Great video. Those hatch tents can get a little pricey, so I bought a free standing bug tent at a garage sale, removed the poles and cut it in half. All I had to do is add some elastic on the cut side and it fits my 4runner snug. The hatch holds up the top, I stake out the corners. Makes a huge difference on hot nights, and rolls up into nothing to store. I try to buy camping gear at garage sales, cheaper and keeps a lot of plastics out of the landfill.
Now we all want you to get a friend to buy a tent at a yard sale so you can create a tutorial 💟😂 because that is simply genius. TBH, I have a suggestion to that. My husband and I go to Port Aransas TX 2x a year, the beaches there, and in Padre Island (not south Padre, I believe they have different Ordinances) i e Corpus Christi, allow camping on the beach, and driving on the beach, it’s so wonderful since my husband requires forearm crutches, he no longer has to trek 200 yards in soft, blistering hot sand to the waters edge. ANYWAY, sorry about that. Every time there are high winds, you will see dozens of tents, and especially canopy’s thrown away, as the owners didn’t react quickly enough to bring them down, OR if they camped over night they may not have been able to retreat. Regardless, it’s not unusual to see these items thrown away in the city beach trash receptacles. This spring I will be watching for those. I know for sure I saw a large 10 person tent with netting and rain fly in the dumpster, wish I had thought of your clever idea!
@@valerief1231 The hard part was learning to operate a sewing machine - I would definitely cut out that part of the video because of the language while I learned to thread a bobbin - but one simple seam around the edge and thread some elastic through - I am thinking about filming the next one
After my first car camp trip, I bought a pop-up shower tent that also came with a foldable camp toilet. For this 69 yr old woman, peeing in the car and getting dressed there as well takes too much contortion!
I share many items that you show here. I would add car window mesh for rear windows to have the windows down during the night and a little fan to provide some air circulation.
I make my own ice blocks. I take an empty gallon water jug and fill it almost to the top with tap water. Freeze it solid. Then put in cooler. It lasts a long time and cools cooler. You don't get any melted water in the cooler. When completely thawed you can use it as wash or drinking water!
This sounds like it would be a great option in the quart sized jugs too especially if you need more space in your cooler, having the ability to put a quart on each side or additional quarts will provide the ice, the water and a little more flexibility.
Nice video...I always carry a head light to use at night you can adjust the straps as needed and it helps when you need to leave your vehicle at night plus always carry a lighter and pocket knife...
A game changer for me was a cargo box on the roof. They are expensive new, but can be found second hand for a fraction of the price. Storing items up top gives you more space inside to set up a sleeping area, and you can carry dirty items up top that you don't want to bring inside the car. The aerodynamic style boxes don't make any noise on the road and hasn't effected my mpg enough to notice a difference.
I’m waiting for the 20% REI coupon to get my box. I had two used Yakima boxes that I got for free but they were too long for my crosstrek and the air drag on the highway almost made it fly off the top. Sooooo scary! So we sold them.
1. Pay a visit to Harbor Freight and pick up a couple of the el cheapo moving blankets. Another helpful hint: Stop by Safeway, Krogers, WalMart, etc and acquire at least one 3 or 5 gallon food grade bucket (FREE) from the cake/donut bakery. A nice little Clorox wipe and rinse with fresh water and you have a potable water supply for camping. Great for the times you take Rover camping with you! Finally, the 5 gallon shower bags sitting on your pickup between the roof and shell really do get pretty warm for that shower time!
I have a truck w shell topper. I pitch a large inexpensive tent, unload the cooler, stove, duffle bag, folding table and chairs into the tent. I sleep in the truck bed shell topper. It's great when windy and raining.
I have a truck tent that has one part of the tent in the back of the truck and another, connected with a zipper, on the ground. I love this arrangement. The only problem with it is if I need to drive somewhere after camp is set up, then I have to remove the tent from the back of the truck, or simply unzip it from the “living room” part and collapse it down into the bed of the truck, so I can drive and see out the back window.
