The Beginner's Guide to Car Camping

Summary

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The Wirecutter Show

Episode: The Beginner's Guide to Car Camping

Hosts: Christine Cyr Clisset, Kyra Blackwell
Guest Expert: Trey French, Wirecutter Staff Writer & Outdoors Gear Tester
Date: April 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode demystifies car camping—camping with a car at a designated site—and makes the case for its unbeatable comfort and accessibility. Whether you’re new to camping, rusty after years away, or curious about making your experience more enjoyable, hosts Christine and Kyra tap into Wirecutter’s vast product expertise (and humor) to break down recommended essentials, comfort tips, and the best gear—without breaking the bank. Outdoor gear pro Trey French joins the conversation to deliver product picks, practical wisdom, and camping hacks for beginners and skeptics alike.

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Car Camping vs. “Real” Camping: What Is It and Why Start Here?

[06:38], [08:44]

• Car camping defined: Drive to a campsite, bring your car, and haul gear easily. Most accessible and least technical form of camping—no need for specialized gear or tough wilderness skills.
• Key advantages: Bring more comforts from home, access to amenities (bathrooms, showers), and the option to "bail" if things go wrong.

Notable Quote:

"Car camping is all about comfort. There’s no reason to rough it out there. You’ve got a car to do all the work, to carry all your stuff. Go crazy."
— Trey French [09:47]

• Hosts' perspectives: Christine & producer Abigail are Team Camp; Kyra & Rosie prefer hotels/glamping, making this episode especially relevant for those unsure or intimidated by camping’s logistics.

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Camping Knowledge Quiz

[06:10]—[08:23]

Trey quizzes Christine & Kyra on outdoor basics:

• Putting Out a Campfire (per Smokey Bear / U.S. Forest Service):

  1. Drown with water
  2. Stir with a stick
  3. Drown again
  4. Feel for heat ("repeat as necessary")
     Memorable exchange:

  "Drown, stir, drown, feel, and then repeat as necessary."
  — Trey French [07:23]

• Most-Visited National Park (2020):
  Great Smoky Mountains National Park (not Yosemite!), within a day's drive of half the U.S. population.

• Cowboy Camping:
  Sleeping outside without shelter.

  "It’s an acquired taste. I typically will not put up a shelter if I don’t think it’ll rain."
  — Trey French [08:25]

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The Beginner’s Gear Guide: Priorities & Recommendations

[10:11]

1. Sleep Well: Sleeping Pads & Bags

[11:16]—[16:57]

• Most important investment: A quality sleeping pad.

  • Look for at least 3 inches thick & 25 inches wide.
  • Hybrid pads (foam + inflatable) balance comfort and space.
  • Wirecutter Recs:
    • Therm-a-Rest LuxuryMap Sleeping Pad (~$200; self-inflating hybrid)
    • Exped Megamat Duo (preferred for couples)
  • Christine: “I have four of them. They’ve really been the difference between us camping and not camping.” [12:47]

• Sleeping Bags:

  • Not always necessary for warm weather—blankets may suffice.
  • Bags work by trapping your body heat; bigger bags can be less thermally efficient.
  • Use comfort rating (often 10°-15° warmer than “survival” number).
  • Reco: REI Co-Op Siesta Hooded 20 (roomy, less claustrophobic)
  • Pro tip: Wear merino wool socks, even if you don’t at home.

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2. Stay Dry: Shelter Essentials

[17:09]—[18:48]

• Tent Buying Tips:

  • Rainfly should extend adequately for rain protection; angled down, not flat.
  • Vestibules (covered storage areas) are a plus.
  • Always size up: Buy a tent rated for “one more person” than your group (i.e., three people → four-person tent).
  • Two-door models are more convenient.
  • Typical Price: $250–$400 (for a durable, reliable tent)
  • “I've had my tent for over a decade and it's in great shape.” — Christine [18:36]

• Rain Jackets:

  • Don’t splurge—breathability isn’t crucial unless you’re hiking a lot.
  • Cheap poncho or regular raincoat will suffice.

• Weather Wisdom:

  • Don’t hesitate to cancel if it’ll be a slog.

  "I love bailing on trips if the weather is not up to my liking. No shame." — Trey French [19:45]

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3. Camp Cooking: Food & Kitchen Must-Haves

[29:38]—[34:41]

• Stove:

  • Basic is better. Coleman Classic is the go-to, ~$100.
  • You need propane fuel—buy extra.

• Cookware/Dishes:

  • Bring non-breakable plates, bowls (enamel, plastic, not fine kitchen sets).
  • Avoid overpaying for “camp kitchen” bundles.
  • Repurpose pots and a cast iron skillet from home.

• Coffee:

  • AeroPress for great flavor; plenty of quality instant options nowadays (“Treeline Coffee”).

