Ever since we bought a 2022 Subaru Crosstrek, my wife, Mercedes Lilienthal, and I wondered about finding a way to comfortably camp inside it. After all, being inside a vehicle offers extra protection from the elements, a quieter environment, and additional comforts.
Enter Sleep Ride Solutions, a new company located in Portland, Ore. It offers compact wooden platforms to let you sleep inside a 2018–2023 Crosstrek. Simply move the front seats forward, fold the back seat down, and install.
I found the company via a Facebook group, and reached out to owner/founder Dan Sepulveda, who had just launched the business. Since I’m also in Portland, he came by to deliver a sample for review. Could this in-vehicle sleep setup be what I’ve been after?
In short: The first product from Sleep Ride Solutions offers a simple, practical, and sturdy sleep platform for the Subaru Crosstrek. It is competitively priced with the competition, but it does have room for improvement.
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Simple, functional, and sturdy -
Low-profile design provides maximum interior volume -
Easily stowable -
Fast disassembly
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Securing platforms to headrest supports is tricky -
Wooden legs look dated
Sleep Ride Solutions Review
The Concept
Sepulveda had a two-door Volvo C30 and took a road trip in it from Portland, Ore., to Salt Lake City. “From years of pushing the front seat forward when loading groceries and noticing the gap between the seat and folded rear seats, I realized I could fill that space and create the perfect sleeping setup for my 5’11” frame,” he said.
He wanted something simple and practical without needing to make permanent modifications to the car. A couple of years later, he got a Subaru Crosstrek, and knew it could be a great place to sleep with the right setup.
After a few crude designs, he partnered with CNC professionals to standardize the pattern and came up with the Sleep Ride Solutions platform for the Crosstrek.
The Sleep Ride Solutions Double Side Platform: What’s Included
Made in Portland, Sleep Ride Solutions offers the Single Side Platform for one sleeper, or the Double Side Platform for two. We’re checking out the double.
Made from high-quality birch-veneered plywood that’s been CNC routed, the Double Side Platform includes a two-piece main deck with a carry handle and magnets to hold both halves together when stowed. There are four wooden legs with large rubber feet that screw into the platform, and three supports go into the rear seat’s headrest holes, also screwing into the base.
The three headrest supports have wooden locating pegs and knobs attached to bolts, which attach to the platform’s base. The headrest supports have steel rods that get inserted into the back seat’s headrest holes (a patent-pending design). These support the platform as do the screw-on legs, which rest in the footwells.
A (Mostly) Straightforward Installation
Setting up the system is straightforward for the most part. Slide both front seats all the way forward and tilt the seatbacks all the way toward the dash. Next, remove the rear seat’s headrests and lower the rear seats.
Install the three Sleep Ride headrest supports in the factory headrest holes with the knobs facing down. Screw the legs onto either side of the platform. Secure the platform to the headrest supports by lining up the wooden pegs and screws with the corresponding holes in the platform. Tighten the knobs, and you’re ready to add your bedding (not included).
Lining up the headrest supports’ pegs and bolts to the sleeping platform can be challenging. The headrest supports may need to be adjusted in and out to find the coordinating holes on the platform’s underside. Crouching outside the vehicle and wearing a headlamp can help locate the holes. Once the pegs meet the holes, you can turn the four knobs to tighten everything up.
The legs rest in the footwells, providing the platform’s support. Take note if you have aftermarket floor mats. I have Husky Liners, which work well with this setup, but others might not be as accommodating. Our former Tuxmat units wouldn’t allow the seats to move all the way forward, for example.
Pre-Camping Considerations
Tip: Do a couple of practice installations before camping to find the best way to affix the platform to the headrest supports.
Also, think about where you’re going to put your factory headrests, the rear tonneau cover, and your gear once the Sleep Ride system is assembled. Your body will be taking up most of the cargo space!
With the front seats scooted all the way forward, there’s some room on the seats, in the front foot wells, and under the platform in the rear footwell for stuff. A roof box is an ideal solution if you need to stow more gear. We have a Thule Motion 3 where we can stash our gear.
Once installed, you won’t be able to drive the car, as the driver’s seat will be all the way forward. So before you set the Sleep Ride system up, make sure your Crosstrek is parked where you want it for camp.
A Stable Sleeper
When the system is set up, it’s very sturdy. And while the round wooden legs with the big rubber feet aren’t exactly sexy, they work well. They’re definitely function over form, even if they look like they came from a piece of 1980s furniture.
We used a 4-inch-thick Exped MegaMat Duo in the medium size as our mattress of choice. We also employed a Sea to Summit Ascent 15° women’s and Ascent 15° unisex sleeping bag in the car.
After crawling into our “Chateau Crosstrek” and getting cozy, you’d never know the platform was even there. If you were using a thinner mattress/pad, you might notice a center bulge where the armrest protrudes or where the rear seats join the cargo area. We didn’t with the MegaMat Duo.
If you were using individual sleeping pads, however, the armrest isn’t an issue. The Sleep Ride platform doesn’t touch it regardless.
Space to Sleep
I’m 5’7” tall and had plenty of space lengthwise with approximately 4 inch before my toes hit the liftgate. I’d say you could be 6’ and likely still be fine without needing to bend your knees to sleep.
My wife, Mercedes, and I slept side by side with our Ascent bags zipped together to create a two-person sleeping setup. We had plenty of room widthwise, too.
When it’s time to break camp, disassembling the Sleep Ride is far faster than setting it up. Simply unscrew everything and stow it away. The flat components will store easily in the car, or at home under beds, couches, or in closets.
How It Compares to Other Crosstrek Camping Options
Sleep Ride Solutions isn’t the first company to develop a way to sleep in a Crosstrek. A number of companies offer thick inflatable air mattresses. Luno offers its system, which consists of an inflatable mattress and suspends the front portion using straps around the front headrests. This is to prevent the mattress from falling into the rear footwell.
Then there are universal setups, such as car camping cots. Hele Box has adjustable legs; REI has a version, too. These aren’t model-specific and may be too tall for something as small as a Crosstrek. Their universal fitments can be used in a variety of vehicles, however.
The Sleep Ride Solutions system is low-profile and made specifically for this make and model, which leads to a very sturdy setup. Since it’s not universal, like cots, it can only be used in the 2018–2023 Crosstrek, however. At the time of this writing, the Sleep Ride Duo was less expensive than the offerings from Luno or Hele by about $50.
Sleep Ride Solutions Review: Conclusions
The platform setup I tested was literally the company’s first production unit. And even for the initial version, I’m impressed. Sepulveda has developed a solid system that’s compact, stowable, low-profile, and sturdy. However, I’d like to see a carry bag and an easier headrest-to-platform attachment method.
Sepulveda assures me that he’s been thinking about all this, as well as the potential for using other materials for components, such as the legs. And while the ’18–’23 Crosstrek is the company’s initial offering, Sleep Ride Solutions is already looking forward to Subaru Forester– and Outback-compatible models.
Potential Crosstrek car campers take note — there’s a new sleeping setup offering available, and it just might meet your compact camping needs.
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