Do-it-yourself sleeping place in a car. Sleeping bag designs. Chistyulya: warehouse tourist complex

Because the planned trip by car involved a certain amount of autonomous movement in places quite remote,
depending on the person’s location, and besides, I didn’t really want to be dependent on hotels; in addition to fuel supplies and food supplies, I also needed somewhere to sleep.

The natural solution would be to spend the night in a tent, but there is one “BUT”, because... It was planned to go at the end of September, i.e. in a not-so-warm season, it might be uncomfortable to spend the night in a tent.
Therefore, the idea arose about sleeping in a car that could not be turned off at all. I had previously come across a number of articles about organizing a sleeping place in a car, but now I decided to take a closer look at them. Plus, the experience of previous trips showed that the principle of “all-things-in-one-pile” in the trunk, to put it mildly, is not entirely successful. and the sleeping place is naturally combined with the layout of things on 2 floors, which is much more convenient.

I even came across people who make custom-made luggage systems. It looks very good, but the price, in fact, is very high - 36K

In addition, the system is not removable, and we still have to “carry strollers.” I read the forum, looked at the pictures and decided to try to do everything myself.

The simplest option was to buy timber, plywood and carpet and do it like that (clumsily, of course, but not much time)

No sooner said than done. I bought 3 bars 40x50x200, two (for some reason) sheets of 9 mm plywood 150x150, corners and self-tapping screws. And I encountered the first problem: after screwing long screws into the beam, it simply cracked.

We got 2 such legs, but the plywood on them sagged a lot and there was a need for stiffening ribs, and 3 bars ran out.

I thought and thought and decided that it should be made of metal. Aluminum is a great thing, but how to secure it?
There are two options: bolted and riveted. I decided to learn a new tool for myself: a riveter.
Cost ~300 rubles + rivets ~100 rubles per package. I bought tools from Leroy, aluminum pipes 25x25x2000, bolts.

Go

We got legs like this

For some reason, two stiffening ribs now across were not enough again, and then the aluminum pipes ran out. Crap!!!

Because I carried out all the work outside the city, I went to the surrounding construction markets to look for a profile. There was no aluminum on the markets, so I had to take a metal profile 20x20x300, thickness 2mm (for some reason it turned out to be the same thickness as aluminum, there may be tolerances, but oh well). They cut it to size there with a grinder, it was crooked, but oh well.

Now the stiffness is fine.

We try on the plywood and cut out an additional piece.

The most expensive part of this design turned out to be carpet: unfortunately, there were no black pieces, so we had to buy it without discounts. It came out to about 900 rubles.

Plus a stapler with staples for another 250 rubles in the same Leroy.
In total, consumables turned out to be ~ 3-3.5K
Work ~2-2.5 days including the first version.

The design is completely collapsible, the sleeping area turned out to be ~170x120, i.e. quite myself. Assembly and disassembly takes 10 minutes (in the photo without the side)

Canisters with additional fuel, tools, food, chairs, tiles, and water fit perfectly underneath.
Clothes and a folding table go upstairs. The berth can be unfolded in 5 minutes; the things on top are either placed under the awning or placed on the front seats.

The design was successfully tested during the trip and proved to be excellent. There are several nuances that need to be improved: for example, some of the plugs so as not to scratch the interior trim, holders for the folding part of the berth, but these are minor things.

ZY I still had to take the tent, because... Three people still can’t fit in the car....

The simplest recommendation is that a sleep-deprived driver should not drive, just like a drunk driver. It’s a pity that the “snot tester” has not yet been invented... But the tone of any person decreases several times during the day for objective reasons that are in no way dependent on us. So, if you nod off at your desk in the afternoon, then this is not a sign of promiscuity, but a natural state of the body. Although there is nothing good in the fact that your boss finds you dozing peacefully on papers or on the keyboard. But nothing fatal.

What other options? Maybe three cups of coffee? Energy drink? Cigarette? God forbid you! One is more harmful than the other! It’s better to go out into the fresh air (of course, not in a traffic jam or on the highway at night) or at least open four windows (just not in rain or snow).

Stop and sleep!

