Backpacking’s fast and light revolution had an unexpected side effect: a whole new generation of upgraded gear built for maximalist, action-packed car camping.
By Doug Schnitzspahn
Rain-or-Shine Shield
Rain should never keep you confined to the tent, and a crushing desert sun needn’t sap your energy. A tarp protects you, your gear, and your food from the wet and UV rays.
We Like: The light and easy-to-set-up Big Agnes Twin Butte Car Tarp, because it attaches directly to your car’s roof rack or can be set up on its own as a lean-to-style sunshade. $250; bigagnes.com
Hot Shower
Hang a solar shower from your roof rack in the morning and by the end of a hot day it’s ready to take on whatever dirt you’ve brought back to camp with you. It will also save you having to dig for quarters you would otherwise pump into the waterworks at a developed campground.
We Like: Seattle Sports Camp Shower. It’s tough, looks the part, and provides up to seven minutes’ worth of flow. $12; amazon.com
The Fridge
A cooler should always be sturdy enough to double as a kitchen counter — or even an extra seat.
We Like: Coleman 54-Quart Stainless Steel Belted Cooler. You’ll own this bomb-proof portable freezer for the rest of your life. It’s heavy, but the beefed-up insulation will keep ice solid for three days at temps up to 100 degrees. $220; coleman.com
Tip: Freeze perishables at home the night before you go to give them a longer life in the cooler. Keep them cool longer by using cubes instead of crushed ice, and by not draining the cold meltwater.
Sit in Style
Camping needn’t take place entirely at ground level.
We Like: Snow Peak Take Bamboo Chair. Hardy enough for the backcountry, small and light enough (6.6 pounds) to pack easily in the trunk, and stylish enough for a caipirinha party on your back deck. $110; snowpeak.com
Camp Games
A slackline — the improvised low-lying tightrope popular with climbers — is a great campsite pastime for mortals too.
We Like: Gibbon Slackline Kit. No complicated knots and the 49- foot line is two inches wide — perfect for beginners. $80; gibbonslacklines.com
Space Saver
A rooftop box can reduce gas milage by up to 20 percent, but the storage space is a necessity if you have a smaller car. Keep key camping items stored in it all year round and you’ll have just one item to pack instead of a dozen.
We Like: Yakima SkyBox LoPro Titanium for its streamlined design and fuel economy, as well as its easy installation. The coup de grace? A solar-powered light makes it easy to unpack when you roll into camp in the dark. $699; yakima.com
Sleep System
Grab a sleeping bag with the new, more accurate temperature-rating system and a next-generation camping mat. These days mats provide as much comfort as an old-school air mattress but can take 10 times the abuse.
We Like: The Marmot Pinnacle Sleeping Bag and Exped’s DownMat 7 Pump Mat. The 800-fill, 15-degree Pinnacle is as suited to car camping as it is to the backcountry because of its warmth-to-weight ratio; the down inside the 7 Pump mat insulates better. $330; marmot.com (bag); $150; outdoorresearch.com (mat)
Tip: Keep your bag stored in its oversize cotton sack whenever possible. Down needs to breathe, and compression degrades it. Only use the small stuff sack when space is tight.
Lounger
Hammocks are great for a nap or even overnight sleep because you can’t roll off of them like you can an air mattress.
We Like: Eagles Nest Outfitter’s DoubleNest Hammock. It packs down into a fist-size 22-ounce stuff sack and fits two. $65; eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com
Organizers
At home, keep gear stored in color-coded bags so you know exactly what you’re reaching for when it’s time to pack.
We Like: Kelty Binto Boxes and Haulers. These small, soft, 1,400-cubic-inch boxes each hold gear for one activity, be it your kitchen utensils or climbing rack. The main hauler keeps the Bintos organized in your trunk. $20 (individual Bintos); $90 (Binto Hauler 3); kelty.com
Home Dome
A base-camp tent should have enough room to not only sleep your group but to also stash your gear. Using your car’s trunk as storage is counterproductive, since you often need to unpack half of your stuff to get to the rest.
We Like: Kelty Shiro 4. This huge (70 square feet!) three-“room” shelter sleeps four, and its two side rooms include removable sleeping compartments. The six-foot-six-inch-high middle room is big enough to store gear and even work on bikes. $550; kelty.com
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This article originally appeared in the July/August 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.
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