7 Things you DON’T Need to go Car Camping
My first year white water rafting I bought exactly zero gear. I was lucky enough to be volunteering as a guide with an Air Force Base’s outdoor recreation program, so I wore the same dorky PFD as the customers. Add to my ensemble the dive booties I had bought while stationed in Guam, and I was all set. I managed to pick up a few other pieces of gear for free or cheap from those around me that saw that I was dedicated and helpful, and had a summer of fun for next to nothing. After a season I knew this was going to be a yearly pursuit, so I took advantage of the winter sales to get a steal on a life jacket and helmet of my own.
Some people like to jump into hobbies with both feet. I wholeheartedly agree, if we’re talking about ocean cliffs and rope swings, but for most pursuits I like to get started with as little outlay as possible; with continued participation and patience, the gear will come.
Following the philosophy of minimum-initial-investment, here’s my list of seven things you DON’T need to buy to go have a blast camping in your car:
1 - A Tent
Car camping used to mean driving to a campsite and pitching a tent next to your car. Recently, it has started to mean sleeping in your car, which seems like a more accurate definition. These days an internet search seems to give you a 50/50 split.
If you’re looking to sleep in your car, you came to the right place. If your idea of car-camping is to pitch a flimsy, noisy, leaky, $50 tent next to your cozy, secure, probably multi-thousand dollar car… maybe you still came to the right place?
2 - A 4Runner, Jeep, Pickup with Camper Shell, Etc.
There is nothing wrong with any of the cool camping vehicles. My last truck was a 1987 Toyota Pickup, a vehicle with a cult following in the overland and offroad communities. My current vehicle is a Lexus GX470, which is a leather and wood-grain wrapped 4Runner. I got screaming deals on both of them, or I’d still be driving the practical vehicle that preceded them. I started with minimal investment (like, one third of Blue Book), put some sweat equity into them, and began enjoying them. No solar panels, no winches, no 12v fridges built on custom slideouts. I might do a video soon on how to build a camping vehicle, but here’s the script for now:
Step 1: Make vehicle reliable.
Step 2: Sleep in vehicle.
Your ‘98 Civic wagon will sleep just fine, as will a 2006 Toyota Highlander. Hand-me down minivan? Heck yeah.
3 - Stove/Cookware
A great thing about sleeping in your wheels is that you are immediately mobile. Planning your first few trips within a quick drive of some sort of civilization will help you figure out if this hobby is for you. In the time it takes you to set up a stove, heat water, and make coffee or oatmeal, you could be pulling into a McDonald’s or a small town cafe.
If hot food isn’t high on your list of priorities, pack some ready-to-eat snacks and head as far away from electricity as you want.
4 - Expensive Sleeping Pad
If you’ve spent much time camping or making poor decisions in your 20s, you know that sleeping on the ground can suck. The only thing that lasts longer than an uncomfortable night is a cold, uncomfortable night. Let’s agree that comfortable sleep is worth paying for, but you don’t have to spend a ton to sleep in relative comfort in your car.
If you already have a camping or backpacking sleeping pad, fold an extra comforter underneath it to make it a lot more comforting. If you don’t, maybe you have a mattress topper, or a futon mattress, or a porch swing pad, or a dog bed. Chances are your house has a few soft things you already paid for. Don’t forget about the air mattress you break out when family visits.
5 - Vehicle Modification
As soon as you start thinking about sleeping in your car (read: as soon as you Google it), you will start to see dollar signs: sleeping platforms, industrial slide-outs, dual battery setups, canopies, not to mention all-terrain tires and all the other must-haves. The line between car camping, overlanding, and being homeless is still a little blurry as all of those things go mainstream simultaneously. All of these things are not like the others. Here’s the down and dirty difference: one of these is expensive, one of these is very affordable, and one is you wanting to get away for the weekend. The only vehicle modification I would recommend for the new car camper is to delete things you don’t need. If you have third-row seats that never get used, get rid of them and maximize your space.
6 - A Partner
I enjoy camping with my wife, and I enjoy camping with friends. I also like camping by myself.
The problem with other people is the planning involved. Managing your own schedule is tough enough, add in the variable of one or more other calendars and it can be next to impossible to pull off a trip. But, change your invitation text from
“Hey, want to go camping next weekend? I’ll drive, you bring dinner” to “Camping on the Trinity River next Friday night. Let me know if you want to tag along,” really ups the odds of your trip happening. Commit to the adventure first, then let others join if they will. If not, their loss.
7 - A Campsite
It’s about the journey, remember? I’m spoiled that I can pretty much head in any direction and shortly be in the wilderness or on public land where camping is no big deal, but with a little creativity a spot to park/sleep isn’t that hard to find. Even in non-wildernessy states you have rest stops, WalMart parking lots, and parking garages. Change the focus from camping as the experience, to sleeping in your car to enable the adventure, and your horizons start to widen.
If you’ve read through this whole list and haven’t added a single thing to your Amazon cart, I don’t know why you aren’t already on the road.
See you out there!