But the main recipe is one - stop in a safe place and take a nap. You may be late somewhere, but you will remain safe and sound. True, not everyone is able to fall asleep quickly and easily, with their head resting on their chest or on the headrest - it is more difficult for a person with a more subtle “nervous organization” to do this than for a “thick-skinned” person. Yes, and a “half-hour” nap will help only when there is not much left to go. And on a long journey?

It’s good for truckers - they have comfortable sleeping places in their cabs. Another thing is an ordinary passenger car, where you can’t really fall apart. So all hope lies in the infrastructure: now along most highways there are many cozy, relatively inexpensive motels, where the driver and his companions can quite comfortably spend the night. It turns out that spending the night in your own car is no longer relevant? Not at all!

Looking for a bedroom

Motels are not available everywhere. The country is “immense”, and the further from the capital, the rarer the “oases”.

YOU SHOULD NOT THINK THAT ONLY LOSERS WHO CAN’T SAVE UP FOR A MOTEL OR PLAN THEIR ROUTE ADVANCE SLEEP IN THE CAR

It also happens: signs of civilization are encountered every twenty to thirty kilometers, and then suddenly - bam! And there are no more than a hundred “keme”, only gas stations flicker in the night. And the desire to sleep is unbearable... At least insert matches between your eyelids so that they don’t close.

True, roadside hotels are usually small - a dozen or two rooms. And they may simply be busy. We should have stopped earlier... But who knew?

The plan was to drive and drive, but in the middle of the night my eyes began to stick together. This happens especially often in the autumn-winter period. During rain, snowfall and darkness, the average speed drops significantly, and travel time increases accordingly. The main troubles are on the eve of winter, when it is still damp during the day and freezes with the onset of darkness. It’s so slippery that it’s not just driving, it’s impossible to walk! And then only to the parking lot - the nearest one. Out of harm's way.

In general, have you often had to stop at roadside motels (if there are any along the way and are not full)? Yes, for me.

If only there was a pillow...

They are also quite good, more or less clean, decorated according to the owner’s taste, sometimes quite intricately, and the cuisine is often decent. Not a Grand Hotel, of course, but it will do for a rural area. It’s just that in most cases, the “long-distance guy” hangs out here until late: smoke with a yoke, chanson with obscenities at full volume. And girls who are not at all “difficult” in behavior and not the most attractive in appearance catch you in a cafe and knock on your room: “Man, please match the lady.” In a word, this will not suit everyone. And this is the third obvious reason.

There is one more “but” - finances! As the hero from the unforgettable “Mimino” said, “Listen, what normal person would go to Moscow without money, well, we went to a restaurant, back and forth, the money ran out...”

Therefore, the objections, “they say, you need to pack for a trip with a reserve, and any driver should always have an extra 800–1000 rubles for overnight accommodation in his pocket,” we cannot accept as an argument. You never know what has already happened on the way - they punctured a tire, broke down, “shared with the inspector,” etc., etc.

We stay in the car

A CAR IS NOT THE WORST PLACE TO STAY. THE MAIN THING IS TO ESTABLISH THE “NEST” CORRECTLY AND CHOOSE A PLACE FOR A SAFE PARKING

If you give this money for a warm bed today, there is no guarantee that tomorrow you may not have enough of it for unforeseen needs. And our people, after all, are not too rich to easily part with an extra “stuff.”

I will find you more than one or two good reasons why you sometimes have to spend the night in a car: you had a fight with your wife, but you don’t want to bother your friends; I’m in bad health and need to take a break; you meet someone at the airport, but the flight keeps getting delayed... You can continue ad infinitum.

Make yourself comfortable

Almost all passenger cars offer the possibility of rest and sleep. To do this, the front seats are folded out to a horizontal or almost horizontal position.

Previously, somewhere before the sixties of the last century, when there were no headrests yet, and the front sofas were solid and flat, the back of the first row fell flush with the plump pillow of the second, forming an excellent double bed. Happy baby boom times!

Now the profiled front seats, famous for their complex shape and pronounced lateral support, lie only on top of the rear seats. In addition, the kink at the junction between the pillow and the back of the front row makes it difficult to stretch out and relax.

