All the Gear I Used for Two Weeks of Fly Fishing & Truck Camping in Idaho

A two-week fishing trip involves a lot more than fishing. Between long days on the water, there’s food to keep cold, wet equipment to organize, electronics to power, and sleeping space to maintain. After months of living out of different vehicles over the years, I’ve gradually built and fine-tuned a setup that lets me stay out comfortably for weeks at a time.

My very first foray into car camping was a cross-country road trip in high school undertaken in my dad’s Hyundai Sonata. I slept in the backseat with little more than a pillow and a blanket—not a comfortable arrangement for anybody taller than five feet. More recently, I graduated from my third-generation 4Runner (which could accommodate an entire twin mattress in the back, I swear) to my current 1999 Land Cruiser, outfitted with a DIY sleeping platform and enough creature comforts to make extended trips into the backcountry genuinely comfortable.

The Land Cruiser’s sleeping platform, storage, and auxiliary power form the basic infrastructure of my car camping setup, but they aren’t the focus of this list. What follows is the equipment I used most heavily during two weeks of camping and chasing trout up remote streams in central Idaho—it encompasses the fishing gear that accompanied me every day, along with the camp, connectivity, water, and camera equipment that kept the trip running.

The Best Car Camping Gear for Fly Fishing Trips

Orvis Recon Fly Rod At this point in my fledgling fly-fishing career, I’ve had the chance to fish and compare a few fly rods, from beginner models designed to be more accessible for new anglers that feel like casting a broomstick to slower rods built for finesse and delicate presentations. The Recon’s medium-fast action and lightweight construction make it an excellent do-it-all choice for beating the banks—especially in the classic 9-foot 5-weight option, which I’ve paired with their Hydros reel. It has no problem casting and mending heavier double-nymph rigs. At the same time, it maintains enough finesse for more precise dry fly presentations.

Orvis says this rod is “made to be thrown in the back of a truck, strapped to a pack, or stowed in a floatplane pontoon.” Mine certainly rode loose in the back of my vehicle while bombing down rough dirt roads in the middle of nowhere for weeks at a time. While the price point is on the premium side, the durability and versatility of the Recon combined with the made-in-USA construction and Orvis's stellar warranty make a solid argument for the combo. I would have no qualms bringing this setup anywhere.

Of course, this is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none type of rod. If you’re looking to build out a highly nuanced combo for technical spring creek fishing, you’ll likely want to look into something more specialized. Say, a Helios F or Sage R8. But for my current style of fishing, the Recon fits the bill. I’ve already got enough gear to carry on an outing, and carrying three rods while bushwhacking seems like more trouble than it’s worth.

Read our full review of the Orvis Helios fly rod.

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A fly reel is in many ways a glorified fly line holder. It doesn’t need to do much more than operate smoothly and last a long time. The Hydros, sporting smooth, sealed drag and an anodized aluminum construction, provides exactly what I want from a reel: no more and no less. No fancy overbuilt features or gimmicky design, and a durable housing for everything to sit in. It’s spent plenty of time fully submerged and dragged through sand and grime, and still functions as it did out of the box.

SHOP AT ORVIS

I hear a surprising amount in the fishing community ask the same question: “Are premium waders worth it?” Eventually, I found myself pondering the same. I’ve been through a few different pairs, and the conclusion I’ve come to is that, depending on your style of fishing, generally, yes they are.

Patagonia is known for making quality equipment, and after having my last pair of generic Amazon waders spring a leak within a month of use, I decided to give the Swiftcurrent Traverse waders a shot. A huge part of the sell for me was the front zip. I’m not sure why this only seems to be an option on nicer waders, but it makes getting in and out of them much easier (streamside relief during long days on the water is a simpler ordeal too). The sturdy YKK zipper is great, and the two interior and two exterior pockets leave me plenty of room to pack out the day's spent leader remnants and granola bar wrappers.

Durability-wise, they have held up to plenty of wear so far. And I fish hard—I’m generally in the water seven days a week. My gear is rarely completely dry, and when I'm not wearing it, I'm either hanging it out on the balcony to dry or stuffing it in a dirty IKEA bag in the back of the rig. I beat the hell out of these bushwhacking through dense brush and scrambling in places I probably have no business descending with a fly rod. I require waders that are going to stand up to the nonsensical mistreatment I put them through, and these have continued to keep me dry on my excursions.

