Very clever, great ideas! Never thought of something so simple and effective. Love the garage below the bed board! Thanks for a very useful demo. Some tips: 1. Make some holes in that bed board for aeration. In time, the mattress will get moldy. Classic van life problem. Cars have more moisture inside than houses. Using holes at the corners or middle, you could also tie down the board to the car for safety in accidents. 2. Harbor Freight sells cargo nets that could secure items in back so they don't become projectiles in a crash. They also have tie downs for the ammo cans which can be deadly. 3. IKEA has netting very cheap. I would sew those magnets into the netting and try to mount them inside so they are not stolen.
Made a nice bed. As for the window coverings, you can get a four pack of the ones that slip down over the door for under $20. Plus they're black and work as sunscreens, and partial privacy too. Liked them so much I made black a set for our van as well.
You guys nailed it... This is by far the easiest set up I've found online. For me, it's all about being able to install and dismantle quickly for weekend get aways here in Canada. Cheers, thanks again.
Yes Joe! We're exactly the same. It doesn't need to be fancy for us -- we just want to be able to install it in 2 minutes before each trip, and then break it down in two minutes once we're back. No muss, no fuss!
Thanks very much -- what a nice compliment! We have become very minimalist, and it seems that the more minimalist we become the happier we are. Glad to hear that you are on the same path. ❤️
Hahaha “cute girl not included but highly likely if you make something this comfortable” 😂 So simple! Marco built a bed in his last car for surfing 🏄🏻♂️
Thank you so much !! I'm gonna do this exact thing with my honda crv for some solo travels! I thought I was gonna need to take the seats out to fit a mattress but I'll just fold the back seats down and do a raised platform bed like this. I might see if big plastic storage containers full of heavy stuff like old books would be sturdy enough to hold it up . Since I already have all that at home ! Im frugal like you guys. Love your positive energy and simple instructing! Thanks!!
Yes! That is so awesome to hear. Honestly this bed has cut our travel costs so drastically. It’s so much easier to justify something like a big hiking weekend if you know you won’t be dropping hundreds on a hotel room! Let us know how it works out for you :)
This is wicked smart. I think I may try something similar out with my Subaru Crosstrek. Good to know Home depot & hardware stores will cut the plywood for you too - that was my only real concern, who can I find to help me cut it lol.
That's awesome. This should be perfect for the Crosstrek. And yes, definitely Home Depot guys were very helpful - nice to avoid having to invest in power tools if you don't need them yet! Let us know how it works out for you!
So smart!! Questions.. 1. Were u worried the plywood would snap at all? 2.do the front two seats need to be rolled forward when you sleep? 3. could you lay straight (assuming you’re about 6ft is that right?)
Good questions, Stephanie! We used pretty thick plywood, so we definitely weren't worried about it snapping. But yes we do move the seats a bit forward when we sleep for just a little extra room. Adam is 6-6, so if he wants to be completely straight he needs to put his head on the center console. But a 6 foot person could easily lay straight with an inch or two to spare. ❤️
Absolutely! Adam is 6'6'', and he sleeps very comfortably. If he wants to stretch out fully he does have to put his head on the rest between the front seats, but that's easy to do and it's only for when he's stretching. He sleeps on his side slightly curled up and fits easily. ❤️
I figured why Adam only smiled when talking about those military containers but never opened them - they must be filled with pop-tarts up to the brim...
Thank you very much, that makes us so happy to hear! We hope to visit Sweden and do some of the beautiful hikes there next year after Adam takes early retirement and we start traveling and adventuring full time! ❤️
I use 2x4s under the plywood for support. Definitely need to raise the platform more to add a drawer. Mattress is a twin air mattress. I definitely need to get a better system for my curtains,.. better than pillow cases on the windows.
Thank you so much ! Both of you are a true inspiration !!!! Just a quick question: i guess when you drive the car both front seats have to be pushed all way up to the front to be able to store the plywood, right ? How can you drive ? Or do you store the plywood on the roof ? Maybe cutting the plywood in two, and put some hinges to fold it down could be a solution ?
Hi Yves! Thank you so much :) so actually, we don’t need to put the seats all the way up to drive. The plywood was cut to the exact size of where we need the seats while driving to the edge of the car. We do like to move the seats up to sleep and that gives us a little more room for our feet! Hinges would be a nice way to store it more compactly, we just started with this because we wanted the most simple version first!
Beautiful set up! Love your simple video 💙 I live in Miami, Fl. and I am looking for someone that can help me do the same thing to my WV 2019 Tiguan. Instead of a bed, I would love to have a low comfortable chair, AC. I have a place to park it 😊 I just need a place to relax, work, and read 2-3 hours a day. Can you give me any advice?
Thanks very much -- I'm not an expert on the Tiguan, but I know it's got a lot of space back there especially when you fold the rear seats down. So for sitting I would just use something low slung like the Advanta Endurance or a similar vibe. --A
I made a bed in the back of my corolla where I have enough room to completely stretch out. I had to take out one of the 2 backrests but it was only held on by 2 bolts/not hard to do. Do you have to crack open a window? I would think since the car is not completely airtight and its a fairly large volume of air C02 buildup would not be a problem but I wasn't completely sure.
That's super badass that you're sleeping in a Corolla! We prefer to leave the windows cracked for cross ventilation (hence the bug screens). However, we have closed them fully a couple of times during rainy nights and did not experience any problems with the CO2 buildup. It's a very interesting question, though, and probably could be a legitimate problem in a more airtight vehicle.
We're on the west coast where it cools off nicely at night, so we just roll the windows down and use the homemade bug screens we show at the end of the video. But out there in FL with the heat and humidity, I can see how you might want AC at night.
Serious question...how do you store this piece of wood if you have to travel??I suppose you moved the drivers seat all the way in front. If you want to drive how the driver and the wood fit!? 🤔
That's a good question. We cut the wood to fit exactly up to where the seat is when Adam is driving, so no problem there. When we want to use the rear seats for passengers, of course, we take the board out and put it in the back of our guest room closet. ❤️
Yes sure -- these are surplus military ammunition boxes. They're made out of metal, and very strong so they never break or bend, and they're very convenient because you can store things inside them. We ordered them off of Amazon.
