Heading out on a multi-day vehicular adventure can be both exciting and stressful. There’s no room service when you’re 20 miles from nowhere — there might not be cell service either! So it’s important to be prepared, in order to live life to the fullest without a safety net. To do that, you need the right vehicle, but you also need the right equipment.
As someone who’s been at this for more than twenty years, and doing it with kids in tow for the last decade, I‘ve had to change my approach from time to time. In this article, I’m going to share with you all of the bits and pieces that I have come to rely on when my kids and I head out into the middle of nowhere to enjoy the simple life. These are things I have both relied on for years and that have come my way recently, but have nevertheless proven their worth.
The following applies to everything from camping on an established campground, to parking out in a field and pitching a tent. I won’t label it as “overlanding” because, in most cases, my trips only last a week or so. But, the following would apply to that as well.
The Vehicle & Vehicle Specific Accessories
I won’t spend a lot of time talking about what vehicle you should take with you and why it’s a Toyota 4Runner. I live in New England and our terrain isn’t as demanding as what you might find out west or the Northwest. However, we have plenty of places where you need to shift into four-wheel-drive to get to where you want to be. That said, you need a reliable vehicle that can sufficiently store all of your gear while keeping you comfortable.
You’re going to see my 2005 Toyota 4Runner in some of the images attached to this post. I’ve been relying on it for 10 years and it has almost 400,000 miles on it. I know how to fix things when they go wrong, it’s got a great sound system, and the tires are big and knobby so it can handle on-road and off-road travel without worry. What’s more is, I’ve got enough stuff attached to my roof rack so I can carry everything, and keep it organized. That includes my two kids and our dog, but they’re usually in the truck, not the cargo box.
Cargo Box
You need a cargo box that can carry the bulky things that take up a lot of space in your vehicle. This helps keep the storage area in your rig dedicated to things you need quick access to. Things like tents, sleeping bags, and canopies can go up top in the box until you need them. Because every vehicle is different, as are everyone’s needs, I won’t tell you which box is the best. Just be on the lookout for a box that’s easy to install and clears your hatch if you have a SUV, hatchback, or minivan.
Awning
When you set up an awning, you’re setting up a base camp. It could be in the middle of a parking lot at a football game or out in some remote location where you plan on hanging around for a while. I’m currently using the iKamper ExoShell 270 Awning and it’s the bee’s knees. Not only does it protect us from the elements, but it serves as a place to hang out, have dinner, and spend time together as a family. It’s also incredibly easy to set up and take down, and built to last.
Other Things to Consider
Seeing that you may be away from civilization for a while, a couple of things you may want to consider are being self-reliant and having enough water. You just never know when you’re going to misjudge a puddle of mud and get stuck, or how thirsty you’re going to get.
For the last eight years, I have relied on MaxTrax to get me out of any deep ruts and puddles. Yes, good driving is always the best way to avoid getting stuck, but in times of need – MaxTrax has never failed. Why not a winch you may ask? To use a winch you need something to tie off to. In the middle of a field or a desert, you’re not going to find anything easily.
Regarding water, I always figured I could find it and treat it wherever I go. For the most part, that’s been the case – but it’s not always the case. All it takes is one situation where you’re without water for you to consider bringing a surplus of it with you. My kids and I have relied on the WaterPORT 8 Gallon Water Tank by Klymit for the last two years and it’s been a game changer on long trips.
Base Camp Essentials
When you go backpacking, you’re forced to limit yourself on the things you carry or you will wind up bogged down and slowed down. But when you have a vehicle to carry all of your bits and pieces, you’re really only limited by your imagination (and bank account). This is what leads to Glamping and people hanging tapestries and having throw pillows at their site. There’s nothing wrong with any of that, in fact, I’ve been known to spice up my base camp from time to time. But there are things that you absolutely need to have if you want to have a safe and enjoyable experience out there.
Now that we’ve got the “how you’re going to get there” ironed out, it’s time to focus on “what you’ll need while you’re there”.
Table and Chairs
The core of every base camp is its table and chairs. You need a place to come together where you can hang out during downtime that can also serve as a place to eat meals.
