Top 25 Car Camping Essentials
by Aventura on August 02, 2022
When you decide to give car camping a chance, having the right gear can make or break your outdoor experience. We’ve made a quick list of our top 25 packing list items (and some recommendations) to make sure you bring along on your trip outside. Download a free checklist here as well: Car Camping Checklist.
1. Sleeping Shelter
Car camping can mean different things to different people. For those getting outdoors frequently, you might consider either rooftop tent to get off the ground a bit. For those going camping less often, you might opt to sleep inside your vehicle or use a standard tent. There are endless variations, but we recommend a few different types depending on your group size. And if you’re not backpacking the tent in, weight matters less, so you can move up in size to give yourself some more room for gear and moving around a bit. One of our picks:
Coleman Sundome Camping Tent
2. Sleeping Bag
Nothing can ruin a camping trip faster than a bad night’s sleep. Your car, tent or significant other might give you a little extra heat; but we highly recommend looking at the night time temperature of the area you’re looking to camp. Almost all modern sleeping bags give a temperature rating which indicates the lowest temperature at which the sack will keep the average camper warm (for example, a 30°F rating should keep the sleeper comfortable down to 30°F). Once you’ve planned for temperature, you can look at size and shape. Many sleeping bag brands offer extra long versions for especially tall folks and double sleeping bags for couples to share the sack. And finally, you might want to bring along a pillow and sleeping mat for some extra comfort depending on your setup. One of our picks:
Kelty Tru.Comfort Doublewide 20 Degree Sleeping Bag
3. Backpack
A good backpack is a staple of the outdoors. If you are car camping you probably won’t need a large multi-day pack typically favored by backpackers going out into the wilderness for extended periods of time. Though, depending how much clothing and gear you have, you might still want to bring some type of duffel bag to throw inside the car to keep all your things wrapped up in one place. For car camping adventures, we love a good day pack. Daypacks are versatile and lightweight packs, which are great for day hikes, mountain biking trips, daily commutes, beach fun, ski days and other little adventures. You can also use them as a carry-on for travel or camera bag with some extra storage. One of our picks:
Osprey Daylite Daypack, Medium Grey/Dark Charcoal
4. Hiking Shoes
If you plan to get out on the trails, ride a bike, or really anything outdoorsy while you’re camping, you’re going to want some solid multi-purpose hiking shoes. Generally speaking, if you’re not doing anything too aggressive, some low-top, lightweight, and ideally waterproof hiking shoes will get you most places you’ll be interested in. We personally like a pair that’s versatile enough to jog a trail then head into town for dinner with without looking like you’re coming off 6 weeks on the John Muir Trail- helps you keep the packing list from expanding too far for a weekend trip. One of our picks:
Salomon OUTpulse
GORE-TEX Low Hiking Shoes
5. Clothing
If you’re at least semi-new to the outdoors, there’s a simple technique called "layering” that will help you stay comfortable and appropriately warm or cooled depending on your activities and the climate you’re spending time in. We’ll give you a quick overview here, but there’s also a great more detailed article from REI you might consider reading through as well: Layering Basics. The long story short is that you want to be able to peel layers off as you heat up with activity and stack them back up as you or the temperature cools down or perhaps some more inclement weather comes in. This goes for both top and bottoms. And remember for your outer shell that if you’re going somewhere that might get wet, weather proof and weather resistant are not the same. Here are a few of our picks:
Base Layer (Goal: Moisture Wicking)
Smartwool Men's Merino 250 Baselayer Crew Long-Sleeve
Icebreaker Merino Womens 175 Everyday Short Sleeve
Mid Layer (Goal: Insulation)
Outer Layer (Goal: Weather Protection)
Marmot Men's Drop Line 1/2 Zip Pullover Lightweight 100-Weight Sweater Fleece Jacket
Marmot Men's Minimalist GoreTex Waterproof Rain Jacket
6. Multi-day Cooler / Fridge
If you’re camping with the everyday driver, chances are you don’t have a built in fridge hanging around in your backseat. If this is you, we recommend picking up at least a mid size cooler that will keep your perishables chilled for multiple days. There are lots of options these days, but at the higher end is Yeti of course. According to their website, Yeti coolers keep foods and drinks cold for up to 5 days. That being said, you can always more ice to keep things fresh.
YETI Tundra 35 Cooler
7. Quick-Dry Travel Towel
Whether you're car camping, backpacking through the mountains, or going to yoga class, a quick dry towel will help keep you fresh and clean after a quick rinse off or dip in the lake. People love these towels for their convenience and durability, plus they are lightweight and pack down into either a carrying bag or small pocket in your gear bag.
Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Travel Towel
8. Coffee Maker
Waking up to a hot cup of coffee is hard to beat when you’re out in nature. And you can’t go wrong with Jetboil any way you cut it. From lightweight and compact stove systems to cool camping utensils and accessories, they are known to make quality products across the board. One of those cool accessories is their French Press attachment that connects right into the standard Jetboil cooking system so you can don’t need to buy a separate camping stove and coffee maker if you decide to head out on a backpacking trip where weight and space will be a bit tighter. Don’t forget to bring along a few canisters of the Jetpower propane, these are also lightweight, compact and reusable.
Jetboil Flash Java Kit Camping and Backpacking Stove Cooking System
Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet
9. Cookware / Dishes
Outdoor cooking is one of the best parts of camping, and whether you’re cooking up some eggs in the morning or grilling burgers at night, having a dedicated, compact and durable set of cookware is going to make your life easier and your trip more enjoyable. Before you purchase, it’s important to think about your typical use case (what do you want to make) and what your most likely heat source will be. Most camping cookware these days is designed to work over a propane camping stove, so if you also want to cook over a campfire you’ll want to bring along a skillet and utensils without any plastic components that might be at risk to melt when exposed to a large flame.
GSI Outdoors, Pinnacle Camper Cooking Set
GSI Outdoors, Destination Kitchen Set 24
10. Storage Containers
If you’ve ever been camping before, you probably know how quickly all your gear, clothing and everything else quickly turns into a complete mess. Getting organized takes a little bit of effort up front, but makes staying organized and keeping your gear clean, in good condition and findable lightyears easier. If you have the space, we recommend investing in some storage bins of varying size and even throwing some small labels on the containers if you a few of the same sized bins. We definitely recommend purchasing weatherproof containers you can throw a small lock on for your larger items, as you may need to keep those cases outside at night while sleeping inside your vehicle. If you’re short on space or want to reduce costs, there are some decent waterproof duffel bags that aren’t quite as easy to stay organized with, but will be much better than nothing.
IRIS USA 46.6 Quart Weathertight Plastic Storage Bin
ROAM Adventure Co. The Rugged Case
11. Folding Chairs
Take it from us, sitting on logs for a few hours around the fire isn’t quite as fun as you might think. A good set of folding camping chairs will be a great investment, especially if you get a quality set you can take to campsites, beaches, music festivals and even just park picnics around town. Before buying, it is super important to think about how you want to use these chairs most, as lighter compact chairs for a backpacking trip aren’t going to be the larger, comfortable and durable chairs you’ll want to keep around the car, camper trailer or RV.
Kelty Lowdown Camping Chair
Kelty Loveseat Camping Chair
12. Camping Blanket
Comfort is key to a good outdoor trip, whether you’re car camping or you’re just chilling at the beach. Much like a camping chair, a versatile and high quality camping blanket can go a long way to keeping you cozy, warm, and/or dirt free out in nature. For these reasons, we prefer a good roll-up wool blanket that you can bring along in almost any situation. A little bit on the pricier end, Pendleton is amongst our favorites in terms of durability, warmth, odor-resistance, soft feel and overall style. But like anything else, there’s always tradeoffs to be made regarding price, weight, and use cases. If you want to look at some other styles, Kelty, Yeti and Rumpl are also leaders in high quality outdoor blankets.
Pendleton Roll-Up Wool Blanket
13. String Lights / Lantern
Unlike most of this list, string lights don’t really offer a ton of utility or practical use; but, they definitely make your campsite look super rad, set the ambiance for a great night, and open up an opportunity for a killer instagrammable moment for you to remember your awesome trip. We highly recommend solar versions that you can leave out for the day and they are fully charged up for 4-5 hours of night time use.
MPOWERD Luci Solar String Lights
14. Outdoor Travel Rug
Outdoor floor mats for your car or RV make their money back whenever you’re camping in sand, gravel, dirt or wood chip areas. In addition to helping you avoid dragging a mess into your car, RV or camper trailer, they also allow you to walk around without shoes a bit and help give a central hang out space for your camping table and chairs. There are a ton of options in terms of style and size, so just pick out one that fits your group size and camping vibe.
MontVoo Reversible Boho Outdoor Waterproof Rug
15. Flashlight / Headlamp
Black Diamond Equipment - Storm 400 Headlamp
16. Multi-Tool
LEATHERMAN Wave Plus Multitool
17. Car Jump Starter Kit
NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12-Volt UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter
18. Trash & Zip Lock Bags
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
19. Bug Spray
OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent
20. First Aid Kit
First Aid Only 298 Piece All-Purpose First Aid Emergency Kit
21. Lighter / Fire-starter
LcFun Electric Lighter USB Rechargeable Lighter
22. Camping Table
PORTAL Camping Table Foldable Portable with Adjustable Legs
23. Water Jugs / Filtration
WaterStorageCube BPA Free Collapsible Water Container
LifeStraw
24. Portable Charger
Solar Power Bank, Qi Portable Charger 10,000mAh External Battery Pack
25. Personal Hygiene Kit
BAGSMART Travel Toiletry Organizer
