Truck camp packing list

[robtattoo]

The scenario:

Up to 3-4 weeks, completely solo, self reliant truck camping. Temperature could be in the negatives & the nearest town is about 2 hours away.

Tent, cot & all sleeping/clothing is covered.
I have 2 150qt, 1 65qt & 3 40qt coolers to play with, but bear in mind in hoping to pack a bull elk into some of those.

What would you pack for food, water & hygiene & how would you manage safe & secure storage?

8' truck bed with camper shell & 8' flatbed trailer will be the transport. I won't be in a known grizzly area, but wolves are definitely around.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Trail Fire Grill for all base camp cooking needs.

Shower system: bucket, rechargeable battery powered shower pump, pop up changing station. Simply add boiling water to bucket and add other water to get to desired temperature.

Food: vacuum seal and refrigerate/freeze real food to prepare for dinners each night. Boil/simmer in the bags for easy/no clean up or grill/wok pre prepped meals over the Trail Fire for same.

Toilet: @mtnwrunner has a system using a bucket, bags and a toilet seat that’s simple, clean and you don’t fill the area(s) with cat holes for others to deal with. Yes, you have to pack your scat out and deal with it.

 

[11boo]

You can bring everything in that rig.
Dont forget a fire grill for some steak.

 

[Speck1]

That’s the same rig I am in without the flatbed. One of my 160 coolers is full of nothing but frozen gallon water jugs. I hunt September so ice is important. Those jugs stay frozen a long time. If I need more water I just set one out and let it thaw. Most of my big meals are pre made and vacuum sealed. Brisket, pulled pork,Jambalaya etc. I don’t have a water source close by so I take several 6 gallon igloo jugs of water to wash with. Most of my smaller meals are freeze dried. Stowaway Gourmet meals are my favorite. Everything else is in a can. I have never had a problem with theft in the mountains. Anything valuable I lock in my truck when I leave camp. I also have a cell camera in a tree over my truck and tent.

 

[robtattoo]

Trail Fire Grill for all base camp cooking needs.

Ooooh......i need to find a 1/4 price budget knockoff of that!
Love the idea though.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Ooooh......i need to find a 1/4 price budget knockoff of that!
Love the idea though.

Buy once cry once. Don’t settle. It’s not worth it. Plus, you will use it regularly at home and with the family.

 

[trophyhill]

Haven’t hunted in those kind of temps for extended periods but, I take the kitchen sink when I’m truck camping. In your situation the only thing I’d change is being prepared for cold weather survival on top of my usual stuff.

 

[Werty]

Depending where your going, 2 spare tires for each vehicle, can really help out.
I just had to cut a trip short yesterday, 40 miles in and blew a tire. It being 630 pm on Saturday evening, no way to get a new one. Im a weekend warrior right now. Good luck

 

[Indian Summer]

Truck camp? Chainsaw. Maul. Woodstove. A tent I can stand up in. Table. Chair. Jim Beam.

 

[Marble]

I would have a tent for gear and food storage if needed. Keeps weather and critters away

Generator- charge electronics or a vehicle

Chain saw or Sawzall. Clear stuff in road or camp, firewood
Outdoor shower, the black bag that hangs on the tree. Not an awesome shower but it much better than being very dirty for days.

~20 gallons of extra water. Showers

Inreach

$200-300 in cash. Never know when it comes in handy. There has been a few times where it helped get something down.


Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I always make most meals ahead of time, lunch and supper are generally the same meal. Breakfast is pre made breakfast burritos, or biscuits and gravy. 20 gals of water should do, especial if there is water source near by you can warm up for showers, or just PTA showers. Chain saw or bow saw. A generator would come In handy but not a must. Limit pots, pans. Table ware to reusable or paper plates. I general have two plates and one set of silverware, and of course coffee pot and cup. Propane stove for warming up meals, or a nice grill for camp fire. It's always a good idea to have extra gasoline. Make sure someone knows where you will be and when to expect you back at the latest.

 

[Randle]

fire grill i use a grate out of an old bbq for truck camping.
Mouse traps of your flavor
A steel tool box on the trailer will keep most people honest

 

[Jaquomo]

Only thing I would add to all of the rhe suggestions above (take your pick) is a Zodi instant hot shower and a Buddy heater, with a basket of refillable 1 lb propane canisters. The Zodi showers are wonderful compared to heating water in a bucket or plastic sack.

The other suggestion would be to ditch all that and get a good used 16' bumper pull camp trailer with a fridge, hot shower warm bed, and furnace, and a 100 watt Renogy solar panel to keep your batteries charged.

 

[robtattoo]

Mouse traps of your flavor

Now that's a thing I wouldn't have thought of. Genius! Thank you!

 

[Randle]

You a very welcome , make sure to show us your trapline results. Nothing worse than a mountain mouse or 6 finding a new wagon to live in.
We had a packrat one year so a very large trap may be in order.

 

[Indyal]

Most of these ideas apply for larger tents ie wall tent

A Mr Buddy heater with an 18 lb propane tank takes just enough chill out of the tent to help sleep at night.
Also nice if you are weathered in your tent for the day.

A propane lantern can really heat up the tent and dry your gear on a clothesline. LED lantern, not so much.

I use 2 plastic totes that will slide under the cot to store my clothes, etc. that I don't want mice to get into.
A small water proof mat( or use your tote lid) to stand on and take off your boots and not get your socks wet.

For truck, tire chains, tow strap, come-along, battery starter pack/jumper cables. Make sure you have a lug wrench that fits the truck and the trailer.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

DO NOT forget wet wipes.

 

[Agross]

What he said ^. The big ones!

 

[S-3 ranch]

Black stone grill & propane or Colman stove
a big cooler full of block ice
5lbs beans & salted fat back meat
large bag of potatoes & onions
root vegetables
2 large bags Rice & noodles
chicken & beef bouillon
spam 4 of every flavor
Dried peas
2 lbs hog lard
texasPetes hot sauce & soy sauce
bis quick
flour , soda , salt ( for pan de campo)
Cheese & butter
porridge , oatmeal
honey
raisins
dark chocolate bars
dried fruit
( all in screw top buckets or containers

emergency bucket of mountain house meals


whiskey lots

coffee & tea
koolaid
canned or powdered milk
water filter & 5 gallon water bottles
dutch oven & iron skillet
fork & spoon

alcohol wipes & baby wipes ( a lot)
anti crotch rot roll/ tube
tooth powder & brush
hyrogen peroxide
first aide kit
sunglasses
Towel
veqero blanket

heck it’s a long camping trip
we fitted this in a beaver float plane for a 14 day trip to Alaska

 

[Brian Fahs]

On the mouse traps......
We had packrats get in out tent in the gila in new Mexico on an elk hunt. They stole everything not nailed down. We would dig stuff out of their stick piles daily.
Some body gripping traps would have been useful