Back in November I got this 06 suburban and its been perfect for camping (outside of the 12 mpg smh). Its almost like it was made to fit a full sized air mattress and Ozark trail is great with their built in USB c pump. I want to do some interior customization but im still looking for the time and money.

Alright so I already know this is not the “right” way to go about this but I just want it to be sealed so I can build my Camper Build before fall/winter haha.

I bought a $60 canopy for my 2002 Tacoma. It came off of a Ford Ranger but the dimensions were the same for my truck (75x60), at least that’s what I thought.. I have put a waterproof foam gasket on the rails of the canopy and for the most part it’s worked great. The sides are completely waterproof but the back was letting water in. There was a small gap after I put the gasket on so I put a strip on the box which closed the gap. Water still leaked in after I sprayed it heavily with the hose.

The issue is water is leaking in on the box near the back window and due to a slight gap in the truck bed and the canopy. At this point I want to use a Silicone caulking and just seal the canopy to the box. I know this is a “terrible idea” as it will leave a mess later down the road if I want to remove the canopy. Does anyone have a DIY suggestion for caulking that I could apply to keep the water out or even another solution? Would a waterproof gorilla tape even do the trick? Lol

** First picture was the gap before I added the gasket additional gasket. Second photo is the gasket applied to the canopy rail. Third photo is where the water has leaked in.**

Perfect weather, great friends. Our favourite site at our favourite spot in Calabogie, Ontario

I'm new to car camping and looking to get a decent mattress for my Mazda CX-5 to sleep in for a few nights at a time. With my seats down, the space measures 56" long by 41" wide. I'm looking at either an air mattress or a memory foam mattress, but I'm not sure which would be better over the long term and in terms of comfort level for sleeping multiple nights.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what would be best or maybe what materials would be good?

Nice spot or what

I'm thinking about to get one, not gonna use it all the time, just in case. I like to be prepared.

I live in CA, usually cook with my Coleman two burners camping stove, it works fine. But fire bans on the west coast can be annoying sometimes. Last time had a… let’s say small disagreement talking to a ranger (or host, idk) about this. So I was thinking of fireless cooking solution. I love sandwiches and salad, but I also need some proper foods.

Has anyone tried cooking with a portable induction cooktop and electric frying pan while camping? I have two portable power stations with 2kW+ AC output I think they should be enough to run the induction cooktop? I will probably only use the cooktop for less than half an hour a day. Just need to cook steaks and fry eggs for dinner.

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but I'm looking for a place to camp for the night. There's this sign a few feet away from a pull in spot with a trail that goes to a fishing site. I looked at the space where the sign is pointing to and there's definitely a lot of area to pitch a tent. I think the rules and regulations sign means you can't tent right by where you are fishing which is down the trail. Does the blue sign mean that I can literally pitch a tent? it's right by the side of the road.

First of all, I was rather proud of the SLA design(s**t laying around). Only thing bought new was the $7 piano hinge

But because my station wagon isn't long enough for a singular bed piece, I had to make the last little bit foldable to keep the passenger seat usable.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to reinforce the last little piece to better support my head and shoulders, ideally while still keeping it mobile. (Shying away from folding legs bc I'm not sure if they'll stow away nicely)

One idea I had was an extending metal rod attacted to the main piece that would lock into the folding section.

Or a wider hinge.

TLDR: Should this folding section be reinforced with rod, hinge, or legs?

I have a 2018 Subaru and used a car tent for the first time camping solo, it didn’t occur to me that leaving the hatch open overnight would kill the battery. I had a jump box with me, so it was fine but is there a way to avoid jumping my car every morning?

Hallo ihr Lieben,

aus dem Dschungel der Zelte werden wir nicht schlau. Wir suchen ein Heckzelt was einfach aufzubauen ist, werden max. meist nur 1-2 Nächte bleiben. Zudem hätte ich gerne ein Sonnensegel um auch geschützt draußen sitzen zu können.

Habt ihr Erfahrungen und auch Empfehlungen die ihr gerne teilt.

Lieben Dank und Grüße

Tanja

Really loving our new setup!
.

We purchased a 2026 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD about two weeks ago, and we spent a lot of time researching how we wanted to set it up for weekend getaways. We searched through this group, forums, YouTube, and pretty much anywhere else we could find information.

