This post is all about the best SUV camping setup, so if you’re looking for endless budget-friendly road trips without sacrificing your memory foam bed, electronics or privacy, you’re in the right place.
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Luxury SUV Camping Setup
My husband and I have been on a variety of car camping USA road trips now, and I can confidently say that we have cracked the code for maximizing comfort and luxury while camping in the back of our SUV. Even if we’re camping on primitive BLM land without any hookups, we are still able to sleep well and enjoy our time out in nature with this luxury SUV camping setup. I’m going to go over all of the accessories in detail next, but here’s a quick list of all of our favorite SUV camping gear. For reference, the SUV we own is a midsize 2016 Lincoln MKX.
- Luno Inflatable AIR Vehicle Mattress — custom fit for our SUV make and model.
- Luno Memory Foam Topper — custom fit for our air mattress.
- Fitted Mattress Sheet from Luno — custom fit for our air mattress.
- Two Person Sleeping Bag Comforter from Luno — custom fit for our air mattress
- Luno Car Window Screens for privacy — we use size medium for our midsize SUV.
- Luno Car Privacy Curtain.
- Portable rechargeable fan or Luno Car Camping Fan.
- Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station.
- Cigarette lighter outlet.
- Seatback organizers.
- Magnetic shoe storage bag.
- Outdoor ground mat.
- Lightweight camping chairs.
- Sleeping bag or washable comforter like the one linked above.
- Pillow from home or inflatable camping pillow.
- Lanterns.
- Headlamp.
- String lights.
- Handwarmers.
Best SUV Camping Accessories
Now, let’s dive deeper into all of these accessories and determine what’s honestly worth the money and packing space. Because, let’s face it, we’re all looking to save money when possible, and space is tight when you have to share backseat space with all your luggage and camping gear.
Custom Luno Inflatable AIR Vehicle Mattress
First off, I bought this Luno Inflatable AIR Vehicle Mattress for Kenny for Christmas, and we both love it. It’s custom fit to the make and model of your vehicle, ensuring that it maximizes every SUV’s limited space. It is way more comfortable than sleeping only in a sleeping bag, and it fully inflates and deflates in a matter of seconds. We always wake up to a fully inflated mattress — it has never deflated during the night. Plus, it doubles as an emergency air mattress at home if you don’t already own one.
Matching Luno Memory Foam Topper
To make our car camping setup even more comfortable, we paired the custom air mattress with the matching Luno Memory Foam Topper, also custom to the make and model of your vehicle. If you don’t sleep well while camping — or even on air mattresses at home — I definitely think this topper is worth the additional cost. It makes the mattress feel softer, warmer and overall more luxe. Plus, the topper, although bulky, folds surprisingly flat, so it doesn’t take up too much additional space.
Luno Fitted Mattress Sheet
Moreover, the Luno Fitted Mattress Sheet is a fantastic add to your SUV camping setup if you have the spare funds or if you are gifting the setup like I was. Again, the sheet is customized to fit your vehicle mattress. And, it still fits well over the memory foam topper. Is it completely necessary with sleeping bags? No. But, it helped us keep our pricy custom mattress clean after long days of hiking and walking through dirt campsites.
Packable Camping Pillow
A pillow can really make or break your comfort when sleeping. Sometimes, you may have spare room in your SUV setup for your comfortable full-size pillow from home. Other times, you may be extra limited on packing space and/or weight. When you’re limited on space and weight, a packable inflatable camping pillow like this one is worth bringing. I bought mine in store at Sierra for 50% off, and it was definitely worth the purchase.
Luno Car Privacy Curtain
If you couldn’t already tell, we love our Luno car camping gear. And, no, this blog post is not sponsored by Luno. Another Luno product we loved on our most recent road trip is the Luno Car Privacy Curtain. It’s fairly easy to set up, even for setup illiterates like me. But, what I like most about this curtain is that you can open it and drive with the curtain hung during the day, minimizing your camp setup time at night. I did have to tighten the curtain each night, but that may have been my own fault. I’m setup illiterate, remember?
Luno Car Window Screens
Similarly, the Luno Car Window Screens were substantially better than I expected. Because of the mesh material, I wasn’t sure how much privacy they would actually provide. However, with these privacy curtains you cannot see through the windows from the outside one bit. Between the privacy curtain, these window screens and our tinted back window, we felt we had complete privacy. We use the medium size window screens for our midsize SUV, but check the size guide before purchasing your own. I personally think these screens are a must.
