Trimming Down for Car Camping

[Bojib]

Never thought I would say I have too much gear, but I have too much gear.

I hadn't been camping in quite some time, and we recently finally got the chance to take a trip. Since the time of my last camping trip to the current camping trip we have moved, and downsized quite a bit, including vehicles. So now when I say car camping, it's an actual mid-size car, not a truck or SUV I can throw all kinds of junk in.

It was like playing tetris to get all the camping gear in the trunk. Only limited room in the cabin area of the car, in the floor board of the rear seats. Fido had to have a good place to sit for the trip, so using the back seat for storage was pretty much out.

So now, I'm looking to downsize my camping gear as well. Mostly the incidental stuff, there is room for the tent, chairs, and cooler. Getting the rest of everything down to a manageable size should be fun or at least a little bit of a challenge. Thinking I'll wind up taking what little bit of back packing equipment I already have and supplementing it with so additional stuff.

I have a feeling that camping is a good place to use the phrase "less is more".

 

[Cappy]

There is also comfort level to consider. Those small utility trailers are the answer for many folks. They are reasonably priced, very light and easily pulled behind most any vehicle. They make great gear haulers and if you dont have a pick up or suv they are very handy around the house as well. I see small cars pulling those lil 4 ft utility trailers all the time loaded wiht camping gear and coolers as well as potting soil and stuff from Lowes etc

 

[Bojib]

Not a bad idea. I actually used to do use a utility trailer at times.

When we moved getting rid of the trailer was part of the downsizing. We went from a house with a sizable piece of property to a little apartment. I don't have anywhere to store a utility trailer now.

Believe me, during our recent trip I saw a couple cars on the interstate hauling those and I was a bit envious.

 

[ppine]

As I get older, I pay more attention to comfort. It takes a pickup to haul our stuff. For a week long hunting trip I sometimes add a utility trailer which holds large coolers big enough to swallow an elk. Just bring what you need .For cold weather that means a wall tent, frame, stove and cots, a table to cook on and chairs.

 

[Bojib]

I think I solved my problem.

For about the 20th time this year I got frustrated trying to make do with the car. I finally gave up and traded it for a small pick up truck.

So, maybe that will help with trying to trim down on the camping gear, now I don't have to. I should have kept the SUV I parted with instead of keeping the car when I made the decision last year. Live and learn I guess.

 

[MacGyver]

Never thought I would say I have too much gear, but I have too much gear.
I have a feeling that camping is a good place to use the phrase "less is more".

Welcome to what I call Carpacking. Several years ago, I decided that I was too reliant on my pickup truck to go camping, even for a weekend. I started by replacing bulky and heavy gear with the stuff I used to carry while backpacking. No more bulky Coleman two-burner stove in favor of a single burner stove, LED lights instead of the bulky Colemans. I took the smaller aluminum pots and Lexan utensils instead of the cast iron and silverware I used to take. Next, I started taking a good hard look at the things I'd always carried but never used, or really didn't need. That eliminated a lot of clothing and stuff like the chain saw and associated gas can. It didn't end there - it took me a while, but I've pared things down to where most of my gear fits into two Pelican Storm cases.

It's a good thing I went through all of that. A few months ago, my truck was out of commission and I had to use a Mazda Protege to get everything to the woods. I must have done something right because I got everything out that I needed, including my now beloved solar setup.

 

[Bojib]

Even though I went back to a pick up truck, I'm still living in a one bedroom apartment with my wife at the moment. So, anything to save space is a plus.

We also went from the two burner stoves down to a one burner. We have a large one burner, and a small back packing one burner. We still have a large cookset, as well as the backpacking cook set. On our last camping trip we actually used the smaller set and smaller stove more. The only thing is that I think a normal size skillet is still handy to have for a nice breakfast, hard to cook bacon and eggs on the small stuff.

The large lantern will probably be sold/donated/given away. I have a small backpack one, and a small led one. The backpack one puts out plenty of light for campsite chores, the LED along with some headlamps is plenty for playing cards at night. That's a big storage saver right there.

Those two areas there save a surprising amount of space. Smaller burners, lanterns, gas cans, it all adds up pretty quick, or slims down, however you want to look at it.

The cooler is the next largest thing to take up space. I don't think that's an area I want to slim down too much on. A creature comfort worth having on a car camping expedition. I'm fine with the freeze dried meals for backpacking, but not car camping. Although, I have taken to freezing bottled water a day or two ahead of the trip and using that as my ice in the cooler, it's less messy and I can drink it as I go too.

 

[briansnat]

I'm the opposite. Car camping is an excuse to bring everything but the kitchen sink along, and only because I've yet to buy one of those camp sinks.