• Water Storage:

  • Campsites usually have a tap, but bring a container.
  • Wirecutter Rec: Reliance 4-Gallon Aqua-Tainer (about $20)
  • In a pinch, use one-gallon jugs from a gas station.

• Kitchen Setup Tips:

  • Tablecloth (cloth preferred, not vinyl) instantly classes up the picnic table and covers “the gross crusties” [26:11].
  • Use spring clamps to secure it in the wind.
  • Dedicated kitchen bin for utensils and essentials reduces chaos.
  • Apron or old jacket for cooking—wind and camp-food grease can ruin good outerwear.

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Extra Staff Tips & Fun Upgrades

[23:19]—[28:23]

• Bug-catching tool: Carson BugView for bug-loving (or bug-fearing) kids [$12].
• Camping quilts: More like a duvet, less like a sleeping-bag cocoon—especially good for couples or stomach sleepers.
• Rainfly Hack: Only secure two corners at night; if rain hits, dart out and pull it over (enjoy stargazing and breezes without losing protection).
• Lightning Nugget Fire Starters: Failproof, even in damp conditions.
• Borrow Gear First: Make friends with a “gearhead” and try before you buy—especially helpful for infrequent campers.

Host Tip:

“Every year I try to get something kind of fun. Last year was battery LED string lights for the tent. It’s lovely—like magical fairy lights!”
— Christine Cyr Clisset [28:32]

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Making Car Camping Work for You

• Borrow or buy secondhand: Tons of deals on barely-used gear from folks who tried camping and bailed.
• Start small: Don’t overbuy. Try borrowing first to see if you like the experience.
• Essentials First: Focus spending on a sleeping pad and tent; basic stove next. Everything else can be home stuff or upgrades down the line.
• Tablecloth = pro move: Signals you “have it together” and makes camp feel clean and cozy [28:32, 26:11].

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Key Takeaways

[20:19], [36:22], [37:33]

• Car camping is accessible, affordable, and welcoming for beginners.
• Pack for comfort, not rugged “roughing it”—bring pillows, duvets, whatever makes you happy.
• Good sleep and staying dry are the keys for enjoying the outdoors.
• Always check the weather and feel no obligation to suffer for the sake of adventure.
• Borrow, buy used, and test the waters—don’t invest big until you know you love it.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• "There’s no reason to rough it out there. You’ve got a car to do all the work. Go crazy."
  — Trey French [09:47]

• "If you have three people sleeping in a tent, buy a four-person. You’re all going to be shoulder-to-shoulder otherwise."
  — Trey French [18:03]

• "If it looks like it’s going to be dumping every day, just call the trip off. I love bailing on trips if the weather’s not up to my liking. No shame."
  — Trey French [19:45]

• "The pad is the most important thing for me."
  — Christine Cyr Clisset [37:35]

• "Make friends with a gearhead and borrow their stuff!"
  — Ann Marie Conti, Deputy Editor [28:23]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Car Camping Defined: [03:06]—[09:47]
• Quiz & Camping Myths: [06:10]—[08:23]
• Essential Gear Breakdown: [10:11]—[19:45]
• Staff Tips & Camping Upgrades: [23:19]—[28:23]
• Camp Cooking Deep Dive: [29:38]—[34:41]
• Final Takeaways / Borrowing & Used Gear: [36:22]—[37:33]

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a practical, confidence-boosting roadmap for camping first-timers—and reminders for lapsed campers—on how to make car camping comfortable, fun, and budget-friendly. Key: focus on sleep, borrow/buy used, invest in quality where it matters, and never be afraid to opt for home comfort (or call it quits when the rain won’t stop). For all Wirecutter's gear picks and further advice, check the show notes or wirecutter.com.

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Transcript

[Kyle Fitzgerald]

The day begins at the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the club at Boston Logan Airport. You get the clam chowder in San Diego, it's Tostadas New York. Espresso martini. It's 10am why not? It's the quiet before your next flight, the shower that resets your day, the menu that lets you know where you are. This is access to over 1300 airport lounges and every Sapphire lounge by the club. And one card that gets you in Chase Sapphire Reserve now even more rewarding.

[Trey French]

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[Trey French]

Yeah, I do some backpacking and carry minimal gear in some context, but I think car camping is all about comfort. There's no reason to rough it out there. You've got a car to do all the work, to carry all your stuff, go crazy.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell and you're listening to the Wirecutter Show.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Kyra, Christine, it's us again in the studio. We are approaching kind of a white whale of an episode for us today. It's been a very divisive topic. Camping. I am a camper. Our producer Abigail is a camper. We are on team camp. You and Rosie are on team hotel

[Kyra Blackwell]

glamping, you know, at minimum.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

But we have decided to enter into the world of camping on this episode and talk about it. Rosie was so afraid, she didn't even want to come. No, I know.

[Rachel Hearn]

She just didn't want to be here.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

She's away.