@LiveHardxLoveHard thank you. I am a camper and sleep in my subaru forester. I am also a youtuber but my videos are in Spanish. Thanks again. Great video.
A roof tent would be so dope! Though it would make it harder to stealth car camp, which we sometimes do in towns. But I guess there's always a trade-off.
for bug screen i just cut a bigger peice and close it in the door . you don't need magnets . although the magnes iwould be good if you want to put the screen on the back with the back door open , but probably not necessary as the four or even two windows should be enough ventilation
@@LiveHardxLoveHardI disagree if you close it in the door properly you get a great seal all the way round . I use normal fly screen biger than the window its a bit more sturdy than what you're using give it a go i am pretty sure you would agree
Haha Antwan we can definitely confirm that the setup hold up quite well during engagement, because of the thicker plywood. Thinner plywood would of course be a dicier proposition!
Awesome -- hope you love it! We are getting ourselves ready for a whole year of traveling and lots of sleeping in the car starting this summer, and really looking forward to it!! ❤️
Great vid! How long is your bed? And is there space for Adam to sleep? I’m a tall guy with a compact SUV and worried about having the bed be long enough.
That's a good question, Tim. The bed is about 6 feet, and Adam is 6'6'' so if he wants to stretch all the way out he has to put his pillow on the console between the two front seats. But fortunately he generally sleeps sort of fetal position so there is plenty of room for him to snooze, and then if he gets a little cramped up he just puts his head between the seats and elongates fully for a bit.
So when Adam gets tired of scrunching his six foot plus self into that tiny space, I have just learned that the 2020 Subaru Outback seats fold flat (don't know about the 2021.) It's a bit larger which could be an issue.
Yes Ellen! We're seriously considering that for our next car, though we'll likely drive our current one into the ground first. But flat-folding seats would be a HUGE plus.
At first we just let it sit on the foam, and the weight of our gear on top of it kept it in place. But then someone suggested we should anchor it just in case of accident, so we have since done that.
Yes we do tend to enter through the read side doors once we're set up for the night. It's just easier, and lets us get out to use the restroom and things like that with less chance of waking the other person. ❤️
Thanks Joy! We slide a lot of our stuff under the bed or put it in the footwells behind the front seats, but we have a big cooler so that just sits on the bed while we drive and then we set it outside next to the car while we sleep.
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Thanks! If I'm in bear country.... and there's no bear boxes to put food... I guess the passenger seat will suffice... I love the simple non-build you did! Bravo!
What vehicle was this? I need to be easily able to convert back to car mode so don't want to take the seats out. But have no place to store a big piece of plywood!
Hey Susan so we put this in a mid-sized SUV (a 2014 Cayenne), and didn't need to take the back seats out -- we just folded them down. We store the plywood in the back of a closet just flat against the wall, and it's not in the way at all when it's back there. Maybe that could work for you?
Totally hear you -- but with the thickness of plywood we got we've had no problems. It's a little heavier, but totally worth it for the security of not snapping!
Question: How long is your plywood? You look at least 6 ft tall and the board you showed in the video does not seem to be long enough for you to lie flat. Also, do you have to move the front seats forward?
Hey there. So the plywood is just under six feet and you’re right, Adam is 6’6”. Fortunately, he sleeps in the fetal position so it usually works out for him 🤣 but when he does want to stretch out he puts the pillow on the center console. We also do move the seats fully to the front when we sleep so we can lay out the mattress and push the board forward towards the front. Hope that helps!
There is quite a bit of room underneath the platform for food and clothes. Now that we're doing it full time, however, we also have a car top carrier that holds a lot of stuff. We'll post a video about that soon! ❤️
What we do is just leave the back seats down when we're traveling. When we're home, if we want to use the back seat, we just pull out the plywood and put it in the closet.
Actually it's been pretty stable, but someone suggested that we use tie-downs just for extra safety, and we're going to do that for our major road trip this summer.
Round the corners of the plywood board with rough sandpaper. Wrap the board with an old but large bedsheet (large so that you wrap it like a burrito with several layers, then fold the ends over) The bedsheet will protect the car from the board, and you won't need foam pads or anything.
Since I was once in a car that hit a tree and rolled (luckily no serious injuries) I always think about that when watching these videos. Any heavy, unsecured object -cooler, stove, water jugs, etc.- would go flying and could kill you. Better to plan how to secure those objects before a tragedy!
I could see to use it to keep it from bumping around when you drive but I would think the chair would stop that from decapitating you lol but good recommendation
Thank you so much for this video I’ve been scratching my head because of the folding seats not going flat pondering how I could sleep in this and as simple as you described I now feel a bit silly but you both seem awesome can’t wait to see future videos thank you once again
We honestly felt a bit silly when we realized how easy this could be 🤣 but thanks Paul! We’ve got some awesome adventures planned for this little car bed, pretty stoked to share them with ya. And let us know if you give it a try ✌️
This is just what I want! I shut down in fear at the mention of power tools. 😂 This is probably a stupid question, but how do you figure out the drop from front to back? Measure from roof to floor or what? Thank you!
That's actually a great question Melanie, and not dumb at all. We did it at first by just building a stack of books under the plywood until we got it to the exact level we wanted, and then measured the stack and found ammo canisters that were that height. We later borrowed a friend's level just to check and it turned out the front was still about 1/8 of an inch higher than the back, but that small difference hasn't bothered us at all (because honestly, when are you ever parked on perfectly level ground anyway?). ❤
Ideally you'll use a level that's at least 5 feet in length. Hold the level at the highest point of the back seat, make it level, and measure the space underneath with a tape measure. It's the process of measuring rise over run, or slope, if you want to think back to your physics classes (yikes). I hope that helps!
Any legnth level will work you just need something straight and long enough like a 2x4 piece of wood set the level on top of the wood and use a tape measure to find your offset. You could get the piece of plywood set it inside your viechle put the level on the top of the wood level it out and measure the gap.
These are all great answers above. But I used a method similar to the "man man" grade school approach because I used to be a roofer and we did everything with chalk lines (string).
