Matt 0 Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 I've spent over 180 nights sleeping in my car (Toyota Estima van) over the last three years and it RULES!! I was always toasty warm and you wake up in the car park ready to hit the lifts the next day. Make sure you crack a couple of the windows to avoid CO2 grogginess the next day, lock the doors and keep the keys in the ignition so you can turn the engine on and warm the inside of the car up 10 minutes before getting out from under the covers in the morning and getting all your stuff on. I found that a foam mattress laid over the folded down chairs worked best. On top of this a futon to weigh the foam mattress down and make it conform to all the non flat parts of the chairs. I also found that a good quality down duvet (I think you guys across the water call it a comforter) along with another blanket or two over the top worked much better than a technical sleeping bag...Warmer, less constrictive, and more comfortable...Save the sleeping bag for lightweight camping/hiking trips! Another advantage of sleeping in the car..u don't have to clear the snow from your car in the morning! Good luck and don't listen to the Naysayers..I used to get a better nights sleep in my car than in my own bed! Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 If I get it right Subzero, Matt it doesn’t really maters if you have the thermal mat on top or under the futon, as long it is there to insulate you from the car. Still it sounds more logical to put it on top so that you don’t lose heat worming up the futon. I might give it a try this weekend. The temperature is not bound to drop more than 1-2 deg minus, so there is still time for some testing and adjusting before the real winter weather arrives. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Haven't slept for long in a car. I think the last time I did that is ..... maybe 1/4 century ago! My back hurt when I woke up though it was in a summer night at Utsukushigahara. Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted November 29, 2006 Share Posted November 29, 2006 Some people seem to enjoy sleeping in the car, but I wouldn't recomend it. I've slept in vans across Canada and Europe, and naivetivity and enthusiasm saw us through. It was a blast at the time but I wouldn't do it again, and it is a really shitty way to go snowboarding. You wake up cold and stiff and feeling like hell. Plus all your gear is damp and cold, and your boots and any drinking wateer are frozen. I'd recomend staying somewhere cheap instead. But if you could rig up a heater or something, it might be alright. And sleep with your clothes for the next day under the covers. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted November 29, 2006 Author Share Posted November 29, 2006 Gamera I was more than 4 times up to Utsukushigehara-kougen this summer-autumn setting up instruments for my Phd. Quote: Originally posted by spook: But if you could rig up a heater or something, it might be alright. And sleep with your clothes for the next day under the covers. My car has a power plug/100 V AC adapter built in so it is easy to plug some heater on that. Still I am not keen to sleep with one turned on all night for several reasons. First off all almost all electric heaters emit various toxic gasses, especially the incandescence ones. So there is a high possibility of intoxication if you use them in a confined space as the inside of the car and also there is high risk of fire. Plus that if you have it on all night you might run out of battery and would be a bitch to start the car next day. What came really handy in the past though is a hair dryer. If you stick it inside your boots, it doesnt take more that 15 sec to warm it up. Works good also with warming up your clothes in the morning and drying staff that are not very wet. Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 that should be cool then. we had a small bathroom heater in our last van in germany. just keep it within arms reach of your bed, and in the morning crank it up for 10 minutes before you get up.vans are so small they warm up quick. good luck! Link to post Share on other sites
griller 9 Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 Not sure I like the idea. I'm not good if I don't get a decent nights sleep. I like my bed. Link to post Share on other sites
echineko 1 Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 Me too griller. I enjoy winter sports but need to sleep in bed. Link to post Share on other sites
charlotte 0 Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 Living quite close helps me. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted December 11, 2006 Author Share Posted December 11, 2006 Ok, I gave it a try last weekend and it was ok. The outside temperature didn’t drop below 2 degrees during the night and although I had 2 windows partially open the temperature in the car was about 7 degrees at 05:00 in the morning. SubZero, you were absolutely right when you said I should wear as little clothing as possible in the SB. I went to sleep wearing some fleece pj`s from Uniquro and I woke up 1 hour later sweating like a pig. Took them off and went to sleep back again and still was hot, the SB is more than enough to keep me warm for this time of season. I will be probably doing it more often this season. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 Where did you 'stay', tsondaboy? Link to post Share on other sites
Powderoo 0 Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 isn't this illegal? I know that some resorts and parks in the US you can't do this. Also reminds me of stories of people who finish up at the pub, and on the way home they think it's a good idea to jump into a skip bin to sleep it off, and then die due to exposure. Link to post Share on other sites
Fubuki 0 Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 One of the best winter camping tricks I learned was to put a bottle of hot water in you sleeping bag when you go to sleep. It can warm up your bag, and be nice and toasty on the toes. Also, one of the worst things about winter sleeping is getting out of the bag to take a piss. It`s also a good idea to keep a pee bottle in the car. Just don`t mix it up with the water bottle in the middle of the night. I know that seems a bit gross, but I promise it will save you from many a freezing bathroom trips! Also, sleep with a hat on! Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 >isn't this illegal? I know that some resorts and parks in the US you can't do this. for the most part, no. It might change from resort to resort, but many a people are doing this Link to post Share on other sites
indubitably 0 Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 Great advice here. More about the pee bottle. Make sure it is something with a wider lip than, say, a coke bottle. You really don't want an aim issue to arise at 3 o'clock in the frosty morning. A big, thickly-drawn "X" on the side of the bottle, and another on the cap is useful, to help make sure your car pal doesn't take a sip. Yes, it's difficult to see the x in the middle of the darkest nights but it's visible when there's moonlight or street lamps nearby. Coupled with a verbal warning before going to sleep and it should be enough to avoid an unfortunate mistake... Link to post Share on other sites
Fubuki 0 Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 yeah defintiely no aiming or you might end up peeing on your friend, and they probably won`t be to happy about that. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted December 12, 2006 Author Share Posted December 12, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by muikabochi: Where did you 'stay', tsondaboy? At the luxurious Prince Hotel Resort... parking lot. Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I'm surprised they let you on there and don't rope it off for the night. Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 0 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Quote: isn't this illegal? I know that some resorts and parks in the US you can't do this. Nope! The resorts actually encourage it. At busy times of year the average ski resort car park will be half full of people sleeping in their vans. Unfortunately most of the Japanese seem to sleep with their engines running - not good... Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by Powderoo: isn't this illegal? I know that some resorts and parks in the US you can't do this. North America they don't like it because dirtbag hippies would just pull their vans up for the winter I can't wait to get a van Japan they don't care so much. Might knock on your window during the night but that's it Link to post Share on other sites
AK 77 0 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 dirtbag hippies. glad you've got some role models, Toque! Hows your beard? Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Beard is gone In it's place is a beautiful stache Link to post Share on other sites
AK 77 0 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 tash!!! woah! thats may more dirtbag than a beard. pics! I've got a christmas beard on the go, but it might have to turn into a comedy trucker mustache for a day at the end of the hols. tally ho. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 You have to try the moustache I laugh every time I see it Link to post Share on other sites
eskimobasecamp 0 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 sexy boys sexy boys Link to post Share on other sites
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