How to Choose a Car Camping Platform: 6 Things That Decide It

This is a buying guide for any brand's platform, including ours. If you're only comparing our six models, the comparison page does that side by side — this page is about what to look for before you get that far.

Every section below ends with the question to actually put to a seller, and what a real answer sounds like. A vague answer is information too.

1. Length beats volume

Cargo capacity in litres tells you almost nothing about whether you can sleep in a car. A tall boot and a long boot both post good litre figures, and only one of them lets you lie down — because volume also counts the rear foot-well, the space under a false floor, and the wedge of air up near the roof. None of that is somewhere you can put your shoulders.

Three numbers settle it, taken with the rear seats folded:

Measurement	How to take it	What it decides
Length	Tailgate to the back of the front seats — at the height the bed will sit, not along the floor	Whether you can lie straight
Width	At the narrowest point between the wheel arches, not the tailgate opening	One sleeper or two
Height	Boot floor to ceiling, where your head and shoulders will be	Sitting up, and how much fits underneath

The length one catches nearly everybody. The floor is the most generous line in the car. Higher up, the tailgate curves inward and the folded seatbacks rise, so the length you can actually lie in is shorter than the length you measured on the floor. Measure where the mattress will be.

Sanity check on your own dimensions: you want the surface a little longer than you are, because you bend your knees, roll over and lose a few centimetres to a pillow. A bed measured to your exact height feels short every night. If the numbers come up short, a roof tent, a diagonal layout or a longer vehicle is the honest answer — not a shorter bed.

2. Flat is not the same as level

Two separate problems, and most setups fix only one.

• The gap. Folded rear seats rarely sit flush with the boot floor. That step lands under your hips. A platform bridges it.
• The slope. Almost every boot floor tilts toward the tailgate. A rigid platform sitting on that floor inherits the angle exactly — flat, and still sloping. You spend the night sliding toward the back door.

Fixed legs solve the gap. Independently adjustable legs solve both.

There's a geometry reason this is harder than it looks, and it's worth knowing as a buyer. Four fixed legs on an uneven floor will always rock, because three points define a plane and the fourth has to land somewhere. So the question isn't just "does it have legs" but "how many adjust, and do they adjust independently of each other".

The full breakdown of gap and slope →

3. Height is a trade-off, not a feature

Every centimetre you raise the bed is a centimetre of storage gained underneath and a centimetre of headroom lost above. The roof of the car doesn't move, so nobody can sell you both.

• Lower — more room to sit up, less underneath. Better for shorter trips and for anyone who wants to read in bed.
• Higher — a fridge, a power station and full-size bags fit under the bed, and on cars with a sub-trunk you keep reaching it. Better for long trips.

The second question is whether that choice is fixed or adjustable. Some platforms are ordered in one of two set elevations — ours are 20 cm / 8" or 25 cm / 10" on PRO and SOLO, chosen at the point of order and fixed thereafter. Others adjust: LEVEL runs 210–315 mm, and up to 414 mm with extension legs, so you pick a point on the trade and can change it later.

The subtraction almost nobody does

Five minutes with a tape measure beats any amount of arguing about centimetres online.

1. Measure boot floor to ceiling, where your head will actually be.
2. Subtract the bed height you're considering.
3. Subtract your mattress thickness — it counts, it's part of the bed.
4. What's left is your sitting space.
5. Now measure yourself sitting on the floor against a wall, in the position you'd read in.

If your seated height is bigger than your sitting space, you won't be sitting up on that setup — whichever model or option you buy. Far better to know now than in a car park at 10pm.

Headroom vs storage, worked through →

4. Does it fold away, or does it move in?

The question people forget, and the one they regret most.

A platform that comes out in one large piece has to live somewhere. And because getting it in and out is a job, it tends to stay in the car. Your boot is then gone permanently: the weekly shop, the school run and the airport trip all happen around a bed.

There's a constraint buyers rarely think to check: the folded package has to pass back out through the tailgate aperture, which is always smaller than the space inside the boot. A platform can fit beautifully in the car and still be a two-person wrestling match to remove.

A platform that folds into its own footprint and lifts out in about a minute leaves you a normal car from Monday. Rear seats usable, boot empty.

5. Drawers, and whether they stay put

Park on a slope and gravity acts along the slide axis. A drawer on ordinary runners rolls open on its own, then rolls shut on your fingers while you're kneeling in front of it.

Runners should stop in both the open and the closed position — not just have a soft-close. It's a small part with a large effect on whether you keep using the thing.

Two more access details worth asking about:

• Gas lifts on the bed top, so you can reach what's underneath without stripping the bed and unloading it onto the ground.
• Sub-trunk access, if your car has one. Losing it means your recovery kit and tools live on the bed instead.

