Camping Gear Recommendations

Hey folks!

I'm in the process of pulling together gear for some overlanding / camping trips that should start to happen in the next few months and I'm looking for information on what would be good to have, specifically sleeping gear for gaming. We've only really camped during the summer months in Southern California, so I want to make sure we're prepared if we get caught out in some rain or snow.

The basics: my fiance and I will be sleeping in a roof top tent, so it'll have a basic bed mat with anti-condensation. But beyond that, what do you guys recommend? Neither of us are interested in the mummy sleeping bags, so should we just throw together a few regular sleeping bags with some blankets or what do you recommend?

Also, any other suggestions would be great if you have found some useful or indispensable gear on your travels.

 

A few of my must haves on every camping trip, car camping or not:

Quality headlamp (Black Diamond, Petzel, etc)
https://www.rei.com/product/117628/black-diamond-storm-headlamp

MSR Pocket Rocket (great for just boiling water for coffee, freeze dried meals, etc)
https://www.rei.com/product/114890/msr-pocketrocket-2-stove

Mr. Heater Lil Buddy propane heater (this thing will turn your RTT into a sauna in no time)
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F215100-3800-BTU-Propane/dp/B001CFRF7I

As far as vehicle related things go:

Tool kit
Tire repair kit
Air compressor
Recovery straps and shackles
Traction boards such as TREDs or Maxtraxx, especially if your going alone



The best advice I can give is to do some quick over night camping trips, hell do it in your drive way, you'll find your self wishing you had this or that. Having an RTT removes the need for a quality sleeping pad and tent, but don't skimp on your blankets, pillows, etc. Bring some sleeping bags, a nice heavy blanket or two and a bunch of pillows, you can store it all in the RTT when it's folded up so why not sleep in luxury.

 

Great advice, thanks for the links! Got some of those squared away, so it's good to know I am on the right track. Is it recommended to get cold weather sleeping bags or would something like a 30-50F be good enough?

 

You can always add a liner to your bag if you get colder.

It kinda depends if you're a cold sleeper or a warm sleeper. I get cold when I sleep so I invested in a good sleep set up. With the RTT you don't have to worry about a sleeping pad.

I have two down sleeping bags. One is a 20 degree rectangle that I use for car camping and some backpacking. The other is a -5 degree down mummy...I'm cozy to about 10 degrees with it. If I position myself just right I'm not so cozy at 5 degrees. Otherwise I get cold. I'm a cold sleeper too. With a liner I've slept in it down to zero on top snow and have been plenty comfy. I also have a really nice sleeping pad which helps out immensly. Also, sleeping with a good hat and gloves on when it's zero is a must.

The best advice is don't sleep outside when it's zero degrees.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/camping-and-backpacking-gear-thread.340757/

 

I second the MSR pocket rocket and something to boil the water in! A LED lantern or 2 great for inside and outside of tent. I use the coleman quad. IF you'll be around trees grab up a compact hammock. never hurts to have a tarp or if room permits (an easy up, and small folding table don't forget the chairs!). Portable cell phone charger.

 

If you want to "be prepared" for cold weather, you're going to want the mummy bags. Wife and I can zip our's together if that's what you're worried about, lol...

Have you ever been tent camping before?

Honestly, my recommendation is to not just dive right in to a roof top tent. They are expensive, and if you've never camped, or have limited experience camping, they won't seal the deal for a great experience. They do put you up higher "in the elements" (wind).

Driveway/backyard camping is a GREAT way to learn what you wish you had, or what you don't use. I would do a night out in the back yard (sounds silly, I know), then plan a trip to a semi local spot and base what you pack on your backyard "trip".

We all use different things when camping based on our budgets and personal preferences, but all have a pretty common theme:

-What to eat and how to cook it/store it
-What to drink and how to store it/where to get it
-What to wear and how to stay warm/dry
-Where to sleep and how to stay warm/dry
-What to do (hobbies, etc...)
-Emergencies - what happens when you pull the "oh shit handle"

 

Yep, I've done tent camping before. Just never during the winter months. I decided on a RTT because (for a lack of better words), I am feeling compelled to get out and just ... go. I'll have to see if that works out or not but I'm not expecting any real problems.

As for your list, I'm going through my version of that and putting together what I need. Thanks for the advice!

