Camera Gear and Cars

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

DavidT

DavidT

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Marketplace
Member's gallery
I sold my car this week and am shopping for my next vehicle which will be centered around my three hobbies of shooting guns, fishing and photography. I am leaning towards an SUV over a truck and if I go the SUV route I am debating between a full-size or midsize. It will be a 4x4 model, I will do some mods to it improve clearance, lighting and tires. I want to be able to access off the beaten path via forest roads, trails but not looking to take it rock crawling. It will be a vehicle that is a daily driver however capable for long trips and backcountry (see what I did there lol ;)).

So with that out of the way I am curious if any of you have done the same and what do you do to store your gear? I am considering either a custom build rear storage system or an off the shelf drawer system. I am thinking camera gear on one side and recovery, food and camping gear on the other side. If camping I see it as a 1-3 day limit and than staying in a hotel etc.

I would like to be able to safely leave my vehicle with some gear in it while say hiking, eating etc. If going to a hotel I would take the gear in with me. I am thinking drawers that will accommodate my bags so they are an insert and if pulling gear out it is simply zip up the bag and go.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and any pics of what your solution has been.
 
Member's gallery
Watching this thread as I share the same hobbies, and my weekend warrior is a 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (last year before the 4 door came out). During the summer it has the soft top, which is usually down unless it's raining. So secure storage is always a concern.

Thanks David for starting this thread!
 
Member's gallery
DavidT said:
I sold my car this week and am shopping for my next vehicle which will be centered around my three hobbies of shooting guns, fishing and photography. I am leaning towards an SUV over a truck and if I go the SUV route I am debating between a full-size or midsize. It will be a 4x4 model, I will do some mods to it improve clearance, lighting and tires. I want to be able to access off the beaten path via forest roads, trails but not looking to take it rock crawling. It will be a vehicle that is a daily driver however capable for long trips and backcountry (see what I did there lol ;)).

So with that out of the way I am curious if any of you have done the same and what do you do to store your gear? I am considering either a custom build rear storage system or an off the shelf drawer system. I am thinking camera gear on one side and recovery, food and camping gear on the other side. If camping I see it as a 1-3 day limit and than staying in a hotel etc.

I would like to be able to safely leave my vehicle with some gear in it while say hiking, eating etc. If going to a hotel I would take the gear in with me. I am thinking drawers that will accommodate my bags so they are an insert and if pulling gear out it is simply zip up the bag and go.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and any pics of what your solution has been.
Click to expand...
Land Cruiser 200 series, 2018-2022.
 
Member's gallery
Nimi said:
Land Cruiser 200 series, 2018-2022.
Click to expand...
Sadly a cruiser as much as I would love one isn’t on the list since they are well into the $100k range now.

Do you do anything special for transporting your gear with security in mind?
 
Member's gallery
I'm in a two-door Jeep (2021 JL Rubicon). It's my second Jeep (first one was a 2012 JK Sport) and I love it. It gets me into the backcountry much farther than my own legs can carry me.

The new JL Rubicons don't even need much off road modification, honestly. So, for now, I kept my upgrades to just things for safety and self recovery, since I travel solo. I put a stubby bumper, some extra lights, and a winch on mine, but since they come off the line with 33s, I haven't bothered with a lift or upgrading to 35s yet. Bone stock, a new Rubi will get you through just about any moderate trail out there. And if you aren't interested in rock crawling or hardcore trails, it'll get you basically everywhere you want to go.

Since it's a two door, I ended up pulling the rear seat out to give myself plenty of storage space for camping & camera gear. I also went with a hard top, rather than a soft top, specifically for the extra security for my camera gear. Despite that, I rarely leave my gear unattended in the car for longer than grabbing a bite to eat (and always parked where I can see it). Between risk of theft and risk of damage from extreme desert heat, it's not worth it for me to leave my stuff in there.

That said, if you decide to go Jeep, there's a myriad of aftermarket kits for secure storage areas. Though, there are more available for the 4 door than the 2 door models, so just fair warning there. Tuffy makes some great locking rear security enclosures, for example, at reasonable prices. Goose Gear is another quality option, though a higher end one. I've been going back and forth about getting a Goose Gear setup myself because it's absolutely fantastic for camping (especially since I want to eventually get a Dometic fridge back there) and super nice quality, but my needs vary so much between trips that I worry that I might be spending a lot of time having to uninstall/reinstall/move modules around. Goose gear is definitely more of a permanent/long term setup.

If you decide to go the Jeep route, I highly recommend checking out jlwranglerforums.com. There's a ton of good info there and generally very helpful people.
 
Member's gallery
Oh! And one more thing I've found extremely helpful on my Jeep. I installed a tailgate table, which makes an absolutely wonderful worktop for getting camera gear put together on site.

smIMG_4869b.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.


