5 Accessories That Are Perfect For Car Camping

If you want to camp but don't want to sleep in a tent on the ground, you do have other options. For example, truck bed camping has become popular, especially if you don't want to spend money on an expensive rooftop tent. Car camping has also become popular because you can set up your sleeping quarters right in the comfort of your vehicle's backseat. However, with car camping comes more than some blankets and a cooler of food.

Even if you're setting yourself up for a relaxing weekend of car camping, there are still some items you need to bring for your comfort and safety, whether you're overlanding in the backcountry or relaxing at your local state park. Based on our own hands-on experience, along with a variety of high ratings and reviews from buyers, here are five accessories we believe are perfect for car camping. A more thorough explanation of our methodology can be found at the end of this article.

Coming from someone who has attempted to car camp in their 4Runner without any padding, it's safe to say that having some form of mattress will save you from an uncomfortable night of sleep. There are many styles of mattress out there that can be used, from foam to blow-up pads. However, they can prove to be a bit thin and unsupportive. The Milliard Tri Folding Mattress with Washable Cover is a great alternative and, due to its folding ability, can be easily stored while not in use. It comes with a 4.6 out of five-star rating from over 24,000 buyers. Additionally, Madylyne on the Move, a camping and road trip blogger, uses this tri-fold mattress while traveling around the country and car camping along the way.

This memory foam mattress comes in several bed sizes and thickness levels, so you can choose what will work perfectly for you. If you're camping solo, you can use a twin or cot size to save space. However, if someone else is camping with you, or you want full car camping comfort, you can opt for a bigger size. Just make sure to check the dimensions.

Lighting is always a necessity when you are overnight camping, and the last thing you want to do is use your car's lights and risk draining the battery. Instead, opt to use a headlamp, so you can also use your hands instead of holding a standard flashlight. BioLite makes all types of reliable tech that is great for novice campers or expert outdoorsmen, including its headlamps. The BioLite HeadLamp 330 is a popular option, with a 4.5 out of five rating from over 400 buyers on its website and over 800 on Amazon.

As stated in its name, it has a max output of 330 Lumens and a red night vision option. You can also easily direct where you need the light to go with its front panel tilting feature. The battery is rechargeable, so there's no need to worry about keeping batteries on hand, and on high, it can last up to three and a half hours. It also comes in a variety of colors, which can be found online and in several outdoor stores like REI.

Unless you're planning on trying to power something massive like Starlink or a heater, you're more than likely not going to need an expensive generator — just something to charge your phone, Bluetooth speaker, and other electronic devices. Coming with a 4.5 out of five star rating on Amazon, the Jackery Solar Generator 300 Plus is a great way to upgrade your car camping experience with tech and keep your most important electronics charged.

This 300W output generator is lightweight at only 11 pounds and small, so you'll be able to bring it car camping without it taking up too much room. It also comes with smart app control, so you'll be able to keep track of its power information. The Jackery 300 Plus also comes with a 40W solar panel, but in terms of power, it does take a while to charge the battery back up. You do have the option of purchasing a larger solar panel from Jackery to help keep your generator powered. The 300 Plus generator is compatible with the SolarSaga 40/60/80/100 panels.

Whether you're already invested in Makita's battery line, or you're looking for a power tool company to start building your tool arsenal, if you're a camping enthusiast, you may want to look into Makita's Outdoor Adventure products. The line contains many types of power tools that can be used during your camping trips and other outdoor activities. While car camping, it can especially be a bit challenging to get hot water going quickly. Makita has a 36V Hot Water Kettle that comes with a 4.4 out of five star rating on Amazon.

This kettle can boil up to 27 ounces of water in nine minutes with the use of two 5.0Ah18V batteries and comes with a dual-layer construction, so the water can stay warm longer. Additionally, once the water has heated up to boiling temperature, the machine will automatically turn off to help save battery power and keep your equipment safe. This kettle can be used for making coffee, hot chocolate, instant noodles, and other foods and drinks that require hot water.

Car camping usually means that you are confined in a small space and without any ventilation, it can start to feel a bit stuffy. Luno, a company dedicated solely to car camping gear, came up with a simple solution that is sure to keep you comfortable. The Luno Car Camping Cool Down Bundle comes with a set of two car window screens and a car camping fan.

With a 4.8 out of five rating, Luno's Window Screens allow you to roll down your window and wrap a piece of fabric around the car to keep air flowing without bugs getting in. They're made from a durable nylon mesh and have an elastic band to tightly seal over the doors. Additionally, they come in two sizes, medium and large. 

And at a 4.7 out of five rating, Luno also offers a Car Camping Fan. It's a small, USB-powered fan with a suction cup you can attach to any other window. The fan and window screens working together will allow for more airflow into your car, almost feeling like a natural breeze but without the nuisance of insects.

These products were selected based on personal experience with different types of camping and what we believe would be considered useful items with advantageous benefits. Additionally, we took the opinions and reviews from users who have bought and actively used the products during their camping experiences. Each item has at least a four out of five star rating and is under the price of $300, making them both reliable and affordable. We do recommend that you do extra research on these products to ensure that they are the perfect choice for you and your car camping experience.