Car Camping Gear List

This subject comes up periodically and so here is the newest version of this list:

Moderator Judy's & Larrison's Car Camping Gear list

Packing the Trunk (by RoadTrip Advisors: Judy, Larrison, Laura, Brad, Michael, & Mark) Plus, more commentary and suggestions from RoadTripper601, Uclid and many others. A great primer for packing your trunk.

The "perfect" tent for roadtripping

Personal Cabana Towel (PCT) An essential tool, if there EVER was one!

Travel Sized Products -- Is this a good idea? (posted by bluehighways)

Others to follow...

Mark

I gave them my short list because it sounded like they wouldn't want to be bogged down with too much to get back home on the airplane with (or to ship).

To be honest, my camping list varies depending on the trip. A roadtrip where I'm only camping as a place to spend the night requires far different supplies than a regular camping trip. I'd pack a lot more if I was doing several days in a campground. But here's what I usually pack for road trip car camping:

* tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, pillow, extra blanket (I tend to get cold at night)
* telescoping camping chair
* small battery-operated lantern (I rarely take propane ones on roadtrips and this one is always in my car anyway as part of my regular emergency supplies) and extra batteries. I like to read before going to sleep and you shouldn't use propane lanterns in a tent...that's a huge fire hazard
* If I think I might take the time to cook: small 1-burner propane cookstove, backpacker-style cooking set, a few of those cheap "Gladware" type of plastic containers in various sizes, a scrubber, small bottle of Camp-Suds for cleaning the pots/pans and other cleaning uses, a small backpacker's style salt/paper/other spices container, can opener, rubber scraper, spatula, large cooking spoon, small plastic cutting board, lots of those little individual portion sizes of mayo, ketchup, and mustard like you get at fastfood places so I don't have to worry about refrigeration or spilling, plastic utensils, paper plates and bowls, and a few paper cups (NOT styrofoam, I feel wasteful enough using paper and styrofoam is very unfriendly to the environment, imho). All this fits in a small duffle bag.
* If I know I won't be bothering to cook but just want to prepare a variety of foods out of my cooler: a couple cheap "Gladware" style containers, knife, a few paper plates/bowls/cups, plastic utensils, the mayo/ketchup/mustard packets, the salt/pepper/spice container, can opener, and a small plastic cutting board
* cooler (both 12-volt and small, collapsible ice chest)
* 1st aid kit (always in car)
* flashlight with extra batteries (always in car)

Gosh, I think that's it. If I think of something else, I'll come back and edit.

ETA: I thought of something. I can't stand buying new batteries for everything all the time (camera, pda, flashlights). I bought an inexpensive 12-volt battery charger that can charge up batteries on the road. This has saved me tons of money. I love it. It only does the smaller AA and AAA batteries but that is what I use most of anyway. If you do this, don't forget to turn it off/unplug it when you're stopped for a significant amount of time, especially overnight, as it is a battery drain when the car is turned off.

thanks for that information...

Thanks for the list. I'm off to the 24 Heures Du Mans tomorrow so it's got me thinking about what I need to pack now. Which is good as I usually end up running round the house at 4am grabbing things, only to get there and realise I've forgotten something obvious, like... money!

Hello everyone,

My list is more geared toward tent camping as that is what I like. Regardless, the same stuff should apply to both. Hope this helps.

1. Backpack
a. Check to make sure the pack is secured snugly to the frame. If there are any broken parts, get them fixed before heading into the field.
b. Bring a small repair kit into the field for the pack. (This should include twine, duck tape, and some additional clamp pins).

2. Sleeping gear
a. Sleeping bag: Check the bag to ensure there are no holes. Ensure it is covered securely by a container and an additional trashbag to keep it protected from water, especially if crossing a stream or river.
b. Air Mattress or Cot: Make sure these do not have any holes and are in working order. (Always bring some duck tape to help patch any holes).

3. Tent
a. Check to ensure you have all the parts to the tent.
b. Check to make sure no holes are in the tent.
c. Determine if additional padding needs to be included for weather conditions.

