I bought a new Thermarest LuxuryMap regular size sleeping mat. Have been using two 25mm mats for some time but the first mat I bought 25 years ago has given up the ghost! The second one is a decade old but still perfectly ok. A slow leak & the foam has started to delaminate from the skin.

I would have liked a larger size but it has to be the regular so it fits in the car & hiking tent. The other half has a 35mm mat & will use the 25mm as well, so 60mm total thickness. Putting them side by side, even though the LuxuryMap is 75mm thick, it has a much better comfort level than the 35mm & 25mm combined. It really has a nice feel. Not quite as bulky as I was expecting. Remember not to blow them up too hard!

Found it here for a good price, freight was a bit dear but still cheaper than typical Sydney prices! https://www.greatescapecamping.com.au/?rf=kw&kw=thermarest Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Last edited by Lightwater on 27th Jul 2019 6:50 pm. Edited 1 time in total

I tried sleeping in the car once, wasn't that great. Maybe I am too tall because I couldn't stretch my legs. How did you manage to fit in your car overnight?

He’s only 5’2” tall


Resist it , I could not  Regards

David

Lovely i6 has now gone, but not me......

Please let me know if anything in my post offends you, as I may wish to offend you again......

I can sleep across the front seats



 If it wasn't so bad it'd be funny.

🐑
Freelander 2 HSE auto 2014 ( Florrie ) ..... Try again.
Freelander 2 GS 2012...... Gone.

Hi,
looking last week into option of sleeping in the car

for a single night rather than pitching a tent (does not take that long!)
if I removed the 1/3 rear seat base, it should give enough room when the rear seat back rest is folded forward to fit nicely (5'9")
Removing the seat base allows the backrest to pivot further forward.

although removing the seat base may take as long as putting the tent up

LW have you used the mat much in the last 6-7 months, what do you think to it

Have been using it for the last week. In Norseman now, it was -1C this morning with a bit of ice on the car & the door handles had small lumps, which I then realised was ice as well.

7C in the car near the boot side panel, acoustic insulation & cut to size sun screens over the windows does wonders, no more condensation on the rear boot panel. I'm 177cm but shrinking with age! Still very happy with the mat & would buy another one if I damaged this one. It is a much better mat than the thinner ones even factoring in the extra thickness. It has a softer foam inside & is die cut so you sink in more at the hip & shoulder. We use more solid pillows than at home which we find works better for us in the car.

We take the seat bases & the 3 head rests out while traveling as there is only 2 of us. When sleeping we push the front seats forward & tilt them forward as well. The rear footwells are full of water containers etc so the whole back is flat, there is room under the rear seats for tow ropes, 9m snatch strap & 20m extension & spanners etc tucked under the seat up against the tyre well or other flat items.

Fridge sits on passenger seat & the rest stuffed in the front so the back is completely free for sleeping.

We have an enclosure for the awning & only ever used it in the really hot weather in the north as it has the option of being all flyscreen. Other than that we sleep in the car & if needed put window socks over the rear windows for ventilation & to keep out mosquitos etc. Currently have only been opening about 5mm with the cold & the window wind shields are brilliant for this & keeping the rain out.

As far as I am aware the 75mm is the thickest you can get in a regular size, & it is big enough to sleep on in a car or small tent. Our car has more sleeping space than our hiking tent. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

If you raise the driver's seat it goes further forward & you have 196cm (according to my Bu_nings 1m tape measure) & take rubbish out of the seat pocket & you get another cm or 2.

An older photo with the 25 year old blue mat which moved on, actually still kept it as in principle it still works.

Click image to enlarge

That looks great Lightwater. I also like the two good sized fire extinguishers you have installed.  2013 SD4 SE (hers)
2013 SD4 HSE (mine)
Ex: 2008 D3 V8 HSE
EX: 2000 D2 TD5

They are only 1kg each. I would prefer to have 2-2.3kg, I've tried hard but it is just in the way unfortunately. I would like to have an extinguisher at the front or the car but even with a 1kg it is a lost cause.

