HOW TO CAMP OFF-ROAD: WHICH SETUP IS BEST FOR YOU?

The chance to spend the night outdoors is unquestionably one of the most excellent aspects of an off-road journey in a far-off place. Camping and off-roading are a great combination anywhere you go—in the mountains, desert, forests, or along the coast. However, how you camp can significantly influence what gear you need to pack, how much room your rig has, and, most likely, how comfortable you are. This post breaks down some of the most well-liked trail camping setups, outlining the benefits and drawbacks of each and explaining why they could be the best option for your upcoming excursion.

Sleeping Under the Stars

The first technique on our list is the most basic, but it works incredibly well for light packers and weather-tolerant individuals. For many who are really in touch with their wild side, all it takes is setting up a sleeping pad on the ground close to your firepit and cuddling up in a sleeping bag appropriate for the temperature. This method saves space usage, practically eliminates the need for additional equipment, and allows you to have the closest possible experience with nature while you sleep. This can be ideal if your setup is more essential and has less storage capacity. It's evident that many people prefer to have a sturdy barrier between them from the weather and the creatures that live there, so this camping style isn't perfect for them, but it's the only way to really "sleep under the stars." We can assure you that the vistas are unparalleled.

Ground Tent

A straightforward ground tent is still a popular choice for many people, and for good reason—it's arguably the most popular type of camping equipment. Contemporary tents are portable, simple to assemble, and compact into tiny carrying bags. It works well enough for most individuals accustomed to the outdoors, even though it's not the most comfortable method to spend a few nights in the woods. Camping on the ground has never been more convenient, thanks to recent developments in tent technology, especially in bad weather. But there are disadvantages to tents. Staying warm in cold weather can be difficult; windy weather can keep you up all night, and setting up and taking down a tent in the rain is a headache. When you tell someone you're off camping for the weekend, they almost certainly picture ground tenting despite its drawbacks.

Roof Top Tent

The next activity on our list is camping, which has seen a recent surge in popularity, giving rise to a whole new way of life. Although roof-top tents have been around for a while, they are becoming more and more commonplace. They are being installed on a variety of vehicles, not just off-road rigs, as overlanding has become more and more popular and new technology makes it possible for people to carry their camping gear to remote locations. While the rooftop tent has numerous benefits, such as being generally comfortable, self-contained, easy to set up and take down, and able to be stored above a car, it also has many drawbacks, similar to sleeping in a regular ground tent. If your setup lacks factory roof rails, you'll also need to find a means to mount it to the car, which may be expensive.

In addition, parking on level ground is required to prevent rolling into the tent's corner while you're sleeping, and it could be more enjoyable to climb a seven-foot ladder to get in and out for those late-night potty excursions. The price is something else to think about. Even the most basic roof-top tent will set you back over $700, even though ground tents can be purchased for less than $100. We'll watch how these tents develop over time because, despite their generally straightforward designs, new features and accessories are often released.  

Awning Rooms

An additional fantastic choice for a vehicle-mounted camping solution is awning chambers, which cross between ground and rooftop tents. After years of producing and selling car awnings, businesses like ARB 4x4 Accessories now provide extra pieces to turn your shaded area into a room. The awning chambers are perfect for keeping pests out during the day because they can be entirely closed to create a tent-like sleeping space. These awning rooms are frequently roomy and sturdy, making it possible to have a good night's sleep.

A few drawbacks include that they need more work to set up and take down than rooftop tents, and depending on where the awning is installed, they may obstruct your car's doors, making it difficult to reach inside to get items out. These items are costly, much like the roof top tents. Nevertheless, their modular design makes them a fantastic choice for individuals who enjoy camping during the summer.  

Camper Shell

Pickup trucks and camper shells have been a common camping combination for many years. From its introduction to the market more than 50 years ago, camper shells have maintained a constant position near the top of any pickup truck owner's list of add-ons, thanks to their increased security and versatility. They give you a place to crash for the night and enable you to keep anything in your truck bed safe and out of the weather. For many years, installing a "carpet kit," or a carpeted sleeping platform with storage drawers underneath it in your bed and camper shell, was the finest option to camp in your pickup truck. Although it's still an option, other ways exist to sleep soundly in your truck bed. Nowadays, air mattress manufacturers form goods to fit your truck bed, including wheel well cutouts.

While it could appear like a simple way to spend a night outside, spending the night in your truck's bed has disadvantages. If you have any equipment for your trip, take it out of the bed and store it somewhere else while you sleep. Because truck beds are made of steel, they can get freezing at night, making it difficult to stay warm on those winter travels. Nevertheless, sleeping in your truck's bed is a popular choice for truck enthusiasts despite certain drawbacks because it's so simple to set up and has so many uses.  

Cabover/Truck Camper

Several companies saw an opportunity to produce a more recreational shell, one with all the facilities of a typical RV, installed in the bed of your pickup truck, around the same time individuals started sleeping in their camper shells. And thus, the truck camper, or cabover, came to be. An entire standing area, a queen-sized bed, a fridge, a stovetop, running water, a heater, and occasionally even a built-in bathroom are standard features of these kinds of campers. Many weekend warriors found, and still do, great satisfaction in pulling a boat, race car, or off-road toys behind their pickup truck while still being able to fit all the creature amenities of an RV in the bed. Truck camper technology has progressed to the point where nearly any size pickup can tow one. Pop-up, slide-out, and off-road campers are just a few of the various variants currently available, catering to every segment of the truck market.

These campers are not free but are undoubtedly more pleasant than sleeping outside, on the ground, or in a tent. Truck campers are expensive to buy new and need additional equipment to be fitted before they can be mounted in your bed. The cost of these changes alone is high. More visibly, you lose the ability to use your truck bed, which makes it a little harder to transport stuff like bikes, firewood, tools, and other items you would typically toss in the bed. Truck campers enhance many people's camping experience since they are self-sufficient and adaptable, appealing to many truck owners.  

OffRoad Camper Trailer 

To be noticed is the off-road trailer. Off-road enthusiasts built their setups, initially based on retired military M101 trailers. They then added bigger off-road tires and suspension and used the storage space for tools, recovery gear, spare parts, and other items that wouldn't fit in a Jeep or truck.

These trailers were made to carry equipment for extended trips. This equipment includes bathrooms, sinks, stoves, refrigerators, freezers, propane tanks, and other essentials. People installed rooftop tents on top of trailers because they were so popular, transforming them into self-contained camping spaces. Older teardrop trailers were made tougher for off-road driving with suspension lifts, bigger tires, and stronger materials.

There are many clear benefits to having this kind of trailer behind you. One of the main selling points is the additional room, simplicity of use, and portability of such equipment to any destination. More obviously, though, only a few off-roaders choose this approach due to the disadvantages of having to tow around a trailer behind their rig and the expense of building one from scratch or purchasing one already built. Many folks would only camp in one of these trailers.

Nothing may be more soothing for those of us who love the off-road lifestyle than spending a weekend away from the city and exploring everything nature offers. We occasionally need to reassess the finest methods for outdoor camping as our preferences vary over time. Regardless of your experience level with off-grid living—from tent camping to renovating your outdoor space, we hope this comparison gave you some idea of the various options to spend a night away from it all.