Car camping is becoming increasingly popular. It provides an easy way to get out into the wild, while minimizing setup time and retaining a lot of comfort.
Cars tend to be better insulated and more soundproof than tents or hammocks. You can also take advantage of the vehicle’s climate control settings if you’re too hot or cold. Some even have built in WiFi and solid tailgating-focused sound systems if you’re a bit bored and want to jam out.
But you can always elevate the experience with a few extra items. Here’s what you should look out for if you’re planning to take your car camping experience to the next level.
A car camping tent makes a huge difference
This is a big one, and does mean you’re sacrificing some of the benefits of pure car camping. Namely easy setup and a light load. But sometimes the benefits of bringing a tent outweigh the downsides.
Specific car camping tents exist and attach to the vehicle via an elasticated passage which should be enough to keep insects and weather out. With an attached tent, you get a few extra sleeping spots, a private space you can use to change clothing, and plenty of extra storage. Just remember, tents aren’t bear proof if you’re storing food in an area that has a lot of animal activity.
The one I regularly use can take up to an hour to set up and really requires two people. It also weighs around 35 pounds. Lighter, more durable, and easier to set up tents are available. You can also just bring a small pop-up tent that does not connect to the vehicle and retain many of the same benefits. Roof tents are also a quick and easy option, if you’re looking to use the car for storage and sleep up top.
An air mattress is a must
There’s a difference between car camping and just crashing on the back seat. That difference is mainly comfort related. If you really want to enjoy car camping, but a roof tent is out of the question, then you’re going to need an air mattress.
At a basic level, any old $20 mattress from Walmart will do. You can also get away with a cheap foam ground pad, as this will provide a bit of give between you and the vehicle. But if you want to go all out, specialist car camping air beds are available.
Personally, I use one made by Luno. The company makes air beds designed for specific vehicle types and sizes, including some specialist mattresses for Rivians. It can get expensive on the higher end, with the air+foam mattresses coming in at around $500. But entry level versions are available for $200. Build quality is solid, setup is easy, and you get plenty of storage.
You still need to cook your food
Car camping offers plenty of options when it comes to food. While you can pack shelf-stable things, or cook over a campfire, it’s always good to have a backup plan.
A car is basically a generator, and there are plenty of options when it comes to fridges and hotplates that you can just plug right into your vehicle. Obviously, if you drive an EV or hybrid you have more options here thanks to the 120 to 240 volt supply many of the vehicles include and the large battery capacity. Those batteries are also handy if campsite noise restrictions prevent you from running the engine between certain hours.
As for recommendations, I tend to still go for a bit of the standard camping experience by just bringing my stuff along in a Coleman’s steel belted cooler and cooking it over the fire. Though I have eaten food cooked on Rivian’s plug in grill, and the pasta turned out fine.
A portable power station is a solid backup option
While vehicles can generate their own electricity, they can also carry a lot of weight. A portable power station is a great option if you want to electrify your camp without draining your vehicle’s batteries or fuel tank. The only downside is, they aren’t particularly portable. Which is something your vehicle mitigates.
In my other life as a tech journalist, I’ve reviewed a lot of portable power stations. Eco Flow and Bluetti are both solid options, with Jackery providing cheaper less cutting edge options. Anker, which sells its stations under the Solix brand, also has some solid options — though I have encountered reliability issues with some of its stuff over the years.
As a bonus, a good sized portable power station can power a games console and projector, or small TV. So if you don’t want to truly escape into the woods, you can have a blast at outdoors Mario Kart under the stars.
On a related note, you should probably pack a jump starter in case you do overdo it and kill your vehicle’s battery during the trip. Hopefully it’s not needed, but the idea is to spend a weekend in the woods. Not mess up and end up stuck there forever.
