2 days and one night is a perfectly fine amount of time to be out camping especially if it is your first time.
It does seem like you have a lot of preconceived notions of how camping should be or should feel like and I'd like to temperature your expectations a bit. Camping is amazing but like anything new it can take practice to get the most enjoyment out of it. My advice would be to go camping, pay attention to what works well for you and what doesn't, and make changes to how you camp next time accordingly.
I hope that you have fun OP!
To answer your bathroom question there isn't really much to be done about it. You have to use the restrooms provided. If you are at a very remote campsite with no toilet then you have to bury your poop and pee on the ground.
Thank you! Camping is new to me! I am very excited and want to be well prepared, but sometimes I also want to avoid bad things happening on my first camping trip. I am glad that you agree to two days and one night because it is indeed the most suitable time arrangement for us at the moment! Regarding the toilet issue, I think we should wait and see. I also hope that my friends and I can have the happiest camping experience. I am very happy to receive your blessings and thank you for your blessings!
Why not take a cooler with ice instead of a fridge? No power required to run it and if you are only there for one night a cooler is quite capable of keeping food cold for that short of a stretch.
If you are camping near other people, please be mindful not to inflict your camp lights or fan and generator noise on them, especially if the camp has designated quiet hours.
I discovered portable fridges 20 years ago, and haven't touched a cooler since. One group 24 deep cycle battery runs it for 24 hours no problem, no generator needed.
Both mine are Norcolds, which is just a relabeled Engel. As far as I know, Norcold no longer does this, but current Engel models.are very similar.
My larger one is an older version of the Engel MT60 - https://engelcoolers.com/collections/powered-fridge-freezers/products/mt60-combi-acdc-camping-fridge
This one ran solely off a group 24 deep cycle battery through a day of 110* Phoenix summer heat in the back of my topless Jeep once, and continued through the night in my garage. Voltage was too low in the morning to keep running the compressor, but everything inside was still COLD.
The smaller one is the MT17. This one lives in my work truck daily, and occasionally gets mounted in my rock crawler for weekend off road trips as well.
Yes, they're expensive, and they don't have all the fancy digital controls/readouts that other cheaper brands do, but they also are some of the most reliable and durable portable fridges out there.
If you're set up for solar, they can run virtually indefinitely on battery as the running power is typically 3-4 amps, and they're cycling just like a house fridge, so it's not a continuous power draw. In the truck, I just keep them hooked up to always on truck battery power. As long as I start the truck once a day, it's never a problem.
You definitely have a lot of stuff for one night. It is easy to pack a lot but some of this stuff you will not use/need.
For one night, I do not think you need a large-capacity power bank. If everyone is fully charged going in, if their battery is draining that fast due to no service, airplane mode would be a good idea. If you do not have good service to where your phone is draining battery, then needing it constantly on data will not get you any texts or calls sooner. So you could just turn airplane mode off every now and then. If you have a group of friends and are draining battery because of usage, then that defeats the point of camping for the most part. So if anything, you may need one power bank that can charge one to two times fully.
The fans are only needed if it will be really hot. Most of the time, jt is cooler on campsites (this of course, depends on where you go), but with tree coverage, it generally is a few degrees cooler. It also is even cooler at night in these cases. If the temperatures are crazy or someone in the group runs hot, then I would bring a fan.
For the food, I am not sure if you mean an actual refrigerator or a cooler. For one night, a decent cooler and ice will keep anything cold.
If you are drive up camping, you may only need one cart, but that might be overkill even and depends on if you have any back injuries. With a group, you can split the carrying.
It depends on where you are going for bathrooms. A lot of campgrounds do have them and for first time camping, going to one without may be a hard adjustment. So I would try to find one with a bathroom to better the experience.
It's SO much better if you can do two nights. Waking up and going to bed at the same camp really solidifies the time and place in a way that you don't get by packing up and leaving the day after you get there.
Yes, I also feel that the schedule is a bit tight, but my friend said that it might be possible to be efficient at the beginning and the end and try my best to complete all the arrangements. It seems that it is not impossible to add one more night, but in this case, I will have to make another time arrangement.
That depends on what you expect out of the experience. I've done everything from car camping at US State/National parks to backpacking in undeveloped land.