A block of ice certainly lasts longer than a bag of cubes. I've found that a well-rinsed milk jug, filled with water (leave room at the top for expansion!) then frozen - will give you cold drinking water once they start to thaw out.
Great video. One thing I use instead of the expensive, outdoor rubber mats are padded moving blankets from Harbor Freight. A 6x8 (or so) blanket is about $6. They are padded for when you kick off your boots at the end of the day and dry quickly should they get wet. I was very glad to see you carry a paper map of your state. These are vital. I camp so many places where cell service is non-existent (even with my WeBoost) and I cannot pull up a gps map/location. Another tip along this line is to download a mapping app that allows you to download maps to your phone. Use an old phone and keep this mapping on it for when you need it. It won't show you your location, but you will at least have a map of the area. Safe travels!
I simply freeze my bottles of drinking water, it saves space and money. You are very right: bigger blocks of ice last longer as functioning like a bigger thermostat. Just make sure you remove a small amount of water from each bottle to allow expansion
I'm living in my 2002 Tahoe and have been buying Ice from Walmart, so that Ice Tip alone was worth the video. I just though about it tonight but freezing individual bottles of water, then I seen this, so thank you!!
Tips: wool blanket, window covers, windshield reflector, portable charger at least 20k mah. ,buddy heater for cold winter nights, and getting a car that has completely fold down seats (like a pre 2010 honda element). I lived in my honda civic when I was 20- I had a gym membership for showers and grooming. I always chose industrial areas for low profile- but lived in a relatively safe area. I used many 12v accessories like fans and lights, but battery packs make that way easier now. I also put an extra battery in the trunk that was parallel to my starting battery (with no fuse- I was 20 and dumb. Not smart to sleep with enclosed lead acid batteries as they offgas). Now with solar and battery packs and sprinter style vans- I could see it being much easier than the miserable nights I had.
Floor mat idea: Dollar tree carpet squares are neat in the van. I used to get out into Mt hood NF roads primitive areas past ripple brook frequently. LNT. I miss that. Keep up the good positive work.
entry mats are an excellent idea especially with dogs, on the beach. another awesome thing i can't go anywhere without is a usb fan. it draws very little energy and can plug into a small battery bank. it moves air around and provides a static noise if you're more sensitive to noises at night. cheers from TX coast
On a little bit different note, but still technically car camping, consider taking a pick up truck without the canopy and do a little bit of cowboy camping with your sleeping bag in the bed of the pick up truck. Especially underneath the eastern Oregon stars. or, under the stars anywhere you go camping that has a beautiful starry night. I did that last summer just outside of crater lake, and it was amazing! It fits somewhere between sleeping in a tent and sleeping in a car, except that it is open air cowboy camping style. I had the thick sleeping pad, my wool blanket, and a sleeping bag… plus, borrowing from those glampers… I brought one of my big cushy reading pillows, along with a regular pillow. And thanks for putting out your great videos! Love having your channel in my viewing life! 🏕️
I have that car organizer. Love it. We keep in it the essentials, such as, Pet meds. and Vaccination Records, treats, snacks, blanket, windbreaker, a folding umbrella, extra pairs of socks (and gloves, hat and scarf in winter) when shuttling between our two homes with our two German Shepherds.
If need be, you can cut a pool noodle to replace the toilet seat and use a biodegradable bag inside if the bucket as a liner/collector. You can then bury the bag or properly dispose of it when more convenient.
Put all that in a backpack? Insane! Oh. It's for car camping. I love that water jug. However, one item we have in the 4Runner TRD(a dreadful lime color she loves), is a bear-proof cooler. Very handy to keep items cold in a vehicle sitting in the Sun, and they also prevent odors from attracting'em. Especially since we leave ours outside the vehicle. Definitely keeps the Grist Iron & Boneyard Brews cold for a couple days.
Instead of welcome mats, use kitty litter mats. They trap sand and dirt and then just dump it out. Hot glue on the back can make it non-slip if needed.
