Live -
I am heading out this weekend to go camping with the girlfriend and the two dogs. I was never a fan of car camping growing up and always preferred to either canoe in or hike in.
I have done lots of "camping" with work but this time I won't be carrying a rifle or a machine gun wherever I go and instead of a big green vehicle I'll have my black Tundra.
Packing for this has been interesting. Lots of stuff I want to bring, need to bring or think I should bring.
I know the vehicle side of the house is pretty robust;
1/4 and 1/2 drive socket sets. Pliers, zip ties, bailing wire, electrical repair kit, tire patch kit, work gloves, glasses, air compressor, 30ft recovery rope, tree saver, various shackles, hitch mounted shackle as a recovery point, jumpers cables, bottle jack and wood ect ect and the list goes on.
I don't have a tent large enough for myself , the GF and the two dogs, (65 lbs and 20 lbs) I obviously am smitten by RickAShays and SeanPistols RTT' setups, but with dogs that makes life a bit complicated. While I own a MSR solo tent, I didn't feel like spending $600 on a MSR 4 person 4 season tent which would make me happy. I decided to make a improvised bed awning and sleep on a old memory foam matteres cover that just happened to fit perfectly in the bed of the truck. $30 and for 30ft of 1/2 EMT, 4x90's and 1 coupling I built my self a decent awning cover. Tape on the ends to help prevent scratching the paint, 1/4x1in bolts with wing nuts to attach the center to the uprights.
Throw my 8x10 Integral Designs Sil Tarp 2 Over (ideally not the best for the job. The screw covers for the access panels on the 90 degree joints are very intent on ripping or cutting the tarp. I electrical taped every sharp edge so when I go to tighten the tarp I have nothing to worry about. I'd be better served with a normal tarp, but since I dont own one that is not covered with paint or other stuff, and this project was intended to save $ and use what I have, it will do for now. Plus its a $130 tarp and it sheds water like nobody's business.
Add some tarp adjusters, some para cord and some carabiners to clip onto random frame attachment points and you can end up with this -
Not perfect, but I've slept in/on/under far worse. This will give me a good idea if I'd like to keep this theme of sleeping in the bed or going to a RTT or a ground tent. One huge disadvantage I see so far is that I have to take everything I have stored in the bed out in order to sleep in, and realistically, my Lab will probably sleep in the back seat and me and the GF and the small dog in the bed as with me being 6'4, its not exactly super roomy.
Packing-
Loaded up what I want so far, I'll touch on a few things.
Blue Bag - comfy folding chair for the GF. I get the tripod stool
White Roll - memory foam sleeping matt, super gucci. My 1/2 thick thermarest pad was not good enough I guess.
Green Box - The Crap Box. Baseball gloves for me and her, TriPod stool, Bug Net, MSR Dragon Fly stove /w pots and fuel. French Press with coffee and mug. Rope x 50 ft with carabeaners. FirstAid kits for Human and Animals (dog specific?) Mountain House freeze dried meals. Another Sil Tarp. Probably some other stuff I forgetting.
Green Duffel Bag - Sleeping Gear. Awning tarp, hardware for the makeshift awning, 1 x comforter, 1 x fleece blanket, 1 x pillow for me (hers in the cab) I thought about sleeping bags vs blankets, and decided to go for blankets. I expect 10C, with a low around 0C if it gets bad.
Cooler - All freeze dried for this trip. So its full of beer. Eventually, since both my dogs eat raw food, I'd like to get a ARB or some other brand 12V cooler, install a plug in the bed and have at er, but for the $$$ and other things I want to do, buying them dehydrated food for this trip works for me.
Fuel - bringing 20L x 2 of gas and 1 x horse cock. I don't like my mounting system at all. I need to drill some mounting points into the bed to help secure them better. I don't want to attach something to mount them in just yet, don't want to give up the bed space. Do I need this much fuel, probably not seeing as how from where we are staying the farthest gas station should be around 100KM, but ya never know what you'll need.
Water - 10L x 2. 20L should be plenty, I dont see needing more.
Tent Awning - Broken down on the floow, does not take up that much space.
Backpack - Few hikes planned, good for bringing snack and water and rain gear.
Still to add - clothes and some other dog stuff.
Biggest thing is I need more storage/orginaztion. Chainsaw, full sized shovel, MaxTracks for when I get them, the list goes on.
I'll see how this setup works and report back after the trip. Should be interesting. Weather looks like ****.