[Kyra Blackwell]

We are reasonable people, we know that people love camping. It's a great hobby or thing to do in your free time. It's just, you know, the barrier to entry seems a little high.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, it's true. I mean, there you do have to have like a certain amount of gear and a certain amount of knowledge to. To do it. But I do think it's something that a lot of people, maybe they've never done it, maybe they want to bring their family, maybe they want to experience going out into nature in that way, or maybe they used to do it and it's been a while and they're trying to remember how to do it. So we are going to talk today about car camping, getting into car camping. For people who aren't really familiar with camping lingo me, this is basically where you drive to a campsite, you are going to bring your car and carry all your gear in your cart. It is sort of the entry point to camping.

[Sponsor Announcer]

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[Christine Cyrclassette]

If you are a Backpacker. A serious, serious outdoor nerd. This might not be the episode for you, but we are definitely going to cover some pretty cool product recommendations in this episode that can make car camping more comfortable, make it more fun for a group, whether that's your family, whether you're going with friends. And a lot of this stuff you can find secondhand, too, so it doesn't have to be such a huge investment all at once.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And we have the perfect expert to talk to us about it today, too. His name is Trey French. He's a staff writer who covers outdoor gear, and he's basically reviewed everything from ski gear to hiking poles. And he estimates that he spent over 600 nights total either camping from his truck or on backpacking trips. He's like a serious camper.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. This is why I love Wirecutter. We have experts who are writing our guides who are really living, living the life, you know? So he's really. He lives in California. He is outside all the time. He's testing gear outside, and he has a ton of experience with camping. So after the break, we're going to catch up with Trey French to talk about the essentials for fun car camping. We'll be right back.

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[Kyra Blackwell]

Welcome back with us now is Trey French. He's a staff writer covering outdoor gear for Wirecutter. And the longest he's hiked without sleeping under a roof is about a month. So, needless to say, he knows a ton about camping and the gear that will make it more comfortable.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Trey, welcome to the show.

[Trey French]

Happy to be here.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Can we officially call you a mountain man? If you sleep out in the woods for a month at a time and don't go into civilization, I humbly accept. Okay, great. But you spend a lot of time testing gear for Wirecutter out in the mountains in California, all over the place. You write a lot of our outdoor gear guides. So you have a lot of experience, not just in your personal life, but also in terms of reviewing products for people to buy.

[Trey French]

Absolutely. Hiking, skiing, cycling. Yeah, I spend a lot of time outdoors.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Mountain bay.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Living the dream. Living the dream. Okay, so we are going to pepper you with all sorts of questions around camping, But I hear that you brought a quiz to us today to test Kyra and me on our camping knowledge. I think I'm gonna do really well on this, Kyra.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm gonna bomb, and you know it. This is a setup.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

This is totally a setup. Uh, okay, so you've got a quiz for us, right?

[Trey French]

I have a few questions for you.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

All right, great.

[Trey French]

So, according to Smokey the Bear, who's managed by the US Forest Service, what are the four steps of extinguishing a campfire?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh, the four steps. You're not going to give me an A, B, and C here to come

[Trey French]

up with that long form?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay, I would say stomp it out, maybe, like, separate the fire, like, so that if there's, like, burning logs, still kind of separate them. Okay. Pour water over two more. Two more. Okay, tell us. You got to just reveal.

[Trey French]

Yeah, so you're on. You're totally on the right track. It's drown with water, stir with a stick, drown again and feel.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ooh.

[Trey French]

And then you do this as many times as you need to until there's no heat and no smoke coming from the campfire.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay? So drown, stir, drown.

[Trey French]

Feel, and then repeat as necessary.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And repeat. Wash and wear. Okay, that's. That's good. I'm going to remember that one, and I'm going to take it to my next camping trip. All right, next.

[Trey French]

So according to the national park visitation report for 2020, what was the most visited national park in the United States?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ooh, Yosemite.

[Trey French]

That's what I thought. But it's the Great Smoky Mountain national park in Tennessee.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Wow.

[Trey French]

It's in eastern Tennessee. Apparently it's within a day's drive of more than half of the US Population.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Wow. Okay.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Pretty cool.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay, next.

[Trey French]

All right, last question. Can you define what cowboy camping is?

[Kyra Blackwell]

When you bring cool boots,

[Christine Cyrclassette]

when you cook beans over the fire in some kind of like, like cowboy esque cast iron skillet or something like that.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And you're starting with a stick.

[Trey French]

Yeah, these are much better answers. But it's sleeping without a shelter out in the open.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh, that makes sense. Yeah.

[Trey French]

It's an acquired taste.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Do you like to cowboy camp?

[Trey French]

Absolutely. If I don't think it's going to rain, I typically will not put up a shelter.

[Kyra Blackwell]

When we started talking about this episode in car camping, I was like, oh, cool. Like, you sleep in your car, you get to have a locked door.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's cool.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But that's not actually what car car camping is, right, Trey? Like, what is it and why do a lot of people start there?

