Reducing the bulk - weekend camping

[xCSx]

What are your top tips / top gear to reduce bulk?

By the time I loaded up the sleeping pads, sleeping bags, cooler, tent, tarps, snacks, tools, etc - the entire trunk of the FJ was packed top to bottom for 2 people's worth of 'stuff'...

I found this ridiculous.

Besides going the RTT route - what other ways have you found to reduce your overall gear storage footprint?

 

[danfromsyr]

whiskey in lieu of beer.
fine warm so no cooler
and 1 bottle is > a 24pack of cans
plus less middle of night treeline pee calls. so you don't get classified an offender in a public park campground.

 

[rayra]

...the entire trunk of the FJ was packed top to bottom for 2 people's worth of 'stuff'...

I found this ridiculous.
...

lol, must be new to the whole thing. What you are packing is the minimum, unless you're one of those ultralight fetishists.

Back of the FJ is what, 40"Wx30"Dx36"T? 24cu' isn't much space.

 

[rayra]

...the entire trunk of the FJ was packed top to bottom for 2 people's worth of 'stuff'...

I found this ridiculous.
...

lol, must be new to the whole thing. What you are packing is the minimum, unless you're one of those ultralight fetishists.

Back of the FJ is what, 40"Wx30"Dx36"T? 24cu' isn't much space. As you've discovered, it's gonna fill up quick.

/didn't even mention recovery gear, roadside emergency gear, first aid kit, bulk water or fuel.

 

[Honu]

we had 4 (2 kids wife and ) and 2 dogs in our FJC and it was insane tight our gobi rack was filled to and for longer trips a rear hitch carrier but limited off road
now in a 4 runner and still cutting down on gear more and more

switched to helinox chairs HUGE space savings
part of the sleeping insulation could be good pads that are inflated and insulated not the self inflating type which are huge even when rolled the newer better pads are the size of a Nalgene bottle
love our microfiber towels even shower size pack insane small and work better than regular towels

changed up our cooking a lot the partner steel griddle is most our meals and two GSI anodized dutch oven saves HUGE amount of weight IMHO is easier to clean and way less maintenance and we can double use them as regular pots of course
double use on a lot of things still figuring out or fav plates
liking the sea to summit delta plates a lot as I can use them for say making french toast as the sides are deep enough so consolidating and use of both prep and eating plates/bowls

for us it is two things really size and weight
also it seems with so much weight we can throw in our vehicles and on(armor etc..) we get to the point of over loading them means more wear and tear earlier breakage and lower mileage etc...
also just unloading and setting up heavy gear can be a pain literally

I am not sure how much weight we have saved but I know its a lot and I am willing to guess we have cut our weight in half and at the same time cut our gear space(size) by about the same

this was a older thread but we also started using duffels for our gear mainly gear management as I hated all the loose junk all over etc..
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...ow-we-pack-using-large-duffels?highlight=gear

our FJC we had a gobi rack and ladder
on roof two water one fuel laid flat in scepter never had a leak with bags on top
ladder held our propane bottle
you can strap one smaller bag on top of your spare
if its just two of you I would think you could easily do it in the FJC with rear seats down and have plenty of room with a bit of rethinking

 

[xCSx]

It was 4 adults this weekend, normally it is just the two of us, and we can utilize the back seat / fold down and we have no issues... with 4 adults - things became very cramped very fast!

I do think new sleeping pads might be necessary if they are really that small, we have some older egg crate based ones that are atleast 15-20 years old, which take up a ton of space.

I think utilizing the roof rack is also a good option...

But overall going more and more minimalist seems much better to me

 

[tonkaman]

I had the same struggle when I switched to a Tacoma. In the end I found it's very easy just cut out the excess.

Our biggest savings is changing the camp gear to more backpacking style. We still have full size chairs and a 2 burner stove but the rest is very compact.

How you pack can make a major difference in volume so look at using the most of every space.

Buy quality clothing so you can only pack what is necessary and still be comfortable.

Invest in waterproof luggage of some sort and strap it to your roof rack. That will alleviate lots of space. Just be sure to keep the light weight items up there and the heavy stuff down low.

 

[Buddha.]

I removed my rear seat which saved 80 lbs and freed up a space roughly 5'x 2' x 2'. The big cheap cooler fit there on passenger side and a couple stackable totes go behind driver. Far rear is dog platform on top and tent and chairs etc underneath. I still had to leave the full size chairs at home.

 

[Leibbrand]

use the same gear backpacking for car camping. My buddy carries an insane amount of glamping junk, takes forever to set up and take down.

