Camping inside your 1st gen?
- Thread starter mnormand
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85straight
New member
It's a tight fit for someone our height( I'm about 6ft also). When you fold the seats flat there is a little lip formed from the seat. So your feet/ ankles are elevated, not very comfortable. You can remedy that problem by making a simple sleeping platform, but that takes up headroom. Add a air mattress and that takes up even more headroom. You'd have to be pretty agile to get in and out of the truck at this point. I don't have any pics on hand but I have had some great nights sleeping in the back despite the elevated feet, which can work in your favor if you've been hiking and your feet are swollen
RAD4Runner
Senior Member
+1.
I'm 5'8" and the latch mechanism on the bottom of the folded up rear seat bottom already hits my head. I sawed it (absolutely not needed for safety) off but the seat bottom still does not clear. Finally took off the seat bottom for my road-trip.
KidVermicious
New member
If you take out the seat bottoms and sleep diagonal, you'll fit easily.
If you're going to make a habit of it, consider wiring a switch in the rear independent of key power to control the rear window.
If you're going to make a habit of it, consider wiring a switch in the rear independent of key power to control the rear window.
85RedRunner
New member
Trying to understand why you would want to sleep in the truck..?
im 5'10 maybe 5'11 on a good day. myself, my girlfriend and my dog all spent a night in the bed of my 86 over the summer. with the seats folded down we fit great. a sleeping pad or an inflatable mattress would have been awesome. also a good fix for the elevated feet problem is to lay in the opposite orientation with your head on the slightly elevated side 
Cuz these are mostly solo wintertime hunting trips in marginal weather with about 1000 other things to worry about. I have a Chalet Arrowhead Aframe camper but don't always haul that around.
Let me tell you it's nice to simply get in truck and leave to come home without having deal with trailers, wet awnings, and many other outdoor issues. I look at it as backpacking out the truck LOL. I camp on a small private lease 3 hours away. Hunt all day, only at truck for short noontime, and nights. No campfires, in bed at 8pm.. man it's great LOL.
HanginInUtah
New member
I like the idea. I slept for years as a scoutmaster in a small 2 man backpacking tent (really only room for one person to roll over) so the headroom isn't a negative for me. I actually feel like I have more room than most small tents. And, I don't have to find a place to put a tent, just to find that rock that won't let me sleep at 2AM.
I think RTT's are cool. But the money I would spend on one, I'd rather spend on bumpers, winches, rock sliders, poly bushings, HAM radios, etc. etc. etc...
Now, if my wife wanted to camp with me, my opinion may change...
wallytoo
Member
cost: cheap (free)
easy: sleep where you park, no need to find a nonrock flat surface
convenient: no tent setup in inclement weather (unlike san diego, much of the country has bad weather - snow, ice, rain) that can kill you if you are unable to find shelter
85RedRunner
New member
I used to camp every weekend (miss one here/there) on the beaches and in the woods of NC and many other states along the East Coast 
(Im not from San Diego, just temporary)
I dunno guys.. it takes me 6 minutes top to pitch my 8-man tent, by myself.. then blow up the queen air mattress with an electric pump, and its comfy/roomy.
So if you have a truck full of stuff.. and you want to sleep in the back.. do you have to put everything outside overnight or just toss it all in the front seat?
(Im not from San Diego, just temporary) I dunno guys.. it takes me 6 minutes top to pitch my 8-man tent, by myself.. then blow up the queen air mattress with an electric pump, and its comfy/roomy.
So if you have a truck full of stuff.. and you want to sleep in the back.. do you have to put everything outside overnight or just toss it all in the front seat?
HanginInUtah
New member
Still working on some of the 'where do I put this stuff' issues. I actually am planning on building a sleep platform/drawer/storage setup, so that will help with some of the stuff.
I guess there are always some give and takes with whatever decision you make.
Yeah its all a compromise somehow. But I very much like how quiet and peaceful it is inside truck. Layback with a book or tablet movie till sleepy. I have thought many times about setting up a tent just for storage and keeping my bags and stuff orderly. It's been tight at times, but usually cause I bring too much stuff that goes unused.
I was just looking at my rear seats... ya'll mentioned removing the bottom sections. I would assume pulling the bolts directly under the seats and leaving the hinges attached to the truck and laid down flat on floor is easier because I can get a drill driver socket on the seat underside bolts.
That was a good idea...that's the extra 4-5 inches I need badly, definitely will do that soon.
Usually I just throw in a single mattress from a spare twin bed in our house. It's very light and so much better than air mattress, at 59yrs have tried it all. I'll have to look into a small platform possibly on one side over one wheel well, surely I could use the storage room underneath effectively.
I was just looking at my rear seats... ya'll mentioned removing the bottom sections. I would assume pulling the bolts directly under the seats and leaving the hinges attached to the truck and laid down flat on floor is easier because I can get a drill driver socket on the seat underside bolts.
That was a good idea...that's the extra 4-5 inches I need badly, definitely will do that soon.
Usually I just throw in a single mattress from a spare twin bed in our house. It's very light and so much better than air mattress, at 59yrs have tried it all. I'll have to look into a small platform possibly on one side over one wheel well, surely I could use the storage room underneath effectively.
1974RUNNER
New member
I've been sleeping in the back of mine since the day I got it. I'm 6'1". Most of the time I just leave the tailgate down, gives you lots of room. In difficult weather conditions I close it all up and fit snug. I put down two thin foam pads, 2 thermorests, and then cover with a blanket, and a pillow to cover those seat latches. I have scrapped my head on those and that smarts a little. All nice and comfortable. Sleep diagonal when alone. All cozy when the wife comes along. On solo trips and when I'm on the quick move in the morning I will just use 1 half and shove the supplies to the other side and some stuff in the front seats. Makes for quick get away in the am. I love it, great way to go!
