Camping Gear Essentials Every Beginner Needs
Few things in life are better than leaving your hectic life behind and exploring the wilderness. If you have never been camping before, though, you may not know where to start. Still, the right gear makes all the difference in your enjoyment of the great outdoors.
Whether you plan to spend a single day or several weeks away from civilization, Morris 4x4 Center has the camping gear essentials every beginner needs to have an epic experience.
Best Gear for First Time Campers
As a first-time camper, you may find nature to be dirtier and itchier than you expect. With the Overland Vehicle Systems Portable Shower and Privacy Room, you have the ability to take a warm shower virtually anywhere. This high-quality and affordable shower system is lightweight and portable with step-by-step setup and breakdown instructions.
If you are looking to replicate your home showering experience, a pressurized portable shower system is the way to go. The RinseKit POD 1.75-Gallon portable shower is excellent. This shower system gives you pressurized water with a variety of settings. If you add an aftermarket heater, your RinseKit shower is always the right temperature for your comfort level.
Once you feel clean, you need a place to relax and stay out of the elements. As a first-time camper, you are sure to appreciate a tent that attaches to or integrates with your vehicle. These tents provide additional stability and space without taking up much room. To enjoy the outdoors without becoming mosquito food, also consider purchasing an ARB Deluxe Awning Room With Floor.
To round out your packing list, do not forget to include the following items for your maiden voyage into the woods:
- Sleeping bags and pillows
- Camping stove, pans, utensils and service items
- Portable chairs
- Compass and maps
- Matches
- Weather-appropriate clothing
Trustmade Gear Essentials
Even as a first-time camper, you do not want to waste money on inferior components. This is especially true if you are looking to become a camping pro. With Trustmade gear, you build a collection worthy of an avid outdoorsman or outdoorswoman.
Trustmade makes quality rooftop tents that are compatible with many 4x4 makes and models. These tents are ideal for first-time campers, as you do not have to find a flat or rock-free place to pitch a tent. With a Trustmade roof top tent, such as the Trustmade Hardshell Waterproof Rooftop Tent, you sleep at a safe elevation where animals, flash floods, and other hazards have a harder time reaching you.
While Trustmade offers some top-grade tents that fit on your vehicle, the company also has some state-of-the-art camping gear that makes inaugural camping trips successful. These include ladders, pull-out awnings, and portable rooms.
Guide to Overland Vehicle Systems
Overland Vehicle Systems picks up where Trustmade leaves off, offering tough gear to both first-time campers and those with extensive experience off the beaten path. Not only does Overland Vehicle Systems have some excellent rooftop tents, awnings, and portable rooms, but it also manufactures essential camping items.
The Overland Vehicle Systems Cargo Box With Slide-Out Drawer and Working Station allows you to store valuables and other items in a safe and secure place. It also provides a platform for you to work on your laptop, write, or consult your map.
As far as camping awnings go, the Overland Vehicle Systems Nomadic 270 Degree Awning With Side Wall is tough to beat. This awning secures around three sides of your vehicle, giving you a large space to sleep, relax, play cards, or lounge with your friends. If you camp in inclement weather, you will also appreciate the protection from the elements this awning provides.
How To Set Up Rooftop Tents
If you have decided a rooftop tent is the best way to get the most out of your camping experience, you may have some trepidation about setting it up the first time. Fortunately, whether you have a Trustmade or Overland Vehicle Systems rooftop tent, your tent comes with step-by-step instructions.
While your tent's set up guide may have slightly different instructions, setting up most rooftop tents requires just a few steps.
After parking your vehicle on a flat and stable surface and chocking its wheels, release the straps that secure your rooftop tent to your vehicle and unzip the tent's cover. With most rooftop tents, you can either leave the cover hanging off the side or remove it by sliding the unzipped cover along the cell track.
Next, you must release the compression straps that hold the tent's frame in place. If you find the compression straps to be too tight to release, simply apply some downward pressure to the frame to give you some wiggle room. After your tent frame is free, access the ladder by releasing its tension strap and pins and pulling outward.
Before opening your tent, ensure your ladder is securely fixed in one of the preset notches. To do so, pull on the ladder to confirm it does not move. Then, pull downward and outward on the ladder. This motion should cause the rooftop tent to pop upward and into place.
The ideal placement of your ladder is a 30- to 40-degree angle from the ground. When you find the right angle, secure the ladder in its final position by pushing its spring loaded pins into their corresponding holes.
Once your ladder is secure, extend the tent's extension hoop and place it into the tent's seams on the top and pivot mounts on the bottom. Then, secure the tie downs to the ground with stakes or sandbacks and set the correct tension.
Finally, for weatherproofing, pull all flaps securely around the base of your tent. Your tent may also have flaps around the pivot mounts that you need to pull downward. After you have confirmed your tent is secure and weathertight, you are ready to enjoy it for as long as you want.
Now that you know exactly what you need to enjoy your first camping trip and how to set up a rooftop tent, browse the extension camping selection at Morris 4x4 Center for top-quality gear you can trust.
