🧑‍🤝‍🧑 / 🏡 Solo camping in the rain (But is it camping?)

To me, that's not camping.

And I tell my sister and BIL they cheat when they go camping. They pack the entire bed of his Ram with stuff for just 4 people (them and 2 friends). They ask me what all I take if I go camping. I tell them a backpack with some supplies in it...and that's it.

No tent
No cooler full of drinks
No cooler full of food
No a/c (yes, they have these little a/c units that run on batteries they take with them)
No little propane grill
No camp chairs
 
sean said:
To me, that's not camping.
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Not in the "hard core" camping; I'll agree. But, no different than taking a camper. In fact, I'd say better. I'd love a setup like that..quick trip to the state park, set up for a few days, and then come back to "real life."
sean said:
No tent
No cooler full of drinks
No cooler full of food
No a/c (yes, they have these little a/c units that run on batteries they take with them)
No little propane grill
No camp chairs
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We've been going to the same island in the middle of Lake Moultrie for fifteen years now, maybe more. We're looking at the second weekend of August this year.

  • Tents? Yes. Four or five. While the site doesn't require as much work as it did the first few years, we're still prepping a camp ground each season. Tents for rain and for bugs. It does provide some security at night with snakes, etc.
  • Coolers? Yes. Other than fishing, we won't return to "the world" for a few days so I'm taking some food. And, drinks? Coolers for transport, then it's in the water to keep it a little cool.
  • Propane grill? Yes. It's a bit hard to cook in the rain over a fire. Although, if the weather permits, it doesn't come out.
  • Chairs? While we've put stumps and logs around...yes on the chairs. I don't want to get my ass wet in the morning with a cup of coffee (over the fire in a percolator) while sitting on a log or stump.

Still...no A/C, no cell, nothing. That's my "roughing it." If you spend a day making a camp site (and in this case we've spent years) tent's "ain't no thing" with me.
 
Setting up a backpacking tent in the rain is an acquired skill. Most tents, you put out the footprint, then the main tent body, assemble poles and hook tent to poles, followed by the rain fly. If it's raining and the tent is designed to allow it, you assemble poles, cover with rain fly, then you have a covered area to slide in footprint and can clip in the main tent (for the most part) in the dry.

A soggy tent is no fun.

On the other end of the spectrum, I seriously considered this setup from Lone Peak. With all the bells and whistles, it comes in around $8,500, but just 400 pounds.

 
It Takes Eleven said:
Setting up a backpacking tent in the rain is an acquired skill. Most tents, you put out the footprint, then the main tent body, assemble poles and hook tent to poles, followed by the rain fly. If it's raining and the tent is designed to allow it, you assemble poles, cover with rain fly, then you have a covered area to slide in footprint and can clip in the main tent (for the most part) in the dry.

A soggy tent is no fun.

On the other end of the spectrum, I seriously considered this setup from Lone Peak. With all the bells and whistles, it comes in around $8,500, but just 400 pounds.

Click to expand...

That's bad ass.
 
TerryP said:
That's bad ass.
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I really liked it. At that price, it includes the power bank, solar panels, vent fan, lighting in and out. A drawback is it's not a snap to remove. It's got the sandwiched aluminum panels, so you have to add a stabilizer on the bottom to keep it square when it's off. There is also a mounting bar for the one of those 270 degree awnings, so you can add that to have covered area around the truck, and there is a vent port for an electric diesel heater.
 
I've never understood the desire to camp in a campground or around a bunch of other people. True camping has always been a tent or a hammock in the middle of nowhere. Funny enough I stay in more campgrounds now than the majority of people but I don't consider it camping, I just travel in a camper.
That setup would be great out west where there's lots of dispersed camping on national forest or blm land. Went a little overboard imo with the microwave but would be a cheap way to spend a few weeks out west while still having some comforts.
 
It Takes Eleven said:
I really liked it. At that price, it includes the power bank, solar panels, vent fan, lighting in and out. A drawback is it's not a snap to remove. It's got the sandwiched aluminum panels, so you have to add a stabilizer on the bottom to keep it square when it's off. There is also a mounting bar for the one of those 270 degree awnings, so you can add that to have covered area around the truck, and there is a vent port for an electric diesel heater.
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Nice. I don't want to feel "closed" up. That's one of the things that hit me about that model I posted. The "freedom" to move around off the SUV.
Krimson said:
I've never understood the desire to camp in a campground or around a bunch of other people.
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There aren't a lot of places you can't "drop" for a night. The guys setup in the video is too damn intense. No. Ain't doin' that. I don't need all of that "shit."

On that note. We have a VERY specific camping spot at Santee. Reserved well ahead of time.
 
TerryP said:
Nice. I don't want to feel "closed" up. That's one of the things that hit me about that model I posted. The "freedom" to move around off the SUV.

There aren't a lot of places you can't "drop" for a night. The guys setup in the video is too damn intense. No. Ain't doin' that. I don't need all of that "shit."

On that note. We have a VERY specific camping spot at Santee. Reserved well ahead of time.
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This guy has an extensive post on his install and adding the 270 awning. Tacoma owners flock to this camper. Each build is unique to the model of your truck.

www.tacoma4g.com

Lone Peak Overland Camper Install - Review & Photos

I got my Lone Peak camper installed in Wenatchee, Wa this past Friday. It's a long story but I was order #127. I placed my order in November of '22 during the initial presale event. At the time I had a '16 GMC Canyon but in Feb placed a deposit on my TRD OR LB. Basically I was waiting on...
www.tacoma4g.com www.tacoma4g.com
 
It Takes Eleven said:
This guy has an extensive post on his install and adding the 270 awning. Tacoma owners flock to this camper. Each build is unique to the model of your truck.

www.tacoma4g.com

Lone Peak Overland Camper Install - Review & Photos

I got my Lone Peak camper installed in Wenatchee, Wa this past Friday. It's a long story but I was order #127. I placed my order in November of '22 during the initial presale event. At the time I had a '16 GMC Canyon but in Feb placed a deposit on my TRD OR LB. Basically I was waiting on...
www.tacoma4g.com www.tacoma4g.com
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The power outlets in that truck seem to make an easy set up.
 
Krimson said:
Nope, always tinkering. Unless I'm setting up minimalist and hiking then it's done in 15 min max.
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When we were at the campground last time it seemed like we were running errands every day. And, we did: beer and alcohol runs. Tracy and Bobby don't drink beer: it's vodka and bourbon respectively. Dennis and I don't drink a lot of liquor. But, beer? Errr...

So, twenty minutes drive into town every day ... for more drinks.

The last cold weather trip one of us was up all the time ... didn't have to, but we kept the fire going 24 hours for six days, five nights.

It is pretty wild that we could be there for six days...not really doing anything, but doing something all the time. We had about eight deer come within 12-18' from the campfire at nights. Pretty freakin' wild.
 
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