4. Knife
a. Make sure the knife has a sharp blade and its locking mechanism works properly.
b. It also pays to have two knives. One should be a multi-function knife like a swiss army knife and the other should be a strong single blade. Both come in handy in the field.

5. Hand Axe
a. Make sure the hand axe is sharp and has an appropriate sheath that is fastened securely. Bring a thick towel in the field. This can be used as a substitute sheath if the other sheath breaks down.
b. As a matter of practice, a full sized axe is usually unnecessary. However, if you are planning on building lean-tos or other types of large sleeping structures, this will be the better way to go.

6. Clothes (The actual amount should be adjusted for length of camping trip)
a. Long sleeve shirt. It should have a durable fabric that can breathe fairly easily.
b. Long sleeved pants. These should also be of a durable fabric that are designed to go into the brush. These pants should stretch all the way down to your boots.
c. Additional layering, such as long johns or thermals should be used when appropriate.
d. Underwear and undershirts.
e. Sleeping gear: In the summer, some shorts and a t-shirt will be fine; however, in the winter a pair of pajamas will be better.
f. Socks: Have two kinds one that is a basic insulator and then have wool socks covering them.
g. Hat: Essentially you want a hat that is unlikely to get caught on brush and will provide some sun protection for your face. A baseball cap will work fine in the summer although a wool cap would work better in the fall and winter.
h. Poncho or rain jacket: This can also double as extra padding for your sleeping arrangement or used as a tarp for the fire.
i. Belt: Should be a durable belt that is in good working order.

7. Shoes:
a. Hiking boots. Bring a durable pair that are waterproof and have a good rubber sole intact.
b. Running shoes. Bring a durable pair to that is easy to slip on during the night to use the restroom or to wear around camp.
c. Extra pair of shoelaces. Bring an extra pair of laces for both shoes.

8. Canteen:
a. Should be able to hold at least 2 quarts of water and provide either a strap to sling over your shoulder or a clip to attach to a belt.

9. Compass, GPS and map:
a. Make sure both items are in working order.
b. If GPS, needs additional batteries or will need to be recharged, plan accordingly to take this into account.
c. Map should be the most recent version you can find and should accurately show changes in topography.
i. Make sure you understand how to read the map prior to going into the field.
ii. Know where the nearest hospital is on the map.
iii. Have pre-established boundaries in your camping area that will let you know if you get lost. A stream or road can work very effectively as a boundary point.

10. First Aid Kit:
a. Should include bandages, band aids and some medical tape.

11. Flashlight and Lantern:
a. Basically you really only need two sources of light.
i. A small flashlight to be able to look through your park in the dark.
ii. A large flashlight that can be used for walking at night.
b. A Lantern can be used for camp if needed.

12. Other Items:
a. Bandanas or Handkerchiefs. These can double as bandages or slings.
b. Bug repellant and a fly swatter. The fly swatter may come in handy at the campsite as flies are attracted to grease and cooked food.
c. Sunscreen.
d. Binoculars.
e. Strike anywhere matches in a water proof case. It is still a good idea to include a strike box and to divide the matches into two areas so to prevent the likelihood of water damage or losing all your matches.

13. Cooking Equipment: The amount and supplies will vary depending on your needs. Here, are the essential items:
a. Frying pan
b. Large pot
c. Plate and bowl
d. Fork and spoon
e. Small pot to boil water, tea, coffee, etc.
f. A basic boy scout mess kit will cover all of these items except the large pot.

14. Food:
a. Cooler: Will store food and keep ice cold. The type of cooler and amount of ice will vary depending on your cooking needs.
b. Water. Even if you are getting your water from a water source, it is a good idea to bring some water on hand.
i. Determine if water purification tablets will be needed.
c. Water jug. This can be used to house water at campsite. It can be propped on a stump or secured to a tree with rope.
d. Weight of Food Concerns. When selecting food supplies take into account their weight in choosing supplies. If weight is a concern, try to choose foods that have the water already taken out of it including dried fruit, drink powders, boxed foods.
e. Garbage bags. These will be used for waste and rain protection.

