In this video I show you the two different methods I use for attaching bug screens to my car windows to make sleeping in my SUV a more pleasant, bug-free experience. It's great for car camping, vandwelling, SUV RVing, RVing, and more.
I did the same method on my Toyota Van for the two large side windows that go down. What I did was fold a small seam over of the screen, and sewed the magnets in the screen with a sewing machine so they never get lost. Once I unfold it, I just attach & I'm done:)
Grandson just bought first car...a Subaru Outback. This video is awesome and the setup will allow him to sleep in his car while camping and fishing. Thank you for sharing your solution to bugs!!
I used scrap stretch lace fabric and prefer the inside configuration. I also got some tension rods to put along the bottom of the window where there is no metal for the magnets to make that a bit more secure. Thanks for this awesome simple idea!
excellent idea about the tape and also putting the screens on the inside. I just bought my magnets and fabric today and I'm going to do that. thank you
I just retired and bought an older Suburban that I am camping out of. You have some great ideas, thx for sharing. Still getting things figured out but having a ball doing it!
Perfect ideas! Bringing our big dog with us this summer for her first time car camping (in a Seat Leon 😄) and we’ll definitely need the air flow for her but don’t want the mosquitos!
This is what I did, but I just taped the magnets along the edges of the screen with duct tape. When I wasn’t using them I rolled them up and stored them in the seat back. I liked this because it was very fast and easy. It worked great.
I had my finger ready to hit 'purchase' on those Skeeter Beater screens for 54 bucks until I saw this on youtube..Thank you for sharing,I am so excited to see how simple it is to make my own. Pretty ingenious of you...now I'm a happy camper....
No problem, happy to help! If that works out for you and you want slightly nicer versions, check out my Bug Screener product: kamchatkagear.com/products/bug-screener-magnetic-window-screens
I am about to turn my 2003 Honda CRV into a microcamper for my husband and I (we use great dog/cat/house sitters for the babies). I was wondering what to do for bug prevention...this is excellent! Thanks for your videos!
You rock! I have a third gen Forester, and the doors aren't framed...There is no metal upper portion surrounding the window itself. This is the way to get screen up with unframed doors. Also, the duct tape is ingenious.
I'm glad you like them, SuperDeut4! I enjoy making them, and it's very fulfilling to hear that people find them useful. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Garlic I'm doing this right now my windows are open and not a single mosquito..last night I was being murdered by them I got a bowl and cut sum garlic put it in the bowl and left it next to me in the back of my truck THIS IS AWESOME IT WORKS!
great idea. I'm thinking about doing what you're doing after I retire. I don't currently have a van, suv, but I'm looking for one. I'm really considering a conversion van, but I have seen some really nice mini vans. I just found your channel and enjoying your videos
At my (our) age, 4W is just another way to get stuck in even more inaccessible places. Rav 4 is tiny as are most the SUV short of the giants. Strongly recommend looking at Chrysler'/Dodge Sto and Go seats which fold all the way down giving 4x8Ft plywood storage space. Great for goods which can be offloaded to a tent and use folding foam mattress for sleeping. So you have 2, 4, 5, or 7 passenger van, a cargo van, and a sleeper. Competition by now may have caught up but beware of ones where you have to remove seats and where they leave tracks behind.
Adding to this thread, I love my Ford Escape, but putting the rear seats down wastes a foot of space in their design, and even at 5'2" I don't fit in the back head to toe straight. I opted for a backseat air mattress and will sleep across. It's a tad tight but a tidier option. The back will be 2 storage layers.
I used left over screen from my windows. I bought magnetic strip for the top and bottom of my screen. Have a couple of magnets to cover the sides. I'm very pleased with the finish product and looking forward to mosquito free sleep in my suv
I did this too except I folded the net over the window. The door closes on it and I use clear tape and magnets to seal the rest. Costed me like $5.00 to do both windows.
Thank you for sharing. But there are still open edges between the holding magnets, I do not think it is tight enough against some stubburn bugs while camping in summer. Have your considered putting a rubberband instead? it might work better.
I would just use like two pieces of tape to hold in place wrapped around the entire door and then just close the door instead of fumbling with magnets.
I think a good idea would be to use spray adhesive and stereo speaker material. Looks good when finished. I like your snap explanation. My rv had snap in curtains and I covered them with new material by stapling. Wish I had seen your video 1st. I am going to try snaps!....great video
SUV RVing Lord be I don't know why I typed that other than I was reading a different post and typed under yours😄anyway I did like your idea with the magnets! Speaker material must have been for another post...so sorry😄😄
Slightly off topic, but I'm having trouble figuring this one out : if camping in a modern SUV, how to put the windows up and down overnight without having to access the dash? I sure do miss cranks!!
There is a company that makes nets for several different SUV's front and back windows all custom fit so you can open the door. Also black or camo color. I will have to edit and put the link when I find it as I saved it just in case I needed it.
Was wondering when you leave your parking spot to go get groceries ,does that mean you give up your spot for someone to park there? Or what is proper etiquette? Thanks
wondering if a strip magnet would give you more holding power and wouldn't be so easily lost. Also, I have had to augment my window screens here in Hawaii because some bugs can fly though the screens. I bought chiffon fabric which works perfectly. Not too expensive and comes in many colors!!
In my experience, those strip magnets are pretty weak. The neodymium magnets are much, much stronger. I can imagine bugs in Hawaii being a problem! Thanks Joan.
P. S. Have you ever thought of sponsoring caravans (rendevous, jamborees, etc.) periodically during the year? You really seem like a very nice young man. Just a thought. Many of us would join you for sure to learn the hows of this travel life or getaways. Thank you much.
Nope, I hadn't thought about that. It's an interesting thought, though. I've met up with a couple of my readers/viewers while on the road, but I'm a pretty solitary person and enjoy spending time by myself. I don't know if camping with a lot of others or teaching in a group setting would be very appealing to me. I think I'm better suited to just making RU-vid videos! Thanks for the kinds words.
Are there links for sourcing that variety of mosquito netting and those strong magnets? The kind you find with the crafting supplies in stores aren't especially powerful and the mesh that I've seen in stores has larger holes than I'd like to use. Thanks!
The mesh is called "no-see-um netting" or "no-see-um mesh." That's what you want to search for online. ripstopbytheroll.com is a good source for it. As for the magnets, I got mine at Home Depot.
I've been camping since I was a kid. I've been camping in my SUV for the past couple of years, and I get out around 60-90 nights per year. My favorite places to camp are the mountains and the desert.
I thank you for your reply. Id like to try it myself (as far as out west). I mostly have camped no farther west than Texas. Right now I'm in middle Tn.
If they weren't sold with a finished edge, it is simple to DYI. Get cotton or nylon "Seam Binding" from a fabric or craft store. If you don't sew, maybe you have a friend who does.
I see that you have AVS ventvisors for your windows. I recently ordered and installed the AVS "Low Profile" ones and am not happy with them because I don't think hey will let enough air in when I am sleeping. They are so low profile that I can't even fit the tip of my pinky finger between it and the window. It looks like you have the standard vent visors. Can you tell me how far they stick out from the window? I would like to know this before I order them. Thank you
Hi, I'm going to be sleeping out of my RAV for awhile - does yours have a moonroof? Do think a half open or fully open moon roof would be enough ventilation to prevent windows fogging up?
Nope, it doesn't have a sunroof or moonroof. I think a moonroof would be about as good as you can get as far as ventilation is concerned, but really it depends on how hot or cold it is and how humid it is.