SHOP AT PATAGONIA

There’s a wise old saying that you should never skimp on the three things that separate your ass from the ground—tires, mattresses, and boots. In my limited years on this earth, this has held up as excellent advice. A solid pair of boots is one of the most important investments you can make; they give you ankle support when scrambling and wading, provide traction on slippery surfaces (which is almost any time you find yourself in a river), and keep your feet comfortable during long outings.

My first pair of wading boots were okay. But they were a bit cumbersome and damn heavy, especially when wet. Not a major issue if you’re standing in one place all day. But typically I'm constantly changing spots, hiking for miles, bushwhacking, and scrambling. In these scenarios, any added weight and clunkiness begin to take a serious toll on the experience.

Enter the Forra. These boots are exceptionally lightweight and nimble. There are heavy-duty wading boots that you can also hike in, then there are these, which feel more like boots designed for hiking and moving that also happen to excel in the water. I have hiked for miles in these, scrambled down canyons, and waded slippery freestones. I've also noticed a massive increase in sure-footedness and much less fatigue at the end of the day.

Coming from felt, I was initially hesitant about the rubber soles, but the Vibram Mars sole provides confident traction. That being said, I do wish they came with studs, but you can get them separately for another $50. Regardless, I have no serious complaints about these boots. They have kept me steady across multiple river systems and have held up to miles of hiking

SHOP AT PATAGONIA

When it comes to carrying all of the required fly fishing accoutrements—tippet, leaders, flies, floatant, etc.—I am decidedly a chest pack guy. I find myself regularly wading much too deep for waist packs, and I detest the idea of reorienting a sling pack every time I need to change flies or tippet, which can be extremely often when targeting picky fish. It’s incredibly convenient to have everything up front at all times, and it makes switching things up on the fly a breeze.

My first chest pack was the cheapest one available at Cabela’s, and it did a generally fine job, albeit briefly. It only had two small main pockets, limiting the amount of tackle I could carry, and like the other compromise gear purchases I’ve mentioned here, it began to fail after a couple of months—ultimately disintegrating despite my efforts to hold it together with tape. It also lacked any attachment points for accessories, requiring me to shove everything into the limited pocket space and dig through it constantly.

The Swiftlink Overlook chestpack from Umpqua is the exact opposite. Its two main compartments sport 9.8 liters of capacity—I can carry a medium-sized double-sided fly box, a smaller fly box, two bottles of floatant, my wallet, keys, and leaders, with room to spare. There are also additional mesh pockets within these compartments that have proved useful for keeping things such as split shot and a leader straightener. Combine this with the two stretch pockets in the front, which are great for carrying a phone and a can of wintergreen, and the removable backpack, which easily fits a Nalgene, sandwich, and an extra layer if you pack it tight, and this can fully carry you for a decent amount of time out on the water without having to bring an extra pack. The built-in backpack also features an inline net holder.

The other highlight of this pack is Umpqua’s proprietary Swiftlink system. The pack feaetures cutouts that accommodate the brand's Link Base Stations—modular attachment points for accessories like magnetic tool and fly holders. The Overlook comes with one Link HatchPad, which is a magnetic "dock" for flies, but the remaining accessories are all sold separately. Sadly, there isn't a cupholder attachment—yet—but I’ve discovered through extensive testing that you can, in fact, fit a beer in each of the front stretch pockets.

It's not completely waterproof, but the rubberized zippers have kept the interior dry throughout plenty of deep wading and rain. I find the adjustment straps on the side a bit odd. They seem designed to accommodate larger anglers wearing lots of layers. If you’re a skinnier angler and aren’t wearing bulky clothing, you’re going to find yourself with a lot of excess strap to manage. (I might be cutting mine down to deal with the annoyance.)

Overall, there is more than enough space in this pack, and the variety of attachment points combined with the Link system make this one of the most feature-rich chest packs on the market. There are also sling and waist versions available if that’s more your speed.

