If you’re going to go camping anytime in the near future, you need to take the right car with you. It might not be the first thing you think about when it comes to holiday planning, but it really can make or break your time in the great outdoors.
Make sure you have the best tent money can buy, pack as many non-perishable foods as you can, keep an eye on the weather forecast every day, and drive to the campsite in a vehicle you can trust.
If you’re not sure why your car matters, we’ve got a few reasons to check out below. All the best camping trips start in a great vehicle, and you should never underestimate just how massive the outside world can get without one!
You Need as Much Space as Possible
Camping isn’t something you pack light for. Sure, you’ve probably seen a lot of people taking one backpack and making it back in one piece, but it takes a lot of experience to manage that. If this is your first time camping, or it’s your first time camping in over a decade, you’re going to need plenty of room in the car to bring along anything you could ever need!
Don’t take this point lightly. You’re going to need space to figure out how to approach camping trips in the future. If you’ve got a tiny car that doesn’t have much of a boot, it might be time to hire something a little bigger that you can fit both the tent and the luggage in.
You’re Likely to Drive Off Road
If you’re going camping, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in grassy fields, dense forests, and trekking up and down dusty or muddy roads. If you’re planning to take a car that won’t handle these terrains very well, you’re not going to have a very good time. You might even get stuck, need to call for help, and potentially even ruin the quality of your vehicle for the future.
To prevent a disaster like this from occurring, make sure you take a vehicle that’s ready to tackle all terrains and elements. Look into RAM Trucks in the UK, whether you want to buy or hire, or check out various 4×4 models that’ll make the camp site easier to get to. No matter where you’re heading and how friendly it is for beginner campers, there’s always a chance of a heavy car with poor handling getting stuck in the mud just inside the front gate!
You Might Have to Tow Something
Not solely camping out in a tent? No problem! Just make sure you’re driving a vehicle that’s capable of towing a folding camper, trailer tent, or caravan behind it. Not all cars will have the required power for this, so it might be worth testing if your vehicle has got what it takes.
To do this, check out this guide on finding your car’s maximum towing capacity. It’s very important to work out this formula before you go. Even if you’re not worried about feeling burdened whilst on the open road, you might need to drive up a hill or two during the journey, and you don’t want to get stuck somewhere you’re likely to rollback.
You Don’t Want to Break Down in the Middle of Nowhere
Say you run out of fuel and the nearest service is still ten miles away. Or maybe the tires burst from the pressure of needing to cross terrain they’re not supposed to be used for. How do you salvage the trip and make sure you all get home again in one piece? You take the right car in the first place.
Don’t learn this the hard way; if you’re unsure about your car’s performance in any way, don’t rely on it to get you there and back. You can still go camping, you just need something more reliable to drive that won’t let you down.
You’ll Want to Minimise Your Impact on the Environment
Camping takes place in the great outdoors – it would be pretty ironic to head out and pitch a tent if you’re not also mindful of your carbon footprint. If your car is emission heavy, and you’ve still got around 100 miles to go before you reach your desired camping spot, the environment around you is going to suffer.
To prevent this, make sure you’re only driving as far as you need to, and try to use a vehicle that’ll keep fuel costs low. Of course, if you’re really worried about this effect, you could hire an EV instead.
You Need Somewhere to Sleep in a Pinch
Camping isn’t always a good idea, no matter how much of a survivalist you’d like to think you are. That’s why you should be driving a more roomy car that can handle all terrain and weather types; it’s a model you can really rely on. Indeed, if a tent gets ripped and there’s wild animals around, or it’s storming and it’s unsafe to be outside, you’ll want to have a car you can spend the night in.
As such, if your car won’t allow you to get a decent night’s sleep, it probably isn’t the best one to take along. You need to be sure you can recline the seat without forcing it into anyone’s lap, and you shouldn’t be worried about the doors being forced open from the outside.
If there’s room to get comfortable and it feels safe to be inside, you won’t have to worry about unsuitable camping conditions. It won’t be a common issue you have to contend with, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Taking the right car camping is invaluable to a good holiday experience. If you’re going to be at the mercy of the weather for a good week or two, a strong four wheel drive with plenty of space in the back will help you have a good time.
