How We Camp in our Jeep Wrangler
Car camping has been rising in popularity lately, but we are “niching down” to Jeep camping!
We recently bought a used 4-door Jeep Wrangler, and we have absolutely loved having it so far. Once we realized that we don’t need to wait for the future to start traveling and camping, we decided that we would just start with what we had; our Jeep.
Of course, we ran to the store and bought a few supplies, so let’s get into how we go camping in our Jeep! (This applies to other vehicles too!)
What we bought: (Not all of these are necessary, but they make camping a lot more comfy and fun!)
Sleeping bags! We bought ones that work for temperatures down to 35 degrees so that we can camp late into the fall and early winter months here in the Northeast of the US.
Camping pillows! They’re tiny, but sooooo comfortable! They definitely are worth the $10!
A butane camp stove. Not necessary by any means, but it makes cooking super easy. We usually buy rice, noodles, or soup to make when we are craving a hot meal after a cool autumn hike!
A plastic bin. We honestly just find it super useful to pack our food, pots/pans, and utensils in! It’s easy to move from the back of the Jeep up to the front when we are ready to camp.
A lantern. We camp in a lot of primitive or semi-primitive camp sites, so having a bit of extra light is super helpful (especially when we arrive late at night and have to set up camp in the dark!
Other tools! Flashlights, knives, and other “survival” gear that might come in handy. Most camping sections in stores have little kits that are perfect!
Other things we take:
Food! Canned food is easy and stays good. We also take lots of little snacks, especially for hiking!
Water! I usually pack an insulated half gallon, plus a few gallon jugs of fresh water. We use it for drinking, cooking, washing our dishes off, and also to put out our campfires.
Coffee, duh. Instant coffee is the easiest, and what’s better than drinking coffee in the mountains early in the morning?
Where we camp:
Campgrounds! Usually campgrounds have cheap tent sites that are perfect for parking the Jeep in. They also usually have bathrooms close by, which is a big plus for camping in a vehicle.
Primitive sites. Sometimes campgrounds have primitive sites available, but other times, there’s free available land to camp on. Just make sure that you find areas that are legal to stay at!
How we set up:
We simply lay the back seats down, throw all of our stuff in the front seats, and get our sleeping bags ready!
We use paracord to tie our lantern to the roll cage, making for an easy and convenient light source.
Open the windows, just a little! This helps prevent the inside of the jeep from getting condensation in it throughout the night. We learned this the hard way.
Things we plan on buying in the future:
Window covers and window screens! Right now, if we are in a more populated camping area, we use a blanket over the roll cage to cover the windows. However, insulated window covers will really help and be much easier to use! Getting window screens that slip over the windows and also have blackout covers will also help so that we can leave the windows down without letting the bugs in.
A tailgate table! When we camp in more primitive areas, there’s not always a picnic bench to prepare our food on, so getting a tailgate table attachment will be a huge help.
Better organization. I’m not sure exactly what yet, but we plan on brainstorming some ways to better fit our gear and keep it comfortable and compact.
A Jeep tent! These are pretty expensive, but we would love one that latches to the top of the Jeep with a fold-down ladder. We would have lots more room for storage in the actual jeep, and the view from on top would be amazing!
A cooler or a fridge! Having fresh food would be soooo nice.
Honestly, car camping is a very personalized experience. It takes trial and error to see what works for you and what doesn’t! Maybe you try primitive camping, and it’s not your thing. Or maybe you realize you need a mattress in your vehicle to sleep more comfortably. Maybe you like cooking while camping, or maybe you’d rather eat out. Camping doesn’t have to be harder or more difficult to be “real camping.” Do what works for you. Do what is the most enjoyable for you and makes you want to continue your adventures.
Stay wild, and happy camping!
Kenn <3