In terms of height, most models do not limit us - our legs can be stretched freely. So if you are spending the night alone, it is better to move to the right seat so that the steering wheel and pedals are not in the way. What if in a company? To do this, you can use both front seats, and another crew member can be sent to the trunk by folding the second row of seats - especially if the car is one-volume, of which there are many now.

And many sedans have a folding second row. But it would be nice for this “third handy” passenger to find some kind of mattress - the floor is a bit hard!

We decided to compare models of different classes based on the convenience of sleeping in a car and, having assembled five different cars, “slept” in them. What came out of this can be seen in the photographs. And - have a restful holiday!

He is Goga, he is Zhora, he is Gosha. Sorry, aka the Peugeot 4007 and, more importantly and nicely, the Mitsubishi Outlander XL. The quality of materials here is quite decent - both leather and plastic are designed to please riders and “loungers”. And on a good “mattress” you sleep soundly.

The chairs here seem to be created for “settling down” after a tiring journey - they perfectly hug the body and do not put pressure on the lower back or knees. True, they “impose” the position “on the back”. It's almost impossible to turn on your side here - the pronounced profile of the lumbar support gets in the way. The trunk is spacious, but a bit harsh on the flat plastic.

But in terms of the convenience of “crawling” onto the rear bed, the “French” has no equal, because the lower flap of the lid folds back to a horizontal position, and you can sit on it, say, to put on your shoes or drink some tea and look at the stars.

Driver and passenger airbags, front side airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags, ABS, stability control, cruise control, fog lights, headlight washers, xenon headlights, light and rain sensors, climate control, rear parking sensors, socket 12V in the trunk and in the front center armrest, leather interior trim, 18" alloy wheels

A minivan always remains a minivan (from a sleeping point of view!). Even if it bears the proud name “Great Wall”. The Chinese have nevertheless learned to more or less diligently copy Japanese products of past generations. And Сowry is no exception.

Large internal volume, a lot of “air”, front seats that move far away are obvious advantages for overnight accommodation. And there is plenty of space in the trunk - you can even sit alone.

But there are also some comments: the relatively high minivan seat makes it difficult to stretch your legs horizontally - it forces you to keep your knees half-bent. And when you “put your body” in the trunk, there is a risk that the “seats” of the third row, very precariously tied to the walls of the body with Chinese straps, will collapse on you like a blade invented by the glorious Doctor Guillotin. Yes, and you will have to constantly heat the large interior, and there is little trust in the door seals.

Front airbags, ABS, anti-theft system, leather upholstery, climate control, electric windows in the front and rear doors, central locking with remote control, height-adjustable steering column, electric sunroof, fog lights, folding rear seat, electric drive and heated exterior mirrors, 12V socket, multimedia system (CD/MP3/MP4/DVD/U USB/Bluetooth)

Many people probably don’t remember (it’s a girl’s memory!), but about ten years ago on the Russian market, the creative representatives of this brand’s representative office came up with this slightly clumsy slogan for advertising: “This is not a dream, this is Nissan.” Just a dream in hand! After all, it is the passenger flagship Teana that has something that many more eminent manufacturers can envy - the right front seat with leg support. It is equipped with a servo drive and is capable of raising your calves, tired from overwork, almost to the level of your knees. For some reason, this device is funny called an ottoman - either in honor of the collapsed Turkish empire, or in honor of the creator of the internal combustion engine, Otto...

Taking into account the status of the model, which requires the presence of a personal driver, you can start “putting pressure on the mass” while driving. Luxurious bed! But for one thing, the left chair is not “ottoman”. And only a crazy person will fit into the trunk here - the back of the second row does not recline. Although if you tie your arms and legs...

Driver and passenger front airbags, driver and passenger side airbags, curtain airbags for the front and rear rows of seats, ABS, ESP, light sensor, electric adjustment and folding mirrors, climate control, Intelligent Key access system, push-button engine start, cruise -control, leather interior, color touch display, rear view camera, xenon headlights, 17'' alloy wheels, navigation system, BOSE audio system

You say: “One in Polo is not a warrior”? That's right - the car is a family car, suggesting not only city trips, but also long-distance travel in a large company.

