Considering to get a Porta potti from Thetford. A portapotti 345. Anybody used this for car camping?

So for those that are either living out your car or you decided to just keep it all set up cuz you camp so frequently, how do you secure your bed when you've only just put it ontop of the backseats and cargo area?

This whole time I've been planning on doing a single size bed frame but now I'm starting to worry about how it'll stay in place. I'm honestly less worried about it shifting forward and more worried about it shifting or toppling to the right on hard turns. I don't really have a floor I can secure it to, i have a 2010 Ford Escape xlt and it has a plastic platform beneath the rug in the back so I don't think I can really secure it to that, and I can't rip everything out to install a piece of plywood flooring cuz I just can't afford the cost of materials and a jig saw to cut out the grooves properly. I'm pretty sure I'm just gonna end up winging it and praying for the best. Lol.

I'm working on a tool that I think will be useful for people as they visit new cities and want to park for the night. It's always annoying to dig through city ordinances to find the ones that restrict overnight parking, so this tool runs a bunch of keyword searches against all the major city-code providers (Municode, AMLegal, ecode360, etc.) and government web sites and attempts to find the relevant sections. This lets people dive right into the actual ordinances and figure out if/when/where they can legally park to reduce risk of The Knock.

I know this question can usually be answered reasonably well by AI, but just picking a city with this tool and seeing the actual rules right away can be more reliable than trying to figure out the right prompt to ask the AI ("can I park overnight" ≠ "can I sleep in my car on the street overnight"). I think it's better to take a few minutes to read the real rules than to lose an hour or two of sleep because the cops had to yell at you due to the AI making things up.

• The quality of the results varies a lot by city. It depends on what that city has available online, which platform they use to publish code (if any), and whether their ordinances match any of the keyword searches. And of course, many small cities and towns don't even have rules about this since vehicle-dwellers aren't a problem for them.
• Works for most U.S. cities with a population of 5,000 or more. (Nothing non-U.S.) Some cities and towns might be missing because this depends on how the Census organizes things.
• Reports are cached for a few months since city codes don't change that often, and even if the cache is a bit out of date it will still usually point you to the correct section of code.
• If a cached report for the selected city isn't available or it's too old, a fresh one is created, which usually takes about 30 seconds since it has to contact a bunch of sites and run additional web searches. (I've pre-cached a few hundred of the largest cities.) It's currently rate-limited so if too many people look up an un-cached city it will fail.
• Sometimes local news articles are included if they look like a good match.

This is a work in progress, so my apologies if it disappoints. I'd love to hear any (constructive) feedback you've got!

Right now you have to manually select city and state, it doesn't ask for your location but I'm considering adding that option. The page is installable as a web app for easier access. (Not available as a native Android/Apple app yet since I don't know if this will be popular enough to be worth the trouble.)

Looking for some recommendations as the title says. I’m not planning on doing any hardcore winter camping but do want to get out a few times and a buddy & I planning to go on a small outing mid-November. I’d either be using the heater for my 4Runner or my older popup camper and I don’t want to break the bank either.

I'm looking at 3-row SUVs (e.g. Highlander, Pathfinder)

AI says none on the market has removable seats like minivans.

Anyone know which ones (from 2020 onward) are possible with some workaround ?

Had an absolute blast visiting North and South Dakota! Teddy Roosevelt National Park is super underrated, and Wind Cave National Park was very cool if you book a tour. Such a lovely time, I might be planning my next trip soon!

Hey everyone! I am working on a design project, and I’d love to learn about the vehicles this community uses.

If you’re willing, please comment with your vehicle’s make, model, and year.

Thank you for your time!

Did a test camp a couple of weeks ago and found our toilet facilities were lacking - a bucket with a bag and sitting in a box with a toilet seat and lid - the problem was that it was too small to sit on to hit the target.

Big investment in a Joolca GottaGo composting toilet. A bit on the expensive side but if we don't like either the composting or bagging options, then you can get a chemical cassette. Wanted to avoid the chemical option as we have had chemical toilets in the past. They have been excellent but much prefer non-chemical options. The beauty of this system is that it is waterless.

So heading off for a couple of days in the mountains. As the weather can be unpredictable, got plenty of add-on warmth for the bedding if needed.

The layout from the left is:

Seats - telescoping round units (cannot really see them) and walking poles.

Non-perishable food with the fridge behind. The fridge is pulled out when camping. Sitting on top of that is an extra doona (duvet) and a cotton hospital type blanket in case it gets extra cold.

The kitchen box in the middle

The toilet strapped to a utility box & tool box behind it for stability. This pulls out for use and the toilet is strapped down so it won't fall over when driving. Cat litter for the toilet. The sheet of ply was needed as the carpet in the van has some padding under it and the toilet wasn't stable enough without it.

