🪑 Explore My Outdoor Comfort
A comfortable campsite can make the difference between simply spending the night and truly enjoying your trip.
Over the years, we’ve found a handful of items that help us relax, stay organized, and make our campsite feel more like home. These are the pieces of gear we’ve come to rely on trip after trip.
Let’s take a look…
🏕️ Outdoor Camping Rug
One of the first things we pull out of our SUV after setting up the trailer is our 9′ × 12′ waterproof outdoor camping rug.
For us, it’s the perfect size. It gives us plenty of room in front of the Casita for relaxing, cooking, and keeping dirt out of the camper. If we’re in a tighter campsite, we simply fold one end under and use about 6 feet instead of the full length.
It instantly makes the campsite feel more like home. It’s comfortable to walk on barefoot, helps keep our Lab’s paws cleaner, and does a great job of reducing the amount of dirt and sand that’s tracked into the Casita.
💡 Road Ready Tip: We usually hold the corners down with a few rocks, but if it’s windy or we’re staying for several days, a few camping stakes keep the rug securely in place.
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🪑 GCI Freestyle Rocker XL Camp Chair
After the rug is down, the next thing we pull out is our GCI Freestyle Rocker XL camp chairs.
These chairs rock… literally! 😄 There’s nothing quite like sitting back with a cup of coffee in the morning or relaxing by the campfire at the end of the day while gently rocking.
We’ve gone through several camp chairs over the years, and these have proven to be the most comfortable, sturdy, and reliable. I highly recommend spending the few extra dollars for the XL model. The extra room makes a noticeable difference, especially if you’re going to spend several hours relaxing around the campsite.
The only downside is that they’re heavier and a little bulkier than most folding camp chairs, so they do take up more storage space. For us, the added comfort is well worth the trade-off.
💡 Road Ready Tip: If you’re trying to save every inch of storage space, these may not be the best choice. But if comfort is a priority, I don’t think you’ll regret giving up a little cargo room for a chair you’ll actually enjoy sitting in.
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🪵 Folding Camp Side Table
Once our GCI Freestyle Rocker XL chairs are set up, the next thing we grab is our folding camp side table.
It’s the perfect place to keep our drinks, phones, snacks, or our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker within easy reach. Having a small table beside your chair is one of those little luxuries you don’t realize you need until you’ve camped without one.
When it’s time to pack up, we store the table inside the Casita bathroom using a couple of Strap Locks. We simply hang it against the wall, and it has stayed securely in place through years of traveling.
💡 Road Ready Tip: A lightweight folding side table takes up very little space but adds a surprising amount of convenience around the campsite. We use ours on every single trip.
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🎵 JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Speaker
We never leave home without our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker.
For us, camping is about relaxing, not blasting music across the campground. We keep the volume low, and that’s where this speaker really shines. Even at lower volumes, the sound is rich and balanced, with impressive bass and crystal-clear vocals that are easy to enjoy without disturbing nearby campers.
It’s also waterproof, compact, and rechargeable, making it perfect for everything from relaxing in camp chairs to cooking dinner outside.
💡 Road Ready Tip: Be a good campground neighbor. We always keep our music at a level where we can enjoy it, but our neighbors don’t have to. Good campground etiquette goes a long way toward making everyone’s camping experience more enjoyable.
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💡 LED Awning Lights
Want to add a little atmosphere to your campsite after the sun goes down? These LED awning lights are one of our favorite upgrades. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and really transform the campsite in the evening.
I did customize mine, so before you order them, here’s how I installed them:
- I removed the factory 120-volt plug and wired the lights into a 12-volt circuit inside my Casita.
- I mounted the controller just behind and to the right of the awning above the entry door using clear silicone adhesive.
- To route the wiring inside the trailer, I drilled a small 1/16-inch hole near the controller location and sealed it after the wire was installed. Drilling the small hole gave me a clean, permanent installation with no wires hanging outside the trailer.
- Before mounting the light strip, I lightly marked a straight reference line with a pencil along the awning so the lights would install evenly.
- I peeled the adhesive backing off a little at a time while working toward the rear of the trailer.
- Once I reached the desired length, I trimmed the strip only at one of the manufacturer’s marked cut locations (look for the small scissors symbol).
💡 Road Ready Tip: Measure twice—cut once! Test-fit the light strip before making any cuts. Once you’ve shortened it, you can’t make it longer again. If you’re converting the lights to 12 volts like I did, make all measurements and trimming before making the electrical connections.
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🔥 Portable Propane Fire Pit
What would camping be without sitting around a campfire?
Whether we’re roasting marshmallows, cooking hot dogs, or simply relaxing under the stars, a campfire is one of our favorite parts of every trip.
Unfortunately, more and more campgrounds are restricting or completely banning traditional wood fires. The good news is that many of those same campgrounds still allow portable propane fire pits, letting you enjoy the campfire experience without the smoke, ashes, or hauling firewood.
We love ours. It puts out an impressive amount of heat—even on the lowest setting—and it’s ready to enjoy in just a few minutes.
For our setup, we connect it directly to one of our Casita’s 20-pound propane tanks using the same 12-foot propane extension hose I mentioned earlier.
💡 Road Ready Tip: When you add up the cost of buying firewood at campgrounds, this setup is surprisingly economical. We no longer have to buy bundles of wood at every stop, and we always have a clean, reliable campfire ready to go. It’s one of those purchases that has paid for itself over time.
I also highly recommend picking up the carry bag made specifically for this fire pit. It makes transporting and storing the fire pit much easier and keeps the rest of your camping gear clean.
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🟢 Portable Fire Pit Carry Bag →
😴 Wise Owl Camping Hammock
Ready to take your campsite relaxation to the next level? A Wise Owl Camping Hammock is hard to beat.
It packs down into a surprisingly small bag, yet gives you a comfortable place to stretch out for an afternoon nap, read a book, or simply enjoy the peace and quiet of nature. It’s one of those luxury items that takes up very little storage space but adds a lot to the camping experience.
💡 Road Ready Tip: If you’re not quite the spring chicken you used to be (like me 😄), getting in and out of a hammock can take a little practice. I recommend hanging it a little lower to the ground so it’s easier to get into and out of safely. If you have knee, hip, or balance issues, this is definitely something to keep in mind before buying one.