I love using water frozen in old milk/water jugs! Although there is condensation, your food isn't swimming and getting soggy. Since they keep the water contained inside, you can use the water for washing and/or drinking.
Love the block ice out of water jugs. I tailgate at SIU football games and going to a vineyard to taste the wine and set up my table top oven/gill and Colman stove to grill or fry foods.
For camping in the car: the top tip for me that increased comfort: mosquito screens window nets for pulling down over the side windows, so you can leave the windows open as much as you want for ventilation. They are also dark fir pruvacy during day. And, to add, the rainshields that give just a little coverage at the top of side car windows, so even when raining you can leave the windows open a little. Humidity/heat in closed car always uncormfortable for me, even though the bed is so comfy.
I like having a small table because even when there is a picnic table it’s not near the fire ring and I need something near the fire while I’m cooking to set things on. I have started bringing a small folding potty bucket with kitty litter cuz sometimes in the middle of the night I just gotta pee now and it’s too dark and/or far and/or cold to run to the restroom. I got one that I like that’s basically like the folding storage ottomans on Amazon, only with a hike in the top to put a trash bag in and sit on. Super simple design. It’s prevented a lot of uncomfortable moments having it. I have a folding pop up tent just for that purpose too. Also doubles as a shower or changing tent and takes up little to no room in the car.
Thank you for the great ideas! Itsa fine line car camping and leaving everything in your rig while you hike and not being broke into... just always pray for a safe protection blessing !
... Very true .. Many trailheads are targets for vandalism and theft and likely to get worse ... if possible drive on two lane roads to your planned hike to park ,, the further from the masses the better ,, criminals are lazy .... ... don't leave anything in plain sight .........might even have a battery eliminator switch put on your vehicle to prevent complete auto theft ... tinted windows create the illusion of a good score inside .... alarms work for a short time until they realize no one is coming out of the woods... ..... maybe a recording of a vicious dog or Bigfoot set off by perimeter sensor ... or door switch ...
Don't put all your water in one jug which may break or leak, is heavy to move around and bulky to store in the car. Better is to store your water in several flexible containers like two or more 2/12 gallon MSR water bladders which are super rugged (especially the spout which doesn't stick out), won't leak, conform to their storage spot and get smaller as they empty, easy to move around because each is half the weight of a full 5 gallon jug, can be hung from a side mirror, tree branch etc. so don't take up table space. They're frugal because the spout has a quick open/close "pee stream" setting for washing hands, etc. in addition to a screw off opening for filling cooking pots, etc. An unheralded feature is if they freeze putting them in the sun or in a footwell when you're driving thaws 'em quickly because they're made of black thin fabric instead of thick plastic. Only downside is they're 50 bucks each but I've had my first one for ten years now and it's still as new. A dust pan is super handy but also have a stiff whisk broom for getting mud off your boots, wet tent bottoms and other sticky messes. Only 7 bucks at Walmart and store it in a plastic bag so you don't have to clean it until you can wash it later.
Ooooof yea, $50 a piece is not something I can afford or justify spending money on when I have something that works well for what I need. I am not sure how the jug could get punctured, it’s pretty sturdy. But those water bags sounds pretty cool.
@@HikeOregon Yup, we may be doing different sojourns. Being a Jeeper I've had water jugs get banged around on rough terrain and fail; the spout gets busted and leaks so if It's all my water I'm screwed.