Once upon a time, Polo was considered a B-class. Now this sounds like a mockery - how “everything got mixed up in the Oblonskys’ house”! This “B-class” can easily accommodate four well-fed travelers. The front seats are surprisingly spacious and comfortable - we can settle in and fall asleep quickly. On the second row sofa we will place a representative of the younger generation, who was also lucky enough to “join the beauty” in the person of the “people's car”. And in the trunk (provided that it is free from a heap of bags from your favorite hypermarket or from tomato seedlings) you can easily put your beloved mother-in-law. Although if the Polo was purchased with her financial participation, it would not be a sin for the head of the family to sit in her place, and for the grandmother to sit in the salon. It’s not in vain, it’s not in vain that there are six-month queues for this model. Or should we say “six-monthly”?

Frontal airbags for driver and passenger, power windows front and rear, ABS, driver's seat height adjustment, steering column height and reach adjustment, central locking, immobilizer, electrically heated front seats, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors, 15-inch alloy wheels, tires 195/55, fog lights, air conditioning, radio/CD/MP3, chrome trim of interior elements

The domestic “berry” has matured to the size of a station wagon. And, probably, taking into account the affordable price, this is the most affordable means of transport for long trips in the Russian outback - maintainable and passable, compact and roomy.

It is in Kalina that many compatriots will have to camp on a long journey due to the lack of a motel or money for an overnight stay. I admit, before the “laying of the body” we expressed considerable skepticism about “sleeping comfort”. But! The test on myself completely refuted any mistrust!

I especially liked it in the station wagon trunk - despite the winter night shooting, your humble experimental servant instantly dozed off. The reason is that the floor here is uneven and rises at the level of the folded seats, forming a natural elevation in the headboard area, and the shag carpet of the upholstery is quite soft.

ABS, driver and front passenger airbags, audio equipment, velor upholstery, rear head restraints, folding rear seat, climate control, tilt-adjustable steering column, electric drive and heated exterior mirrors, heated front seats, power windows front and rear, on-board computer, fog lights, 14'' alloy wheels, immobilizer, remote controlled alarm, remote controlled central locking

Where can you sleep better?

The test result was unexpected for us. As it turned out, size is not always decisive: all five applicants turned out to be quite suitable for a full overnight stay, the difference is only in the nuances.

Most comments are made about the largest of all - Great Wall Cowry. “Minivan style” high seating forces the sleeper to bend his knees.

Lada Kalina did not present any surprises. The trouble is that in a compact car, in the very rear position of the seats, their backs do not fold down, but lie on top of the second row sofa. And to make the “bed” flatter, you have to shorten its length.

The VW Polo turned out to be quite good for sleeping and spacious in length. Only a limited width dimension can prevent large people from lying down on a “parallel course”.

Nissan Teana would rightfully claim leadership. Its comfortable seats for both sitting and lying positions, and especially the right one, “Ottoman”, will allow two passengers to have a great night's sleep. But the back of the rear sofa does not fold.

And therefore, the French-Japanese crossover Citroen C-Crosser comes out on top in terms of its total advantages. Bravo-bravo! It is both cozy and spacious here. Four adult riders will be able to spend the night here without crowding. But - with the presence of mattresses for those sleeping in the back.

Watch your back!

When sleeping in a car, there are a couple of important considerations - warmth and safety.

In our cold climate, in most cases, even the outerwear that you have with you does not allow you to feel comfortable in a cold car. After all, in sleep, when the muscles relax, the pulse becomes less frequent, and we need more warmth. And the outside temperature naturally drops at night.

It’s good if you have a warm blanket in stock, or even better - a sleeping bag, which allows for a normal overnight stay without additional heating of the cabin, even at slightly sub-zero temperatures.

And what about significant ones? And without a bag? And here the question arises - should I start the engine? In the past, all instructions advised against doing this. And if you start it, then turn the car with the exhaust pipe into the wind - so as not to get burned.

Now everything has changed noticeably. Catalysts in exhaust systems absorb most of the carbon monoxide, door and trunk seals have become noticeably better, and the chance of sniffing (albeit not fatally, but causing a headache) has become scanty.

But, again, this applies to modern cars. If your “hardware” is on its last legs and was produced in the last century, it is still better to make centimeter-sized slits in a couple of windows - so as not to harm your health.

