The allure of van life and camper conversions has captured the imagination of adventure seekers and travelers across the globe. While traditional camper vans are popular, SUVs/trucks offer a versatile and affordable alternative for those looking to explore the open road with a touch of comfort and convenience.
Car camping allows you to customize your travel experience, whether you're planning a weekend getaway in a remote area or a cross-country road trip in your converted ride.
Hele Outdoors specializes in creating modular car camping systems that convert almost any SUV/truck/van into an adventure seekers home on wheels. We’ve seen hundreds of conversions over the years and compiled a list of 6 Steps to convert your ride:
Step 1: The Vehicle
If you plan on taking the road less traveled through rugged terrain make sure your vehicle is equipped with 4-wheel drive and the appropriate rims, tires, and clearance. Staying on the pavement? Great! You can convert a vehicle that will likely get better mpgs.
How much sleeping space do you need? Most mid-sized vehicles max out their cargo length at about 72” (6ft). If you are well over 6ft tall then full-sized SUVs will be your best friend when car camping. Short kings/queens rejoice!
While many SUVs have the capacity to fit a 6ft sleeping platform, gaps from footwells or obstacles like uneven seats typically restrict you to much less.
If you want a system that will give you a full 6ft of sleeping length - check out the Hele Box! We make a car camping system that provides a level 6ft sleeping surface in an SUV/truck - it’s designed to conquer footwells and uneven obstacles in your cargo area + provide additional storage capacity.
Pro-tip: Removing the rear seats could be worth the time. They’re typically only held on by a few bolts and will open up a ton of extra cargo capacity!
Step 2: Designing Your Layout
Here’s the fun part - you get to prioritize sleeping space, storage, and cooking facilities based on your travel style!
Sketch out a basic floor plan that includes sleeping arrangements, storage compartments, and any additional features you desire, such as a foldable table or cooler.
The basic rule of thumb is to bring gear that solves multiple problems so you can conserve as much space/storage as possible.
Pro tip: Take a note of the tie-down points in your vehicle before designing your layout to ensure your setup stays secured when the road gets rough!
Step 3: Choosing Your Essential Components and Gear
This will vary depending on your preferences when car camping, but in general we recommend making room for these 7 essentials:
1 - Elevated Sleeping Platform. Whether you build your own or purchase a sleeping platform/storage/table system like the Hele Box - getting off the floor while car camping is mission critical.
An elevated sleeping platform allows for a full body length of additional storage/organization that you will need (especially on multi-day trips)
2 - Quality Sleeping Bag & Pad. There’s nothing worse than a bad night's sleep! Make sure you are comfy and warm so you can make the most of your trip.
3 - Cooler/Fridge. Nothing beats a delicious meal at your campsite!
4 - Camping Table. Lots of controversy on whether this is essential or not. We believe that a car camping table acts as the perfect gathering place to share awesome memories and create new ones.
Conveniently, the Hele Box triples as a camping table that you can easily set up from your car.
5 - Gear Box. The place for all of your car camping gear/miscellaneous items. When it comes to storage, look for a product that is compartmentalized so it's easy to identify and access what you need. The Hele Box case doubles as compartmentalized storage!
6 - Recovery Gear. Whether that means a simple road-side kit or a tow-rope and portable air compressor for 4x4 trails, make sure safety isn’t overlooked on your travels.
7 - Campsite. You can’t car camp without a campsite! Make sure you research and map out your travels accordingly.
For a more detailed look at these items, check out our 7 essentials to car camping list.
Step 4: Test Your Setup
Now it’s time to put it all together. Load up your ride with all of your essentials and organize them in the configuration you mapped out in Step 2.
Take your vehicle for a drive to make sure everything stays in place while on the road, give your sleeping space a good nap, and cook up a quick bite. Make adjustments as necessary.
Once you get everything dialed in, take a photo and write a checklist you can review before your next car camping trip.
Step 5: Plan Ahead
Enjoying your adventure is hard to do while constantly trying to find a place to sleep for the night. Doing your research beforehand to find dispersed or stealth car camping spots is ideal for embracing the journey as well as the destination.
Make sure you have a back up spot in case your original spot is already taken. This WILL happen, especially if you are car camping over popular holidays.
Check out ioverlander to map out awesome car camping spots.
Step 6: Get Out There!
Converting your ride into a camper is about embracing the spirit of adventure and self-sufficiency. Whether you’re chasing sunsets on coastal highways or stargazing in remote wilderness areas, your camper will be a testament to creativity and your key to freedom of the open road.
Remember, the journey is as important as the destination - so make sure to take time and smell the flowers along the way...
If you are using or planning to incorporate a Hele Box into your car camping setup, please tag us so we can share your adventure with our community!