This is a fantastic point, Arthur! More SUV manufacturers should really be figuring out how to make the rear seats lay perfectly flat. It would be a huge selling point for a lot of us. ❤️
I'am Your Newest Subscriber Great Videos I Want A Nissan Rogue They Are Made In Tennessee I Wanta Sleep In Rogue On Vacation. They Claim 32 Mpg Hwy i know i could get it to get 40 mpg going 55 to 60 mpg
Great choice, and we've also recently way downsized for maximum gas mileage. In the current gas-price environment, those of us who drive a lot for adventures just have to get the best mileage possible!!
Love it! And yeah gotta be careful choosing your snacks for an overnight car camp in bear country! Adam always gets mad when I pack my pb and jelly bc then he’s up all night thinking we’re bear bait! 🤪
Thanks so much, Melissa! Now that we are full-time nomads living out of our Subaru, we're very glad for all the tips and tricks we learned through our many car-camping trips, and of course learning a lot more now that we're traveling full time! ❤
While trying to make hotel reservations for an upcoming Zion trip, I quickly learned that you need to think farther ahead or they're sold out. We thought about camping, but have an early start and don't want to deal with a tent/pack up, so I started looking into videos on the best beds for your SUV....and you guys pop up. I'm definitely going to do something similar. Thanks! Awesome tips.
That’s so funny! We made this bed for a very similar reason (plus, we’re cheap, and hotels near national parks are crazy expensive!). We still love it after a year of adventures using it. Hopefully we will get to see if you give it a go in one of your videos! (Also... Zion! So jealous.)
thanks for sharing. i installed a piano hinge on the last third so i cud move my front seats forward and gain extra room. i’m 6’2” and using a ford equinox. i used yoga blocks to protect the console and front door arm rests.
So sorry to hear about the incident, but glad you're thinking about car camping! The dimensions are 66 inches by 41 1/2 inches, and it is 5/8 inch thick plywood. We could have made it slightly larger, but we wanted to be able to slide it in and out easily, and this has worked great for us. ❤️
It's easy, it's cheap, and yeah, it's totally ghetto, but gosh darn this SUV bed is awesome! Being "Ghetto" isn't a lifestyle ya'll, I would really recommend changing this term.
Thank you for the very informative DIY video. In the engineering world you achieved 2 very important goals. One is, “form follows function”, the other, “kiss”. In (fff) the purpose should be the starting point for its design rather than its aesthetics. And (kiss), keep it simple stupid. And I’m sure it’s very comfortable too😴
Haha, love the KISS method! Everything we saw was way overcomplicating things. We just need it to be functional and it has worked like a charm for over a year now. Totally changed our hiking game too since we can sleep at trailheads and be the first out on the trail!
I think you would fit very well at 6 feet. I am 6-6, and it's about 4 inches too short for me to stretch out unless I put my pillow on the front center console. But luckily I sleep in fetal position anyway! So anyone under 6-2 should fit well. ❤️
Way to keep it simple! Also, you can leave the bed in your car all of the time. This way you can use the bed to take a nap in your car at work during lunch. This can be very helpful, since a lunchtime nap gives you extra energy to exercise after work.
Mark! How do you already know Adam so well? He takes a lunchtime nap every single day haha. Fortunately for him he works mostly from home so he gets to nap in a real bed, but I wouldn't put it past him to nap in the car bed if he was ever in a dire situation. Sometimes I wonder if he's really just a dog in human form. ;) -E
@@LiveHardxLoveHard HA! Yes, I feel that Adam and I are kindred spirits! Btw, I have my sights set on hiking Goat Mountain sometime this summer. www.summitpost.org/goat-mountain/622328 I can't wait!
@@LiveHardxLoveHard YUP! It's totally up your alley! :-) There isn't much snow this year, so I bet the peak can be reached in mid June. But who knows... Also, this guy made a nice trip report: flagtails.com/2020/06/12/goat-mountain/
It's our pleasure to share! This was definitely the best investment we've ever made in terms of how much enjoyment and convenience we've gotten for a very small amount of time and money!
Great question -- honestly I just played with it (using some kids' building blocks, it I remember right) until I got it level, then measured the height of the blocks and ordered found ammo canisters that were within 1/4 inch of that. ❤️
Thank you for this video. I'm a lover of "Keeping life simple" and this was exactly that. Knew there had to be an easier way of converting an suv without all the fancy and expensive builds. ❤️
WOW I am super impressed!!! Thank you both for the great ideas!! I only need half the board am single (NEVER any chance of any woman wanting a 77 year old sick, diabetic, cripple). Where did you get the 'Kids Plastic Foam Mats, please? TIA!!
Never say never, Fred! Winding up with Elise makes me living proof that personality goes a long way, and you've obviously got that in spades. We ordered the foam mats off of Amazon, and they were super cheap. We often find that just thinking outside the box saves us like 80 or 90% on purchases like that. Like if we had ordered bug screens specifically designed for those windows it would have been several hundred dollars, but making them ourselves cost less than 20 bucks! --A
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Thank you for the kind words my wife of 19 years left me in August went to visit sister and NEVER came back one phone call to say: "I made my decision got a lawyer and I want a divorce HE told me not to talk to you." And that was THAT. No hope nor any desire to eve meet any woman and give like i did. Better ALONE than "Badly Accompanied". plus I am waaaaayyyy too old sick, and crippled and broke, NO Woman wants any guy like me. No hope for one and NO desire for one. They are all only with an OLD man for his money and I have none.
Ya it worked great for us! This was in a Cayenne, which like most mid-size SUVs has about a 6 inch drop from the seat backs to the trunk floor. Now we have an Outback, where the seats lay almost flat so we use basically the same setup but with 4 canisters rather than two to make the platform. ❤️
Great job. Thanks for posting this. I'm sure it will be of use to many people. Sadly I am too long for our car without putting the front seats right to the front to be able to use this method because the board would prevent me from driving the car, but I'll bear this in mind in case we get a longer car!
Thanks Nigel, and yes being taller is a real issue. I am very tall as well at 6-6 (or 200 cm if you use metric), but I don't sleep fully stretched out so this works fine for me. However, sometimes if I feel the need to stretch out I put my pillow on the console between the two front seats and that works well. Not sure if that would work with the design of your car, but it's worth a thought! --A
That's a great question, Alec. Yes, when we're car camping we travel with the rear seats folded and the board in the car. Of course we can store things under it, and also on top of it (and put them in the front seats when we sleep). Then when we're back from the trip, the board just goes in the back of the guest-room closet.
