Complete Guide to Camping in a Jeep Wrangler

Camping in a Jeep Wrangler is a great way to get out and explore nature. While it is possible to camp in a 2 door Jeep Wrangler a 4 door is more comfortable and better if two people want to camp.

Is Jeep Wrangler Good for Camping?

A Jeep Wrangler is not just good for camping it’s great for it! Their four-wheel drive capabilities ensure you have full access to practically any off-road trail straight off the factory floor. The Wrangler is also very spacious, especially the four-door ‘Ultimate’ model which boasts 150.4 cubic feet of space.

They are also one of the most customizable four-wheel drives on the market with loads of ‘Overlanding’ gear specifically designed to help you camp in this car in full style and comfort. This means that no matter how and where you like to camp the Jeep Wrangler will be the perfect vehicle for you!

How to Pack Your Jeep For Camping?

Packing can be one of the most challenging aspects for those new to camping. Packing efficiently can save you from having to constantly unpack every time you pull over for a quick break. It can also help you fit more in your Jeep which can be especially helpful on longer trips. 

Before you begin packing it’s important to be sure you only have what you need for the nature and duration of the trip. Lugging extra supplies on your trip can make packing unnecessarily difficult and can also cost you more in terms of fuel consumption and the power you may need to overcome more difficult trials.

Try to limit the amount of non-essential items that you pack. Something as simple as checking you haven’t overpacked clothes can dramatically increase the ease of packing and space you have for more essential items.

When you are packing ensure that items you may want before you set up camp are easily accessible. This may include your food, fridge, emergency medical kit, and tools. Packing these close to the tailgate will ensure you can access them quickly and efficiently and minimize the amount of packing you need to do when you need these items.

Folding your back seats down may also give you much more space to pack. If you are traveling with two or fewer people it is definitely worth your while to fold these down before you begin packing to give yourself maximum space.

Pack bulkier items first. If you can push these items right against the seats. These items should be packed first because they will be the most difficult to workaround. Large items are also heavier and may squash the rest of your belongings.

You can stack smaller items around these bulkier items. Start filling the gaps from the back to free plenty of room and don’t be afraid to move these items around to find better spots. This will free plenty of room for the rest of your belongings.

The more trips you do the sooner packing your Jeep will become second nature!

Can Two People Sleep in a Jeep Wrangler?

Most campers love to have company on their trips but some vehicles and camping setups simply don’t have the room for more than one. Wranglers are very spacious and the seats can be folded down to allow enough room for two people to sleep.

Of course, the four-door Wrangler will have more room to sleep two comfortably and there are some unique challenges to the two-door Wrangler that we will discuss below.

Campers often enjoy sleeping inside their Wrangler for a variety of reasons. Sleeping in the car reduces the amount of pack up you need to do which can make your trip much quicker and more efficient.

It can also increase your security and security of your belongings as you can safely lock yourself into the car to prevent break-ins and other safety issues. Sleeping in your Wrangler can also be warmer than sleeping in a tent as it has thicker walls.

To make sleeping in your Jeep more comfortable many campers make modifications to their vehicle (e.g., installing roof racks for extra storage, lock boxes for safety for your possessions) to ensure it bests suits their needs.

Before you go out and make modifications yourself it may be worthwhile trying to camp in a stock standard Jeep so you have a clearer idea of what you require for your style and needs.

2 Door Wrangler Camping Ideas

Camping in a Jeep Wrangler

Two-door Wranglers will naturally have less room inside which can cause issues surrounding storing your belongings and comfortably sleeping more than one person internally. This lack of space presents unique challenges for your camping and may require you to make more extensive modifications to help you camp in total comfort.

You can approach camping in a two-door Jeep in two main ways. You can either sleep in the Jeep and store your belongings outside the car, or you can sleep outside your Jeep and store your belongings inside the car.

It is highly unlikely (unless you are doing an extremely small, possibly one-person trip) that you will be able to fit both your bedding and belongings inside this smaller model. 

Sleeping inside

If you are planning to sleep inside your car you will need to look into how you will transport your belongings or at least keep them safe and dry when you set up camp for the night.

You can install roof racks on the vehicle to increase your space within the vehicle. This is an affordable and easy solution that shouldn’t impact your vehicle’s off-road capability. You will need to use a waterproof covering (e.g., tarp) to protect your belongings from water damage and buy ropes and/or straps to firmly secure your belongings to the roof wracks. 

Alternatively, you can tow a trailer with your belongings inside. A trailer will limit the vehicle’s off-road performance and may limit the trails that you can enjoy as it will make climbing extreme trails more difficult.

You will also need to use a waterproof covering to protect your belongings and depending on the trailer may need ropes and straps to secure your belongings. 

You could also use pitch tarps or even a cheap one-man tent to store your belongings when you set up camp for the night. This means you can easily store all of your belongings in the car as you drive and still enjoy sleeping in the car. 

There are also many car awnings you can purchase to give your belongings better protection from the elements. This solution can also be used for shade and shelter when you take breaks from driving and is a highly popular modification to your Jeep. 

You can also purchase a Jammock (Jeep hammock) to install in your car. This will keep you slightly elevated giving you extra room beneath for storage. It is also a highly popular solution and reported to be very comfortable.

Sleeping outside

Sleeping outside of your two-door Jeep maybe a little colder but can also be more comfortable for two or more campers. 

Rooftop tents are an amazing solution to the lack of space as they are mounted to the top of your Jeep and do not require substantial unpacking or setups. There are plenty of amazing rooftop tents available to be fitted to your Jeep which can suit any needs and budget.

These are a highly popular solution to the issue of space and generally require less setup than a traditional tent.

Alternatively, you can pitch a regular tent at your campsite. This may be a more economical option as most campers will already have a high-quality tent laying around. 

You can also buy tents that attach to your roof similar to a car awning. These will consume less room for packing as the tent is already attached to your roof. They are also much easier to pitch than typical tents and very convenient for setup and pack up.

Most awning tents simply require you to fold them out, insert the relevant poles, and peg the tent down to protect you from the elements. 

Camping in a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited offers much more space inside the cabin making it perfect for sleeping, two people. Of course, you are still more than able to purchase and use a rooftop or normal tent to maximize your use of this space, which will be particularly helpful on longer trips. 

You can sleep in your four-door jeep easily without major modifications by folding down the back seat and inserting any bedding (e.g., mattress, blankets, and sleeping bags). This will be your most cost-effective strategy however many campers complain that there is a slight slant that annoys them on longer or frequent trips.

This method does still limit the space you have for your belongings and you may have to consider roof wracks, a trailer, or a tent as explained earlier to store and protect your belongings.

To combat the slanting issue many Jeep owners often make a bed frame that also allows you to create storage underneath the bed. These frames are usually made from plywood slats and will generally cost around $200 to create.

The complexity of the frame can depend entirely on your skills and the time and effort you can afford to invest. You can install hinges on the frame to make it easy to lift and access your belongings when the bedding is set up. 

If you do decide to create a bed frame for your Jeep don’t forget to add extra beams to support your weight. The last thing you want is to fall through your bedding in the middle of the night. 

When sleeping in your Jeep you may want to invest in a high-quality memory foam mattress. This will make your bedding much more comfortable than sleeping straight on the hard seats or plywood.

This is an investment that will last you for years and will contribute to your comfort and enjoyment of camping.

Brent
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