 

[TacomaAustin]

use the same gear backpacking for car camping. My buddy carries an insane amount of glamping junk, takes forever to set up and take down.

Well said - it's the take down and stowing of extraneous gear that I dislike.

 

[Happy Joe]

Leaving out the heater, 20 pound propane tank, portable fire pit and second canopy helped us.
Going to a bigger vehicle hurt (more stuff became "essential").
Getting the load down to 2 adults helped; "We'll meet you...".
When the load gets even with the top of the bucket seats (not head rests) its time to consolidate and reduce.

Enjoy!

 

[Boonie Buster]

The use of lighter backpacking gear is definitely a good start, but it also costs money if you aren't into backpacking. The best thing you can do, is load the FJ up for the trip like a gypsy camp and go enjoy your trip. Then when you get home, write down a list of stuff you used a lot, stuff you maybe used and stuff you didn't use at all. Then your next trip will be a little lighter.

To get into the gear side of things: Sleeping bags can be a HUGE space waster depending on what you have and how they're packed. if they're bulky flannel style bags there isn't much stuffing you can do, but if they're synthetic or down, it might be worth looking into a couple good compression stuff sacks.

For me personally, it really depends on the trip we are going on, if it's just a quick weekend trip, we can pack everything in the trunk of the 2dr GTI pretty easily and that includes a cooler and some firewood sometimes.

Keep it simple and be realistic with yourself on what you plan to do.

 

[Robert Bills]

Back in my Boy Scout days (early 1960's) we practiced this drill:

Upon returning from a trip divide all of your gear into three piles:

1. Clothes/Gear you used;

2. Clothes/Gear you didn't use but would have needed in the event of an emergency or severe weather;

3. Everything else.

Take a hard look at pile #3, and unless a particular item would qualify as necessary survival or emergency gear (or clothes you would need if the weather changed dramatically) leave it at home next time.

Repeat after each trip.

Over time you will learn what you need and don't need, where to find small items at reasonable prices that allow you to save on space, items that can serve more than one purpose, etc. My goal is never to have so much stuff that I block the rear or side windows but not be so minimalist that I don't have what I need or am uncomfortable in camp. It is a balancing act.

One of the things I learned when camping out of a jeep for extended periods is to provide a small duffel bag for each passenger, a list of recommended items, and instruct them that all of their clothes and toiletries must fit in that bag, including any heavy jackets, towels, etc. That way I would know exactly how much cargo space would be needed for each person and I could devise a packing plan in advance. [I also supplied the sleeping bags and pads for guests so that I would know the size and bulk of these items and maintain uniformity.]

Best of luck in refining your gear.

 

[Chili]

whiskey in lieu of beer.
fine warm so no cooler
and 1 bottle is > a 24pack of cans
plus less middle of night treeline pee calls. so you don't get classified an offender in a public park campground.

Seriously! We quit taking soda (well, my wife still takes some Dr Pepper, she's addicted) and beer a couple of years ago.. What a difference in cooler space!! In fact, at the peak of camping beer consumption we would always need two coolers, one for food and one for beer / soda. If I want to drink now I will bring liquor or wine (red) to avoid taking up cooler space.

 

[Chili]

It was 4 adults this weekend, normally it is just the two of us, and we can utilize the back seat / fold down and we have no issues... with 4 adults - things became very cramped very fast!

I do think new sleeping pads might be necessary if they are really that small, we have some older egg crate based ones that are atleast 15-20 years old, which take up a ton of space.

I think utilizing the roof rack is also a good option...

But overall going more and more minimalist seems much better to me

I've been seeing people move to smaller / lighter backpacking type gear, even when car camping, due to the space and weight. Particularly with items that take up more space like chairs, sleeping bags and sleeping pads. It's a higher dollar investment, of course, but what isn't in the overlanding game.

I had the same struggle when I switched to a Tacoma. In the end I found it's very easy just cut out the excess.

Our biggest savings is changing the camp gear to more backpacking style. We still have full size chairs and a 2 burner stove but the rest is very compact.

How you pack can make a major difference in volume so look at using the most of every space.

Buy quality clothing so you can only pack what is necessary and still be comfortable.

Invest in waterproof luggage of some sort and strap it to your roof rack. That will alleviate lots of space. Just be sure to keep the light weight items up there and the heavy stuff down low.

use the same gear backpacking for car camping. My buddy carries an insane amount of glamping junk, takes forever to set up and take down.

Oops, these guys beat me to it..