The first time I took my Subaru Outback camping for a weekend, I made one simple mistake: I packed as if I were going on a much longer camping trip.
I’ve pitched plenty of traditional tents over the years. So when I decided to try SUV camping, I figured it would be easy. Fold down the rear seats, load the gear, drive out, sleep in the back. How hard could it be?
Pretty hard, as it turns out, at least when you pack like I did. My wife, our medium-sized dog, and I left with a cargo area stuffed with duffel bags, a full-size cooler, a two-burner stove, a bin of cookware, a bag of “just in case” clothes, and three different lights. By the time I folded the seats down, there was hardly any flat space left.
That trip taught me that the problem wasn’t too little gear. It was too much of the wrong gear. Here’s how I rebuilt my packing system, and what I now bring on a typical two-night weekend car camping trip.
Start With Your Sleeping and Shelter Setup
Before you pack a single bag, decide how you’ll sleep and where you’ll spend your time at camp. Everything else depends on that.
On my first trip, I treated sleeping as an afterthought. I folded the seats down, laid out a pad, and started stacking bags around it. That worked until it was time to go to bed. Every bag had to move somewhere, and there was nowhere for it to go. My wife ended up with a duffel by her feet. Our dog kept circling, trying to find a spot that wasn’t covered in gear. Two adults and a dog in the back of an Outback is doable, but only if the space is actually clear.
I spent a lot of that night thinking about how I’d been planning backwards. I had started with a list of things to bring and never asked how I wanted to use the vehicle once we got there.
When we got home, I started researching vehicle-based camping setups. Some people sleep in the cargo area and keep everything else outside. Some use a rooftop tent. Some pitch a regular tent next to the car and use the SUV only for storage. Each approach changes what you pack and how you pack it.
Along the way, I came across SUV tents, which attach to the back of a vehicle and create an enclosed space beside the cargo area. The idea made sense for my problem. If the vehicle’s interior is limited, why not add usable space around it? I started my search on a site called Joytutus, mostly because it came up while I was reading about SUV tents. I looked through a few SUV tent options and compared how they attach, how much room they add, and whether they’d work with my Outback’s rear opening. That research helped me think about the trip differently. I could keep the sleeping area clear and use the extra space for gear, changing clothes, and getting out of the weather.
I settled on a setup that fit my needs: sleeping in the vehicle, with a covered space at the back for gear and hanging out. It wasn’t complicated, but it changed my whole approach to packing. Now I ask what I need for sleeping, cooking, clothing, safety, the vehicle, and the dog, and I give each one a place.
Pack the Basics for Sleeping
For a two-night trip, sleeping gear should be simple and reusable. Comfort matters more than quantity.
Here’s what I bring now:
- A sleeping pad or mattress. This is the one item I won’t skimp on. A thin pad on the hard floor of a cargo area gets old fast.
- A sleeping bag or blanket. I bring a sleeping bag for myself and let my wife choose between a bag and a heavier blanket, depending on the forecast.
- Pillows. I used to think bringing real pillows was overkill. Now I think it’s a small luxury that makes a big difference.
- A lightweight sheet. It’s handy on warmer nights when a sleeping bag is too much.
- A small rechargeable light. I keep one inside the vehicle so I’m not hunting for a flashlight in the dark.
That’s about it. On my first trip, I brought extra blankets, a spare sleeping bag, and a camp cot I never used. This time, everything in the sleeping kit has a job. I pack it in one bag so I can pull it out and set up in a few minutes.
Keep Food and Cooking Gear Simple
Cooking was where I overpacked the most on the first trip. I brought a full set of pots and pans, a big cutting board, multiple utensils, and enough spices to open a small restaurant. We ate simple meals. Most of that gear never left the bin.
SUV camping does let you bring a few more comforts than backpacking. A cooler is easy, and so are a few real plates. But you don’t need to haul your whole kitchen. Here’s what I bring now:
- Cooler with ice
- Drinking water (more than I think we’ll need)
- Portable stove and fuel
- One pot and one pan
- Basic utensils, a spatula, and a sharp knife
- Plates, cups, and a coffee setup
- Coffee (this one is non-negotiable in our house)
- Easy snacks
- Trash bags
- Paper towels
I plan meals ahead of time now. For two nights, that usually means a couple of dinners, simple breakfasts, and lunches that don’t need much prep. When you know what you’re cooking, you know what to pack. I keep all the cooking gear together in one bin, so nothing is scattered around the car.
Pack for Changing Weather
Clothing is another place where it’s easy to overpack. I used to bring a change of clothes for every possible situation. Now I pack in layers, which covers most conditions with a lot less bulk.
For a weekend, I bring:
- T-shirts
- An extra layer, like a long-sleeve shirt
- A hoodie or fleece
- A rain jacket
- Extra socks
- Comfortable shoes
- Sleep clothes
Weather can change quickly, especially in the evening and early morning. I’d rather have a hoodie I don’t use than be cold and wish I had one.