Sure, ours is 66 inches by 41 1/2 inches, and it is 5/8 inch thick plywood. We could have made it slightly larger, but we wanted to be able to slide it in and out easily, and this has worked great for us. ❤️
So glad to have you along for the journey! That's a great choice to have. One of the things we like about the SUV is that it's just a lot warmer than a truck bed -- and in Cali it can get pretty cold overnight even in the summer. ❤️
hey guys thank you for sharing. I am considering van life and was wondering how to create a bed without removing the seats. This is great information and exactly what I was looking for. 👌
I am car camping so I needed drawers. I took the seats out of my Camry and set up a bed and file drawers in the back. I never get out of my car at night. I scoot over the console and into the back, and climb over the next morning. I also keep a luggable loo in the back for midnight potty breaks, and wash it out at a manual carwash in the morning, when no one's around. I'm all set!
This is exactly the video I was looking for. I didn’t want to remove the seats. Thanks so much.
That’s awesome! Let us know how it goes for you :)
Same here u guys got smarts and common sense😘
True! Great intelligent ideas! 😃
Very clever, great ideas! Never thought of something so simple and effective. Love the garage below the bed board! Thanks for a very useful demo.
Some tips:
1. Make some holes in that bed board for aeration. In time, the mattress will get moldy. Classic van life problem. Cars have more moisture inside than houses. Using holes at the corners or middle, you could also tie down the board to the car for safety in accidents.
2. Harbor Freight sells cargo nets that could secure items in back so they don't become projectiles in a crash. They also have tie downs for the ammo cans which can be deadly.
3. IKEA has netting very cheap. I would sew those magnets into the netting and try to mount them inside so they are not stolen.
Thank you so much, these are great tips! Appreciate you taking the time to share 🤗
Made a nice bed. As for the window coverings, you can get a four pack of the ones that slip down over the door for under $20. Plus they're black and work as sunscreens, and partial privacy too. Liked them so much I made black a set for our van as well.
Nice idea -- thanks!
I think these guys need lots of privacy
You can get a 4 pack of what now?
Where please do you get the 4 black mosquito window coverings for $20.00? Thanks in advance.
I have been looking for this FOREVER .... THANK YOU ... I LOVE YOU !!!!!
So glad to hear that, Debbie! Hope it brings you lots and lots of joy!!! ❤️
You guys nailed it... This is by far the easiest set up I've found online. For me, it's all about being able to install and dismantle quickly for weekend get aways here in Canada. Cheers, thanks again.
Yes Joe! We're exactly the same. It doesn't need to be fancy for us -- we just want to be able to install it in 2 minutes before each trip, and then break it down in two minutes once we're back. No muss, no fuss!
Cute girl indeed.. 😁Thanks for the idea 👍🏼
After watching countless videos as well as having ideas of my own, yours is the best and easiest
Very watchable. Makes it look quite easy. Easier than others I seen, or started to watch.
Thanks so much! It was very easy indeed! Good luck 🤗
Wow, what a great video, simple and easy. I like that. Right at the point. I like frugal things. The guy is very entertaining. Thank you 😊
Thanks very much -- what a nice compliment! We have become very minimalist, and it seems that the more minimalist we become the happier we are. Glad to hear that you are on the same path. ❤️
So simple, yet sooooo SMART!!
Thank you for sharing. On my way to build mine.
That's great! Hope you get lots of fun and joy out of it!! ❤
Great idea. Simplest solution I have seen so far
Thanks much -- it's definitely worked well for us in all kinds of situations and all kinds of weather, so very happy to share it! ❤️
Wonderful. You make me laugh and very happy. Just the ideas I needed!!! 😊❤️
Thanks James -- so glad to hear that! Hope you get as much joy as we have out of this little setup!! ❤️
Hahaha “cute girl not included but highly likely if you make something this comfortable” 😂
So simple! Marco built a bed in his last car for surfing 🏄🏻♂️
Marco needs to take us surfing! Adam is obsessed with becoming a surfer 🏄♀️😂
@@LiveHardxLoveHard this would be fun! Let’s do it!
Thank you so much !! I'm gonna do this exact thing with my honda crv for some solo travels! I thought I was gonna need to take the seats out to fit a mattress but I'll just fold the back seats down and do a raised platform bed like this. I might see if big plastic storage containers full of heavy stuff like old books would be sturdy enough to hold it up . Since I already have all that at home ! Im frugal like you guys. Love your positive energy and simple instructing! Thanks!!
Yes! That is so awesome to hear. Honestly this bed has cut our travel costs so drastically. It’s so much easier to justify something like a big hiking weekend if you know you won’t be dropping hundreds on a hotel room! Let us know how it works out for you :)
Try mesh laundry bags to slip over the door frame and windows like a pillowcase. Super easy as long as holes are small size.
Super cool idea -- the door doesn't have any problem closing over it?
This is wicked smart. I think I may try something similar out with my Subaru Crosstrek.
Good to know Home depot & hardware stores will cut the plywood for you too - that was my only real concern, who can I find to help me cut it lol.
That's awesome. This should be perfect for the Crosstrek. And yes, definitely Home Depot guys were very helpful - nice to avoid having to invest in power tools if you don't need them yet! Let us know how it works out for you!
So smart!! Questions..
1. Were u worried the plywood would snap at all? 2.do the front two seats need to be rolled forward when you sleep?
3. could you lay straight (assuming you’re about 6ft is that right?)
Good questions, Stephanie! We used pretty thick plywood, so we definitely weren't worried about it snapping. But yes we do move the seats a bit forward when we sleep for just a little extra room. Adam is 6-6, so if he wants to be completely straight he needs to put his head on the center console. But a 6 foot person could easily lay straight with an inch or two to spare. ❤️
Thanks for the video I was planning on getting the same car but I wasn't sure how much space there would be to sleep. I'm 5"10 is that okay?