Sleeping Bags And Blankets
Obviously, sleeping bags and/or blankets are a SUV camping setup essential. While any sleeping bag will do, make sure that it will be warm enough for your camping destination, keeping in mind that desert climates descend below freezing at night even in the summer. (I learned this the hard way. Learn from my mistake.) I usually use my Kelty Cosmic 20 Down mummy sleeping bag for car camping, and I love that it’s thick yet lightweight. If you want a more luxurious SUV car camping setup, consider bringing a washable down comforter.
Two Person Sleeping Bag Comforter
Or, if you really want to splurge on comfort, a fluffy two person sleeping bag will bring your SUV camping setup to the next level. We have the Luno sleeping bag comforter. Because this comforter is also a Luno product, it’s custom fit to strap around the mattress to stay in place through the night.
Portable Fan
Not only is adequate air circulation vital when car camping, but it will also help you sleep significantly better. I love my rechargeable portable fan for travel. I bring this fan on every trip, regardless of whether I’m sleeping in my SUV or a luxury hotel. At home, I always sleep with a fan on, so this fan’s white noise helps me sleep better away from home too.
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station
Additionally, a power source is imperative for SUV camping, as you will need to recharge your phone, smartwatch, camera batteries, fan, etc. while off the grid — especially if you are camping on primitive campsites as opposed to established paid campsites with electricity access. I was gifted the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 portable power station, and this solar-powered generator is a beast. I genuinely have no complaints about it other than perhaps its heavy weight, which is to be expected given how powerful it is.
Car Outlet
Alternatively (or in addition), a car outlet like this one for your car’s cigarette lighter port will sufficiently charge your electronic essentials while SUV camping for a fraction of the price and packing size. Also, you can pack a car outlet in your checked bag if flying to your road trip destination. Whereas, you cannot check large lithium-ion batteries like those that power most camping generators. Just remember to only use it when your car is actively running so that you don’t kill your car battery.
Lantern Or Other Light Source
Another key car camping essential is a light source. Your SUV camping setup light source could be something as simple as a flashlight. But, I recommend having lanterns (we have these lanterns from Amazon) and/or these Ogery camping string lights (gifted – use code indigosahara10 for 10% off the string lights) to hang for hands-free lighting. We hang these lights on the coat hooks inside our SUV at night. Moreover, I always bring my Black Diamond headlamp for easy nighttime camp setup and teardown. I love that this headlamp has a red light option to keep your eyes adjusted at night and to prevent shining unsolicited light into others’ campsites.
Backpacking Chairs For Camping
Lastly, if we’re being honest with ourselves, no matter how much luxury gear we buy for our SUV camping setup, SUVs are still tight quarters. Having camping chairs readily available for meals outdoors, marshmallow roasting or when you just need some fresh air on your camping trip is fabulous. Like our camping pillows, we found discounted lightweight camp chairs for backpacking at Sierra. If you have a Sierra location near you, it might be worth checking in store for discounted gear. Otherwise, I also have a full-size outdoor chair from Portal that I really like. Here’s a link to their camping chairs.
How do you sleep in an SUV camping?
Clearly, having the best gear for your SUV camping setup can make or break your trip. Now, here are a few bonus tips to help you sleep in an SUV camping.
- Have a comfortable SUV camping setup (as shown above).
- Book an established campsite at a state park, national park or private campground.
- Or, find a free primitive campsite on BLM land or other public land.
- Find free primitive campsites on boondocking websites like The Dyrt, iOverlander or Campendium.
- Plan and practice your setup before your trip to minimize setup time on your trip.
- Get to your campsite 1-2 hours before dark for easier setup.
- Have a portable fan inside your SUV for adequate air circulation.
- Bring sleep aid to help you sleep through the night if desired.
Getting excited for your next SUV camping trip? Get inspiration for your next road trip destination in this blog post.
SUV Camping Setup Trip Planning Guides
Best USA Road Trips For Adventurers
Ultimate National Park Trip Planning Step-By-Step Guide
10 Tips For Visiting National Parks On A Budget
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