-The one about ice deserves more attention. Idk what it is about store-bought cube ice, but it always seems to melt within a day. Block ice from a store works, but that depends on if the store you're near even carries it (most only carry cube ice) and ultimately you're still paying for it. This is only an option if you have a decent size freezer, but I just keep a few ice trays and just freeze up a cooler's worth of ice the last few weeks before the trip. Come the day of the trip, I have a small bucket of cube ice that lasts way longer than storebought. I did a 3 day crabbing trip down at Winchester bay and by the end of it my ice was only half gone. Bear in mind I'm not using any fancy coolers either, I just used a coleman cooler that's almost as old as I am. -In the warmer season I ABHOR any sleeping bag or blanket that's polyester-lined, it just turns into a sweat bag. Above 50 degrees I only ever use either fleece or cotton lined. Polyester has become the go-to textile because it's cheap to make, and sure it's good for cold weather sleeping bags, but otherwise it just turns bedtime into a sauna for me. -Whatever you do, don't get the folding water jugs in the camping section. They quickly develop splits and cracks along the seams and folds.
Freeze individual water bottles for the cooler… Weather tech custom shades will black out the entire interior… Get those window screens for fresh air as they keep the bugs out… Fold down the seats and sleep with your head in the trunk in a passenger vehicle. You can fold a cheap futon to level the back and provide cushion… Get a hybrid vehicle because you can leave the air conditioner on if it’s super hot.
Another tip for SUV camping in hot weather - if you want to keep the hatch closed and the bugs out - is to make a custom window screen for one of the rear door windows. I had some old nylon window screening that I cut to fit the outside of the window on one of my rear doors. Securely duck-taped all edges in place. At night, I could roll that window down for ventilation without letting in the bugs.
Thanks for a great video w helpful tips! Don't know what they r called - mesh car window covers, slides over your car door window - keeps out bugs n let's in fresh air.
I'm a RU-vidr from the Northwest Washington... and I think you are an awesome human! Keep up the great work! I love your content! Thanks for your time and effort in making this great!
I skimed over most of these comments .. I personally thought the video was nice and relaxing 😌.. Your voice volume was fine .. The most necessary learning tool for everyone is ( you learn as you do ) !! Less is more !! You get what you pay for !! Just use commen sense which is free !!!😊
We were able to find a set of old 50's style tv tray tables and they're awesome for camping. They fold pretty flat and they're super light weight. Everyone gets their own side table by their chair for drinks, and snacks and whatever you don't want in your pockets. Super convenient having a table vs trying to hold stuff in your chairs mesh cup holder
I have a 12 volt(just plug into cigarette lighter port) lunch box. Use it mainly for work but its a great feature for car camping. It will not cook food from raw to cooked. But it will heat foods up. Best part is its sized to take disposable aluminum foil bread loaf pans. So things like soups, chili or Sauage is easy to warm up. Also you could toss in wet socks to dry them.
@@Ellis_B Works off portable power stations, which can be re-charged by portable solar panels - same with other 9v or USB things like fans, lights, phones, tablets, portable shower pumps etc. Not everything needs to run off the car?
Great car camping tips... number one tip for me (that I never thought of) is block ice. The little ice cube melt too quickly. I'm trying blocking next trip. Thinks for the tip.
The block ice is a game changer for multiple day trips. I stick 2-3 blocks down in the bottoms of the cooler and put my drinks and everything else in and then use small cube ice from my fridge ice maker to cover everything. With the blocks in there even the little cubes stay relatively frozen for at least 3-4 days even in weather in the 80s.
Thanks for such a helpful video - particularly am going to incorporate suggestions 1, 3, and 7 in upcoming summer drive from New England to Alaska. Your state (Oregon) was my favorite until I got to spend nearly a year on a work assignment in the '49th'.
Great video thank you. Window socks and a Air deflector‘s. Small usb fan and Inreach mini for emergencies. I’m in a 2015 Subaru Outback 💜🦋💕love car camping off grid.
