Front Runner Expander chairs, years laterA compact fold, comfort and repair history in our dated account. Cover: original editorial illustration.Published Independent camping gear guides
Less guesswork.
Better gear choices.
Dimensions, fit checks and drawbacks for camp kitchens, coolers, shelter, power and vehicle storage. Gear we have used is marked, and so is everything we have only researched.
See what works at camp
Guides, comparisons and field notes with dimensions, fit checks and real drawbacks. Current gear we have not used is labeled.
Front Runner Expander chairs, years laterA compact fold, comfort and repair history in our dated account. Cover: original editorial illustration.Published 
Camp Washing: WaterPORT vs GoSun SprayCompare water storage, mounting weight and refill access.Published 
Will a Packed Gazelle T4 Fit Your Car?Check the exact T4 variant, packed length and loaded cargo opening.Published 
Cook Partner vs Everest 2X: Footprint and ClearanceCompare closed storage, working clearance and room for your pans.Published 
Front Runner Expander vs Sitpack Campster IISteel chair or lighter aluminum?Published 
Ice cooler vs portable fridge for campingKeep the cooler or add a fridge?Published 
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus vs BLUETTI AC70How much portable power do you need?Published 
Top 10 camping gear ideasTen useful starting points, with the fit checks that matter.Published 
Camping gift ideasSmaller standalone ideas and bigger pieces to choose together.Published 
Camping Gifts with Years of Use Behind ThemFive pieces of gear with years of use behind them.Published 
Camp kitchen and cookingMake room for the stove, fridge and somewhere to set a pan. Compare dimensions before changing the kitchen.Published 
Coolers and fridgesChoose between ice and powered cooling by checking usable food space, hatch access, daily energy needs and the cost of the complete setup.Published 
Tents and camp comfortCompare the space a tent, folding chairs and awning need, both packed and set up at camp.Published 
Camp power, solar and lightingSize a camp battery from a daily energy budget. Compare RIVER 3 Plus and AC70, solar limits and the equipment needed to run a fridge.Published 
Vehicle camp systemsFind space for water, roof storage and luggage without losing access to the gear or clearance at home.Published All buying guides → · All comparisons → · Browse all 28 products → · Family car-camping packing list →
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The field notes behind the guides
I’ve camped since childhood. After we got married, a drawer kitchen in our Gen 4 4Runner made it easier to keep the essentials packed and leave for a weekend.
Those trips gave us plenty to write about, including a slow dinner near Julian and a recovery box that had to come off the roof before we could park. We now camp with two kids and a cabover camper. Our guides draw on that experience and include current gear we have not tried, clearly labeled.
Sun and Moon
Julian, CA · America/Los Angeles
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About these numbers
Each region uses one named reference place and its timezone, rather than every campsite in the region. Your browser calculates sun times for your chosen date, along with the moon’s phase and illumination at local noon. The landscape is an illustration, not a live view of the sky; the sun and moon panels show separate information.
Stories and equipment notes from our archive
The kitchen that stayed in the car
We built it from 4Runner plans, tried it near Julian and moved the latches after the first trip.
The tent and the things we left inside
Our missing sandals turned up when we opened the tent on the next trip.
A chair worth repairing
One rivet repair later, both chairs still come camping with us.
The places along the way.
A few more frames from our own photo archive.
From our photo archive
Stay for the sky
We shared this Milky Way view in July 2020 as a throwback. Its capture date is unknown; it does not show the sky for the date selected in the almanac.
Select a photo to view the full frame.