But regarding criminal safety, the advice is obvious: spend the night where you are not alone - at gas stations and at traffic police posts. The likelihood that “dashing people” will come there is almost zero. But because of this “almost”, do not forget to lock the central locking from the inside. And leave the keys in the ignition, even if the engine is turned off - just in case there is a fireman. To quickly jump into the saddle and get away from problems - you never know what kind of negative characters will think of knocking on your window. God saves man, who save himself!

And one more thing - do not take the next one “on your chest, for warming up”, even if you plan to sleep all night. Firstly, you may not have time to clear your head before the morning, and with the current “prohibition” law, you risk being in a hurry for a couple of years. Secondly, what if the dream passes and you feel the urge to go earlier?

We sorted this out, but what to do if outside the climber’s window is not just a forest thicket, but a fairly swampy area and there is no longer enough strength and opportunity to get to the “ground”? What if it’s briskly cold outside, at -35 Celsius?

There is only one way out - to spend the night in the car, but if you haven’t thought about this in advance, you will have to get along with the design decisions of the automaker who made a kind of curved seat with luxurious lateral support. This is the kind of thing that always unsuccessfully rests somewhere in the liver area.

Personally, I don’t want to get up in the morning feeling as if yesterday I spent the whole day saving the world from a nuclear disaster, and spent the night in the cage of a police UAZ. So, I sit down to explore the possibilities of organizing pleasant night dreams in comfort and warmth.

Well, take a seat...

In this brand new Patriot, not just a sleeping bag was built, but an entire warehouse complex for tourist purposes.

Clean: warehouse tourist complex

May the owner of this brand new Patriot, in which not just a sleeping bag, but an entire warehouse complex for tourist purposes, be built, not be offended by me. A clean interior does not evoke any associations except that when climbing into the “bed” you will have to leave your rubber boots for the joy of the bears. So as not to dirty the carpet...

The design is quite standard for sleeping bags, fortunately the trunk of the UAZ Patriot has chic dimensions for any fantasies. But, for my taste, there was a place for an excellent solution in the form of a large compartment with access from anywhere in the cabin and the ability to extend it due to the folded back sofa.

The design is quite standard for sleeping bags, fortunately the trunk of the UAZ Patriot has chic dimensions for any fantasies.

The hinged “door” of the large compartment should be hooked onto a cable and closed with a piece of aluminum. The end result would be a nice little table for preparing breakfast.

In comparison with the “oversized” cabinet, various shelves with access through the trunk and from the interior seem to be a meager addition for secondary valuables. For example, you can throw dirty slings and shackles into an aluminum box without them flying around the trunk, staining everything nearby.

Various shelves with access through the trunk and from the interior seem like a stingy addition.

The curvature of the walls of the luggage compartment is enhanced by small compartments on the sides of the sleeping bag, which can be accessed both from the side and from above. Such small compartments are well suited for storing various necessary junk, the prompt retrieval of which is not included in the plans.

Now the most important thing is the sleeping bag itself. The old Patriot interior was distinguished by the ability to convert the rear sofa into a bed. The new UAZ salon no longer provides this opportunity, but it has become much more comfortable.

We fold the back of the sofa forward, thereby obtaining an almost flat surface with a sleeping bag shelf for an air mattress and bedding.

We fold the back of the sofa forward, thereby obtaining an almost flat surface with a sleeping bag shelf for an air mattress and bedding. At the same time, there is still room for bags and belongings in the legs of the rear passengers, niches, and some of them can be transferred to the front seats.

Chistyulya 2.0: sleeping tourist complex

The leather interior of the Patrol directly requires the corresponding materials of the sleeping bag, so the fabric covering was replaced with leatherette, but the essence of the shelves remained at the level of the previous design in the UAZ Patriot.

In the leather interior of the Patrol, the fabric covering was replaced with leatherette, but the essence of the shelves remained at the level of the previous version in the UAZ Patriot.

All sleeping bags are made in accordance with the wishes of the customer, so the interests of the latter prevail over apparent convenience or suitability for certain purposes. Here there is nowhere to put the outboard motor, but this is my stingy man’s tear about the inflatable boat and motor lying in the garage. Otherwise, the boxes are quite relevant for a professional traveling flea dealer.