15. Repair Kit: This should include twine, duck tape, and a needle and thread.

16. Toiletries:
a. Wash cloth
b. Toilet paper
c. Baby Wipes: Can be used to clean hands and face.
17. Cell phone:
a. Bring one that has a great range for the area that can be used if an emergency phone call is needed.

Best,
Jeff Marshall

Lots of good stuff, especially hints toward safety on the trail. Good even for car campers who take day hikes!

Hi all,
I am actually leaving in a few minutes on yet another camping adventure with our kids. I just never gets old. I read some great posts here and some fantastic check lists, and wanted to add something we use while driving to our camping destination with our kids. I found it on a trucker website. It's called the burton stove and it's a 12v lunchbox 'crockpot'. Our situation is a little more complicated as two of our three kids have severe food allergies, so we can't stop off at a restaurant along the way or even let them eat any of the freezedried camping food, else we end up in an ER unit. Yup, I have to prepare it all. I found a few websites that cater to moms like me who enjoy taking on the challenge of camping with little kids too but I look forward to learning more on this site. Thanks for your help!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MomNlovNit

Hi all,
I am actually leaving in a few minutes on yet another camping adventure with our kids.

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Have a great time !

Hello and welcome to the R.T.A forums.

Quote:

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I look forward to learning more on this site.

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It's sure is full of useful info.

Let us know how your trip went.

I LOL'ed remembering the numerous road trips I took with my father years ago, comparing our "gear list" to those provided here.

We took, well, nothing, except perhaps a couple of cans of Hawaiian Punch, a bottle of water (sometimes), maybe a Slim Jim or a package of Twinkies, and cigarettes (for my father, of course). My dad did keep a few basic tools in the car; but otherwise we only had whatever random stuff had ended up in the car for various reasons that hadn't been cleaned out from other activities.

We spent a lot of time roadtripping the southwestern desert regions, including Baja and Central America (sometimes by private plane, an especially cool way to "road trip"). In those days, these regions had little settlement, and were still wild, isolated, and beautiful. You ate when you came upon a place that sold food (almost always chili beans). If you didn't eat three meals in a day - or even one meal in a day - you didn't panic or get hysterical about it. If you really got hungry, you just cooked up a rattlesnake or ate some cactus fruits. If you couldn't find a motel, you slept in the car, and "showered" in the morning with a water hose at a gas station. You went out there to experience the place, as it was, and in the process you learned just how competent, inventive, strong, and free you were.

It was not uncommon for our car to break down in the middle of nowhere. In the days before cellphones and settlement, that meant you were really isolated. I remember one breakdown in the basin of Death Valley, due to a radiator leak. We had no additional water, so my father gave me water from the radiator to drink. I lay under the car for shade. It took him quite a while to think up how to fix it, as we were much too far from civilization to walk out safely. Eventually he found a bunch of little packets of pepper in the glove compartment (the kind you get from fast-food restaurants), which he poured into the radiator. Apparently this combined with his other tinkering temporarily sealed the leak sufficiently to enable us to drive out. Another time in the Mohave, my father was able to replace a broken fan belt with a pair of my mother's pantyhose which he found in the car.

I wanted to bring this up because, while I don't encourage people to put themselves at risk, I think that people sometimes worry far too much about bringing "everything" on a trip. Now, I suppose this depends on the person. If you really aren't good at winging it, you don't want to take a chance. However, a traditional road trip is meant an on-the-fly experience that isn't overly planned. You just go, fly by the seat of your pants, and remind yourself of how competent you are to handle your life. That's a gift that a road trip has to offer you. Overplanning dilutes the concept from a classic road trip to just a "trip". Besides, considering how built-up the country is now, just how much trouble can you get into with a cellphone, an ATM and drugstore likely less than five miles away from anywhere? :)

Welcome to the RTA Forum, Goldwave!

While I think people can certainly over think and over pack what is needed for a roadtrip, I think one of the things you're missing is that the previous posts are talking about gear specifically for camping.

