Thanks for stopping by!Check out my biggest dispersed camping trip of 2023 here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eL-qgKVhyLiXeYU.html

Hi. Veteran vehicle camper, Navy veteran. DO be sure nothing in your vehicle can become a missile hazard in an accident. Cars flip in accidents, too. Don't let furnishings or kitchen implements impale or bash or paralyze or decapitate you!! Everything is bolted down as if it were done in the factory. There's no butcher knives held onto the wall by magnets. There's no cast iron skillets hanging on a hook. It looks TERRIBLE in an obituary. And it's not necessary. If there's anything loose that you wouldn't want to hit you in the back of the head at 40+ mph then it needs to be stowed. And remember, it's a vehicle, not a house. You really don't want to make a habit of crapping where you eat or cooking where you store your clothes. Think of it as a bedroom on wheels with a bit of extra storage. Think of it as that same bedroom that can receive a surprise visit from Law Enforcement at any time -- not a nudist retreat or Plato's retreat or an opium den. Keep footwear handy so that you can bail out of there fast. And since you may have to move that vehicle at any moment, sorry, but you should probably not be under the influence unless you are sure you are ensconced in a legal camp site (and not during wildfire or typhoon season). Easing into your gear and build equipment choices, that's the best advice you're gonna get. Thanks for the video.

Hey, a safety tip that may save your life. Carbon monoxide (CO) is heavier than air. Mount your monitor at floor level to make it most sensitive to a problem. The van will be filled with CO by the time a roof level sensor will trigger an alarm.

1. Weapons? Depending on your state regulations of course. 2. Always backup into your camping site, so if you need to leave quickly, you are able too. 3. Keys/fobs quickly accessible, not tucked in a purse or suitcase.

Great info. Start small and acquire from there. Saves a lot of money that way. Also when buying don’t forget thrift stores. Many people buy then decide it’s not for the them😊😊

I think a privacy tent placed next to your car, a small shovel and a headlamp would be nicer than walking over to an outhouse but that's just me. A loaf of Italian bread, chunky canned soups, chips, fruit. bottled iced coffee or tea, . are not gourmet but easy. For one overnight trip you really can use everything from home.

For the two years I lived in my sports car, it was summer heat that was hardest to deal with. As a woman and a bug freak, I never sleep with my windows open even a lil. Winter was alot easier to deal

Full time mini van dweller in canada...on my 19th year. I use a jetboil..i open the sliding door. I mostly cook with a thermos. I have no fridge or furnace. I have -38 sleeping bags. I have a CO detector. It saved my life...i was asleep with a window cracked open. Some moron was idling his raised truck beside me. His tailpipe was blowing exhaust into my van. I still struggled to get out of my van..and winded up hospitalized from CO. I was lucky. I also carry a decent fire extinguisher..so i never need to use one hopefully. Lol. I've strapped my bed/cabinets to where my previous seats were bolted into.

A cheap evaporative cooler is to wet a cloth, wring it out, and hang it in front of your USB fan. Swamp coolers only work in arid climates, like deserts, but a fan or two keeps the air moving and feels good aimed at your face while sleeping. Jon in rural BC, Canada

Consider adding a fire suppression blanket, too. Less mess and works immediately to smother it. I had an engine fire many years ago. My power steering line had burst. And i did not have anything to stop it.

im a otr trucker and if u want to avoid trouble and not be targeted for robbery , look poor or like your working, wear jeans n work boots , high vis tshirts or carhardt type flannels , dont wear jewelry dont carry your phone dont wear tourist type fanny packs , dress nice if u go somewhere nice but mostly its best to look like your having a hard time and nobody will bother u

Things I “need” above the basics of a bed, food, stove/meal stuff, toilet- my Jackery, rechargeable fans and lights.

Safety: pepper spray, wrapping seat belt through handle loop in door and fastening them. If they break the window and reach in to open the door with the door handle, the door wont open. Truckers do this all the time. Especially if you are keeping your windows down with a flimsy screen over it.

Very timely vid for me. I haven't camped yet. Just purchased mini-van (2010 Honda Odyssey,) bed frame and mattress/fitted sheet, water containers, window nets, Gas One butane stove, floor mats. I eventually will be getting power supply and a fridge freezer for longer trips. Cooler will do for now. Also will be getting plastic storage containers to keep under the bed for clothes etc...almost ready for first camping trip! My issues are I will be taking my two dogs along so I have to factor in space for them.

