packing gear inside - Eagle Shell

[super doody]

For me, space and weight are two key constraint for packing. I have a 2007 Eagle shell with a roller over couch. This maybe less of an issue for people with cabinet & drawers and bigger truckers. It was always interesting for me to see how others pack their gear. Here is how I have been packing my gear.




1. Wheeled cooler that fits through the door and aisles http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-60-Qt-Wheeled-Cooler-FG2A9002MODBL/203296615?N=c7nw%3Fbrowsestoreoption%3D1 My trusty green coleman stove is behind the cooler
2. Under the rollerover couch, I store the our sleeping bags and pillows
3. Recycle bin for fire wood
4. 14 gal rubber maid roughneck storage for kitchen items like cooking kit, seasoning, silverware, oil, bbq stuff, etc. We have this cook set which is extremely compact and has everything we will ever need. The coating makes clean up a breezy and heats water and food a lot faster. http://www.rei.com/product/830776/gsi-outdoors-pinnacle-camper-cookset

5. Stocket set containing both US and Metric sockets
6. 10 gal rubber maid roughneck for dry food bread, chips, jerky, fruit, trail mix, etc
7. 5'9'' quad fish surfboard which fits perfectly on the passenger side. Behind the surfboard is a step stool.
Not numbered - below the surfboard is sort of "secret compartment" which runs the almost the the entire length of the camper. I storage misc tools, hammock, rope and is perfect location for storing fishing poles and reels.

We storage our folding aluminum table, chairs between the back rest of the couch and the window.

For now my only electrical need is lighting. Instead of stalling a heavy battery, I use a magetic pod light on the ceiling: http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Professional-3-LED-Batteries-Included/dp/B003UNVD5K

Overall, I think this is a good compromise between keeping things light and organized.

Please feel free to share how you pack your gear and/or provide any comments or feedback.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Jim, I guess my question is... what do you do with the gear when you're in the camper? It seems that you need to move a lot of gear around when you want to be inside. Would it be possible to build a set of cabinets on the left side, or use a retaining net to keep the totes stacked along that wall?

 

[ETAV8R]

Such is the life of a shell owner. I use the following:

2-3 of the black plastic bins with the yellow top-they fit right in the middle
5 gallon bucket for trash/waste
5 gallon fuel container-depends on destination
3-10 gallons of water- some for drinking, some for cleaning/showering
Camp kitchen
Camp Awning
Chair
Clothes duffel
Sleeping bag(s)
Pillows

The totes and anything not needed in the camper are removed in camp.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

super doody you didn't mention what truck you have.
If you have an access or double cab and it's only just two people,you can get plastic stacking drawers and use them in the cab of the truck.
I don't use the rear seat of my access cab Tundra so I striped it out and now use that space for a set of drawers on each side and the "truck fridge" between.
We use the drawers for our clothes and other things.Works great.I don't have a shell though so I have cabinet space,and use 2 more of the plastic drawers>one large two drawer on the front floor and a smaller one where the optional cabinet by the bed goes.
I also take advantage of the space accessed through the turn buckle holes.Store things there that I only use if needed.
Snow cables,propane bottles stuff like that.
Plus my camper lives on the truck 100% of the time.
Frank

 

[takesiteasy]

We use action packers mostly. 2-4 depending on duration of trip and gear we want to have along. Our kitchen setup fits in one large packer- stove, cook kit, utensil roll, dish pans, table cloth, hatchet, folding buck saw, Britta filter water container (great for taking the bad taste out of water). Our dry food usually fits in a small action packer. Cold food in the fridge. Clothes in duffel bags and bedding stays on the bed. We take 2 chairs and a roll-up table. The dog's fold-up kennel also fits on top of the action packers. At night, the gear we don't want in the camper goes in the cab of the truck. Not having cabinets in the camper leaves lots of room for hanging out, changing clothes and whatnot. Our system works well for us. Maximum packing is shown below. You can see more pics here.

 

[super doody]

Jim, I guess my question is... what do you do with the gear when you're in the camper? It seems that you need to move a lot of gear around when you want to be inside. Would it be possible to build a set of cabinets on the left side, or use a retaining net to keep the totes stacked along that wall?

It is possible to install a set of cabinet and table surface on the left but it adds weight and compounds the driver side lean Tacomas are know for. Luckily, we camp in very mild and fair weather so we spend as much time as possible outside so we take everything except for the cooler when we get to camp. At night we put the two roughneck storage boxes in the cab and I leave my surfboard under he truck. The recycle bin for fire wood is always first out, last in.

 

[super doody]

super doody you didn't mention what truck you have.
If you have an access or double cab and it's only just two people,you can get plastic stacking drawers and use them in the cab of the truck.
I don't use the rear seat of my access cab Tundra so I striped it out and now use that space for a set of drawers on each side and the "truck fridge" between.
We use the drawers for our clothes and other things.Works great.I don't have a shell though so I have cabinet space,and use 2 more of the plastic drawers>one large two drawer on the front floor and a smaller one where the optional cabinet by the bed goes.
I also take advantage of the space accessed through the turn buckle holes.Store things there that I only use if needed.
Snow cables,propane bottles stuff like that.
Plus my camper lives on the truck 100% of the time.
Frank

Have a tacoma extra cab. Without a door access, its PITA to get stuff in and out.

 

[cwdtmmrs]

Take less gear? I have a mid 90's FWC Ranger II and can carry all I need with the built in cabinets and under couch storage for 2 weeks. The big thing is that I have the old style couch set-up. while the roll over couch seems like a good idea, there is 7" less aisle space over the old style. I can get good size bins in my asile.

CWD

 

[LuckyDan]

I've got a full on Grandby, old but still full on, and still use a couple plastic totes I set out when parked. Storage has been to me about the only down with my FWC. Of course my Sons, a.k.a. the crap magnets, are getting older, thus it's less time with the three of us. When it is the three usually at least drives themselves and hauls their own freight.

Obvious answer, get older kids and make them haul their own stuff.

 

[super doody]

Take less gear? I have a mid 90's FWC Ranger II and can carry all I need with the built in cabinets and under couch storage for 2 weeks. The big thing is that I have the old style couch set-up. while the roll over couch seems like a good idea, there is 7" less aisle space over the old style. I can get good size bins in my asile.

Too much gear is not the issue. Its making it easy to get to and organized. If the remove the fire wood bin, I can stake everything on the passenger side and still have aisle space. Keeping things in the aisle also keep the COG low. Its fine balance, between organization, weight and space.

 

[ETAV8R]

My three main totes are the following:
Firewood-sometimes it goes and sometimes not. Usually first in because it is heavy and I like to keep it closer to the COG
Camp stuff- stove, awning, tent stakes, etc.
Kitchen stuff-this one is the lightest and last in.

 

[craig333]

Interesting to see how others do it. Wood, if I carry any goes in the truck. Cooking supplies are perma installed under the seat. BBQ, chairs, table, and food tote take up most of the space.

 

[ski3pin]

On the floor are our two clothes duffels and our two packs. Boots are behind the seat in the truck. Folding chairs and grey water cube are right inside the camper door. When we stop, the chairs come out and are set up outside. The cube goes to the side of the truck. The duffels go on the bed when the top is popped and the packs go on the front seats of the truck. Everything else is in its place in the camper.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

On the floor are our two clothes duffels and our two packs. Boots are behind the seat in the truck. Folding chairs and grey water cube are right inside the camper door. When we stop, the chairs come out and are set up outside. The cube goes to the side of the truck. The duffels go on the bed when the top is popped and the packs go on the front seats of the truck. Everything else is in its place in the camper.

That's good teacher organization.
Works every time.
Frank