Dometic’s GO Compact Camp Table is big enough to sit four, yet compact enough to tuck in the back of your rig when you’re not using it. Its height is also adjustable so it can easily transform from a coffee table to a dinner table.
For chairs, comfort is key – and nothing is more comfortable than a rocking chair. The ComPack Rocker from GCI not only checks off the comfortable and rocking boxes, but it’s also easy to set up and extra roomy. The ComPack Rocker has an integral hub design that does all the rocking so there’s no need to worry about uneven ground beneath your feet.
Food and Beverage
When you’re out and about for an extended period of time you need to make sure that food stays cold and you stay hydrated. These are the facts of life.
I’ve been relying on the Yeti Tundra 45 to keep my food cold and fresh at camp. I’ve found that it holds enough food for a family of four for up to five days. It’s also the perfect size to fit in the back of most vehicles and it’s so efficient that there’s usually solid ice left at the end of the trip. I’ve also been using the Yeti LoadOut GoBox 30 Gear Case to keep our plates, utensils, gas, and spices all organized in one place.
For hydration, I recently added the Dometic GO Hydration Water Jug to the kit. With a capacity of 11L (2.9 gallons) it needs a refill after day two, but it’s easy to store and access. When it does come time to refill the Jug, I find a pond or stream and treat the water with the Aqua Research H2g0 Global Water Purifier. After years of using a variety of water filters and purifiers, the H2g0 Global is the easiest and most efficient.
If you’re feeling fancy, and want to make washing your hands and dishes easy, consider picking up the Dometic GO Hydration Water Faucet. Though the Water Jug does a good enough job of dispensing water, if you’ve got $100 burning a hole in your pocket — this might just be the thing to spend it on!
Communication
Depending on where we end up going, cell service can be spotty at best. To stay informed and stay in contact if my kids and I split up, I use the Midland XT511 GMRS Base Camp radio. With the ability to run on standard batteries, rechargeable batteries, or a hand crank, the XT511 operates both as a NOAA weather band radio as well as a flashlight and AM/FM radio. But the big appeal of the XT511 is that it’s also a GMRS Two-Way radio.
With my kids getting older and wanting to do things on their own, the XT511 has come in handy this summer. They head out on their own with a couple of Rocky Talkie Mountain Radios and we can stay in contact while we all wander around.
First Aid, Etc.
Last but not least on my “needful things” list is the Yeti LoadOut GoBox Gear Case 15. We use this both at home and out and about as our Bug Out Box. It contains first aid essentials as well as any medications we may need along the way. It also makes for a great ammo box and the overall storage container for the XT511.
Earlier this summer, we started putting all of the charging cables we need on the go, as well as a power bank and small solar panel, into the GoBox. In an emergency at home, my kids know to grab this box if we need to get out of the house quickly. On the road, it makes for a nice all-in-one container for our essentials. I like to know where everything is and that everything has a place so that it can be easily accessed. This comes in handy if we run into an emergency situation and have to think fast.
Happy Trails To You!
There you have it – the tried and true essentials that a multi-decade road warrior/outdoor enthusiast uses when he heads out on a vehicle-based adventure. Aside from the Yeti Tundra 45 and GoBox 15, everything else I mentioned in this article stays in my truck year-round. I like the idea of being ready. Besides, what better place to store these things? This keeps everything organized and makes packing and unpacking wicked easy. It also means that there’s less to forget at home.
Though the things I mentioned above work for me, there may be other products and brands that you prefer (let us know in the comments). That said, this is all stuff I know works because I’ve spent time using and relying on it. There also may be things you would add – or even subtract – from this list. This article is a point of reference – not a definitive guidebook for everyone looking to head out on an adventure.
It wasn’t long ago that a playpen and a reminder to take extra diapers were on this list. Everyone’s different and our requirements change. It took a few years for me to figure out what I needed and wanted with me when I went out on these trips. As new products hit the market, I found myself reassessing my needs. The big picture here is that it’s important you choose the gear that’s right for you and the people you’re with.
These types of adventures aren’t meant to be challenging — that’s for 9-5 jobs.
