Who Needs a Hotel?!?!

Who Needs a Hotel?!?! Pics Added

This isn't IDI specific, but the van is a 7.3 IDI and I thought you might get a kick out of it.......

In a couple of weeks I will be taking my 2 youngest to a weekend soccer tournament a few hours away. We end up going to these tournaments 3-5 times a year and I always hate having to spend a few hundred dollars on a hotel room for the weekend. Since this time it is just me and the 2 boys instead of the whole family I decided we were going to make use of the van instead of a hotel room. Not sure if we will be getting a campsite or doing some urban camping.......but the first step is sleeping accommodations. Pulled the 2 back benches and went to work.
Took some measurements and build the first frame. I was able to go 28"x72":


Then I built the 2nd frame to match and left an isle in the middle:


Threw some OSB on top of it so there would be a solid surface for a couple of air mattresses:


My boys showing how they fit on them:



A couple of shots with the doors closed:



I tested one out. They are smaller than a twin bed, but I am able to stretch out and they are wide enough that I don't worry about falling off if I move around. Width wise it feels kind of like sleeping on a couch. They are light and easily installed/removed with 2 people. You can also attach them to each other if you wanted to make 1 larger bed, or remove one if you are solo and want to maximize your interior room for something else. The best part is that it was a little under $50 in materials, so even if I only end up using it once i still come out ahead. And yes, feel free to crack all the "Cheap skate" jokes you want.......I wear it like a badge of honor.

I am sure I will find good and bad things during the weekend of camping out...

Ain't nothing cheap skate about it.
I like it.
Besides, don't have to worry about bedbugs or whatever else you may pick up from a hotel/motel.

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nice setup!

Great idea and good money saved for other "things". Only down side I can see is a bathroom need in the night. Even that can be handled easily. Your boys look happy bout the new digs too. Hope the trip is safe and fun. Make some memories too but please take pics. We all enjoy living thru pics here....

Urban camping is becoming very popular and sounds like fun.

I agree, not cheap, smart. I've never had a van but I have an aluminum topper that I deploy for similar use...your set up looks more comfortable than mine.

Thanks guys. I think it will be fun. Besides the money savings, I think of it as kind of an adventure......but I am strange. My boys think it's cool too.......although I would never get away with it if the wife were coming along.

As far as the bathroom thing, being all guys makes it easier. All we need is a small bunch of trees. If this is something I do more often, there are always small camping porta-potties that you can carry and use in an emergency.

the nice thing about campgrounds isn't just a place to go number 2, but they often have very nice showers too.some places are much more affordable than others.it's worth checking around online to plan a trip.sometimes ya can just camp overnight but by day two people might not want to be around ya. once i get to day 3,i don't want to be around myself lol.depends on where im going,how long and how many people will be around,as to where i'll plan my stops.being that generally i can drive thru and pay at the pump and stay away from others i generally push a couple days.3 is my limit though haha.im all for saving too.it does look like fun and it will be for sure.

i love the expressions on your boys faces.the little feller is like "oh yeah dad this is going to be super cool! i can't wait!" and your older teen is like; "ok yeah dad,your alight.your cool" i think you earned some super cool dad points for this one!

FORDF250HDXLT said:

the nice thing about campgrounds isn't just a place to go number 2, but they often have very nice showers too.some places are much more affordable than others.it's worth checking around online to plan a trip.sometimes ya can just camp overnight but by day two people might not want to be around ya. once i get to day 3,i don't want to be around myself lol.depends on where im going,how long and how many people will be around,as to where i'll plan my stops.being that generally i can drive thru and pay at the pump and stay away from others i generally push a couple days.3 is my limit though haha.im all for saving too.it does look like fun and it will be for sure.

i love the expressions on your boys faces.the little feller is like "oh yeah dad this is going to be super cool! i can't wait!" and your older teen is like; "ok yeah dad,your alight.your cool" i think you earned some super cool dad points for this one!

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The shower thing at a campground is a big plus. The issue that I am running in to is that most of the campgrounds I have contacted have closed their tent sites for the season since the temperatures have started to drop at night. I would have to pay for a full hook-up site and some places have rules about the age/type of the camper etc that can rent a full hook-up site. Probably to try and keep it "upscale" for their target customer base.

As far as showers on the go, I have been looking at this. Since I have a van, I can open up the barn doors and hang a curtain up for privacy. Of course, I would still wear a bathing suit just in case. For a warm shower I could heat water on my camp stove. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...8-418e-5f65-8398-6a14006c4ab4&pf_rd_i=3401561

Looks good. Add a futon mattress for each one, and you will have a comfortable sleeping area. With so much room, there is lots you could do. Makes me wonder if making one side a bunk bed is possible.

firehawk said:

Looks good. Add a futon mattress for each one, and you will have a comfortable sleeping area. With so much room, there is lots you could do. Makes me wonder if making one side a bunk bed is possible.

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panel van and dual murphy beds!

inspiring!
another thing you may wanna think about is a small space heater, ran on a inverter from a separate battery.
me and the woman have been brainstorming on the bed build Im about to embark on.
some of the items are, a ******* that will fold up into the bumper, pull out BBQ, a marine heat exchanger in the cooling system to heat water.
independent 120V provisions w/solar panels(more for coffee and music) but the 1 thing were fighting over is a stack...
she wants it to keep the exhaust away from the "camp site", but I cant stand stacks!

IDIoit said:

inspiring! 1 thing were fighting over is a stack...
she wants it to keep the exhaust away from the "camp site", but I cant stand stacks!

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Make it detachable with a couple rivnuts and thumb screws?

Ummmm... I only count two beds? Might need to ad bunks on one side

For washroom facilities google "bumper dumper"