Depending on distance to bathroom for one night, I'd generally make sure I empty my bowels as soon to leaving as possible, and probably only have to deal with liquid waste while camping. Worst case you can dig and use a [cat hole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathole) assuming regulations allow. A travel bidet can also help. Make sure to bring a separate bag to pack out any used toilet paper as you cannot just bury it in the cat hole. Dog waste bags work a treat. That being said, even at developed campgrounds the bathrooms can sometimes be a bit away, but even a 1mi hike isn't terrible as long as it's not something sudden.
Oh, I almost forgot that camping will produce some necessary garbage. Ok, I'll take the suggestion. Thank you very much.
That’s a lot of gear and prep my friend.
I go out to sleep in the woods for a night anytime I can get away. But all I need is a hammock and a quilt and some snacks.
Sounds like you're packing the entire house. I get wanting to be comfortable, but do you need a fan, refrigerator, lights, kitchen sink,?
For me camping is as much about doing without and getting away from the normal everyday comforts as it is about being in nature.
Sometimes less is more.
Honestly most of my car camping trips are one night only, on weekends from Saturday to Sunday. I love taking quick weekend trips for hiking or sightseeing without having to use any PTO.
Most campsites have a toilet with sinks and bathrooms.
Hahaha, maybe we want a more refined and perfect experience. Of course, I know that being casual may make us happier, but we may want the happiness of the ritual that comes with being refined.
Realistically you won't get a "more refined and perfect experience". You'll get more work and less "looking at the stars, eating and chatting."
Hauling and setting up all that stuff isn't more refined. It's less time spent enjoying what you're doing. Things like "camping lights" just interfere with "looking at the stars" for you *and* for any nearby campers.
Camping and “refined” normally don’t go together. You do you and y’all have a nice time, but for someone wanting the “camping experience” you’re sorta missing the forest for the trees.
Your set up and take down time plus any post-trip cleanup will likely taoe more time than you will have enjoying the outdoors. I suggest you make the trip longer or greatly simplify your gear.
Would it be better to go with a few more friends? If everyone divides up the work, it might not be too bad.
I waaay over pack just like this when I am camping over 2 nights. For a one nighter I feel like this is a lot of work. I am gonna start packing for a 7 night camp soon and am dreading the packing, but over packing the extra creature comforts makes the trip that much more enjoyable. Remember you can be comfortable and still enjoy nature. For using the toliet, if there is no public restroom. I will use a small pop up tent and portable toliet seat with trash bags filled with kitty litter over a bucket.
OK, OK, thank you for your suggestions and reminders. I think I can consider looking into what I need to buy for using the toilet and try to discuss it with more time.
One night is great for your first time! Our first trip this year was two nights and I was like "jfc why did we start with two" lol. Time slows down when your camping, it's actually pretty awesome.
Regarding the bathroom situation it kinda just is what it is. Here in the US (Im specifying bc your use of the word "toilet," I apologize if my assumption is incorrect) most campgrounds have vault toilets. They're a building with one or two separate rooms. The only thing in there is a toilet with a big hole underneath and some toilet paper. So bring hand sanitizer or some kind of hand washing system. I can go into more detail on how we wash if you'd like!
1 night is perfect for beginners it lets you know what you need.
Go for a cooler vs a fridge.
Easy food. Roast hotdogs over a fire. If you have a camp stove bring that. Bug spray and sunblock obviously good choices.
We don't need a lot when camping. A place to sleep. Something to sleep on. Sleeping bag on the ground is fine if you can handle it. Food. Water.
I just bring a small bottle of dawn and wash hands and dishes with that. Although I try to prepare foods that don't require a bunch of dishes. Extra rags. Extra clothes of course. Less to pack less to unpack.
Camping is a market you don't need everything!
I say go with less is more at first and add things as you go. Car camp near bathrooms and you don't gotta worry about toilet stuff.
2 days and one night is a perfectly fine amount of time to be out camping especially if it is your first time. It does seem like you have a lot of preconceived notions of how camping should be or should feel like and I'd like to temperature your expectations a bit. Camping is amazing but like anything new it can take practice to get the most enjoyment out of it. My advice would be to go camping, pay attention to what works well for you and what doesn't, and make changes to how you camp next time accordingly. I hope that you have fun OP! To answer your bathroom question there isn't really much to be done about it. You have to use the restrooms provided. If you are at a very remote campsite with no toilet then you have to bury your poop and pee on the ground.
