Max--

I've tried a variety of different approaches to camp gear over the years and have evolved to a solution that I really like. However, I took my time and, when you start to check prices, you'll learn it isn't cheap. I used two Sterilite plastic totes bought at Walmart for a few years, strapped to the top of the Jeep, and while I never suffered water entry despite encountering very heavy rains several times, those totes did let dust in. Lots of very fine dust that made a mess of things. Livable, but a hassle. Who wants to have to clean up a pot that is covered in fine dust before cooking dinner? I used a cargo net to tie them down on top of the Jeep, but having weight on the overhead rack is problematic, and the totes were like a big sail up there during windy highway driving.

So, my packing solution evolved. I bought Alu-Boxes because you can get them in a variety of sizes, and I bought sizes that accomodated both what I carry and how I'd pack it. I installed an interior rack from Adventure Trailers, and bought new, black rubber straps of the exact lengths needed to secure the boxes to the rack. I used colored zip-ties to identify which straps went with which boxes. Before that I was using a bungie cord variety pack to secure the boxes and that was a hassle to hook up, and far less secure than I wanted (bungee cords have too much stretch).

I also replaced the two 7-gallon Aquatainers I had with three 2.5-gallon Aquatiners--the cube shaped ones. These fit in the overhead rack, and are much easier to handle (56 gallons of water is pretty heavy for a 65 year old to manhandle, LOL). For trips where more water was needed, I also fitted a 10-gallon Frontrunner water bladder on the floor in front of the rear seat row. I have an on-demand water pump hooked to this, along with a bit of a jury-rig plumbing system so I can use it to route water to a shower, water jug, etc.

Back in the rear, I have a custom made aluminum plate mounted over the floor pan. To this I have bolted a refrigerator sliding rack from Tembo Tusk. They offer a model with a built-in stove shelf, but I chose for the one without (leaves more room on that Adventure Trailer rack for gear, and doesn't crowd the back area when cooking--more on that in a moment). I also have a custom-sized drawer from SoCal Trailers mounted to the aluminum plate. Finally, the top of that drawer is open, so I can lay a few things on it--I have a crag bag (used by climbers for their ropes, etc), a small backpack, and a roll-up table that fit perfectly in that space. They don't need to be tied down since they can't go anywhere with the Adventure Trailer Rack mounted above it.

Back at the tailgate, I have a Trailgater table with cutting board from Outback Adventure. Because of that, when the fridge is rolled out, it gets crowded. But, since I put my stove on the fold-down table, and use the roll-up table next to it to place ingredients, etc, the fridge only needs to be slid out and opened momentarily--it's not constantly in the way if I had the stove on it. The stove, BTW, is a Cook Partner--lots of heat, great in the wind and at high altitude, runs off a 5-pound propane tank mounted in a rack from Adventure Trailers that is screwed to the trail rack above my spare tire.

Packing: I have one Alu-Box set up for kitchen gear--pots, utensils, dishwashing gear, etc. A second one is used to carry food that doesn't need to be refrigerated. Those are carried on the Adventure Trailer trail rack, along with the three water jugs. On top of one of the Alu-Boxes I strap down the stove, and on top of the other I strap down a short step ladder I picked up at Walmart (great for giving me a bit better angle sometimes when shooting photos). A third Alu-Box is carried on the trail rack over the spare, and has miscellaneous camp gear--rope, tarp, etc.--as well as gear for the pooper (toilet paper, plastic bags, etc). On top of that third tote I carry the pooper itself--a plastic, three-legged thing that is a balancing act to use, but required to get a permit for some of the places I travel. In the crag bag I carry my rain gear pants (the top I keep at the ready in the Jeep), a MSR Hubba Hubba tent, a Thermarest Prolite 3 sleeping pad, and a Montbell Down Hugger sleeping bag. When we arrive at a campsite, this one bag has the gear I pull out to set up for a night of camping. The small backpack has emergency gear--water filter, compass, extra flashlight, etc. If I had to hike out, that is the bag I'd probably carry (though the crag bag is also fitted with straps so it can be used as a backpack).

I also carry a first-aid kit I've built up after attending the 16 hour Wilderness First Aid training course--highly recommended you attend a similar course since knowledge weighs nothing and takes up no space.

In the storage drawer I carry all of my tools and recovery gear. I've spelled out in the expedition thread how I pack my tools, but to summarize, I have one roll-up that I call my "95% solution" bag. That is, it's right on top and has tools I need for most repairs. Tools for heavier duty work are under it. I can get the 95" solution bag out in under a minute. Other tools will require sorting through them in the big bag until I find what I need.

Of course, you've probably noted that I have an MBRP overhead rack. On it, I keep a set of MaxTrax, tied down with rubber straps. And I carry a second spare, secured with a custom-fabricated carrier mounted to the MBRP overhead rack front extension. I only carry that spare for longer trips. Other than that, I usually don't have anything up there (this past trip I was carrying a second, rather large tent, to give to a friend, so strapped it on top until I could transfer it to his Jeep).

Finally, clothing I carry in cloth stuff sacks I bought years ago at Walmart. I use two: One for things I change daily, the other for things I change less than daily, as well as for cold-weather gear (down jacket, etc). These I lay on the back seat.

You may see some rather old pictures of this in an album with other images about Jeep work from last year. The pictures aren't current, as I've changed straps, a few bags, etc, but they give you an idea of what I've done ...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=493982bd8c

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, but, most important, just get out there!

--mark d.