Off-Road Discovery Off-Road Discovery

Affordable Off-Grid Camping Fridge Setup

Why a Camping Fridge is a Must-Have for Overlanders and Off-Grid Camping

Contents

Introduction

When you’re out exploring remote trails or embarking on a overlanding adventure, keeping food fresh can be a challenge. Traditional coolers can only go so far before the ice melts, leaving your perishables at risk. That’s where a reliable camping fridge setup becomes essential, especially for overlanders seeking convenience and independence on off-grid trips.

Why a Camping Fridge is a Must-Have for Overlanders

For off-road enthusiasts and overlanders, gear durability and efficiency are key. A camping fridge not only keeps food cool for longer, but also eliminates the need for constant ice replacement, making it ideal for extended trips in off-grid environments. Investing in a fridge allows you to maintain perishable items for days, ensuring you have access to fresh meals no matter how far off the grid you are. Additionaly, you have more room for food since ice packs and ice are no longer required.

EcoFlow Solar Panel on 2016 Toyota Sequoia

Choosing an Affordable, Off-Grid Fridge for Your Overland Setup

When selecting a fridge for your overlanding adventures, it’s important to consider cost, power efficiency, and capacity. High-end fridges can be expensive, but there are affordable options that provide both reliability and functionality for families on a budget.

We did a ton of research on car firdges, talked to friends with them and talked to friends that used batterys and solar for both pleasure and work. Getting a fridge, battery and solar that makes sense for your needs is a puzzle you need to spend some time on. Hopefully our set up can help you figure out your own.

We decided on the Alpicool 50L Fridge and EcoFlow Delta 2 Portable Charging Station.

carfridge

Our Off-Grid Fridge Setup:

Alpicool 50L Fridge

  • Our family of 4 fills the 50L fridge for 3+ nights
  • A smaller fridge would be okay if you only camp on weekends and don’t take as much fresh food
  • The wheels are less important than we thought, it is VERY heavy when full but we can both lift it
  • We purchased ours at Princess Auto

EcoFlow Delta 2 Portable Charging Station

  • We pre-charge in our house before we put it in our vehicle
  • We can easily run the fridge for a weekend without needing to charge
  • Easy to use, plug in phones, check status, we use the app to check it via our phones
  • Check out your Local Outdoor shop or online options like Heatco.

EcoFlow 400W Solar Panel

  • Solar panel is large but it takes a lot of sun and hours to charge the power station, we often are in trees and mountains so getting full sun isn’t always possible - we are very happy with the size
  • We keep the panel in our roof-top tent when traveling and in our back seat when not using
  • It’s flat travel case helps make it easy to move around but it is big and somewhat heavy
  • Yes you can get a smaller solar panel but we don’t think we could function with a smaller one in the Canadian Rockies
  • Again check out Locally and online like Heatco, just search “EcoFlow to see all the options”.

Video of Our Off-Grid Fridge and Battery

Is an Off-Grid Fridge Worth It?

Yes! A camping fridge setup, paired with solar power, is a game-changer for off-grid and overland trips. It keeps our family well-fed and prepared for any adventure. Whether heading deep into the wilderness or simply want to enhance your off-road setup, investing in a reliable fridge is worth every penny.

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