While were looking back fondly on your own history, Your story does tell an interesting story itself about the dangers of being unprepared, and the very serious situation you found yourself in during a trip to Death Valley. While its easy to say you made it out ok, so everything worked out, the reality is that you are lucky. The situation you described is very much the sort of situation of being cavalier and unprepared where people have been seriously injured and even died. I will also note that if you did in fact drink water from a radiator, then your roadtrip car was not using any coolant and thus its not surprising that you had a break down. If your car had proper coolant and water, then you'd be drinking poison. Its also easy to look back at the "good old days" where cars were basic enough machines that you could make basic repairs, where as today, with the number of computers and the compact areas inside the hood, there are simply many things that can't be fixed without specialized tools and equiptment that are unavailable on the side of the road.

There certainly is a line between worrying too much and taking unneeded risk. People often are too worried about technology as their safety device that they don't even think about the basics. (the number of people on the road who couldn't change a tire without using a cell phone to call for help is frightening) However, if adding a few putting a few items in the trunk makes a person feel more secure, and thus have a good time, I don't really see how that would ever detract from what a roadtrip is all about.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Midwest Michael

There certainly is a line between worrying too much and taking unneeded risk. People often are too worried about technology as their safety device that they don't even think about the basics.

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It was in the early 80's, when we first took up bushwalking with the family (then all under 12) that my husband had the opportunity to gain his BMLC - Bushwalking and Mountaincraft Leadership Certificate.

From that day to this, my preparation for any venture, has always centred on survival. I do not carry half of what is suggested, but then, I carefully calculate any risk I take, considering my equipment and ability to cope.

A typical ocassion was when, in 2007, heading north from Kalispell MT to Glacier NP, I called in at the ranger station in Hungry Horse. (Yes, there is such a town!) Wanting to see somethings off the beaten track, he suggested I go to Belmont Point, from where you could see into the glacial lakes at the southern end of this NP.

He had asked what I was driving - a 1994 Camry sedan - and of my driving ability - trained professional driver - then went on to say that it is an 11 mile trip up the mountain which takes 45 mins - one way! After deescribing the road, etc. to me, I headed for the destination.

Not long into this memorable journey, a tree had recently fallen across the road and been cut so that vehicles could pass through. My immediate thought was..... what if a tree should fall between now, and when I return?

Then the mental checklist sprung up:
*Water - 2 doz. bottles
*Food - lots (always seem to carry excess)
*Fuel for the small cooking stove - three cannisters
*Sleeping bag and pillow
*Fuel tank - full (I would not get cold)
so I knew, that even if I should be marooned on that mountain, I would survive for a week or more, if need be. (I would not like it.) Since there are several communication towers on top, someone was bound to come by sooner or later, the road looked well used.

And so, I continued without worry or fear. Took every bit of the 45 mins.

And it is a magnificent view from up top, though it was a good 5 mins before I could get out of the car after that hair-raising drive.
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Lifey who still likes a challenge

Here's what we took on our 2-week 5000 mile summer trip. We only stayed at full-service campgrounds and the occasional hotel. This was just the right amount of stuff for the trunk of our little Ford Focus. Our only problem was that the souvenirs that accumulated and began to fill the backseat!

We Each Need:

• sleeping bag, pillow
• clothes, pj's
• swimsuits, camping towel
• reusable water bottle
• sneakers, flips
• wallets
• small backpack
• sunglasses
• camera, phone, ipod, chargers
• chapstick

Bathroom Stuff:

• toothpaste/toothbrush
• soap
• moisturizer
• shampoo/conditioner/hairbrush
• sunscreen, bug spray
• travel first aid kit
• swiss army knife
• nail clippers
• medicines

Camping Stuff

• tent
• mallet (for stakes)
• flashlights/lantern/lighter/fire starters
• cooler
• frying pan, flipper, campfire pie maker
• paper plates
• can opener

Other Stuff

• car kit (tire pressure gauge, flares, emerg. blanket, etc..)
• TomTom GPS
• books
• sketchpads, pencils, pens, markers

Here are 2 of my favorite things that I couldn't travel with out:

Ebags Packing Cubes -great for keeping clothing and electronics organized

LLBean Toiletries Organizer- fits everything and has a hook so you can hang it up in a public shower, or on a bathroom mirror- and have easy access to everything- this thing is awesome!

