Car camping is a great tradition and its important to have the right equipment. When you are at the camping and outdoor supply store, be sure to discriminate between equipment meant for car camping, and equipment meant for backpacking and backcountry camping. Backcountry camping means carrying everything on your back and puts a premium on size and weight. Car camping is almost completely the opposite: you will probably be camping 10 to 20 feet from your car, so there is no reason to pay a lot of money for a lightweight tent and stove unless you anticipate reusing them for backpacking in the future. Specialized backpacking camping equipment tends to be very expensive. Car camping equipment is usually surprisingly cheap since it does not need to be made with weight as a concern and because it is so popular so that many units can be manufactured at once.

For car camping, it’s a good idea to bring as large a tent as possible. There’s no reason to get a tiny backpacking tent that you can barely sit up inside.

You will also want a camp stove with two burners. This way, you can efficiently cook much like you can at home. You may also want a camp lantern powered by gas so that you can see at night. Flashlights and headlamps are convenient to have too. When sleeping at night, it’s okay to prioritize your comfort. You can buy an inflatable mattress and bring a battery powered air pump to inflate it! This is a luxury that would never be possible when camping in the backcountry, but will help you wake up without a sore back!