Car Camping Gear: Top 5 Items You Gotta Have

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You could easily spend thousands of dollars on all the latest car camping gear if you wanted to. Camping has come full circle with tons of creative camping gear, specialty gadgets and items with marketing to make you think you need it but quickly find out you really don’t.

Car Camping is a bit different from standard campsite camping. Although some people consider car camping sleeping in a tent next to their car, my style of car camping involves sleeping inside my car. I rarely stay at developed campgrounds, opting for free overnight parking on public land or Cracker Barrel parking lots instead.

While I enjoy the car camping experience, car camping can be exhausting. It’s a great way to save money, but if you are car-camping the country for months at a time, it’s best to have some gear to make your life a little easier while on the road. If not, you may not last long.

After a few top 10 lists and a post about the top car camping essentials, these are the top 5 items I would absolutely spend my money on again. I use them on every car camping road trip. All five of these items help make my experience more enjoyable and allow me to comfortably explore longer.

These are the big-ticket items that make every car camping experience possible. I would not consider these luxury items but the top 5 car camping necessities.

Table of Contents: Jump to

Rinse Kit

Hands down, the best thing to spend your money on for a car camping road trip is a Rinse Kit. If you will be traveling for a few days in remote areas without access to running water, this portable pressurized shower will help you feel fresh on your journey.

It is perfect for car camping road trips, providing a convenient way to shower outdoors or rinse off after activities like hiking or swimming without needing a fixed water source.

Rinse Kits are designed to be user-friendly, with a pressurized system that doesn’t require pumping. Their newer models include a battery-operated system that can spray water at a higher pressure and with more consistency than hand pumps or gravity-fed portable showers.

They are portable and compact enough to fit in your car without taking up too much space. They are about the size of a small cooler.

They have a 3.5- and 4-gallon version that lasts me 3-4 weeks with daily use. They are now easier than ever to refill, and the water can be heated with additional accessories.

I’ve been using my Rinse Kit for years to wash my face, brush my teeth, and wash my hands while out on the road and camping in remote areas with no facilities. It is really the only way I feel clean while on the go, which helps me sleep at night and feel rested for whatever is to come!

Electric Travel Kettle

Once I started packing an electric travel kettle, meal time changed for the better. I started car camping with a Coleman camp stove and a Jetboil system, which I still use and love when I cook at a campsite or on a backpacking trip, but with an electric kettle, I can prepare meals much quicker.

There are many dehydrated soups and meal options that just require water. With an electric kettle, I can prepare those kinds of meals much quicker in the comfort of my own car.

You have to use a Jetboil or a camp stove outside. It can be challenging to find a safe, clean area to use your camping stove, which also draws attention (something I try to avoid when I am car camping solo). An electric kettle is the perfect indoor cooking tool, heating water within a few minutes.

It also allows me to prepare tea or hot lemon water in the mornings, something that is a part of my morning routine but used to be difficult while sleeping in my car.

If you are a coffee lover, a portable electric kettle should be at the top of your list!

The only drawback, is you need electricity to operate an electric kettle. I love this Electric Travel Kettle that has a car plug (it also has an optional wall plug) so you can use your car battery to operate it.

In the event I can not use my car battery, I also car camp with a portable battery, the Jackery 500, which allows me to charge devices and use my electric kettle if I am parked overnight with the car engine off. The electric kettle uses about 10% of the Jackery’s battery power to boil about 12 oz of water.

If I were writing a post about the top 6 car camping necessities, a Jackery would be on the list! It’s another great tool for powering gear when on the road.

Blackout Window Covers

These DIY Car Camping window shades are a game changer for car campers. They offer many benefits, including privacy, temperature control, security, and light control, significantly enhancing your car camping experience.

They provide complete privacy by blocking the view into your vehicle, which is particularly important when you’re sleeping or changing clothes. They also block out external light, allowing you to sleep better, especially if you’re camping in a place with streetlights or during the long days of summer when the sun rises early and sets late.

I use my car camping window covers during the day to help regulate the inside temperature. By blocking out sunlight, blackout shades help keep the interior of your car cooler during the day, reducing the need for air conditioning and making your vehicle more comfortable.

They also help keep your car’s interior hidden from view, deterring potential thieves by not advertising any valuable items you might have inside.

Window covers are super easy to make and easy to use. You can buy professional window covers, but making them comes at a fraction of the cost.

Comfortable Mattress

For long road trips, a comfortable sleeping setup is crucial to enjoying your time on the road. A comfortable mattress is the pinnacle of getting a good night’s rest.

There are many different sleeping pads and mattresses on the market, but I swear by this foldable memory foam mattress.

I love it because you can cut it down to any size with a serrated knife. It has a removable zipper cover that is easily washed and convenient for storing things (like my PJs) that I only use at night. You can fold it up to create more room in your car during the day, and it is really comfortable to sleep on.

It does not store as small as a blow-up mattress, but blow-up mattresses are not as convenient if you ask me. Having to blow up and deflate a bed is a pain. I much prefer a memory foam mattress, even if it does take up a bit more space during the day.

Yeti Roadie 24 Cooler

The perfect road trip cooler is the last of my top 5 car camping essentials. I love a cooler because it helps me save money on food and allows me to bring healthier food options instead of relying on non-perishable and processed foods. It is also perfect for extra food security when sleeping in my car in Bear Country.

Milk, yogurt, and cool drinks are three things I love while road-tripping, so having a cooler to keep some of my favorite items cold is a game-changer. It definitely helps keep me happier for longer!

I’ve used a few different coolers in the past for road trips but the Yeti Roadie 24 is the perfect size for a solo camper. It also fits perfectly in my car behind my passenger seat (when moved forward), which is ideal for my car camping setup.

I also love the IceMule backpack coolers. I have one that I use with ice to store a few items at a time because it is more convenient to empty melted ice out of a small, light, and portable cooler than the Yeti. If I have a lot of items to cool, I use the Yeti, but I am always conscious of how much ice I use in the cooler at one time because I do not want my items to get waterlogged when the ice starts to melt.

If you plan to cook while car camping, a cooler is a must!

Electric coolers are very convenient since they do not require ice, but they also have some drawbacks, like needing a constant power source to keep food cool. They consume a significant amount of energy, which can drain your vehicle’s battery if used for extended periods without the engine running.

Another major drawback is their limited cooling capacity. Some electric coolers are only able to keep items cool and not reach and maintain freezing temperatures as well as a traditional freezer.

No matter what cooler is best for you, a cooler is a must-have car camping essential to keep you comfortable while on the road!

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These are my top 5 favorite car camping essentials. I’ve been car camping for years, and these items always help me have a pleasant time while adventuring across the country.