One habit I picked up: I keep one full dry set of clothes in a waterproof bag. If everything else gets wet, whether from rain, a spill, or a muddy dog, I know I have something dry to change into. It’s a small thing, but it’s saved me from a miserable evening before. I also try to keep clothing in one bag per person, so we’re not digging through everything to find a pair of socks.
Don’t Forget the Small Safety Items
These items don’t take up much room, but you’ll be glad to have them if something goes wrong. I’m not trying to be dramatic here. Most trips go fine. But a few small things help you handle minor problems without a big disruption.
My safety kit includes:
- A flashlight or headlamp
- A first-aid kit
- A power bank
- Extra batteries
- Basic tools
- A tire inflator
- Jumper cables
- An emergency blanket
- Offline maps or navigation
The offline maps are worth mentioning. Cell service can be spotty once you leave the highway, and I don’t want to rely on a signal to find my way out. I download the area map before we leave.
I keep the safety items in a small bag near the back door so I can reach them without unloading everything. That’s one of those lessons you learn the hard way. On my first trip, the first-aid kit was buried under the cooler.
Pack for the SUV, Not Just the Campsite
This is the biggest change in my thinking.
On the first trip, I asked myself, “What do I need at the campsite?” Before the second trip, I asked, “What could go wrong on the drive there?”
It sounds like a small shift, but it changed my packing list. A weekend road trip means time behind the wheel, often on roads I don’t know well. The vehicle is your ride, your bedroom, and your storage unit all at once. If it has a problem, the whole trip is affected.
So now I bring a few vehicle-specific items:
- A tire pressure gauge
- A tire inflator
- Basic vehicle tools
- Charging cables
- Reusable bags for organizing loose items
- Extra trash bags
- Windshield supplies, like a scraper or wipes
I also check the tire pressure before I leave, and I make sure I know where the spare and the jack are. None of this is complicated. It just takes a few minutes, and it means I’m not starting the trip with a problem I could have caught in the driveway.
The reusable bags have turned out to be more useful than I expected. They keep small items from rolling around and give me a way to separate clean gear from dirty gear on the drive home.
If Your Dog Is Coming, Give Them Their Own Packing List
If you’re camping with a dog, plan for them like you would for another passenger.
On the first trip, I tossed our dog’s stuff into whatever bag had room. That was a mistake. His food ended up under the cooler, his leash was in a duffel somewhere, and I spent way too much time digging for things. What surprised me most was how much space a medium-sized dog takes up in a small vehicle. He’s not huge, but between his bed, his water bowl, and his general need to stretch out, he somehow claimed more room than either of us.
So now he gets his own bag. In it, I pack:
- Leash
- Dog food
- Water bowl
- Waste bags
- A towel
- A blanket
- A toy
The towel is more useful than you’d think. Between morning dew, muddy paws, and the occasional creek, our dog is rarely dry for long. Having a dedicated towel keeps the mess out of our sleeping area. His blanket goes on his corner of the cargo space, which gives him a spot of his own and keeps him from wandering into ours.
It’s a small change, but having a bag just for him made the whole setup calmer. Everyone knew where their things were, including the dog.
My Weekend SUV Camping Checklist
Here’s the checklist I use now. It’s short on purpose. If I can’t put an item in one of these categories, I usually don’t need to bring it.
| Category | Essentials |
| Shelter | SUV tent, tarp, stakes |
| Sleeping | Mattress, sleeping bag, pillow |
| Cooking | Cooler, stove, cookware |
| Food | Water, meals, snacks, coffee |
| Clothing | Layers, rain jacket, extra socks |
| Safety | First-aid kit, flashlight, power bank |
| Vehicle | Tire inflator, basic tools, charger |
| Dog | Food, leash, towel, waste bags |
| Comfort | Camp chairs, blanket, small table |
I pack by category, not by item. Each category gets its own bag or bin, and each has a spot in the vehicle. That way, I always know where things are, and I can load and unload quickly.
What I Learned From My Second SUV Camping Trip
The second trip felt completely different from the first.
We didn’t have more gear. If anything, we had less. But everything had a purpose and a place. The sleeping kit was easy to grab and set up. The kitchen bin stayed together. The dog’s bag was in its own spot. The safety items were within reach. The extra space around the vehicle gave us room to move, change clothes, and keep gear out of the sleeping area.
At bedtime, the back of the Outback was clear. My wife and I had room to stretch out, and the dog had his own corner. Nobody was sleeping on top of a duffel bag. It sounds like a small thing, but it made the whole weekend more relaxing.
I also noticed that setup and pack-up went faster. When you know where everything goes, you don’t waste time searching or reorganizing. We spent more time actually enjoying the trip.
Looking back, my first trip failed because I packed for the wrong question. I asked what I might possibly need, and the answer was “everything.” The better question was how I wanted to use the vehicle, and once I answered that, the rest of the packing list fell into place.
Successful SUV camping isn’t about packing everything you might possibly need. It’s about deciding how you want to use your vehicle, then packing around that setup.