Family Camping Set-up (1 Viewer)

[ZackR]

I second @Heckraiser 's comment on a full size domestic van. My buddy has one for family camping and it works great (his has the 4x4 conversion completed). We both just bought hard shell roof top tents which adds that much more space (this photo was from a few months ago before those).

The 80 would be great as well, however if you are purely looking for something to camp in I'd go bigger and or with a trailer. A trailer can be packed and ready to go at any time.

 

[dogfishlake]

I second @Heckraiser 's comment on a full size domestic van. My buddy has one for family camping and it works great (his has the 4x4 conversion completed). We both just bought hard shell roof top tents which adds that much more space (this photo was from a few months ago before those).

The 80 would be great as well, however if you are purely looking for something to camp in I'd go bigger and or with a trailer. A trailer can be packed and ready to go at any time.

View attachment 1793098

Those 4x4 vans are sweet, especially diesel powered. They don't come cheap though. If your family isn't too large, I think an 80, with trailer when needed gets it done.
@Ocho77 has a nice setup.

 

[dogfishlake]

I stole his picture in the Lake Michigan Land Cruisers clubhouse post he did.

 

[calmont]

Sorry to dig up an old thread but this seemed the most appropriate place without starting a new one.

Does anyone have any experience/recommendation using the 80 as a family camping rig for a family of 5-6?

We have a small son (1 yo) and are planning on more soon. I love the 80 series and want to build one for a daily driver/weekend adventure vehicle but it seems like that might be difficult if we end up with 3 or possibly 4 kids.

I'm the original poster here and we ended up going with the 80 over the Eurovan. We now have a drawer system built in that, with the 2nd row folded flat, sleeps 2. We also have a RTT to sleep 2 up top. I don't think more than 4 would be all that practical unless you are towing a trailer as others have suggested. You'll need room for gear and with 5, you'll need at least one seat installed in the 3rd row. The middle seat on the 80 only has a lap belt and I wouldn't be comfortable with that setup on long road trips.

 

[ZackR]

I'm the original poster here and we ended up going with the 80 over the Eurovan. We now have a drawer system built in that, with the 2nd row folded flat, sleeps 2. We also have a RTT to sleep 2 up top. I don't think more than 4 would be all that practical unless you are towing a trailer as others have suggested. You'll need room for gear and with 5, you'll need at least one seat installed in the 3rd row. The middle seat on the 80 only has a lap belt and I wouldn't be comfortable with that setup on long road trips.

Photos of the 80 requested!

 

[calmont]

Photos of the 80 requested!

 

[dogfishlake]

Looks great! Red 80's get some wisecracks around here but when they are done up nice like yours they are sweet looking.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Done

 

[Haspin FJ]

Works good until there's monsoon rain when you need to setup or takedown and downfalls are you are stuck wherever you are and you have to move everything on top of the platform. 2nd row seats are there just folded down. The wood top has a duplicate that slides forward to make the bed on top of the seats and slides back and screws down for travel.

 

[Shoredreamer]

 

[Heckraiser]

View attachment 1793157 View attachment 1793158

Works good until there's monsoon rain when you need to setup or takedown and downfalls are you are stuck wherever you are and you have to move everything on top of the platform. 2nd row seats are there just folded down. The wood top has a duplicate that slides forward to make the bed on top of the seats and slides back and screws down for travel.

...complete with surly teenager!

 

[LouisianaRubicon]

I stole his picture in the Lake Michigan Land Cruisers clubhouse post he did.
View attachment 1793120

I'm not a trailer guy but boy howdy, that's a good looking setup!

 

[Dragos80]

More than needed info right here:

Lets see your rigs packed for a trip

 

[LC4LIFE]

I love my teardrop. I can pull it just about anywhere we want to go and its easy enough to add a tent depending on how many of us are going. When my kids were younger, it was a sprung over tent trailer and now the teardrop as they get older. You have to make it easy for them to enjoy camping and traveling....although that doesn't necessarily mean it will be easy on you

 

[chatt100]

So many awesome set ups! I'm definitely inspired! While it might be a little more cramped I love the 80 series so am starting my search. I have some time as it will be a little while before all the kids are old enough to get out. I think a trailer makes the most sense to make up for the lack of interior space.

 

[96FZJ80]

I picked this up about a month ago and then had to go out of town for work but that gives me plenty of time to plan. Wildernest topper on a Datsun 620 bed trailer. I can't wait to get out in this thing. 3 advantages over the RTT on the vehicle in my book. Can take off in the truck without breaking down the tent, can store all the gear in it when not camping, and can stand up .

 

[thatcabledude]

I picked this up about a month ago and then had to go out of town for work but that gives me plenty of time to plan. Wildernest topper on a Datsun 620 bed trailer. I can't wait to get out in this thing. 3 advantages over the RTT on the vehicle in my book. Can take off in the truck without breaking down the tent, can store all the gear in it when not camping, and can stand up .

View attachment 1797641

Man I eyeballed that thing for about a month and just couldn't swing the trip to go pick it up. You got an awesome base to start with and an even more awesome deal!

 

[greentruck]

That teardrop is sweet.

Once you get to 5 people, one of them has to be short to sit in the middle of the second row. Using the 3rd row doesn't leave much space inside, so 6 inside is pretty much beyond person capacity, even with a trailer. Just a RTT plus other gear would probably not be enough to camp without a trailer with that many aboard.

If big "domestic" van is an option, the 4x4 Mercedes is getting good reviews and solves pretty much every space problem up through half a dozen, depending on interior seating accommodations. Rock crawling and sidehilling would likely not be as comfortable in the Mercedes, though. Would also require a really LONG ladder up to a RTT.

 

[Marco Lau]

i like setting up my tent on the ground and use a lumberjack canopy to anchor to the rack and set up tables and chairs underneath it. works well for me

 

[Jgunner]

Get an 80, put a roof rack on it, get a large awning with tent adapter/screen room type(i have an arb, think i paid 650 for both maybe less) that way when you need to take a piss or get out of the tent for any reason, you are not having to traverse a ladder. Plus if you get drunk you ain’t falling as far.