What's in the rig

Gear

Everything bought for Pearl and for camping with her. Each item gets a verdict: love it, fine, or regret. No affiliate links. No incentives to be anything other than honest.

♥ Love it 6
~ Fine 4

Camp

Helinox Chair One

Camp
♥ Love it $180–200

Expensive, but it packs into a tube and sets up in 30 seconds. Fits between the wheel wells in the galley storage area. Worth every cent for someone with a bad back.

Bought March 2025

Fiamma F45S Awning (factory-installed)

Camp
♥ Love it Included with Pearl

The single best feature of this rig. Wind-rated and deploys solo in under two minutes. Creates a real outdoor room.

Bought February 2025

Kitchen

Coleman Steel-Belted Cooler 54qt (Red)

Kitchen
~ Fine $90–110

Holds ice well for 3 days in mild temps. Heavy when full—lifting it into the galley alone is awkward. Would consider a lighter rotomold option for longer trips. The red looks good next to Pearl though.

Bought March 2025

Camp Chef Everest Two-Burner

Kitchen
♥ Love it $80–100

Lots of BTUs. Boils water fast. Fits the galley counter with room to spare. Flame control is actually good, not just a binary on/off.

Bought March 2025

Reliance Aqua-Tainer 7 Gallon

Kitchen
~ Fine $20–25

Gets the job done. The spigot drips a little if you don't tighten it fully. 7 gallons is enough for 2-3 days of careful use solo. Bring a backup half-gallon just in case.

Bought March 2025

Light

Black Diamond Spot 400

Light
♥ Love it $45–55

Bright enough, reliable, red-light mode for not wrecking your night vision. Nothing fancy to say—just works every time.

Bought February 2025

Interior LED Strip (factory)

Light
~ Fine Included with Pearl

Warm white, pleasant tone. Runs off trailer battery—charge it before you leave or it'll be dim by 9pm. Learned this the hard way on night one.

Bought February 2025

Safety

Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .9

Safety
~ Fine $35–45

Compact kit. Adequate for cuts, blisters, minor burns. Not a substitute for knowing basic first aid. Lives in the galley drawer permanently.

Bought March 2025

Sleep

Marmot Trestles 15°F Sleeping Bag

Sleep
♥ Love it $110–130

Overkill warm for spring desert nights but that's the right problem to have. Compresses to a reasonable stuff-sack size for the small cabin space.

Bought March 2025

On costs: Prices listed are approximate purchase ranges— not affiliate-tracked, just what I remember paying or what these typically sell for. Gear prices fluctuate; treat the ranges as ballparks.