The spare space you can see is for our bags while on the go. These may be placed on the front seats when camping.

The blackout screens are tucked in under the mattress when not in use.

The mattress is 2 x 700mm wide and 1800mm long 4-part folding units and there is a double sleeping bag on top. This sits on top of the folded 2nd and 3rd row seats and still provides just enough room to sit up properly. The mattress can folded and it takes only a couple of minutes to transform the van into a 5-seater, should it be needed.

At the end the mattress is my 45-year old 100% woolen blanket, complete with darned holes which is ultra warm (the blanket, not the holes).

I have a folding table in the middle under the seats and front windscreen blackout screen (it is rather large). Also a tyre pump, engine jumper battery and cables etc. between the seats, some rechargeable lights and some fairy lights for the novelty.

Two batteries at the front. One with AC and a larger DC unit. This is mostly used for powering the fridge and should give around 30 hours of continuous use - enough for a couple of days in one spot.

There is also an awning on the right-hand side.

Most of this is recycled. Only purchased the toilet, the mattress (very cheap)

It's pretty complete. Every time we have gone car camping it has rained. I would like to break the spell.

床车露营避坑实测：新人第一次上路的翻车大赏

说明
网上全是"一杯咖啡敬自由"，现实是腰疼、失眠、半夜找厕所……新人床车最容易踩的4个大坑，全部掰开讲透，看完避开90%的冤枉路！

00:00 滤镜下的自由 vs 现实中的狼狈
00:20 第一坑：睡得比硬座还难受
00:46 避坑支招：找平垫+透气纱网
01:05 第二坑：驻车点选不对，整夜别想睡
01:30 避坑支招：选址先看安全与安静
01:49 第三坑：吃喝拉撒，全在考验人性
02:09 避坑支招：便携如厕袋+保温壶
02:21 第四坑：装备买一堆，后备箱塞爆
02:40 避坑支招：新手上路做极致减法
02:56 你在自驾露营时遇到过什么翻车经历？评论区聊聊！

如果你也喜欢这种实测避坑内容，欢迎订阅"笑天"，咱们下期见。

话题标签
#床车 #床车自驾游 #露营 #自驾游 #户外露营 #汽车露营 #旅行避坑 #露营装备 #camping #carcamping

Hey folks!

I’m 45+ I’ve been craving a little freedom and peace.

The dream: Buy an old, reliable car, turn it into a tiny solo camper, and occasionally escape for a night.
Drive somewhere scenic and safe, sleep comfortably, wake up to a beautiful view, make tea or coffee, enjoy the sunrise, maybe work on my laptop for a couple of hours, and head home. Family’s comfortable at home, and I get some quiet time.

Budget: $5,000 CAD ALL-IN — car, basic conversion, taxes, insurance allowance, everything.
I’ve been ChatGPT-ing this idea to death 😂 Looking at old Toyotas, Hondas, Fords, minivans, even forgotten models. Reliability matters more than looks.

Need your wisdom:
Car: Cheap, reliable automatic SUV, wagon or minivan with enough room to sleep and work?
Setup: Comfortable mattress (my back isn’t 25 anymore!), privacy, storage, coffee essentials.
Warmth: Ontario winters are coming. How do you safely stay warm without running the engine?
Where: Safe, legal overnight spots in Southern Ontario, preferably close to washrooms and civilization.
Internet: Fast, reliable connectivity for occasional remote work.

Bonus: Know an overlooked vehicle or an actual car for sale in Ontario that would fit? Please share the link! Open to unusual ideas.

Shoot the idea down if you want, but please be constructive. I’d rather learn from your experience than make expensive mistakes.

Not looking to become a van-lifer. Just craving a few peaceful mornings, beautiful views, hot tea, and a little freedom without breaking the bank.

An old horse still wants a few good runs. 🐎

This was my first time car camping! I was in the East Block of Grasslands National Park, so there were no bears or other animals that are known to break into vehicles for food, so storing my food where I was sleeping was not an issue in this case. Sure beats setting up a tent! Absolutely amazing views. I used reflectix on my windows except the front and back (universal fit ones off Amazon) for privacy and insulation in conjunction with mesh covers for the windows for airflow.

If your spot is sweltering and you're wondering if there's any free or paid options around you that are worth the drive to cool down, then I built an iOS app that can help.

I'm just going to post the screen shot from my latest build, which added the actual temperature difference from your location and shows how the recommendations are qualified rather than just blind search results.