 

I always bring a firearm.

 

I highly suggest a bivy if you don't have one yet. Being cold is one thing ... you can always start a fire. Being wet? Not okay. Haha.

 

access cab or 4 door?

 

I definitely recommend good rain gear. Pants, jacket, and some sort of waterproof footwear. I recently got some boots that are steel-toe, have a membrane in them making them waterproof, and are very grippy. Best purchase I've made in regards to clothing.

 

I have a DCSB

 

Yeah, winter camping is a whole new ballgame. Basically layer up. Then, layer some more. Keep dry, and, oh, layer up...

Personally, I'd rather be low to the ground in the winter, especially if it's going to be windy. You'll be taken for a ride in an RTT when the wind starts kicking up. Not only are you high off the ground and more exposed to the wind, but unless you set some jack stands to keep the suspension from moving, you'll rock around quite a bit.

So I'd rather find a nice sheltered spot on the ground where I'm protected by shrubs or rocks (or my vehicle) to keep out of the wind. Not to say you can't do that with an RTT, it's just that you don't need something as high to block the wind when you're only in a ground tent.

That said, I've also gotten flooded out in my tent (lots 'o rain created a river right under my tent). An RTT would been nice to help stay dry... Then again, we were also getting lightening strikes REAL close, so not sure I'd want to be the highest thing around, lol...

 

For the winter, in the RTT, I run a 100' extension cord to my Honda EU1000 behind "a rock or something" and then sleep on top of a heated mattress pad underneath a heated blanket and sheet. It's the sh!t. I hate sleeping bags.

 

How much insulation does an RTT have on its underside? I know just from using hammock setups on backpacking trips, you can have a winter rated or 30 degree bag and still get cold as shit because your sleeping back essentially compresses to a thin sheet underneath you, and then if you have direct airflow under that you are going to freeze. Even with a 1/2" thick sleeping pad and my 30 degree bag I froze my ass off on a cold Georgia mountain night where it was only 50 degrees.

But I'm not familiar with how thick the floor of an RTT is or its insulating quality so I am not sure. But as long as you have a nice sleeping pad you should be "OK" just depending on how warm you like to be.

 

Not much of anything, anti-condensation mat helps provide additional insulating layer, but that is why I sleep on top of a heated mattress pad.

 

Glamper.

A 30 degree bag is barely one step up from a thin blanket. It's not much. I have a 5 degree mummy bag, and I'd say I'm pretty comfortable in the 30's. I can sleep in the 20's like that, but it's not that fun. I'll "survive" if it hits zero, lol.

Bags aren't rated for what temperature you'd be comfortable sleeping in, it has to do with the rate at which the bag transfers heat (i.e. gets colder inside) given certain outside conditions. So if the outside temp is zero, the inside of a 5 degree bag will cool off more slowly than a 30 degree bag.

Most RTTs have a fairly thick mattress pad, like 1.5-2". Then you've got a fairly thick wood(?) platform below that. It's basically the same as what's on my pop up trailer as far as insulating properties. I have a heater in that thing, and use it when it gets to the 30's or maybe 40's (mostly because my kids haven't mastered the sleeping *inside* their mummy bags yet, lol). I also use a down blanket in in the trailer. Probably would never need the heater if I had my mummy bag, but you know, wife...

Ideally, to reduce heat loss, you could use the same type of insulating plywood they use on high efficiency houses (with the shiny aluminum foil stuff on one side), then get one of those tent covers for the "extra room" below the RTT. That way you don't have the cold wind pulling heat from the underside of the RTT platform.

 

Yeah I understand bag ratings I’m just saying it really goes out the window when you’ve compressed it to hell and you’ve got a cold breeze gracing your backside.

But since the RTT has a double layer of pad and then thick structural backing it should be fine, or at least heck of a lot better than couple mm thick nylon material like my hammock provides lol.

 

Yep!

RTTs are basically like my popup, at least as far as insulation. I even have a heated mattress, although I lost the hand controller when I blew a tire and the debris took out the fender and everything in the cabinet, but that’s another story, lol...

I thought about doing some added insulation on the bed platform, like thin rigid foam, or that reflective plywood I talked about, but just haven’t gotten off my ass to do it. Plus, you know, propane heater... my down comforter is uber warm too.