Absolutely! Adam is 6'6'', and he sleeps very comfortably. If he wants to stretch out fully he does have to put his head on the rest between the front seats, but that's easy to do and it's only for when he's stretching. He sleeps on his side slightly curled up and fits easily. ❤️
I figured why Adam only smiled when talking about those military containers but never opened them - they must be filled with pop-tarts up to the brim...
Hahaha you caught me! 😂 --A
Thank you! Best one I've seen. I own no power tools.
Our pleasure, Rich. We're in the same boat! ❤️
You have great lifestyle
I am a new follower of your channel Greetings from Sweden 😊
Thank you very much, that makes us so happy to hear! We hope to visit Sweden and do some of the beautiful hikes there next year after Adam takes early retirement and we start traveling and adventuring full time! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard You are more then welcome.
That’s actually pretty pretty good
It's worked great for us, Adam -- many very fun adventures with this setup! ❤
I use 2x4s under the plywood for support. Definitely need to raise the platform more to add a drawer. Mattress is a twin air mattress. I definitely need to get a better system for my curtains,.. better than pillow cases on the windows.
Nice! Ya we've been considering a better curtain system too. ❤️
Thank you so much ! Both of you are a true inspiration !!!! Just a quick question: i guess when you drive the car both front seats have to be pushed all way up to the front to be able to store the plywood, right ? How can you drive ? Or do you store the plywood on the roof ? Maybe cutting the plywood in two, and put some hinges to fold it down could be a solution ?
Hi Yves! Thank you so much :) so actually, we don’t need to put the seats all the way up to drive. The plywood was cut to the exact size of where we need the seats while driving to the edge of the car. We do like to move the seats up to sleep and that gives us a little more room for our feet! Hinges would be a nice way to store it more compactly, we just started with this because we wanted the most simple version first!
Might be doing this next week to go camping with my kid
That is awesome! What a great bonding experience 🤗
@@LiveHardxLoveHard I hope it will be. Now where will the wife sleep….hmm
Thanks simple solutions for camping.
Our pleasure, Gerardo! Hope you enjoy!!❤️
Beautiful set up! Love your simple video 💙 I live in Miami, Fl. and I am looking for someone that can help me do the same thing to my WV 2019 Tiguan. Instead of a bed, I would love to have a low comfortable chair, AC. I have a place to park it 😊 I just need a place to relax, work, and read 2-3 hours a day. Can you give me any advice?
Thanks very much -- I'm not an expert on the Tiguan, but I know it's got a lot of space back there especially when you fold the rear seats down. So for sitting I would just use something low slung like the Advanta Endurance or a similar vibe. --A
@@LiveHardxLoveHard thanks for the advice. Going to look it up right now. Have a great night! 😊
Love it ❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you! Adventure life is the best life!! ❤️
I made a bed in the back of my corolla where I have enough room to completely stretch out. I had to take out one of the 2 backrests but it was only held on by 2 bolts/not hard to do. Do you have to crack open a window? I would think since the car is not completely airtight and its a fairly large volume of air C02 buildup would not be a problem but I wasn't completely sure.
That's super badass that you're sleeping in a Corolla! We prefer to leave the windows cracked for cross ventilation (hence the bug screens). However, we have closed them fully a couple of times during rainy nights and did not experience any problems with the CO2 buildup. It's a very interesting question, though, and probably could be a legitimate problem in a more airtight vehicle.
Nice!❤ what do you use for AC?
We're on the west coast where it cools off nicely at night, so we just roll the windows down and use the homemade bug screens we show at the end of the video. But out there in FL with the heat and humidity, I can see how you might want AC at night.
Super awesome video
Super awesome idea 👍💡
Thanks Daniel! This set up has given us so much joy and adventure over the last couple of years -- very happy to share! ❤️
Wonderful! Smartest way!
Hope you give it a go!!
Hi suv camper. Making your own subbed is impressive. Always happy car camping. See you later.
Thank you very much -- happy car camping! ❤️
Serious question...how do you store this piece of wood if you have to travel??I suppose you moved the drivers seat all the way in front. If you want to drive how the driver and the wood fit!? 🤔
That's a good question. We cut the wood to fit exactly up to where the seat is when Adam is driving, so no problem there. When we want to use the rear seats for passengers, of course, we take the board out and put it in the back of our guest room closet. ❤️
Great idea and awesome video guys! Good job!
Thanks so much Jawnny! Hope it helps!
Can you tell me what are those plastic containers under the bed to make it even flat? And where to buy it?
Yes sure -- these are surplus military ammunition boxes. They're made out of metal, and very strong so they never break or bend, and they're very convenient because you can store things inside them. We ordered them off of Amazon.
@LiveHardxLoveHard thank you. I am a camper and sleep in my subaru forester. I am also a youtuber but my videos are in Spanish. Thanks again. Great video.
Soon you will have your own DIY network show!
I'm so exhausted from yesterday's hike, I can't even fathom DIYing anything right now haha 🤣
i can see you guys in the future picking up a Toyota 4runner with a roof top tent. overlanding and exploring.
A roof tent would be so dope! Though it would make it harder to stealth car camp, which we sometimes do in towns. But I guess there's always a trade-off.
for bug screen i just cut a bigger peice and close it in the door . you don't need magnets . although the magnes iwould be good if you want to put the screen on the back with the back door open , but probably not necessary as the four or even two windows should be enough ventilation
That's cool -- though the magnets definitely do help to seal it tighter so bugs can't creep up under the screen below the window, etc.
@@LiveHardxLoveHardI disagree if you close it in the door properly you get a great seal all the way round .
I use normal fly screen biger than the window its a bit more sturdy than what you're using
give it a go i am pretty sure you would agree
Thank you!
It's our pleasure -- hope it was helpful! ❤️
Does the platform hold up if/when you plan to umm…engage? Is there room? Odd but necessary question with a partner
Haha Antwan we can definitely confirm that the setup hold up quite well during engagement, because of the thicker plywood. Thinner plywood would of course be a dicier proposition!
I am your new subscriber.
Well I have learned soo many things in this video....
Respect from India....
Hello there! Thanks so much, hope you get to give this one a try, and let us know if you do!
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Nowadays I do bicycle camping. In the near future I will buy a car and camp in it.
By the way- bicycle camping?! That sounds sooo awesome!!
