Transhumance or dirtbaggin' while still having an apartment (kinda).

I can't even begin to imagine living here in NY in my van in winter, and I have a luxe set up. Leaving my dog (RIP Teddy, I mean a dog in general) alone in a vehicle while I worked 40 hours a week would be inhumane. The dog might freeze to death, and would for sure get crazed with boredom. To leave the dog at the house with roomates who may very well resent the set-up they had put upon them seems like a very bad idea too.

I do understand the desire for reduced shelter expenses. Having lived a fairly posh lifestyle in NYC, a stripped down off-grid way of being in the woods, and an on-the-road existence, I would need to make a GOOD amount of money to make it worthwhile to pay rent again or (gawd forbid) a mortgage. The thought of handing over several hundred dollars a month just for a roof and hot running water? So glad I don't need to do this any more.

But....that'snot what the OP is thinking about. He just wants to live in the vehicle. I say - take it for a test spin. You obviously make enough money to keep up the apartment. Instead of committing to something which is going to suck very much(because it is winter, and you are in NY), just go ahead and do it, and see how it feels.

Unless a person really hadn't other options, I can't imagine actually choosing to live out of a vehicle in NY in winter. I know a few who have done it, but.... brrrr! They were not happy campers in any way, shape or form.

So I live in a sucky place. Let's call it Northern New York.
You started your initial post with this statement and I would say hold on a minute. If you are in upstate NY and in the military its got to be around Fort Drum. Refocus, slow down,look around, buy a pair of snow shoes,crampons, a fly rod. You are living on the edge of the largest forest preserve in the lower 48, larger then most national forests with a wealth of crags within a couple of hours, dependable lake effects snow, miles of trails, lakes and streams. If you do not make the most of this opportunity now, someday you will see it as something missed.

Jon D wrote:I am jealous of you guys from places like boulder, wa, and bishop

They all mostly probably weren't born in those places :D

they dirtbagged it up and explored their way there probably :D

Can't the army transfer you to a place that is much cooler than NY? Like... anywhere?

AirBnB

Jon D wrote:I'm currentliy debating whether to take out the back seat and do the sleeping platform or the whole roof box thing.

Roof boxes typically drop MPG. A lot. It depends on the vehicle, but I have read claims of 10 - 25% reduction in MPG on the highway. I know roof boxes really affect Priuses (50 MPG down to 35-40). I have a roof box on my Jetta TDI and I can get the rated fuel economy of 40MPG, but I have to drive 60 MPH (slooow), and I have a diesel engine which is typically less affected by load than gasoline engines. So if you can fit all your stuff in your vehicle without taking up too much space, I would go that route.

Obviously in any living situation everyone needs to be happy. While some may see it as an invasion of space and privacy (totally understandable and probably applies to most), others may enjoy your company and cheaper rent. Communication is key, as per usual.

And yes, you can still have a badass dirtbagging rig!

To answer your question, I've pondered a few setups and have settled, at least for now, with just folding down the rear seats and stacking gear on the left side (a net retention system can be handy). When the rear seats are needed all it takes is a quick reorganize. Lots of gear tetris for sure.

I do sacrifice a little gas mileage by using a rocket box. It's mostly for wet skis, but space is the name of the game and it really comes in handy for other stuff too. A hitch mounted storage tray/bike carrier would be sweet for extra fuel/water.

Some buddies of mine have made bed platform systems, like the classic truck setup, that slide or hinge back to allow the use of the rear seats when needed. This is probably the way to go for sleeping two people. But it also sacrifices the ability to sit upright. I'm usually solo, and really appreciate being able to sit up, especially for changing clothes and just chillin with a book.

For a while my gear was on the right side for the sake of more balanced weight distribution on the suspension (this is a common concern with westys), but I've realized that gear on the left side is better. While in the drivers seat you can lean over and slide the passenger seat forward, then just slide back into bed. Super incognito, just slide back into the drivers seat in the morning. No contorting your way out the side door like some bum sleeping in his car. Haha. To make room for two I just take a little extra time and put the gear bins/packs in the front seats, maybe put a few packs behind those seats to extend the bed.

As for "dirtbag training", for sure anyone can just go for it and be fine. Though with some experience I've learned little tricks that help with living in a little space. It can take some time to really narrow down what is and is not necessary. At least for me, it has just gotten easier and more comfortable with time.

It's been 3 years we have done the primitive setup part time dirt bagging and really love it. Going for 2 to 3 days sometimes a week in a row things you appreciate the most is : darkness, quiet, comfy temp ( hot is worse than cold) , and being able to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Walmart and truck stops solve a lot of " where to park overnight and be safe" problems. A navigation app on your phone is simply a must especially in new areas. Showers are no problem with a 24 hour gym membership and truck stops have showers and laundromats. Being able to keep things neat and organized is huge! The solution being to bring only essential stuff. Organizing clothes being the hardest part.
Our next step is upgrading to a sprinter sized van after 3 years and taking on a full time mobile living with an option of occasional motel stay a few times a month.
One thing I have learned is you are never bored. Always busy either cleaning and organizing gear and clothes, showering, getting food or planning the next stop that is besides climbing and exploring the new areas. Oh yea..working too! So far we got used to it so much stationary life is way too boring.
Happy trails!