Yes, that's a good addition to this thread!

Mark

This will help alot of my trips. I have my own personal list for travel but always looking to update it to make my travels easier.

Here's a question: What's the availability of BLOCK ICE for ice chests, in other areas of the country?

Around here - - forget it. We used to get block ice at Albertsons or Stater Bros (grocery stores). Not any more. Then we could buy it at 7-11. Not any more! I have one block that's been in my freezer that has been used for a couple of day trips. I told my hubby, it's time for that block to get used as we are going to be gone for awhile this time.

Anyone????

Ice is packaged in large cubes and in bags, but I rarely use ice at all any more. I use the re-freezable packing supplies for my coolers.

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DonnaR57

Here's a question: What's the availability of BLOCK ICE for ice chests, in other areas of the country?

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The last place I saw block ice was at a convenience store in Winchendon, MA - and that was one of the only things the store actually had for sale. That was last summer, or the one before. Mostly I use a plugin cooler - though that doesn't give the absolute ice-cold chill of a good chunk of frozen water.

I actually ran across ice blocks a couple weeks ago, and ever since I've been wondering why it has become such a rare thing.

I was getting groceries at a Cub Foods outside of St. Paul while camping over Memorial Day, when they had a few blocks jammed in between the small and large bags of cubes. I picked up the 10 lbs block on a Friday night, threw it in the cooler, and it kept things cold for the rest of the weekend. I'd never be able to do that with even a 20 lbs bag of cubes.

I've been kind of keeping an eye out to see if any stores around me have it, but so far no luck...

I've got a small plug in cooler, but I always end up worrying that its going to drain the battery if I'm parked for extended periods.

Hubby doesn't want a plug in cooler for exactly that reason: draining the battery when parked. That's why ice is so important.

I thought about using those refreezeable ice packs. From what we saw of the freezers in the little refrigerators in motel rooms, though, I'm hesitant. We stay in motels that have had either no refrigerators at all, or just little ones with a tiny little freezer (maybe big enough to hold 2 ice cube trays). So we were discussing "block ice" vs "bag ice" when I reminded my husband that we haven't seen block ice around here in awhile. We prefer it, though, as it keeps stuff cold lots longer (and you don't have to buy a new bag every day).


Donna

Mine is a fairly large plug-in, which is a fridge, and if I turn it down far enough, a freezer. A few hours, while having a chinwag over a cuppa, has never worried the battery. It also has a battery alert which turns down the fridge if it senses the battery getting low. When camping overnight, I turn it down to the lowest setting, and leave it outside the car, in the cool/cold night air.

When I get my camper it must have a three way fridge... the only way to go.

As for ice, and all that wet mess? Not for me. But it is logical why they sell ice in bags. Each piece is hollow, freezes quicikly and melts quickly. Quick turnover, more profitable than blocks.

When we camped with the family, we would freeze cartons of milk and bottles of water to keep the rest cold. Even with our big cooler, there was never enough room to add anything which was not going to be consumed. And on a couple of ocassions we used dry ice. Now that does keep things cool!!

Lifey

That is what I used on my first couple of trips. If there was no freezer, or the freezer was too tiny, I would ask at reception if they could put them in a freezer for me. Never been knocked back. I have even done this at a truckstop.

Except at the campground in Whitehorse, when I went to get them the next morning, I was told that someone must have thrown them out. lol

Lifey

This is where the old-fashioned method of research may pay off - dig out the Yellow Pages and look up "Ice". I just did, and our local ice distributor is listed. Call them and ask if they have block ice and if they sell to the public.

Helpful at home,but not as easy when on the road.

We are at least going to start with the block, and then take it from there.


Thanks,
Donna

Donna,

I just use bag ice for daily use around here (NC) but when I go out west and stay in an "off the grid" cabin for a week at a time, we haul in 150-175 quart capacity marine coolers for the week's vittles and we ice them down with block ice, which we find pretty much anywhere we look for ice in Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. Not as likely to find blocks at small general stores/convenience stores, but grocery stores, Wal-Mart, tackle shops, and sporting goods stores generally all have blocks.

Foy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DonnaR57

Helpful at home,but not as easy when on the road.

