Bougie (Glamping) Checklist Recommendations for R1S

[R1 EVY]

Hey Enthusiasts,

My wife has agreed to go "camping" in the R1S, so I want to make sure I'm prepared to spend 4-5 days in nature (glamping). For perspective, we have no problem watching our favorite show, under the stars in our tent drinking a glass of wine after grilling steaks, salmon or brats (we're from Wisconsin).

We're thinking about adventuring/camping in Pictured Rocks and driving the Silver Lake sand dunes this summer.

The goal is to allow my wife to fall in love with camping in the R1S, so we can do this regularly as 52/50 year-old empty-nesters (and sometimes with Charlie

).

Therefore, what I'm looking for is your recommendation of "must-have" camping/glamping items. Tent recommendations, sleeping whatnots, anything is great.

Thanks in advance!

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[Glembi2]

I’m thinking an air mattress would be a good purchase. I’m looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXT6VDKP?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_N39V7PWQSHD49EFK50E9

I have a sleeping pad and my wife has a standard twin air mattress. The sleeping pad is fine in the Rivian but the mattress is bigger than one person but too small for two.

Also, some kind of window shades would be nice. I have not found a set yet.

 

[Joe schmoe]

purists will scoff, but I like any of the small Keurig coffeemakers--It's nice to have basically instant coffee, and my wife and differ on lightroast/dark roast so we each get what we want.

I also like running water--there are a number of options with 5 gallon jugs and electric pumps. Collapsible silicone sinks pack easily and are useful as well

 

[R1 EVY]

purists will scoff, but I like any of the small Keurig coffeemakers--It's nice to have basically instant coffee, and my wife and differ on lightroast/dark roast so we each get what we want.

I also like running water--there are a number of options with 5 gallon jugs and electric pumps. Collapsible silicone sinks pack easily and are useful as well

We're not "purists" so thank you. I've added them to my list.

 

[R1 EVY]

I’m thinking an air mattress would be a good purchase. I’m looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXT6VDKP?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_N39V7PWQSHD49EFK50E9

I have a sleeping pad and my wife has a standard twin air mattress. The sleeping pad is fine in the Rivian but the mattress is bigger than one person but too small for two.

Also, some kind of window shades would be nice. I have not found a set yet.

Done. Thank you!

 

[jeeden]

Well, I'm not much of a car camper, but I do a lot of backcountry camping with some friends and what I consider glamping (easy hikes at a local park where you don't drop into camp from fatigue, bring fresh food, etc) with the same group and our larger cohort of "non outdoorsy friends" as well as lots of kids, and we have some basics that I think you could apply here, not even close to a comprehensive list, but try to add your own two lines to each below and you will be on your way.

When taking folks out, make sure you are addressing the big three the most and just glamp them up. That is Shelter, Food, and Sleeping. Nobody ever had a good time tired, hungry, or wet/cold/hot/bug eaten.

So for Shelter, you kind of have it covered! To throw some points in for the Rivian though:

• Plenty of battery for great temperature, lighting, bug control, space, etc
• Entertainment including the movies and stars you mentioned. Movies are great, don't forget card games, google star map, books, good parking spot that has a "worldly view", maybe some shades for the windows so you aren't up at dawn if you don't want it or if there could be others around and you want "privacy", music selections, lighting (rivian has great lights, but what about something like a Crush light that has a flickering candle setting on it? perfect for the romantic dinner out, or after the mad dash out of the rain into the Rivian)
• Bring bag chairs and a bag table so you can sit outside. I would also bring a tarp or something to hang off the Rivian so you can sit outside, but under shelter. Bonus points would be a rug of some sort and bug netting to drap. Warm white USB string lights put this over the top

For Food, you almost can't overdo it. That said, make sure you prep it all ahead of time. Cooking in the outdoors while sipping wine and poking some food is fun. Prepping food, sweating, working over a fire is not.

