Best Must-have/Must-do Mods for Camping/outdoors?

Apologies if this topic is covered in another thread, but I tried a variety of search phrases and didn't come up with much.

I have a 19 TRD OR DCLB. I bought the truck to be my daily driver first, but secondly to be the designated outdoor recreation vehicle for my wife and I. We love to camp, hike and mountain bike in the summer/fall, and then winter/spring is more camping (in warmer destinations) and ski season.

I'm looking for advice on mods that provide extra utility or convenience when out in the outdoors. I've searched a lot on TW but it seems most threads are aimed more at guys looking to go wheeling or tackle rough trails. I do take this truck on a lot of dirt roads of varying quality, but I'm not interested in lifting it or putting 35" tires on it. I am all about versatility and utility in general though, and I want to keep the truck flexible in terms of being able to carry different sizes/shapes of gear depending on activity and season.

So far, I'm looking at/considering:

- Retractable tonneau for the bed (keep gear dry[er] in winter)
- Bed rack on top of that for carrying bikes/skis/additional cargo (along with bike/ski carriers that I already have)
- Onboard Air system for tires + inflatable items (air mattresses, etc.)
- Second battery to help with supplying electricity at camp sites for lights, etc.
- Falken Wildpeak AT3W's for tires (snow-rated for winter + better off road performance in summer)
- ???

Any other mods/accessories that make camping / life out in the bush easier or more convenient?

Also before it gets mentioned, I'm not interested in RTT's as we have a ground tent setup that we like, and I like to keep the truck free to go out on day adventures from camp.

Thanks in advance!

 

Lights! A LOT OF LIGHT!!! or (headlights) highly recommend. Just got back from a camping trip last month. We always end up going back to base camp late at night around 10pm. Cooking in the dark stinks! I would say maybe install some airbags or Heavy duty leaf pack to help with the weight. Camping gear gets heavy lol.

I'm on the same boat as you on the RTT. I tend to drive my truck everywhere when I go camping, so I prefer having a ground tent.

A tire repair kit is nice to have!

 

Lots of good info on this site. Here is some of it:

What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

3rd Gen Mods & Tips

What you need to know about lifting a 2016 Tacoma - Presented by Toytec Lifts

 

Probably the most useful camping mod I’ve made have been the flood lights on the rack. Or the rack itself since it gave me a spot to hang the hammock from when I don’t take the RTT with me.

 

Gasoline and caffeine.

Carry extra gas. Peace of mind knowing you can get to your destination without having to constantly look at your fuel gauge is worth the weight of a couple Jerry cans. Scenic, mountainous roads suck up gas quick, and the stations are usually expensive and few and far between.

And caffeine because I can’t function without it. Your vices may very.

 

It depends on your camping style. For me half the point of going camping is the simplicity.

As far as vehicle musts go for me:

- good floor mats
- chargers for all my crap
- a well stocked tool kit
- some way to store fuel and water


And that's about it.

 

A pee bottle so I don't have to get up in the middle of the night when it's cold or if I've had a couple of drinks (which I've heard is another downside to RTTs).

 

I like a plastic, lockable container for storing and keeping items out of the cab, and both out of the elements.

Items that reside inside are; paper towels, utensils, camp lantern, 1lb propane tanks, pillow, lighter, and other odds and ends used at base camp. Nice thing about this is, when you're not out and camping, you can leave this bin full and at home.

Doing this also allows me to minimize clutter inside my access cab which I'll use for a pack to carry my essentials such as extra socks, change of clothes, scentless wipes, headlamp, a flashlight, extra batteries (AA and AAA), etc.

The container, plus my ice chest, are flanked by a Fronrunner Water jug and Surecan fuel jug on one side, and Powertank onboard air on the other.

I don't see a benefit to an extra battery, unless you're running a ton of other things+fridge. Don't overthink things...

 

what he said. you already have a truck, which is a lot more than what you need

i opted for a fiberglass canopy with windoors and added some anchor points for tying off a few awnings

headlamps will get you around camp and through repairs.

and any size bed will hold plenty of gear.

just think about what you want to do, and then plan backwards to determine the stuff you need to bring

 

Having the road shower was nice this year in Idaho when the day lodge had no showers and only way to clean up was in the stream....which is damn cold! Not saying you have to spend bank for the road shower, but even those ones that hang on a tree limb to warm up is a nice option to have at the end of the day.

And yes....lights!

 

Make sure your pee bottle is different than your drinking bottle. You don't want to be thirsty in the middle of the night and grab the wrong bottle.

 

i use duct tape with some plastic pellets under it so I can feel if it's different. and the tape is that annoying bright green stuff with the word "death" paint-markered all over it

it gets cleaned with bleach after every trip

 

I use a Gatorade bottle; I don't drink Gatorade and the bottles have a distinctive design/feel so no worries. A little Dr. Bronner's and water keeps it fresh.

In no particular order and knowing there are lots of threads asking essentially the same thing- I like having a tarp/awning that attaches to my shell so I have a dry place to stand and dress/cook/whatever. I usually cook on my tailgate (I've got a piece of HDPE screwed to it to make it a flat surface) but a small table of some sort is great. Couple of chairs. I like my old Coleman stove since I can actually cook on it as opposed to my Jetboil which is great for boiling water but sucks for cooking. Extra water. I use a one gallon pump sprayer for showering and rinsing stuff. Wet wipes. Paper towels. Some sort of shovel. Lantern of your choosing. Comfortable bedding. Trash bags. Etc.

Honestly you can look at most any generic camping list out there, grab the essentials and go camping. You'll end up tuning it to your needs, the environment, the seasons, what activities you're planning to participate in, your skill levels, etc. I've got an Excel spreadsheet I used to use for my VW camper and it looks long until you realize it's just thorough, i.e. the tools in the tool bag are listed- and you need more to keep an old VW on the road, but also included subsections for say mt biking or kayaking or fishing.

One of the most important things you can do is regular PM on your vehicle so it doesn't leave you stranded or cause you problems.

 

When my son was sick we loaded up on these from the hospital...

JJ CARE Urinals for Men 1000ml, Spill Proof Plastic Pee Bottles for Men with Snap on Lid, Male Urinals, Pee Container Men, Portable Urinal Bottle for Car, Travel, Elderly & Incontinence -Green

https://www.amazon.com/JJ-CARE-Coll...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Works great, lol