Adventure Advice Vol. 3 With Luno Customer Experience Manager & Social Responsibility Lead, Karolina S.
Welcome to our new series, Adventure Advice. Each month, we’ll highlight a Luno team member, sharing both a snapshot of their story and a few of their favorite camping tips. Expect us to cover everything from their go-to road trip snacks to car camping wisdom they learned the hard way. Long story short? If you want to step up your game and camp like a pro, you’re in the right place.
Who is Karolina?
For our third edition of Adventure Advice, we’re chatting with Karolina S., Luno’s own Customer Experience Manager and Social Responsibility Lead. An incredible athlete—and, more importantly, an incredible human—she’s an experienced solo camper and unabashed gear aficionado whose tips and tricks will help you crush your next camping trip.
Now, to say that Karolina understands the Luno customer is an understatement of epic proportions. That’d be like claiming Mozart was decent at piano, Mikaela Shiffrin skis okay, or Jimmy Chin takes a passable picture. First off, Karolina lives and breathes the Luno lifestyle. After growing up in Oregon, Karolina put down roots in the magical mountain town of Nelson, British Columbia. In the winter, she loves to ski at her local resort and backcountry stashes. When the snow melts, you’ll often find this multi-sport outdoor enthusiast camping in the back of her Subaru as she smashes through trail runs and competes in both gravel and mountain bike races throughout the Pacific Northwest. If she didn’t get her Luno gear for free (there are some perks around here), she’d probably be a customer. Hell, she might even be a Luno ambassador!
What’s more, Karolina’s connected with hundreds, if not thousands, of real Luno customers over the years. She helps out with more than we can list here, but her overall goal is to help Luno community members have a better experience buying, using, or warrantying our gear. And on the social responsibility side of things, Karolina builds brand partnerships with nonprofits, helps contribute to our upcycled program, drives sustainability initiatives, and more.
Below, you’ll find a quick interview with Karolina herself. Read on to get to know this Luno legend and learn a thing or two while you’re at it!
Pit Stops: Rapid-Fire Q & A Interview
Q: What’s your favorite bike race you’ve entered as of late?
A: The most surprisingly fun race I've done was a couple of summers ago. It’s called the Kaslo IdidaRide. Kaslo is a small town an hour north of Nelson, and it’s this tiny community with really great biking. Somehow, this little race was more organized than some of the big races I've been to. The signage was awesome, the volunteers were awesome. It definitely exceeded my expectations.
Sea Otter was another epic one. The Luno team went in 2023 to showcase our gear at a booth, and Luno was kind enough to pay for my race. It was just super rad to race at one of the biggest bike festivals in the world. Sarah [Luno co-founder and Chief Brand Officer] was there with us, and she was at the finish line. She started crying when I crossed the finish line and gave me the biggest hug, and her crying made me start crying. [Karolina laughs]
Q: What’s a bucket list road trip for you?
A: I have to drive from coast to coast at least once. I know, I know, that's such a cliché answer, but I haven't done that yet. I’d love to drive across the continent, whether it's driving across Canada, the United States, or a mix of both. I’d bring my bikes, of course, and plan to stop at iconic singletrack trail networks and gravel hotbeds along the way.
Q: What’s your go-to Luno mattress and why?
A: My go-to Luno Mattress for camping is definitely the AIR+FOAM PRO Camping Mattress. Personally, I do a lot of solo road-tripping. My partner works as a wildfire firefighter, and he has his hands full in the summer. I just like how small that mattress is. It sleeps one camper, so it doesn't take up much space in my little Crosstrek. And it’s so versatile, you can camp with it in a truck bed, SUV, hatchback, tent, your best friend’s living room floor, you name it. It's also easy to set up and super comfy, so it’s perfect if I’m trying to get a good night’s sleep before a big ride, whether I’m racing or just exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Q: What Luno accessories are you packing on a road trip and why?
A: Always a Packable Camp Pillow. They’re comfier than my pillows at home. I don't know if that says more about my pillows at home or the Luno pillow, but it’s pretty comfy. [Karolina laughs]
Definitely a Mesh Gear Duffel, too. I like to stay really organized, especially with a smaller SUV like the Crosstrek. It's super convenient to throw your smaller stuff in.
And last but not least, our Window Screens. That’s a must. I can't sleep in my car without those screens, because they let you roll down your window and enjoy the breeze without dealing with mosquitos.
Q: Any other gear you don’t like to camp without?
A: I always have a deck of cards—you never know when that could come in handy. I always have a book with me, too. A bathing suit, as well—you never know there's gonna be a body of water to jump in! Also, a lighter and an extra pair of socks.
Q: Favorite road trip snack?
A: Unfortunately, gummy worms. When I'm at my lowest on a road trip, the gummy worms will take me out of the deep depths of despair. [Karolina laughs—again.]
Q: Favorite camping meal?
A: Burrito bowls. Easy, delicious, cost-effective, and the perfect fuel for a day of adventure.
