Drive 2 Adventure: Camp Gear

Packing is an ART! After a few trips we might have mastered it. The key is 2 tuppreware type containers (with locking lids...lesson learned by a skunk in camp one night). We use one with the basic kitchen cabinet stuff-pots, pans, silverware, salt and pepper, cups...you get the idea. Basically it stays complete and is still growing as we realize little things that are forgotten. The second tupperware is for the dry foods for each trip. Simple idea. and very efficient for last minute trips!

The Viair 400 air compressor is awesome. Airs up the tires after a good hard trail.....and fills the queen size air mattress in just a few minutes.

Water seems to be simple thing that is often overlooked. We have 2- 7 gallon water jugs, but for a single night 1 is plenty to cook, clean, and drown the fire in the morning.

Cooking in the desert is tough. There's no wood. (Maybe we are spoiled both coming from the woods.) So the options are you either purchase it for 5 bucks a bundle or try to do it all on the stove. We realized this before we left. A little bit of wood kept the aura around camp like a camp should be, but didn't provide enough coals to cook off of. So when we head to the mountains it is very nice to enjoy a campfire. Its the way camping should be!! The fake logs that are sold in the grocery stores are great! The 4 hour logs are worth the extra money, because it's a guarenteed fire!

Our meals, much thanks to Jennifer, have been amazing! Nothing beats a full belly before hitting the trail!

Plastic is no good. The REI plastic forks melted while making breakfast.
Teflon is no good. It comes of and since we realized the plastic won't work, then neither will the teflon coated cookware that we purchased at REI. We use only metal. Plates, silverware, cups, pots....everything! It's durable and simplistic.

The REI Overland table we have is awesome! We picked it up for $30. It weighs in at 6lbs, and folds up to the size of a camp chair. This made cooking in the morning so much nicer!

We realized that we need a bigger tent. I have had a Kelty Zen 2 person tent for 13 years now, but it's time for an upgrade. We did tons of research on Roof Top Tents, but after figuring the weight, and the aerodynamics it seemed like a bad choice. We have a new Kelty Villa 4 tent. It was a nice upgrade.