Most people know that to pull off a successful road trip you need three things: good company, a great destination, and the right music. However,听the way you pack the car also makes a huge difference in how听much fun you have.
Can鈥檛 reach the snacks? Major fail. Need to unpack the entire trunk just to dig out your camera? You missed the shot. It took me a while to learn that no matter how well organized听the cooler is, if听it鈥檚 buried under a bunch of other stuff, the LaCroix you bring听for the road听will stay there until you reach camp鈥攁nd camp is for IPA, not flavored sparkling water.
贬别谤别鈥檚 how to properly pack for a road trip听and some gear to help you do it.
1. Know What Your Car Can Handle
First and foremost, consider the vehicle you鈥檒l take and the storage space it听has. If you overload your rig, you can hamper听its driving characteristics, capability, and safety. Before you pack, look up the听gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and payload capacity, which are听usually printed on that little sticker on the inside of the driver鈥檚-side door or in your owner鈥檚 manual. These numbers tell you how much stuff (passengers, cargo, etc.) your car, truck, or SUV听can handle once it鈥檚 fully loaded. A 2019 Toyota Tacoma, for example, has a a GVWR of 5,600 pounds and a payload capacity of up to 1,620 pounds.听That information is especially important if your road trip involves pulling a trailer of some kind. And in the era of rooftop tents, it鈥檚 easy to put too much weight in and on听a crossover or smaller vehicle with four adults, all of their stuff, and some adventure toys like bikes or kayaks.
2. Use a Rack
You don鈥檛 need a huge truck or a giant SUV with massive amounts of storage to road trip right. Get a roof box and rack for more space, or add a hitch-mount rack for bicycles听or coolers. Here are my favorite tools听for loading gear on top or behind your vehicle.
Thule Evo WingBars ($439 and Up for the Set)
罢丑耻濒别鈥檚 are stronger and more aerodynamic than ever, meaning you get a quieter ride. Fit your vehicle with a base system and these aftermarket bars, and you鈥檝e got the ability to haul听bikes, skis, a storage box, kayaks, or a rooftop tent with ease.
Thule Motion XT Alpine Box听($800)
Even if you鈥檝e got room in your vehicle for almost everything, it鈥檚 worth investing in a good rooftop storage box. One of these听will let you pack the stuff you don鈥檛 need during the drive up top, so you can keep essentials handy inside the car. Bonus: you鈥檒l actually be able to see out of the rearview mirror. With a capacity of 16 cubic feet and capable of holding up to 165 pounds, 听can carry as many as seven pairs of skis or five听snowboards.
Kuat NV 2.0 Hitch Mount听($649)
My favorite way to bring bikes on a road trip is with a hitch rack, because it leaves you room for a rooftop box. The best听bike rack you can buy is . I鈥檝e used mine for several years, and it still works flawlessly. The big draw is the rack鈥檚 versatility: it鈥檒l hold two bikes of pretty much any size, with room for up to 4.8-inch tires, and it comes with a built-in workstand.
3. Pull a Trailer
A trailer helps you transport gear and can also provide you with a simple sleeping space. Plus, you鈥檒l spend less money on hotel rooms and get better views by camping along your route.
Sylvansport Go听Trailer听($10,995 and Up)
is nice because it can act as a pop-up camper, utility trailer, or gear hauler. It only weighs 840 pounds, so you can tow it with just about听any kind of car with a hitch. The Go can carry a range of equipment听inside the adjustable-height trailer, and the top can accomodate bikes, kayaks, or other toys. The tent folds out in about ten听minutes, making it easy to set up camp when you stop for the night.
Yakima Easy Rider Cargo Trailer听($2,999)
听a simple cargo trailer, weighing just 175 pounds, that lets you turn it into a camper by putting听a rooftop tent on it.听With a 500-pound load capacity,听it can carry coolers, bikes, kayaks, and lots more.
4. Take Plenty of Water
Water is essential on a road trip, whether you鈥檙e dispersed-camping along the way or just need a drink between pit stops. It鈥檚 also nice to have some extra to听clean up.
Reliance Aqua-Tainer Jug听($19)
I like having five to seven gallons of drinking water on hand during a road trip, which cuts back on听plastic and is plenty for me, my wife, and our two dogs over a long weekend. holds seven gallons and has an easy-to-operate spout that makes filling bottles or washing camp dishes easy.
NEMO听Helio LX Portable Shower听($150)
A small, portable shower like the听 is another good option for water storage. The pressurized sprayer makes rinsing off at camp or hosing off bikes less of a chore.
5. Bring Plenty of Snacks
This is a no-brainer. The key here is to make sure you can get to them quickly and don鈥檛 have to dig through an iced-down cooler in the back of the truck.听
Dometic CF 25 Electric Cooler ($650)
Overlanders and RV types figured out the electric-cooler (or mobile-refrigerator) game a long time ago. It keeps your food and drinks cool without requiring you to stop for ice all the time. Dometic products come in all shapes and sizes, but is small and light enough to fit in most vehicles. The Dynamic Battery Protection System automatically shuts off the product to prevent a dead car battery. You can also run it from a solar-power system or other external sources.
OtterBox Venture 25 Cooler ($230)
is small enough to fit in the trunk of your car听and compatible with a ton of fun accessories, like cutting boards, side tables, and cup holders. You will need ice, but since this one can keep ice from melting for听up to ten听days, at least you won鈥檛 have to stop as much.
6. Give Everything a Place
There鈥檚 a good reason your dad was so anal about packing the car for a family road trip when you were a kid: knowing where all of your stuff is, and having easy access to it, keeps everyone happy.
Kelty Big G Tote ($90)
Designed to store听camping gear as a part of the Kelty GYST听(Get Your Shit Together) system, is basically a giant tote that you can fill听with smaller cubes to hold all of your stuff. It鈥檚 a great way to keep everthing听organized听on the听road.
YoGi Prime Backseat Car Organizer ($24)
Cargo pockets听that 听are great for keeping small essentials close at hand during a road trip. Use them for snacks, tissues, trash bags, and reading material.