(Don't mind me, I love talking about cars almost as much a I do cameras and photography! 😄)
 
Member's gallery
Doug Herr said:
Thanks for starting this thread, I suspect a JLU is in my future. Are any of the locking storage units easily removable? There are times the additional cargo space would be handy.
Click to expand...
On the Tuffy cargo one, I believe the lid and panels can be quickly and easily removed for hauling larger things, yeah. With a Goose Gear setup or a similar platform/cabinet setup, you'd have to spend more time unbolting modules and pulling them out.

A great thing about Jeeps is the copious amounts of aftermarket gear, there's a lot of companies putting out some really top notch stuff to fit basically every need.
 
Member's gallery
Also a JLUR here. If you’re handy with a soldering iron, you can put a bar across the sloping parts of the rear rollover bars. From that you can attach cages or whatever you like. All it takes are two 10M 1.5” bolts. That’s actually where the soft top brackets go…but in England I never go topless 🤭
 
Member's gallery
DavidT said:
Sadly a cruiser as much as I would love one isn’t on the list since they are well into the $100k range now.

Do you do anything special for transporting your gear with security in mind?
Click to expand...
Not in this one. In my other Land Cruiser (HjZ78) I have built-ins with carpeting making it appear as if that's simply the empty floor of the wagon.
 
Member's gallery
Ditto on the hobbies! It's a great three-some of hobbies! I use an F350 diesel.....but only because I am pulling a 42' 5th wheel! :)

When we disconnect, we have a cover over the truck bed that locks. Gear is either on the back seat in a TT Airport Accelerator, with the 600mm in its own case behind the driver's seat or locked in a locked container in the truck bed.

But if we weren't pulling, I'd use a medium to large SUV. This should be a fun thread!
 
Member's gallery
jadewolf said:
I'm in a two-door Jeep (2021 JL Rubicon). It's my second Jeep (first one was a 2012 JK Sport) and I love it. It gets me into the backcountry much farther than my own legs can carry me.

The new JL Rubicons don't even need much off road modification, honestly. So, for now, I kept my upgrades to just things for safety and self recovery, since I travel solo. I put a stubby bumper, some extra lights, and a winch on mine, but since they come off the line with 33s, I haven't bothered with a lift or upgrading to 35s yet. Bone stock, a new Rubi will get you through just about any moderate trail out there. And if you aren't interested in rock crawling or hardcore trails, it'll get you basically everywhere you want to go.

Since it's a two door, I ended up pulling the rear seat out to give myself plenty of storage space for camping & camera gear. I also went with a hard top, rather than a soft top, specifically for the extra security for my camera gear. Despite that, I rarely leave my gear unattended in the car for longer than grabbing a bite to eat (and always parked where I can see it). Between risk of theft and risk of damage from extreme desert heat, it's not worth it for me to leave my stuff in there.

That said, if you decide to go Jeep, there's a myriad of aftermarket kits for secure storage areas. Though, there are more available for the 4 door than the 2 door models, so just fair warning there. Tuffy makes some great locking rear security enclosures, for example, at reasonable prices. Goose Gear is another quality option, though a higher end one. I've been going back and forth about getting a Goose Gear setup myself because it's absolutely fantastic for camping (especially since I want to eventually get a Dometic fridge back there) and super nice quality, but my needs vary so much between trips that I worry that I might be spending a lot of time having to uninstall/reinstall/move modules around. Goose gear is definitely more of a permanent/long term setup.

If you decide to go the Jeep route, I highly recommend checking out jlwranglerforums.com. There's a ton of good info there and generally very helpful people.
Click to expand...
I have Jeep in mind but if I do I am thinking more along the lines of Grand Cherokee L Summit. I want something comfortable to drive to say Montana from TX. I am a bit worried about Jeep quality, have you had any issues? I have a budget of $70K or less for a truck/SUV.
 
Member's gallery
Doug Herr said:
Thanks for starting this thread, I suspect a JLU is in my future. Are any of the locking storage units easily removable? There are times the additional cargo space would be handy.
Click to expand...
Most are pretty easy. For maximum security they will bolt into the floor which can make it a little more difficult but I also will at times need the cargo space for other activities.
 
Member's gallery
Butlerkid said:
Ditto on the hobbies! It's a great three-some of hobbies! I use an F350 diesel.....but only because I am pulling a 42' 5th wheel! :)

When we disconnect, we have a cover over the truck bed that locks. Gear is either on the back seat in a TT Airport Accelerator, with the 600mm in its own case behind the driver's seat or locked in a locked container in the truck bed.

But if we weren't pulling, I'd use a medium to large SUV. This should be a fun thread!
Click to expand...
I haven't pulled out an F350 SRW Diesel as we also have an eye on a 5th wheel however when considering life and commitments I think we are 5 years or so from being more mobile for extended periods (months) at a time. Until than I just can't justify the cost of an RV. I might in the short term go with a smaller trailer like Steve has that a large SUV can pull. Spending $80K on a super duty I won't really need for 5 or so years is just hard to wrap my brain around.

PS yeah they are great hobbies but I sure didn't pick 3 cheap ones lol.
 