Bill Wa wrote:It's been 3 years we have done the primitive setup part time dirt bagging and really love it. Going for 2 to 3 days sometimes a week in a row things you appreciate the most is : darkness, quiet, comfy temp ( hot is worse than cold) , and being able to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Walmart and truck stops solve a lot of " where to park overnight and be safe" problems. A navigation app on your phone is simply a must especially in new areas. Showers are no problem with a 24 hour gym membership and truck stops have showers and laundromats. Being able to keep things neat and organized is huge! The solution being to bring only essential stuff. Organizing clothes being the hardest part. Our next step is upgrading to a sprinter sized van after 3 years and taking on a full time mobile living with an option of occasional motel stay a few times a month. One thing I have learned is you are never bored. Always busy either cleaning and organizing gear and clothes, showering, getting food or planning the next stop that is besides climbing and exploring the new areas. Oh yea..working too! So far we got used to it so much stationary life is way too boring. Happy trails!

Haha indeed darkness and clothes. First thing I did was murder out the windows for privacy (curtains are normal in a van, but not so much in a car), and going slightly darker than legal really helps keep the light out when sleeping in. Aside from some formal wear, most of my clothes have been narrowed down to what is also suitable for climbing. Lots of khaki softshell pants.

Hot is definitely worse than cold. Bug screens are great for getting some precious wind flow, sans bugs. Also love a windshield sunshade to help with heat, as well as privacy.

Come spring time (we just got 6 inches more snow)definitely will get those window tints. I've usually just wrapped up in a sleeping bag in the dark corner of the lot, but that's kinda old for sitting up things, like reading and changing socks.

@kevin, for the folded down right seat sleeping method, how did you deal with the slight un-level-ness in the back of the Subie? For mine, the rear is a little lower than the front. I usually sleep with my feet toward the front, because I'd rather have my feet hang over the overhang than my head, but it would be sweet if completely flat.

Seems to me you might be focusing a bit too much on the means (living in your car) rather than the ends. What do you want to DO? Climb every day? Travel to famous climbing areas? Just get off the grid a bit?

Once you figure out what it is you really want, then you can start figuring out how to get there. It's a lot easier to go from A to B when you know where B is.

Personally, I used to work 9-5 in an office and had an apartment on a year lease. I was probably 2 hours from outdoor climbing so I could only really get outdoors on weekends. I decided I wanted to live somewhere I could climb during the week and I wanted the freedom to travel. I really didn't want to live in my car but was willing to do that if I needed to.

Turned out I didn't need to. Took a bit of doing on my part and admittedly more than a bit of luck, but I finally managed to work out an arrangement to work remotely so I can work from basically anywhere that has internet. I don't make tons of money but enough to keep a roof over my head and pay for climbing gear. I moved to Boulder for about 7 months, then went on a 1.5 month road trip to Red Rock and Joshua Tree, and now finally decided to stop for a bit in Bishop.

Of course there are tradeoffs. I do actually have to work during the day, but the company I work for is based on the East Coast so they usually wrap things up around 2pm (5pm EST) -- plenty of time for some afternoon climbing. I need to have a stable place to work from so I do pay rent and it's not always cheap (especially since I have to find short term rentals that are furnished). It's not the "dirtbag dream" but for my personal preferences it's the best of both worlds.

I guess what I'm trying to say is figure out WHAT you want to do, then figure out HOW to do it. Maybe you will decide that you want the freedom of no job and living on the road, and in that case go for it. But if you just want to climb/run a lot, I'd first put some thought into easier / more sustainable ways to do it.

Maybe he is all about the Journey not the End? Just get out there and do it. Being able to live in a car will make you more resilient, it opens up the sence of freedom you never experienced before. It's a journey after all. Go with your gut feeling and you can't go wrong. You will figure things out in time.

Ryan - I hear ya, definitely good to set yourself up for the situation you want. Having a house in a prime destination would definitely be nice. I'm personally taking advantage of my job schedule that is a few weeks on/off to get out there and explore. I want to constantly be on the move and don't want to be influenced to go back to the same place simply because I'm paying rent there. The way for me do that is live in my van or wagon. However I've also always been fascinated by the freedom and spontaneity that living in a vehicle offers, and on that note....

Bill - It's that freedom you speak of that got me so psyched in the first place. It started when I was still finishing my degree and I had some friends who mostly lived out of their cars, working seasonal gigs patrolling or guiding. While they got month to month leases here and there, they could literally pack their belongings into their cars in minutes. I realized that was awesome. I began to feel trapped by having a year long lease, and especially by having too many material items. As graduation approached I donated and gave away most of my unnecessary stuff. That was such a great, relieving feeling. Haven't looked back since. And yes I totally agree that this lifestyle changes one for the better. I've for sure become more resilient, collected, organized, more social. It's definitely hard to get bored. I think it opens ones perspective, similar to what a traveler experiences.

To address your question, maybe it depends on the model? Mine is an '06 outback and I haven't noticed the unevenness you speak of. Being 6'2" I also prefer to let my feet hang towards the front, and I usually try to park facing slightly downhill for that reason. But sometimes you have to park the other way, or forget to.. in that case I just stack a couple packs behind the passenger seat to act as a bed extension and put my pillow on those.