Pick up and go camping

[Intruder]

I personally use frontrunner storage boxes. They interlock and are great for packing and storing. I have some soft boxes I use for food items as well since they collapse as we eat the food out of them. Bungies also are helpful if planning to do high speed bouncy stuff.

Once you learn how to pack it all, you come up with a system and bouncing items isn't a problem. There are cheaper options than the one I use but they are extremely well made and convenient.

Yeah, I switched from Action Packers to Frontrunner boxes last summer and haven't looked back. Action Packers have a tapered shape to them that costs you storage space and their depth means you end up having to root around a lot to find stuff in them. Frontrunner boxes stack well, aren't tapered, and are easy to tie down. I have one that holds my camp kitchen stuff (Jetboil, utensils, condiments, etc.), another I use for dry goods I don't want getting crushed like bread and chips, and a third one for recovery gear. Well worth the higher cost if you camp a lot.

 

[jicko]

I went with a Tepui tent since they are local and a buddy of mine sells them. I was able to drive to Tepui and they threw it up on the roof rack. Plus I can keep the sleeping bags/blankets/pillows up there so they won't take room inside of the truck. But for company it is up to you, there are a lot that make RTTs.

Interesting, I was wondering about RTT too. Can you show us how you keep stuffs in it when you close it up? It would be the best to keep all "sleep" related stuff up With the RTT.

The only issue with RTT for me is that I dont have a garage that i can drive into with my RTT.

If I can keep all "sleeping" gears up inside the RTT, food and drinks in the fridge, additional fuel and water in military jerry cans up in the roof rack, maybe chairs and such on the roof rack too, other gears in storage boxes, then "grab n go" would really be very possible.

 

[Intruder]

Can you show us how you keep stuffs in it when you close it up?

You just close the tent with your bedding laid out inside. Simple as that. I keep a duvet cover, sleeping bag, full size pillow, and fleece blanket for the dog in my tent all summer. Take them out for a wash whenever they get dirty and put them back in right away. I also keep a pair of heavy wool socks, wool long johns, and a wool shirt in the tent for those cooler nights at altitude in the mountains.

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

Interesting, I was wondering about RTT too. Can you show us how you keep stuffs in it when you close it up? It would be the best to keep all "sleep" related stuff up With the RTT.



The only issue with RTT for me is that I dont have a garage that i can drive into with my RTT.



If I can keep all "sleeping" gears up inside the RTT, food and drinks in the fridge, additional fuel and water in military jerry cans up in the roof rack, maybe chairs and such on the roof rack too, other gears in storage boxes, then "grab n go" would really be very possible.

You just close the tent with your bedding laid out inside. Simple as that. I keep a duvet cover, sleeping bag, full size pillow, and fleece blanket for the dog in my tent all summer. Take them out for a wash whenever they get dirty and put them back in right away. I also keep a pair of heavy wool socks, wool long johns, and a wool shirt in the tent for those cooler nights at altitude in the mountains.

See Intruders statement. If you want to see pictures just look at a picture of a closed up RTT. There is plenty of extra space when closed to store the bedding. Tepui even specs their tents with an extra large cover so you can keep stuff in there.

 

[Mikey01]

You just close the tent with your bedding laid out inside. Simple as that. I keep a duvet cover, sleeping bag, full size pillow, and fleece blanket for the dog in my tent all summer. Take them out for a wash whenever they get dirty and put them back in right away. I also keep a pair of heavy wool socks, wool long johns, and a wool shirt in the tent for those cooler nights at altitude in the mountains.

That sounds sweet, shot a pm to the guy advertising another rack for the 5th gen, the gobi ranger looks very nice but expensive, I have some surprise days off this week. I am going to start building my box sleep platform for cold wet lazy nights. It's not even on paper yet, I will make a build thread for ideas.

 

[Mikey01]

Couple big black totes with laminated gear lists taped to them. When I get home, the totes get unloaded and repacked according to each gear list before I put them away. That way I'm packed for next time, and when it's time to go I throw some clothes in a bag and grab the family and we're gone. Getting a family of four out the door is like herding cats, and this is the only way. If I had to actually collect all our gear each time we wanted to take a weekend, we'd never leave the house.



Right now I'm trying to figure out a trailer situation, once I've got that down I won't even need to grab the totes from the garage because they'll be stored in the trailer. I'll just hook up and be on my way.



I wouldn't carry gas in the truck either. Strap it to a roof rack or put it on a swingout would be my suggestion.

The ratchet straps are okay but I like the idea of just clamping them in it seems like it will hold them in better, and they can be locked. At 160 a pice they are an investment I don't know if I am willing to make.

As of now I am thinking a can make a spot for emergency maintenance, first aid, and survival. Then another for fishing poles, guns and optics, electronics, ect...

 

[Intruder]

I am going to start building my box sleep platform for cold wet lazy nights.

RTT takes about 5 minutes to set up and pack up once you get some practice. The nice part is that if you have all your bedding inside and it's raining when you make or break camp none of it gets wet. I have friends who have sleeping platforms in the back and the only downside I see is that they have to take all of their storage bins out to sleep. If it's raining you either have to put the bins under the truck or hope that they really are waterproof. My storage bins just stay in the back of the truck while I'm cozy up in my tent

 

[Mikey01]

RTT takes about 5 minutes to set up and pack up once you get some practice. The nice part is that if you have all your bedding inside and it's raining when you make or break camp none of it gets wet. I have friends who have sleeping platforms in the back and the only downside I see is that they have to take all of their storage bins out to sleep. If it's raining you either have to put the bins under the truck or hope that they really are waterproof. My storage bins just stay in the back of the truck while I'm cozy up in my tent

I am pretty sure that is the way I will go eventually, I want to check them out before I move on one. The best part is the wife is already sold on a rtt [emoji41]

So, how do they affect the vehicles range and performance?