I will make this at my car
Awesome -- hope you love it! We are getting ourselves ready for a whole year of traveling and lots of sleeping in the car starting this summer, and really looking forward to it!! ❤️
Great vid! How long is your bed? And is there space for Adam to sleep?
I’m a tall guy with a compact SUV and worried about having the bed be long enough.
That's a good question, Tim. The bed is about 6 feet, and Adam is 6'6'' so if he wants to stretch all the way out he has to put his pillow on the console between the two front seats. But fortunately he generally sleeps sort of fetal position so there is plenty of room for him to snooze, and then if he gets a little cramped up he just puts his head between the seats and elongates fully for a bit.
So when Adam gets tired of scrunching his six foot plus self into that tiny space, I have just learned that the 2020 Subaru Outback seats fold flat (don't know about the 2021.) It's a bit larger which could be an issue.
Yes Ellen! We're seriously considering that for our next car, though we'll likely drive our current one into the ground first. But flat-folding seats would be a HUGE plus.
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Every SUV should have flat folding seats. Kinda defeats "utility" when they don't.
Totally agree.
Its amazing...
Thanks Alex! It's sure been a great help to us on our adventures. ❤️
How do you secure the plywood in the back while driving?
At first we just let it sit on the foam, and the weight of our gear on top of it kept it in place. But then someone suggested we should anchor it just in case of accident, so we have since done that.
I have Mazda CX5 and it does not look easy to open rear hatch door from inside.
So do you need to enter rear side doors?
Yes we do tend to enter through the read side doors once we're set up for the night. It's just easier, and lets us get out to use the restroom and things like that with less chance of waking the other person. ❤️
where do you store your cooler and other stuff? I like the bed!
Thanks Joy! We slide a lot of our stuff under the bed or put it in the footwells behind the front seats, but we have a big cooler so that just sits on the bed while we drive and then we set it outside next to the car while we sleep.
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Thanks! If I'm in bear country.... and there's no bear boxes to put food... I guess the passenger seat will suffice... I love the simple non-build you did! Bravo!
@@joysassoon9003 Thanks Joy!
Thank you so much for this video.
Of course! Hope it works out for you!
Boot Shelf Unfolds >Turns into bed..
Would save you taking it out if using often
That sounds great, and very useful. Would require a few carpentry skills though.
What vehicle was this? I need to be easily able to convert back to car mode so don't want to take the seats out. But have no place to store a big piece of plywood!
Hey Susan so we put this in a mid-sized SUV (a 2014 Cayenne), and didn't need to take the back seats out -- we just folded them down. We store the plywood in the back of a closet just flat against the wall, and it's not in the way at all when it's back there. Maybe that could work for you?
It scares me because idk when the wood might just snap HAHAHAH over all I would love to do this
Totally hear you -- but with the thickness of plywood we got we've had no problems. It's a little heavier, but totally worth it for the security of not snapping!
Very nice
Thanks Marie! Hope you give it a go!
Question: How long is your plywood? You look at least 6 ft tall and the board you showed in the video does not seem to be long enough for you to lie flat. Also, do you have to move the front seats forward?
Hey there. So the plywood is just under six feet and you’re right, Adam is 6’6”. Fortunately, he sleeps in the fetal position so it usually works out for him 🤣 but when he does want to stretch out he puts the pillow on the center console. We also do move the seats fully to the front when we sleep so we can lay out the mattress and push the board forward towards the front. Hope that helps!
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Great! Thanks for the info.
😅where do you pack extra clothes and food plus supplies?
There is quite a bit of room underneath the platform for food and clothes. Now that we're doing it full time, however, we also have a car top carrier that holds a lot of stuff. We'll post a video about that soon! ❤️
1:35 i have same problem
Hope this is helpful! It's def brought us a lot of joy and adventure over the last couple years! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard i m buying car in next days. i try that
Joli !
Merci!
how is that plywood going to fit in hyndai tuscan when back seat is upside you need another suv to carry that plywood you are saying??
What we do is just leave the back seats down when we're traveling. When we're home, if we want to use the back seat, we just pull out the plywood and put it in the closet.
How much can I rent a room for next time I go camping ♥️ it
For you Raymond, for the mere price of a pop tart and some jelly beans, we might slide over and make room 😂
While driving will this setup move around bro?
Actually it's been pretty stable, but someone suggested that we use tie-downs just for extra safety, and we're going to do that for our major road trip this summer.
@@LiveHardxLoveHard thank u bro
perfect. less is more.
Thanks Steve -- that's exactly how we feel about pretty much everything at this point. Early retirement is in our sight!
Класс 😍
🙏🙏
Round the corners of the plywood board with rough sandpaper.
Wrap the board with an old but large bedsheet (large so that you wrap it like a burrito with several layers, then fold the ends over)
The bedsheet will protect the car from the board, and you won't need foam pads or anything.
Thank you, that is a great idea! ❤️
How about making sure you use tie downs to the factory anchor points so that in the event of an accident you’re not decapitated? 🤔
Thank you, that’s a really good idea and would be fairly cheap and easy to do. 👍
Since I was once in a car that hit a tree and rolled (luckily no serious injuries) I always think about that when watching these videos. Any heavy, unsecured object -cooler, stove, water jugs, etc.- would go flying and could kill you. Better to plan how to secure those objects before a tragedy!
I could see to use it to keep it from bumping around when you drive but I would think the chair would stop that from decapitating you lol but good recommendation
@@altitudeiseverything3163 great point!!!
Good idea. 👍
Seriously, THANK YOU from a semi newbie trail runner, this is going to help me a ton! So excited!
That's so awesome Genevieve! You have to take a pic when you get yours set up and send it to us! ❤️
I like the fact you have storage underneath, genius idea! & a homemade bug screen, you're like Tim the Tool Man Tailor!😂 DIY show coming right up 👍🏃
Between your treadmill and this bed, we should just start our own DIY network already! 😂
Thank you so much for this video I’ve been scratching my head because of the folding seats not going flat pondering how I could sleep in this and as simple as you described I now feel a bit silly but you both seem awesome can’t wait to see future videos thank you once again
We honestly felt a bit silly when we realized how easy this could be 🤣 but thanks Paul! We’ve got some awesome adventures planned for this little car bed, pretty stoked to share them with ya. And let us know if you give it a try ✌️
This is just what I want! I shut down in fear at the mention of power tools. 😂 This is probably a stupid question, but how do you figure out the drop from front to back? Measure from roof to floor or what? Thank you!
