Sleeping inside my JKU, finally all dialed-in

[theksmith 4,041]

after quite a bit of tinkering and gear adjustments, i'm finally pretty darn satisfied with my setup for sleeping inside the Wrangler Unlimited. so here's an overview of the final* configuration, including what didn't work and some tips for others...

 

*nothing is ever really finished!

 

 

 

bedding

 

first i tried a large (30" wide Nemo XL) air mattress that i already had, but it was too big and curled up on the sides and ends making me feel like i was in a hammock. then i tried a custom cut piece of foam, but i got some that was way too firm so it was really bulky and not quite comfortable.

 

 

what ended up working well was combining a Teton Sports narrow air mattress for some loft with a 2" thick medium density foam over it for comfort.

 

i bought one of those types of sleeping bags which lack bottom insulation and instead have a sleeve for an insulated pad to slide in. i was able to get both the air mattress and foam inside the sleeve area, which zips up and holds everything together as one big bed.

 

 

when deflated, the whole setup will roll up and just barely fit into a Coleman 32" duffel bag, making for a reasonable sized bedding pack.

 

 

the sleeping bag is a Winterial. it appears to be a direct copy of the Nemo Mezzo Loft. i purchased the cheap imitation since this whole approach was an experiment. however, i really like how it's working, so i'd like to eventually replace it with the Nemo Strato Loft, their down version of this style.

 

i use a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Torrent Pump to inflate the air mattress. i like it because it's small and uses CR123 batteries or a standard 12v cigarette lighter outlet.

 

the corners of the pad sleeve are open for easy access to the inflation port on the air mattress.

 

 

 

sleep platform

 

full details on the folding sleep platform are over in my rear storage/false floor thread - here's the higlights.

 

when deployed, the platform attaches to my rear false floor and supports itself against the passenger seat rails.

 

 

the platform folds up and slides into some tracks between my rear shelf and floor.

 

 

once stowed, it also doubles as a divider to keep cargo from falling behind the fridge when the fridge-slide is extended.

 

 

i also ended up modifying the passenger seat to fold forward further. as a tall guy, the extra few inches of head/foot room was key to me finding this whole setup comfortable.

 

 

 

tips & final touches

 

tip #1: for one-person setups, use the foyer!! getting in/out on the side with the bed is a hassle. you almost need a stool, and then you still have to fold yourself through the doorway and up and into the bed. instead, i push the driver front seat all the way forward, leave the rear driver-side seat up, and then get in like a normal rear passenger on that side.

 

not only is it much easier to get in/out, but the "foyer" gives me a place to take my shoes and coat off while sitting comfortably. then i can just kind of slide/roll over to my bed once i'm all made up for sleepy-time. plus your shoes have a nice dry place to stay the night with you, free from snakes, spiders & scorpions!

 

 

i made some rear window vents a while back to let fresh air circulate even if it's raining, they have screen on the inside of them to keep the mosquitos out. some Skeeter Beater screens would be an easy alternative.

 

 

i've also found that being fairly level is important for me. at the very least you want your head on the uphill side so you don't wake up with a headache.

 

my internal level is not bad - but sometimes the surrounding terrain can play tricks on you. i found a circular bubble level that fit just perfect in the front cupholder (which is a level spot relative to the overall Jeep body).

 

 

as a finishing touch, i added some battery powered string lights for nice ambiance when getting all settled for bed. i can just reach up to the rollbar where they are attached and switch them off when i'm ready to go to sleep.

 

 

 

the experience

 

the bad:

 

sleeping in the rig isn't for everyone or every type of trip. it's certainly more difficult to find the space for a sleeping platform if you have 2 people and twice the gear. we've got a standard 6-man tent for when the whole family comes.

 

if you're doing a wagon wheel adventure, or staying at a campground, then bringing a tent to base camp out of makes more sense. i'll be keeping my

beloved tent-cot

for these scenarios.

 

a tent can also be nice in winter as you have space for a small heater to warm things up before bed or when you're getting dressed in the morning. having room to stand up to get dressed is also nice, and a tent offers more privacy unless you make some curtains for your rig!

 

one thing to remember is you have to find somewhere to put all the other stuff you're carrying in order to deploy your bed. this can be mitigated if you make a high platform with storage underneath it. i use waterproof

Pelican

or

Seahorse

cases for my parts/tools storage so that i can set those large/heavy items outside the rig at night without worry.

 

inside the vehicle is typically much warmer than being in a tent - great for winter, but in the summer a well-ventilated tent will be much cooler.

 

oh, and you probably won't like sleeping in your rig if you're claustrophobic!

 

the good:

 

obviously there's a lot of compromises when sleeping in your rig, so why bother?

 

security - you can lock yourself inside if you're worried about that sort of thing. you're also up away from the lions, tigers, and bears without the cost or MPG hit that a roof-top tent comes with.

 

convenience & simplicity...

 

i personally really like rig sleeping when the weather is bad because there's no wet or muddy tent to pack way! you also don't have to worry about midnight leaks or heavy wind flapping a tent all night or beating you up.

 

it's great on expedition style trips when you're staying somewhere different each night since everything is quick to setup/teardown and being without a tent or cot means less cargo space is needed (i do think the tent-cot was slightly faster to deploy in good weather, but it's difficult to stow without a roof rack).

[jgaz 587]

Nice job Kris! And nice write up, as always.

[theksmith 4,041]

Nice job Kris! And nice write up, as always.

 

thank you Jim! i'm really enjoying this setup.

 

i also need to thank Diane - she told me about a million times how much she liked sleeping in Clifford... so that's really what prompted me to give the whole in-rig-sleep setup a try in the first place!

[jgaz 587]

I've tried to make something work in the LJ but at 6' 3" the passenger seat would have to go. I have a friend who swears by a hammock and wants me to try that set up but I'm not convinced.

[theksmith 4,041]

I've tried to make something work in the LJ but at 6' 3" the passenger seat would have to go. I have a friend who swears by a hammock and wants me to try that set up but I'm not convinced.

 

you just need to source a fold-flat front seat - i think this photo is from a Dodge Caliber or Nitro:

 

[ChrisD 24]

Excellent writeup Kris !! Looks way more comfortable than my 'bed' in the JKU.

[Lichen 110]

Nice write-up. A made a fold-up sleeping platform when I first bought my FJC. Then I added that stupid big Tuffy box in the rear which is way too high for sleeping.

[dzJeepChic 2,517]

I'm glad you got that all dialed in. It looks very comfy for sure! Your back seat is a lot easier to get in and out of than my back seat, that's for sure. Good idea sitting in the seat to get ready for beddy. Half the time I can't find my shoes in the AM.

[DanglyShackles 0]

Really digging this set up! I may have to steal this idea from you and incorporate something similar in my WJ.

[theksmith 4,041]

Really digging this set up! I may have to steal this idea from you and incorporate something similar in my WJ.

 

thanks!

 

ask Bradywgn71 (Chris) about the sleep setup in his WJ. he has a full width bed with room for him and his lady. not sure if there are photos on this site of it or not...