Overland/Camping Essentials



This has been a long time coming! Since 2017 to be exact.

Surprise PNW Overland Expo 2022! We were in Arizona for the 2019 Expo for the first time and unexpectedly found ourselves at it again in the PNW. We ran into a great couple just getting into Over landing.. here were my tips.

When first starting out things can feel overwhelming. How and where to prioritize  so let’s start with the basics. 

Compact, Light Weight, Collapsible. This is My mantra for everything over-landing.

#1. A Fridge 

I use my ARB classic for more than just camping. It gets used for daily grocery shopping, day trips, and hotel travel. Do your research on power consumption and modern thermal insulation quality. Also the smaller ARB Zero models have an unrealistic awkward stacking shelf system.

What I look for..

  • Max and continuous Power Draw 
  • Dry weight
  • lid latch and opening direction
  • Power cord location as rear cords are preferred when using a drop down slide system and for loading and unloading cargo without snagging the power cord.
  • thermal insulation capabilities

here are just a few for comparison purposes

Update 3/9/20

ARB zero dual zone fridge freezer 63qt to 73qt.- no longer offering the 63qt.

7/8/22 after seeing this in person I don’t like the handle latch, the placement of the control mechanisms, or that the smaller two units of the single drawer systems have a ridiculous double basket system that just has zero practical usability.

Aside from these minor observations I would still put this at the top of the wish list as ARB is one of the few companies still leading in design and tech advancements. ARB fridges are feature rich compared to most other brands. If this weren’t too big for my MSA drop slide I would take a serious look at buying it.

ARB 47L $1,136 (2024)

  • Weight 52.6lbs
  • External: 19.5in(H)x16.7in(W)x26.6in(D)
  • 3 year warranty.

Doesn’t include transit bag.

Snowmaster

  • It has a 5 year warranty on the compressor
  • comes with the insulating transit bag
  • comes with the wireless remote fridge monitor
  • has dual freezer and seperate refrigerating compartments.
  • Weight was 75lbs now 57lbs

all at a cost of $1,249.95 for a 69qt  – price has increased

2024: Snowmaster has cut out its mid sized transit fridge units and now sells a 50L all plastic fridge. The tech of this fridge is old and out dated and used to be the older waeco fridge and does not have a bottom drain plug. ICECO JP50L is the updated better buy here!

ARB FRIDGE 50qt Classic

(2014 pricing ARB fridge) the $900 50qt ARB+ $70 wireless monitor+ transit mag $128= $1,098

I have been using our 50qt ARB fridge for over 8 years now. The ARB fridge comes with a 3 year warranty!  I love it so much that we got rid of our extra garage refrigerator. I have not experienced any problems with this unit that weren’t caused by user error such as needing to adjust the internal battery maintenance shut off levels.  It comes with a hefty price tag but completely worth it! We use it on our 10+ hour car trips, camping, day trips, shopping, we use it for extra indoor refrigerator space. We love having it when guests are staying at our house so we can put it in the spare bedroom.

These refrigerators take up a good chunk of space but if I had to do again I would have bought the next size up. This refrigerator is decent for shorter trips of 3-4 days for two people. With careful planning of eating at least 1 dehydrated meal a day and small simple breakfasts such as oat meal than it’s possible to carry enough food and drinks in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Update 10/1/17 Refrigerator Insulation Case Defects

Something that I noticed is that there is an ARB brand emblem on the front lid of the refrigerator that seems to fall off many of these units. Another defect I noticed this last trip is that the insulation bag is poorly constructed A) the metal clips don’t always bend into the refrigerator points that they are meant to and B) The double sided Velcro that attaches the bag to the refrigerator has come off numerous times and will need to be replaced or glued in place with 3m adhesive spray.

#2. 12V Power and Cord Defects

With a fridge comes the need for constant power and this can not come off the vehicles main battery otherwise it will drain the battery and the vehicle will not start. I started out buying a stand alone marine battery and added power outlets off the battery, so I made my own version of a modern portable power bank. Later I installed the second battery into the engine bay and added a complete separate electrical system which can be very vehicle specific.

With all of our camping 12V products I have now had to replace the power cords due to the 12V end breaking. My suggestion is to upgrade the automotive cord by cutting and adding on Anderson power connectors for a stronger longer lasting power cord and this can be done around the same time as running auxiliary electrical in the vehicle.

When all is said in done I wouldn’t suggest buying a portable power bank like a goal zero if the long term goal is to be over landing and self sufficient because they take up precious interior cargo space.

ARB Remote Wireless Fridge Monitor ❤️❤️

Update : We bought the remote monitor and it has a strong wireless connection. It is suitable to be used with stock 12v cigarette power ports, however it does have a tricky connection that can be easily lost if not snugly fit into the 12V outlet.  Noticeable manufacturing defect is the sticky plastic and glue used to cover the main screen. When you pull the plastic off it leaves the heaviest residue I have ever seen and it obscured the view of the monitor and collected dust from our driving. I prefer this monitor to the new Bluetooth tech!! I don’t need something else draining my phone battery and I don’t want to be on my phone when we are out on the road.

We used the remote monitor for the first time on a camping trip through White Rim and it worked amazingly well and we were very appreciative of being able to see when the refrigerator was working or had come loose due to the bumpy unfinished dirt and rocky roads. Since this time Eric has been amazing at never forgetting it.

2024 update: the fridge monitor is very touchy and the Antenna has to be pointing up otherwise it doesn’t work!

#3. Camp Cooking and Kitchenware

  • GSI ultra light java drip

Eric can’t go without coffee and I have no extra space to spare. We liked this so much that I bought an extra one when Eric miss placed it. It was found and now we have one dedicated for our winter trips and one for camping.

  • GSI Espresso Maker ❤️
  • Utensil Organizer

This is a great way to organize and easily access all utensils and keeping them clean while traveling. Buy one here

I happen to make my own that will be shown here soon…

Utensils organizer contents;

  • Can opener
  • Pairing knife
  • Chefs Knife
  • Travel whisk
  • Silicone spatula/turner
  • Meat thermometer
  • Flat cheese grater
  • Silicone spatula
  • Potato peeler
  • Cutting boards (I chose ikea boards with weight so they aren’t as likely to blow away with a small passing breeze).
  • All in one adjustable measuring spoon
  • Sporks
  • Opined #7 and #8 knifes
  • Plastic butter knives and spoons
  • Small silicone spatula
  • Hand sanitizer spray
  • Ignitor

Camp Kitchen Accessories

  • Jet Boil

    • The jet boil is a marvelous cooking utensil that we heavily rely on for morning tea, coffee, and breakfast making. It is easier to pull out the jet boil to heat the water for my tea and oatmeal vs pulling out the Coleman 2 burner stove. We also use it for heating water for our rehydrated meals when hiking.
  • Collapsible food storage containers
  • Collapsible colander
  • Collapsible mixing bowl
  • Camp stove
    • This is perfect when cooking meals for two people. More often than not we find ourselves using both burners in order to complete a meal.
  • Stanley nesting bowls and sauce pan
  • Frying pan
  • Measuring cups
  • Drinking cups

Camp Dish Washing

  • Collapsible Dish washing basins and portable electrical free water system. 
  • hanging dish drying pouches

#4. Camp Shower

Also seen here is a shower basin to catch the gray water for responsible disposal!!!! Next is the sea to Summit toilet paper cover which is also sold in off brand names.

#5. Awning

lightweight, compact, and easy to use! The Fiamma pro 35 180 weighing in at 13lbs is what I chose to buy on a Black Friday deal that offered free shipping. When I purchased in 2019 it cost $499.00 and now the Fiamma