Car Camping Guide

By Preeti Suri

Car camping ain’t as easy as pulling off the side of a road for a little shut eye. The right supplies can mean the difference between killer back pain and that sun-is-shining free feeling captured by a CCR song. When you take the fam back to nature on four wheels this summer, you’ll want to have the essentials Preeti Suri recommends. Preeti’s own car camping experiences inspired her to found AdventureTripr, an online platform that helps others sort out the details of affordable outdoors adventures. So get your gear together, throw it in the trunk, and get out on the open road.

Car Camping Guide
Monday May 17th

Car camping ain’t as easy as pulling off the side of a road for a little shut eye. The right supplies can mean the difference between killer back pain and that sun-is-shining free feeling captured by a CCR song. When you take the fam back to nature on four wheels this summer, you’ll want to have the essentials Preeti Suri recommends. Preeti’s own car camping experiences inspired her to found AdventureTripr, an online platform that helps others sort out the details of affordable outdoors adventures. So get your gear together, throw it in the trunk, and get out on the open road.

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Intex Inflatable Queen Mattress

$15 – 65
Preeti Suri

One of the best parts of sleeping in your car is that you aren’t carrying your bed on your back. So, you can splurge on heavier, cushier mats, pillows and blankets. Fold your back seats down flat to create a bed space. In the Jeep, we use the inflatable queen mattress from Intex, which is a super affordable option that fits myself, my husband, and my young son. Pair it with sheets and blankets in the summer, or a sleeping bag in winter. For a smaller car and when it’s just me and my husband, we tend to use my camping set up of REI Co-op Stratus sleeping pads along with the Exped Dual Sleeping Bag, which perfectly fits the Stratus sleeping pads.

Preeti Suri
Intex Inflatable Mattress

Rumpl Insulated Blanket

$100
Preeti Suri

It’s always a good idea to have an extra blanket that’s insulated, especially when car camping. Sleeping in your car can fog up the windows, so you’ll often want to crack a window before bedtime to beat the dampness. Avoid any chilliness with this blanket from Rumpl. It’s also great for sitting outside to watch the sunset!

Preeti Suri
Rumpl Original Puffy Throw

Reflectix

$40
Preeti Suri

This doubled-sided insulation is a staple of vanlifers everywhere. It’s cheap, light, and remarkably effective at bouncing the sun’s rays skyward and body heat back to you. Press the Reflectix against the window, Sharpie the outline, and trim away with scissors until the fit is right. If your window doesn’t have a lip, you can use suction cups or magnets to hold it in place. The added bonus, aside from insulation, is privacy - no one will be able to see inside your vehicle.

Preeti Suri
Reflectix Insulation

RTIC 45 Quart Hard Cooler

$200
Preeti Suri

Is it just me, or does all food taste better when camping? All it takes is a little time in the fresh air to work up an appetite. Another great positive of car camping is you can have perishable food. Keep eggs, meat, or anything else that might spoil for your meals inside a hard cooler to maintain freshness. You can also get a rack for $12 that allows you to separate any meat from the rest of the contents. Pro tip: pre-chill your cooler with ice to get the interior frosty before adding any food. If you’re not ready to invest in a RTIC, consider the Coleman wheeled cooler. It’s a solid option for those just starting out.

Preeti Suri
RTIC Hard Cooler

Coleman Triton 2 Burner Stove

$85
Preeti Suri

If you want home-quality meals in the wilderness, a two burner stove is the way to go. It’s ideal for families, large groups of friends, or multiple-day trips. You can be boiling pasta on one burner while stir frying some vegetables on the other. For a more compact option that’s ideal for single adventures of one-night trips, consider the Jetboil Flash cooking system. It’s fast and easy to use for those who would rather spend more time on the trail than in the campsite. Pair it with the summit skillet and 2.5L MSR cook pot that can be used along on the Jetboil Flash with a pot support adapter.

Preeti Suri
Coleman Triton Propane 2-Burner Stove

Ziptop Reusable Food Storage Bags

$90
Preeti Suri

Don’t forget to be environmentally friendly when packing your food, ingredients, and snacks since if we don’t take care of the earth, we will not have these beautiful places to recreate in. We use the reusable silicone food storage bags from Ziptop instead of Ziplock pouches for snacks, cereal, fruits, etc.

Preeti Suri
Zip Top Reusable Zip Bags

Fozzils Dinner Set

$15
Preeti Suri

We have 3 of the Fozzils plate cup and bowl sets—one for each of us. These reusable dishes fold flat, and then snap together to make a dish. In other worlds, they’re incredibly easy to store, as well as clean. Pair them with a spork (a spoon and fork combo) and you’ll have everything you need to eat your meals.

Preeti Suri
Fozzils Dinner Set

Campsuds Biodegradable Soap

$4
Preeti Suri

Cleaning up is just as important as eating, especially when it comes to taking care of the places we recreate in. When washing dishes, it’s important to minimize our impact. Unlike other harmful chemicals or plastics, bio washes pose little threat to existing ground vegetation or surrounding plant life. Just 1-4 drops of a concentrated soap like Campsuds is all you need. Then, dispose of the used water at least 200 yards away from natural water sources, like rivers or lakes.

Preeti Suri
Campsuds Biodegradable Soap

Tinya Ultralight Backpacking Camping Chair

$30
Preeti Suri

When traveling, we’re usually also bringing along bikes, scooters, and more, so we try to keep our gear as compact as possible. These ultralight and affordable chairs are perfect for car camping. They fold into a small bag and can easily be tucked away during the day, and then brought out in the evening for a place to sit that’s not the ground (if your campsite doesn’t come with a picnic table, that is). Pro tip: If your site doesn’t have a picnic table and you’re in need of a table, your cooler can double as one!

Preeti Suri
Tinya Ultralight Backpacking Camping Chair

Luci Lamp

$45
Preeti Suri

After the sun sets, you’ll want to break out a light source. Luci Lamps are solar powered, waterproof, and collapse down to 1.5 inches, making them the perfect adventure lamp. Hang it on the roof of your car when you’re getting ready for bed for a hands-free setup. Make sure you also have a headlamp though - you’ll want something that’s easy to take outside with you if you need to take a midnight bathroom break.

Preeti Suri
MPOWERD Luci Base Light

Paracord

$6
Preeti Suri

Paracord is a lightweight nylon rope that was originally used in the suspension lines of US parachutes during World War II. Today, it has hundreds of uses, and is always great to have on hand when camping. It can be used to hang a bear bag, secure a tent flap, make a splint, and much more. You can pick up 50 ft for under ten dollars.

Preeti Suri
Gear Aid Paracord

Eno Double Nest Hammock

$70
Preeti Suri

While a hammock isn’t an essential, it’s certainly nice to have. This double nest from Eno works perfectly for our family. We use it for a siesta during the day or when we want to be off the ground. It’s nice to have a spot in your campsite that is designated for relaxation, and then it folds up into a small bag for easy storage.

Preeti Suri
Eno DoubleNest Hammock