It's not uncommon for me to wander off 500ish miles off the beaten path. My eventual goal unsupported range is 1200 and two weeks. I just need to hold out until 100k to really start getting into it.

 

[JSparky]

As for gear, I got myself a nice cooler (still debating on a fridge even though I spent an arm and a leg on the cooler), enough to hold a couple days of stuff for me and the lady.

Every trip I go on I get better at packing and find other things I need or want to make the trip better.

Ditto on the cooler conundrum. I picked up a nice Engel a couple years ago, mainly because it doubles as a bear-safe container. Makes it a lot easier when backpacking in the sierras as you can just cable the cooler to a tree and not worry about your truck being carved open by a bear. I've got a Utah trip coming up though and the thought of a fridge is so tempting..

 

[Rtar]

Camping gear in drawers

The idea of having the 4Runner ready at a moments notice for camping has been in the works for a long time for me. RTT helps for sure, then I started working on a way to keep 80% of the small items already in the truck - AND organized and easily accessible for the entirety of the trip (that's the hardest part). Finally finished this up today...

 

[Mikey01]

Ditto on the cooler conundrum. I picked up a nice Engel a couple years ago, mainly because it doubles as a bear-safe container. Makes it a lot easier when backpacking in the sierras as you can just cable the cooler to a tree and not worry about your truck being carved open by a bear. I've got a Utah trip coming up though and the thought of a fridge is so tempting..

I just freeze quarts of the non perishable milk and take one out at night for the morning. It works very well and keeps the bacon cool for a week or two if you get one per day.

 

[Mikey01]

The idea of having the 4Runner ready at a moments notice for camping has been in the works for a long time for me. RTT helps for sure, then I started working on a way to keep 80% of the small items already in the truck - AND organized and easily accessible for the entirety of the trip (that's the hardest part). Finally finished this up today...

Man I like that set up, almost what I have in mind. How do you have it tied down do you have a build thread and gear list for me to work off of?

 

[jicko]

I am pretty sure that is the way I will go eventually, I want to check them out before I move on one. The best part is the wife is already sold on a rtt [emoji41]

So, how do they affect the vehicles range and performance?

It's not uncommon for me to wander off 500ish miles off the beaten path. My eventual goal unsupported range is 1200 and two weeks. I just need to hold out until 100k to really start getting into it.

1200 unsupported that means you need about 80gal of gas (to be safe). With a 23gal tank, you would need to carry another 60gal of gas. That is 12 jerry cans. It may not be realistic, bro. I think you definitely need some super sturdy rack like a Gobi, and even with that, I think mounting six 5-gal MFC (military fuel cans/jerry cans) are realistic, probably not 12; plus the RTT.

You ready to do this?

Or this?

 

[Mikey01]

1200 unsupported that means you need about 80gal of gas (to be safe). With a 23gal tank, you would need to carry another 60gal of gas. That is 12 jerry cans. It may not be realistic, bro. I think you definitely need some super sturdy rack like a Gobi, and even with that, I think mounting six 5-gal MFC (military fuel cans/jerry cans) are realistic, probably not 12; plus the RTT.

You ready to do this?

Or this?

40 gal will get me about there, I am kind of thinking about an extra tank. I just don't like to be tied down to gas stations.

 

[KidVermicious]

Yeah, I switched from Action Packers to Frontrunner boxes last summer and haven't looked back. Action Packers have a tapered shape to them that costs you storage space and their depth means you end up having to root around a lot to find stuff in them. Frontrunner boxes stack well, aren't tapered, and are easy to tie down. I have one that holds my camp kitchen stuff (Jetboil, utensils, condiments, etc.), another I use for dry goods I don't want getting crushed like bread and chips, and a third one for recovery gear. Well worth the higher cost if you camp a lot.

How sturdy are those? Can you sit on them?

 

[Mikey01]

I am thinking something a bit more low profile like antmans only with draws and the flip up, then adding tie downs made for the boxes and water jugs I will be using?

Maybe the Frontrunner boxes would fit the bill for added storage, then hopefully Camelback will be back up to building more racks, or snag a used one.

 

[Intruder]

How sturdy are those? Can you sit on them?

I don't think I'd sit on them but I have no worries stacking them.

 

[bimrunner]

How sturdy are those? Can you sit on them?

They are similarly made to delivery crates to some degree but the lid is not sturdy enough to sit on or stand on, only the edges are (hope that makes sense). The way they stack etc interlocks and puts the forces and weight on the sides and bottom not the actual lid itself. They would be/are strong enough to sit on if you have an empty box turned upside down (again, like a milk crate).

 

[Semi-Hex]

Trial and error, constant re-adjusting, replacing troublesome gear, and after several hundred trips, it becomes pretty easy.

We basically live to camp, backpack or just be outdoors. We do have a Jumping Jack trailer which holds up to 12 Action Packers along with the stuff inside. We are almost ready to go within a two hour notice.

 

[Rtar]

Man I like that set up, almost what I have in mind. How do you have it tied down do you have a build thread and gear list for me to work off of?

No build thread yet, spend too much time working on the truck for that
It's based off of a steel frame that bolts to the original tie down mounts in the front, and two points in the rear behind the seats. Super sturdy. As for a gear list, do you want camping, or recovery?