[Trey French]

Sure. Well, sleeping in your car could be car camping, technically, but it can be quite difficult for most of us to make our car work for us to sleep in comfortably. And so I think for most of us, sleeping in the tent is the way to go. Compared to, like, backpacking and other forms of camping, it just requires the fewest expenses. It doesn't require any technical gear or really any technical skills to get started. There's also facilities like bathrooms and showers available, so you don't have to rough it in that way. I think having other people around and having these facilities that are a little bit closer to sitting at home make it just less scary. And if it is scary, you can just leave. Your car's right there.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I think it is also the most conducive camping method for glamping. So where you can kind of make it a little fancier and more comfortable and bring some of the creature comforts from home.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So you can wear, like, your favorite pillow, pack it in the car.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. Like Trey, you would probably be horrified by my camping setup. It's so elaborate.

[Trey French]

Yeah, I think you would be surprised. Yeah, I do some backpacking and carry minimal gear in some context. But I think car camping is all about comfort. There's no reason to rough it out there. You've got a car to do all the work to Carry all your stuff, go crazy.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

We're going to do the wirecutter part of this now, which is really get into the gear. There are so many things you could buy to go camping, but you probably, if you're just getting into camping or you're just getting back into camping, you're not going to go out and spend all of that money. Right. So, Trey, if there were just a limited number of the types of things you should invest in to have a pleasant camping trip, what are those areas that you would recommend focusing on?

[Trey French]

Yeah, there could potentially be lots of gear, but there really doesn't need to be. And I think a way to start is to consider sleep. That's a big one. Staying dry, your tent, maybe some rain gear and making sure you bring some good, tasty food. This shouldn't be MREs and Camp Mills. Bring some good stuff.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

MREs is like army food, you know, like, like imperishable MREs. Yeah, this is for me. I think why I like car camping is you can, you can go kind of big on the food.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, let's take each of these one by one then. And of course, I want to start with sleep because that's my beat and it's my bread and butter. Tell us how can get better sleep when they're outside in a tent.

[Trey French]

I think number one is a good sleeping pad. Invest in what separates you from the ground. A lot of people, they go camping once and then they don't go back because they sleep so poorly. And when you sleep poorly and it's something new and you're outside and you don't have all the conveniences, it kind of sucks. It just does. And I think if you can really focus on getting a good night's sleep, the experience is just so much better. When looking at sleeping pads on the market, I like to look for at least 3 inches tall, whether that's an inflatable pad or a foam pad, and at least 25 inches wide. A lot of camping pads out there, you could just slide right off of them because they're too narrow. Just not great. You don't see inflatable foam and hybrid. Hybrid just being combination of foam and inflatable. Hybrid is probably a good middle ground because it balances packability and comfort. So you don't have a huge foam mattress taking up half of your car. We recommend the Therm, a rest luxury map sleeping pad. It's about 200 bucks, so not cheap. It's a hybrid style, self inflating, so when you unroll it, it kind of pulls a bit of air in to do most of the work for you. So all you have to do is open the valve and blow just a little bit of air in there to kind of fine tune it to your liking of softness and firmness. And for couples, we recommend the Exped Megamat duo. I have only lay on this one in an REI in their sleeping pad test area and it's pretty comfortable.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I have four of them.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You have four?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I have four of them. How much do these cost? They are very expensive, but I'm not made of money, so I waited until an REI sale. I bought them. I think they were like 20 to 30% off during an REI sale. And I will say they have really been the difference between us camping and not camping. I think, like, I don't think you have to get these ones to make the difference, but they are so comfortable. If you're really wanting to go big, that's, that's where I would put the money.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I mean, sleep seems like it's the most important thing in life, so might be worth it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'll also say in this category, for people who just go every once in a while, like it's just a once in a while thing, I think of plenty of people use inflatable mattresses and they're totally fine to get by for a night or two here and there. But I do think overall, in my experience, they are just far, far less comfortable than designated sleeping mats that have a little foam in them. What do you think are some other options that people might want that are in this category?

[Trey French]

Definitely don't roll out using a cot to supplement your sleeping pad. I think even if it's just for psychological reasons, not sleeping on the ground, it can be great to be elevated. Just know that it's out there and it can really improve your sleep experience. Another thing to consider is your sleeping bag. You gotta have something to keep you warm. I like to sleep when it's warm outside and it's not frigid. My prefer to be above freezing. But regardless, if it's below 60 degrees or so, you're gonna need need some sort of bag to keep you warm. And I think one thing people try to do is get a huge sleeping bag, which may not necessarily be a good thing. It's great to have more room, but you've got to think that the way these bags work is they're not producing heat, you are. And whatever the insulation in the bag is, it's retaining the heat. So the more space that you have, the more that you have to heat up. So be reasonable when you're selecting a size. I find that using the manufacturer's sizing guide is usually pretty spot on, that they're going to incorporate a little bit of space so that you can toss and turn at night, but not being so big that it becomes thermally inefficient.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I personally think this is an area where you can get by if you already have sleeping bags and you're not sleeping in a super cold environment. But I don't go camping like in freezing temperatures, which I don't think most beginner campers would anyways. But Trey, if somebody is gonna go out, they don't have sleeping bags or they want to get better ones. How much do you need to spend on this? What do you think?