I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for putting them out. An item to consider on the cooking end of things. Been a backpacker and car camper for many years, and seriously looking in to the full time traveller life. About a decade ago, I turned to alcohol stoves. I personally have the Trangia 25 and 27 kits. Bomb proof, will cook in any weather (including white out blizzard conditions - from experience), there's nothing to break. Fuel is cheap. I can do all reasonable cooking with those. They are absolutely silent. With experience, there is very good simmer control. One massive benefit is the byproducts are carbon DIOXIDE, and water vapor, so if it's nasty outside, cooking inside the van isn't an issue. In my car camping kit, I do keep a backup one burner Coleman stove that screws to the top of a one pound canister, but that's really for guests who might be going with me, and who want to cook in a way that is more intuitive and comfortable for them. It's one of those pieces of kit that is very elegant, simple, and I would bet my life on it working. Again, thank you. Richard

❤ Yep, step by step and I am a single traveler. For cooking I use a 12V mini rice cooker. Is good for hot water to have tea and cooks noodles and even vegies. You can cook while driving the last 30 min to your destination and dinner is ready. Am looking forward to buy a mini smootie mixer that is powered by a battery which is chargeable using an USB cable. Of course I have 2 flexibel solar planels 100w with direkt USB plug in and they are not mounted to my car. Was able to get my items for almost a 50% discount on Black Friday season online. Those are real money savings machines. Blessings from Germany

Getting ready for my first car camping experience and this is one of the best videos i have come across so far!.

Interesting! I’m trying to stick to the “don’t buy it till you’re sure you need it” rule, but it’s challenging. I’m preparing to full time in a Honda Odyssey with a no-build build (at least initially). I’ve tent camped from it for years, and camped in it a couple times without any furnishings. Challenging to fit what I want and need in such a small space, especially while preserving occasional seating for 2 and space for my pup who will be 100 lb in a few more months! Based on my needs and experience, I did splurge on a fridge/freezer, Bluetti power bank and a couple solar panels when I had an opportunity to save 30% on the cost. They will be used plenty, I’m sure! My priorities after 35 years camping? Adequate clothes and gear to stay warm and dry. Good first aid kit. Fire extinguisher. Versatile and compact cooking gear. Lots of extra batteries for my flashlights. Toilet paper (the outhouse may be out!). Insect repellant (including incense). My dual fuel propane/butane stove with plenty of fuel is not a necessity, but a cheap item that is cleaner and easier than cooking over a campfire.

one tip i have is for extra warmth at night, put a duvet on top of your mattress under your bed sheet, then you have a duvet to cover with you will be toasty

I have to say, yourvan setup is one of the best I've seen so far...Happy travels!

honestly a great introduction to car camping in general, thank you so much!

Car manufacturers have significantly downsized the interior size of customer consumer vans over the last 20 years. I had a 2003 Toyota sienna and it was huge inside. I think manufacturers want you to spend more money and buy a bigger cargo van. I loved that van, I don’t know why I sold it. It was so luxurious inside. Nothing like today’s vans.

i did my first trip in my 2022 pacifica hybrid for about 15 days in november to fla and back to ma. love the van! learned alot. the hybrid is beneficial for climate big time but heat is real difficult to deal with. i still havent figured out when or why the van will stop intermittent on/ off so when it shuts off completely the heat builds, even at nite when its only low 70s. but it works well when it stays on for 4 hrs or more. coleman camp cot proved very comfortable, small microwave, sm dorm refr, sm elec mr coffee, sm elec frypan, elec blanket, bluetti 2000 watt inverter and extra back up 100 watt lith iron phosphate connected as backup all worked well . pacifica has 1 110 volt/150watt outlet and 2 12volt/100 watt which i used all to stay charged up. have to be vigilant to avoid complete drainage. biggest challenge is bathrooms and hygene. i bought 5gal bucket toilet setup from rei and never used it. no room in van for that and i want real toilet thank you. parked near 24hr gas stations overnite. camping always includes "roughing it" so there are things that are difficult. but if you can save 100/200 a nite on hotel its a big deal. i did get a room 3 nites to shower and such but 12 nites i didnt..... i had brought too much clothing which cramped things even though all seats were removed. the cot worked well as seating as well. i installed a plastic wal mart drawer unit attached to seat brackets. this setup with a tent and canopy would be excellent for campsite with bathrooms. excellent for travel on highway to save on restaurants and hotel. but hygeine is the issue which has had me looking at camper vans and such with bathrooms but they are expensive as well....i have to figure out how much of this type of thing i want to do. i need to try another trip in the Pacifica.......sounds good!!!!

