I’m going camping with my parents next year and I don’t want to buy a second tent for just a couple of nights. I was thinking about using a twin air mattress in the back of the Outback. Has anyone tried this? Does it fit okay?
I once had to sleep in my outback for 3 weeks due to moving jobs and cities, so I used the futon mattress that I had for my futon bed. It fit perfectly, wasn’t too high nor too thin, extremely comfortable and with blackout curtains pinned all around the windows at night, i slept like I was right at home.
@Taran
My husband thinks this is a terrible idea, but thankfully he won’t be joining me, haha. To me, it sounds cozy. I also read that you can get these pullover window screens to keep the windows down while keeping bugs out.
@Noah
Yep, those are inexpensive and totally worth it. I’ve used them before and they’re great!
I just set up for camping in my Outback and used a twin air mattress. It worked great, honestly! I didn’t lower the passenger seat, but I’m pretty short. My dog also slept at my feet on her bed. I’ve got the window covers from Climate Tech, and a funny ‘Don’t Narcan Me’ sign for when I sleep in my friend’s driveway in Baltimore. I slept better in the Outback than I expected!
@Valen
Just to clarify: if you have a manual passenger seat, you can remove the headrest and lower the seat to almost be flush with the back seat. I was too excited to try this out while camping, but I plan to next time!
@Valen
Thanks for the tips! I’ll give that a try next time.
I’ve got an Outback now but used to have an Impreza. I used a full-size Walmart blow-up mattress in my Impreza, and it fit perfectly. Since it fit in my Impreza, I’m sure it will fit in an Outback as well.
@Nev
Thanks for the reassurance! I feel better about it now.
I bought my '18 Outback specifically for camping trips. At that time, there weren’t many new cars that offered proper lie-flat seats when the back seats are down. I camp often, and with the right air mattress like Exped, Luno, or Deep Sleep, it’s a great setup. It takes a little time to get used to, but it’s amazing once you have everything set up right. Don’t forget to manage your car electronics though, like the carabiner trick, and don’t leave the lights on overnight.
@Lilly
What’s the carabiner trick?
I think the floor dimensions in the Outback are 75 inches long by 43-44 inches wide. A regular twin mattress should fit. If you raise the platform to go over the wheel wells, it should accommodate a full-size mattress too.
I haven’t tried a traditional twin air mattress, but I used a backpacking air mattress in my Outback, and it was great. There are air mattresses designed specifically for the Outback that fit the contours of the space. The only thing is, if you’re tall, you might have to sleep diagonally or curl up a bit.
@Zenith
The air mattress designed for the Outback is definitely worth it. My partner and one kid prefer the comfort of the car, while the other kid and I prefer to sleep in a tent. The air mattress works great for us.
@Zenith
Luckily, I’m just an inch taller than you! I’ll bring my backpacking mattress too. I thought about buying one of those custom-fit ones, but they’re pretty pricey, and this is probably the only trip I’ll need it for.
@Noah
Yeah, for a one-time trip, the custom ones aren’t worth the price.
What’s a backpacking air mattress?
Wayne said:
What’s a backpacking air mattress?
It’s an air mattress that rolls up small, about the size of a coffee can, and uses compressible material inside to provide support when it’s inflated.
You can fit a full-size mattress in the back, no problem.
Yes, but it’s not ideal. I recommend getting the Millard Tri-fold mattress. It’s a game changer.