Hot takes are, well, hot right now, so we’re getting in on the fun with eight hot takes on all things car camping. Expect controversy. Expect mountain myths to be busted and camping misconceptions to finally get cleared up. Expect to laugh—maybe cry. But before we dive into these heavy-hitting hot takes, a quick word from our sponsors.

These hot takes are brought to you by the Luno Car Window Screens and Luno Car Camping Fan - the perfect way to stay cool when the going gets hot. Luno Car Window Screens stretch over your car doors, so you can roll the windows down and let in the breeze without inviting any mosquitoes to the party. No breeze? No problem. B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Breeze) with Luno’s portable, powerful, and efficient Car Camping Fan, which has a suction cup mount for easy aiming and runs off your car jack or a power bank. If you’re camping in the heat this summer, don’t leave home without them. And that’s no hot take—that’s common sense.

8 Hard-Hitting Hot Takes On Car Camping, Backpacking, Twinkle Lights, And More

1. Car camping is more fun than backpacking

Now, don’t get us wrong. We love backpacking. It’s challenging and rewarding, a great way to push your body and mind, connect with nature and your fellow trekkers, and see jaw-dropping slices of wilderness that are otherwise inaccessible. But we’ve also got to say that car camping is simply more fun than backpacking. And please, don’t @ us on this one. 

Here’s the thing: when you’re car camping, you don’t need to hump your gear in like a bipedal camel. You can literally carry as much junk as you can cram in your trunk. All of your gear can come along for the ride, from surfboards and mountain bikes to fly rods and climbing paraphernalia. You can even bring toys like bocce ball and cornhole. Plus, you can bring way more of your favorite beverages. You just drive in, make camp, and then have the ultimate base camp to stay, play, and dive deeper in nature. 

Let’s just put it this way. We’ve never had a silent disco dance party while backpacking, but we’ve definitely done just that while car camping.

2. If you bring dehydrated meals car camping, you can’t sit with us 

We're just kidding here, everyone is welcome at our table. But look, if we’re on a backpacking trip, by all means, let’s eat dehydrated beef stroganoff for four days in a row. Assuming we’re camped in a high-alpine meadow unreachable by car, we’ll happily let astronaut food wreak havoc on our digestive tract while sharing a cramped, malodorous Dutch Oven of a tent. But when we’re car camping? Please, let’s just leave the dehydrated meals at home.
 
There’s a common misconception that it’s hard to eat fresh, healthy food while camping, and that’s just not true at all. As we mentioned in the last hot take, when you’re car camping, you have ample trunk space, and savvy camp cooks take advantage of it!  We like to bring a cooler packed with fresh proteins and veggies, not to mention a two-burner camp stove, pots and pans, spices, utensils, you name it. Honestly, sometimes we eat better at camp than we do at home. 

Needless to say, when you step up your car camping cooking game, the dehydrated meals start to shrivel up in comparison (which is saying something, since dehydrated meals are naturally shriveled up already).

Need some camp cooking inspo, help planning a menu, or alternatives to dehydrated meals? Check out 11 of our favorite camp recipes here, and our guide to the ultimate camp kitchen, where we break down our favorite kitchen gear, organization tips, and more.

3. You don't need a fancy rig to enjoy car camping

As much as every outdoor enthusiast wants a decked-out Sprinter van parked in their driveway, these pricey adventure rigs aren’t necessary to camp comfortably. In fact, this is the precise reason we founded Luno over six years ago: we wanted to help folks with run-of-the-mill SUVs and hatchbacks sleep well in their vehicles while camping.
 
Our current line-up of car camping mattresses will help you transform your ordinary vehicle into an extraordinary adventure mobile. So long as your back seats lie flat or you’ve got a flat truck bed, you can sleep well while car camping, without the six-figure spend.

4. Campgrounds aren’t worth it (most of the time)

This one’s a bit of a joke, as we really appreciate campground amenities like potable water, fire pits, and bathrooms, not to mention the hard work that goes into maintaining and managing these vital outdoor spaces. But when you’re car camping, you don’t need to pay to camp at campgrounds at all if you don’t want to. 
How so? We skip the fees by camping on free public land, namely BLM land and National Forest Service land. Additionally, car campers can even camp in certain Walmart parking lots, rest stops, and even quiet neighborhoods or urban centers—things that just aren’t possible in a conspicuous tent setup. Let’s face it, sometimes the priority is to just get some good sleep.

