Overland Sleeping Setup

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Hello,

How have you set up your sleeping arrangements for Overland trips. Does it change depending on the trip?

Do you sleep inside your vehicle on a custom built set up, in a tent on the ground or in a RTT (roof top tent). Please post photos and descriptions of your setup.
 

Rubicajon

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Hey Jacob, Will and I have slept in just about every one of those including cowbow camping amd hammocks. We adjust our sleeping by the time we will be in one location (2 to 3 nights 9 man tent family camping) and activity like hiking, kayaking we have a 3 man tent. We always keep our hammocks in the jeep for the power naps.
 
Hey Jacob, Will and I have slept in just about every one of those including cowbow camping amd hammocks. We adjust our sleeping by the time we will be in one location (2 to 3 nights 9 man tent family camping) and activity like hiking, kayaking we have a 3 man tent. We always keep our hammocks in the jeep for the power naps.

The hammocks seem like a great idea!
 
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old_man

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It all depends on where I am going and if the wife is coming along. Historically I just slept in the back of my Jeep Cherokee for short durations. I also used a tent. The wife might stay one night in a tent but that was about the limit. As I get older, comfort is getting to be a higher priority. Being a fabricator, I designed and built from scratch, an off road teardrop.
 
It all depends on where I am going and if the wife is coming along. Historically I just slept in the back of my Jeep Cherokee for short durations. I also used a tent. The wife might stay one night in a tent but that was about the limit. As I get older, comfort is getting to be a higher priority. Being a fabricator, I designed and built from scratch, an off road teardrop.

Thats very cool. I would like to see some photos of your trailer set up.
 

adventure_is_necessary

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Well, usually it's just the co-pilot (my pup, Roscoe) and I so we usually camp in the back. I modified my rear seats to accommodate. If the temps are higher like they get here in the summer, I usually go for the hammock as it tends to allow for better airflow. Roscoe has his own little doggie hammock setup that I may bring along, but I have yet to do so. I have camped a ton in tents, but they're usually best for spring and fall IMO as they create a light enough barrier for the varying temps.
 

Kaimana

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Well, usually it's just the co-pilot (my pup, Roscoe) and I so we usually camp in the back. I modified my rear seats to accommodate. If the temps are higher like they get here in the summer, I usually go for the hammock as it tends to allow for better airflow. Roscoe has his own little doggie hammock setup that I may bring along, but I have yet to do so. I have camped a ton in tents, but they're usually best for spring and fall IMO as they create a light enough barrier for the varying temps.
Great topic! I’ve been giving this a bunch of thought recently since I need to shed weight since I’ve got a very small rig (Subaru crosstrek ) supporting a family of 4. Conventional bags and air mattresses are bulky and heavy. My research has led me to look at what ultralight backpackers are using as a starting point.

Pads: noise and thermal comfort are major issues with the wife, so I’m looking into the Nemo Nomad, EXPED synmat, or thermarest LuxuryMap.

Sleeping bag or Quilt? I’m researching Sierra designs backcountry bed, Nemo Disco or Salsa, enlighten equipment revelation, sea to summit micro series, or possibly the budget friendly aegisMax.

Would love to hear other people’s opinions.


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ob4838

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It all depends on how many of my monkey's are with me 2-4 + wife I take my custom rrt trailer for comfort and the extra space. I have a long camping background so I have alot of other options with tents and cots. My favorite tent for car camping is my springbar, it is bulky I know but holds up to anything.


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WhatTheZo

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This year we've been experimenting with sleeping in the back of my Outback. Since I'm 6ft, we use one of those dog backseat bridges to fill the foot well gap and have a low profile air mattress that fits perfectly in the back. Just as a heads up, air mattress' don't provide a lot of insulation, so when temperature drops you can really feel it creep up from under you.

Running solo I just use my backpacking gear.

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Overland California

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I'm a ground tent guy and really enjoy backpacking style tents with 3 poles. My typical setup time is just 5 minutes, including a self-inflating sleeping pad. My camp kitchen and sleeping arrangements stay pretty much the same, so all of my cases are pre-loaded and ready to grab. I can be out of town and sitting in highway traffic in 15-20 minutes.

1. If I fly solo or need to go light, I have a Mountain Hardwear 3 person tent (I'm 6'7") and an Exped Mega Mat Lite.
2. If my spouse joins in on the fun, we take a Mountain Hardwear Optic 6 and an Exped Mega Mat Duo. We each have our own sleeping bags because I sleep hot and she sleeps cold.

The 6 person tent is a bit excessive for just 2 people, but we're thinking that a dog is in our future. I didn't go with a 4 person tent because I didn't see enough size gains over the 3 person tent to justify the expense. The 6 person is tall and long, so we can set up chairs and play games if the rain, wind, or bugs are unbearable. The 6 person is about 2' wider and 4' longer than my 3 person tent.
 
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Graeman

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We use a 2-person, 4-person, or a 6-person ground tent depending on the length of stay and the quantity of people staying. the 4 & 6 person tents fit the cots and are quite comfortable with the 6 person giving the most room for the both of us in all weather conditions. The best thing about cots is that they provide storage underneath them which helps to make the tent less crowded. Air mattress's seem to always go flat and they bring the ground temp with them and can get quite cold to sleep on in the winter months.
 

Homeguy

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I have an RV3 that I take. I like the ground tenting better than RTT. With the OzTent I set up my cot and tent within a min then I can start doing everything else.


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JandAOffRoad

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I just bought my Overland vehicle (2018 Tacoma TRD 4X4 Off Road) and it's not set up for sleeping yet. But when I've gone out with friends I've slept in the back of the truck with the shell, in a hammock on a great (non wet night) and in ground tent.

We are not sure what setup we are going with just yet and will figure it out after we get out there and take more trips. Then we will make the investment with either the RTT setup, shell with ground camping or trailer rig.

In the end, just get out there and have different experiences, and then decide what works for you, and adjust based on your outing. Don't get married to just ONE WAY of exploring and enjoying nature!
 

Graeman

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I have an RV3 that I take. I like the ground tenting better than RTT. With the OzTent I set up my cot and tent within a min then I can start doing everything else.


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One of these days I will talk the wife into an OZtent. Fingers crossed..
 
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