What to pack: camping in a Jeep Tent with a toddler!

1. PACK EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED!

I mean this whole heartedly. I thought I packed Kai enough diapers and I definitely did not! There were no stores in the area (we are overlanding so we were remote!).

You don't need boxes of food, the entire egg carton, a ton of dishes, etc. We have a portable dish set with a dish for each of us, enough eggs for our trip in a container, and we pack our food tight and without the boxes. Living off the grid is about learning what you need not what you want. Have a checklist, check it a few times.

The Army taught us smart ways to pack our clothing and gear so we are grateful for that because overlanding is all about making the most of the space you have.

2. PACK LAYERS! Even in the summer, mountain temps drop at night.

3. PROPANE STOVE

New Mexico has had some intense wildfires so campfires are prohibited right now. We bought this propane stove and it's perfect! East to set up, compact and fast at cooking!

4. BUY STORAGE

It's no lie Jeeps don't have a ton of storage. We realized quickly after packing our luggage and gear, that the back of the Jeep was filling up quickly. We bought these storage containers from Front Runner Vehicle Outfitters and they are perfect! They stack perfectly and fit right in our jeep with room to spare. We use one for our camping dishes and safety equipment and one is for our food. (Bear proof!).

5. PACK LIGHT SOURCES

We have battery operated lanterns, flashlights and headlamps. The headlamps are my favorite. We used to use them in the Army and they are perfect, especially for those midnight bathroom trips. :)

HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN FIT IN YOUR JEEP TENT?

We fit very comfortably and it's just the 3 of us. We know for sure we could fit one more child and still be super comfortable. The bed is a King sized bed and you can kneel upright and your head will not touch the top. It's very roomy.

HOW DOES YOUR TODDLER DO UP THERE? IS IT SAFE?

He loves it! We help climb the stairs and once inside, there are two layers (a mesh layer and the thick fabric layer) to the doors and they zip so it's impossible for him to open them.

IS IT HARD TO SET UP?

Not at all! You literally just take the rain over off, grab hold of the stairs and pull them to the side of the Jeep and the entire tent unfolds. You set up the rain covers and you're good to go. The mattress folds out with the tent so it's a quick 5 minute set up.

THE STORY

We have been waiting for Summer all winter long so we could take our Jeep and new overlanding gear to the mountains! We bought some cool gear and added it to our Jeep and hit the road on Friday night when Brandon got off work. Our plan was to drive to Cimarron campground and sleep there for the weekend but boy did our trip take a huge turn. We arrived at 11:00pm and the campground was closed! The website said it was going to open on Friday but I guess not.. good thing we have 4WD and a roof top tent! We found a secluded spot in the woods behind tall pines and pitched our tent there! It was our first time sleeping in our rooftop tent and it was so fun! There was more than enough space for the 3 of us and our fur baby Zia.

The sounds of the river was near, the sound of the pines blowing with the breeze filled our ears with peace. The smell of pure air and forest scents filled our noses with so much happiness. We feel so at peace when we are outside.

It was a short night so we went straight to bed then woke up to the sound of the river flowing. I made breakfast for my boys while Brandon and Kai played by the river. It was my first time using our propane grill so it was definitely a learning lesson. The only times I had ever camped were with my family and the mom's did all the cooking... now I'm the mom! :)

Brandon and I had to have our coffee and it came out so delicious from our percolator. A must have for off the grid coffee making!

After breakfast we were greeted by a forest ranger who told us we were actually camping illegally. Oops! We explained how we had driven >3 hours and the campground was closed and he explained how it was supposed to be open but the lovely governor changed her mind.. He was cool about it and told us to pack up and find a National Park because they're open unlike State parks???

After dinner, we decided to find a sleeping spot before dark. We couldn't find any national parks and didn't want to drive off the mountain so we had no choice but to park at an RV park. I was so bummed because the last we wanted was to be next to other people and in a developed area. We wanted to overland it! It turned out to be a beautiful spot. We got the last spot in the camp and parked with our tent facing the meadows where we could see wild llamas grazing and Kai ran in the meadow until mom and dad got tired.