Hi all, im looking for some dry camping setup ideas. Im sure a ton of you on here have pictures of your setups at either the range, or hunting, or just trekking around. Im interested in battery usage, solar panels, and water storage ideas as well. Im looking to get a pop up camper and would like some solutions for more off grid camping from you veterans on here. I would say camper usage for my wife and 2 kids would be 70% at sites, 30% not on sites. Any help would be much appreciated.
Dry camping / range camping pics
- Thread starter crowsnest2002
- Start date
TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
Camper should have a water storage. I bring a couple of 5 gallon water totes as well.. A generator is handy but not a must have.. I camp dry a lot around here. Solar panels I bought that were supposed to keep the battery topped up were a waste of time. My generator that charges batteries as well, works great.. Extra propane is good too if you don't have a dual bottle. I have 2 bottles on my camper but also carry a 20 lb'er to use with the outside cooker.. Wife like to cook on the campfire coals.. So we have a dutch oven.
I also recommend one of the personal beacon devices just in case.. I have a SPOT and a Life link..
I also recommend one of the personal beacon devices just in case.. I have a SPOT and a Life link..
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
We do a lot of dry camping, and get pretty carried away about it. If we're out for a couple weeks as in elk hunting, we'll set this thing up.
Here's our little evaporative refrigerator. A little damp burlap keeps things very cool even in 90 degrees.
Here's our little evaporative refrigerator. A little damp burlap keeps things very cool even in 90 degrees.
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
We'll spare a little water for emergency dog washing. 
Here's our cheesy little solar system. Keeps the batteries up enough for my chick's computer use. We don't allow generators at this camp.
Here's our cheesy little solar system. Keeps the batteries up enough for my chick's computer use. We don't allow generators at this camp.
snert
Silver $$ Contributor
gambleone
Silver $$ Contributor
We'll spare a little water for emergency dog washing.
View attachment 1038196
Here's our cheesy little solar system. Keeps the batteries up enough for my chick's computer use. We don't allow generators at this camp.
View attachment 1038198
JD, Your dog is trying to enjoy his bath
That's sure a pretty nice set up
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
Out here, mold would have to pack it's own water just to bloom.JD that cooler is neat. Here in the east we would call that a mold maker!
The little blue teepee by our cabin is the shower, the one out back is for the porta potty.
jepp2
Gold $$ Contributor
Ok, so I will share what I use. Have a 2005 Fleetwood Sante Fe tent camper. We drove it to Alaska. Spend 65 days in it, never spent a night in a hotel. I stay in it a month every year for PD's. The picture is at a campground, but we use it everywhere.
Advantages: your bed is level and off the ground and comfortable. It has a heater if you want to use it. 3 way refrigerator that will run forever on propane, and about 1 day on 12V. Casette toilet that the wife likes for those midnight trips. Comfortable seats, lots of storage, dry when it is raining. Lots of storage, 20 gallon water tank, electric water pump, even has a 6 gallon hot water heater we don't use. Nice 3 burner stove out of the wind. Easy to setup and take down. Queen size bed on one end.
Cons: gets warm during the day unless you are there to get a breeze through it by opening canvas.
Years ago I bought a 10 year old one for $1200 and sold it many years later for $1200. Put a new set of tires on it and replaced the outside plastic parts. Kept it packed and ready to go. Kept outside all the time in WV, so it saw lots of moisture.
Advantages: your bed is level and off the ground and comfortable. It has a heater if you want to use it. 3 way refrigerator that will run forever on propane, and about 1 day on 12V. Casette toilet that the wife likes for those midnight trips. Comfortable seats, lots of storage, dry when it is raining. Lots of storage, 20 gallon water tank, electric water pump, even has a 6 gallon hot water heater we don't use. Nice 3 burner stove out of the wind. Easy to setup and take down. Queen size bed on one end.
Cons: gets warm during the day unless you are there to get a breeze through it by opening canvas.
