What You Need For Comfortable Car Camping
Some Small Upgrades Make A Huge Difference
Camping in a car is a great experience if done correctly. Shelter set up is minimal, protection from weather is there and also the bugs are kept away with the windows up. Having said that, cars are not perfect and have some downsides which can be mitigated. A few small upgrades and items are things that can make a great trip an awesome one. Let’s discuss further.
Cars Can Get Hot!
When left sitting in the sun, cars and SUV’s can reach very hot temperatures. Radiation from the sun enters through the windows easiest. This is an issue if you desire comfort and not sweating to dehydration. Fret not, there are things you can do to increase the viability of your vehicle as a shelter. The first is sunshades for every window. These will keep the majority of the sun’s energy at bay by reflecting the light away. Tinting windows helps but is not enough. Another solution for when you are in the car is some sort of ventilation system. Cars with sunroofs will often accommodate a small rectangle window fan. This top fan keeps interior air from becoming stagnant, it fights odors and is amazing if you decide to cook in the vehicle. How do you power this fan?? Please keep reading.
Making Food Within The Vehicle
At one point or another you will want to cook food to eat. Everyone gets hungry, it is simply a matter of time. If you do decide to cook but don’t want to do so outdoors you have options. Some authorities and areas do not permit fires. This makes things a little challenging but certainly not impossible. So, keeping an electric single or double stove is a smart idea. You can cook with this inside or out of the car. With the stove you can boil water, cook food and brew coffee. It is a must if you don’t want to eat pre-packaged foods the entire trip. A low-cost upgrade that will quickly be of valuable use. Still we have the issue of power as the stove is electric. How does this become accomplished?? On we go forward!
Electric Power For Your Upgrades
So, here we are to subject of how to power the above electronics. Go out and invest in a power inverter. This converts the outlet in your car to be compatible with the appliances you will need to operate. Before you buy just any converter you want to ensure your pick is powerful enough. Look at how much power the appliances you have require and get an inverter that can exceed that amount. If you pick up a model that has a protective fuse, buy extra fuses. They are typically not very large and can be stowed inside a glove box. Really you should always keep this in your car just in case you need it.
Inverters Have Short Wires, What Now?
I’ll tell you what now. Now you need to look at an extension cord. Looking forward to the possibilities, you may one day want to make food more than 4′ from your vehicle. To do this, you will need a fire or an extension cord running from your new inverter. An extension cord gives you options. It frees you from smaller limitations and opens up new possibilities. You are essentially buying flexibility with this purchase. Flexibility is very important when you plan to sleep in a confined space within a vehicle.
Be Prepared For Messes And Spills
Since you are in such a confined space, carrying extra towels, rags or paper towels is key. Even if you don’t spill anything they will come in handy. You will need them for cleaning dishes, equipment and even yourself. At the very least paper towels are great fuel for starting campfires. Along with something to wipe up messes, let’s see what we use to clean them next.
Cleaning Soap & Hand Sanitizer
You want to bring some of each along with you before you leave. Soap to clean up dirt and grime, hand sanitizer to do just what you guessed, sanitize yourself. The soap you use should be a biodegradable variety, natural in origin and mild enough to use on yourself. Hand sanitizer is used to sanitize but can also serve as a deodorant liquid in a pinch. The alcohol is said to be able to kill the sweat which causes offensive odors.
Everyone Needs Something Above Themselves
By “something above” I am referring to an actual cover above. That of course is a tarp that will keep you from the sun’s rays and dry from weather when you are outside the vehicle. This cover can be as simple as a basic hardware store special tarp or a fancy silicone-nylon camping tarp. Either will do just fine if they keep water and sunlight away. Even if you are relaxing after a hard day on the trails, a covering will serve you well. This can be attached from the roof rack or just from tree’s nearby. Either way, you will appreciate it’s protection.
Containment For Trash And Rubbish
Sooner or later there will be waste. This waste needs to be contained for health and sanitation reasons. I always keep some extra large trash bags in my car (in the case I need to change a tire as they are usually not very clean when that happens). When keeping your area clean you will need something that you can easily throw away and pack to a small area that is out of the way when not in use. Left over food you intend to dispose of (what a sin) will attract bugs and animals if not properly stored. Trash bags can hold water in an emergency if you are stranded and can be taped (whoops, that’s the next one!) together to make a shelter or shade. Trash bags are as useful as they are versatile.
Speaking Of Versatility, Here’s To The King
Duct tape, ubiquitous when it comes to utility and improvisation. Without doubt duct tape is the king and it can really come into it’s own if you have it around in the car. This is an obvious thing to keep in the car in general, just like the trash bags. They will come to use quicker than you may realize and you will wonder how you ever went without them. Nothing more can be said about duct tape here, it speaks for itself.
Some Can Be Great, However Less Is More
The above items are key to being comfortable and prepared. There are no doubt more things you can keep with you when car camping that will make doing it better. Keep in mind that when I comes to camping in general, less can be more a lot of the time. It is easy to become bogged down in a sea of objects you may use once or twice or only have a single use. Keep in mind that multi-use items are a very big friend. With a lighter load you will be able to travel easier and with less strain than doing so overloaded. Try using some of these tools the next time you car camp and notice how different they make your situation. Be well and be safe.