Want to learn more tricks of the trade to find free car camping? Check our complete guide to finding free car camping here.

5. Plugging back in when you’re unplugged is pretty fun

We love to unplug in nature, and we’ll happily do so for days on end. But our abstinence from gadgetry is by no means stringent. Translation? We like to watch the occasional movie while camping. Sue us!

If you’re camping on a rainy night and you can’t so much as start a campfire, snuggling up on your Luno Mattress and watching a movie on your phone can be a blast. That’s precisely why we integrated a transparent media pocket into our car-camper-approved Cargo Hammock. You can lie back on your mattress, burrow into your sleeping bag, and enjoy the most scenic drive-in movie theater in the world. 

On a bigger scale, you can even grab a portable projector, hang a sheet in the woods, and watch a movie with friends. For the brave, horror films are best enjoyed in this manner. Just make sure that you’re in a remote area where fellow campers aren’t in earshot. That way, your plugged-in evening won’t annoy other parties.

6. Camping doesn’t need to be expensive

Camping, especially car camping, doesn’t need to be expensive. Of course, good gear isn’t cheap. But when you’re car camping, you don’t need a tent, because you’re camping inside your vehicle. And in the summer, you don’t need a sleeping bag either, as you can get away with a set of sheets and a light blanket. (We actually prefer to camp like this. It’s super comfortable and one of the biggest advantages of car camping.) All you really need is a solid mattress, and if you want to save some dough there, you can always check out our outlet section for deals.

7. You should sleep better at camp than you do at home

There’s a common misconception that sleepless nights are par for the course while camping, and campers are doomed to toss and turn. What a load of hooey. We think you should sleep just as well at camp as you do at home—if not better.

Why? Well, first of all, when we’re camping, we’re usually spending our days getting after it. Whether we’re mountain biking or climbing, backcountry skiing or fly fishing, we’re pretty damn tired by the time the sun goes down.
 
But the biggest reason we sleep so well at camp is that we know what to pack. Here’s what we’re bringing on every adventure to ensure we sleep well, no matter where we’re camping:

A comfortable mattress: A comfy mattress is the biggest catalyst for a good night’s sleep in the great outdoors. If you’re new to camping, we recommend you consider a car camping mattress. These mattresses fit in the back of your SUV, hatchback, or truck and turn your vehicle into a cozy cabin on wheels, keeping you up off the bumpy ground and on a level sleeping platform.

Eyeshades: Eyeshades are your friend on a camping trip, that’s for sure. Nature can be bright - who knew? 

Bedding for the weather at hand: Check the weather before your camping trip. If the mercury is going to plummet, pack accordingly with warm sleeping bags or a toasty comforter. If it’s hot and you’re using a car camping mattress, stick with sheets and light blankets from home.

Airflow is awesome: As we mentioned already, our Car Camping Fan and Car Window Screens allow you to generate welcome airflow on warm, muggy nights.

If your days are full of adventures and you’re packing these sleep essentials, we bet you’ll snooze just fine at camp—no melatonin required.

8. Twinkle lights aren’t just for Christmas

There is a reason every back patio has a set of string lights. It adds a touch of warmth, magic, and coziness that the dark night is lacking. 

These lovely lights add unbeatable ambience to your camping setup, whether you drape them up in the trees, around the outside of your vehicle, or even inside your rig. They add a touch of luminance, so you can better see your surroundings at night, but more than that, they just look warm, cozy, and delightful. 

Don’t believe us? Check out our Camping String Lights, which are purpose-built for car camping, and see for yourself (pun very much intended).

One Not-So-Hot Take Before We Go

A hot take, by definition, is controversial. So we suppose that makes this last one a “not-so-hot take,” because there’s no controversy here. Ready? Spending time in nature is rad. 

All jokes aside, getting outside is just the best. No matter if you’re heading out on a dehydrated-meal-fueled backpacking trip or car camping with a trunk full of gear and beer, we hope your next adventure is one for the books. 

Thanks as always for reading, and we’ll see you on the road.

-The Luno Crew