r/carcamping

I recently got a Crosstrek with the intention of taking it on long trips and car camping. I’ve been considering getting a roof tent for the ease of storage space since my car obviously isn’t the biggest. I was surprised to see how big of a price range there is for these, ranging from a few thousand to a couple hundred. If anyone has some experience with roof tents, do you feel it was worth the expense? Is this an instance where I need to get a nice, expensive one if I’m really just looking to stretch out in it? Any advice, experience, or recommendations on the matter would be a huge help since I am so new to this!

hey yall! I have a little camper set up in my CRV. I only ever camp in established campgrounds, and sleep with the trunk open, covered in a mosquito net.

im going camping with a more comprehensive food/ cooking set up for a longer stay where there is a risk of bears. Other than provided bear boxes at the campground, what other options do I have realistically if storing food in the car isn't an option? I also have a small yeti cooler I bring with me as well.

Thanks!

Hello everyone. I will be doing a 16 car camping and hiking trip in Aug. How do you organize your clothes? I currently just use my backpack but I plan on bringing 7 days worth of clothes so looking for a batter option. Not looking to do any hard mods to my rig. TIA

hi! i finally just made my first big purchase and bought a 2016 honda crv. i love road trips and have always wanted to car camp! i’ve been looking around trying to find a good option for an inflatable or easy to store foam mattress that would fit my crv. i usually road trip with my partner who is 6’4 so im looking for some thing that will fill the whole back and not just one half as a twin bed.
im trying to work within a $100 budget but i can give a little wiggle room if necessary. thank you!

Hi
I want to camp in my car but I am worried about the mattress getting mouldy. How long time does it takes before its getting mouldy?

Basically, I'm looking to outfit my Subaru impreza with a bed and bottom of sorts to car camp in when I'm not at work...... I'm not looking to do anything fancy, any carpentry, and whatnot. Luno supposedly has an air mattress setup that's built for the hatchback. Ty

I’m looking to purchase a new/used vehicle in the next 6 months and want advice on what is suitable for car camping. We typically get snow once a year. Most of my trips are 2-6 hours away.

A little about me: I have 4 small dogs (the biggest one is 35 pounds). Traveling and camping with even one or two is not fun in my Toyota Corolla. I’d be traveling solo for the most part but occasionally with one other person. I’d want to camp inside the vehicle so ideally an SUV or minivan.

Must haves: 360 camera and adaptive cruise control (my Corolla has neither which is a pain when traveling period but especially with pets and stuff). I live in the south and it’s currently 105 degrees so great A/C is a must and ventilated seats are a plus. I’d likely camp in the late fall/winter/spring.

We're torn on what car camping means and we've found that its different for everyone. We are curious what you think it is.

Is it simply driving directly to your site and pitching a tent, sleeping in a rooftop tent, cowboy camping next to your vehicle, or really just anytime you drive to your site?

OR

Is it more specifically sleeping inside your vehicle?

Is overlanding car camping?

In February 2022, I decided to drive off West for a roadtrip that would change my life. I had very little money but I had freedom. I knew car camping would be the most affordable way to travel, so I started from Montreal, Canada and heading towards Los Angeles to escape the Winter and be able to sleep in my car without a heating system.

I had a 2007 Ford Escape that I got for 500$ from girls that were moving out of the country. I spent 40$ for a used foldable mattress and 30$ for a portable gas stove on Marketplace, maybe 20$ on used curtains at the thriftstore, another 30$ for the curtain rods. I already had a small cooler that could be powered through the cigarette lighter of the car and some basic camping gear (lights, plastic dishes).

I took off and drove through Detroit, Chicago, Iowa and Wyoming. The first few weeks it was too cold to sleep in the car, so I would couchsurf and occasionally rent an Airbnb. I was grateful to meet extraordinary people that I knew I could meet again on my way back north, one day...

I cannot describe to you the feeling when I saw the sign "Welcome to California". I couldn't believe that I had actually driven this far by myself with so little money. I met a lovely older lady who lended me her guesthouse for a couple days while I perfected my very basic car camping setup, and then I headed towards San Francisco where I started my car camping journey!

At first my main challenges were finding cheap food, quiet parking spots and bathrooms, but I quickly learned the ropes on how to find the good parking spots and I set up a system so I could pee comfortably while in my car. Since I had a normal car with tinted windows and indoor black curtains, I was able to park in the middle of busy cities without being spotted. I believe this also caused me to make my own journey and not to take the usual "vanlife" routes, so I only met other car-campers and vanlifers once or twice for the entire 3 months.

It took me a month or so to make it to Los Angeles where I had a friend that would let me use her shower. She kept offering me to sleep in her room, but I always preferred to sleep in my cozy car. I felt good in there and I parked in the shade and slept til 11 every day. I would spend my days hunting for tacos, swimming, walking and hanging out. It helped me gain so much confidence as a young single woman. I felt that I was there for myself, that I loved myself, and I would always be ok. That was one of the most powerful feeling I had ever felt.

To say car camping is easy is a lie. Just like everything, it has pros and cons. The biggest con for me was the stress of having not be spotted as a solo woman when parked in rural areas, and the state of old car which I was always worried it would break and leave me stranded. However, I would meet so many hospitable people that would give me advice, help and food, that I basically never felt lonely or unsafe.

I was reading another thread recently about vagabonding and I stumbled upon this triangle : Freedom, Comfort and Security. Most of the time, you sacrifice one of them to prioritize the two others. Most people sacrifice freedom for comfort and security. Some people like me are addicted to freedom. It is something in me that I feel I must use to its full potential. Car camping allowed me that.

Speaking about it with friends, they suggested to replace Security with Love in the triangle, because Love can also be a powerful force in someone's life. On my trip, I ended up falling in love in Salt Lake City (out of all places lol). I spent about two weeks in his arms, but in the end, Freedom was calling, and I left Salt Lake and headed East. I knew it was soon going to be time to head home to Montreal, and to start building a new life with my newly acquired confidence and inspiration.

Now, I am preparing to leave again for a similar trip, but planning to visit states I never saw such as Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. I got a different car now so I am working on my setup again. See you on the road!

My setup in 2022