The Lodge 12″ cast-iron skillet is a boondocking classic—heavy, bombproof, and wonderfully versatile. We cooked breakfasts, seared steaks, and baked camp-bread over fire and stove to see if the weight is worth hauling. Short answer: for most truck-campers and overlanders, yes.
A hands-on review of the Leatherman Sidekick — where versatility meets value for the modern boondocker.
Off-grid cooking is part art, part survival skill — and all about the experience. From cast iron to compact stoves, here’s how seasoned boondockers make gourmet meals miles from civilization.
Introduction When you’re living off-grid, reliability isn’t a luxury — it’s survival. After running our entire truck camper setup off the Bluetti AC200L for multiple trips across Michigan’s backroads, we can say this: not…
Pick comms by use-case. Two-way SOS messengers for safety and texts anywhere; Starlink for true internet (with higher power draw). The tiers Field notes on power Product spotlights: Best practices
A shunt-based monitor is the single most helpful power tool you can add. It measures every amp in and out, so SOC is trustworthy. Options in plain language What to watch daily Field tip…
Modern vehicles with smart alternators need DC-DC chargers for safe, consistent charging—especially with lithium house batteries. Three approaches Why DC-DC wins Field note With a 30–40A DC-DC, we routinely add ~360–480 Wh per hour…
MPPT is more efficient (especially in cold and cloudy conditions) and best for larger arrays or mixed panel conditions. PWM is simpler, cheaper, and fine for small, budget builds. The difference in plain English…
List every device you use in a day, total the watt-hours, then size your batteries, solar, and charging around that number. It’s the simplest path to a stress-free off-grid setup. Why this matters Guessing…