Vehicle guide
Car camping in a Ram 1500
Cook off the tailgate, sleep in the bed or beside it. Here is the kit for a couple: $931, in stock on Amazon today.
The kit: 9 items, ~$931
Amazon prices, checked daily. Affiliate links: we earn a commission on Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you.
Sleeping in the bed? Swap the tent below for a Ram 1500 truck bed tent.
Tent
Marmot Crane Creek 3-Person Tent
- Fits:
- 3 person
- Rating:
- 3-season+
~$299
Check price on AmazonSleeping Bag (x2)
Kelty Cosmic 40°F Sleeping Bag
- Comfort to:
- 40°F
- Fill:
- Synthetic
~$80 each (x2)
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Klymit Insulated Static V Sleeping Pad
- Warmth:
- Cool nights (R 4.4)
- Type:
- Inflatable
~$73 each (x2)
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Coleman Classic 52-Quart Cooler
- Holds:
- 52 qt
- Keeps ice:
- 3 days
~$55
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Coleman Cooler Quad Chair
- Packs:
- Standard quad
- Supports:
- 325 lbs
- Seat:
- Padded
~$35 each (x2) last checked Jan 30
Check price on AmazonCamp Lighting
Coleman 1000-Lumen LED Lantern (BatteryGuard)
- Brightness:
- 1000 lumens
~$43
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Lepro Rechargeable LED Headlamp
- Brightness:
- 300 lumens
- Power:
- Rechargeable
~$10
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Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Stove
- Burners:
- 2
- Fuel:
- Propane
~$84
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Fire-Maple Feast 12-Piece Camp Cookware Set
- Pieces:
- 12
- Surface:
- Steel
~$65
Check price on AmazonOne press puts the whole kit in your cart; take out anything you already own there.
Stock and prices checked daily (how we pick).
Not quite you? Change who is coming, the quality tier or the season - your 1500 stays filled in.
Why the 1500 changes the kit
A full-size vehicle: any tent, cooler or chair we list fits - nothing has to pack small.
RamBox storage bins are perfect for stove, fuel, and dirty boots. Air suspension trim makes loading easier.
Sleeping in the bed
The bed is the bedroom and the cab is the closet.
- Bed tent: sized to the 1500's bed, a flat platform off the ground in a few minutes. A short bed (about five feet) means a six-foot adult sleeps diagonally, or picks a tent that extends over the open tailgate.
- Cap or topper: a pad inside does the same job, in any weather.
- Dry weather: a tarp over the bed rails and a bivy.
- Cooler and food ride in the cab - an open bed is not weatherproof storage.
- No bed tent or cap? Pitch the kit's tent beside the truck.
Sized to the bed, so not in the kit: a Ram 1500 truck bed tent and a truck bed air mattress, both on Amazon.
Common questions
Is the Ram 1500 good for car camping?
Yes. It is a full-size vehicle, so a standard car-camping kit fits without a roof box.
Can you sleep inside a Ram 1500?
In the bed, yes: a truck-bed tent or a cap with a pad inside makes a flat platform off the ground. The cab is too short to lie flat, and an open bed is not weatherproof storage, so the cooler and food ride in the cab.
What gear should I pack?
The kit above. Change the group, budget or season and it rebuilds.