• Fresh food in a cooler if you can. Nothing that is making anyone run to the bathroom or farting
• Ice, all the ice if you can for drinks, leftover storage, etc.
• Deluxe is a point of view. Something not very fancy at home is suddenly deluxe in the outdoors like fresh eggs, toast, wine (boxes of wine are great, no glass breakage and doesn't go bad... unless your looking for the show of the cork and bottle). Bourbon is excellent, "feels" rustic, and mixes with a lot of great stuff.
• Foil and zip locs for all the things coming to camp and going home.
• Don't skimp on the trash protection. Are there bears where you are? bear boxes? If not, hang a bag FAR away from the rivian
• Bring avocado oil, it is great for cooking, popcorn (see below), fire starter, etc)
• Fires are fun for cooking smores and banana boats on. For the real cooking, use a stove (electric off the Rivian or propane or iso fuel ones). Less sweating, clean up, burns, waiting, control, and fire danger if in that area
• PRO TIP: POPCORN. Get a bottle of Orvell popcorn and your oil. You can make this on your camp stove, cover the bottom of the pot with oil, cover with popcorn, put on the lid and go! Watch that heat though and don't burn it! Scenario: watching a movie under the stars in the Rivian, <sigh> awesome, but you know what would make it better? Popcorn, present bottle, congratulations... you are a god
• Lunch can almost be an afterthought with chips and sands. Focus on the big dinner and breakfast
• Precook and reheat bacon or do brown and serve sausage, too much time, heat, grease with raw stuff
• Pancakes are good, you can try bisquick with eggs, but shake in pour eliminates the need for eggs and milk and is cheating, but same output, don't forget syrup
• If not going for fresh good, mountain house meals are great, just boil water, eat off plates/bowls to be fancy or out of bags for no cleanup.
• Some soap for cleanup, separate bag to hang from bears etc, they still smell the food on the dishes
• What about water? Bring extra extra or bring a filter and make your own. If someone gets a stomach bug drinking unfiltered water, it's game over. Filters are cheap, great, and don't make the water taste funny.
• If she is a tea person, or coffee person, bring plenty with the creamer and sugar/splenda. French press is great for both instead of instant.

For sleep: you have the Rivian and the climate, but still, make sure it's comfy.

• Air mattress (inflate with Rivian or pump, don't do by blowing, hot air in your lungs contracts over night as it cools and that is how you get a flat air mattress)
• Blankets (they have two person sleeping quilts) you don't really need a bag, but top quilts are great
• Real pillows
• Water bottles for throughout the night
• Nightlight (see crush light above)
• Shades (see shades above)
• Noise machine on your phone or in the Rivian if she is used to it
• All the charging cables for everything

Misc extras that are important:

• Bring a massive pack of wet wipes. These are good for cleaning hands before/after eating, going to the bathroom (see bathroom next point), after "sexy time", just to wipe down after sweating, being by a fire, etc.
• Many are weird (like my wife) about peeing in the woods or even using an outhouse or porta jon, this helps Plan accordingly and over the top. Whatever makes people feel better for privacy, feeling clean, etc. Keep it outdoor friendly though. Bring a trowel, trash bag for any wipes/TP, etc, don't litter.
• Extra snacks are light and easy, always have them. Try some desserts that aren't norm like banana boats, chocolate cake
• Go to the store and buy drink mixes, it's not just crystal lite anymore, they have every flavor of soda and kool aide to turn water into
• Clothing, your car camping so that extra sweatshirt, jacket, shorts, sandals, etc are worth it, you never know.
• Get a Thermacell (charging cable or extra butane bottles) to put out near camp for bug control and also bring Picardin lotion to put on. It works great and smells good.

Fully out of control: His and her hydroflask bottles or pint glasses engraved with the "event" (that match the color of the Rivian of course)

Eh, what I have for now. I could go on forever, but this is a start and should give you "the strategy"

 

[R1 EVY]

• Fresh food in a cooler if you can. Nothing that is making anyone run to the bathroom or farting

This is amazing. My wife won't want people "farting" so this is a great list. Thank you!

 

[Polar]

I’m thinking an air mattress would be a good purchase. I’m looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXT6VDKP?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_N39V7PWQSHD49EFK50E9

I have a sleeping pad and my wife has a standard twin air mattress. The sleeping pad is fine in the Rivian but the mattress is bigger than one person but too small for two.