I carry some vehicle related fluids, hoses and belts in the engine compartment. I also carry a magnetic mounted 12 volt flood light in the engine compartment. The light is for emergency use like chaining up at night. The power cord is fitted inside a hydrogen peroxide container, which i slit down one side to minimize rat chewing. I also hang 2 tomcat rat bait bars in the engine compartment. Checking for knaw marks is a good indicator of problems. Hopefully, fully fed, they will leave your wiring harness alone. I also carry an assortment of 12 volt bulbs and fuses in the compartment. Included in fluids are 2 Fix-a-flat cans. I once had 2 flats driving on relatively new tires on the roads on the big island in Hawaii. Fortunately, I had a spare and a fix-a-flat. Also a can of radiator stopleak. I built a small basket onto the passenger side wheel well to hold most of this stuff. Depending on your own vehicle. Included is a gallon of anti-freeze (concentrate), large can of DOT-3 brake fluid, 1 quart window washing fluid, pint of power steering fluid, 2 quarts of oil, serpentine belt, 10 feet each 10 gauge wire of white, red, black. My tools ride inside my vehicle. Basic 150 to 250 mechanics tool assortment. I added a magnetic probe to retrieve dropped items, electric clips for wire jobs. I don't like the idea of getting stuck somewhere. When I go off grid, I have 2 jacks, self recovery tools, 2 pairs of snow chains, a tire repair kit, 3 spare tires 30 gallons of extra gas, 20 gallons of fresh potable water, and several means of water purification, Sawyer, berkey, ceramic and other filtration systems. What I'm working on next is a second isolated battery and a small lithium battery with integrated jumper cables.
Wow, if I had a breakdown on the trail I'd pray you pass by and can help me. My rig is too small to carry all the repair stuff you do, so I trust on Good Samaritans to save me. I do carry basic tools, a full size spare, a tire repair kit, air compressor and a good jack, a secondary battery and fuses. Mainly I try to keep my 2002 Jeep in tip-top stock mechanical condition. So far I haven't needed mechanical assistance but if I'm ever out of windshield washer fluid you're the man. I don't like the idea of getting stuck somewhere too and have gotten stuck not because of mechanicals but because of bad driving. I carry a tow strap and have been pulled out by a helper twice (soft sand) but have pulled out over a dozen people with my strap over the last 20 years . So I'm +10 on the scale of helping others.
Great ideas! And as the others have said --- there needs to be a place to store all of that! Maybe she isn't going anywhere that needs chaining up at night and maybe she isn't going to go off-roading off grid.
@@curious1366 no, i'm not going off roading. My car is just my place to spend the night so that I can go hike in areas for multiple days and not have to drive too far.
Solid information! ICE: I have to admit, with my style of travel/camping, ice is almost more important to me for keeping drinks cold while I drive as it is keeping anything else in the cooler cold, so I go with a 10# bag of cubes. I don't need to keep things refrigerated in there for days on end, and it's great to be able to drink iced drinks the entire trip, rather than having to drink room-temperature water. WINDOWS: I made my own window panels out of Reflectix that really do the job. I might give that dual panel set up for the front windshield a shot. My regular accordian one works well, but maybe these would work even better. BUG SCREEN: Do these really fit snug enough to keep mosquitoes out? It doesn't take much of an opening for them to exploit it. WATER JUG: I've thought of getting the slim jug, but I don't know where I'd be able to fill it. You certainly can't fill it in a rest stop sink, and I've never noticed whether those stops have spigots. I could fill it at a campground if I was staying there, but if I was staying at a campground I wouldn't be sleeping in my car. Plus, to be honest, it probably wouldn't work with how I travel. Most of my hydrating is done while driving, and I just refill all of those bottles at the end of the day. I think this is one of the things (like tables, two-burner camp stoves, etc.) that separate people using their cars as substitutes for RVs, and those of us who just want to use it as a bedroom during the nights we travel. You don't have to worry about setting up a camp kitchen if you wake up at the far end of a Walmart (although, I usually try to find places with a little less light). ORGANIZER: I used to just bring a couple of bins with me, but they were chewing up space. I changed to a 3-drawer plastic storage unit ($12 at Walmart) and it's been great. It's shorter than the back seat (I only use the 60 part of the 60/40 split back seat for sleeping), you don't have to dig through bins for items, it takes up much less space, and you can dick around with mods. I added Velcro to keep the drawers closed while traveling, and got a tap light that I can also mount to the side of the unit via Velcro when needed. Unfortunately, it's 100 lumens, which is WAY too bright for the back of a car, in my opinion. At least, it's definitely overkill. But it was all that was available. The old-school ones aren't that easy to find anymore. I might check out Dollar Tree. I could get something to store clothing, but I can also just leave them in a backpack in packing cubes as well. Take care!
