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camping with your jku

29K views 86 replies 52 participants last post by  TomCia 
#1 ·
I'm a first time jeep owner and loving the jeep. We bought a 2010 Sahara jku and camped once but didn't pack it right. How does everyone pack there jeep for tent camping esp for extended stays? We used to have excursions and suburbans for this but now space is at a min.
 
#4 ·
Check out the tread titled "Storage Solutions". This guy knows how to pack for camping.
This is my current 'camping' setup.


Although I have a roof top tent now, I still carry my 3person tent (top left of the roll bar), along with sleeping bag, fleece bag liner, camp chair, etc on the top bar and right bar.

Left bar has a couple of smaller molle bags, and those contain some tools in one, and camp related accessories in the other. Freedom panel bag is also strapped to this roll bar.

I use a wide velcro strap you can get on amazon and it holds these items quite secure. I've never had to adjust the positions from them coming loose while being off road.

One of the rubber maid containers has extra wood for the camp fire, the other is my 'kitchen' supplies. A cooler also fits in here when I'm ready to go on a trip.

I also have a couple molle bags on my tailgate table:


That all being said... ups just delivered my synergy cargo basket... I'll be pulling this all down this weekend and installing the basket back here and then re-arranging. I'll post more photos here and on my build/blog pages after too.
 
#10 ·
I start with a Coleman Xtreme 50qt cooler, that fits perfectly, sideways against the backseat. I use the space at the bottom, in front of the cooler (the seat backs are angled, so there is some room at the bottom) for bedrolls and/or propane cylinders. I have two Rubbermaid Action Packers which hold much of our gear, they go in next. Everything else gets filled in around. I have a Raingler cargo net so I can pack up to the roof without worries of my stuff flying into the passenger compartment in an accident. If necessary, I use the space under the rear seat. I can get all of the stuff for two adults, one kid and one dog in there without much issue. That being said, I am in the process of miniaturizing our gear. The first thing I am getting are new, smaller camp chairs. I also plan on getting a rear shelf.
 
#19 ·
Very true, good thing I am in the northeast. Lots of forests here. Looks like you are in MN and the Boundary Waters is an ultimate camping trip. Pop that chair in a Duluth Pack and I would be a very happy camper. When I last lived in MN and WI I knew nothing of the ENO and tents were the way to go on our trips to the BWCA.

I posted the wrong model of my Alite earlier I have the mantis not the monarch. This is the one I have http://youtu.be/uHGrzvneyRU got it for a great deal at the time on the Clymb.
 
#18 ·
Tippy Tay already posted a photo of my previous setup - and now that's changing slightly as I've recently installed a Synergy Baja Basket.



The tent and other gear on the upper roll bar still remains, and stays solid with some wide velcro straps. I had a couple of smaller molle pouches on the left side roll bar which now are mounted on the synergy basket.

I'll be out camping in a couple of weeks, and can post a load-out photo then.
 
#25 ·
The smaller and lighter you go the more expensive it gets.
Think Backpacking. Small, light, efficient. I've spent 4-5 days on the trail in a TJ so it's certainly possible. Using the Rubbermaid tubs allows easy stacking.

Tie things down!!! If you are venturing off road with the rig packed, things will start flying around if not secure.

I've been motorcycle camping for years. A lot less room to pack so it ported over to Jeep camping very well.

All that said, if you're dealing with the wimmin folks, all bets are off :)
 
#27 ·
The ENO Nests are nice. What about the Double Nests - can two really overnight in one, or do you wake up with the circulation gone from half of your body? Also, is it possible to do any coed "recreational" activities in one?
 
#30 ·
i would think with just 2 people a futon mattress and just your rear seats along would be more then enough to lay down and crash for the night inside of your JKU. before you say where would you put the other supplies? around you and in the front area of the vehicle.

If i were to try camping that would be the the first type of camping i'd try.
 
#31 ·
i would think with just 2 people a futon mattress and just your rear seats along would be more then enough to lay down and crash for the night inside of your JKU. before you say where would you put the other supplies? around you and in the front area of the vehicle. If i were to try camping that would be the the first type of camping i'd try.
Do you really need the rear seats or is that optional?
 
#33 ·
Family of three would be to cramped to sleep in the back. If it were just one person then it would be fine. Considering big bend this summer and we need to pack everything in the back but I am considering something for the hitch to carry extra wood, coolers, water and gas cans.
 
#35 ·
So I dont get these Eno things. It's a hammock, right? There's no top. Just like those rope net things that we had in the backyard? What happens if it rains, or there's dew in the morning or a bird craps on me (that happens to me a lot)? Maybe a chipmunk hops in and snuggles with me. Am I missing something?
 
#39 ·
Just a tip for everybody looking at a Nest, they really are fantastic, but if you're camping in the cold, you want to make sure to have a camping pad or something very warm underneath you as well as on top.

I found that out the hard way hiking the Appalachian in November. Most of the pack-sized sleeping bags are okay to about 40ish degrees, but that changes dramatically if the wind is blowing on top and bottom of you, vs. just the top.

The one other note is that you'll need rope, or some straps to actually secure them to something. I keep a pair of these, which are perfect for most things, but assumes relatively short distances.

https://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/product/ST001.html

Otherwise, I'll second every good thing that's said about them. Super comfortable, even for side sleepers.
 
#40 ·
I need to work on the "Securing things" angle. Just back from about 2,000 miles driving and a few nights camping. Pelican 65 qt cooler fit like a hand in a glove, but jumped around a bit. Kept ice for over a week in sometimes 80+ temps. Packed groundcover, tent, sleeping bags, gas stove and lots of drinking stuff (usually non-soda stuff from the bigbox)
 
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