Great video, lots of good info especially the safety items and being careful of projectile potential energy items. Only thing I would suggest is no fast food. Have a good hardy campsite breakfast and then either have a nice dinner out or hit the grocery store for some cold cuts and cheese and make a sandwich.

I like to have some light in the darker hours. Small lanterns or string lights, not drawing off starting battery. AM/FM battery radio. Mini power banks; bigger if I can afford it. My laptop: download movies or get a TV system. I have a hot spot for connectivity. Canned foods I can eat out of the can cold or heated. Campfire starters. Mini rake, shovel, wood saw. Good video!

Very cool, I find I don’t need a lot. Just the necessities, safe place to park and sleep, use the facilities/showers, enough food and water until my next stop. I don’t use certain rest areas on highways that lack services for a long while. On my last trip there were some strange people parked near the bathroom and something didn’t feel right so I left and kept going. The only reason I used that highway was because of weather and listed hazards on google maps. It’s cool to just drive but I do research ahead of time to possible routes i might take. I also top off and never go below half a tank. Usually stay around 3/4 if I can.

I love your choice of a vehicle.

The BEST info of any video on this subject. TY!!!!

I just watched your video!! I've been watching different videos on van camping and I'm really interested in doing it. I'm glad I watched your video because you gave me some excellent advice!!!!! Best of all!!!

Excellent Video !! You hit upon several good points to consider. CO2 monitor and Fire Extinguisher are now on my list and at the top. Heading out tomorrow (Sat.) for my second over-nighter as I refine my van build out design and tweak my "essentials" list. Thanks again for your time and presentation.

This was such a great video! I am definitely the type who would have to do a few trial runs before committing to van camping. Thanks for all the tips!

I agree, but there's company called Go Sun that sells solar powered gear from a water system, and even cooking, also these can be plugged in at low wattage. It's not expensive, very convenient, compact, and with multiple use.

Very good point about keeping things low ! I just bought my van I will be working on very soon I'm going to retire next year and plan on a lot of camping so this year will be local and practice

Agree on the mattress, Mini noodle maker, usb tent fans, usb magnetic closet lights. 3 gallon water jug with usb faucet, dish pan for sink. Foldable toilet with bags and animal bedding pellets. Folding camp chair. 5-7 day cooler.

Thankfully I stumbled onto this video. I, buying a grand Caron this year, I’m planning 2 to 3 day trips and don’t want to buy & build stuff I don’t need. Thanks for the “do & buy nothing” tip. Cheers from Southern Georgian Bay Ontario Canada

Great tips! I will definitely keep this in mind when planning my trip. Awesome 👏 Thanks for sharing.

Loved your idea about camping in your yard or driveway or testing out maybe Cabelas. I slept in our van in the backyard alone and even in my yard had my windows covered and a fan on (usb) loved it and want to do that a few more times and next a parking lot

Very solid and practical advice. Thank you!

Great tips! Will be doing car camping in my Crosstrek when it gets warmer. Can't wait!

I loved his style and content.

Awesome advise.

Great advice thanks

Great advise. Thank you.😊

Great advice

Yup, A comfortable bed is vital. Almost anything will feel comfortable in the first half hour of lying on it. You really need to spend a full overnight in your driveway. to be certain.

excellent information. Thank you.

Great video, we are converting our first van now.

Very helpful video thank you. Getting my van soon.

A well informed and common sense video. Thank you.

Great tip ideas.

I like your style and most importantly your advices. Thanks. Subscribed

Great useful video thanks you for telling us not to overpurchase

That was an excellent video.

Great video. Thank you!

I travel & Camp out of My 2007 Dodge caravan. I travel from Sw Missouri To Minnesota often. I35 has nice rest stops that are clean & I feel safe Sleeping over night. When I am at a campground I have a large Clam screen house that goes up fast & come down fast. Able to set up My self. I tend to bring with Me moe stuff then I need. I have stow & go seats that I removed, witch gives Me plenty of storage. Your Vidios are awesome, Keep it up, They get Better & better each time I watch.

