The five camping options, side by side
Swipe to compare all five →
| Compare |
OUR PICK TERAGLIDEPlatform bed |
Tent | Roof Tent | Mattress in Boot | Campervan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 60 seconds | 10–20 min | 5–10 min + ladder | Fast | Parked & ready |
| Comfort | Flat, stable slatted bed | Uneven ground, cold, damp | Thin pad, sways in wind | Lumpy over seats, gaps | Living space |
| Weatherproof | Sound-, wind- & rain-proof | Wind, rain & cold get in | Exposed up top | Sealed inside | Sealed & insulated |
| Security | Locked inside | No lock, open space | Exposed, climb down | Locked inside | Lockable |
| Storage | Gear stowed underneath | Gear stays outside | Very limited, must climb | Bags pile up on you | Built-in cupboards |
| Handling & rough ground | Weight low, on the boot floor | No effect on the car | Raises the centre of gravity | No effect on the car | Tall and heavy by design |
| Keep your daily car | Folds away in seconds | Unaffected | Bulky on roof, more fuel | Yes, but messy | Not a daily driver |
| Cost | A real investment — but one-off, no van to buy | Cheap | $2,000–4,000 + bars, +32% energy | $50–300, cheapest to try | $60k–$100k (or $150–300/day) |
| Headroom | Slightly less (raised for storage) | Full sitting height | Can sit up inside | Barely changes (sits low) | Stand-up height |
| Best for | Secure, comfy camping anywhere — weekends to full-time | Budget group camping | Keeping the boot free; boots shorter than you are | Quick naps, first try | Full-time trips |
The reasoning behind it
The cost that keeps running
Anything on the roof is paid for every day, not just on camping days. On the same road trip our own Tesla used 140 Wh/km with a bare roof and 185 Wh/km with a roof box — 32% more energy, about a quarter of the range. A roof tent is bulkier than a box, so that's the floor. The full measurement and its caveats →
A platform is in the boot on Friday and in the garage on Monday, so it costs nothing to carry.
The honest part — a platform is not the cheapest
A platform is not the cheapest way to sleep in your car. An air mattress costs $50. But you'll fight it every morning — and then you'll stop going.
That's the real comparison. Not price against price, but how many nights you actually end up spending outside. A platform is the setup you'll still be using in five years.
Flat is not the same as level
Two different problems, and most people only fix one. A mattress bridges the gap over the folded seats, so the surface becomes flat. It does nothing about the slope — almost every boot floor tilts towards the tailgate, and you spend the night sliding downhill in your sleeping bag.
A platform fixes the gap. LEVEL's adjustable legs also take out the slope built into your boot — set them once for your car. The slope of the ground is still down to where you park. The full breakdown of gap, slope and fixes →
When a platform is the wrong buy
Four cases where we'd tell you not to:
- You want to try one night and see. Buy a $50 mattress first. If you go out three times in a season, then talk to us.
- You camp in a group and cook outside all evening. A tent gives you a room to stand in. The car is a bedroom, not a living room.
- You need to stand up inside. No car platform gives you that. A van does.
- Your boot is shorter than you are. Some cars simply don't have the length. We'd rather tell you that before you order than after.
Pick by what you're optimising for
- Cheapest possible — mattress in the boot.
- Most space for the money — tent.
- The whole boot completely free while you sleep — roof tent.
- Living in it for months — campervan.
- Regular weekends, and your car has to be a car on Monday — platform.