Building a Simple Overnight Adventure Kit for My Subaru Outback Wilderness

Written By Along the Sound

One of the things I’ve learned while planning for retirement is that I don’t need to turn every interest into a major project.

I don’t need a camper van. I don’t need a rooftop tent. I don’t need drawers, cabinets, a permanent sleeping platform, or enough equipment to disappear into the wilderness for two weeks.

What I really want is much simpler.

I want the freedom to spend a day somewhere beautiful and, every once in a while, decide I’m not ready to leave yet.

Maybe I’m photographing along the Gulf and the light looks promising the next morning. Maybe I’m in the mountains and fog is moving into the valley. Maybe I’ve spent the afternoon kayaking or riding an e-bike and would rather make some coffee, settle in for the evening, and drive home after sunrise.

That’s where my Subaru Outback Wilderness comes in.

It’s comfortable enough to be my everyday vehicle, capable enough for the forest roads and state parks I’m interested in exploring, and large enough for one person—and occasionally one of my dogs—to spend a comfortable night inside.

The goal isn’t to turn it into a camper.

The goal is to keep an overnight adventure simple enough that I’ll actually do it.

I Already Own the Most Expensive Part

One of the biggest pieces of the setup is already sitting in my office: a Jackery Explorer 2000 V2.

I originally bought it as backup power for my home office, which is actually a good example of how I’m approaching the rest of this gear.

It wasn’t purchased specifically for camping.

But on an overnight trip, it can run a portable refrigerator, recharge camera and action-camera batteries, power a small fan, charge my phone and laptop, and heat water in a small electric kettle without requiring me to start the vehicle.

At home, it’s emergency power.

On the road, it becomes the electrical system for my little overnight setup.

That kind of crossover is exactly what I’m looking for.

I also already own several of the smaller things that make being outside more enjoyable:

  • Comfortable folding camp chairs

  • Small rechargeable fans

  • Portable lighting

  • Blankets and throws

  • Camera and photography gear

  • A Pelican case that can organize much of the equipment

None of those things are especially exotic.

That’s sort of the point.

An Adventure Kit, Not a Subaru Build

The more I’ve thought about this, the less interested I’ve become in buying equipment specifically for the Outback.

I’m really building a portable adventure kit.

The Jackery doesn’t care whether it’s sitting in the Subaru, my Jeep Wrangler, beside a picnic table, or at home during a power outage.

The same is true of the refrigerator, camp chairs, fans, lighting, coffee equipment, cooking gear, blankets, and most of the other pieces.

If I decide the Jeep makes more sense for a mountain trip, much of the kit can simply move over.

If my wife and I rent a cabin, spend an afternoon at the beach, or head to a state park for a picnic, a surprising amount of the same equipment still has a purpose.

That has become an important part of how I think about buying gear.

I’ll spend more money on something when durability or quality really matters, but I don’t need the most expensive version of every camping accessory. For ordinary pieces, I’d rather find something simple, inexpensive, well reviewed, and useful in several different situations.

Every piece should earn the space it occupies.

What I Still Want to Add

The remaining setup is actually pretty modest.

At the top of the list is an ICECO GO20 dual-zone refrigerator/freezer. It’s small enough to fit neatly behind a front seat but large enough for the kind of overnight trips I’m planning.

Even that has uses beyond camping. It can keep food and drinks cold during a long drive, supplement a cooler at the beach, or become temporary refrigerated storage during a power outage.

For sleeping, I’ve settled on the Luno AIR Pro Vehicle Mattress.

At one point I was looking at thicker self-inflating and foam-supported options, but the more I thought about the way I’ll actually use the Subaru, the simpler all-air version made more sense.

I’m planning occasional one-night trips rather than living in the vehicle for weeks at a time. The AIR Pro packs down small when it isn’t being used and doesn’t require me to dedicate much cargo space to bedding.

Fold the rear seats down. Move the passenger seat forward. Inflate the mattress. Add a sheet, pillow and blanket.

Done.

My current setup is heading in this direction:

There are plenty of other things I could add eventually, but I don’t want to buy everything before I’ve spent a single night in the vehicle.

The first few trips will tell me much more than a shopping list ever could.

A Comfortable Place to Sleep

Sleeping comfort is probably where being tall makes my setup a little different from most.

Fortunately, the Outback gives me enough length to make a simple passenger-side sleeping arrangement practical.

The plan is to move the front passenger seat forward, fold the rear seats, and use that side of the vehicle as my sleeping area.

The refrigerator can live behind the driver or in another accessible position depending on how the final layout works.

That leaves the remaining space for the Jackery, Pelican case, and a few overnight necessities.

I also want to resist the temptation to stack equipment too high.

A lot of vehicle-camping builds create elaborate raised platforms with storage underneath. They look great, but every inch you raise the mattress is an inch of interior space you lose.

I’d rather have fewer things and more room.

That’s another reason the simple air mattress appeals to me. It gives me the sleeping surface I need without turning the interior into a construction project or requiring me to carry around a bulky foam mattress when I’m not camping.

If I discover after a few nights that something needs to change, I can change it then.

There’s no reason to solve a problem I don’t know I have yet.

Morning Coffee Can Be Simple

My original plan for coffee was surprisingly elaborate.

I considered a Wacaco Picopresso, a separate hand grinder, an electric kettle, and even bringing along my milk frother every time.

I still love good coffee.

But somewhere along the way I realized I was designing a coffee shop when what I really wanted was a peaceful cup of coffee beside the water.

So the everyday plan is an AeroPress Go and a small electric kettle.