Great advice THANKS ALOT 👍

Thanks buddy, that’s great and very helpful video

Great video good information

Great video. Food for thought.

Thank you

Thank you for the tips. I’m going to car camp 2 nights @ a South Carolina KOA to attend a weekend art workshop.

Great video ..lot of good tips ..thanks for sharing!

Very good points thank you be safe out there 😏

Great job. Very helpful. Tk u.😊

Great video series. I got started with my no build flowing a lot of your gear suggestions. I'm retired, ex military, as well. Since my kids aren't around anymore, I went flat floor bed, all seats removed. In addition, I also charge an ebike inside. I got the AWD Sienna Hybrid Platumun. It has 2 110v plugs. This model sienna solves the problem of heat and cooling while I'm sleeping. Many people refer to this as climate control on KZfaq. Since the engine only runs intermittently to charge the battery, it lowers the concerns of C0 poisiong. Of course, I do have a C0 detector as insurance...

Great advice. Need to figure out how to stay cool in summer. Fans and cracking the windows isn't enough.

Tinted windows work SO well. I've been camped inside a few times when people have come up too close and they did not notice me at all.

My sleeping bag, Coleman lantern, Coleman propane burner stove and my inreah mini. The inreach is pricey but safety was key for me. Great video ❤

It is rare for me to have an open flame in my van but when I do the fire extinguisher is next to me. I also focus on what I am doing as one mistep with an open flame can be disastrous. I usually carry a small folding table and set it next to the sliding door on the ground. I sit on the ledge and there I make my coffee and heat whatever I need to. I need to get a CO monitor , thanks for the reminder. Great video.

Good advice, thank you. Most of the other channels are always the same. Pull into the site, walk around, cut some wood, cook, (who cares), tell us how wonderful the beans and franks are, sit around, go to bed. Although I know it is common sense, there are a lot of those who dont; that is the Co2 detector and fire extinguisher Your advice on keeping things behind you low. I am a retired traffic homicide investigator and have seen many incidents where objects flew forward and seriously injuring or even killing people. Great tips all around. Please keep posting and thank you. Good Day!

This is super helpful for me!! Thank you! :D

Good video

Thanks! I like all your ideas. I have a 2014 Sienna and use it almost exactly like you do, with a few exceptions, So I'll discuss the exceptions. One thing you didn't mention is that minivans are totally impractical for more than one person, also pets are a big hassle. The first exception I'll discuss is, I don't use fuel heated devices or hot plates. They require more time to heat whatever you're heating because the heat has an indirect path to what you're heating, so most of the heat is lost. Your example of an electric blanket is the right way because it keeps the heat close to where you want it to be. The other problem with fuel stoves is you need a container for what you're heating, That means you have something to wash, and that requires hot water. The second exception is, I wanted everything tied down. I also wanted a no-build van, so that required a floor of some kind to attach everything to, which can be attached to the existing floor of the van. This is simple to do in a minivan, but hard to explain, so I've included a link below to describe it. The next exception is about what foods use the least energy. This applies only to boondocking, since just stopping for fast food or carrying some dried or canned food is much easier, except there are no convenient fast food places when you're boondocking and who wants to eat dried, cold food all the time. This brings to mind what you use at home for convenience and a quick hot meal, a microwave oven. It takes only a few minutes to cook some food in a microwave and there's no dishwashing involved. You just throw away the container. Contrary to people's view of microwaves that need several hundred watts to operate, energy is power times the time it takes to cook, so a small microwave that takes only a few minutes to cook your food, uses only about 12 wh per minute, or about 60 wh to cook a TV dinner. The same can be said about electric tea kettles, that get the heat into the water instead of into the room, which is what happens with a fuel fired kettle. Check out how I configured the Sienna to attach and use these appliances in a minivan, at the link below. Ignore all the energy sources I use, that I experimented with before I got my Goal Zero Yeti. photos.app.goo.gl/p25H5Mk5H6SwLkpx6

I think you should do a separate video dedicated to "load plan". Cos I agree, this is a very important point. I would add, if you have to store stuff vertically, make sure you stack the lightweight items higher and that everything is well secured when you're driving

I enjoyed this video. Learned somethings.