SHOP AT FLY FISH FOOD

How can one fish without polarized sunglasses? This is the question I’m asking myself after not really buying into the tech until recently. Polarized lenses cut down on reflections and glare, reducing eye strain and improving your ability to see what's happening underwater. Being able to sight fish—and cut down on eye fatigue from tracking a fly floating through a riffle that reflects the full power of the sun back into my retinas—has been a total game changer.

These shades from Marble are made from recycled fishnets and are super light. Almost too light—they're light enough that I feel like I need to baby them. But after two weeks of daily wear, the hinges remained tight, and the lenses showed no meaningful damage. The lenses are Zeiss, which, as a photographer, I’m a nut about. I'll talk more about this when we get down to cameras, but Zeiss truly is the gold standard in optics, and these lenses are fantastic. Crisp, great contrast, and water-repellent. Keepers.

SHOP AT MARBLE

There is nothing better than the first hot shower at home after a long trip in the woods. Staying clean in the meantime can be a hurdle, though. Bathing in the river can work, but using soap in a stream is a no-go, and the shock of a cold tailwater isn’t necessarily fun when the sun is already setting after a long day. I’ve also used one of those large hand-pump lawn and garden sprayers, which works fine enough, but it's not compact or designed for personal use. And contorting while naked trying to get the right angle with the short spray nozzle is certainly a sight to behold.

The Helio Pressure shower—which is one of Field Mag's favorite camping showers—appears to solve all my problems. Compact, decent hose length and capacity, and, though it's not unique to the Helio, the fact that it heats in the sun is a huge plus. Hot water in the mountains makes me feel like I’m at The Ritz. The shower works by operating a foot pump to pressurize it, and then you use the hose to, well, hose yourself on down. Pretty self-explanatory. After use, it packs up conveniently into itself and stores in a provided mesh bag. My only real concern is keeping it dry when not in use, but that hasn’t been an issue so far. For now, it’s a welcome luxury.

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Nemo Helio Portable Pressure Shower

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• Capacity 2.9 gallons
• Spray Time 5-7 minutes
• Packed Weight 1 lb 12 oz
• Dimensions 9 x 17 inches
• Material PU-coated nylon, TPU, neoprene tubing
• Price $160

Pros:

• Good capacity
• Good hose length

Cons:

• Water pressure could be better

There are a million headlamps out there. Maybe two million. After my trusty Black Diamond Storm died of corrosion from saltwater spray from surf fishing, I wanted to replace it with something brighter and more durable. I shopped around for weeks, reading buying guides and reviews, trying to find the perfect one. After some sleuthing on Reddit and other internet flashlight forums (yes, these exist), I decided on the Sofirn HS21.

The HS21 is bright (2,200 lumens at full blast). The current version sports gesture control, mode memory, high-CRI light, and a 230-meter throw, as well as spot/flood/red light functionality. The full-metal build is solid and boasts IP65 dust-and-rain-resistance. The headband isn’t the most comfortable, but you can be swap it out. The HS21 also combines the best of both worlds for power: it has an included replaceable battery and can charge via USB-C. One of my biggest problems with a lot of modern headlamps is that few come with replaceable batteries and charging takes hours, which can be a recipe for disaster if you’re miles from home in the dark. An extra battery on hand to swap out when needed is a great safety net. I wouldn’t recommend this headlamp for trail running or ultralight backpacking, but if you need a heavy-duty all-purpose workhorse light for the outdoors, this is the one.

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Sofirn HS21 Headlamp

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• Max Output 2,200 lumens
• Light Modes Spot, flood, spot and flood, red
• Battery 3,000 mAh 18650, USB-C rechargeable
• Material AL6061-T6 aluminum alloy
• Weight 3.07 oz (without battery)
• Price $32

Pros:

• Bright (2,200 lumens)
• Multiple light modes, including red light
• Metal housing
• IP65 rated

Cons:

• Headband can be uncomfortable
• Company uses absurd AI images on its website

A big part of camping and enjoying the great outdoors is getting off the grid, miles from civilization, out of reach of cell service. Sometimes life gets in the way, and you can’t shirk all of your responsibilities on a whim and disappear into the high country for a month. On one of my last trips to Utah, I ended up cruising down from my campsite to the McDonald’s in Moab every single day to steal their wifi and work from the parking lot. This worked in a pinch, but as you can imagine, it was a less-than-enjoyable way to spend my limited time out.