[Trey French]

I agree that this is not something you necessarily need to spend a bunch of money on right away, especially if you're camping in warm temperatures. It might be so warm that you don't even need a sleeping bag. Like a couple of blankets could get you by. But I think for sort of an insurance policy of there being a potential cold snap, having a sleeping bag ready is definitely a good idea. But I think 150 to 200 bucks for a summer trip is going to take care of you potentially even less. We recommend the Rei Co Op Siesta Hooded 20. It's got a, like a smaller hood. I don't think you need to necessarily use the hood. It's more square than a mummy. So it's a little less claustrophobic for some people. Maybe feels a little bit more like you're bedding at home. This is the only other thing to pay attention to is the comfort rating. A lot of bags will say that they're 20, but they're actually comfort rated for 30.

[Kyra Blackwell]

What does that mean exactly?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Is that the temperature that they're rated for?

[Trey French]

Yeah. So a sleeping bag may be advertised to be good down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Usually what that means is you would survive at 20 degrees.

[Claire Wilcox]

So great.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

We're not talking about having fun, we're talking about not dying.

[Trey French]

So don't plan to go camping at 20 degrees if you have a 20 degree bag because you're going to have a bad time. Also, these temperature ratings are usually assuming that you're wearing a set of base layers, so a top, bottom and a pair of socks. Wear socks. Can't think. I don't care if you sleep without socks at home.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Can't.

[Trey French]

This is a. To be a tough thing.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I have to sleep with Socks every night or I can't go to sleep even in the summer.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I get claustrophobic even thinking about it.

[Trey French]

I like merino wool socks for camping. You can just wear your regular cotton clothes. Camping, not a big deal. But when it comes to socks, bring some good socks.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

All right, let's get to the shelter part. Staying dry. You know, I've been on a lot of rainy camping trips.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Trips.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What should people be focused on in, in this category of staying dry?

[Trey French]

Yeah. Well, you're going to be spending a lot of time overall on the trip inside your tent at night, hanging out. If it does rain or if it is really windy, it's really awesome to have a good tent. You'll see often in product reviews that the tent flies, which is kind of a rain cover for your tent. It'll have vestibules on each side for like gear storage outside of the tent. And oftentimes these are angled. The fabric is angled too far horizontally, too far out and not down enough. And so what happens is, if it's a windy and rainy night, wind can blow that rain in. This is usually called out in product reviews, but so you want a rainfly that's big enough. Having a couple of doors at least in the tent is nice. So you're not crawling over your tent mates if you just have one entry and exit. Anyone that has to get up to go to the bathroom in the one night is going to wake everyone else up because there's no way around sort of crawling over your buddies. I think the biggest one maybe is buy a tent size for at least one additional person, then will be sleeping in it. So if you have three people sleeping in a tent or expected to buy a four person, they give these ratings to give you an idea of what you could technically stuff into a tent. But you're all going to be shoulder to shoulder and there's not going to be any room for movement or your gear size up here.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And how much would you expect to spend on a really nice tent?

[Trey French]

Tent? 250 to 350. Maybe four is what you're going to see for a tent that you can count on.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And that'll last a long time, right, Trey? I mean, I've had my tent for over a decade and it's in great shape.

[Trey French]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What about a rain jacket? Do you need to have like a really good rain jacket to go camping or can you get by with something less expensive?

[Trey French]

Yeah, don't go crazy here. If you go on an outdoor website like rei, you're going to see a lot of really expensive, techy rain jackets. And they're great. But a lot of the expense from a quote, good rain jacket comes from the breathability and waterproofing. You really don't need the breathability for car camping unless you're going on really intensive hikes or something like that. But probably just use whatever you have and bring an umbrella and you're probably going to be okay. If you don't have any rain jacket, you can even get by with a poncho. If you're trying to cook with them and do a lot of tasks, they're not the best. But if you just need to stay dry as you're walking to and from your tent, they're gonna absolutely do the job. So don't go crazy with a rain jacket.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, camping sounds fun when it's really perfect weather and you have a nice gear and stuff. But when you're setting up in the rain and you're slogging through it, well,

[Christine Cyrclassette]

maybe that's a good. That's a good point. Like, Trey, what is the cutoff? When should you just call it quits, call it quits and go home?

