Camp set up, questions and other BS

OK folks,

Lets see your set up, lets hear the pros and cons. What would you do differently, ect...

Have questions before you dive in, lets hear them.

Just got some camping Bullshit to share, lets hear it.

 

I am looking for any feedback folks might have on the Roofnest Condor.

 

I used to camp but stopped when I got gimpy. I had a big canvas tent. 2 tarps. One below and one above for rain. One or 2 coolers. A small gas grill. You can use dry ice in one cooler to make like a freezer. My friends even brought big tarps and used rocks on string to string them up over the whole campsite if you want to go all out. I have started looking at new tents since I am not as gimpy anymore but I am a bit old for sleeping on the ground.

 

Solar panels and a portable power station. I got the Golabs combo panels and battery. Best bang for the buck. ATM Jackery not worth the extra $$$. Go for a LiFePO4 instead. Panels are very light and foldable.
Plenty of beer.

 

Sleeping in the back be our druthers

Since this pic was taken ('full' size air mattress) we've moved to a ExPed Megamat



Picnic table if we're at a legit spot or Lifetime camp table if we're stealth camping for dinner prep





Couple of REI X sling camp chairs and a fire pit, large Rubbermaid for storage and a roto molded cooler



Sometimes a tarp between rigs if we have a couple trucks



That's pretty much how we roll

 

I wonder is main 12v battery can be converted to LiFePO4 or some sort of Lithium battery? So due to the smaller size in Li the same battery area can have 2 batteries (1 Li main and 2nd aux Li battery)? Some pre-assembled housing / casing where we can connect the same 12 wires and Li charger is included in the package? No wire mess like existing dual battery setups.

 

@kmeeg

Automotive batteries are good for high crank but don't take lightly being discharged extensively. Automotive Li are very expensive and literally tied down to your vehicle.
A portable one you can take it anywhere....it's right there in the name portable
I think the GOLabs is like 9lb.
Compared to Li, the full to 0% cycle can be done 2000 times, whereas a Li would be about 500 times> Also, The LiFePo4 takes vibrations and shocks much safer than Li.

 

Here's my homemade setup. I have been through 3 versions now.

https://www.4runners.com/threads/th...where-all-of-my-money-went.12919/#post-138760

I am planning version 4, coming this spring.

Most recent version:

 

We are tent campers and use a 6 person tent for the 4 of us. I got this tent at an R E I garage sale for about 60% off and it has held up quite nicely.

 

Pretty simple on my end.

 

I have a small 2 person Nemo tent I use when I am camping with my son who is in Cub Scouts and like it a lot. Very compact.

 

I love both Nemo and Big Agnus tents. I have a Copper Spur 3 person for when the GF tags along. That's a Nemo Firefly 2P.

 

Looks similar to mine. Only difference is we pack everything around 9pm and go back to hotel and sleep..

 

We were at Acadia probably like 12 to 14 years ago. We had just added a second tent for our kids, and had a couple fancy walmart air mats. Well, it was in the middle of a hurricane and we spent the day driving around the loop road. Once we returned back to camp, the kids tent had a few inches of water in it already, just enough so the air mats were floating. For some reason the wife didn't think the kids should be sleeping in the pool, and I didn't like the idea of driving back to a hotel and spending the money after paying for the camp site.

I really hated driving back to camp to pack up the wet campsite in the morning.

 

First overlanding trip I got a proper Eureka tent. Sucked having to assemble and tear down with three straight days of rain in the Ozarks.




Learned a few things:

1) Get a fast pop-up tent. Academy sells a 4 person one and there is the Gazelle 4 person tent. It goes from bag to set up in relatively 90 seconds. Makes a huge difference if you are on trails all day. And they are not terribly expensive. Otherwize, look at MeefZah's setup above, if you can go in-cabin, thats great too.
2) An awning is a godsend (Look for the Napa $99 if u can snag it, it's all u need). We were the only ones without and it made cooking in the rain a chore. Of course, it is also useful in the heat as well. Its been sold out for going on half a year, I got the ROAM 8 foot for $290 after dsicounts.
3) Try not to over-pack so getting stuff is easier. I way overpacked and brought a stupid amount of water. I will be moving to a different water solution for subsequent trips.
4) Make sure to focus on recovery gear. At the absolute least, have some traction boards and if possible, work on adding proper recovery points.

Purchase Learns:

I bought a Yeti and regretted it within a few weeks when I purchased a SetPower fridge. $400 and I dont need to pack Ice, I can stuff it with food and it also has a freezer option. I power it by running a cord to my Jackery 1000, which I then run a cord to the back power plug in the rear. While overlanding the fridge runs off the jackery, and the truck tops off the Jackery, so as of yet.... no need for any additional power upgrades. I have the solar panels as well so if its sunny out and we're stopped I can charge it.
I have used my setpower fridge repeatedly since then and its looking like its one of the best bang for the buck purchases I have ever made. Its almost earning "workhorse" status.

NAPA and Harbor Freight usually have a ton of tools you can use to get by as opposed to going brand on stuff. Sure I splurge for brand items all the time, but so does everyone else. Don't feel pressured to have fancy gear. Figure out what works best for you at the best price point you can afford.

It's nice to see people sitting down and cooking meals, but if you are with a group that wants to trail all day and not have time for a proper wind-down to cook and rest, pack simple foods. Otherwise, you will be stressed falling behind. that said......

I highly encourage traveling with chill people that dont mind keeping their wheeling to a few hours a day at the most. Its hard to really enjoy nature when people want to be on the trail at 8AM and then stop right before sundown. I am definitely a go go go hyper guy, but that crap works in the cities. On trails it's just best to chill, enjoy the trails, and appreciate your surroundings and friends more.