As someone who genuinely loves to unplug, I was on the fence about purchasing the Starlink. It was also expensive—$600 for the Starlink Mini when I purchased it new (though now it is hundreds cheaper). But it has allowed me to work remotely from faraway places and stay out of town for as long as my supplies will let me. It consumes little power and can run for hours on my accessory battery without additional charging from solar. You can even power it via your vehicle's 12V accessory outlet in a pinch. It’s compact, packs down nicely into a small laptop bag, and is quick to connect. I’m usually online within minutes of flipping it on, and the connection speed is blazing fast.

After a couple of years of use, I would say that this has become an absolutely essential part of my kit. I’ll take a streamside home office any day over the McDonald's parking lot—even if it means I can't get a McGriddle.

SHOP AT CABELA'S

Starlink Mini

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• Dimensions 11.75 x 10.2 x 1.45 inches
• Weight 2.43 lbs
• Speed Over 100 Mbps max
• Wi-Fi Built-in Wi-Fi 5 router
• Price $149, plus monthly service

Pros:

• Blazing fast connectivity anywhere with a clear view of the sky
• Compact size
• Low power use

Cons:

• Requires monthly subscription
• You are no longer unplugged

Having to resupply ice every couple of days (and spend money to do it) was another major pain point on previous excursions. I'd been using a 30-quart Pelican cooler for years, which was by all means an excellent cooler, but the ice problem was becoming too much of an annoyance for me to ignore. There are plenty of nice fridges out there, mostly geared towards the overlanding crowd and thus commanding a more premium price. Looking for something more affordable at the time, I discovered some folks online recommending fridges from the slightly obscure Alpicool brand, which I had never heard of. I purchased the C20, a modest 21-quart cooler, for a little less than $200.

The C20 is about as simple as it gets: It’s a box with a lid that gets cold. It has a simple interface panel where you can set the exact holding temperature you’d like—all the way down to below freezing if you need to keep things frozen, or you can set it to normal refrigeration temperature. It can run off your vehicle's 12V accessory port or standard AC outlet depending on your setup. It sips power, especially when running on 12V DC, and I’ve run mine for days at a time off a fully charged accessory battery. It even has an eco mode for more efficient cooling and a small USB port to charge your phone or headlamp.

My biggest gripe with it has nothing to do with functionality, but with space. Twenty-one quarts is only enough space for roughly 3-5 days of food depending on how you pack (and that doesn’t include keeping additional beverages cold). Now I'm on the hunt for something that can store a week's worth of food, beer, and cold brew. Alpicool makes some larger fridges, such as the IR42, but I’ve been eyeing the ICECO APL35 for its dual-zone capabilities and app-controlled functionality.

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Alpicool C20 Fridge

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• Capacity 21 quarts (19.8 liters)
• Temperature Range -4°F to 68°F
• Power 12/24V DC or 100-240V AC
• Price $180

Pros:

• Simple, functional, & reliable
• Low power draw

Cons:

• Limited size for longer trips

Water on the go is another big piece of the puzzle. I’ve traditionally brought along a Scepter 20L water container, which in terms of brute function, is great. However, having to wrestle a container that weighs roughly 45 pounds out of the back of the truck every time you need to refill your water bottle is a massive pain. The GO Jug and Faucet have solved this. The jug has two openings for filling and cleaning, and is made of heavy-duty LDPE, so durability isn’t a concern. The jug sports carrying handles and holds 11 liters, which helps with portability, even when full. I still keep the Scepter on hand to refill it. This gives me even more water storage during a lengthy outing.

