Putting Together the Perfect Caravan & Camping Wardrobe

Once your vehicle is equipped with everything you need for adventure on the road, you should spend some time thinking about the clothes you’d like to take on your next journey. If you're not sure where to start, don't worry, as today we’re going to cover everything you need to know when putting together an overlanding & camping wardrobe.

Safety and Style: Finding the Perfect Combination for Your Travel Wardrobe

You might be able to get away with throwing a few things together for short trips to destinations with which you are already very familiar but on more daring expeditions, it is a good idea to plan your travel wardrobe carefully. By considering all of the following factors, you can make sure that your overlanding clothing is fit for purpose:

• Time of Year – If you are planning a winter trip, you will want to take a different type of wardrobe from the one you usually pack for your summer excursions. It’s always important to consider the time of year when overlanding or camping and to think about the likely weather conditions you will face. But whether it’s likely to be hot or cold, we recommend taking a layered approach to clothing. In this way, you will be able to remove layers in warmer weather and add extra ones when it turns cold, helping to ensure that you’re ready for all eventualities.
• Destination/Itinerary – The destination or area in which you will be travelling is also important as far as predicting likely weather conditions is concerned and therefore needs to be taken into account when planning your wardrobe. The colder the destination, the more layers you will need.
• Planned Physical Activities – If you are likely to be going on a long bike ride or several hikes, we suggest taking appropriate footwear as well as high-performance, moisture-wicking base layer clothing. Such a base layer will not absorb your sweat, thereby helping to prevent you from becoming uncomfortably damp and cold after strenuous activity.
• Planned Social Events – You may need to consider taking some fancier clothing along if you are planning to attend any social events during your trip. If, for example, you would like to squeeze in a dinner party at a nearby friend’s house while exploring another part of the country, you won’t want to turn up in your old hiking boots and a Gore-Tex jacket.
• Duration of Trip – The longer your trip, the more clothing you will need, unless you follow our suggestion further down and install a compact washing machine in your RV.
• Storage Space – It may seem like an obvious factor, but people often overlook storage space requirements when putting together their first overlanding wardrobe. If you don't have much space in your RV for clothing, you need to choose the most versatile garments you can find, to keep your wardrobe small yet highly functional.

Having carefully considered all the above factors, you will be in a much better position to choose a suitable wardrobe for your next overlanding/camping expedition. If you’re still not sure what to take, join us as we run through an example wardrobe below.

Planning a Wardrobe for a Summer Camping Trip by a Lake

A few days camping by a lake sounds like an idyllic trip for which you don't need to prepare very much, but it's still well worth planning your wardrobe if you want to enjoy yourself to the full. In most cases, the following sample wardrobe would work very well for such a trip:

• 3 Layers of Clothing for Daytime Activities – For trips during which the weather is likely to be mild and warm most of the time, we suggest packing a 3-layer wardrobe. A moisture-wicking base layer, casual shirts for daytime wear and a lightweight waterproof jacket for unexpected summer showers will cover most eventualities.
• Sturdy Thongs – You'll want comfortable footwear for walking around the campsite, and sturdy thongs are one of the best options in our opinion. They won’t make your feet hot and they won’t take up much space either.
• Broken-In Hiking Boots – For walks around the lake and exploratory hikes further afield, make sure that you pack a pair of well-broken-in boots. A good quality pair of hiking boots that have been softened with use will be comfortable to wear in all weather conditions and should provide a decent level of protection for your feet when walking over rough terrain.
• Hat and Sunglasses – Wherever you go and whatever the time of year, you should always pack a pair of quality sunglasses and a hat. In some conditions, it can be positively dangerous to venture outside without them, and even if it's not particularly hot, you're sure to appreciate the extra protection from the sun.
• Thick Gloves – You won’t want to be wearing thick gloves when relaxing around a campsite in summer, but you'll be glad you brought them along if you have to perform a tyre change in the wilderness.
• Quick-Drying Swimsuit – If you fancy cooling down in the lake at any time during your stay, a quick-drying swimsuit will come in very handy.

With all of the above clothing in your travel wardrobe, you should be prepared for most eventualities when camping by a lake during the summer months. However, if you’re planning to attend a social event or participate in activities such as windsurfing and waterskiing, don’t forget to pack additional garments for these times.

In Closing

Taking the time to put together a suitable wardrobe will help ensure you always feel comfortable on your trips, whether you’re on the road or sleeping under canvas. You can also make life easier for yourself when travelling long distances by installing a mini washing machine in your RV. Don’t forget to check out our range of RV washing machines and other appliances before you leave RV Parts Express, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions you’d like to ask.