Making my 3rd gen suitable for winter living?

[7B Snow]

I'm just wondering. I've taken out one of the back seats before and thrown an air mattress back there, but are there other things I could do?

The plan is to basically live out of it for 2-3 weeks this winter while doing as much snowboarding as possible, a 2 friends of mine doing this same thing but they've got a big converted econ-van.

Is it as easy as getting a warm sleeping bag or am I missing something?

 

[snivilous]

I would get a VERY warm sleeping bag since vehicles don't hold heat at all. It may also get humid in the truck from just you in it sleeping. I would also get a solar panel trickle charger for the battery. Realize without a continuous heating setup (like propane) you will wake up and it will be like 10 degrees in the truck.

 

[SilentYoda3]

I have a 4 inch foam topper for like a standard size bed. I lay the seats down and lay it out. Makes for a comfortable sleep really. I've always wondered about pulling the interior panels off and actually insulating them and crating some sort of insulator to cover the windows.

 

[tee-bone]

I've done this for a few days at a time, for the same reason. These rigs don't seem to be all that well insulated on the roof, and the windows bleed heat. That said, the hardest part seemed to be to keep the moisture levels down. Between my wet gear and normal water vapor from breathing, I once had a layer of ice on the inside of the windows. Admittedly, this was a day at Mammoth where the high for the day 0*, but still. Not sure what I'd do differently - maybe some plastic that could hang over the back windows? And definitely leave one window in the front cracked open. If you can figure out how to get your gear dry before it goes into your rig, that would be a Good Thing.

May your days be filled with powder.

 

[bpowa]

I'd say pitch in with friends. And get the cheapest room. And keep warm. Nothing is worst than being cold and sleepy.

 

[02SE]

As has been mentioned already, the biggest issue I found sleeping in the back of the 4Runner in cooler temperatures, is the condensation created inside by your breathing. Keeping all the windows cracked a bit, helps.

I've only slept in the back of my 4Runner, when a hotel or motel room wasn't an option. For instance, there are no hotels in the old mining town of Tomboy, Co.

Waking up in the back of the 4Runner on Imogene Pass, is better than even the finest hotels I've stayed in.

 

[Kanger328]

As mentioned before, sleeping in a car is WAY cold. I found it warmer to pitch a small tent and sleep outside than inside a vehicle...with proper winter sleeping bag and tent of course.

 

[liv2bike]

Not ideal man for the reasons stated above. Get yourself a 2 person 4 season dome tent, nice bag and sleeping pad. Just check out REI. They will have everything you need. Won't cost you that much either.

 

[Brilliant]

I sleep in my 4runner all the time at th. Its no different than tent camping except its dryer. Crack the window, nice pad, and bag appropriate for conditions.

 

[steezemcqueen]

4 inch memory foam mattress topper, sleeping bag, and a electric blanket. Warm, toasty, and comfortable. And no tent to break down in the morning.

 

[EraSevera]

To absorb some of that moisture you could use a basket of dri-z-air or damprid.

 

[fish0281]

I have been thinking about this option as well, since I'm having no luck finding a ski-condo to go in on for the season here in CO. I had an idea that would be relatively simple and should work pretty well... if anything, keeping it from getting too warm may be the challenge. Basically, I want to build a sleeping platform using radiant heating flooring...

I was thinking of getting one of these portable, propane showers and route the heated water through PEX tubing into the truck. Then route the tubing through the flooring/platform; warmboard is one company that makes these types of panels. Bam. Heat where you need it most.

As someone else also mentioned, I think it'd be really helpful to add insulation to the roof and maybe even make some panels to fit in the windows because there is a lot of heat lost there. I'd also recommend cracking a window to keep moisture down and circulate fresh air in.

 

[Millerad1651]

Here's one solution...
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/130247-el-cheapo-4runner-build-3.html

I've used an electric blanket before as well...just used an inverter and plugged into the outlet in the back.

 

[Hepar]

I spend a climbing trip where the night temps would drop into the teens. If you have a good 0 degree (or even minus) bag, you'll be fine. Not much different than a tent, unless you have a bomber four season one.

 

[TheArkMaster]

Subscribed. I want to know what you do! I may end up doing something similar. I am always up in Park City come snow season but I can't afford that hotel stuff. 4runner tent for the win

 

[flatboy]

I slept in my old Lada in the mountains before, but I went to a year round camp ground with plug ins and plugged in a in car heater(thermostatically controlled) also cracked the sun roof. Was awesome and worked great.

 

[downpour11]

[MENTION=71594]fish0281[/MENTION]

I met this guy at the Marlin Round-Up at Rubicon, he camped next to us. Very nice guy. He runs this company: Hot Camp Showers

Here's a couple camp shower setups that might interest you: Zodi Propane

 

[RubiconBob]

Drill out the rivets that hold the horizontal seat section. Replace them with with pins that have bales. Like trailer locks. Removing the seat gives you more head room. I also made window screens with magnets to hold them on.

 

[Ol'Blue]

I'll second the 4 season tent and a good bag. As much as I love the runner sleeping in it is not that great. Just my exp but a good bomber tent is pretty warm once you get in it and you have the body heat warming it up(North Face, Mt. HW, Etc..). That and I just fire up my MSR for a few minutes to kick the chill.

Blue

 

[Jon]

I just removed my rear storage/speaker box to make this possible. Nothing worse than waking up freezing in a tent and hearing Rob (Downpour11) start his rig and sure he is blasting the heat! My tent was garbage. A few weeks ago I did my first Rubicon trip and found that sleeping in the truck was good. It was about 35deg and I had a 95% duct taped rear window. If you need a heater, get a Boxer! Mine crawls right in the sleeping bag with me and he puts off a lot of heat! Or just get a bunch of heat packs.

I didn't take out any seats.

$35 for this mattress and it fits perfect in a 4Runner. Four D-cells and about a minute till it's fully inflated. Batteries last about 8-10 inflation.

Outdoor Outlet - Wenzel Stow N Go Twin Air Bed W/ Built in Pump

$50ish for a good sleeping bag. You can get over $100 if you want to get crazy. I just bring two since I have them. This one kept me warm on my home in the back of an AC-130 with busted heat. All the water bottles were frozen but I was nice n cozy sleeping on the ramp. Coleman - Lassen? Cold Weather Sleeping Bag

Pros- quick setup, snow wont cave it in, option of turning on heat, more animal proof than a tent, save cargo room, no need to find a clear spot and the door is easier to operate when you're "sleepy".

Cons- have to unload everything (which isn't much)

I can't wait for our next snow trip!