Brian and I have been camping in one form or another our whole lives. Separately as kids and adults before we met, and then together when we started dating in 2015. Over the past couple of years, our love for camping has evolved into a true passion for what is known as overlanding.

By definition, overlanding is to “travel a long distance over land.” This can be by automobile or foot, which we equally love, as we have a special place in our hearts for backpacking into remote places as well (read why in this post covering our engagement on the top of Mt. Whitney after finishing the High Sierra Trail). For purposes of this post, we’ll focus on overlanding by automobile, and for us, specifically our Toyota Tacoma/Four Wheel Pop-up Camper. You can watch a full tour of our camper here.

Aside from everything that comes in our camper — refrigerator, sink/water, stove, furnace, dinette, and a bed — we have a few items that we never leave home without. The items in this post are purely for function and luxury while we’re at camp. We’ll share another post soon on everything we bring for safety while we are on those long, lonely roads.

Some of the following links may be affiliate links that allow us to earn a small commission from Amazon (at no extra cost to you!) and fund a tank or two of gas each month for our adventures. Thanks for your support!

Outland Living Propane Firebowl

With more and more wildfires happening each year, it’s important for us to have a fire alternative when burn restrictions are in place. The propane firebowl is a great option, and in most cases, completely legal even when there are burn restrictions, because it can easily be turned off and disconnected from the fuel source. As always, make sure to check with your local ranger, Bureau of Land Management, or Forest Service office to ensure you are within regulations.

Here is a link to the one we purchased on Amazon.

TemboTusk Skottle Kit

While we love cooking in our kitchen from the comfort of our camper, there is nothing like cooking outside when weather permits… and it is our preference. This past year, we decided to invest in a new cooking device, a skottle, that we absolutely love. The skottle originated in South Africa and was used by farmers in the field. It’s now become quite popular amongst overlanders as a great cooking method, and for good reason. It’s incredible versatile and we’ve cooked everything from pasta to eggs to steak on it.

Here is the link to the one we purchased on Amazon.

REI Flexlite Camp Dreamer Chair

After a long day on the trail, nothing beats kicking back in a comfortable chair and enjoying a tasty adult beverage. These chairs have to some of the most comfortable camp chairs we’ve ever had. On top of that, they pack up pretty small and light, compared to some other camp chairs out there (backpacking chairs excluded).

Here is the link to the one we purchased on REI.

GCI Outdoor Compact Camp Table

Most of the places we prefer to camp are considered dispersed camping (aka primitive camping or boondocking), which means no picnic tables, fire rings, or toilets (see below). This little portable table is perfect to use as a counter when cooking or for the afternoon game of Yahtzee. It also folds up flat, so it’s easy to store in the camper.

Here is the link to the one we purchased on Amazon.

Go Anywhere Portable Camping Toilet

Going off grid usually means traveling to remote places where there are no toilets. We might come across the occasional pit (of doom) toilet, but even if there is a pit toilet, we’d rather use our own if possible. This portable toilet is one of the most sanitary and easy-to-use that we have found. It consists of a toilet seat and legs, and then you do your business in a baggy that gets tied up, placed inside a sealed bag for extra sanitation, and can be disposed of in any trash. It may sound weird, but is by far the best way to do your business in remote places.

Here is the link to the one we purchased on Amazon.

Wolfwise Pop-up Portable Privacy Shower/Bathroom Tent

This shower tent is great for some privacy when you might not have a bush or tree to hide behind. There is a hole with a zipper at the top that you can use to put a shower head through, if you have an outdoor shower. It’s also fits the toilet great.

Here is the link to the one we purchased on Amazon.

Full video review of our camping gear on YouTube.