Thank You great list! I recently used a solar shower which came in very handy for more than showering, still haven’t decided if it’s a must but after one time I found it very useful.
Cool video. From my backpacking days I love a little square of blue foam pad. Makes a nice fire fan, food or first aid prep station, seat, warm spot to lay arm off mattresses and wine koozie.
The term “car camping” is definitely changing. I have always referred to it as driving up to a campsite and pulling all of your stuff out, including a tent to sleep in. Nowadays, it seems that it means literally sleeping in your car. I have a Subaru Outback and am determined to at least try setting up my car to sleep in. I’ll wait until it cools down a bit more and with less chance of bugs. It seems that it would be awkward to get in and out of, change in, hot, and hard to keep the bugs out without purchasing specific gear that also has to be set up, which brings me to just setting up a simple backpacking tent may be easier. I don’t know though, because I haven’t tried it yet. I will. I have tried and failed to come up with the perfect set of gear for car, tent, or backpack camping and have come to realize that it all depends on each individual trip, how long, travel or destination camping, who is going, weather, what I actually plan to eat, etc., etc. It is an ever changing list. Thank you for your channel. It was 5 years ago that I embarked on my first backpack excursion with my adult son and used your recommendations to find a trip doable for me in the Sister’s region. Now, 30+ excursions later, I’ve become a competent backpacker and even often go out alone. I live near Yosemite, but love coming to Oregon every time my schedule permits.
Unless I keep the lights on in my car when it’s dark outside I don’t have any issues with bugs and I didn’t have a bug tent for most of my trips this summer. Sleeping in my cat makes it so that I don’t have to book campgrounds, which are often completely booked here in Oregon from June through august. This allows me to camp for free at sno parks or just sleep on a spur road or rest area etc when I’m traveling. I have tinted windows so unless I have a big bright light on, no one can see into my car, making it easy to change clothes. It also allows you to keep everything set up and basically just put the cooler back in your car and go. Very convenient.
@@HikeOregon thanks. All,of your points are very valid. I am going to set my car up to try it! Unfortunately, as of today, ALL CA forests are closed. :( I may be trying this out in Oregon soon.
Trying car camping for the first time this weekend with my grandson. SUV is all packed. Can’t wait to see how that works out. At least there is no tent setup required. Just get the crates out, set up the table and stove and cook- oh and make a fire.
... You are totally right ,, back in the day the car was just the means to get there ... now it's generally called "Overlanding" .. like everything ..."Same BUT Different " ..
It's always interesting to see everyone's list an what the bring an or need in a car camping situation. One thing a lot of people didn't mention is a power source. Yes your car can provide that, but a jackery are amazing! Even a very small one!
Great stuff! My only car camping has been out of necessity when I want to hit a trailhead early the next day. This makes me want to up my game a little and actually make it fun.
With the tinted windows my car stays nice and cool. I wouldn’t trade my car color for anything. It can be filthy and you don’t notice it at all because of the color. 💗 and I get so many compliments on the color.
..... Also time for 3- Season hikers to prep your gear ,, make sure everything is in good order ,, repairs made where needed ,, hang your outdoor clothing on a line and spray with Permethrin for the anti-bugs ,, make sure your stove is in working order and stock up on canisters before the rush ....or other fuel required for your type of stove ...put a new filter in your water filter ,, clean and disinfect all water bottles and water carry bags..CNOC etc. ... Pull out your check list and match your gear ,, add ,, delete or replace items used from last year .... Sunshine and dry trails will be here before you know it .....Happy Hiking !! ...
