A few years ago, my husband and I took a month-long road trip through the American Northwest, starting in Mammoth Lakes, California, and making a big loop through Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, and Oregon. We camped about half the time and got pretty darn good at it. Here’s how we learned to live (happily) out of our car.Before you set out on your big trip, test your gear on a short, local camping trip and find out what’s missing or isn’t working.One advantage of car camping is the ability to bring a lot with you. But, when you’re on a 4-week trek, the space in your car gets a little more precious. We bought some good-sized bins that fit neatly in the rear of our Forester and filled them with related equipment (cooking supplies in one bin, tent and bedding in another, etc.). That way, we always knew where everything was and removed the bins only as needed. Bonus: when the trip’s over, you can just stack those bins in your garage or storage unit and they’ll be all ready for next time.
Stow the clothes and supplies you need for a night of camping in a small bag, which you can keep with you in the tent. But remember that bears are attracted to the smell of some toiletries, like shampoo or flavored lip balm. If you’re in bear country, those need to stay in a bear-proof locker or canister.We’ve talked about the glories of inflatable bedding before, and I highly recommend it. When you’re getting up at dawn with 200 miles to drive, you need a good night’s rest. Our air mattress is compact, sturdy, and comes with its own pleasingly efficient inflating device. We even brought it on our kayaking trip to the San Juan Islands, where it barely fit in the tent provided. (Our fellow kayakers teased us, but we had the last laugh when we crawled into our bow-shaped but comfy bed at night.)Just make sure the inflator is fully charged when you’re ready to set up camp. If it’s battery powered, stock up on spare batteries before you leave home. If it’s a plug-in, remember to juice it up whenever you find a plug (the campground bathroom, a Laundromat, or those nights you decide to stay in a motel).
When you’re on the road for weeks at a time, eating all your meals in restaurants gets expensive (plus, campgrounds are often miles from the nearest town). With a camp stove, a few cans of propane, and a well-stocked cooler, you can have fresh, hot coffee and fragrant bacon in the morning or rustle up fajitas or pasta at night, all without leaving the comfort of your campfire. Being able to heat up water for washing your dishes is also really nice.Note: if you’re in bear country, be sure to put all food, unwashed dishes, and anything else that smells like food in a food-storage locker before retiring for the night. If you aren’t sure if lockers are available where you’ll be camping, consider buying or renting some bear-resistant canisters. (Don’t store food in your car — bears in some popular camping areas recognize the shape of a cooler — and definitely not in your tent.)The fun of camping will start to fade quickly if your tent’s too cramped. Look for one where you can stand upright (or at least mostly upright), with room for your camping bags as well as your mattress.
(Going to your car every time you need something gets old fast.) You might also consider a tent with a vestibule around the door — it offers welcome protection from the sun and rain and a handy place to store muddy shoes.Many campgrounds (particularly in national parks) are first-come, first-served. If you show up an hour before sunset, you risk finding the campground full or getting stuck with a terrible campsite. If you have your heart set on a particular spot, get there ASAP, especially if the campground is known to be popular.Not all of our campgrounds had showers, but we were still able to stay reasonably clean by setting up a wash station in front of our tent. The aforementioned vestibule and a few carefully placed towels offered privacy, while a large bowl filled with water (heated on the camp stove) and a small bottle of shower gel helped us tackle the grime.Many campgrounds have stores or offices where you can buy these necessities, but not all of them do, so keep your eye out for grocery stores or markets along the way.
You’ll need ice to keep the food in your cooler fresh. And while a campfire isn’t essential, sitting by a crackling fire is one of the absolute best things about camping. A campsite with no firewood is just sad.Sleeping under the stars is wonderful. Roughing it is fun. But after 4 or 5 days, it can start to get on your nerves. Now and again, splurge on a motel room and enjoy a long, hot shower, laundry facilities, and Wi-Fi. Go to a roadhouse and take in a hearty dinner and some local color. Have drinks at a fantastic mountain lodge. After a little indulgence, you’ll be refreshed and ready to pitch your tent again.We’ve covered the biggies above, but here’s a short list of other essentials:Our road trip was one of the best vacations we’ve ever taken and it turned us in to car-camping pros. With a little preparation and some smart packing, life on the road can be a breeze. Just make sure your car is in good repair (and your car insurance coverage is up to snuff) before you head out.