Heat the water. Make the coffee. Sit down.

That sounds more like me.

The milk frother hasn’t been banished, either. If my wife is along, we’re spending a leisurely morning somewhere, or I simply feel like making something a little more indulgent, there’s no reason I can’t toss it into the Subaru.

It just doesn’t have to be part of the standard kit.

The kettle also earns its space because it can make tea, oatmeal, soup, or anything else that needs hot water.

And there’s something appealing about waking up at a place like Grayton Beach State Park, Falling Waters State Park, or Big Lagoon State Park, making coffee beside the Subaru, and watching the park slowly wake up.

Some mornings an AeroPress will be perfect.

Every once in a while, maybe the frother comes out.

Adding a Real Meal

One thing that has changed as I’ve thought through the setup is that I want the ability to cook an actual meal when the occasion calls for it.

That’s where the Blackstone OTG 14-inch Griddle with Side Burner comes in.

I don’t necessarily need to bring it along for every overnight trip. If I’m simply arriving late, sleeping, and getting up for sunrise, an electric kettle and something simple to eat may be plenty.

But for a relaxed afternoon or evening at a campsite, the Blackstone opens up a lot of possibilities without turning cooking into another complicated hobby.

Burgers. Breakfast. Eggs and bacon. Chicken. Vegetables. Maybe something I picked up locally during the day.

The side burner also gives me another way to heat water for coffee or tea when I have the Blackstone with me.

That sounds a lot more enjoyable than eating packaged camping food simply because I happen to be sleeping outdoors.

It also fits the same philosophy as the rest of the gear. The Blackstone can be used at home, on a patio, at a campground, during a picnic, or on a road trip.

It isn’t something that exists only because I own a Subaru.

A Table That Works With the Subaru

I also decided I want a little more table than the tiny camping tables I initially considered.

Something around 40 inches long feels about right, but the real advantage isn’t just having more surface area.

A table around that size should be able to slide underneath the mattress and stay stored flat inside the Subaru.

That gives me another option when I don’t feel like setting up a full campsite.

I can open the rear hatch, pull the table partway out from underneath the mattress, and have an instant work surface for coffee, food, camera gear, or whatever else I need at the moment.

If I want more room, I can pull it completely out and use it as a normal camp table for the Blackstone and a full meal.

It could also become a photography table, somewhere to organize equipment, or even a small editing station.

That kind of flexibility is exactly what I’m looking for with the Subaru setup: equipment that stays simple, takes up very little space, and can be used in more than one way.

What Happened to the Solar Panel?

A folding solar panel was originally fairly high on my list.

It isn’t anymore.

With the capacity of the Jackery Explorer 2000 V2, I simply don’t expect to need solar for a normal one-night trip.

I’m planning to start with established campgrounds and state parks rather than extended off-grid camping. For the kind of trips I’m describing, I should be able to leave home with plenty of power.

A solar panel may still make sense eventually, particularly as emergency equipment around the house. If we had an extended outage, being able to recharge the Jackery without relying on the electrical grid would be useful.

Camping would almost be a secondary benefit.

That means there’s no reason for me to rush out and buy one just because it appears on somebody else’s list of essential overlanding equipment.

More Than Somewhere to Sleep

That may be the part of this idea I like most.

The overnight capability is almost a bonus.

Suppose I spend an afternoon photographing at a state park.

The refrigerator holds lunch and cold drinks.

A camp chair gives me somewhere comfortable to sit.

The Jackery keeps camera batteries charged.

A small fan makes a warm afternoon more pleasant.

I can pull the table partway out for coffee or lunch, or set it up outside with the Blackstone if I decide to cook dinner.

Later I can make coffee or tea, edit a few photographs, read for a while, or simply watch the light change.

And if I have a campsite reserved, there’s no hurry to leave.

Eventually I also want to try a few simple overnight trips with one of my dogs along for the adventure.

Nothing elaborate.

A campground. A walk. Dinner. Maybe some photography. A comfortable place to sleep.

And probably far more dog equipment than either of us actually needs.

That sounds like a pretty good night to me.

Start With One Night

The biggest change in my thinking may be that I’m no longer trying to design the final version before I start.

I want to get the basic pieces together and spend one night in the Outback.

Then another.

Maybe I discover I desperately need something I never considered.

Maybe something I thought was essential never leaves the Pelican case.

Maybe the Blackstone becomes something I bring almost every time.

Maybe I discover that most nights I’m perfectly happy with coffee, a sandwich, and a good view.

That’s part of the fun.

Gear should follow the experience instead of the experience being created to justify the gear.

Ready for Whatever Comes Next

The more I think about retirement, the more I realize I’m not really chasing luxury.

I’m chasing options.

The option to stay for sunrise.

The option to photograph fog rolling across a mountain valley.

The option to cook dinner outside and watch the light disappear.

The option to spend another evening near the Gulf rather than watching the clock and thinking about the drive home.

The option to bring one of my dogs along for a little adventure just because I can.

That doesn’t require a $100,000 camper van.

For me, it may be nothing more complicated than an Outback Wilderness, an air mattress, a refrigerator, a camp chair, some coffee, a small Blackstone, a camera, and a handful of carefully chosen things packed in the back.

And maybe that’s the best part.

When everything I need can be loaded or unloaded in a few minutes, the Subaru remains what I bought it to be—an everyday vehicle that happens to be ready for an adventure whenever I am.

Suburu Overnight Gear  - Amazon List

Along the Sound https://alongthesound.com
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I Bought the Outback Wilderness