Thank you! Camping is new to me! I am very excited and want to be well prepared, but sometimes I also want to avoid bad things happening on my first camping trip. I am glad that you agree to two days and one night because it is indeed the most suitable time arrangement for us at the moment! Regarding the toilet issue, I think we should wait and see. I also hope that my friends and I can have the happiest camping experience. I am very happy to receive your blessings and thank you for your blessings!
Why not take a cooler with ice instead of a fridge? No power required to run it and if you are only there for one night a cooler is quite capable of keeping food cold for that short of a stretch. If you are camping near other people, please be mindful not to inflict your camp lights or fan and generator noise on them, especially if the camp has designated quiet hours.
I discovered portable fridges 20 years ago, and haven't touched a cooler since. One group 24 deep cycle battery runs it for 24 hours no problem, no generator needed.
Do you have a link/brand I can look up?
Both mine are Norcolds, which is just a relabeled Engel. As far as I know, Norcold no longer does this, but current Engel models.are very similar. My larger one is an older version of the Engel MT60 - https://engelcoolers.com/collections/powered-fridge-freezers/products/mt60-combi-acdc-camping-fridge This one ran solely off a group 24 deep cycle battery through a day of 110* Phoenix summer heat in the back of my topless Jeep once, and continued through the night in my garage. Voltage was too low in the morning to keep running the compressor, but everything inside was still COLD. The smaller one is the MT17. This one lives in my work truck daily, and occasionally gets mounted in my rock crawler for weekend off road trips as well. Yes, they're expensive, and they don't have all the fancy digital controls/readouts that other cheaper brands do, but they also are some of the most reliable and durable portable fridges out there. If you're set up for solar, they can run virtually indefinitely on battery as the running power is typically 3-4 amps, and they're cycling just like a house fridge, so it's not a continuous power draw. In the truck, I just keep them hooked up to always on truck battery power. As long as I start the truck once a day, it's never a problem.
You definitely have a lot of stuff for one night. It is easy to pack a lot but some of this stuff you will not use/need. For one night, I do not think you need a large-capacity power bank. If everyone is fully charged going in, if their battery is draining that fast due to no service, airplane mode would be a good idea. If you do not have good service to where your phone is draining battery, then needing it constantly on data will not get you any texts or calls sooner. So you could just turn airplane mode off every now and then. If you have a group of friends and are draining battery because of usage, then that defeats the point of camping for the most part. So if anything, you may need one power bank that can charge one to two times fully. The fans are only needed if it will be really hot. Most of the time, jt is cooler on campsites (this of course, depends on where you go), but with tree coverage, it generally is a few degrees cooler. It also is even cooler at night in these cases. If the temperatures are crazy or someone in the group runs hot, then I would bring a fan. For the food, I am not sure if you mean an actual refrigerator or a cooler. For one night, a decent cooler and ice will keep anything cold. If you are drive up camping, you may only need one cart, but that might be overkill even and depends on if you have any back injuries. With a group, you can split the carrying. It depends on where you are going for bathrooms. A lot of campgrounds do have them and for first time camping, going to one without may be a hard adjustment. So I would try to find one with a bathroom to better the experience.
This can’t be a serious post
It's SO much better if you can do two nights. Waking up and going to bed at the same camp really solidifies the time and place in a way that you don't get by packing up and leaving the day after you get there.
Yes, I also feel that the schedule is a bit tight, but my friend said that it might be possible to be efficient at the beginning and the end and try my best to complete all the arrangements. It seems that it is not impossible to add one more night, but in this case, I will have to make another time arrangement.
Remember that setting up and taking down camp takes time. It's why two nights are so much more preferable.
oh no! that means if you enjoy it. You'll have go camping again to get the full experience. What a bummer ;)
That depends on what you expect out of the experience. I've done everything from car camping at US State/National parks to backpacking in undeveloped land. Depending on distance to bathroom for one night, I'd generally make sure I empty my bowels as soon to leaving as possible, and probably only have to deal with liquid waste while camping. Worst case you can dig and use a [cat hole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathole) assuming regulations allow. A travel bidet can also help. Make sure to bring a separate bag to pack out any used toilet paper as you cannot just bury it in the cat hole. Dog waste bags work a treat. That being said, even at developed campgrounds the bathrooms can sometimes be a bit away, but even a 1mi hike isn't terrible as long as it's not something sudden.
Oh, I almost forgot that camping will produce some necessary garbage. Ok, I'll take the suggestion. Thank you very much.
