I'm revealing all the cars I've ever slept in!
"You keep talking about car camping, but I bet you were doing it comfortably in a big vehicle, right?"
I get asked this quite often.
Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I'd think the same thing.
The car camping I see on social media is always HiAces, large SUVs, or camper vans.
Wide beds, ambient lighting, stylish interior spaces.
There are so many posts that look like "moving hotels," aren't there?
That's exactly why, this time, I'm going to reveal the cars I've actually slept in, with nothing hidden.
Before that, for reference, here is my build.
Gender: Male
Height: 178cm
Weight: 73kg
I'm not particularly small, nor am I large.
I have an average build, just like anyone else.
In other words, I can't use the excuse that "I was able to sleep because I'm small."
Well, I have slept in a total of three cars so far.
They vary in both manufacturer and vehicle class.
■ Car #1
Honda Fit (2016 model)
This was the car I first slept in.
I'll be honest.
I definitely couldn't call it spacious.
Even with the seats folded down, it didn't become completely flat,
the interior was slanted, and I couldn't even stretch my legs out straight.
I had to sleep diagonally.
Because of that, I barely slept at all the first night.
"Can I really make it through until morning...?"
I remember tossing and turning many times while thinking that.
However, I realized something after doing it a few times.
Sleeping in a car is changed more by 'ingenuity' than by 'car performance'.
Filling in gaps with towels or blankets.
Changing how you place your luggage.
Changing the direction you sleep in.
Just by doing that, the quality of sleep changed surprisingly.
As a result, I was able to create a space where two adults could somehow manage to sleep.
■ 2nd Car
Suzuki XBEE (2020 model)
'It should be a little more comfortable.'
That was the expectation I had for sleeping in my second car.
However, to give you the conclusion, it didn't become dramatically wider.
Even so, the Xbee has a high degree of freedom in seat arrangement,
by folding the rear seats forward and reclining the driver and passenger seats back as far as possible,
I was able to create a space that was quite close to flat.
This is where I felt I could sleep properly.
The lightness of my body when I woke up in the morning was different.
Even though I slept in the car, I didn't have any lingering fatigue.
This sensation was quite shocking.
Between this Fit and the Xbee,
I've slept in these two cars over 20 times in total.
I've experienced sweltering summer nights,
and early mornings where I woke up from the cold.
It was by no means a comfortable environment, but
Strangely, I have never thought, "I want to stop doing this."
It was actually the opposite.
It's fun precisely because it's inconvenient.
The time spent thinking about how to spend time comfortably in a limited space
became the journey itself.
■ 3rd Car
Land Cruiser Prado (2022 model)
And the third car.
Honestly, this car was the best.
Based on my experience so far,
"I want to try car camping in a large vehicle once"
I started to think that, so I took the plunge and bought it.
The sense of security the moment I close the door.
A space where I can fully stretch out my legs to sleep.
A ceiling height that doesn't feel cramped.
Even though it's still "sleeping in the car," it's a whole new world.
With the use of a bed kit, there are no more gaps that I used to struggle to fill.
There's no need to think about how to position myself to sleep.
I can just lie down and fall asleep.
"Ah, so this is what a comfortable car sleep is like."
That's what I realized.
But, I realized one thing here.
The memory that stands out the most is,
Actually, I've slept in a Fit and a XBEE.
Nights spent laughing while sleeping in a cramped space.
Mornings where I woke up every time I turned over.
The process of making things a little more comfortable through trial and error.
It's precisely because of that time,
that I can truly appreciate the comfort I have now.
Car camping isn't just determined by the size of the vehicle.
You can start with any car,
and if you want to enjoy it, you can.
Of course, larger cars are more comfortable.
There is no doubt about that.
But it's not something you can't do just because you don't have a big car.
In fact, the first step is,
I believe the car you're driving now is enough.
What you need for sleeping in your car is,
not special equipment or a luxury vehicle,
but just a little curiosity,
and a bit of ingenuity.
If there is anyone out there thinking, "I want to try it, but I don't think I can,"
I hope this article will give you the push you need.