Top Gadgets and Gear You Need for Car Camping This Summer 2025

outsideofficehours
Jul 19
3 min read

Trading hotel keys for tailgate mornings and firelight dinners—car camping is the rough-and-ready compromise between backpacking grit and RV luxury. It's the open invitation to sleep beneath a sky full of stars while still having your coffee pot plugged in. Whether you're parked on the edge of a desert bluff or tucked into a forest nook, this post dives into what makes car camping the ultimate gateway to spontaneous adventure. Pack the snacks, cue the mixtape, and crack a window—the road is calling.

Car camping is one of our absolute favorite ways to get out and explore. We have been fortunate enough to camp across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and California - seeing incredible wildlife in dispersed areas almost untouched by humans. Having the right gear can make car camping all the more enjoyable, so below are some of our favorites for Summer 2025! Use the integrated links from our Amazon Associates account to grab this gear for yourself!

Gadgets & Gear for Car Camping

Portable Power Supply

One of our more recent finds is the Joyfar Portable Powerbank and charger. For less than $40 on Amazon, this long lasting portable power bank has built-in charging cables for USB-C AND legacy iPhone lightning - so no more worrying about digging thru your backpack or glove compartment for your cables! It holds enough power to charge your phone (or even your iPad) multiple times before the power bank itself needs a recharge.

Cooking Gear

The BioLite CampStove has quickly become one of our favorites. It runs of sticks, twigs, or wood pellets, so no need to carry about mini propane containers! It is also smokeless and generates electricity so it can double as a phone charger!

We sprung for the full kit, which includes a grill topper, a kettle pot, and a French press attachment!

But First, Coffee

We absolutely love our OutIn Nano! Nothing beats a fresh cup of coffee or espresso when waking up in nature. We have tried various portable coffee and espresso machines and this one stands out - primarily because it has a built in heating feature, so it's a one stop shop for a fresh cup of espresso in the morning!

Sleeping Pads and Mattresses

Luno mattresses are our go-to for car camping! The Air-Foam Pro feels almost as comfortable as sleeping in our bed at home, and even better, it is self inflating! It comes in multiple sizes and the double can unzip for solo camping as well.

Mesh Window Covers

When sleeping in your car, it is important to crack the window at night so the condensation does not build up. These mesh window covers fit most SUVs and allow you to crack those windows but prevent bugs from coming inside. They also enhance the privacy and provide some shade from the morning sun!

Water Cooler

This RTIC water-cooler is a necessity when we are car camping, regular camping, or even just hosting a get together. It holds 3 gallons, comes in multiple colors, keeps the water cold, and has two different spouts to pour from! On our latest trip we drove over 20 hours on lots of back country roads and had 0 spills or leaks!