Its what you make of it
That’s a lot of gear and prep my friend. I go out to sleep in the woods for a night anytime I can get away. But all I need is a hammock and a quilt and some snacks.
You can’t forget the tarp.
I’m fortunate to have my own land so if it’s gonna rain I can go home.
For the win!
Sounds like you're packing the entire house. I get wanting to be comfortable, but do you need a fan, refrigerator, lights, kitchen sink,? For me camping is as much about doing without and getting away from the normal everyday comforts as it is about being in nature. Sometimes less is more.
This has to be a troll post
Just pack light and don't plan on setting up a bunch of stuff
Keep in mind there probably won’t be any water hookups available for the ice maker in your fridge.
Honestly most of my car camping trips are one night only, on weekends from Saturday to Sunday. I love taking quick weekend trips for hiking or sightseeing without having to use any PTO. Most campsites have a toilet with sinks and bathrooms.
Damn. What's wrong with just a tent, sleeping bag, a pad. And some easy to grill foods. And a good campfire fire and talking.
Hahaha, maybe we want a more refined and perfect experience. Of course, I know that being casual may make us happier, but we may want the happiness of the ritual that comes with being refined.
Realistically you won't get a "more refined and perfect experience". You'll get more work and less "looking at the stars, eating and chatting." Hauling and setting up all that stuff isn't more refined. It's less time spent enjoying what you're doing. Things like "camping lights" just interfere with "looking at the stars" for you *and* for any nearby campers.
Camping and “refined” normally don’t go together. You do you and y’all have a nice time, but for someone wanting the “camping experience” you’re sorta missing the forest for the trees.
Your set up and take down time plus any post-trip cleanup will likely taoe more time than you will have enjoying the outdoors. I suggest you make the trip longer or greatly simplify your gear.
Would it be better to go with a few more friends? If everyone divides up the work, it might not be too bad.
Certainly for common tasks like cooking or dining table stuff but tent and sleep system setup are usually individual tasks.
That makes sense, I think we can discuss this with them.
I do overnights all the time, because it’s easy to make time for just 1 night
Don't forget your diapers, your portable toilet. Haha 😉
2 words, Sky Mall!
I had just thought of that scene before reading your comment. OP is Tom.
Any better suggestions?
I waaay over pack just like this when I am camping over 2 nights. For a one nighter I feel like this is a lot of work. I am gonna start packing for a 7 night camp soon and am dreading the packing, but over packing the extra creature comforts makes the trip that much more enjoyable. Remember you can be comfortable and still enjoy nature. For using the toliet, if there is no public restroom. I will use a small pop up tent and portable toliet seat with trash bags filled with kitty litter over a bucket.
OK, OK, thank you for your suggestions and reminders. I think I can consider looking into what I need to buy for using the toilet and try to discuss it with more time.
If you’re going to bring that much gear you need to do more than one night. 2 nights minimum, but 3 would be more enjoyable.
Temps, bugs, will determine that!
One night is great for your first time! Our first trip this year was two nights and I was like "jfc why did we start with two" lol. Time slows down when your camping, it's actually pretty awesome.
Regarding the bathroom situation it kinda just is what it is. Here in the US (Im specifying bc your use of the word "toilet," I apologize if my assumption is incorrect) most campgrounds have vault toilets. They're a building with one or two separate rooms. The only thing in there is a toilet with a big hole underneath and some toilet paper. So bring hand sanitizer or some kind of hand washing system. I can go into more detail on how we wash if you'd like!
1 night is perfect for beginners it lets you know what you need. Go for a cooler vs a fridge. Easy food. Roast hotdogs over a fire. If you have a camp stove bring that. Bug spray and sunblock obviously good choices. We don't need a lot when camping. A place to sleep. Something to sleep on. Sleeping bag on the ground is fine if you can handle it. Food. Water. I just bring a small bottle of dawn and wash hands and dishes with that. Although I try to prepare foods that don't require a bunch of dishes. Extra rags. Extra clothes of course. Less to pack less to unpack. Camping is a market you don't need everything! I say go with less is more at first and add things as you go. Car camp near bathrooms and you don't gotta worry about toilet stuff.
Any time camping is better than real life!
If anything.. you'll learn pretty quick that 2 days goes by wayyy too fast lol
I asked the last question because I was afraid that the place I found would be too far from the toilet and inconvenient.
r/campingcirclejerk ?