The principle of spreading out the berth is similar to that of the UAZ - the back of the rear sofa folds forward to form a kind of horizontal surface for reclining.

In fact, the Patrol and Patriot sleeping bags are similar in philosophy, but differ in the individuality of execution.

In fact, the Patrol and Patriot sleeping bags are similar in philosophy, but differ in the individuality of execution. I won’t be surprised that some reading this article will have a third similar option with their own solution.

Expeditioner: expeditionary complex

We also reached heavy artillery. This sleeping bag is organized in a Toyota Land Cruiser 105 and has already explored quite a few destinations.

At first glance, it is clear that the shelf format is simplified to the point of disgrace, but there is a logical explanation for this. The spacious central compartment was not left for the sake of saving money - its dimensions exactly correspond to the aluminum boxes in which everything necessary for travel is transported: food, dishes, etc.

I would never have thought that it was convenient if I had not personally taken advantage of its charms on a trip to the Arkhangelsk region, when we carefully took the box by the handles and took it with us to the hotel. Thus, we not only protected the food from freezing, but also organized a late dinner prepared in our room.

If the luggage space here is organized in a simplified version, then the unfolding of the sleeping bag has been improved. Special folding panels are laid on top of the folded back of the rear seat and finally level the surface. Thus, the folding panels eliminate the chance of pushing through the backrest and distribute the load more evenly.

The entire structure can be removed from the trunk with a few turns of a wrench.

The panels of the sleeping bag open, and if necessary, the entire structure can be removed from the trunk by a few manipulations with a wrench. The weight of the entire structure is only 7-8 kilograms. Not bad?

All that remains is to lay out the air mattress and lay down the linen...

Gryaznulya: trophy complex

By calling this option “dirty” I openly risk getting hit in the face, so I’ll quickly turn out that it’s dirty – not because it’s dirty or for dirty people, but because this Toyota Land Cruiser 73 is prepared for serious off-road conditions and periodically sets out to conquer it by plunging into adventures to the very tip of the antenna. Don't believe me? Then I recommend reading: “Pinega Tract”, “Three Regions”, “The Unlost Land”.

This Toyota Land Cruiser 73 is prepared for serious off-road conditions and periodically sets out to conquer it, plunging into adventures to the very tip of the antenna.

An inquisitive eye will already notice that the organization of the luggage compartment is somewhat reminiscent of the previous option. Right! When the time comes to change from the expedition version to the trophy version, this is where the boxes with tourist junk are loaded and fall exactly into place. Comfortable?

Further - it tastes better. It is very difficult to organize a full-fledged sleeping bag in a box. Although the 73rd is not entirely short, it has not partially avoided this problem. Therefore, the folding shelf of the sleeping bag here consists of several parts, which are placed on special “rails” along the cabin. Without them, nothing worthwhile would have come of it, or a new Boeing would have had to be built.

We move the front seats forward, install a power cross member - so as not to fall into the dungeons of terrible dreams while sleeping, and lay out the panels along the structure. Then it's a matter of little things...

By the way, it was in this 73 that I spotted a cool idea - an ordinary household outlet is installed on the dashboard connected to a 220V inverter, into which an ordinary household electric fumigator is installed as scheduled and kilograms of mosquitoes die. Take note while I'm good.

In this 73rd I spotted a cool idea - a utility socket is installed on the dashboard connected to a 220V inverter, into which an ordinary household electric fumigator is installed and mosquitoes die in kilograms.

Learning materiel: the possibilities of a sleeping arrangement

If you don’t have a sleeping bag, but really want it, then it’s worth exploring the capabilities of your car even before you go on a long voyage with it. For example, some models can lay the rear sofa in such a way that, together with the luggage compartment floor, a certain plane is formed.

So, for example, in Nizhny Novgorod at the BarabanOFF Trophy, the two of us managed to organize a sleeping bag in the Range Rover Evoque. And in mid-size crossovers this function is present quite often.

The downside of this “alignment” is that all the belongings folded in the trunk will have to be transferred to the front row of seats and this may cause problems (depending on the amount of stuff you take on a hike).