1kg you only get 5 seconds, 2.3kg you get 8 seconds, so one better aim at the ignition point of the fire as you don't get a second chance!

Also you need to shake these ABE extinguishers regularly as the contents settle into a block at the bottom, more so with corrugated roads! Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

I "hope" you wear sandal's a lot

it seems a very practical set up you have done you can not beat a good nights sleep.

how do you fasten the insulated cover panels you have to the windows, tight push fit or some locating/securing means, velco or suction cups?

I am only after the odd night away but you still need to take as much stuff as if you went for a long weekend

The sun screens just push in. I made templates with A4 paper stuck to the inside of the windows with masking tape & overlapped them unit the whole window was covered. The boot sun screens tuck in behind the panels about 7 to 10mm. The quarter window on the back door you can tuck the screen in behind the plastic trim about 5mm & make it a bit longer at the bottom so it presses against the soft plastic door lining & nick out the rear bottom corner. It took me a second go to get it right, but once you get one side right you mirror the other side except the boot door. But I have noticed over a year that they have shrunk about a cm left to right probably due to the vertical folds in the screens. So add a cm to the width of all screens, they will be a bit tight but be patient.

I can use my second set to fine tune the third set when I get around to it. You need to use the good quality screens that are thicker & stiffer, & get a few of the really large size ones to cut down. Due to the odd shapes you waste a fair bit & you want to keep the folds virtual. Also look where you place the folds so they unfold well when in use.

If you need to redo one side it is still cheap. The 3 boot windows take a bit of a knack to get them in place, but after a few goes you will understand the process of getting them in & then it is quick. The boot door I put it in overhead with the boot open, I have found that the easiest. The screens for the rear passenger door opening window try to avoid putting in horizontal folds while storing as they tend to fall out the window mostly due to mine having shrunk width wise.

There is no lining or insulation behind the boot door plastic panel so you will get condensation in cooler & cold weather & initially wonder why everything is wet at your feet. So you will need to cover the rear plastic lining in cold weather with a spare sleeping mat. Better still take off the panel & line it, it is the easiest panel to remove! https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic33026-15.html

The wheel arches which intrude into the car get really cold in cold weather so a piece of sleeping mat on your side to insulate you makes a big difference.

Now I have acoustic insulation in the car the added benefit is that there are no more condensation issues & the wheel arches do not get anywhere as near as cold.

If it is really cold another sun screen as a whole uncut screen you can put between you & the rear passenger door as another barrier helps when you keep the window open a touch for ventilation.

I have finally cut one for the windscreen & a second layer using some packing foam lining sheet about 6mm thick, which all works really well as the windscreen is the largest piece of glass, the inner layer, sunscreen, tucks in about 2cm between the dash board & the window. Cut an inverted T so the flaps sit behind the mirror. If you don't go to this trouble it is worth placing a towel on the dashboard to reduce air current around the windscreen. You get a lot of condensation & this will help reduce it a bit.

The last week I have have a few nights of -1C & a bit of ice on the car & one night with 20 kph winds. Inside the car it was still 7C in the morning. If you can slow the heat loss out the windows it makes a huge difference. 6 watts per degree C difference per square metre.

It's hard to imagine one can write so much on a sun screen!

Locking the car at night & being quiet. Don't use the remote, but reach forward, a bit of a stretch, & push in the driver's or front passenger door lock. If you need to get out at night you can just unlock the rear lock & lock it when you get back in, easy & quiet! Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Hi,
thanks for the detailed info that will save me loads of time experimenting

a friend once said "its normally the Mk3 version thats right"

I know what you mean about locking/un-locking the car, both the alarm and quietly operating the locks/doors

A fly swat is handy in the car. Don't hit too hard on the ceiling, & if you have to it is easier to clean dabbing with a bit of water straight away.


Rear footwell filled up then top up with a towel etc so it is level. There is a window sock over the door frame for ventilation on hotter nights & to keep mosquitos out. It can be difficult to find large square window socks that come down far enough. You then will need to fill the gap with plastic bags rolled up.

Click image to enlarge