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I'm now a proud 'car camper.' Here are 8 things I wish I knew before I started

Car camping can be the best thing you ever do. It can also be the dampest, coldest, grimiest, worst. Here are eight ways to make it better (plus one mistake you never, ever want to make).

James BoothJames Booth
6 min read
September 14, 2023 - 10:30AM
Whether you're swagging it or roof top tenting it (or wrapped up like a Bunnings sausage in a sleeping bag with the seats down inside) car camping looks like the sort of seductive lifestyle that could spirit you away forever. But being prepared is key to lasting more than 2 hours and thinking "screw it, I'm going home."
Whether you're swagging it or roof top tenting it (or wrapped up like a Bunnings sausage in a sleeping bag with the seats down inside) car camping looks like the sort of seductive lifestyle that could spirit you away forever. But being prepared is key to lasting more than 2 hours and thinking "screw it, I'm going home."

I'm a big believer that camping is about attitude, not equipment. But I'd be lying if I said knowing these things, and having certain products, hasn't made my life immeasurably easier. 

From the revelation that awnings are awesome, to the realisation that you should never listen to a murder mystery podcast before sleeping in the boot of your car, here are all the car camping tips I wish someone had told me before I entered my "outdoor person" era. 

Buy an awning

Awnings are a great - and convenient - alternative to a gazebo. And you'll never forget them because they live permanently attached to the roof racks of your car.
Awnings are a great - and convenient - alternative to a gazebo. And you'll never forget them because they live permanently attached to the roof racks of your car.

I initially cursed my decision to buy an awning (a Darche Eclipse Slimline Awning 2.5M X 2.5M, in case you're wondering), seeing as I lacked the requisite DIY skills to put it on my car. But after finally enlisting the help of a family friend, 6 months after purchasing it, I was finally ready to take it out into the wild. My awning has now been unfurled everywhere from Jervis Bay to Crescent Head and it is yet to let me down. The only thing is, if it pours, you're better off setting up shop in a tent next to your car (or in the car itself), because giant pools of water will form in the middle of the awning, in constant need of emptying out. 

Best awnings for cars

Don't listen to a murder mystery podcast before going to sleep... but do bring a book

Ditch the Kindle, and go analogue - your cortisol levels will thank you.
Ditch the Kindle, and go analogue - your cortisol levels will thank you.

After listening to one of the more brutal episodes of a true crime podcast where an axe murderer goes to town with a hatchet, I had trouble falling asleep on one of my earlier car camping expeditions. Wracked with visions of someone opening the boot in the middle of the night, pulling me out by my feet, and dismembering me in the bushes, it was not a great night. 10/10 do not recommend. Cruelly enough, by sheer coincidence, my electronic locking system started playing up on this trip, and I couldn't lock the boot either. Harrowing stuff. Instead of listening to a murder mystery podcast, I recommend bringing a book (a real one you don't have to be precious about, not a Kindle).

Best road trip books

Bring a friend 

Road trips may look pretty, but without a friend your imagination may run away with you...
Road trips may look pretty, but without a friend your imagination may run away with you...

No matter how sketchy the circumstances (whether you are freezing in Perisher or imagining your impending death by axe murderer in Gerringong), having someone else with you, by my scientific "no, you go to the toilet first" observations, makes any situation 50 per cent less scary. Whether it's Thor playing darts with your car, or an errant huntsman on the loose in your bed, two is always better than one. 

Best road trip friends

I regret to inform you that at the time of writing it is not yet possible to purchase friends on Amazon.

BYO shelter

If you're tired of hunkering down inside your vehicle, and waking up with neck cramps, this is the piece of kit for you.
If you're tired of hunkering down inside your vehicle, and waking up with neck cramps, this is the piece of kit for you.

It might sound obvious (being camping and all), but when you're camping, you need shelter. Plus: it's always handy to be able to pull over and sleep comfortably wherever takes your fancy. To do this, you'll want a tent or swag.

Best rooftop tents for car camping (best for ease of set up)

Best swags for car camping (not as good as a rooftop tent for ease of set up, but gives you more versatility, as you can walk away from your car with it and set up elsewhere if you want. Also - easier and quicker to set up than a normal tent).

Best tents for car camping (take up less space than a swag, and are better for hiking with, as they are lighter. But take longer to set up than both rooftop tents and swags)

Bring a water tank

Don't get caught short: bring a water tank or container.
Don't get caught short: bring a water tank or container.

Many campsites will have drinking water. But some won't (especially some of the prettier, more remote ones). So to ensure you aren't forced to do shuttle runs to town and back, and actually enjoy the peace and serenity, bring plenty of your own water in a water storage container. 

Best water storage containers

Bring a stove

Author enjoying an early morning coffee at Seal Rocks.
Author enjoying an early morning coffee at Seal Rocks.

From cute morning coffees on the beach, to being able to prepare something fresh and healthy rather than relying on a petrol station sandwich for lunch, a stove is a must on any road trip. If you're short on space (and don't plan on doing too much cooking) get a hiking style one, if you have a little more Gordon Ramsay about you, get a stove style one (or if you want to go full Franco Pepe, a wood fired stove or portable gas pizza oven).

Best burners/stoves for car camping

Bring a camping table

If you want to keep your dinner elevated away from the bugs and ants, bring a table.
If you want to keep your dinner elevated away from the bugs and ants, bring a table.

One of the things I usually compromise on is a table. This is because my big one takes up a fair bit of space in the boot, and most campsites I go to have tables already. However, I always bring a mini table with me for making coffee and eating lunch and dinner. When I go on bigger trips, where I am cooking for more people, I make sure to bring my bigger table too. Another bonus of the table is that if the campsite is noisy or crowded, you can sneak away and make dinner on the beach (or by the river) away from it all.

Best camping tables

Bring a waterproof bucket, box or bag

I use the Rip Curl Surf Series waterproof bucket (which came for free with my wetsuit). But there are plenty of other options on the market.
I use the Rip Curl Surf Series waterproof bucket (which came for free with my wetsuit). But there are plenty of other options on the market.

Whether you need to store sopping wet wetsuits, stinky board shorts or sweaty hiking shirts, a waterproof bag or box always comes in handy when car camping. They also come in useful if you have a bag that starts randomly leaking, and you need to stow it somewhere quickly. Finally, if you're really desperate, you can wash your clothes in there. 

Best waterproof bags/buckets to throw in your boot

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Originally published as I'm now a proud 'car camper.' Here are 8 things I wish I knew before I started

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/8-essential-items-for-car-camping-in-style/news-story/c65cd202c2b6744fa649b58be4a246fe