Car camping tips.

[Erni]

Last year I started getting out and car camping at the various meet ups I go to. It?s been a while so my car kit is rather bad but I am improving it as I go along. My car is a Suburban so there is a bit of room, unless I overpack like I did the first time.
Since I enjoyed it I am going to keep going but want to improve my kit a little. Not going to overland anytime soon but I could see it evolving into that.

Any of you car camp or overland? Please share your tips and what works and what doesn?t. Any good sites to follow? What I am finding is hardcore dedicated rigs and not weekend warriors like myself who load up their regular rigs and head out.

[Fromk]

My wife and I do a bit of car camping and trying to venture into more dispersed sites this year. We have a ground tent and usually go for one to two nights. Our objective is to get away and relax rather than rough it.

Biggest thing we locked down was getting good sleep. For us that means cots with a pad on them.

Organization has also helped. I have a medium Plano trunk with a couple of those cloth cube organizers for shelves at Target. Our camping stuff just lives in there so when we want to go we can basically toss it in the car with our tent, cots, and chairs and be off.

Last year was the first one with an electric cooler style fridge. I spent about $300 on one which seems like a lot but that's how much most yeti style coolers go for. It also seemed heavy but those coolers are also hefty then you have to add ice. However it was only worth it because I already had a 700wh battery. All that said I love not having to deal with ice and everything getting wet. It easily stays powered for 3 days.

We recently got a table from REI that is metal so we an use our burner on it.

Coincidentally I just got a propane fire pit today. It's good through stage 1 fire bans and won't require a bigger water source to put out safely. Bundles of wood have also gotten pricey lately. Of course hauling propane tanks will be a new thing to deal with.

I could go on and on but I think that's a start.

[battlemidget]

Got an alarm in the vehicle? The panic button is good for scaring things away in the middle of the night. Park so the headlights are advantageous to you.

[encorehunter]

Do you have a roof rack or rails? 4 point LED lights off of it for good lighting at night, something you don't need inside storage or spare batteries for. If you don't want to drill holes, set some up on magnets and have alligator clamps for the battery. Solar panel for the vehicle to keep the battery topped off. Hook an 8'x12' tarp on the roof rack, two light weight poles with ropes and stakes to have a covered awning. I like a 6' folding table for holding the camp stove at the edge of the awning. I prefer an air mattress in the back of the vehicle. It is more secure and better insulated than a tent.
For storing clothes, I keep shirts, socks and underwear in ziplock bags, pressing the air out and sealing them, which takes up about 1/2 the storage area.

[eddiememphis]

I've been camping since I was a little kid. Everything from the bare necessities- a wool army blanket and a case of beer, all the way to class A RVs.

The only thing that will work for you is trial and error. Bring a notepad or use your phone. But write down what works and what doesn't.

I got sick of setting up tents, so I built a bed in the back of my current vehicle. Much nicer than an inflatable pad on the cold ground.

Suburbans are large enough to sleep in and there are a hundred videos on how to make beds for them. Like Fromk says, get some camping boxes and start buying crap for them. The Coghlan's isle at Sportsman's Warehouse has a bunch of interesting thing to buy for cheap.

I have had several different kits over the years for different purposes and the contents are always changing as I find what works well and the junk I never use.

[Erni]

My current setup for camp kitchen and outdoor is a 6ft table and a box with the mess kit. Also a 10x10 shade cover. It?s a bit bulky so I have a few thoughts on lightening it up.
Sleeping is on several pads, my old body needs a good pad or else I get no sleep. Need a better approach to staying warm.
Organization is the next step as it?s been a chore keeping track of things.
I found that my Ryobi 18v batteries and lights work well enough and they are free. But also worried that my truck battery will die. Need to add a top of 20W panel or something.

Thanks for the tips. Sounds like I?m on the path but there is no shortcuts.

[Frac]

I car camp at various times throughout the year. It ranges from a full camp setup with canvas tent, sun shade, and a pit toilet/tent to a sleeping bag in the bed of the truck. What/how you pack depends on what you want.

I would rather pack simple. I take 2-3 30qt sterilite containers with lids. One is a dry box for food. One is my kitchen (paper plates, silverware, small skillet, etc.). If I take a 3rd box, it is usually another dry box for food like granolas and snacks.

I have a 2-burner propane stove and a 1 burner stove. The 1-burner is stored in a 6-quart Tupperware. If I?m nomadic, I take the 1-burner. If I take a full camp setup, I might bring both.

I always have a shit shovel, 1-burner stove, and a blanket in the truck. I add to that as I need.

Organizing like that makes it easy to grab and go. I do a lot of weekend trips in the upland hunting season. I like to be mobile so I can sleep wherever I ended the day. All I need to throw in the truck is a cooler, my sleeping bag, the kitchen box, a case of water, and the food dry box.

If my wife is along for a few days of camping, I?m taking everything, including a separate ?privy? tent and a toilet. I also have a buddy heater and CO detector if I want to stay warm. I use a cot in the tent and add a 3? memory foam pad. With a pillow and a sleeping bag, I sleep pretty well for a couple days.

This method works for me. The boxes keep stuff modular and when I need something I always know what box it is in. I can take fewer boxes for a light camp, or take everything plus the kitchen sink if my wife is coming along.

[rondog]

Thankfully (?), I'm too old and broken-up for camping. It would give me nothing but pain & discomfort.

[Frac]

Nothing like cooking on the tailgate.

[Erni]

Nothing like cooking on the tailgate.

Suburban lacks a tail gate. =(. Working on a light weight table that I can hang on the side of the car now.