Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Car hire suggestions for camping?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Car hire suggestions for camping?

    Hello experienced American campers!


    My family are booked to visit the South West States in Summer next year. We plan to visit some of the national parks and will camp most of the time. We are bringing our tents and sleeping bags, and will buy bulkier and heavier items when we arrive, such as dishpan, laundry soak bucket (4 week visit!), airbeds and a mini camping stove. We don't intend to buy 'glam camping' extras like chairs and tables, but we will need room to carry a few food basics and water. We are a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 teenage kids who are adult sized), so we will need a big car.


    I am looking at minivans at the moment which include cars like Nissan Quest and Dodge Grand Caravan. I presume though that we won't be able to remove the extra seats (especially as we are picking up from Los Angeles and dropping off at Jackson Hole) so I am not sure if this would be big enough. Has any had any experience of these types of cars and their capacity? Any thoughts or recommendations please?


    Many thanks, SJ

  • #2
    Re: Car hire suggestions for camping?

    I'd contact an REI outlet out here in the Southwest, and ask about renting ThermaRest sleeping pads and a 2-burner stove. They (REI) not only offer rental equipment, but it's the kind of equipment you'd actually buy and use yourself, so you can get a good look at quality gear without the initial investment out of pocket for your group. We always get Grand Caravans for rentals and they have the larger room vs. most other minivan rentals that big groups need (we were just in the Florida Keys last August with a group of 7). A set of straps and a roof bag will get you that extra room for the tent and pads...

    https://www.rei.com/stores/rentals.html#california
    “People have such a love for the truth that when they happen to love something else, they want it to be the truth; and because they do not wish to be proven wrong, they refuse to be shown their mistake. And so, they end up hating the truth for the sake of the object which they have come to love instead of the truth.”
    ―Augustine of Hippo, Fifth Century A.D.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Car hire suggestions for camping?

      Thank you tplife - it sounds like a minvan is a good option then. Great tip of the rentals, thank you!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Car hire suggestions for camping?

        Have you considered a pickup truck? I don't own but have ridden in the back seat of a Ford F150 Crew Cab and at 6'3" had more room than I needed. I own an F150 Extra Cab and while I have never actually sat in the back seat (I am always driving) I have had people back there with no complaints. That will give you a bed that will hold more than you will ever be able to fit in a minivan. And you will have the extra ground clearance that will allow you to get to more places than a minivan.
        “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
        – E. B. White

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Car hire suggestions for camping?

          The new version of the Dodge/Chrysler mini van is the Pacifica, and like the Grand Caravan it replaced, the seats are stow and go. They fold into the floor.
          - Laura
          Coleman Dome/Instant Cabin Tents, Kamprite IPS, Shasta Oasis 18ft Travel Trailer

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Car hire suggestions for camping?

            If it were me, I would look into a full size van. Five adult size people with just basic luggage will fill up a mini van. Then try and fit in all the camping gear will be tight. Here is a link to the kind of van I'm talking about.

            https://www.carrentals.com/car-type/...-rentals.c-ct/

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Car hire suggestions for camping?

              Hi James, thanks for your reply. I did wonder about a pick up truck, but non of the major rental companies seem to offer them unfortunately - I think that would have been an ideal solution.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Car hire suggestions for camping?

                Thank you bluestar99 - thankd for you suggestion - I have had a look into that now. Unfortunately it's quite a bit more expensive and i think there would be an issue with seats - you can take some seats out to increase language capacity, but they need to be stored separately, which could be an issue since we are dropping off in a different State. I think I might go with tplife's suggestion of a roof bag and minivan. My main issue is securing a Dodge Grand Caravan - they can't promise what type of van might be available!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Car hire suggestions for camping?

                  Thanks actad. I've booked a minivan with Avis and their fleet list in 2016 was:

                  Chrysler Town & Country
                  Dodge Grand Caravan
                  Ford Flex
                  Nissan Quest
                  Toyota Sienna.

                  I'm not sure if this will be the same for 2017, but I am thinking of calling ahead and asking if they can reserve a van with the biggest luggage capacity. Feels like a lottery though!

                  Comment

                  Working...
                  X