That's actually a great question Melanie, and not dumb at all. We did it at first by just building a stack of books under the plywood until we got it to the exact level we wanted, and then measured the stack and found ammo canisters that were that height. We later borrowed a friend's level just to check and it turned out the front was still about 1/8 of an inch higher than the back, but that small difference hasn't bothered us at all (because honestly, when are you ever parked on perfectly level ground anyway?). ❤
@@LiveHardxLoveHard thank you so much!
How exactly were you able to measure the height difference between the back and front of the rear cargo area? No one ever explains this.
Ideally you'll use a level that's at least 5 feet in length. Hold the level at the highest point of the back seat, make it level, and measure the space underneath with a tape measure. It's the process of measuring rise over run, or slope, if you want to think back to your physics classes (yikes). I hope that helps!
Any legnth level will work you just need something straight and long enough like a 2x4 piece of wood set the level on top of the wood and use a tape measure to find your offset. You could get the piece of plywood set it inside your viechle put the level on the top of the wood level it out and measure the gap.
These are all great answers above. But I used a method similar to the "man man" grade school approach because I used to be a roofer and we did everything with chalk lines (string).
Passenger car manufacturers need to take note that a lot of people are interested in converting their cars this way.
This is a fantastic point, Arthur! More SUV manufacturers should really be figuring out how to make the rear seats lay perfectly flat. It would be a huge selling point for a lot of us. ❤️
Thank you, guys! What an awesome and really simple build
Hope you give it a go!!
I'am Your Newest Subscriber Great Videos I Want A Nissan Rogue They Are Made In Tennessee I Wanta Sleep In Rogue On Vacation. They Claim 32 Mpg Hwy i know i could get it to get 40 mpg going 55 to 60 mpg
Great choice, and we've also recently way downsized for maximum gas mileage. In the current gas-price environment, those of us who drive a lot for adventures just have to get the best mileage possible!!
Came for bed idea but netting is brilliant bonus! Especially here in Texas gulf coast! Cheers
Awesome! Ya you guys definitely need the cross-ventilation down there. Hope you have as much fun with this setup as we have! ❤️
Love the DIY, no-sew mosquito netting idea. So simple! Thanks! 👍
Oh awesome, hope you give it a go!!
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Already added netting and magnets to my Amazon list! 😎
Will keep air horn and bear spray handy! 😉
Love it! And yeah gotta be careful choosing your snacks for an overnight car camp in bear country! Adam always gets mad when I pack my pb and jelly bc then he’s up all night thinking we’re bear bait! 🤪
Good grief the mans a genius 🤭.. 😊thank you for posting this. It was very informative!
Haha oh no! His head is already big enough 🤣 hope you find a way to make this work- it’s really a game changer! - E
Love this, simple and cost effective. I really like that’s it’s something that can be done quickly too and doesn’t require several days to accomplish.
So glad you like it! Yes we did this in a couple of hours, including the drive to and from Home Depot for the plywood. ❤
Fantasticly frugal, simple and comfy. This is a perfect option to tenting, thanks. 👍👍👍
Thank you! That's basically our life plan in a nutshell -- frugal, simple, comfy -- as long as we add in one more adjective as well: adventurous!
Using the foam letter thingys is genius!!! Haha "cute girl not included" she is beautiful. Great video you two!
Thanks so much, Melissa! Now that we are full-time nomads living out of our Subaru, we're very glad for all the tips and tricks we learned through our many car-camping trips, and of course learning a lot more now that we're traveling full time! ❤
So Stoked to covert my Subaru Crosstrex into a sleeper unit thanks to your video and all the other ones that popped up after watching it. Thanks.!
Heck Yeah Randy! The Crosstrek will be PERFECT for this. Can't wait to hear about your first overnight adventure in it!!!!
While trying to make hotel reservations for an upcoming Zion trip, I quickly learned that you need to think farther ahead or they're sold out. We thought about camping, but have an early start and don't want to deal with a tent/pack up, so I started looking into videos on the best beds for your SUV....and you guys pop up. I'm definitely going to do something similar. Thanks! Awesome tips.
That’s so funny! We made this bed for a very similar reason (plus, we’re cheap, and hotels near national parks are crazy expensive!). We still love it after a year of adventures using it. Hopefully we will get to see if you give it a go in one of your videos! (Also... Zion! So jealous.)
thanks for sharing. i installed a piano hinge on the last third so i cud move my front seats forward and gain extra room. i’m 6’2” and using a ford equinox. i used yoga blocks to protect the console and front door arm rests.
Those are great ideas -- love it!!! ❤
I have the same car (currently under repair due to an unfortunate incident) !! DO you mind sharing the dimensions of the plywood (L x H)
?
So sorry to hear about the incident, but glad you're thinking about car camping! The dimensions are 66 inches by 41 1/2 inches, and it is 5/8 inch thick plywood. We could have made it slightly larger, but we wanted to be able to slide it in and out easily, and this has worked great for us. ❤️
It's easy, it's cheap, and yeah, it's totally ghetto, but gosh darn this SUV bed is awesome!
Being "Ghetto" isn't a lifestyle ya'll, I would really recommend changing this term.
You are right about all of the above, Andrew. The bed is still in, but the term is out! ❤️
Heavy duty velcro on seats and ply would also work well to keep it in place and stop scratching.got my bug nets on temu $5.great ideas there in vid.
Thanks much, and that is a great deal you got on the bug nets! I think it cost us at least 5 bucks to make our own!! ❤️
Thank you for the very informative DIY video. In the engineering world you achieved 2 very important goals. One is, “form follows function”, the other, “kiss”. In (fff) the purpose should be the starting point for its design rather than its aesthetics. And (kiss), keep it simple stupid. And I’m sure it’s very comfortable too😴
Haha, love the KISS method! Everything we saw was way overcomplicating things. We just need it to be functional and it has worked like a charm for over a year now. Totally changed our hiking game too since we can sleep at trailheads and be the first out on the trail!