Excellent presentation and info! I like to see what items other Campers employ and you have some great ideas! Very useful and practical knowledge! Not anything but a share, I use a bunch of Lucy Lights. I rather have a few low light lamps then one that blinds everyone with in a quarter mile and attracts all the flying critters. Solar powered makes them even more desirable to me.
Do those stay up very well on the windows? I'm interested in them for the very reason you mentioned, but want to make sure they don't easily fall off before spending the $$$ 😁
Before you leave your campsite, take a good walk around to make sure you didn't forget anything ( like I've done a few times, lol ). It's so easy to drive off and forget small items like tent pegs or gabage or cables etc...
Great video, so helpful to me as I’m going car camping in 3 weeks. One question- when your liftgate is kept up so you can extend a tent from it, does it run down your car battery?
@@HikeOregon By coincidence, I learned today from another Subaru owner who encountered the same problem that “door open” notification which pops up when my tailgate is open cannot be turned off, per a call to Subaru. Just my luck. Your video is still helpful as it led me to a couple of other items which look perfect. Thank you!
Many if not most newer vehicles have an automatic power cutoff if a door stays open too long, which saves the battery’s charge. Not as good an idea as the battery isolator switch, but you might check on that and have one less worry in the short term.
Not sure what use that might be, safer to hide them and just a plastic envelope will make that easier. Hiding them is more is more secure than a lock box that is easy to open, or just carry away to open later if its more resistant to basic destructive entry.
Up North we call car camping when sleeping in a tent thats too big and heavy to hike with. So the number one item for us would have to be a tent. I've got the rubber mats, blue water jug and roll up aluminum table in my Car camping 20 foot long van. I don't need a tent or ice lol.
I’m digging the look of your car. What model is it? How tall of a person can comfortably sleep back there? I need to trade in my old Kia at some point…
I have a 2016 Subaru crosstrek. Unless you build a platform you’ll have to sleep diagonally and I barely fit at 5’5. For a more comfortable fit, I would get a Subaru Outback.
Mine is a 2011 Outback. I'm 6'2" and comfortable sleep in back, with hatch down. I also move the passenger seat forward and put soft stuff in the gap behind it. Also, consider removing the rear seat headrests - makes it easier to not have them in the way when packing.
...If you don't like carrying fuel ,, just carry an empty fuel container 2-5 gal capacity ,and a siphon hose or battery siphon pump ,,, it happens ,,and maybe for someone else on your route,, generally no problem to find someone to buy gas from if you have a container ... kind of like getting a jump for a dead battery if yours is dead for some reason ..if you have jumper cables ... ... Portable shower,, many designs out there or make homemade .... fit your 5 gallon water container with a fitting to attach a section of hose and a hand sprayer ,, similar to one on your kitchen sink .... ..... Some of these tips can be made for almost "FREE" ..just your time and fuel cost to run around and find them ... ..... Carpet scraps ,, carpet store scraps behind store ,,ask first ,, Tyvek and Reflectix are all products of home building .... if there is a house or housing project near you ,, the left over pieces and scraps are disposed of in a trash bin container ,, and will let you have for "FREE" ,, or even stop by local landfill ..... can be used for many DIY projects ...carpet for the entry area or even enough to cover a complete van or pickup bed .....tyvek to make window shades and foot print ground cloths for your tent ...reflectix to make thermal base pad for under your air mat ,, also folded ,,makes a good sit pad .... also can make size of your choice food cozy's .... cut to pattern dimensions ,, super glue edges to fit then wrap all edges with duct tape and put a piece of adhesive backed velcro on to secure overflap ...will last for years ....all for "FREE" ... .. Get hiking friends together and have a Gear Making Party .... maybe a whole weekend ....camp out in your back yard .... Burgers...Hotdogs ...Brats and Beer ......!!!!! ..... more to come ,, just have to find notes .......
Good to use np free (freezer safe like ice cube try's) plastic bottles that do not leach chemical from the plastic into the water. This way you can safely drinks the water when your block ice melts back to liquid water again.