[Trey French]

Yeah. If I'm looking at the forecast and it's a 20% chance of rain, I'm going to. But if it looks like it's going to be dumping every day, just call the trip off. I love bailing on trips if the weather is not up to my liking. No shame. Yeah. I don't mean to paint the picture of that. It's going to be a lot of suffering because most likely it's going to be great.

[Abigail Keel]

Yeah.

[Trey French]

I'm just trying to prepare you just in case something happens to have a couple of pieces of gear and things to consider. But, yeah, 90% of the trips that I've been on have been exceptional weather and a lot of fun.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So let me just recap what I've learned so far. If you're thinking about becoming a camping person, car camping is probably the right start for you. It's accessible, it's pretty affordable. And I would say I've learned that you also need to focus more on your sleeping mat and your tent and not worry so much about the sleeping bag. Because if you have a nice mat and a nice tent, then you will be comfortable when you're asleep. Sleep. And if it does rain for a little bit, your tent will keep you nice and warm and dry.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Exactly, Kyra, you're learning. You're all almost there. Oh, theoretical. Okay, so we're going to take a quick break and then Trey, we're coming back to talk about one of my favorite things, which is what to eat on your camping trip. And we're also going to get some staff recs on the best camping upgrades to invest in. We'll be right back.

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[Claire Wilcox]

Foreign.

[Allfreeclear Advertiser]

Welcome back.

[Kyra Blackwell]

We're here with Trey French, one of Wirecutter's outdoor writers, talking about what to invest in if you want to get into car camping. So before we get into the camp cooking aspect, we actually have some voice memos from other Wirecutter staffers who camp who have some of their favorite tips to make camping really fun. Do you want to hear let's do It.

[Kaylee Thompson]

Hi, this is Kaylee Thompson. I'm a senior editor at Wirecutter, covering baby and kid and one item that I loved to bring on camping trips with my kids is a little bug catcher called the Carson Bug View. It's just a little green plastic device. It costs about $12, and it lets you slide a little platform underneath the bug. Use a magnifying glass to get a closer look. And this is a really fun thing for just exploring nature, but also for removing daddy long legs. Spiders, beetles, all kinds of cool little critters that you might find inside your tent. That's it. Thanks.

[Abigail Keel]

Hey.

[Claire Wilcox]

I'm Claire Wilcox. I cover outdoors and travel here at Wirecutter. And one of my favorite items that has really transformed my own camping experience is a camping quilt. Instead of a sleeping bag, I use a camping quilt, which looks a lot like a sleeping bag, but it just doesn't have a hood, it doesn't have zippers, and it doesn't wrap around your whole body. It's more like a duvet with a foot box as a stomach sleeper. I always struggled a little bit to get a good night's sleep in a sleeping bag. And when I started camping a lot with my partner, we wanted, like, a cozy and comfortable option for sleeping together that wasn't a double bag. So we ended up getting a double quilt. And it was kind of a mini revelation. It feels just like sleeping under a duvet. And you can move around a lot more and, you know, stick a leg out or, you know, adjust for temperature as needed. And it also just makes cozying up with somebody else a lot easier.

[Abigail Keel]

Hi, this is Abigail Keel. I'm the producer of the Wirecutter show. Normally, I'm behind the scenes, but I had to call in with my favorite camping tip for this episode. I love camping because you get to sleep outside, see the stars, feel the breeze, but sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate. And that's why your tent has a rain fly to keep you protected from all of those elements. But when you have the fly on, you don't get the stars and you don't get the breeze and all of that. So what I like to do to kind of mitigate the risk is I secure my rainfly on the outside of my tent, but only on two corners. And then I roll the rainfly up and leave it it just sitting there next to the tent overnight. That way I get to see the stars, enjoy the breeze, whatever. But if in the middle of the night, the wind picks up or rain starts to fall, then I just dart out of my tent, take that fly, whip it over the whole top of the tent, and secure the other two corners and dive back in the Tent. And that way you kind of get the best of both worlds. A little protection if you need it, but enjoying the great outdoors if you don't.

[Kyle Fitzgerald]

I'm Kyle Fitzgerald, a writer on the Outdoors and travel team. And one very simple and easy to get item that I always bring car camping is a tablecloth. I personally have a thick cotton tablecloth. I prefer those over the vinyl ones just because I like the feel of a softer fabric and I can toss it in the washer when I get home. And the tablecloth for me does two basic things. Covers up all the gross crusties on the picnic table. You know, makes you forget that a million people have been there before you. And two, it just really classes up the joint. So when I get my kitchen stuff out, that's like the first thing I do is throw a tablecloth on the picnic table, and it starts to make the whole place feel a little bit homier.

[Rachel Hearn]

Hi, this is Rachel Hearn. I'm on the baby and kid team at Wirecutter, and I feel that there's nothing worse than not being able to light your campfire. So I always bring lightning nugget fire starters, which I get at rei. And you can use twigs and pine needles, but depending on where you're camping, you won't always have access to those. They might be wet. You may not want to spend the time finding them. So, yeah, each of these little semicircles burn for 15 minutes, which gives you enough time to slowly add smaller pieces of wood and then larger pieces of wood. And apparently they work in the rain, but I can't attest to that. If I ever see rain on the radar, usually I just cancel my trip.