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Dometic GO Water Jug

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• Capacity 2.9 gallons
• Weight 3 lbs 12.8 oz
• Dimensions 14.5 x 10 x 7 inches
• Material BPA-free, food-grade LDPE
• Openings Two, including a 63 mm opening compatible with water filters
• Price $70

Pros:

• Very portable
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• Not big enough for all needs

The GO Faucet is where things really start to shine. It attaches via a magnetic base, which you can attach anywhere—a camp table, your tailgate, or the jug itself. Two taps on top and it begins dispensing water. The faucet is chargeable via USB-C and can dispense 150 liters in one charge (that’s 150 Nalgenes if you really want to crunch the numbers). This has been excellent for camp dishes and refilling water bottles on the go. The water pressure is far from impressive, but the ease of use makes up for it. Just like a hot shower, having real water pressure while out in the bush is one of those small luxuries that makes you feel like a millionaire. It's kind of like having a dishwasher in an NYC apartment.

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Dometic GO Faucet

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• Dimensions 6.7 x 6 x 2.6 inches
• Weight 1 lb, 2 oz
• Flow Rate 1 liter per minute
• Battery Rechargeable; dispenses 150 liters per charge
• Material Silicone, ABS, acetal; BPA-free and food-grade
• Price $100

Pros:

• Durable build
• Long battery life

Cons:

• Water pressure could be better

The humble Ikea bag. From carrying home 99-cent dish towels to lost Van Goghs, the venerable blue tote has been a ubiquitous presence throughout our lives. Adding to its many uses, I’ve found it is an excellent solution for carrying waders and boots. Sure, there are more premium options out there that are tailored specifically to anglers. It doesn’t have extra pockets, and it doesn’t fold up into itself or double as a changing mat—but it’s hard to beat something that’s likely already sitting shoved in the back of your closet. Its size and tough material handle wet, muddy gear easily. I’ve had mine for almost a decade, and aside from slight wear on the handles, it’s still functioning the exact same as it did on day one.

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I tend to overpack when it comes to cameras. Each one excels in different areas, and it’s important for me to be able to cover everything when on an assignment or commission. The G2 is the ultimate 35mm rangefinder (sorry Leica). This is my bring-everywhere camera, and it's always with me, thrown into the center console of the Land Cruiser or tucked into a bag. The autofocus is generally reliable if you know how to use it, and the titanium build is tough despite its origins as a luxury travel camera.

The real cherry on top here is the lenses. Zeiss makes some of the best glass out there, and many would argue—myself included—that the G lenses for the Contax system are some of the finest 35mm lenses ever made. The color rendition, sharpness, and contrast are second to none, giving your images a look that is hard to replicate with anything else. The system’s TLA200 flash is a powerful, compact on-camera flash with TTL functionality. There’s not a lot else to say here aside from the fact that this is one of the best 35mm systems you can buy into today, which is why it continues to command borderline ludicrous prices online.

SHOP AT KEH

The GW690 is what I bring along when I know I’m going to need big, detailed images. The 6x9 negative is the largest 120 frame you can shoot that’s not panoramic format. I also enjoy the 2x3 aspect ratio, which matches the typical frame of a 35mm negative. I have the III variant, which is the last generation made. The main differences are in the build—while the earlier generations have more metal components, the III is almost entirely plastic. I sprung for the III simply because I wanted one as close to mint as possible.

The 90mm lens is incredibly sharp and sports a leaf shutter, allowing high-speed sync when you need to use supplemental lighting. With only eight exposures per roll and no electronics, including a meter, you need to make each shot count. The upside of the lack of electronics is that you'll never run into a dead battery. Despite the plastic body, this camera has lasted me years. Just make sure to bring a meter.

SHOP AT EBAY

The Canon EOS-1V is more of a sleeper camera. Discontinued in 2018, it was the last film camera Canon ever produced, and certainly its most advanced. In terms of pure functionality, it competes with the Nikon F6 for the title of greatest 35mm SLR ever made. The autofocus is fast and precise, and as Canon’s top-level professional camera at the time, the weatherproofing and durability are top-notch.

The 1V sports all the creature comforts you’ll find in more modern digital SLRs such as the 5D and 1D series—selectable autofocus points, multiple metering modes, and a large, fully detailed viewfinder with AF and exposure information. It also works with the full suite of Canon EF mount lenses. I bring this camera along when I need absolute reliability and decisive autofocus and autoexposure, whether that’s photographing racecars speeding around a dirt track or getting a quick shot of a fish before release. It’s large and a bit cumbersome, but when I absolutely need the shot, I grab this.

SHOP AT EBAY