Spending several months on the road in America is an incredible experience. There are countless outdoor adventure activities to pursue, incredible wildlife, and the scenery is some of the best in the world. If long-term travel is on your bucket list during your Year Off, I cannot recommend an Epic Great American Road Trip more.
The following is my ultimate gear list for an extended road trip in the U.S. This comprehensive list includes everything you will need to live off the grid in the wilderness areas of America.
Before jumping into the list, here are a few tips to consider before buying gear.
- Buy the gear from a reputable local outdoor gear company, like Roads Rivers and Trails in Milford, Ohio. The employees will know what they’re talking about and will make the best gear recommendations. Avoid big box stores like Wal-mart and Dick’s.
- Keep in mind what outdoor adventure activities you want to get into along the way. That way, you’re only buying gear that you will use.
- Most gear and outdoor “toys” can be rented out west. Want to climb Mt. Rainier but don’t want to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars on the gear required? No problem, just rent it from a guide company. Want to kayak the Green River through Utah but don’t want to lug a kayak on top of your car? Just rent the kayak in Moab.
- Buy gear that you can use for multiple activities. For example, if you eventually want to get into backpacking, buy a tent that you can use for both backpacking and car camping. Buy a big backpack that you can use for backpacking, climbing mountains, and for travel through Europe.
- Spend the extra money up front to get the best gear. That way, you’re not tempted to buy something newer and better in the near future. And remember that, more often than not, the more money you spend, the better quality gear you’re getting.
- Keep minimalism in mind. Don’t bring stuff that will just clutter your car and that you’ll hardly ever use. Bring only the essentials. Leave the rest at home.
- This list will work for road trips and adventure travel in other countries around the world as well, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Want to climb Mt. Whitney, Kilimanjaro, or a big volcano in Mexico? The gear you use for all 3 climbs are mostly the same.
- Everything in this list will easily fit into a two-door sedan. You don’t need a giant truck or van for an extended road trip.
So without further adieu, here it is……
The Ultimate Great American Road Trip Adventure Travel Packing List
1. Tent
I cannot recommend camping more while on a road trip during your Year Off. So buy a tent and go camping!
If traveling solo, a single person light-weight backpacking tent is all you need. A two person tent is great for couples and anyone you don’t mind getting cozy with. Remember, spend the extra money and buy something nice and light-weight. That way, if you want to backpack, you’ll already have the best tent for it.
2. Sleeping bag
A nice sleeping bag is worth it’s weight in gold. The synthetic sleeping bags are bigger and bulkier than the down ones so stick to down. Just make sure it doesn’t get wet.
A bag rated to 15 or 20 degrees is perfect for most summer-time western climates where the days are hot but the nights are cool. It’s also perfect for any high altitude climbing or trekking, where the summer nights can get downright cold. If you’re planning on spending time at high altitudes in the spring or fall, temperatures can drop well below freezing so a 0 degree bag would be handy to have as well.
3. Sleeping pad
Something light weight, and most importantly, comfortable. I think the inflatable sleeping pads are by far the most comfortable. You want to get a good night’s sleep when camping so you can enjoy your days more. That’s hard to do if you’re sleeping on the cold hard ground most of the time, so invest in a nice inflatable sleeping pad.
4. Backpack
A 60-70 liter backpack is big enough and versatile enough to use for mountain climbing, backpacking, and travel abroad. Get it fitted at your outdoor gear store and test it out in the store before buying. Then get out of your comfort zone and go backpacking in some remote wilderness or climb a big mountain like Mt. Rainier!
5. Day pack
A smaller backpack is an essential piece of gear. Get a light-weight one for use during day hikes in National Parks and on day-long excursions in big cities.
6. Headlamp
Headlamps are essential for camping and backpacking. No need to go overboard here. Just something battery operated and reliable. These also come in handy in hostels throughout the world when you come in late and don’t want to wake your bunk mates with the big room light.
7. Camp kitchen
It’s possible to go crazy and get all sorts of camp kitchen gear. But I think it’s important to keep it simple. You won’t have much room for kitchenware in your car, so get the smaller backpacking stuff.