Load ratings vary between models and between brands, so check the figure for the actual model rather than the range. Ours: the PRO main drawer takes 80 kg, the LEVEL drawer 50 kg. A drawer packed with water, tools and tinned food is heavier than people assume.

Tested weight figures →

6. How it's fixed to the car

Nothing should be drilled. A platform should sit on the existing anchor points and strap into place, with no permanent change to the vehicle. Holes affect resale value and, depending where they go, can affect insurance.

It also needs to be secure while you're driving, not just while you're sleeping. Anything loose in a boot becomes a projectile in a hard stop, and a platform is a large, heavy, rigid object. This is the one item on this page that's a safety question rather than a comfort one.

Materials, and why metal isn't automatically better

Plywood is the sensible default: strong across a span, light enough to lift out single-handed, and it doesn't sweat the way metal does. That last point is worth explaining, because "steel must be stronger" is an easy assumption.

A thermally conductive surface drops to the cold night temperature faster than the air inside the car does — so it reaches dew point first, and moisture from your breathing condenses on it. A cold metal frame under your bedding is a condensation collector. Timber runs closer to cabin temperature and stays drier.

What to look for either way:

• Sealed or coated surfaces, and sealed cut edges — edges are where plywood drinks moisture fastest.
• Finished edges you won't catch a shin on. You'll be moving around it in the dark.
• No MDF anywhere. It swells irreversibly the first time it gets damp, and a boot sees condensation, wet boots and spilled drinks.

Ours are made in New Zealand using 100% renewable energy.

Will it still be here in five years?

Nobody asks this, and it separates a purchase from an expense. A platform has moving parts — runners, gas struts, hinges, adjustable feet — and moving parts wear.

• Are replacement parts available, and for how long? A gas strut is a consumable. If you can't buy another one in year four, the platform is disposable.
• What's the warranty, and what does it actually cover? Ours is one year against manufacturing defects, with free replacement parts for manufacturing issues for up to five years from delivery.
• Does it move to your next car? A platform built into one vehicle is worth nothing when the vehicle goes. One on adjustable legs can be re-levelled into a different boot instead.
• What's the lead time, and what happens if it doesn't fit? Ask before you pay, not after.

Red flags

• "Fits any car." Boots differ by tens of centimetres. Ask which cars, and ask what measurements it needs.
• No mention of the slope. If a seller doesn't talk about levelling, they haven't solved it.
• Drilling required. Walk away.
• No load figure. Two adults is 150 kg or more across the span.
• No stated folded size. If they won't tell you what it looks like folded, it probably doesn't fold well.
• No spare parts story. Moving parts with no replacements is a three-year product.
• Photos only in one car, always the same one. Ask to see it in yours, or in something the same shape.

FAQ

How do I know if a camping platform will fit my car?

Measure three things with the rear seats folded: length, width at the narrowest point between the wheel arches, and height from boot floor to ceiling. Take the length at the height the bed will sit rather than along the floor, because the floor is the most generous line in the car. Cargo volume in litres won't tell you.

What height platform should I choose?

It's a trade. Higher gives storage underneath and sub-trunk access; lower gives headroom to sit up. Decide which matters more for the trips you actually take before you compare models, then check whether the platform's height is fixed at order or adjustable afterwards.

Do car camping platforms need drilling?

They shouldn't. A platform should sit on existing anchor points and strap in place, with no permanent modification. Drilling affects resale value and can affect insurance.

Why does the platform need adjustable legs?

Because most boot floors slope toward the tailgate. Fixed legs give you a flat bed on a slope; independently adjustable legs give you a level one, and can be reset for a different car later. Four fixed legs on an uneven floor will also rock, since three points define a plane.

Is plywood or metal better for a camping platform?

Plywood, for most people. It's strong across a span and light enough to lift out alone, and it doesn't collect condensation the way a cold metal frame does — conductive surfaces reach dew point before the cabin air does. Whichever you choose, look for sealed surfaces and sealed cut edges.

Can I use the platform every day?

You can leave it in, but the point of a folding platform is that you don't have to. It folds into the boot and lifts out in about a minute, so the rear seats and boot are normal during the week.

What should I ask before buying?

What measurements they need and at what height; how the slope is handled and how many independent adjustment points there are; the finished bed height in your car; the folded dimensions and whether one person can carry it out; the drawer rating for that exact model; how it's secured for driving; and how long replacement parts stay available.

Also useful: tent, roof tent, van or platform · DIY or ready-made · is it worth the price · which cars fit a full-length bed · all guides

Important: Specifications vary by model and vehicle — check the figures for the exact model you are buying. This article is for general information only. It is not legal, technical, safety, medical, or campsite advice, and it is not a recommendation for your specific vehicle, location, or conditions. Rules, regulations, access, and requirements can change and may vary by location. Always check the latest official information, your vehicle manual, and product instructions before travelling, staying overnight, or using any setup. Nothing in this article limits any rights you may have under applicable consumer law.