I have been camping for over 30 years. I have a 6 person instant setup tent. It feels like I am camping in a mansion for 1 or 2 people. An air mattress and sleeping bag. A Coleman two burner stove, a portable propane grill, a battery powered lantern, a frying pan and a dutch oven and a cooler with ice or ice packs. I have a system on what to take camping but it is way too detailed to mention here.

Nice music. I see us Rock n Rollers win! 😊🎶🎸

A comfortable chair to sit outside by the fire.

Sleeping with just a blanket and a pillow without some kind of mattress would be hell for me. This I already know. Couldn't even do it while camping in my late teens/early twenties when I was trim and in excellent shape. Also a good fan as I sleep in the AC every single day living in south Florida. If I don't get at least 6 hours of good sleep I'm very unpleasant 😅 I already own solar gens as I'm in the hurricane capital of the world along with alternative means of cooking when grid down. Food, water, shelter and sleeping comfortably would be my bare minimum. Thanks for sharing this

👍🇨🇦😎 A must is underbed storage. Otherwise you spend the whole trip moving crap around.😂

I know that blue bridge and the park! ❤

Agree.. i went out first time with alot of stuff i didnt need. But i do have butane stove, all my lights are rechargeable from solor and lil fans.. i have to have my CPAP. But i found out they have charger for cig lighter. And i have a mobile whelchair. Im trying find someone to help me get it so i can charge it with solor panel. I have hella blankets. Yes i have to have a comfortable bed. And i need to remember alll my meds for arthritis and neuropathy are on the 4 dollar chart at walmart...i was miserable. But majority of what i took was from home. I also have four tents.

Please talk about ready made window privacy inserts

the most $ I spent on was my mattress, had everything else already, comfy place to sleep is mucho important

A 5K BTU window AC unit only pulls about 400 to 500 watts. Could easily be matched with a 2000 watt inverter/generator or shore power.

Must have items: camp chair & hammock,

I keep 2 sources for cooking. Found out the hard way after being caught in an unexpected snow storm in the middle of spring. My propane stove wouldn't start. I had no means to make hot water or cook food. I got lucky and people in the next camp site offered me a cup of coffee and breakfast. Otherwise, I would have been very miserable.

Hi. I love your awning. Can you tell me a little more about it?

I always have a wash bucket and extra towel, extra toilet paper in a plastic box, and tea light candles.

I use a CPAP machine and have two solar generators. A Bluetti and a Jackery.

Reflective blankets, ventilation, fans, and I made a small swamp cooler with lots of spray foam for cold pack, cold retention. Comfort=Glock 29 10MM!😝

Great tips, thank you. I’ve been obsessed recently with wanting to convert my van, a 2014 Town & Country. It’s easy to get carried away with all the “fancy” stuff. But you’re right, I should start small. The biggest thing that has me hesitating is how to have room for our german shepherd. Any tips for traveling with a large dog?

I always use an electric egg boiler, electric kettle, window screens, USB fan and pop up lantern and string lights. I need a carbon monoxide detector.

where did you get the shelf that sits behind you passenger seat? Thanks for your videos!

Superb video. I aspire to full time van life in 1-3 years, have a small car and plan to test things out slowly and in advance before swapping the car and spending $$ for power and the inside. Love the start slow, try it out, see what you need method!! Question: With solar affixed to a minivan roof, would a sunroof be a workable option? Asking since I don't have the car yet but would someday put hard panels on top.

Co detector should be placed low to the ground not near the ceiling.

My back up stove is a simple titanium box that uses solid fuel. One tab can boil water, a coffee cups worth any way. No fear of leaking gas. ANd I agree, never buy anything until you sleep in your van a few times, so man kids think van ife is cool, then they do it and get bored, after wasting money Hybrid cars can run ac or heat all night, we need some hybrid minivans now

Love you common sense. I live in California. There are so many beautiful camping places. The only thing that's holding me back is that I have a small Pug. How can I leave him in the car by himself when I go hiking? I wish Tesla would make a normal mini van.

Hi Thanks for your beautiful video What most minivan campers like you use for there minivan 🚐 while using cooler refrigerator, AC , phones , TV , stove , hot water , lights , Is it converter generator or what please ?

Good, honest appraisal - don't outfit for a Prevost Class A and then can't use any of it.