Hello

I’m planning to go on a little weekend trip in which I will be sleeping in my car in the middle of or near a forest. I’ve camped a fair amount but never in the offseason (it’s winter here but that means overnight low of -2c and daytime high of 11c). And never in a car, although I froze a couple of times in a damp campervan (I didn’t think it through and ventilate to let the moisture out). I have a hatchback that I can fold seats flat with and have a little mattress I can use.

1) any tips?

2) if I camp somewhere that has power for sites, I could put a little electric heater in the car, couldn’t I? It has a kill switch in case it falls over and it wouldn’t blow hotter than the a/c does so it’s not going to melt anything…right?

PS I am too soft to sleep in a tent.

Given your fragility, it might be a lot less faff just heading to a b&b 😉

If it’s only getting down to -2 then a sleeping bag will be fine. I’m not sure why a heater would be required.

Might be worth adding that a double-skin tent will be warmer than a car.

Pretty sure I’d sooner be in a tent than a car. I wouldn’t fancy using a heater in a car though!

Tips – take a tent it’s warmer!
Where are you heading? I wouldn’t be sleeping out in Tazzy in a car this time of yer.

If you must good sleeping bag and a duvet to sleep on top of to get you some more warmth.

PS I am too soft to sleep in a tent.

The tent will be warmer and less damp. I have slept in, on and under minibuses and cars. Inside a small vehicle is cold (metal box), seriously damp and just not as good as a tent that is easy to ventilate and has double walls.

A really good sleeping bag or a couple of duvets.

For no worry heating, couple of heatpads, the ones that just react with air, last several hours and sort of look like a giant tea bag, they work well.

Isnt the done thing to have a barbeque then put the reminents as close or inside the tent/vehicle.

Saw it done a few times last year with pretty grim consequences reported.

PS please don’t do this and take care 🙂

I don’t get it – couldn’t I solve the ventilation problem by just opening the window a bit?

Honestly, why would you want to sleep in a car when you can have a nice flat airbed in a tent, a pillow and a really warm sleeping bag (instead of a heater)

If you are ‘too soft’ to be dealing with any errant bugs/wildlife, modern tents normally have a sewn in groundsheet now so nothing can get in 🙂

Is that the ventilation to allow the fire thats enevitably going to happen if you put a heater with any kind of meaningful output in your car ?

Whats the deal with pitching a tent ? Its warmer , comfier , safer , less likely to be frowned upon by the campsite staff….( a friend of mine was asked to leave glen nevis after his alarm went off when sleeping in the car in the middle of the night)

Take a person of the opposite sex along for cuddles.

I think jekkyl has solved the problem.

Someone on here mentioned a insulated matt between you and the car. Not just a airbed. Heatloss downwards is bad. Plus you need windows open slightly as we breathe wet vapour stuff from our lungs. A bivvi bag do?

A 1kw electric fan heater used to keep our big family tent warm & condensation free when we camped early or late season, & temps were down to those temps on occasions. Sleeping in a car is awful. Damp as hell.

Small tent
Thermal mat
4 season bag with drawstring hood

If you’re really ‘soft’ as you say, take a double feather quilt and use as a buffer between the groundsheet and yr mat. You’ll be toasty.

Try it, you’ll never want to sleep in a cold metal car again 🙂

This is one of those typical STW threads when the OP just wants people to reassure him that his harebrained idea is a great one, and when he doesn’t get that reassurance he just pigheadedly does what everyone tells him is a crap idea.

A mate of mine pitches a popup tent in the back of his sprinter- looks ridiculous but quite logical in its way.

It will be fine how far south are you venturing? At least it will keep the snakes out*. What’s the worst/wolf Creek that could happen.

*No guarantee it will keep snakes out.

I’d tend to choose a tent, but sleeping in a car works OK if you can’t be bothered with that (I quite often find somewhere to park up near the airport and sleep in my car if catching an early morning flight). I can lie flat in the back of my car with seats folded – I use a big thick thermarest and a 4 season sleeping bag when it’s cold and slept fine – have done this in below zero temperatures.