And did you know homeowners or renters insurance protects the stuff in your car against theft? We can help you with that too!Before you hit the road this summer, make sure you’re equipped with Fuelcaster — the gas price predictor™. This website predicts whether gas prices are expected to rise or fall tomorrow. That way, you can decide whether it’s better to fill up today or wait. If you need gas pronto, it can also help you navigate to the closest gas stations with the cheapest gas. View all as images… Apple 12" MacBook (Early 2016, Silver… Lenovo 14" ThinkPad T460s Multi-Touch… Apple 27" iMac with Retina 5K Display… Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Mirrorless… Dracast LED500 Pro Bi-Color LED Light… Epson WorkForce WF-4640 Wireless Colo… Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZF.2 Zeiss 135mm f/2 Apo Sonnar T* ZF.2 Halter ED-600 Height Adjustable De… Camping Comfort: DownMat 9 Deluxe Down Air Mattress Last updated 2012-07-14 - Send FeedbackRelated: outdoors
When I was 14 years old, I could sleep soundly on frozen, bumpy, rocky ground in a lumpy crummy sleeping bag. I can’t do that anymore, not without a feeling of rigor mortis by morning. My secret to an extraordinarily comfortable and warm night’s sleep is the down-filled Exped DownMat 9 Deluxe. Or when size is not an issue, the awesome Exped Megamat (names are slightly different with the improved 2016 models vs the 2012 model I use). Whether it’s in a tent, a bivy sack, or my car, the DownMat 9 deluxe is leaps and bound more comfortable than the bevy of camping matts most people end up getting suckered into (my old collection of them is for my kids, heh heh). DownMat 9 Pump DLX Size: 197x65x9 cm / 77.5x26x3.5" Weight: 1270 g / 44.8 oz Packsack 24 g / 0.8 oz Packed: 27x16 cm / 11x6" Fill Weight**: 320 g / 11 oz Temperature: -38°C / -36°F R-value: 8 Fact is, the DownMat 9 Deluxe is more comfortable than most beds that I’ve slept in. At 3.5" thick, I never get cold from underneath, or have any discomfort with the DownMat.
Anyone over 30 who likes the outdoors should get one of these and relax overnight. Another huge plus is that I don’t have a tendency to roll off the DownMat or Megamat as happens with some matts. This seems to be due to the baffled tube design. While I prefer the DownMat 9 Deluxe for its length and width, there are narrower and shorter versions for those who want to cut down the weight. But in my view, you’re better off saving most anywhere else— the mat is the most important thing for comfort. From the Exped site describing the DownMat Heat loss is dramatically reduced with down insulation inside the mat, as demonstrated by EMPA, the Swiss Federal Labaratories for Materials Testing and Research, and field tests by expeditions. The thick cushion of air also provides comfort and smooths out uneven ground. And as down compresses extremely well, Downmats packs smaller than other insulated mats. DIGLLOYD: I can personally attest to the real-world performance.
Many nights have been spent in warmth and comfort on the DownMat. I have an older version, the new one looks even better. R-value of the DownMat 9 Deluxe is 8, incredibly warm. Both low profile valves (pat. pend) one for inflation and the other for deflation ensure ease of use. As the valves are flat and not on the mat's edge they do not protrude and are therefore protected and durable. Light foam blocks at the mat's ends prevent down from escaping or migrating between chambers. Laminated polyester fabric is both durable, airtight and humidity resistant. The shell's top surface is of brushed polyester fabric that provides excellent slip resistance and comfort next to the skin. Dark colors dry quickly. The seams are high frequency welded for durability. Two loops at the head end can be used to secure the packsack to the mat when used as a pillow. Light and warm: The DownMat 7 Pump has a R-Value of 5.9. At about the same weight a standard 2.5 cm selfinflating mat only has a R-Value of 2.5.