Sleeping your car this winter?

I've done this a bunch of times. Don't use alcohol to keep warm, you're just fooling yourself. Electric blanket + converter is key, as is warm sleeping bag. But finding a place to park is really annoying. It's a lot easier with an SUV with tinted windows, no one looks too closely.
 
This season im going to try it. I have a jeep grand cherokee. i slept across the back seat before it wasnt bad. I think im going to buy a snuggie then wear that inside my sleeping bag.
 
i think i need to downsize my subwoffer system so i can do this come winter, i am feeling a trip up to Mt. Snow this year : D
 
this is awesome. I am plannin to do a lot of this this season. I too have a wrx sedan, but will be traidin with my sister for her beater 96 volvo wagon. just bought a thermarest campground pad and a 15 degree down bag.

big question is where I will park? Do they bother you in typical resort free parking lots? Im in virginia so not sure how it is over here.
 
you're doing the exact opposite of what i did haha. traded in the wagon for the impreza.

just park in the parking lot. if your'e in virginia, i highly doubt anyone's going to bother you... not exactly like you're parking in the lot at deer valley or some yuppie ass fucktard place like that.
 
I've been reading up on this over in the TGR forums. I plan to do some car-camping since I'll be travelling to get stories for BroBomb. Here's what I've learned:

1. Blast the heat before you turn in. But be sure to shut the car OFF before you fall asleep.

2. Warm sleeping bag. The temp rating just means it'll sustain life, not that you'll be toasty warm. REI sells bag inserts to help convert your mild weather bag to one for winter.

3. Crack a window very slightly to alleviate some of the condensation. You'll never totally eliminate all the condensation from your breathing, and it makes a nice tint on your windows once it freezes. Bring a scraper to scrape it off in the morning.

4. Bring a bottle to pee in so you don't have to get out of your bag and lose all the warmth you've built up.

5. Spread out your gear in a local coffeeshop to dry it...and poach continental breakfast at a local hotel.
 
Anyone have any suggestions to fix the condensation problem?

IEven with the windows open a bit it still collects. I hate waking up and scraping an inch of ice off my windows.
 
Sounds like you'd know better than me, but I'd be scared to wake up to a dead battery. Some TGR dudes suggested flannel sheets hung in the windows (roll it down, stuff in the sheet, roll it up), but others cast doubt on the theory.

You could just sleep with a SHAM-WOW tied like a bandana over your face, it'd probly absorb most of it. haha.
 
hmmm, a good theory. However, I believe your battery would probobly be dead in the morning.

Maybe a smaller electric fan pointed at the open window powered by an inverter?
 
might be something to consider
if you are drinking in your car and say some one calls the cops on you for perhaps parking in a bad spot over night ... could you potentially get a dui
 
I've probably slept in my car around fifty times, and pretty much everything useful has already been mentioned. I'd add that those air pumps for inflatable mattresses can work pretty well to dry out gloves, boots, jacket sleeves, etc if your car is already warm. If you have a 12 volt converter, use the pump to dry out your equipment, then flip on an electric blanket to warm up your sleeping bag, and then turn everything off before going to sleep to save battery power.
 
yes. This happened to a few of my friends. A cop showed up when they were all drinking in their truck and he told them to move their vehicle, and they ended up having to ask some random guy to move their truck for them to avoid getting a DUI.
 
did it last winter, -5 degrees out at the base of stowe, me and my buddy in his grand cheroky,

the most important thing to do is get there late, you dont want to show up at 4 oclock, it be to late to ski and you have to hang out untill the next mormning, we got there at around 1130 12 and it was perfect we chilled for 20 mins than fell asleep, yea its cold but not as bad as every one makes it out to be, i wore my euro socks, sweat pants, a flannel and maybe a sweat shirt and i had my conforter off my bed and a little blanket i wraped my feet in
 
seems like there are always outlets to plug shit into at fastfood parking lots. ive seen a lot of people hooked up to those and just chill in the parking lot overnight. I really dont know why they have outlets in the parking lots and not sure if its legal or not.
 
hmm.. maybe a battery fan or something..

either way, i doubt it would work.

just live with the condensation... its really not THAT bad.
 
I def wanna try this. I'm hot blooded. I barley get cold but if I wear one layer of shirt and pants Ill be cold.

I can just do this, get a blanket or a sleeping bag. Turn my car on and turn the heater for 10-15 mins and crack the windows a little just a little. and just sleep in your long underwear and long sleeve and sleep. Let the fresh snow land on your car. Jump on your ski gear and ski boots then brush off the fresh snow that landed. Defrost it. Get it done. Eat the food in the resort.

My thoughts.
 
Im going from vermont to montana and then to utah and back to vermont in a truck with 3 other people this febuary. were not paying for hotels. That is what car camping is all about
 
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