Car Camping in a Sedan

The kit that fits a sedan trunk: 9 items, ~$947

Two people, warm weather, cooking. Essential tier, Amazon prices, checked daily. Affiliate links: we earn a commission on Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you.

Open this kit in the builder - or the same kit as Starter (~$385) or Premium (~$1,627) .

What does not fit, and what the kit uses instead

• ✗ Cabin tents (bag 28 in or longer) - instead, a dome tent that packs to about 20 in.
• ✗ Foam sleeping pads (a rolled 20 x 8 in tube each) - instead, air pads, 11 x 4 in packed.
• ✗ Standard quad chairs (35 in folded) - instead, backpacking-style chairs, 14 in packed.
• ✗ Coolers over 45 quarts (a third of the trunk) - instead, a 25-35 quart cooler in a corner.

Need more room? A rooftop cargo bag ($40-80) adds 10-15 cubic feet, straps through the door frames and needs no rack. Soft, light things go up top; the heavy things stay in the trunk.

Five packing tips

1. 1 Sleeping bags go in loose, not in stuff sacks: they fill the gaps around everything else.
2. 2 The cooler goes in last. It is the most rigid thing; pack around the space it needs.
3. 3 The back-seat floor is free space: chairs, shoes and small bags.
4. 4 No rear passengers? Fold one or both rear seats and the trunk opens into the cabin.
5. 5 Wear the bulky layers on the drive - the jacket and boots do not need trunk space.

Common questions