for night stands (for setting your bear spray/pistol/oh wait forgot you are in CA/bear bells) and she'll likely feel right at home. The kiddos stay in the truck on a platform for peace of mind--this is good for many things--kids are safe, you and the Mrs. have some privacy, and you can leave the camp set up while you do day trips.
3. Trailer--your flavor and size will vary based on what you decide to prioritize, but there is a lot of flexibility here, and depending on how rough of terrain you plan on traversing, you can have many of the comforts of home and peace of mind for the wife. You'll just have to figure out where to keep it in the mean time.
4. Hammocks-my current favorite: comfortable, lightweight, small, versatile, easy setup, cheap, etc. Of course, not really bear proof, so maybe not an option, and I haven't tried sleeping in one with the Mrs... but I've heard it can be done.

Last thing--I grew up in Mendocino county and have camped all over Norcal, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Oregon. While a healthy respect for the wildlife is a good thing, if you are diligent with following the correct procedures, you will NEVER have an issue. The closest thing I ever had to an incident was in established campgrounds where critters were used to finding food from ignorant campers.

 

[hoser]

I think it can be done… at long as your kids can fit sleeping across. One across the front seats and one across the 3rd row on another platform like such… but mounted a little lower.

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[KliersLC]

@hoser I like that but I don't know about this application. OP is 72 inches tall, so requires the 2nd row to be removed, or needs a sleeping platform to rest on top of the folded 2nd row. The tumbled 2nd row doesn't provide enough space. In addition, if on the floor, the wheel wells intrude into the sleeping area. Also, he can't have the kids in the 3rd row with this installed, he'd have to leave at least the larger part of the 2nd row installed--Not sure about bending around the wheel well to take advantage of that.

OP, have you tried laying in between the wheel wells on the floor? is the room for the wife there as well?

 

[hoser]

@KliersLC I was going off the OP’s idea #2 in which he was already willing to remove the 1/3 side of the 2nd row and also removing the 3rd row.

“My idea 2:
1) Completely remove the small side of the 2nd row seats prior to the trip while at home with power tools.
2)Completely remove the 3rd row seats prior to the trip and store at home.
3) transport kids in the remaining 2 2nd row seats.
4) tilt 2/3 of 2nd row forward.
5) make a sleeping area with 2 head to toe lengths.”

 

[krice118]

My vote is build a platform that is level with the second row flipped down...... If I can build one, any one can