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It's not difficult finding Yellow Pages for the local area when you are on the road.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Midwest Michael

I've got a small plug in cooler, but I always end up worrying that its going to drain the battery if I'm parked for extended periods.

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I suppose this depends on the vehicle, but in the four vehicles we've used ours in, the accessory sockets have all been switched with the ignition, and we don't leave the ignition "on" (engine off) when parked.

Update: we were in our favorite local grocery store yesterday, and there were TWO blocks of ice for sale!!! So maybe things are looking up.

Come to think of it, it's probably easier to find a Yellow Pages when you're in a motel, than it is to find a pay phone with a Yellow Pages. (Or even to find a pay phone these days - with the advent of cell phones, a lot of places have removed their pay phones.)


Donna

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mass Tim

... the accessory sockets have all been switched with the ignition, and we don't leave the ignition "on" (engine off) when parked.

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And while you are out of the car, things will get warm/hot and spoil?

I deliberately had the socket for the fridge wired so that it bypasses the ignition. No point having a fridge in the car if the goods are going to spoil while on a hike or having a chinwag. I use my fridge every week for shopping. It is really a permanent fixture in the Outback (and not just because it is too heavy to take out).

The outlet for recharging my phone, also bypasses the ignition.

Lifey

My roadtrip vehicle has two outlets on the dash, one that's ignition switched and one that's always on.

But my concern is the same as lifey's if the cooler isn't being powered while sitting in a hot car, it isn't going to take long at all for the contents temperature to start rising. But if it is always on, it is going to be a drain on the battery.

I guess the most problematic thing is that I'd like to use the electric cooler for storing meats and other things that can cross-contaminate or spoil if wet, so unlike say beverages, I really don't want to take the risk of the temperature rising too much.

I don’t know how much this would help. I would go for just an ice box but the latest models. Which do give you about 8-10 hours of keeping the items cool. I usual buy stuffs like beer, cold drinks, ice, meat etc from the mart or store closest to our destination point. This way we save time and we find an easy way of camping. I ensure that where we camp is around 20 miles close to a store.

Having returned from my trip out west, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Block Ice is available almost everywhere throughout the Rocky Mountain states.

I first found it at Yellowstone, where blocks are available at the campgrounds and gas stations - although many of the grocery/gift stores only had cubes.

From then on, I really had no problem finding blocks at stores and gas stations in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. It seems like they started to become less common as we headed back east, but that section of the trip also involved more motel stays where I was taking advantage of the motel ice machine and not looking quite as closely for ice in stores.

I did look for block ice, but most of the convenience stores I checked on our trip did not have them. Our cooler holds a 9 or 10 lb bag of chipped ice quite easily. We ran into one place that sold 5 lb bags of ice, which was a little small. Yet buying 2 at that point would not have worked (still ice leftover from the day before).

Maybe it's the places we stay, but most motel ice machines have a big sign that says "Please do not use our ice to fill your cooler", and often a suggestion of places to purchase ice.



Donna

I also just returned from a wonderful trip to Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and Utah. We found block ice in the first store we visited in Wyoming (a large liquor/beer store in Evanston), in Utah (a Fresh Market in Park City), and in Montana (Rocky Mountain Supply in Dillon). I don't think we entered a single large grocery or hunting/fishing supply store where blocks were not available.

We also found blocks in the two grocery stores in Dillon (Safeway and IGA), and in Philipsburg, MT (IGA?). We were in Philipsburg unexpectedly because one of our group wanted to call her Mom on her birthday, so we left directly from the trout stream on the only blistering hot day we suffered the whole trip--but with our coolers 15 miles away in the opposite direction in the cabin. While in P'burg we figured on getting some ice but realized it might not survive a 1.5 hour drive in 97 degree heat and direct sunlight. Hey, what about putting the 4 blocks inside of my neoprene chest waders? We did it, rolled them up carefully, secured the flapping legs with bungees, and dropped the whole unwieldy mass into my even taller and larger friend Ben's neoprene chest waders. Viola! Upon return to camp, virtually no melting had occurred.

