【Car Camping with DIY】A bed made from Electra pipes, how comfortable is it?

A DIY bed assembled with Electra pipes. To check its usability, we headed to a car camping site. Will this carefully made new item become an indispensable companion for future travels?

Departing with the bed assembled! There were hidden benefits as well

In the last article, we followed the process until the bed was completed, but this time I actually want to try using it.

When departing for the campsite, the frame can be disassembled, but the top board is large, and it seems tough to lay it flat anyway, so I will depart with the frame assembled. As expected, storing it in the assembled state does take up space, so I chose a smaller soft cooler than usual.

The frame extending near my hands is not only not a hindrance, but I also found out it serves as an armrest I wanted previously. With these hidden benefits, it became a promising start to the journey.

One point I want to correct is that I am concerned about the top board shifting on the frame on winding roads. However, resetting the bed would interfere with driving, so I feel this needs to be addressed.

Impressed by the ease of setup! A space where you can spend fulfilling time

Arriving at the campsite. Normally, I would set up a tent and tarp, but just shifting the top board completes the sleeping area. It's too easy...

Now I just have to place the Therm-a-Rest mat and air mattress, so the only thing left to do is start a fire. While having minimal effort is very nice, I was unsure how to spend the time.

I felt there was no need to take out the chair, so I was sitting on the cargo area, and it turned out that the bed could serve as a table. I often sit on the rear bumper to enjoy the scenery, but I might improve this space to make it more comfortable and create a relaxation area just for myself.

For camp food, I had grilled duck and sukiyaki bought from a direct sales store. It was fresh and incredibly delicious without any gamey smell. Combined with the excitement of spending time in the cozy space I worked hard to set up, it turned out to be the best night filled with a sense of fulfillment.

The sleeping comfort is excellent! I also understood the points of minor changes.

As for the crucial sleeping comfort, it's definitely better than previous car camping or tents! I didn’t realize that having no step in the sleeping area would improve the quality of sleep this much.

The bed itself is perfect and poses no issues, but the legs on the passenger side could be a little lower by 1 to 2 cm to make it more comfortable. I'm pondering whether to make that adjustment.

It's not a big trouble, but the smartphone holder that I had attached to the air conditioner's air vent came off while I was sleeping, hitting the sleeping bag. It's a valuable storage space in the Jimny with limited holders, but depending on my sleeping position, it can interfere.

I felt that the possibilities of my journey have expanded, and my homemade bed was a big success.

After leaving the campsite, I arrived at a parking lot near the lakeshore. Looking at the surface of the large lake calms my heart.

Even when I come to such soothing spots, I can simply set up the tabletop and lie down to relax or take a nap. It really feels like I can comfortably stay anywhere, increasing the freedom of my travels and making me feel like the world has widened.

The theme was to actually use the bed and highlight its merits and areas for improvement, and I received various feedback, making it a very meaningful trip. I also plan to implement new ideas and make improvements.

Reporting/Article by Kazuma Tanaka

Search Yazaki Kako's Electra pipes on Amazon