Overlanding & Stealth Camping DIY – 30-minute video by TrailNewbie

Greg filmed this video 1/1/24. He’s one of the few overlanders ‘with a channel’ who does not have a rooftop tent. “If you’re just starting out, you can sleep inside your vehicle; just about whatever vehicle you have, you can find a way to have a good sleep setup.”

INSPIRATION
He was telling others about camping in his Jeep, when a friend chimed in: “You know, when I was growing up there were times when me and my mom had to live out of our car not by choice but because of necessity; we were homeless.”
The friend continued “When you’re a kid you don’t realize that you’re homeless, you just remember the times when you’d wake up and your front yard was a park or a beach. Those were good times, some of the happiest memories I have.”
He admired Greg’s CHOICE to “wake up to a granite cliff as your front porch, a symphony of birds as your alarm.”
“Then he said something I’ll never forget – ‘Don’t confuse comfort for happiness.’”
GREG’S SLEEP SETUP
“When you get to camp late, there’s nothing to set up.”
He starts at the rear passenger door
Window shades provide blackout and privacy
The essential good mattress; he likes the DeepSleep Solo Mat, which is extremely comfortable and cut perfectly
Sleeping bag & king size pillow w/passenger seat folded forward
Stow gear up and away from your body; he uses a Vector shelf to get the job done
Front Runner boxes
SideStasher Bags “hold a ton of gear”
Have your power system within arm’s reach
A small fridge with good interior volume is “key to being able to sleep in my vehicle”
He demonstrates getting his 6’4” self into sleeping position; and what to do with your shoes.
ABOUT PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS, NOISE AND MORE
Jeep’s hard roof is great protection from the elements (vs. a tent).
“Inside the Jeep you hear zero, absolutely ZERO wind noise.”
It’s also protection from stuff that goes bump in the night.
“I do lock the doors.”
IN SUMMARY
This is “a great place to get started. You don’t have to spend money on a roof rack, you don’t have to spend money on a rooftop tent, all you need is to be able to do fold your seats flat, get yourself a decent mattress and you are good to go sleeping inside your vehicle.”
“This is super comfortable.”
[He does wish he had remote start. ”It’s a major, major plus.”]
A MINIMALIST SETUP
“The way that I Overland, the way that I car camp is different in many ways from a lot of other channels that have more built out rigs. What I’m trying to Showcase here … is a very minimalist setup when it comes to having everything inside the vehicle while still being able to sleep in there. I love it, I hope you love it.”
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