Q: You’re heading out on a three-hour drive tomorrow—what are you listening to?
A: My Spotify top songs of 2016. I like to reconnect with my high school self on the road. “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire is my all-time favorite song and that one is definitely on there.
Q: If you could have a car camping superpower, what would it be?
A: I hate stopping for gas and pumping gas. I wish I could have a car that pumps itself. I guess I just want to be like Batman—-I don’t need a superpower, I just want a self-pumping Bat Mobile.
Adventure Advice: Karolina’s 9 Tips For Car Campers
Download Maps Before You Leave The World Of Wifi
Make sure that you have maps downloaded before you leave cell service. Better yet, download maps before you leave the realm of wifi. After all, a lot of the best places that you want to camp don't have service.
I also suggest downloading a bigger section of the map than you think you’ll need. Don’t just download the Yosemite section—get all of the Sierra instead! Personally, I always have the Google Maps area downloaded for the entire west coast. Is it a little excessive? Sure—until I go camping deep in the wilderness of Washington and it’s a total trip-saver!
Landon also mentioned this in his Adventure Advice interview, but Google Maps is helpful for more than just driving when there's no service. You can use it to find a campsite, too. Definitely a must-have app for car campers!
Invest in a Roof Box
As I mentioned already, I have a small SUV (shoutout to my Crosstrek). I honestly don't think I could go on the road trips I go on and feel as organized as I do without a roof box. It doesn’t need to be a pricey one, either. I have a 20-year-old Packasport one that's still kicking. [Karolina laughs. Starting to see a theme here?!] I like to put things like biking gear or even cooking gear up there. Stuff I don’t need every time I stop.
Wet Gear Management 101 (Hang it or cast it in the pits of doom)
I have a very brilliant and soon-to-be patented system for wet gear management. If I’m going to use a wet item again, I hang it from the grab handles in the back of my rig. If I don’t need that item until I get home or hit a laundromat, I stuff it in my roofbox and call it ‘dirty stuff purgatory.’ Boom.
Practice Changing A Tire
Practice changing a tire if you don't already know how to do that. That way, you won’t panic if you get a flat, especially if you don't have service.
And yeah—this is a tip I learned the hard way. Last year, my tire exploded, and I had no service. It was a disaster that turned into a half-day fiasco.
Also, on that note: make sure you have a functional spare tire and the tools necessary to swap tires in your vehicle.
Secure Your Beloved Bikes
Usually, when I go on a road trip, I have my bike on the back of my car on a hitch rack. I always keep a cable lock in the car, too, and I lock my bikes to the hitch. Now, this is not going to deter a master bike thief, but it prevents opportunistic theft and provides me with valuable peace of mind when I’m hopping into a grocery store.
[Editor’s note: for extra peace of mind, invest in homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance that will reimburse you if your bike is stolen!]
Stealth Camping? Arrive Late, Leave Early!
A lot of the best biking is near Forest Service land. I usually just try to find a Forest Service Road with a little pull-out when I’m on a bike trip, as close to the trailhead as possible. In that case, I’ll keep a lookout for “no trespassing,” or “active logging” signs. If I’m stealth camping, my general advice is simple: get there late and skirt out early.
If You’re Camping In Canada, Add “Rec Sites” To Your Repertoire
In BC in particular, there are a lot of what we call “rec sites,” and they're unlike rec sites in the US. In the States, rec sites are usually day-use, there's a fee, and they're super built-up. In BC, however, rec sites run the gamut. They can have a nice pit toilet, or no pit toilet at all. There might be a welcoming gravel road, or the access might be a heinous, impassable four-by-four track. A lot of rec sites are really off the beaten path, but they're usually free to camp at, and if they aren’t free, they’re very affordable. Either way, they’re often my go-to for camping in BC.
My advice here is this: if you're ever camping in BC, Google nearby rec sites. As I mentioned above, download maps ahead of time. And most importantly, read recent reviews of the specific rec site ahead of time, as fellow campers might’ve made note of horrific road conditions, snow levels, etcetera.
Bring a Satellite Communication Device
I can be out of service a lot, so I try to bring a Garmin InReach with me, just to make sure I can contact someone in the event of an emergency. Usually, nothing goes wrong, but it’s still really wonderful to check in with loved ones and let them know where I am, tell them I’m safe and sound, so on and so forth.
Wet Wipes For The Win
As far as car camping hygiene goes, I always have a pack of wet wipes in my car. Let’s end on that note!
A Little Adventure Advice Goes A Long Way
Whether you’re new to the game or you’re a road trip veteran, learning from the pros can be super beneficial. That’s why we started this series—to help you level up and camp like a champ—and we hope you enjoyed this month’s edition of Adventure Advice. Maybe you learned a new gear storage hack, got inspired to try a new camping recipe, or simply gained the confidence to embark on that adventure you’ve been dreaming of for years. Regardless, thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more Adventure Advice in the not-so-distant future!