People who lead an active lifestyle and own personal transport eventually combine their interests and capabilities and go on road trips. Some people use cars only to get to their final destination, be it a hotel or an edge on the shore of a pond, and some spend their entire vacation traveling along selected routes. It is for such car travelers that the choice of vehicle is very important, both from the point of view of movement (fuel consumption, handling, ability to leave asphalt roads) and for accommodation in the car, including overnight stays.

The most convenient vehicles for living are motorhomes. They provide everything: sleeping places, a shower, and a kitchen. You can stop in almost any place you like with a relatively hard road surface and not waste time on equipping your living space. But it is expensive to start such a vehicle separately (even a used motorhome costs more than 2 million rubles) and rent it (from 50,000 rubles per week). If this is a single complex, then it should weigh up to 3.5 tons so as not to expand the category of rights. An option is comfortable caravans, but their weight usually exceeds 750 kg and you need to get category E. A few more disadvantages of motorhomes are not very high speed of movement, inability to go off-road, and the presence of the necessary infrastructure for full maintenance.

If you often travel, transport large groups and large cargo, you may want to consider a minivan. Most of these vehicles are suitable for daily use and have almost unlimited interior options.

The optimal means of transportation for road trips are SUVs and all-terrain station wagons. They allow you to cover long distances at a decent speed, can take owners to the shore they like, and have enough space for two or even three people to comfortably spend the night. In such cars, the berth is formed from the floor of the luggage compartment and the backs of the second row of seats (the lower parts usually recline towards the backs of the front ones). The length of the resulting platform is usually enough for the average person; in extreme cases, you can move the front seats all the way and fill the empty space with luggage. Most manufacturers strive to make the platform as level as possible, focusing on creating a comfortable loading area or as a bed function.

In terms of interior comfort and ease of movement, crossovers and station wagons are in second place. They are inferior to SUVs in terms of the ability to choose a place to rest, but are almost at the same level - in terms of interior transformation. In many of them, the platform is also level and quite long. In the crossover version, the amount of headroom can be reduced due to the low rear pillars, which designers love to give the car a sweeping silhouette.

If you are not distant relatives of the Princess and the Pea, then you can spend several nights in the interior of ordinary garden cars, hatchbacks and compact crossovers. On some of them it is possible to apply the scheme, as on station wagons and SUVs, if the back of the rear sofa is reclined. If it is fixed, then you can arrange two berths from the front seats. To do this, the seats are moved forward as much as possible, the headrests are removed from the backrests, which recline to a position flush with the rear seat. It is better to choose a direction taking into account unevenness: in the area of ​​the body it is better to have the most flat area possible, and put your legs in places with a difference in height.

If you fall asleep on the road, you can sleep in a compact car. It is extremely rare that there is enough space for a full-fledged sleeping place and you need to choose between two evils, choosing the lesser. If you have, then it is better to sleep in the front seat with the back reclined. If there is a tendency to edema, then it is better to use the back sofa as a bed, on which the legs will be at the same level as the body.

Pickup trucks should be placed in a separate category. These utilitarian cars, despite their large size, can be worse than a small car in terms of sleeping space without special equipment. Due to the fact that interior space is limited, they often cannot fold out the front seats like in sedans. You can huddle on the back sofa, or sleep on the front seat in a reclining position. In order to spend several nights in a pickup truck, you can install a special tent on the cargo bed. These are made taking into account the configuration of various models, have a soft heat-insulating base, and the canopy fits tightly onto the sides of the body.

Well, some general tips for those who plan to spend several nights in the car:

• Take a few pillows on your trip, they will help arrange your sleeping area.
• Check the interior's transformation capabilities in advance and prepare items that can smooth out any unevenness. For the same purposes, you can grab several travel rugs.
• Leave the windows at least a little open, otherwise everything will be pretty foggy in the morning. To protect against insects, you can hang a net or gauze, pressing the edges with the door frame.
• If it's cold outside, you'll have to leave the engine running. Check the fuel supply in advance and position the car so that exhaust gases do not blow inside.
• If you set the car alarm, be mentally prepared to wake up from the howl of a siren.