[Ann Marie Conti]

Hello, I'm Ann Marie Conti. I'm deputy editor at Wirecutter. And my best camping tip for new and experienced campers alike is to find a gearhead and befriend them and borrow their stuff. It's a really great way to try out stuff that is new to you. Get something that you may only use once or twice a year. You don't have to buy something and keep it in storage. You can just borrow it from your friend. I used to be a light gear backpacking minimalist, and I am now a car camping maximalist. So you don't have to have all your own gear.

[Rachel Hearn]

Trey, what do you think about our

[Kyra Blackwell]

fellow wire cutters tips?

[Trey French]

Well, I work among so many pros.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I really like the the tablecloth recommendation.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So cute.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I always forget a tablecloth when I go camping, and I always see people with A tablecloth. And I know they really have it together. I feel like if you want to just sit, signal that you have it together, get a tablecloth, be like, we've been here before. Yeah. I do have one that I wanted to share. Every year I try to get something kind of fun. And the thing I got last year was some LED string lights. They are battery operated, so I hang them inside my tent. It's lovely and it provides kind of like these fairy lights that are. That are sort of magical. And then. Plus I also send them to overnight camp with my kids so they can put some flare inside of their dorm where there's like the cool dorm. Yeah, they have the cool dorm. Let's get into this last category. Food. This is where I focus on when I'm camping. It's kind of entertainment when you're. When you're camping. It's the event for a lot of people when they're car camping. You do strike me as a minimalist based on the fact that you have done so much backpacking and that you have done a lot of camping in your truck, but maybe I'm wrong. What. How do you. How do you approach cooking on camping trips?

[Trey French]

The minimalist is a fair assessment in some regard, but when it comes to food and car camping, I think it's great to go big, especially if you're willing to put in the time and effort. Good food can really help everyone reset. If someone's just not feeling well or didn't sleep well or isn't having the best time, I think that everyone loves good food. For me, I only get the stove out for dinner. I think it's easy to eat well and keep breakfast and lunch pretty simple.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

This is a category when we're talking about what you're going to buy. I feel like there's a lot of things that you don't need to buy. You could probably take a lot of things from home. What are the things, though, that you do think are worth investing in specifically for camping?

[Trey French]

I think you'll need a camp stove. This is something that most of us won't have in advance. This is a good thing to borrow. But if you do need to buy one, there is the classic Coleman stove. This is. Has been the standard for a long time. I saw that it has crept over a hundred dollars, unfortunately, recently. I think when I bought my Last one about five years ago, it was around 50. So it will function like a grill that you might have at home, just in a smaller version. So in addition to the camp stove, you Will need some source of propane fuel.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay, so get a decent camp stove. To your point, these have gotten really expensive over the last few years. I've noticed this as well. But you don't need to go super fancy on this. Like, you could get the basic classic Coleman stove and you'd be okay.

[Trey French]

Absolutely. I think the biggest thing you get when you spend more is a little bit more control of the flame. But something like the classic Coleman is totally sufficient for for camp cooking.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Are there any other things that you think you need to specifically buy for camping? And then what are the things that you could just bring from home?

[Trey French]

Maybe some just non breakable plates and bowls. You don't have to go crazy here. I use enameled steel. I would not spend on the fancy kitchen cook sets. There are tons of those out there and they are so expensive. And it's great that they're light and they nest well and they save space. But I would put this at the bottom of your list as a priority for camping because you can just bring

[Kyra Blackwell]

stuff from your kitchen, right?

[Trey French]

Absolutely. This is the probably the best place to repurpose things that you already own for camping. I usually will bring a cast iron pan and a larger pot for boiling water.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

How do you like to make coffee?

[Trey French]

I use the Aeropress. It's small and I think it produces a pretty good tasting coffee. But sometimes if I'm camping in anticipation of an early morning hike, I might go for instant instant, just to save some time. And there are some great instant coffees out there these days. I've got instant coffee right now from a company called Treeline Coffee. It's really good, but there are lots of other amazing ones available.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, my God. That does remind me. I just actually tasted a bunch of instant coffees with our colleagues over on the YouTube series Wirecutter Taste Test. So y' all have to go check it out when it drops tomorrow. I feel like a good number of those instant coffees would actually be kind of perfect for a camping trip.

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[Kyra Blackwell]

Plus, we have a great review of instant coffee and we will add that to the show notes. So, Trey, I assume that there is a water fountain at the campsite, but is there like a larger water fountain for people filling their coffee pots and stuff?

