We are Megan & Dave, a concert travel couple who have been car camping for almost a decade. To us, car camping is a reliable, safe form of travel that helps us focus on exploration, connection, and as an added bonus, saves us so much time and money. And who couldn’t use more of that?
If you, or someone you know is thinking of getting into car camping, or wants to upgrade their set up – We curated a list of our favorites that would make perfect gifts for friends, family, or even yourself.
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The set up:
Crafting the most perfect set up for both comfort and overall vibes is crucial.
After YEARS of trial and error, we have finally created a “build” that does that.
Most of our suggestions can be used in a variety of vehicles and are lightweight enough to pack in checked luggage and rental car friendly.
They used to be referred to as car socks and now there are a ton of varieties. Our preference is for the over the door version because it creates a tight seal around the door. This allows you to crack the windows at night for ventilation and keeps the bugs out. Make sure you find ones that will fit your window shape. We have them for all 4 doors. A couple years ago we found a set that had curtains attached that are no longer made.
Foldable Car Back Seat Extender
This was one of the first upgrades we made to the set up. Originally marketed as a “dog bridge,” this extender lines up over the legroom gap of the back seat. Now if you search for a dog bridge, you get similar items, but with more seat coverage for the pet hair. That is unnecessary for our purpose.
Therm-a-Rest Women’s Trail Lite Self-Inflating Pad, Regular – 66 x 20 inches
Our mats are REI Co-op, but this is a comparable version. The important thing to note is the “women’s” size are shorter, which means it fits in the sleeping space of the back of our Jeep without needing to be folded over to avoid hitting the back gate. They fit next to each other, or when solo, right over one another.
I caved and bought a Yeti. We have been on the hunt for the perfect cooler for years. Long enough to have a collection of good coolers, but they just didn’t check all the boxes. Ice retention is everyone’s top priority and Yeti is the one of the best. I needed to keep food dry and for some reason, Yeti seems to be one of the only companies that take this into account. Mine came with the basket that sits at the top, up and out of the ice. Plus I needed the drain plug and a top that was flat.
Autotech Park Foldable Sunshade Custom-fit
Last year we upgraded the front windshield shade to a custom fit instead of the basic accordion style and it has made a world of difference. It blocks out light all the way to the edge of the windshield. Just make sure you find the one suited for your vehicle.
Set of 3 Car Privacy Curtains Rear Seat & Side Windows
This is not the long curtain we have, but this one comes with 2 window curtains as well since you can’t get them attached to the window covers anymore. Instead of hanging this in the middle of the car to divide the front from the back, we hang it to cover the back window. Window ties and the split in the middle allow for you to pull it back during the daytime for driving and then admire the view when you find your spot. At night, close it up and velcro the shades in the middle to keep it from pulling open. Now with all windows covered you are almost ready for bed.
Car Ceiling Cargo Net with Pocket
We admit it, we were jealous of Jeep Wranglers with all of their accessories. So we found this ceiling net to put in our Renegade. This particular on is very handy with an additional pocket, and the straps wrap around the handles of the vehicle and tighten to lift up. I wouldn’t put anything excessively heavy up there, but some clothes or an extra blanket are perfect. Dave puts his glasses up there at night so he knows they are not getting accidentally hit or knocked down. It is also where we put the keys each night so we never need to fumble for them.
Sterilite Stackable Storage Drawer 12 7/8″ D x 8 7/8″ W x 6″ H
After taking out the back seat, we needed to lift the bed platform up to be even with the trunk cargo platform. These were perfect to be able to turn it into functional space rather than just have supports underneath. But honestly, you probably already have these somewhere in your house.
Pillowflex Synthetic Down Pillow Insert – 14×24
Full disclosure, I bought these to try at home on the bed and bought the wrong size because they offer all sizes imaginable. These are small and “decorative” sized but I’ve found that they are perfect for camping. We did eventually get some for the bed at home in the right size. So now there is no difference in pillow comfort between home and road-tripping because these are amazingly soft.
Camping Fan with LED Lantern, 20000mAh Rechargeable Battery
We are a fan of this fan. It has a hook to hang up in the car and a large battery to recharge your devices. I have found the light to be too bright for my preference, so I use the USB to power my twinkle lights instead of recharging my devices (because those have been plugged into the car most of the day anyway).
Twinkle Star 200 LED 66 FT Copper Fairy String Lights USB
Everyone needs a little ambience. The copper wiring allows you to bend and pose the lights around to where you need them or where you don’t. Plus these are powered by USB and dimmable.
The accessories:
The purpose of car camping is to have more time and flexibility to get out and explore. Here are some of our favorite accessories and gadgets to document our adventures.
We picked up this bundle with the GoPro and accessories because it literally has everything you could need. Multiple mounts, spare parts, and straps. So far the selfie stick and float mount have gotten the most use. The only thing missing was dive housing. Since we purchased, they have released the HERO13 as well as a variety of other cameras and creator tools. Go Pro is a solid brand.
FitStill 196FT/60M Waterproof Case for Go Pro Hero
The Go Pro on its own is advertised as fully waterproof up to 33 feet. This would be for something beyond that, or for the “better safe than sorry” person. This will fit every HERO model.
Solar Power Bank 26800mAh, Wireless Charger
There are so many options for power banks now, this is one we bought a couple years ago that is still going strong. It has USB C input/output for fast charge and wireless charging on the side that does not have the solar panel on it. We bought this to charge our devices at music festivals after leaving it out on top of the car to charge all day.
Atoll Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board
We have this ISUP rated for 700 lbs. (for us both to be on it) which came with a hand pump and adjustable paddle. It also came with a travel backpack, leash, and fin.
We also picked up this replacement fin to not damage the stiff fin that it came with in shallow water.
OutdoorMaster 20PSI High Pressure SUP Air Pump Shark
Because who wants to hand pump? This intelligent dual stage inflation/deflation pump with auto-off plugs right into the 12V DC car connector.
Jetboil Flash Camping and Backpacking, Portable Burner with Cooking Cup
I love this thing. It heats up water almost immediately for my morning coffee. They have a variety of sizes for all of your cooking needs, but this one is perfect for small and simple uses.
