Ground tent vs sleeping in jeep

[AndrewHW]

Thank you all for the replies. It looks to be about 50/50 which certainly hasn’t helped the decision making! For now, I purchased that $50 tent from REI that someone suggested and will give it a try for a couple of trips. Being able to leave everything in the Jeep seems more appealing to me at the moment.

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[Thane]

I sleep like a 6'-1" drunk toddler on a tri-fold 5" memory foam mattress inside jeep. Mattress is bulky, but trades out the tent storage volume for much better mattress=Better sleep and no set-up or ground prep or windy night issues...

Rear cargo deck makes it more feasible, move only my cooler from under deck to the drivers seat and slip my mattress/legs under the deck... done.

 

[DadJokes]

I still don’t understand what might possibly be different on my setup if people don’t have goose gear and are able to support their head. Even if I didn’t have the tailgate table, my head wouldn’t be held up so I made that little platform. Does the deep sleep keep your head supported but still extends past the top of the seat that’s laid down?

 

[manapiko]

I'll throw in a vote for a camping hammock. Me and some buddies hammock camp a few times a year and it's fantastic. With the jeep, you only need one other mounting point.

 

[Joe98]

When I am alone, my little tent works just great!
.

 

[dragoneggs]

Thank you all for the replies. It looks to be about 50/50 which certainly hasn’t helped the decision making! For now, I purchased that $50 tent from REI that someone suggested and will give it a try for a couple of trips. Being able to leave everything in the Jeep seems more appealing to me at the moment.

Can’t go wrong experimenting with a $50 purchase. Even if you only get a year of use out of it… cheap accomodation!

 

[AndrewHW]

I sleep like a 6'-1" drunk toddler on a tri-fold 5" memory foam mattress inside jeep. Mattress is bulky, but trades out the tent storage volume for much better mattress=Better sleep and no set-up or ground prep or windy night issues...

Rear cargo deck makes it more feasible, move only my cooler from under deck to the drivers seat and slip my mattress/legs under the deck... done.

Which deck system did you go with?

 

[unsavory]

Take out rear seat and front passenger seat, get sirrus radio, extend you tail pipe to just out the parameter of the Jeep to exhaust does not pool! Sleep in AC or heat comfort.

Been doing this for 40 years

Wait... what? You sleep all night with the Jeep running?

 

[Old Jeeper]

Wait... what? You sleep all night with the Jeep running?

YEP!

 

[Storey21]

All depends on the type of trip or the weather. If it’s nice out, and I’m gonna stay in place for a few days, tent it. Bad weather, or a place with high animal activity I want to be in the Jeep. It’s perfect for me and my 80 pound dog. When I do sleep in the jeep, Reflectix on the windows have been a game changer. Keeps the hot sun out in the summer, keeps me nice and cozy in the winter.

 

[aldo98229]

I have slept in the Jeep a couple of times. I didn't like it.

I am 6'0" and 200 lbs. I had to lay down diagonally to fit, and even then it was tight, lumpy and uncomfortable. Sitting up to get undressed was chore.

The only reason I did it is because we were in Grizzly country and sleeping inside the Jeep felt safer.

I have a six-person tent that is quite roomy and still relatively compact to carry. I can fit a queen size air mattress in it and stand up inside. It is so much more comfortable, at every level.

As long as the weather and the wildlife permits it, I much rather tent.

 

[Shibadog]

Tent everytime. Cold weather use a good subzero bag, warm weather open the vents and have fresh air without bugs. If you’re staying in a campground a small electric space heater will keep the inside of the tent comfy. In the toolies a can stove (coffee can with a couple large candles) will knock the chill off pretty well . I’ve camped in single digit temps a lot of times over the years and managed to stay comfy.

 

[zouch]

the question presumes that one can fit inside the J**p.

neither i nor my dog are short; it's a tent for us. (she stays staked out to where she can reach most of our camp, but sleeps in the vestibule. we have no problems with critters in camp.) i have holed up in the back of the J**ps in the worst weather, but it's neither practical nor comfortable.

i love all our Mountain Hardwear stuff but this old Sierra Designs 3/4-season model has internal guys that can be used to keep it stable in high winds and zip-back panels to reveal screens in the roof so you could sleep seeing the stars if you wanted to in fair weather. it wasn't inexpensive, but has lasted us many hard trips, and i'd consider it to have been a good value in the long run.
i typically use a RidgeRest pad from my bikepacking kit and since i 'sleep warm' i'm fine with a light-weight high-end synthetic bag with a zip-in layer for the coldest nights. (the wife gets the Rumple blanket when she's with us.)

 

[r.stevens]

I am considering one of these (not the god-awful zebra print one). Weighs 25 pounds.

https://c6outdoor.com/collections/rev-tents

 

[Oncorhynchus]

the question presumes that one can fit inside the J**p.

neither i nor my dog are short; it's a tent for us. (she stays staked out to where she can reach most of our camp, but sleeps in the vestibule. we have no problems with critters in camp.) i have holed up in the back of the J**ps in the worst weather, but it's neither practical nor comfortable.

i love all our Mountain Hardwear stuff but this old Sierra Designs 3/4-season model has internal guys that can be used to keep it stable in high winds and zip-back panels to reveal screens in the roof so you could sleep seeing the stars if you wanted to in fair weather. it wasn't inexpensive, but has lasted us many hard trips, and i'd consider it to have been a good value in the long run.
i typically use a RidgeRest pad from my bikepacking kit and since i 'sleep warm' i'm fine with a light-weight high-end synthetic bag with a zip-in layer for the coldest nights. (the wife gets the Rumple blanket when she's with us.)

When I bought my Sierra Designs Alpha (might be the same one you have) for about $300 several decades ago while I was making $15k/yr it felt extremely expensive. But I knew my new bride and I were going to be spending 2 weeks on the road without a firm schedule spanning a trip from Mount Rushmore to Lake Tahoe.

I still have that tent. It is a great design. Top notch quality. Wife doesn’t want to go tenting any more but I still use that tent on my solo Jeep trips.

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