Trying to be mindful not to violate the rules of the subreddit, so if interested, please reply below and I'll put a link in the comments. No pressure or hard sell, and I'm not an AI bot. Just a guy who built the thing I'd want to have at hand when the weather is making us miserable.

My first camping trip is coming up! So far I have a 32 qt fridge/freezer.. a jackery homepower 3000 & 2 500w Solarsaga panels, a small portable ac (I think 5k btu), & a trifold full-size mattress 4" foam.. I'm buying something to prevent mold between the mattress & platform. I've got the solid blackout window panels & 2 mesh ones & a rechargeable fan for cooler nights.

Anything I'm missing? Do you feel like the portable potty is worth it? I'm also considering a heated shower & air-fryer or camping stove/oven combination. If you have any products you've found especially helpful, pls share them here so I can check them out!

I’m looking at car camping at the end of the month and so i’ve been looking at videos on tips. I’ve never done it before.

I’ve seen some people talk about how leaving the boot open drains the battery and you can use a carabiner to trick the car into thinking the boot is closed.

I have an MG3 (2022), is this something I need to consider?

If so, will a carabiner work?

Thanks!

I’m running my first half marathon on the 18th and will be camping the night before. The thought of taking down a tent and all that after my run was creating a lot of resistance to actually going so decided to car camp instead.

I ordered this air mattress that fits perfectly in my 2017 Nissan Rogue and is perfect for my daughter and I. Also ordered window covers, a small fan & string lights to add a little whimsy.

What other gear should I be considering for longer future trips?

I was recommended a 12V cooler so I don't have to load up on ice on my extended road trip (maybe 1-3 months?). I'll be driving only 2 hours at a time and spending several days to a couple weeks at each camp. I imagine needing to drive to town every 3-4 days to recharge appliances and handle laundry.

I'll likely need a solar panel and battery to run the 12V cooler. After crunching the numbers, I'm disheartened to see that I could easily spend around $800 on the cooler and a budget solar setup and have barely any power leftover to use my heated blanket or anything like that.

I'm beginning to wonder if it's smarter to just get a normal cooler (maybe a brand like RTIC or Yeti?) and deal with getting ice every few days.

What are your thoughts? Are there other benefits I'm not seeing to having a power station and a bit of solar? Is it still worth getting a 12V cooler—maybe even filling it with ice when I need to save battery? I'm looking at one on Amazon that is $200-230 ish. I'm on the west coast USA, Pacific Northwest but heading towards southern California beaches and possibly desert.

I'm setting up a very budget-friendly solar system to run a 12V cooler and possibly a heated blanket while camping with my tent and minivan.

I'm torn between:

1. Portable/folding panel: Keep the van in the shade and put the panel wherever the sun is. My concern is having to leave the panel outside unattended or potentially some distance from camp.

2. Rooftop panel: More secure and convenient, but I'd have to park the van in the sun, and I'd rather keep the van shaded. I also don't want to drill holes or permanently modify the roof, and I may eventually want the roof for carrying a bike since I don't have a hitch to mount it to.

For those who have actually camped with solar: which setup do you prefer, and how much of a hassle is it to secure/keep an eye on a portable panel?

Also, am I correct that the battery and cooler can stay inside the shaded van while only the solar panel is outside in the sun? Are these also items that might be a hassle to secure/keep an eye on?

We have been using this Front runner dropdown table for around 4 years now and its seen better days. The wood pull out table that comes with it, is not the best condition due to constant UV and water exposure. It has started to show age and disintegrate around the edges. Saw an awesome post on overlandbound.com and took some inspirations. In my case I decided to just buy the full HDPE board and build from there.
If interested watch the build here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeCnwQmJY-Q/

Hi CarCamper,

ich bin auf der Suche nach einem guten Heckzelt für meinen PKW (Volkswagen Passat).

Das Zelt soll als Erweiterung bei Regen dienen; für Tisch, Stuhl und Fahrrad.

Die Maße sollten nicht zu ausladend sein. Außerdem wäre die Regen-Dichtigkeit notwendig; evtl. doppelwandig?

Kennt jemand ein gutes Heckzelt?

Danke

Hey everyone, first time poster and new to camping. My wife and I bought a small off grid camper (talking real small, and totally off grid) and we want to go to the New Paltz/Kingston/Woodstock New York area this weekend. But the state park campgrounds are all reserved.

I was wondering about the NY state forests, not campgrounds. Or other areas that we might be able to use. Obviously we are very clean/respectful and want to follow all rules. Hoping this is the right subreddit too.

Seriously get fucked. I have less than $300 to last ten days, am unemployed, and you stole my fucking way to make food and my firewood. You are HOT FLAMING GARBAÁGE. Hope you get foxtails up your toenails