The biggest downside to a 2dr Jeep Wrangler is the lack of available space to pack adventure gear.
We get asked all of the time how we do these longer Jeep adventures in a 2DR JK and still be able to take everything that makes an enjoyable camping experience. I will be honest, it takes lots of trail and error and understanding what “REALLY” is needed for the trip. I also feel we have a little advantage, because we have done many camping trips together while riding a motorcycle. Talk about being creative with the space you have available. Today we do more base camping so we take the Jeep and trailer the bike. Those old school trips on the motorcycle sure prepped us for camping in a 2DR JK.
Many of you are doing the same thing we are doing this week, and that is packing for the Rendezvous in the Ozarks event. This is a fantastic family fun event and is a must for any overlanding / camping / dual-sport enthusiast. You can see last years report here. Today I got out my list and started to get all of our gear together. If you would like a copy of the list we use, just sign up and we will send that out to you.
This is not hard for us as we have everything in Plano Totes, which allows us to grab and go. I like going over the list to ensure we are not missing anything. Below is a list of the totes and what is included. (The totes we use are found here. The links below is for the gear that we use. If you order via our link we get a little kick back. Your cost does not change, it just helps us out) “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”
Tote #1 – Camping gear. This includes sleeping bags, hammock, headlamps, various bug sprays, camp hats, Solar lights, Door mat, USB fan, Farkle and our favorite card game for camping; Cribbage.
Tote #2 – Cooking station, We keep our Everest 2 Camp stove, our 1lb bottles along with our extended hose for the propane. We also keep lighters and fire starters here as well. It also takes care of the best thing ever designed for motorcycle camping and that is a Jet Boil camp system. Love this for my early morning coffee.
Tote#3 – Cooking Utensils, things like a skillet, pots, plates along with all the utensils needed for cooking. Foil, ziplock baggies, clorox wipes and our collapsible dish washing pan.
Tote #4 – The food pantry. All dry goods including chips, crackers, seasonings, boxed food and all other food items that do not need to be refrigerated.
Jamie and I are very cost conscious so we are always looking for the best deals and value. One of the best deals we have come across is the F40C4TMP portable fridge. This item has been a game changer. We first found out about it on Softroadingthewest. If you have not seen the channel, it has great outdoor content. This little fridge is great for 2 people and at the cost of less than $250 it is very affordable. No, it is not a Dometic. It is not the top of the line and does not have all of the features as a Dometic, however I can buy 4 of the F40C4TMP for the price of admission for the Dometic. Maybe someday I will own one, but this works well for now.
The Rigid case above is part of a 3 piece set. I use only two pieces for my recovery gear. I keeps everything nice and tide and easily accessible. I have tools, gloves and misc items in the small top section. One of the things you have to think about is how to access the recovery gear or tools. Having a soft top JK all we have to do is unzip a window and BAM! Everything is right there.
All of the Camp chairs, blow up mattress, buddy heater, tables and moon shade are stored behind all of the totes. This allows for easy access as well. We strap everything down using the amazing ROK straps. They keep everything in place and are easy to use.
You might ask about clothing. We use compression sacks and they will fit anywhere in a small cubbie hole. We place our Gazelle T4 tent on the back of the jeep. Then we are ready to hit the road.
This about covers everything we take with us for a camping trip like this weeks Rendezvous. Jamie and I will be at the event early Thursday setting up. If you see the JK come by and say hi! It looks like it could be a little wet for Thursday and Friday. Don’t let that stop you from attending the event! A little rain never hurt anything, plus it makes for some good trail fun. I will be teaching a class on Trip Reports Friday at 10AM at the pavilion, so take a moment and stop by. We hope to see you all later this week!