[Trey French]

So there usually is a spigot and it might be next to a dishwashing station, but that does bring up a great point that you need a way to store some water. And we recommend the Reliance 4 gallons aquatainer. It's about 20 bucks. So nothing crazy here, but if you're not ready to spend on a water jug, you can definitely get by with just a couple of one gallon jugs that you might find at a gas station on the way because you forgot your water. And you can then refill them at the water station at the campground. But I think 4 to 5 gallons is a good capacity. It's not so much that it's cumbersome and heavy to carry from your car to the camp table, but it will last you, you know, most of a day without having to make too many trips to the spigot to refill.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Are there any other little tips or tricks that you have for setting up your camp kitchen to make it really

[Trey French]

functional using a tablecloth like Kyle mentioned, these are great just to create a good clean foundation. And I use a couple of $1 spring clamps just to secure it from the wind. Just have a bin full of all your, you know, spatulas and serving ware and things and just get, get organized right away as soon as you're setting up your camp. And I would say one thing that people don't think about is the clothes that they're wearing when they're cooking. If you're cooking with something greasy and there's a little bit of wind, you can end up with some grease on your clothing. So I think an apron is a good idea to have on hand or just have a dedicated old jacket or shirt that you're going to wear. On a recent camping trip, my partner had just gotten a new down jacket and just wasn't thinking about it and ended up with a lot of grease. Speckles.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Bummer.

[Trey French]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, before we wrap, Trey, we ask all of our guests one final question. What's the last thing you bought that you really loved?

[Trey French]

I'm a skier and there's a joke about how many skis is too many skis. And I added another pair this year and I think they were so worth it. We have not had the best year of snow. Where I live, there hasn't been a lot. And so what that means is the snow has been firm and icy. And in my mind, I didn't have the right skis for firm and icy. And I bought them and I love them and I have no regrets.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What are they?

[Trey French]

They are made by Blizzard. They're called the Blizzard Anomaly 88s. So a little bit narrower and a little bit more stiff. Stiff than the other skis that I have. And this makes them a little bit more appropriate for fast and firm conditions.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So how many pairs of skis do you have now?

[Trey French]

I've got four.

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Okay.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I don't think that's too bad.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's not crazy.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, thank you so much, Trey, for being here with us today.

[Trey French]

I had so much fun. Thanks for having me.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay, Kyra, are you going to go camping this year? Are you going to try it? Probably not. Okay.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Actually, I think I could be convinced. Cristine, if you bring everything, I just

[Christine Cyrclassette]

have to show I will think on it. I'm already, like, preparing camping for my children, which is enough for me.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But now you have a third child with you, and I'll be there.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, as a non camper, what did you take away from this episode?

[Kyra Blackwell]

I definitely learned what car camping is first and foremost. And that it's pretty much the simplest, easiest, most affordable, affordable way to really connect with nature, which seems really cool. I like that aspect of, you know, you're not on your phone, you're cooking, and you're just like hanging out with your friends and family. That seems really lovely. And you don't need a lot of stuff. You can just bring stuff from home because you're packing it in your car.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I will tell you that I have a bunch of really great camping gear and I got most of it off of Craigslist and most of it came from one person who really wanted to start camping with their family and they went out to REI and bought, bought a whole bunch of stuff and they went camping twice and the spouse didn't love it and they ended up needing to sell it. So there are two takeaways here from that, which is you could get some of this stuff used if you want to. And second of all, maybe don't go hard. Right? Just, just try to borrow some stuff, you know, like, yeah, just like if you're really curious about getting into it or you haven't done it for a while and you want to get back into it, I would say go once. Like, beg, borrow, don't steal, beg, borrow some gear, try it out and then decide what you want to invest in. Go from there.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Focus on a tent, a pad, a sleeping pad.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yes. I would say the pad is the most important thing for me.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And then like something to cook on.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, and get that tablecloth. Because you don't want to look like,

[Kyra Blackwell]

you know, like you've never been there before.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, that's right. You want to look like an expert. So it's like signaling to the rest of the people. Well, if you are curious about anything we talked about in this episode, definitely check out our show notes. We've got links to all of the gear we recommend in this episode. A lot of links to guides that we have to different camping gear. Don't be afraid.

[Abigail Keel]

Just.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Just get in there and check it out. We will be back next week. Thanks for listening.

[Trey French]

Bye.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

The Wirecutter show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel. Engineering support from Mattie Mazziello and Nick Pittman. Today's episode was mixed by Katherine Anderson. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Rowan Nimisto, Catherine Anderson and Diane Wong. Cliff Levy is Wirecutter's deputy publisher and general manager. Ben Fruman is Wirecutter's editor in chief. I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Thanks for listening.

[Trey French]

Every once in a while, if the wind is blowing the right way, you've

[Christine Cyrclassette]

really solved this for Chiron.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You're saying a lot of words I don't want to hear right now. The smell control on a pit toilet.

[Trey French]

I only.

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