stealth camping / sleeping for 2

[vtarider65]

Hello ,

Long time lurker ]. finally going to make the plunge for a Hawk , may go down to order new in the next couple of weeks unless I find a used one I love.
I'm either getting the front dinette or couch model .If I was to just want to stealth camp ( no pop -up) and grab 4-6 hrs of sleep on the road, to cover some miles . Is it impossible for 2 people to crash for a few hours on the front dinette couch ( I realize were talking some spooning will be needed to fit .I'm 6' 200 she's 5'5" 130 .
Is this unrealistic ...? most the time we'd camp , but if we wanted to knock out Ventura -Ketchum and grab a 4 hr nap .


Thanks for your opinions

Dave

 

[pods8]

Mock it up on your bed at home, put dresser drawers or something ~32" from the side of your mattress and both of you take a nap on it.

More room that snuggling and napping together on a normal household couch (if you can do that) less room that a twin bed.

Not the most comfortable thing imho for a full night sleep but as long as you two are good about snuggling together for a nap seems perfectly practical too.

 

[m5040]

What do you expect for temperature range? If hot, you may want more room.

 

[BillTheHiker]

My understanding is the FWC campers are virtually airtight, so ample ventillation is important. In stealth mode I open the overhead vent and a couple of turnbuckle access ports to promote air flow. A few years ago someone posted here in WTW they were asleep in their new FWC with it buttoned up tight and were awakened by a CO2 alarm which they indicated very likely saved their lives.

 

[camper rich]

My understanding is the FWC campers are virtually airtight, so ample ventillation is important. In stealth mode I open the overhead vent and a couple of turnbuckle access ports to promote air flow. A few years ago someone posted here in WTW they were asleep in their new FWC with it buttoned up tight and were awakened by a CO2 alarm which they indicated very likely saved their lives.

My Grandby is not air tight, especially if there is a cold wind blowing against the pasenger side. Lots of cold air comes in around the Isotherm 130. BTW a Grandby FD has a much bigger downstairs bed than a Hawk FD, and we have slept down there a lot, especially when the wind is too loud. You can also crack the windows for air if needed.

 

[PaulT]

Our Hawk has always leaked cold air around the fridge that could be quite a cold breeze at times. For a recent trip I bought some of the Alien Seal tape (in spite of their adverts). Applied it down both sides of the fridge inside the camper and was pleasantly surprised that it worked very well. No cold breeze from the gaps around the fridge. Longevity is suspected to be up to a year.

Paul

 

[vtarider65]

Thanks for all the input , points & to ponder .... so 32" is the width of the front dinette ?
In your opinion if you were trying to get a quick 4 hrs and hit the road again , roll over couch VS front dinette ?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Thanks for all the input , points & to ponder .... so 32" is the width of the front dinette ?
In your opinion if you were trying to get a quick 4 hrs and hit the road again , roll over couch VS front dinette ?

For two people, (IMO) the roll over couch is the better choice, but… you won’t have an aisle.

 

[fuzzymarindave]

I have the roll-over couch layout in a Hawk and have slept there many times solo and couple times double. Sometimes with the top latched down.

 

[adamxcl]

I am good with the roll over. It is perfect for stealth sleeping here and there or during weather related times when having the top up seemed more risky. There are also times when bear activity means a campground won’t along tents or popups/soft sides. But if you keep the top down, you are good. Had to do that a few times in places like Glacier NP.

 

[bsharp007]

Roll over with the top down and comfortable and I'm 6' 3". No one knows you're there.

 

[DavidGraves]

Good Topic here

Another time we have had to sleep top down was in some severe weather ....hunkered down in lee of an old school house and made the best of it.

It is a good idea to understand how you could sleep if you get a weather surprise....in our case it was gusts to 70.

David Graves

 

[CPT Davenport]

I was wondering the length of the floor in a Hawk side dinette. Is it long enough to lay cushions from bed down and sleep one on floor and one on converted dinette?

 

[tailwalk]

I have a front dinette. I convert it to a bed and use it for stealth nap. But with my wife I just pop the roof up. It takes less than 5 minutes each way. Very comfortable 2-3hr nap.

 

[UmkaAndHawk]

My understanding is the FWC campers are virtually airtight, so ample ventillation is important. In stealth mode I open the overhead vent and a couple of turnbuckle access ports to promote air flow. A few years ago someone posted here in WTW they were asleep in their new FWC with it buttoned up tight and were awakened by a CO2 alarm which they indicated very likely saved their lives.

Not that I think my 2019 Hawk is airtight, but just open the turnbuckle ports if you want to be completely stealth and still have air.

 

[UmkaAndHawk]

Good Topic here

Another time we have had to sleep top down was in some severe weather ....hunkered down in lee of an old school house and made the best of it.

It is a good idea to understand how you could sleep if you get a weather surprise....in our case it was gusts to 70.

David Graves

Not that I'd be any more comfortable in that situation, but people report driving, on the highway, with their campers popped up (on accident, one assumes) and it's OK. That doesn't really tell me it's 100% OK for cross winds, but it does give me confidence about camping in wind.
Now, I say this, but I learned it because we had some signal while we were camping in a high wind area and I spent my time cruising this site and others trying to see if we were going to be OK.

 

[OutToLunch]

Not that I'd be any more comfortable in that situation, but people report driving, on the highway, with their campers popped up (on accident, one assumes) and it's OK. That doesn't really tell me it's 100% OK for cross winds, but it does give me confidence about camping in wind.
Now, I say this, but I learned it because we had some signal while we were camping in a high wind area and I spent my time cruising this site and others trying to see if we were going to be OK.

I am one of those people who drove with their camper (ATC Ocelot) popped up. Drove from Flagstaff to Two Guns (30 plus miles) on I-40 doing 65 before stopping to take the dogs for a walk around the ruins. Only then did I notice the camper was up. No damage except to gas mileage.

On the other hand, I was camping along the road to Johns Canyon this March when a windstorm kicked up 50-60 mph winds in the middle of the night. The camper was rocking, so I dropped the top and slept down below (side dinette).

 

[rchawk]

I was wondering the length of the floor in a Hawk side dinette. Is it long enough to lay cushions from bed down and sleep one on floor and one on converted dinette?

Yes, you could sleep one on the floor but I came up with a simple solution to sleep two on the side dinette. See https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/21734-sleeping-two-on-the-side-dinette/.

 

[CPT Davenport]

Yes, you could sleep one on the floor but I came up with a simple solution to sleep two on the side dinette. See https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/21734-sleeping-two-on-the-side-dinette/.

Thanks rchawk, what a great solution! My wheels are turning on a similar design. As my Hawk will have a couch section against the cab, I will only need to support the mid and aft sections of the platform. Nice work!

 

[rchawk]

Thanks rchawk, what a great solution! My wheels are turning on a similar design. As my Hawk will have a couch section against the cab, I will only need to support the mid and aft sections of the platform. Nice work!

I just looked at the Hawk floor plans to see the forward couch. That will make it even easier for you. I have since added solar and replaced the Yeti cooler with a 12V Dometic refrigerator, which is just a little taller than the Yeti so with shorter blocks I get the same height. We really like having this simple option to sleep two comfortably with the top down. Enjoy your new Hawk!