Also, some kind of window shades would be nice. I have not found a set yet.

I have that one and used it last weekend for a three day camping trip - worked GREAT!

Sleeping IN THE R1S was great since we got to wake up to this view -

I posted a write up over on Reddit - was a great time.

 

[R1 EVY]

Well, I'm not much of a car camper, but I do a lot of backcountry camping with some friends and what I consider glamping (easy hikes at a local park where you don't drop into camp from fatigue, bring fresh food, etc) with the same group and our larger cohort of "non outdoorsy friends" as well as lots of kids, and we have some basics that I think you could apply here, not even close to a comprehensive list, but try to add your own two lines to each below and you will be on your way.

When taking folks out, make sure you are addressing the big three the most and just glamp them up. That is Shelter, Food, and Sleeping. Nobody ever had a good time tired, hungry, or wet/cold/hot/bug eaten.

So for Shelter, you kind of have it covered! To throw some points in for the Rivian though:

• Plenty of battery for great temperature, lighting, bug control, space, etc
• Entertainment including the movies and stars you mentioned. Movies are great, don't forget card games, google star map, books, good parking spot that has a "worldly view", maybe some shades for the windows so you aren't up at dawn if you don't want it or if there could be others around and you want "privacy", music selections, lighting (rivian has great lights, but what about something like a Crush light that has a flickering candle setting on it? perfect for the romantic dinner out, or after the mad dash out of the rain into the Rivian)
• Bring bag chairs and a bag table so you can sit outside. I would also bring a tarp or something to hang off the Rivian so you can sit outside, but under shelter. Bonus points would be a rug of some sort and bug netting to drap. Warm white USB string lights put this over the top

For Food, you almost can't overdo it. That said, make sure you prep it all ahead of time. Cooking in the outdoors while sipping wine and poking some food is fun. Prepping food, sweating, working over a fire is not.

• Fresh food in a cooler if you can. Nothing that is making anyone run to the bathroom or farting
• Ice, all the ice if you can for drinks, leftover storage, etc.
• Deluxe is a point of view. Something not very fancy at home is suddenly deluxe in the outdoors like fresh eggs, toast, wine (boxes of wine are great, no glass breakage and doesn't go bad... unless your looking for the show of the cork and bottle). Bourbon is excellent, "feels" rustic, and mixes with a lot of great stuff.
• Foil and zip locs for all the things coming to camp and going home.
• Don't skimp on the trash protection. Are there bears where you are? bear boxes? If not, hang a bag FAR away from the rivian
• Bring avocado oil, it is great for cooking, popcorn (see below), fire starter, etc)
• Fires are fun for cooking smores and banana boats on. For the real cooking, use a stove (electric off the Rivian or propane or iso fuel ones). Less sweating, clean up, burns, waiting, control, and fire danger if in that area
• PRO TIP: POPCORN. Get a bottle of Orvell popcorn and your oil. You can make this on your camp stove, cover the bottom of the pot with oil, cover with popcorn, put on the lid and go! Watch that heat though and don't burn it! Scenario: watching a movie under the stars in the Rivian, <sigh> awesome, but you know what would make it better? Popcorn, present bottle, congratulations... you are a god
• Lunch can almost be an afterthought with chips and sands. Focus on the big dinner and breakfast
• Precook and reheat bacon or do brown and serve sausage, too much time, heat, grease with raw stuff
• Pancakes are good, you can try bisquick with eggs, but shake in pour eliminates the need for eggs and milk and is cheating, but same output, don't forget syrup
• If not going for fresh good, mountain house meals are great, just boil water, eat off plates/bowls to be fancy or out of bags for no cleanup.
• Some soap for cleanup, separate bag to hang from bears etc, they still smell the food on the dishes
• What about water? Bring extra extra or bring a filter and make your own. If someone gets a stomach bug drinking unfiltered water, it's game over. Filters are cheap, great, and don't make the water taste funny.
• If she is a tea person, or coffee person, bring plenty with the creamer and sugar/splenda. French press is great for both instead of instant.

