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Car Camping Guide for Beginners and Free Printable Checklist

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Do you know what car camping gear you need? Car camping is one of the best ways to get outside and enjoy nature. There’s something so special about sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows and looking for shooting stars. Car camping is such an easy way for families to spend time together and can be so relaxing. Spending all afternoon paddling on a lake or laying in my hammock is just what I need to recharge.

I grew up camping and have been car camping my entire adult life. I began by purchasing relatively inexpensive gear just to get me outside and have upgraded over the years. You don’t need to spend a fortune to go camping, but having the right gear is a must. I’ll be sharing my must-have car camping gear and some tips I’ve learned along the way with you below.

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, don’t worry! I purchased everything from Walmart and Fred Meyer in the beginning and have replaced almost everything we wanted to upgrade with higher quality items from REI. Everything I used in the beginning was good and did exactly what I needed at the time. Purchase within your budget and get outside! I prefer to get my nicer gear at REI because of their return policy and the employees are just so helpful! I rarely make returns, but it gives me peace of mind knowing I have a year to make a return, especially with a big ticket item.

Storage Bins

I use labeled Plastic bins to store essential car camping gear. It makes it easy to grab and toss in the car, but also keeps things organized! For car camping I have two bins, one for kitchen essentials and one for extra car camping gear must haves. Below I’ll share more about what items I keep in each bin.

car camping gear bins for easy storage

Kitchen Bin:

Gear Bin

Tent

You can’t go car camping without a tent! And how do you know what tent to get? There are two important things to consider when picking out a tent. The first is the height and second is the sleeping capacity. You can spend as little or as much as you choose but you must know what you want with those two pieces. The first is height, meaning do you want a lower tent of a tall tent you can stand in? I personally prefer to stand in my tent and have the REI Grand Hut for that purpose.

Second is capacity and let me give you a little advice on sleeping capacity. If it says it is a 4-person tent, that means 4 people squeezed inside with little extra space. Rule of thumb, if you want a tent with some wiggle room always go up a size from what you actually want. For example, I had a four person tent but upgraded to a 6-person tent so I would have room to grow. By the time you put a queen air mattress inside a 4-person tent, you will have very little extra space for bags or another body.

Sleeping Bag

My first car camping sleeping bag was $25 find from Fred Meyer. It were great for warm summer nights, but one night accidentally camping in the snow made me realize it was time for a warmer one. I ended up purchasing a double sleeping bag so I didn’t have to purchased two and constantly attach them to one another to make a double. If you want to be extra warm in a sleeping bag, look into a liner. These help keep you warm and your bag clean. On cold nights I also stick a blanket inside the sleeping bag to help with insulation.

car camping sleeping bag


Get the free printable check list here.

Air Mattress

I’ve had both a single and a double height air mattress and I honestly prefer the single. I feel like it sinks down less in the middle so I sleep better on it. The double is great because you don’t have to go down as far to get into bed, but I prefer quality of sleep over the height of my mattress! You can get them anywhere from Target to Fred Meyer. I would highly recommend finding a battery powered pump to go with it.

car camping air mattress

A few tips for air mattresses:

  1. They often will be damp on the surface when you wake up. Make sure you let it air out before you back it away or be sure to open it back up once you get home so it can properly dry. They can develop mold if you do not. Simply run your hands over the surface to feel for wet spots if they are visible. Sometimes if its cold and they aren’t drying quickly I will take our mattress pump and let the air blow over it to help the process.
  2. I always pack a spray bottle of a natural disinfectant in our essentials bin. I like to give a light spray over our air mattress on our last day and then let it air out for an hour of so while we eat and pack up. This helps prevent any mold spores from growing.

Camp Stove

Being able to cook a good meal at camp makes camping so much more enjoyable. Many people like to cook over the fire, but I prefer using a camp stove. There are multiple types of camp stoves and in various price ranges. I prefer one that has adjustable settings because you want to be able to control the heat you cook with. Make sure you also get one that self ignites so it is easy to use. Having a good stove is a car camping gear must!

car camping stove

Cooler

I’ve used multiple brands of coolers from Igloo to Yeti and truly believe you pay for what you get with these. I started out with an Igloo cooler and was constantly changing out the ice. When I finally decided to invest in a Yeti I notice such a difference. I could go days before needing to replace the ice! I have a few other brands of cooler as well and recently got a Dometic electric cooler.

Camp Chair

Having a comfortable chair to sit in around the fire is a car camping essential! I love being able to snuggle up in my chair late at night as I stargaze. There are so many great chair options and price ranges, so be sure to do some research to see what you want. I have the REI Camp Chair and love it.

car camping chair

Lighting

Bringing various forms of lighting is important when car camping because most campsite don’t have light sources and it can be very dark. I usually have 2-4 types of lighting with me when I’m car camping because they all provide a different level of light and abiance.

My Light sources:

  • Headlamp for around camp or when i’m trying to look for things and need hands.
  • Lantern to leave on the table. It’s not always my favorite light so i use it as needed.
  • String lights for a softer light around the fire.
  • Flashlight for walking to the bathroom or around camp. Mine is the brightest light source.

Other Gear

Shelter

I have a large tarp shelter I can put up if it’s warm and I need some extra shade. It’s also great for rainy weather to keep rain off the area I’m cooking in. It’s similar to a pop up canopy, only this is larger and the sides come down to provide better protection.

Hammock

My hammock is a car camping must! I love being able to put my feet up and relax at camp and a hammock allows me to do just that. I have the Eno Double with the Atlas Straps.

Camping Responsibly

  • Always put out your fire! Pour plenty of water on the coals, mix the coals around and then pour more water over your fire. Do not leave your fire unattended.
  • Pick up all your trash and take it to a campsite dumpster or bring it home to dispose of it properly. Never throw your trash into the campfire.
  • Be respectful of the campgrounds quiet hours. If you’re camping on BLM land be respectful of your neighbors who may not want to be up all night listening to music of loud chatter. Turn music off and lower voices around 10pm.

Hopefully this helps you get some ideas of how to start building your camping gear or build off what you already have. If you want to learn more about backpacking gear, check out my “Backpacking Gear” guide. If you have any gear you absolutely love or recommendations for items to add to storage bins, be sure to leave a comment!

Happy Camping,

Elizabeth

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