How tall are you guys? I am 6 feet and pretty hefty. Would this be too short for a person 6 feet long?
I think you would fit very well at 6 feet. I am 6-6, and it's about 4 inches too short for me to stretch out unless I put my pillow on the front center console. But luckily I sleep in fetal position anyway! So anyone under 6-2 should fit well. ❤️
Way to keep it simple! Also, you can leave the bed in your car all of the time. This way you can use the bed to take a nap in your car at work during lunch. This can be very helpful, since a lunchtime nap gives you extra energy to exercise after work.
Mark! How do you already know Adam so well? He takes a lunchtime nap every single day haha. Fortunately for him he works mostly from home so he gets to nap in a real bed, but I wouldn't put it past him to nap in the car bed if he was ever in a dire situation. Sometimes I wonder if he's really just a dog in human form. ;) -E
@@LiveHardxLoveHard HA! Yes, I feel that Adam and I are kindred spirits! Btw, I have my sights set on hiking Goat Mountain sometime this summer. www.summitpost.org/goat-mountain/622328 I can't wait!
Oh wow! Just looked this up... 8 miles, 7500 FT gain? That. Sounds. Awesome. Don't mind if we just add that one to our list for upcoming adventures!
@@LiveHardxLoveHard YUP! It's totally up your alley! :-) There isn't much snow this year, so I bet the peak can be reached in mid June. But who knows... Also, this guy made a nice trip report: flagtails.com/2020/06/12/goat-mountain/
That's great intel, Mark. Thanks so much! Can't wait to check it out.
Thank you guys so much! I don’t know why people have to make it seem so complicated
It's our pleasure to share! This was definitely the best investment we've ever made in terms of how much enjoyment and convenience we've gotten for a very small amount of time and money!
How did you figure out the drop height from the back seat to the trunk?? Im struggling trying to figure mine out 🤣
Great question -- honestly I just played with it (using some kids' building blocks, it I remember right) until I got it level, then measured the height of the blocks and ordered found ammo canisters that were within 1/4 inch of that. ❤️
Thank you for this video. I'm a lover of "Keeping life simple" and this was exactly that. Knew there had to be an easier way of converting an suv without all the fancy and expensive builds. ❤️
So glad it was helpful! We have exactly the same philosophy -- the more minimalist we get, the happier we are. ❤️
what a lovely couple , enjoy and goodluck to your future adventures!
Thank you very much --best of luck on your adventuring as well! ❤
WOW I am super impressed!!! Thank you both for the great ideas!! I only need half the board am single (NEVER any chance of any woman wanting a 77 year old sick, diabetic, cripple).
Where did you get the 'Kids Plastic Foam Mats, please? TIA!!
Never say never, Fred! Winding up with Elise makes me living proof that personality goes a long way, and you've obviously got that in spades. We ordered the foam mats off of Amazon, and they were super cheap. We often find that just thinking outside the box saves us like 80 or 90% on purchases like that. Like if we had ordered bug screens specifically designed for those windows it would have been several hundred dollars, but making them ourselves cost less than 20 bucks! --A
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Thank you for the kind words my wife of 19 years left me in August went to visit sister and NEVER came back one phone call to say: "I made my decision got a lawyer and I want a divorce HE told me not to talk to you." And that was THAT. No hope nor any desire to eve meet any woman and give like i did. Better ALONE than "Badly Accompanied". plus I am waaaaayyyy too old sick, and crippled and broke, NO Woman wants any guy like me. No hope for one and NO desire for one. They are all only with an OLD man for his money and I have none.
Super simple and fully functional. BTW what model SUV??
Ya it worked great for us! This was in a Cayenne, which like most mid-size SUVs has about a 6 inch drop from the seat backs to the trunk floor. Now we have an Outback, where the seats lay almost flat so we use basically the same setup but with 4 canisters rather than two to make the platform. ❤️
Great job. Thanks for posting this. I'm sure it will be of use to many people. Sadly I am too long for our car without putting the front seats right to the front to be able to use this method because the board would prevent me from driving the car, but I'll bear this in mind in case we get a longer car!
Thanks Nigel, and yes being taller is a real issue. I am very tall as well at 6-6 (or 200 cm if you use metric), but I don't sleep fully stretched out so this works fine for me. However, sometimes if I feel the need to stretch out I put my pillow on the console between the two front seats and that works well. Not sure if that would work with the design of your car, but it's worth a thought! --A
I have a question. Do you travel with that board inside the car? And not use the boot?
That's a great question, Alec. Yes, when we're car camping we travel with the rear seats folded and the board in the car. Of course we can store things under it, and also on top of it (and put them in the front seats when we sleep). Then when we're back from the trip, the board just goes in the back of the guest-room closet.
Love how easy it is! Could you share the measurement of plyboard??
Sure, ours is 66 inches by 41 1/2 inches, and it is 5/8 inch thick plywood. We could have made it slightly larger, but we wanted to be able to slide it in and out easily, and this has worked great for us. ❤️
I subscribed I can decide between truck and suv for my car camping journey
So glad to have you along for the journey! That's a great choice to have. One of the things we like about the SUV is that it's just a lot warmer than a truck bed -- and in Cali it can get pretty cold overnight even in the summer. ❤️
This is so cool! I love simple DIY that immediately improve your life! Great post!
Thanks so much! Life hack for sure - nothing fancy but gets the job done, just how we like it!
L ove this the other air mattress ones leave no room for storage.
Thanks Joni -- yes the storage area has been incredibly useful for us. Backpacks, water, food, etc. It all slides right under there. ❤️
hey guys thank you for sharing. I am considering van life and was wondering how to create a bed without removing the seats. This is great information and exactly what I was looking for. 👌
So glad to hear that! We hope you get a lot of joy and adventure out of it!! ❤️
I am car camping so I needed drawers. I took the seats out of my Camry and set up a bed and file drawers in the back. I never get out of my car at night. I scoot over the console and into the back, and climb over the next morning. I also keep a luggable loo in the back for midnight potty breaks, and wash it out at a manual carwash in the morning, when no one's around. I'm all set!
Nice set up. The luggable loo sounds great -- Elise would appreciate that in the middle of the night for sure!