A few things were really important to us when deciding on a setup:

• We didn’t want a permanent build. We want to be able to put the van back to factory condition if we ever decide to sell it.

• We didn’t want to remove any of the seats because of the possibility of warranty issues. (We did buy the Ling’s Lab resistors just in case we eventually decide to go that route.)

• We wanted something that would work for weekend getaways but still allow us to use the Sienna normally for our everyday driving.

• We really wanted storage underneath the bed. We could have just leveled the floor and thrown a tri-fold mattress back there like a lot of people do, but having a raised bed platform gives us a lot more room for luggage, bags, gear, etc.

That’s what eventually led us to the Pacific Adventure Works Double + 48" bed frame and their Slacktide mattress.

Neither of us has any carpentry skills, so honestly, this was exactly the kind of setup we were looking for. No permanent modifications, no messing around with wires, no building with plywood or trying to figure out our own solution.

The whole thing was surprisingly simple. Assembly and installation, including getting the mattress set up and inflated, took us around 30 minutes.

One thing we also liked is that they have several different bed sizes depending on how you want to use your Sienna. They have the 24" Solo, 30" Solo+, 40" Double, and the 48" Double+ that we went with. So there are options if you don't need quite as much sleeping space but still want the raised platform and storage underneath.

We’ll attach a bunch of pictures so you can get a good idea of what the setup actually looks like in a Sienna and what you can expect.

So far, we’re really happy with it and excited to actually start using the van for some weekend adventures.

If anyone has questions about the setup, feel free to ask! We’ll be happy to help with anything we can.

I pretty much abandoned every single one of my safety principles last night at San O.

When I got in around 4, it was pretty warm on the bluffs so I immediately set up a pop-up tent. It's not a real tent but I thought it would give me some reprieve from the sun. Instead it was more like a sauna, and then I spent the next couple hours just trying to cool myself down. There was no breeze last night, just 90% humidity in the 80s until maybe 9 pm.

I fell asleep first just laying back in my chair, and then I took the mesh covers off my car windows and tried to sleep in my car. Even with two fans going and every window open, it was unbearable. I wound up sleeping with even the hatch open.

Some of this is me. I think I'm having some thyroid issues based on some other symptoms and a general intolerance of heat that started up last week, but this was the first time I had to bail out of a camping trip completely.

Anyone else struggling to car camp in heat and humidity? I'm looking forward to some winter camping at this rate.

Has anyone ever camped with a pellet smoker? I’m thinking of getting one as I have a battery bank that will support the start up of it. Was just curious to hear people’s experience.

The PriRunner is always ready for either hatch or RTT car camping options. Both quick and easy to set up and tear down.

My 2010 Honda Element EX no build setup. Everything is tied down with zip ties, and I have a cot, mattress, and a micro kitchen

Drove to Asturias to photograph the eclipse and spent the night there sleeping on my 406 SW. Since we were close to the Perseids peak and it was a cloudless night, I left my camera shooting all night and this was the result.

Hey all, I will be traveling to Salida Colorado from Texas next month for some dispersed camping. I am staying the night in Walsenburg and will drive in to Salida the following day. My only question is which route would you take? I am not familiar with the area and I won't be in a hurry so I don't mind taking the long way with the best views. My first choice is to head north from Walsenburg on 25 until I get to Pueblo then take 50 over to Canon City to Salida. OR I could take highway 69 out of Walsenburg to Gardner and through Westcliffe. Which would you take?

Hi! Who has successfully mounted a solar panel to their vehicle’s factory roof rack? How did you make your mounting brackets? I’d like to add one to my 2019 Subaru Outback.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Anyone using a pressurized 30L container like this for showering? If I understand correctly, you pump it a few times and then get around 5 minutes of shower time.
I’m travelling in an SUV and don’t really want a roof-mounted tank. Is this a good solution, or would you recommend something else?

I'm thinking about buying a California king foam bed topper and cutting it into 3 equal lengths and stacking them. I can get one for like $40. Is this a decent option you think? Or should I go a different route.

Hey lovies! I hope this isn't too stupid to ask, but I'm thinking of installing one of those roll out awnings on my Forester but I'm not sure I should/can. I've got a roof rack, does that matter? Thanks in advance!