Using the Patriot as a camper

xenaskm · Nov 23, 2008

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has used his/her Patriot as a "camper"? We drive a lot and we've decided we just can't do the 18 hour non-stop trips from NY to Atlanta anymore. We're too cheap to pay for motel rooms and don't want to lug a trailer so we're looking into using the cargo area with the seats folded forward to sleep, including the front pass. seat.

We think we can make it work, thankfully I'm short and the other half would sleep on the passenger side, it's longer because the front pass. seat folds forward flat. Only problem so far is the drivers seat does not fold forward so we have a big gap from the side of the pass. seat next to the console, over the center console and between the back of the front seat to the edge of the back seat. Anyone have any idea how to fill that gap? What I'm trying to do is have like an L shape sleeping area. Only the driver seat area wouldn't be utilized. I also need to find a mattress of some kind, preferably foam to put in there, any suggestions?

Hope I didn't confuse you all

.

Thanks,
Sue

Copper · Nov 23, 2008

I once slept in my Patriot by folding down the 3 seats that you speak of and used my laundry bag full of clean clothes to fill up part of the gap that you mentioned and used pillows to fill the gap between the front and rear passenger seats. I had a three layer sleeping bag system, so I did not need a mattress. If it were not too much of a bother you may want to look into inflatable mattresses. Good luck and enjoy your Patriot!

xenaskm · Nov 23, 2008

Hi brndnlee,

Thanks for your suggestion. Keeping it simple is probably the best way to go. I'm thinking all sorts of elaborate things. I tend to overthink sometimes

.

Thanks again,
Sue

heckler · Nov 23, 2008

twin sized air mattress.

Works great. I'm 5'8" on the passenger side with the seat down and she's 5'4" on the driver side with the seat up. Feet go to the front.

Oktazcat · Nov 23, 2008

polished_heckler said:
twin sized air mattress.

Works great. I'm 5'8" on the passenger side with the seat down and she's 5'4" on the driver side with the seat up. Feet go to the front.

I was just about to post a link to this picture but I wasn't going to mention the bra hanging over the back of the drivers seat.

Copper · Nov 23, 2008

polished_heckler said:
twin sized air mattress.

What becomes of the far end of mattress on the driver side?

heckler · Nov 23, 2008

brndnlee2074 said:
What becomes of the far end of mattress on the driver side?

it's a great spot to hang a bra from? Thanks Oktaz

the sister in law loves this picture.

the mattress ends at the back of the seats since it can deform to fit.

firemothjoe · Nov 23, 2008

Slept in my Jeep six times since I bought it. 3 of those times was on a trail ride and the back was loaded down with cargo. I find that sleeping with the bucket seat tilted all the way back and the wheel all the way up was quite comfortable- so long as you're dead tired! I also use window blinds for the front and side windows so no one can see in while I'm sleeping.... that makes me paranoid you know.

There was an old thread on this topic with a lot of other ideas from other pat owners titled "gonna sleep in the jeep."

If cargo isn't a factor, then the twin air mattress mentioned above is the way to go! Looks very cozey!

heckler · Nov 23, 2008

that's the beauty of air - it takes up little cargo space until you blow it up. the rest of the gear goes outside on the roof, or on/under the front seats.

Copper · Nov 23, 2008

Oh yeah and don't forget the Rain-X anti fog treatment on the inside of your windows. Unless of course you use the condensation as a form of privacy.

Copper · Nov 24, 2008

Oktazcat said:
I was just about to post a link to this picture but I wasn't going to mention the bra hanging over the back of the drivers seat.

I spy a 34C.

Brian P · Nov 24, 2008

I don't make habit of sleeping in the Jeep. But I've let the drivers seat all the way back and fell asleep pretty nicely... until someone knocks on my window and scares the hell outta me.

MikeV · Nov 25, 2008

I've slept in the driver's seat tilted back until it was compfy. But my head was below the headrest. So I bought one of those 6" X 15" round cushions and it was perfect. I normally sleep on my back so the seat was OK.