Member's gallery
DavidT said:
I have Jeep in mind but if I do I am thinking more along the lines of Grand Cherokee L Summit. I want something comfortable to drive to say Montana from TX. I am a bit worried about Jeep quality, have you had any issues? I have a budget of $70K or less for a truck/SUV.
Click to expand...
I had my JK for nine years and put almost 150k miles on it before I got rid of it. I had a few engine issues with it, since it was the first year they put the Pentastar engine in the Wrangler. I had a cylinder problem the first month, which was later subject to a recall. It had a handful of electrical problems that I chased around for a while and, in the end, I think it had a head gasket leak and that was the moment I decided to sell and get a new one. It's worth noting that I drove the hell outta it, though. In addition to many trips around CA and the Southwest, I did two cross-country runs between CA>FL and back again. I was hard on it and it still made it to 150k miles (and resold for nearly half what I paid for it).

By contrast, I've had my 2021 JL Rubi for a little over a year. I custom ordered mine from the dealer, with only the options I wanted and none of the fluff. It was about $42k out the door and took about 8 weeks to arrive. No nonsense, no frills. Best car buying experience I've ever had! And so far, I haven't had a single problem with it. Since 2012, they have really worked out all the issues in the 3.6L Pentastar engine. It runs VERY well and is considered a reliable engine. The ride is a lot better than my JK was, too, much smoother and better tuned. The interior is a huge upgrade, too. I find it comfortable for long trips. All in, I'm extremely happy with it! Plus, they're very easy to work on for the most part. I do my own maintenance and my own upgrades. Easiest oil change ever.

But, to be fair, the GC is probably more comfortable. But might offer less aftermarket options. Either is probably a great choice, though!
 
Member's gallery
Turberticus said:
Wow, and here I am shoving my D7500 + 200-500 + Blackrapid strap in my camera bag and placing it on the passenger seat of my '21 Rogue 😂. Will be a fun thread to see how others transport their gear.
Click to expand...
LOL well this is part of my concern is I could easily have $65K in gear between me and my spouse for a road trip to say Yellowstone so I worry with a cargo area surrounded by glass. With a car and a trunk where bags aren't in sight I worry a little less about stopping or parking and hiking even a short distance.
 
Member's gallery
FWIW...... a diesel truck's engine is good up to 300K miles! And I bet they only get much more expensive. We use a Prius for our round around car. On the road we get about 18 mpg with the F350......towing I get about 10-12 mpg..... Smooth, quiet comfortable ride......much nicer than the Prius.

We have an F350 single (i.e. NOT dually) diesel with full tow package that will tow the biggest 5th wheel out there. Short truck bed (but full back seat) with Super Glide RV hitch. Many folks use an F250 diesel just fine for slightly smaller 5th wheels. The larger the 5th wheel, the fewer places you can take it....... 35' is a sweet length if you can find a layout you like at that length.

Our rig
 
Member's gallery
Butlerkid said:
FWIW...... a diesel truck's engine is good up to 300K miles! And I bet they only get much more expensive. We use a Prius for our round around car. On the road we get about 18 mpg with the F350......towing I get about 10-12 mpg..... Smooth, quiet comfortable ride......much nicer than the Prius.

We have an F350 single (i.e. NOT dually) diesel with full tow package that will tow the biggest 5th wheel out there. Short truck bed (but full back seat) with Super Glide RV hitch. Many folks use an F250 diesel just fine for slightly smaller 5th wheels. The larger the 5th wheel, the fewer places you can take it....... 35' is a sweet length if you can find a layout you like at that length.

Our rig
Click to expand...
Funny over the last year I have looked and I landed on 37' as a max length. I to would buy the same truck if it comes to that.

Can't see the pic :( I don't have a smug mug account.
 
Member's gallery
I drive a 2012 Honda Pilot and my wife drives a 2020 Honda Passport. Notice how the wife gets the new car and I'm driving a 10 year old car? Hmmm...

OK with that out of the way, we looked at everything out there from Suburban to Taho to Escape to Explorer and a couple of the Toyota and Nissan offerings as well as the Kia offerings. The Hondas just met our needs. I bought the Pilot new in 2012 and we bought the Passport new in 2020. My perspective on them is they are big enough to be comfortable, haul a "big load" of gear around but small enough to nt be cumbersome to park and maneuver around town. The 4X4 works well enough for anything I'm doing. My 2012 Pilot has 137,000 miles and other than routine maintenance and a coupe sets of tires, I haven't had to put any money in it. One of my friends has a 2010 Honda Pilot with close to 300,000 miles.

As for security, there is a "cubby hole" under the rear deck for smaller items like purses, small camera bags, etc. Other than the obvious stuff like park in well lit areas, love the doors, don't advertise what I have in my car with a bunch of window stickers and keep things under the rear cargo covers, I don't take extraordinary means. I've been lucky so far.

Hope this helps.

Jeff
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top