- forks/spoons/sporks – the titanium ones are the most durable
- plates/bowls – titanium or plastic so they don’t easily break
- insulated mug – for hot drinks on cool mornings or nights
- pocket knife or multi-tool
- knife and small cutting board
- spatula and tongs for cooking
- can opener
- cooking pot – big enough to boil 2-4 cups of water
- frying pan – an 8 inch pan is big enough to make food for two people
- 2 small backpacking stoves – so you can get the pot and frying pan going together at once
- fuel – make sure it fits your stove
- matches and lighters
8. Water reservoirs
- nalgene bottle – for day-to-day use and for backpacking trips
- camelbak – great for day-hikes and longer backpacking trips
- 2-3 gallon water reservoir – for dispersed camping in wilderness areas where there are no potable water sources and as emergency back-up in case you get stranded in some remote area.
9. Water purification
My preferred form of water purification on backcountry trips and in case of emergency is a Steripen. The batteries for it are expensive, but it’s small and effective. Have some chlorine dioxide tablets on hand just in case the Steripen stops working or the batteries run out. Other good options include the Sawyer Squeeze and MSR water filters.
10. Hammock
Think of a hammock as the La-Z-Boy of the great outdoors. As long as you have two sturdy trees, you can lounge around in total comfort after a day of exploring.
11. Camp chair
A small, collapsible chair is great for sitting around a campfire or lounging around camp. Keep it small and simple. The bigger ones will take up too much room in your car.
12. Clothing
- avoid cotton
- wool thermal upper and bottom layer
- camping pants and shorts
- fleece or heavy mid layer
- down jacket
- rain jacket and rain pants
- wool socks and warm hat
- ball cap
- socks and underwear
- comfortable clothes like gym shorts, t-shirts, sweatpants, jeans
- swimsuit
13. Shoes
- trail running shoes
- hiking boots
- gym shoes
- sandals
- camp shoes
14. Electronics
- iPad – for travel planning and reading eBooks
- smart phone – for navigation, keeping in contact with friends and family, taking pictures, travel planning
- chargers
- external battery source to plug in electronics and charge them when you aren’t running your car or when you’re in the backcountry
- nice camera – what better Year Off activity than to get better at photography?
- portable speaker – for some relaxing tunes around a campfire
- mini lantern – for light at your picnic table at night
15. Maps
- road maps of the country/state you’re traveling through. GPS can go out at any time so a back-up good ole’ fashioned map is nice to have.
- backcountry trail maps – Trails Illustrated Maps by National Geographic are very useful for all your national park and outdoor adventures. They contain enough detail for just about any hiking trip through the great wilderness areas out west.
16. Laundry stuff
You’ll need to stop at a laundromat occasionally to clean your dirty smelly clothes. So bring the essentials:
- a laundry bag – something that will air out wet sweaty clothes and not trap the moisture and stink
- detergent and dryer sheets
- quarters for the laundry machines
17. Optional Adventure Activity Equipment
- bike/kayak – only bring these things if you plan on making them a Year Off theme. For example, if you really want to get good at mountain biking, bring a mountain bike. Otherwise, just rent them as you go.
- skis/snowboard – same as above
- gear for rock climbing/mountain climbing – harness, ice axe, crampons, rope. Once again, only bring these if you plan on using them a lot. These things can be rented by most major guiding companies.
18. Car items
- extra quart of oil and funnel
- spare tire and jack
- tire pressure gauge
- driver’s license, international driver’s license (if you’re from another country), proof of insurance, car registration
- car owner’s manual
19. Reading Material
- book – use a tablet instead, but a good old fashioned paper back is nice. You can exchange them out along the way at used book stores.
- travel guide – can keep them on your tablet or phone but a paper back version is nice in case your power runs out.
A few last tips…
This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything you will need. Keep it simple and only bring the items you know you will use regularly. If it turns out you need something you didn’t bring, pick it up in a town or city while you’re on the road. If you brought something you really didn’t need, then just ship it home from the nearest post office.
To organize all the gear in your car, make a trip to the Container Store to buy some plastic containers. Bring a measuring tape so you get the dimensions right before buying the containers.
Keep all valuable items locked up in your glove box and out of sight. Theft from cars is unfortunately something you need to be aware of, especially at trailheads. Try to keep most gear out of sight in your car so it doesn’t look like you have much to steal.
2 thoughts on “The Epic Great American Adventure Road Trip Packing List”