Years ago I bought a 10 year old one for $1200 and sold it many years later for $1200. Put a new set of tires on it and replaced the outside plastic parts. Kept it packed and ready to go. Kept outside all the time in WV, so it saw lots of moisture.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Dry camping, especially in a pop up with the wife is a good idea only in theory. I used to go shoot with a pop up or cargo trailer and that was fine for me. Now i have a $60k camper with 50a service to go to matches. It would be good for dry camping with its 125gal water and solar built in but its hard to con the chicks into going in dry
dry camping is awesome. out west there are fantastic campsites scattered throughout 1000's of miles of forest service roads.
popup is nice. you can pull it with most SUVs. Probably should stay out of grizzly country
i prefer a truck camper. All the comforts of home.
you will need a way to charge batteries. solar is.nice but a generator always works. the baby honda is quiet and all you need unless you have to have AC. get the propane model. campers always have propane and storing gas is a pain and also dangerous.
water is probably your biggest limiting factor. you can solve it pretty easily with a water filtration system. a sediment filter, a couple of carbon cartridge filters,.an ultraviolet sterilizer and a 12 volt submersible pump and you can fill your tanks from any of those clear running mountain streams.
black water can be a problem. best thing to do is just dig a latrine. lots of options out there for portapotties. just make sure you cover up your cat hole when you leave.
cooking over a campfire takes a little practice. some specialized equipment makes it a whole lot.easier. no need for a grill.
get out of those campgrounds and enjoy the solitude of a.private campsite with beautiful mountain views.
popup is nice. you can pull it with most SUVs. Probably should stay out of grizzly country
i prefer a truck camper. All the comforts of home.
you will need a way to charge batteries. solar is.nice but a generator always works. the baby honda is quiet and all you need unless you have to have AC. get the propane model. campers always have propane and storing gas is a pain and also dangerous.
water is probably your biggest limiting factor. you can solve it pretty easily with a water filtration system. a sediment filter, a couple of carbon cartridge filters,.an ultraviolet sterilizer and a 12 volt submersible pump and you can fill your tanks from any of those clear running mountain streams.
black water can be a problem. best thing to do is just dig a latrine. lots of options out there for portapotties. just make sure you cover up your cat hole when you leave.
cooking over a campfire takes a little practice. some specialized equipment makes it a whole lot.easier. no need for a grill.
get out of those campgrounds and enjoy the solitude of a.private campsite with beautiful mountain views.
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
I've gotta admit that we kinda look like "Grapes of Wrath" Okies when we head out for camping. Don't know anyone else who does it as old school as us. Seems like the difference between us and most folks who have a thirty thousand dollar camper is that we do a lot more camping.
We almost NEVER camp in a campground, and wouldn't look right if we did. Get good at dry camping, and fireless camping, and you can stay in spots where you can shoot your guns, fish streams that aren't regularly fished, and let the dog run free.
I mention fireless camping because around here by mid or even early summer, the fire danger is so high that campfires aren't allowed except in designated camp grounds and private areas. Those regulations usually carry on right through hunting season. I know a lot of folks who absolutely won't camp anywhere that you can't have a fire, but we're used to it, and have found a lot of beautiful spots because of it. jd
We almost NEVER camp in a campground, and wouldn't look right if we did. Get good at dry camping, and fireless camping, and you can stay in spots where you can shoot your guns, fish streams that aren't regularly fished, and let the dog run free.
I mention fireless camping because around here by mid or even early summer, the fire danger is so high that campfires aren't allowed except in designated camp grounds and private areas. Those regulations usually carry on right through hunting season. I know a lot of folks who absolutely won't camp anywhere that you can't have a fire, but we're used to it, and have found a lot of beautiful spots because of it. jd
Mark W
Gold $$ Contributor
No water and sewer connection for us RVers.
So having electricity, sewer & running water is camping? Who’da thunk it?!
muleystalker
Silver $$ Contributor
And take my bath, I get in the steam in the morning and at night. I even take one with snow on the ground, I can't stand crawling into a sleeping bag all dirty after a long day of hunting.
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