MSilver · Feb 1, 2009

Yeah... I've slept in my '08 Patriot many times using the fold-flat/fold-down seats arrangement. There's only a little gap between the back & front seats when they're folded down, which I fill in by stuffing a small pillow there, To smooth out the bumps I use a self-inflating 3" thick Thermarest mattress (it compresses & rolls up nicely when not being used). The arrangement leaves enough interior room for the rest of my camping gear. I have also slept in the driver seat and passenger seat with the seat back all the way down ...again, using my Thermarest mattress to smooth out the bumps ...not as comfy nor as roomy as the first arrangement mentioned above, but it'll do in a pinch. For privacy if/when needed, I use a set of auto shades that cover the windshield & front side windows. The rear side windows have tinted glass, so there's no need for shades there.

For warm nights when I need good ventilation-without-mosquitoes, I fabricated a set of magnetic screens for the rear door windows and the sunroof. I made 'em using vinyl window screen mesh material and magnetic tape, all held together via duct tape. The magnetic perimeters stick to the metal on the outside of the vehicle around the rear windows and sunroof. When not being used, I store 'em flat under the rear cargo area rug inside a large thin "envelope" I made using two large pieces of heavy-duty posterboard.

suzq044 · Feb 1, 2009

they make the tent thing that attaches to the tail-gate, but not a Camper per-say.

For anybody bigger, like 6'4 - i dunno if they'd fit comfortably inside the Patriot..

Tony1911 · Feb 2, 2009

I haven't seen that tail-gate tent IRL, but I rather doubt that the quality would be the same compared to buying a non-vehicle specific tent with the same amount of money.

I know if I am on a longer trip, especially with my girlfriend and our dog, we are likely to have quite a bit of gear with us. So I'll be sticking with our Tuntsa kota style tent for now. (Wouldn't say no to a Kifaru tiipii with a stove, though...

But those are muy expensive, and the tent we have is good enough for our use.)

wwworth · Feb 2, 2009

I have a tent that attached to the Cherokee like that and made an extension that hooked to the rear bumper and had 2 fold down legs to extend the back so an air mattress would fit. worked great just remember to let the tail pipe cool before connecting the tent to the Jeep and the Jeep should be almost level or slope away from the tent. The drain around the hatch will handle all but the heaviest rain storms , but if the jeep slopes toward the tent you could get a little wet. Just like trailer camping, have some short 2 x 6's to place under the wheels to make the car level with slight slope to the front. Plenty of room to store all the baggage in the tent and as a dressing room. Wife made and I installed curtains in the Jeep. If camping in the same place for several days just disconnect from the Jeep and close the portal, You are ready to drive away for the day.

trialsstar3 · Jun 17, 2020

I've just built a drivers seat that also folds flat just like the passenger one. Using a 150mm thick double airbed fits just perfect and the gaps and humps are take up by the bed really well. See my gallery photos 👍

HaiLife · Apr 19, 2021

trialsstar3 said:
I've just built a drivers seat that also folds flat just like the passenger one. Using a 150mm thick double airbed fits just perfect and the gaps and humps are take up by the bed really well. See my gallery photos 👍

That's amazing, can I ask how you modified the driver's seat to fold flat, and is the same modification possible on the passenger side for a 2012 Pat that wasn't originally equipped with the option? Kansas City area pick'n pulls don't have any Patriots with fold flat seats in their inventory at the moment

trialsstar3 · Apr 19, 2021

HaiLife said:
That's amazing, can I ask how you modified the driver's seat to fold flat, and is the same modification possible on the passenger side for a 2012 Pat that wasn't originally equipped with the option? Kansas City area pick'n pulls don't have any Patriots with fold flat seats in their inventory at the moment

Ahh thanks 😁 It works really well for a few nights out in the wild.
I basically took a passenger seat apart and bolted the backrest onto the driver seat base then trimmed the side plastics to fit eachother.
The fold flat back is a completely different type if pivot point to the non fold flat options so you'd at least need the complete back rest from a fold flat seat.

Using the Patriot as a camper

xenaskm

Copper

xenaskm

heckler

Oktazcat

Copper

heckler

firemothjoe

heckler

Copper

Copper

Brian P

MikeV

MSilver

suzq044

Tony1911

wwworth

trialsstar3

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HaiLife

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