For sleep: you have the Rivian and the climate, but still, make sure it's comfy.

• Air mattress (inflate with Rivian or pump, don't do by blowing, hot air in your lungs contracts over night as it cools and that is how you get a flat air mattress)
• Blankets (they have two person sleeping quilts) you don't really need a bag, but top quilts are great
• Real pillows
• Water bottles for throughout the night
• Nightlight (see crush light above)
• Shades (see shades above)
• Noise machine on your phone or in the Rivian if she is used to it
• All the charging cables for everything

Misc extras that are important:

• Bring a massive pack of wet wipes. These are good for cleaning hands before/after eating, going to the bathroom (see bathroom next point), after "sexy time", just to wipe down after sweating, being by a fire, etc.
• Many are weird (like my wife) about peeing in the woods or even using an outhouse or porta jon, this helps Plan accordingly and over the top. Whatever makes people feel better for privacy, feeling clean, etc. Keep it outdoor friendly though. Bring a trowel, trash bag for any wipes/TP, etc, don't litter.
• Extra snacks are light and easy, always have them. Try some desserts that aren't norm like banana boats, chocolate cake
• Go to the store and buy drink mixes, it's not just crystal lite anymore, they have every flavor of soda and kool aide to turn water into
• Clothing, your car camping so that extra sweatshirt, jacket, shorts, sandals, etc are worth it, you never know.
• Get a Thermacell (charging cable or extra butane bottles) to put out near camp for bug control and also bring Picardin lotion to put on. It works great and smells good.

Fully out of control: His and her hydroflask bottles or pint glasses engraved with the "event" (that match the color of the Rivian of course)

Eh, what I have for now. I could go on forever, but this is a start and should give you "the strategy"

My wife just read this and said, "Aww that's so fun" aka you're awesome ??

 

[jjswan33]

If you do plan on sleeping in a tent rather than in the back of the SUV I'd suggest an extension cord and a heated blanket. Or if you are worried about warm weather and really want to be bougie a air conditioner or fan of some kind.

A yakima road shower (or similar product) is a great option for hot/warm water.

Finally if you really want to sell it rent a camping trailer of some kind for the trip. My neighbors have a similar camping style and they have a little tear drop they pull with their Ridgeline.

 

[jeeden]

If you do plan on sleeping in a tent rather than in the back of the SUV I'd suggest an extension cord and a heated blanket. Or if you are worried about warm weather and really want to be bougie a air conditioner or fan of some kind.

A yakima road shower (or similar product) is a great option for hot/warm water.

Finally if you really want to sell it rent a camping trailer of some kind for the trip. My neighbors have a similar camping style and they have a little tear drop they pull with their Ridgeline.

I have always wanted to get one of those teardrop campers, I think they are so neat, but just not the style of camping we have in northern VA. I'm always envious of the folks in prime locations for it like Utah.

 

[sub]

Food attracts bugs, so a screened in enclosure for the picnic table is really nice.

I also suggest that you look for a tent that can attach to the Rivian's tailgate. So you can run the AC and let the cool/warm air flow into the tent.

Something like this.

 

[R1 EVY]

Food attracts bugs, so a screened in enclosure for the picnic table is really nice.

I also suggest that you look for a tent that can attach to the Rivian's tailgate. So you can run the AC and let the cool/warm air flow into the tent.

Something like this.

Thank you. Added to the list.

 

[R1 EVY]

If you do plan on sleeping in a tent rather than in the back of the SUV I'd suggest an extension cord and a heated blanket. Or if you are worried about warm weather and really want to be bougie a air conditioner or fan of some kind.

A yakima road shower (or similar product) is a great option for hot/warm water.

Finally if you really want to sell it rent a camping trailer of some kind for the trip. My neighbors have a similar camping style and they have a little tear drop they pull with their Ridgeline.

Great suggestion. My wife smiled when I read this. ??

 

[feifan]

A little water heater and Cometeer is my preferred coffee setup for camping (and also day-to-day).

Depending on temps, some/all of the gear in this thread are great too.

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