NAPA Awning $99 :
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_MTSA2525?impressionRank=1

ROAM Awning $300ish (Shop Around) Set Power45QT RV45D Fridge $400ish (Use Coupon Code "Ozark Overland" at checkout):
https://www.setpowerusa.com/products/45qt-rv45d-portable-freezer-fridge
Ozark Overland Adventures Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuBVIapmquo

Air Compressor $114:
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_MTWM10215C?impressionRank=1

Magellan Pop Up Tent $249
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ma...ftrise-4-person-hub-tent?sku=gray-dark-orange

Gazeelle Pop Up Tent $349
https://www.campingworld.com/gazell...F5M9sbo7asAieVOkAJgaAuP1EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Those are the memories live for ever..

We do it every time (pay both camp site and hotel) and one time it was a good thing my family is in hotel for the night as the entire gang who came with us (stayed at the camp site) had stomach ache next morning. Lucky there was enough GMRS radio range to communicate. I got some coffee for them. My car also had Pepto-Bismol Chewables. We were able to cut the trip early and come back home safely.

 

A work in progress.

 

Yes, my kids remember it well, the wet camper special.
They also remind me of the day I said, "I don't care, we are going home, no more stopping for stuff, we are just going." This was while we were traveling cross country and the popup we were pulling had its 2nd flat tire in a couple days, and had I not realized it, the wheel would have wobbled its way off the camper. They all looked at me, wife included, and looked at the GPS and all said, "But its 44 hours till home"

 

For those that have sleeping platforms in the back of your runner, what's it like sitting up? I am not sure I could handle the cramped space.

 

I used my 87 Runner to pull a trailer to a bunny show one weekend. We planned to camp out, the bunnies in the show barn for the night. We just put up out 2 man dome tent behind the Runner, and used the Runner to hold the bunny cages, etc. The trailer had th food, shavings, show grooming tables, etc etc.
Anywho, it rained that night. An Arizona toad strangler type rain. Warm, but massive amounts of water. We woke up about 0130, floating in the tent. Yes, we had the storm fly on the tent, for all the good it did. We abandoned ship fast, believe me! Moved the pads and sleeping bags into the show barn, and slept with the bunnies that night. Thankfully, the sleeping bags, pads, etc, were all the kind that stayed warm even when wet.
This was all back in 99 or so. We don't show bunnies any more, but had a lot of fun while we did.

From then on, we always got a hotel room near the show. We were done getting flooded in our tent. It was a heck of an adventure, I'll say that!

Have fun, all!
Pat☺

 

My platform is as low as you can go, just the 2.5" tall "pallet" style to make the floor flat.

Sitting up was a little tight with the air mattress.

It's no issue with the much slimmer ExPed mat.

I'm not sure how you do it with a full drawer system, that seems... cramped...

 

lol..... my thoughts exactly, sort of like a Siberian meat locker in a Russian Gulag

 

Really interested in learning more if you have some links maybe. Just got a 4Runner, ordered anyway. Going with a large teardrop set up but really want solar so I can camp anywhere. I was looking at the one you said wasn't worth it. I sold residential solar for 3 years so know a bit. army advice would be appreciated.

 

Curious what you use the air compressor for?

 

That why I am buying a teardrop.

 

These are the Canadian links, im sure you can find them on .com as well
Solar generator:

$200 GOLABS R300 Portable Power Station, 299Wh LiFePO4 Battery Backup with 300W Pure Sine Wave AC Peak 500W, Car Outlets, PD 60W Quick in/out Solar Generator for Outdoor Camping Emergency CPAP Orange

https://www.amazon.ca/GOLABS-Portab...&qid=1647894816&sprefix=golab,aps,388&sr=8-10
Solar panels:

$250 GOLABS SF100 Portable Solar Panel, Monocrystalline Solar Charger with Adjustable Kickstand, Type C, DC 18V, QC3.0 USB Ports for Power Station Outdoor Camping Off Grid RV

https://www.amazon.ca/GOLABS-Portab...s&qid=1647894834&sprefix=golab,aps,207&sr=8-6
LED lights:

Upgraded LED Interior Light Bar, MIHAZ 108LED 12V Universal Light Strip with ON/Off Switch for RV Van Truck Lorry Camper Boat Caravan Motorhome (2 Pcs)

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07JNYBMZY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Clamp lamp, I use it with an Amazon led bulb 10w:

$14 Simple Deluxe HIWKLTCLAMPLIGHTM Clamp Lamp Light with 8.5" Aluminum Reflector Up to 150 Watt E26 Socket (No Bulb Included) 6 Feet 18/2 SPT-2 Cord, 1-Pack , Silver

https://www.amazon.ca/Simple-Deluxe...d=1647895037&sprefix=clamp+lamp,aps,79&sr=8-6

Did my own wires for plug into the 12V port, it is not regulated and I can use the lights with any car port: https://www.4runners.com/threads/wh...h-gen-4runner-today.2261/page-549#post-267304

Also here: https://www.4runners.com/threads/wh...h-gen-4runner-today.2261/page-550#post-268161
And here: https://www.4runners.com/threads/wh...h-gen-4runner-today.2261/page-551#post-268878
And here: https://www.4runners.com/threads/wh...h-gen-4runner-today.2261/page-555#post-271985
You can see a pattern here..... https://www.4runners.com/threads/wh...h-gen-4runner-today.2261/page-558#post-273731

This guy helped a lot with my purchases and setup: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVsNMiYQkqwIq_gd0rTJF9g

 

A thousand thank yous!!!

 

You’d use an air compressor for blowing up an air mattress or airing up your tires; a lot of folks let air out of the tires when they’re off-roading to get better traction but when then came back to the road they need to put air back in.

 

Here's my set up 22 orp with coachmen clipper express 9.0 tdv