Foy

Peter Thody found this link and posted on his FB page, but I think this is a very cool page to have available to anyone who likes to search for thunderstorms and wild weather. It's a Wind Map....

Be sure to scroll in and look at your region. Very interesting data!

Mark

I found two more items that I put in my car's Go Kit yesterday.

One is a version of the old Mylar space blanket, but this one is a one-person sleeping bag measuring 84" x 36". It fits in a tiny box (about 3" x 4") and retails for about $6.50 -- although I've seen them on the Web for as little as ~ $4.00 It's primary use is an emergency sleeping bag -- able to preserve about 90% of a person's body heat, making it a valuable tool if broken down at night in your car. It could also be used as a blanket or ground cover.

The other device is a drinking straw that can be used to filter drinking water out of the most questionable sources. It doesn't work on water contaminated with metals and solvents (or pool water) but it does remove all of the nasties from most water sources found along the road or hiking trail. More information about the LifeStraw here. I paid about $27 for mine.

Mark

...and the 2013 Road Atlases are now available... in the RTA Maps Store

People periodically mention buying camping equipment when they arrive at their US destination. I just saw an ad for a special buy on a 5 piece tent combo -- two person dome tent with rain fly, two sleeping bags and two camping mats. Given the price, I'm sure it is not the highest quality but might be OK to buy just to use for a summer triip It is also off season which explains lower price. The package is $49 at Home Depot, a place I would have never thought to go buy inexpensive camping equipment.

A good link for checking on possible locations for black ice on roadways in California and Nevada....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PNW Judy

I gave them my short list because it sounded like they wouldn't want to be bogged down with too much to get back home on the airplane with (or to ship).

To be honest, my camping list varies depending on the trip. A roadtrip where I'm only camping as a place to spend the night requires far different supplies than a regular camping trip. I'd pack a lot more if I was doing several days in a campground. But here's what I usually pack for road trip car camping:

* tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, pillow, extra blanket (I tend to get cold at night)
* telescoping camping chair
* small battery-operated lantern (I rarely take propane ones on roadtrips and this one is always in my car anyway as part of my regular emergency supplies) and extra batteries. I like to read before going to sleep and you shouldn't use propane lanterns in a tent...that's a huge fire hazard
* If I think I might take the time to cook: small 1-burner propane cookstove, backpacker-style cooking set, a few of those cheap "Gladware" type of plastic containers in various sizes, a scrubber, small bottle of Camp-Suds for cleaning the pots/pans and other cleaning uses, a small backpacker's style salt/paper/other spices container, can opener, rubber scraper, spatula, large cooking spoon, small plastic cutting board, lots of those little individual portion sizes of mayo, ketchup, and mustard like you get at fastfood places so I don't have to worry about refrigeration or spilling, plastic utensils, paper plates and bowls, and a few paper cups (NOT styrofoam, I feel wasteful enough using paper and styrofoam is very unfriendly to the environment, imho). All this fits in a small duffle bag.
* If I know I won't be bothering to cook but just want to prepare a variety of foods out of my cooler: a couple cheap "Gladware" style containers, knife, a few paper plates/bowls/cups, plastic utensils, the mayo/ketchup/mustard packets, the salt/pepper/spice container, can opener, and a small plastic cutting board
* cooler (both 12-volt and small, collapsible ice chest)
* 1st aid kit (always in car)
* flashlight with extra batteries (always in car)

Gosh, I think that's it. If I think of something else, I'll come back and edit.

ETA: I thought of something. I can't stand buying new batteries for everything all the time (camera, pda, flashlights). I bought an inexpensive 12-volt battery charger that can charge up batteries on the road. This has saved me tons of money. I love it. It only does the smaller AA and AAA batteries but that is what I use most of anyway. If you do this, don't forget to turn it off/unplug it when you're stopped for a significant amount of time, especially overnight, as it is a battery drain when the car is turned off.

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Hello friend I am going through some camping list thread and found this old one..it is really nice one and I already noted down vital points. DO you have some latest lists to share? Please reply..

Received in a press release earlier today from Marion Bachman is a list of her recommended items for a road trip vehicle.


Mark