How cold is to cold to sleep in truck?

[Mossberg90MN]

Opening morning for me is gonna be cold! It will warm up as the week goes on but the morning is going to be cold, 16 degree low. Going to about 30 in the day.

My plan was to drive out to my spot and roost a bird and then sleep in my truck at a nearby campsite, But 16 degrees is gonna be miserable in the truck. Considering I've never slept in my truck before so I don't really now all that's required for it to be decent.

Hoping to hear from some guys who travel and just crash in there car/truck.

It's looking like I'm gonna have to drive back and fourth from home for the first couple days but that's just over 2 hours one way, over 4 total.

Thanks!

[BamaBigswamp]

I do it every year. I just sleep in my hunting clothes layered up get in a sleeping bag and kick back in the seat. We may turn the truck on a couple of times during the night to warm up for a few minutes. We've gotten used to it. It's not terrible   Any where from the teens to mid 30s

[1iagobblergetter]

Have plenty of fuel and leave it run with the heat on. No way am I trying to sleep at 16 degrees with no heat. Gas is cheap now anyway. Get a good night's sleep and let'r run..

[Greg Massey]

I can tell you from experience , sleeping in you truck below freezing is cold. Makes for miserable night of sleeping . I don't know if you wouldn't be better off sleeping in small tent with cot and good sleeping bag , instead of your truck.. one of those Buddy heaters would also be nice.

[Happy hooker]

Shame on you guy your a Minnesotan!! Land of the icehouse we can keep warm jigging walleyes at 20 below,,all you need is a portable propane heater,,a little or big buddy or a sunflower style can be had for $20,,in fact check craigslist now because ice season is over and you can probably get a good used one.
In the cab or in the back topper in a van,suv,or back seat of a car,,crack the window for ventilation and the problem you might have is being too warm,,can't count how many times I've fallen asleep to the hum of a propane heater,,steelheading, grouse hunting,Turkey or on lake Minnetonka.

[Sir-diealot]

I would first ask are you planning to sleep in the cab or in the bed? Does the bed have a cover? If in the bed I would suggest that the first thing you do if you can't get off the floor of it is to put some form of pad that will act as a form of insulation between you and the cold metal of the truck floor. A good sleep pad could work for you or a couple of thick blankets under you, even a piece of cheap cut foam would work. They make mattresses to go in the back of a truck now too, they would be a good idea, just make sure you clean the truck out well so there is nothing sharp to puncture it.

for on top of you if you are lucky and can use wool I would say some good wool blankets or other type of blankets, maybe a few of them. I would go to the hunting section of Wal-Mart and get one of those heat reflecting tarps, they reflect 95 or 98 percent of your body heat back at you. You could use one under you and one over the top of you or if big enough fold it back over the top of you like a taco shell along with blankets.

I would suggest some good base layer clothing to sleep in, something that breathes and wicks moisture away from you. Wear a night hat, even a baseball cap that does not have mesh can help hold in body heat.

[guesswho]

If you do leave the motor running for any length of time, leave a couple windows cracked.  I had a buddy in high school do that and he and his girlfriend died from carbon monoxide. 

[Liljake]

A thick sleeping bag and some hand warmers. I wear a wool hat and a hoodie with hand warmer pockets.
I put a hand warmer in each pocket of the hoodie one in the bottom of bag for my feet and one by my neck.

[Happy hooker]

If sleeping in the back of a topper,,have a wizz bottle,,very inconvenient to get up put on shoes open tailgate let warm air out,,then crawl back in. Been there done that million times.

[strum]

I know im a southerner when i say it but, forget that crap. Why do you have to sleep in the truck?

[Happy hooker]

I don't know that you want to stay in motels right now,,

[Mossberg90MN]

Shame on you guy your a Minnesotan!! Land of the icehouse we can keep warm jigging walleyes at 20 below,,all you need is a portable propane heater,,a little or big buddy or a sunflower style can be had for $20,,in fact check craigslist now because ice season is over and you can probably get a good used one.
In the cab or in the back topper in a van,suv,or back seat of a car,,crack the window for ventilation and the problem you might have is being too warm,,can't count how many times I've fallen asleep to the hum of a propane heater,,steelheading, grouse hunting,Turkey or on lake Minnetonka.

I know I know!!! The cold gets to me though! I'm okay while it in the 20s but anything below that I just freeze! Luckily Ice fishing this year me and some guys from work chipped in on an ice castle.

You don't mind using those propane heaters in the cab?


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[GobbleNut]

First of all, NEVER run your truck engine or use any sort of gas/fuel-run heater in an enclosed space and go to sleep.  You may not wake up again!  People die of carbon monoxide poisoning every year doing that.

Back to the subject,....yes, you can be very comfortable sleeping in your truck cab in very cold temps.  I do it every year in temps that get down to the low or mid teens at night.  Wear enough clothes and have enough sleeping bags/blankets over you and you will be fine. 

If, for whatever reason, you still get cold, you can turn on your vehicle engine or warm up your cab with a heater, BUT you should stay awake and turn either back off before falling asleep again.  If you have adequate "covers", you probably would not have to do that.

Waking up and getting ready to go in the morning is the real issue for me.  Uncovering and getting boots and clothes on in a tight space when the temps are way low can be a bit chilly.  Wake up five minutes earlier than you would otherwise and then turn that heater on for a few minutes to warm the cab (or camper shell) and you will be cozy.  Of course, your comfort in sleeping in your vehicle cab is also dependent on your size, your truck's cab size, and your ability to sleep in possibly cramped quarters. 

The one specific hint I would give you is to check how far your front seats will fold down towards the back (in 4-door or king cabs).  Some front truck seats will fold down almost completely flat. It took me a few years before I realized that,...and sleeping with the seat folded down made all the difference in the world for me.  When hunting by myself,...and especially if I am hunting a large area like a NF or large WMA or the like where I might be covering lots of country and relocating every night, I will often just sleep in my truck right where I am going to hunt.  The added advantage is that you are always there first that way!

[Sir-diealot]

If sleeping in the back of a topper,,have a wizz bottle,,very inconvenient to get up put on shoes open tailgate let warm air out,,then crawl back in. Been there done that million times.

And I thought I was learning disabled!

[Mossberg90MN]

I know im a southerner when i say it but, forget that crap. Why do you have to sleep in the truck?

Mainly to avoid driving back and fourth and only getting between 4-5 hours of sleep a night. Just easier to crash in the truck.

I would stay In a hotel, but it's gonna run me about $100 a night, or I can just crash in my truck for free. Even gas would be about $20-$25 a day.